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Franchise Player
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Calgary
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More Thoughts from Central Scouting's Preliminary Rankings:
-Watch out for C Alexander Command (6'1",183lbs), who is climbing lists like countryman Eddie Genborg did last season; like Genborg, he could end up getting picked in the early second-round- or perhaps even the late-first. Command is up to 12 goals and 26 points in just 18 U20 contests, and brings energy, grit, and constant physicality to his team, as well as a detailed approach to playing solid defense. He is a menace on the forecheck, attacking with purpose and tenacity, and wins battles along the boards with a high frequency. Command plays at a breakneck pace (though some say he should slow down at times), and like most Swedes, he handles well- but his skating is closer to average than it should be, and he needs to bulk up and get stronger to play his style against pros. Command is primarily a playmaker, and possesses top-flight IQ and awareness all over the ice, with the vision to make difficult plays in traffic- but he also owns a powerful shot. He was a standout for Team Sweden at the most recent U-18 Five Nations Tournament, with 7 points in 4 games. Like Genborg was this past summer, Command is one of my early favorites for the upcoming draft.
-"C"-rated defenseman Jacob Xu has seen his stock slide quite a bit from where it was before the season began, I'm guessing because of his lack of offense, but some say he's had problems with managing the puck. Only 4 points in 21 games with Kitchener (OHL), Xu is usually known to be a safe puck-mover with calmness and poise, but is built for the shut-down game, with size and range (6'2",194lbs), excellent mobility, tight gaps, elevated defensive awareness, and robust physicality with an edge. His on-puck game needs work, and his intensity has to come more consistently, but he could develop into a force.
-RW Cole Zurawski was rated as a "C" by Central Scouting, but I'm betting that will change on their next list. Zurawski is another one of my favorites for the 2026 draft, being a big power-winger (6'1",190lbs) with an NHL-caliber shooting arsenal, and a shoot-first mentality. He's up to 16 goals and 28 points in 26 games with Owen Sound- who are tied for 5th in the OHL standings, and have built a big, heavy team to compete in the playoffs- so he fits right in. Zurawski brings energy and pace to his team, but his effort and engagement have had a few peaks and valleys at times, particularly in the defensive zone- but he's been cleaning things up lately, and gets time on the PK. Though he plays with power and grit, he is not without skill, and skates well.
-Once again, the Saint John Sea Dogs are languishing near the bottom of the QMJHL Standings, sitting where they ended up at the end of the 2024-25 season- second-last. C William Yared was sixth in scoring on last year's team, with 30 points in 58 games- which makes his production of 13 points in 21 games (prorated to 36 in 59) a bit disappointing. Yared was taken 5th-overall by the Sea Dogs in the 2024 QMJHL Draft, and he is used heavily in all situations, including in a match-up role; he is one of the best defensive forwards in this draft class. Yared is highly intelligent, owns top-tier IQ and hockey sense, and is an excellent playmaker with well-developed passing skill and a hard shot, but he could use a bit of work on his boots. He is highly competitive, and battles hard in the greasy areas, bringing a hard-working, physical style to his duties, using his size well to his advantage (6'1.25",197lbs).
-Yared's teammate in Saint John, 6'0",179lb LW Dylan Rozzi has posted 19 points in 26 games to date, a pace that puts him at 47 points in 64 games at year's end; I still expected more from him, after last year's totals of 34 points in 62 contests. Rozzi is a solid skater, and is very well-balanced offensively between his vision and smarts for playmaking, and his quick and accurate release. He is also well-rounded with the way he exerts his active 200-ft game, and plays with good details defensively. He's not very physical or gritty, although he does work hard in puck-battles, and has no fear in going to the greasy areas.
-"C"-rated C/RW Tobias Tomik (6'0",194lbs) was making appearances in the first-round in many lists to start the season, but I have to wonder where he stands now, as he's had a very disappointing season to date with the Vancouver Giants in his first season in North America- only 9 points in 27 games, although his team is 14th in goals (88), and sits in 18th-place out of 23 teams (Tomik is 9th in scoring on the team). Right now, he's even riding a 10-game pointless streak. Scouts have raved about his skating, his hands, and his NHL-caliber shot, as well as his high compete and motor, but he's too often playing on the perimeter with the Giants. Tomik has shown a top-tier IQ for playmaking as well, and wields an edgy, physical two-way style when he's on top of his game. It would seem that he's been having trouble adjusting to life across the pond; he showed well in two Hlinka tournaments for his home country of Slovakia, as well as the U-18's (5 points in 7 games).
-Tomik's teammate, "C"-rated RW/C Tyus Sparks, has not experienced much trouble with putting points on the board- 10 goals and 23 points in just 27 games, a pace that puts him at 58 points in 68 games when prorated. The 5'11.25",182 lb sparkplug plays with overwhelming pace, hustling hard and taking advantage of his excellent speed, with physicality and intensity. Sparks has a solid shooting arsenal, and exhibits smarts and a high IQ in all situations, but is also fearless and gritty in going to the greasy areas to win battles- despite his size, he is uncommonly strong, and very difficult to knock off the puck. He also shows a good two-way conscience, and works hard through all 200-feet of ice. Pretty good package for a draft-eligible on a bad team.
-LD Ossi Tukio (6'1.75",186lbs) is one of the older first-year eligibles in the 2026 Draft, with a Nov.3rd. 2007 birthdate, but he's currently 5th in scoring by D in the U20 League, with 17 points in 21 games for Ilves- his +21 is 3rd-overall (7 of the top-10 are from Ilves). In 2024-25, Tukio was 39th in scoring by D, with 14 points in 33 games. Tukio's skating is rather average, but his high-level of activity, aggression and intensity helps to mask his deficiencies; he is also a well-trained puck-handler, and passer, which makes him a high-value transitional asset to his team. He's quite physical and competitive, and works hard in battles to secure loose pucks. On offense, he sees the ice well and owns good instincts to make high-value plays, but could use improvement in his defensive-zone details and positioning. His advanced age will be a factor, but he's definitely one to watch.
-LD Ondrej Ruml has only posted 14 points in 27 games for the 3rd-place Ottawa 67's, but it seems that he's getting more and more used to playing in North America, as 9 of his points have come in the last 10 games, and he is a +8 in that span. Ruml doesn't have ideal size (5'11.5",169lbs), doesn't really play a physical game, and is easily knocked off the puck, but he's an excellent skater, a proficient rush-killer with his tight gaps and smart stick-work, and is a major asset in transition. He eludes pressure in retrievals with his smarts and agility, and makes poised plays with the puck in breakouts. He's competing for ice-time with a few older players, as well as budding star Kohyn Eshkawkogan, so the fact that he leads the team with a +16 is impressive, and demonstrates his play-driving ability.
-The Prince Albert Raiders are in 4th-place in the WHL, but they are 11th in goals-for, with 91. RW Jonah Sivertson has 8 of those goals, and 2 are game-winners; he has 13 points in 24 games, and his +13 ranks 4th on the team. Though he's 8th on the team in scoring, he plays in the Raiders' top-six, and is considered to be a play-driver, and key facilitator. Sivertson is 6'2.75",194lbs, and owns an NHL-shot, as well as finely-tuned playmaking abilities with solid IQ and vision. They say his defensive game has come a long way this season, and he is using his size better in battles to win pucks, but he still needs to increase his physicality. His skating is somewhere around average, but he works hard and possesses the puck-skill to deke and dangle through traffic when needed. He is considered to be a player with good potential.
-LD Alexandre Taillefer (6'0.25",164lbs) toils for the 11th-place Quebec Remparts, and was rated a "C" by Central Scouting. Taillefer holds tremendous value in the defensive zone, with acute attention to detail, robust physicality that includes bone-crushing hits, and tight gap-control and angling to snuff rushes. His awareness in defensive situations is outstanding, and this includes the neutral zone, where he is extremely proactive, and disruptive, with an uncanny ability to read the play. Scouts would surely like to see more results offensively; he has only put up 17 points in 26 games, which equates to 42 points in 64 games, but he is active in supporting the rush and will jump in to the play in the offensive zone when the opportunity arises. His skating is outstanding, and his handling appears effortless, which helps him excel in transition. He is committed to UMass in 2027-28.
-Not much was expected from 6'6",209lb rearguard Alexander Sapozhnikov, who earned a "C" rating from Central Scouting- after all, he was languishing in a lower league last season, and wasn't exactly setting the world on fire. This season to date, he has spent most of his time in the KHL, but has only seen time on the ice in two matches (no points), and has sat for 17 contests. In the MHL, he has impressed offensively, with 12 points in 15 games, but his game is very raw and inconsistent in most areas. Obviously, he is blessed with size and suffocating range, and he owns an overwhelming shot, but his mobility needs work, and he lacks poise in on-puck scenarios. Still, he's one to watch.
-RD Rylan Singh (6'0",176lbs) should be piling up points right now, but as it stands, he has posted only 13 points in 26 games- a pace that puts him on track for 34 points in 67 games. Considering that he ended up with 31 points in 65 games in 2024-25, his current production is disappointing, and his team (the Guelph Storm) are 4th in goals-for as well- though they sit in 12th-place. Strangely enough, Singh leads the Storm's backend in scoring, and is also tied for the lead in plus/minus, with a +6. Even when he's not piling up points, Singh shows proficiency as a top-notch rush defender, and holds value in the way he drives play through transition, either by pass or by carry. In the offensive zone, he's highly active and aggressive, and owns good vision with solid instincts. He is a fast and pacey skater, and employs a physical edge to separate man from puck, but must get stronger- as he's too easily pushed around right now.
Last edited by Sandman; 12-05-2025 at 09:41 AM.
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