[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

The Everett Silvertips currently sit 3rd in the WHL, 2nd in Goals-For, and left-handed Tarin Smith leads their D core in scoring by 10 points, with 35 points in 52 games, which prorates to 45 points in 67 games. The Porcupine Plain, SK native has immense talent, but is more raw than most players his age, as he missed all but 8 WHL games last year due to a shoulder injury. Because he is so rough around the edges, he's flying largely under the radar, and was put on the "Players to Watch" list by Central Scouting, indicating their belief that he will be a 6th or 7th-round choice- but he's getting his share of attention lately, it would seem. Eliteprospects has him at # 37 overall. Everett drafted him 20th overall in the 2021 WHL Draft, so he was once a top player in his age group- and I believe he will be again.
Smith is very mobile and smooth, with fabulous footwork to evade checkers, and he can cover a lot of ground quickly. Watching him skate earlier this season though, I noticed that he looked a little unbalanced and uncoordinated when moving at top speed, much like a baby deer, and it messed a bit with his puck control. Hopefully that was just his rawness, and perhaps he's worked on it, as everything I've seen since looks quite good. He has excellent 4-directional speed, but perhaps could tune up his explosiveness. He's a creative force for the 'Tips from the backend, and is calm and composed under pressure. Smith is supremely skilled, and is a master of deception- he's so fun to watch, and his calling card is his big book of tricks that give him the extra second to make the more dangerous play. He is proficient in every hesitation, look-off, and fake, and he makes changes of speed and direction, with toe-drags and dekes- all while masking his objective with little tilts of his stick, and feet. His highlights are mostly of him skating with the puck towards an attacker, and deking them out of their skates- going around or through them, and proceeding to make the play he wanted- rather than throwing it away, or opting for the lesser play. He can use these same tactics to deke out goalies, as well. Smith has a wicked shot, and owns one of the best curl-and-drag shots in the draft.
Smith is also highly defensively aware, and his top-notch IQ gives him proactive positioning. He knows his angles, and drives opponents to the outside, or into the boards. He's not a fearsome hitter, but he can play a physical game, and has a bit of a chip on his shoulder- perhaps demonstrated by his 45 penalty minutes.He has an active, well-timed stick that he uses as a tool to block lanes, and disrupt plays. Because he's so raw, there has been plenty of miscues and mistakes that he's gradually weeding out of his game. His rush defense has improved, but he's still giving too much space to faster players. When he was drafted into the 'Dub, he was praised for his quality first-pass, but at the beginning of this season, he was throwing the puck away sometimes on the breakout, and making poor decisions from time to time. These areas of his game have improved significantly, but there's room to grow. He likes to stay at the blueline and run the offense, but he could pinch more. Still, Tarin Smith is one of the most skilled defensemen in this draft, and I'm betting that he'll be taken in the 3rd round.

LHD Daniel Nieminen was Captain of Finland's entry into the 5 Nations Cup last fall, and he was the best player on a disappointing Finnish team, with an even worse blueline. He had 2 points in 4 games in that tourney, only 1 point in 5 games at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, and has plied his trade this season with the Pelicans of the U20 league in Finland, where he's the second-highest scoring defenseman for players 18-and-under, with 21 points in 32 games. It's a bit disappointing that there's been no call-ups as of yet for him though. I should add that there's no relation to former Flames' fan favorite, Ville Nieminen.
Nieminen is an all-around, all-situations player, who plays both special teams, and doesn't have many true weaknesses. He's a smooth skater, but perhaps not a burner- he's agile in his pivots, and has good small-area quickness, and good edges. There's room for more top-speed, and a better start-up. Nieminen has an above-average shot, which he can get on net consistently through bodies, and likes to find room for his one-timer. He's confident and poised with the puck on his stick, handles quite well, and makes good decisions in his passing. He skates with his head up to scan for options, and is an intelligent problem-solver who can spearhead the rush, or make a clean, accurate breakout. He may be below average in stature, at 6'0",177lbs, but he hits hard, has a well-developed hip check, and can play a physical game. Niemo demonstrated his pinching ability at the 5 Nations, with a highlight-reel activation goal. He also showed that he's an excellent leader, with high compete, and a solid work ethic.
Nieminen can sometimes try to do too much by himself, and gets caught playing his own game away from the team, but this may be a reflection of his competitiveness. He's an excellent defender, but can sometimes struggle against faster players in the defensive zone. He was given a "C" rating by Central Scouting, indicating a 4th/5th round pick.