2021 NHL Draft

[Tkachukwagon]

Originally Posted by handgroen

This whole post...4’9”? Third line bchl? 2nd overall?

Sometimes you gotta take a swing at a potential home run (this was a sh*tpost)

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Tkachukwagon

Mike Mikeson (C, 4'9", 110 lbs). Mike is a small shifty center who can score at will (2 g, 4 points in 63 games 2021). Whoever drafts Mike will be getting a 30 year player, surefire hall of famer who will transform the game. His current club, the Smithers Loggers (BCHL) play him on the third line as a overager. Some draft mocks have him 7th round, won't be surprised to see him go 2nd overall.

If he wasn't 30 years old I would think he's one of those kids that made it into the EA NHL games for charitable purposes.
Those guys usually have good potential, so I'm not going to disagree.

[cannon7]

Originally Posted by Sandman

C/LW Conner Roulette, 5'11"176lbs (Seattle, WHL): 11gp/6g/6a/12pts. I wasn't a fan of his in the first few games of the U-18 tourney, where he put up 5pts in 7 games. Seemed to me to be having problems with his decision-making (caught the ire of the coach a few times), and his skating. There still might be a player there though-his productivity says so. Roulette is an offensive-minded forward who's always in the right spot to earn a scoring opportunity, or a tape-to-tape pass to a teammate. His attention to detail is often talked about-he surveys the ice to create a blueprint for the play.

Roulette is a strong, tough winger who's not afraid of the hard areas, and is a great player along the boards. His best asset might be his shot-it's hard, accurate, and his release is deceptive. He pays attention to his own end, and his defensive metrics are good. Conner's coach thinks he could lead the Dub in scoring, he's that good. From watching film, he sure gets a lot of breakaways.

Roulette has excellent straight-line speed, but the rest of his mechanics need work. They say he often skates on his inside edges, which gives him some escapability to slip past defenders, but takes away from his efficiency and power. Most of his issues in this area can be fixed. He must also learn to use his teammates better, and improve some of his decision-making. He also tends to stickhandle in front, rather than from the hip, which leads to turnovers- also fixable. Despite his shortcomings, he's still a top-tier offensive player, so when he finishes developing-look out! Conner was rated an "A" level prospect, but he'll most likely be taken in the first third of the second round.

Nevermind. Found it.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Tkachukwagon

Mike Mikeson (C, 4'9", 110 lbs). Mike is a small shifty center who can score at will (2 g, 4 points in 63 games 2021). Whoever drafts Mike will be getting a 30 year player, surefire hall of famer who will transform the game. His current club, the Smithers Loggers (BCHL) play him on the third line as a overager. Some draft mocks have him 7th round, won't be surprised to see him go 2nd overall.

Okay, but how’s his skating?

[Tkachukwagon]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Okay, but how’s his skating?

Needs work, awkward stride and missing a few toes (reportedly).

[Sandman]

Double post

[Sandman]

RW/LW Alexander Kisakov, 5'9"159lbs (MHK Dynamo Moskva, MHL): Another Russian kid who's fun to watch, this one may have star potential. 36g/37a/73pts, 90(!)PIMs,+42-missed out on the MHL scoring title by one point, to a 20-year old. In the Kharlamov Cup (which his team won), there were games where the opposition had no idea how to stop him, he reportedly had 3 or 4 high-danger chances per game. More often than not, he was the first forward to enter either zone.

AK has elite puck skills, reception, and stickhandling. The puck sticks to him, and it helps him to be an elite passer, and transitional player. Conjures up high-end plays, also makes high-end, ankle-breaking fakes. He's confident, and wants the puck on his stick. His shot is also high-end-he can pick corners from distance, and has a quick release.

AK is already one of the best skaters in the MHL-top-end acceleration, speed, and edges, he can turn or speed up on a dime. Has an arsenal of slick moves. "Gets opponents to wake up early in the morning to make them think they have a chance at slowing him down".Lining up at the blue line won't necessarily stop him. His ability to read the offensive zone is amongst the best in the draft. Will go to the dangerous areas to make a play, or retrieve pucks. He is used heavily in late-close situations, PP, and even PK.

To say the least, Kisakov plays bigger than his size-he's an agitator with motor and a competitive edge. I can honestly say from watching him that he's a nasty little cuss to play against, and that his 90 PIMs are no fluke-he likes to make sure that the opposition never forgets he's there, with little pokes, slashes, scrums,hits,etc. You can tell the players on the other team already know him and hate him. Little bit Fleury, maybe? Forechecks effectively and aggressively.

AK's defensive game isn't weak-he works hard in all 3 zones, but there's certainly room to build on. He desperately needs to bulk up, and get stronger, as he can be overpowered-it won't deter him though, and he won't back down. I've heard him mentioned as a potential first-rounder, but I think he'll go late second, or third round.

[Sandman]

Some Russian quick hits:

LW Matvei Petrov, 6'2"181lbs (MHK Krylia Sovetov Moskva,MHL): 58gp/22g/20a/42pts, 16PIM. Said to be one of top-5 goal-scorers in this draft-owns a cannon of a shot, quick release, and fantastic vision in the O zone, along with great puck-moving ability and distribution. Doesn't give much in the defensive zone however, and is still largely a perimeter player. 3rd/4th rounder-his offense may be worth the risk, as his goal-scoring and shot have been compared to that of Laine. Selected 1st overall in the CHL Import Draft in 2020.

RW Edgar Varagyan,6'2"203lbs (Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk, MHL) 36gp/12g/10a/22pts, 32PIM. Big power-forward with a powerful stride, good mobility, and nice hands in tight. Works hard in all 3 zones, and is physical.Often responsible for breakouts. Strong wrister, expert puck-protection. Earned a KHL call-up. I really like this kid. 4th/5th rounder?

LW/C Vsevolod Gaidamak, 5'11"198lbs (Omskie Yastreby,MHL): Was tearing up the U18 league (25pts in 9 games), so got a call-up to the MHL, with mixed results-only 8pts in 26 games, with 18 PIM. Hard-working, feisty, two-way player, built like a fire-hydrant, with fantastic skating. Good passer and shooter, stood out a bit in a good way at the U-18s (mostly for his speed, and for the fact his name makes him sound like a Klingon), with 3pts in 6 games.

C Daniil Lazutin,6'2"174lbs, (SKA, MHL): Big, two-way C with vision and offensive IQ. 4pts in 7 games at the U-18s. Some high-end skill, and game-breaking creativity. Nice skating stride, crafty and elusive. Not overly physical, but uses his body well in protecting the puck, and battling in the trenches. Was hyped for first-round consideration last year, but has been very inconsistent, and his numbers weren't great this year. I would guess anywhere between the 2nd and 4th round. I still like him, could be a steal.

[Sandman]

RW Nikita Buruyanov, 5'10"172lbs (MHK Dynamo St.Petersburg, MHL): 54gp/24g/17a/41pts-3rd on team behind two 20-yr-olds in scoring, 1st in goals. 10th in the league in goals. Earned a call-up to the VHL for the playoffs. Elite puck-control, great vision in all 3 zones. Great shot and release, strong on the puck. Fast skater, with balance and agility. Strong, especially for a player his size. Needs to get more consistent, and learn how to utilize his linemates better. 3rd/4th rounder.

[Sandman]

LHD Hugo Gabrielsson, 6'1"172lbs (Frolunda HC J20,SWE): 17gp/4g/9a/13pts, 26PIM. Earned a call-up to the HockeyEttan, where he put up 7pts in 24 games. In 2019-20, he was the highest scoring D-man in the J18Elit, and the J18 Allsvenskan. This year, he saw time playing with Edvinsson, and thrived-he is able to modify his style to work with the partners he's given. With Edvinsson, he was able to activate into the play in the O zone more often, and it's been said that he stabilized Edvinsson as well.

Gabe is not afraid to jump into the rush to create offense, and his metrics in this area are impressive. In a 3 game scouting trip, one scout said he was the source of, or passer to 42.9% of the teams 76 SAT/60. He's been known to skate down behind the opposition's net to create opportunities from there. His playmaking is top-notch, and he connects on the majority of high danger passes he makes. Gabrielsson has transition as one of the pillars of his game-he's not the fastest, but he's mobile with good accelleration, and efficient at rushing the puck up ice. That same scout in those 3 games tracked him with a 76.9% OCZT, maintaining control on 20 of 26 attempts, meaning he gains the zone with control, and creates offense.

Hugo is not a bad skater, but he needs to upgrade his explosiveness and top-speed-which will be helped when he gets stronger. His strength is the biggest area of concern. His defensive game gets mixed reviews as well, but that will improve somewhat as he matures and gets stronger. Many don't think he'll be a top pairing guy, but I think it's too early to say that for sure. He could go anywhere between the 3rd and 5th rounds.

[FCAV]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Is FC Hockey's 2021 draft guide out yet anyone know?

Not out yet, but we hope to at least have a discounted preorder out early this week! Work is underway on it though, and if you've ordered in the past, you'll really appreciate this year's effort. Bigger and beefier than we've ever produced before!

Probably a good time to remind that we still have our CP discount running on our monthly and yearly subscriptions too. Use calgarypuck to save 40%. This will actually be the cheapest way to get the guide, as we'll have even better pricing for members. And as a hack I haven't fully thought through, you'll be able to sign up for Tier 2 sub for one-month using that discount, and then get the biggest discount possible when that time comes. Not really a loophole I plan on having closed!

[FCAV]

Also just a quick thanks for all y'all plowing through mock after mock of our mock draft builder. It was a key feature when we redeveloped our website...trying to incorporate some fun tools like that, the Rankings builder and the scouting reports builder!

[Beatle17]

Originally Posted by Sandman

C/RW Josh Doan, 6'3"176lbs (Chicago, USHL): Passed over in last year's draft, but hear me out-last year he was on the fourth line for the Steel, putting up 14pts in 45 games, so no surprise that he wasn't drafted. Despite his low production, he was still noticed for his work ethic and willingness to do whatever it takes to contribute. This year, he exploded for 70 points in 53 games-good for 3rd overall in the USHL. Only 3 players scored more goals than his 31. The top-4 in that league was 4 members of the Steel (in order): Sean Farrell, Matt Coronato, Doan, and Erik Middendorf.

Doan's reputation is as a uber hard-working, 200ft player who's fearless in the dirty areas. Elite Prospects says his work rate is "something to behold", but there's more-he possesses high-end IQ, creativity, and feel for the play. He's a strong possession player who battles through defenders with his speed and stickhandling. He plays a fast-paced game, forechecks like a demon, is strong on the puck, and drives the net. Power forward like his Daddy.

Doan's defensive play is also talked about as a plus. He attacks opposing players with speed and aggressiveness, forcing them to give up the puck. Adept at breaking up rushes with his stick, or his body. His play away from the puck is praised, as well as his puck pursuit, which he does while never leaving any area uncovered defensively.

From watching his video, while he skates very well for a big guy-he could definitely improve some aspects, like his top speed, which looks a bit cumbersome. His technique seems good and smooth though. He's going to need time to bulk up as well.

Bob MacKenzie rates him at #80 for the draft.

Shane's kid. Sounds like he plays like his old man.

[FCAV]

Little more on Doan from our latest Notebook. This is about half, didn't want to wall-up the entire post:

https://nhlentrydraft.com/news/2021-...uuhtanen-more/

Josh Doan is one of the most projectable players in this draft, and I see no area in his game that he won’t be able to fix and improve as he continues to grow. Constantly making smart plays in all three zones of the ice, you will rarely find him out of the fight or at least contributing in some way. Although he doesn’t have a high-end top speed, he doesn’t really need it as he always seems to be in the perfect spot and never out of the play. He doesn’t need much time or space to get a quick and accurate shot on net while under pressure, being able to receive the puck well, even when the pass is off target. He knows how to find open space efficiently, getting to the slot for high scoring chances often. He has quick hands that make him effective at skating through traffic with good control, making him strong at offensive zone entries.

We run one of these a week, six reports per week. Worth looking back through our 'Directory' in case there are some other guys you want to key in on: https://nhlentrydraft.com/news/2021-...aft-directory/

[Sandman]

RW/C Jackson Blake,5'10"150lbs (Chicago, USHL): Jackson spent part of the year playing in the High School circuit, putting up 58 points in 19 games for a ppg of 3.05-6th best in the league. He then graduated to the USHL's Chicago Steel, a powerhouse team, where didn't get a lot of ice time, or time on the PP, putting up 17pts in 25 games with 33 PIMs. Blake is the son of former NHLer Jason Blake-and if he has even a fraction of his Dad's heart and guts, then he'll be a gamer.

Blake has good speed and technique, but he's not elite-it's good enough to tear through defenders, and back them up, though. Defensemen in the USHS are already scared of him, as he can make them look foolish. Good lateral agility too. Blake is primarily a playmaker, and his vision makes players around him better. A writer in 2019 compared his game to Gaudreau's(!). He is a solid transitional player-makes clean entries, and is shifty in the neutral zone. Like his father, Jack has a high-end motor, and elite competitiveness. Despite his size, he battles everywhere-goes to the net, mucks it up along the boards, steals the puck, and creates turnovers. Will not back down from anyone, and is like a fly buzzing around in the faces of his opponents.

Blake needs time to physically mature, and he'll get it-he's playing one more year in the USHL before going to college in 2022-23. Getting stronger will alleviate some of his shortcomings, namely his skating-which isn't bad necessarily, just needs to be topped out. He also needs to shoot more-his shot is hard and accurate with quick release. Blake is still 17, turning 18 in August. I would guess that he doesn't make it out of the fifth round.

[Sandman]

LHD Aleksi Malinen, 6'0"185lbs (JYP, Liiga FIN): 3pts in 30 games, but before you judge his stats, consider that he's playing in a men's pro league behind several vets, and just turned 18 on May 26th. The fact that he was able to play in that league and hold his own is quite amazing-even though he played for the worst team in the Liiga. Malinen is a puck-moving, playmaking Defenseman who will start generating numbers as he matures, gets stronger, and is given more ice-time. Right now, he knows he's not really counted on for offense, so he's not very assertive in the O zone, but it will come.

Malinen's skating is among the elites in this draft-he moves well in all directions, and both his first-step and backwards skating are explosive. He can already outskate just about anyone in the Liiga. In addition, he can change direction on a dime to evade defenders, or start the play up ice from the D zone. He exhibits great puck control, and is calculated and calm in possession. He drives the pace. Defensively, he uses good positioning and angles to pressure opponents and drive them from the net-he can stymie rushes. His speed and smarts means he can easily win races to loose pucks, and is difficult to get around. He plays the body when needed, but isn't overly physical. Despite this, he still hold his own in 1-on-1 battles. In transition, he is adept at performing controlled exits and entries, and can kickstart the breakout with either a solid first-pass, or by carrying it out himself.

Malinen has a ton of raw skill, and he will get time to develop. He needs to improve his strength, as he can occasionally be knocked off the puck. His stretch passes need to be fixed, as they can be erratic. Despite being able to hold his own defensively, he has to improve. It has been said that he might top out as a 2nd pairing, two-way D-man, and has been compared to Topi Niemela. MacKenzie has him at 65, but I think he'll be picked in the 3rd/4th round.

[Sandman]

RHD Ville Ottavainen, 6'4"201lbs (JYP U20 Sarja, FIN): Was passed over in last year's draft, after he put up 15pts in 53 games for the Kitchener Rangers. Started off that year on fire, scoring 10pts in 15 games, but only scored 5 assists in the remaining 38 games. Most of the reason for this is because the club wanted to go with more of a veteran presence on the backend, and brought in Holden Wale-which dropped Ottavainen down to the third pairing. This year, Ville played in the U20 league in Finland, and managed to put up 15pts in 15 games-7th in scoring on his team, despite playing only 15 of 39 games. Only player on his team playing over 4 games to score a point per game. Tied for 25th in the league in scoring, and there was only one other D-man in the top-100 to score a point per game. His efforts earned him a call-up to the Liiga, the men's league-where he scored 3pts in 22 games. It was the same situation as Aleksi Malinen-the young guys don't get a lot of minutes, or PP time.

Otts is a very mobile skater for a guy his size, but not a blazer by any means. I can say that it's fun to watch him skate, he can move, and he can even jump into the play. His size and puck control make him a weapon in transition, he loves to be the catalyst for the breakout. He's a good passer, and pushes the pace from the backend-he's always looking to advance the puck. He's also known for his booming shot. Defensively, he has good positioning, and his lateral agility helps him break up the rush and close out the attack. He's not the most physical, but will throw big hits to separate man from puck.

Since he is a second-year eligible, there's no telling where he'll go, but CS has him ranked 90th. I can't see him lasting through another draft with the numbers he put up this year, and the fact that he's huge and moves pretty well. He needs to continue to build on his skating, and work on his decision making.

[genetic_phreek]

@Sandman,

What's your take on Chibrikov? Watching that kid's highlights, he has that gamebreaker quality about him. I would love if we took a shot at a russian and take one of Chibrikov or Kisakov.

They both seem to have great IQ and amazing skating. Both seem likely to be later picks due to the "russian" factor.

[1qqaaz]

I'm starting to put more value on the importance of skating.

If you saw the recent Colorado vs. Vegas game, you could see how much of a difference good skating could make.
It's early in the series, but Vegas just couldn't keep up. Similar to when Colorado beat Calgary a few years ago.

Good coaches can translate strong skating into smart defensive play.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

I'm starting to put more value on the importance of skating.

If you saw the recent Colorado vs. Vegas game, you could see how much of a difference good skating could make.
It's early in the series, but Vegas just couldn't keep up. Similar to when Colorado beat Calgary a few years ago.

Good coaches can translate strong skating into smart defensive play.

Then guys like Fabian Lysell should be at the top of your list. And Beniers. And Eklund.