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Franchise Player
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Calgary
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More thoughts from Central Scouting's Preliminary Rankings:
-Right-handed LW Nikita Ovcharov (6'1.5",196lbs) was named Player of the Game for Team Lafleur in October's QMJHL Top Prospects Game, with a goal and two assists, showing off his offensive awareness and speed, his lethal wrister, as well as his motor and physicality. In league play, Ovcharov is the third-leading scorer on a mediocre Quebec Remparts squad, who are currently 12th out of 18 teams; he has so far picked up 19 points in 27 games, which prorates to 45 points in 64 games. Those numbers might look a lot different at year's end though, as his first season in North America started rather slow, with only 4 points in his first 12 games- but he has settled in nicely, with 15 points in his last 15 contests. Though he isn't a burner, or a perfect skater aesthetically, he moves quite well when at top speed, and can win races to pucks in straight lines, or beat defensemen wide. He is a nice blend of speed and power, with size and physicality to work the boards, and win positioning in front of the net. He owns an overwhelming shot with power and accuracy, but also has the IQ and vision to make plays. Watch out for this kid.
-The Gatineau Olympiques are currently 15th in the QMJHL, and second-last in goals-for with a paltry 67 to their credit. Monster LD Michel Myloserdnyy (yes, I spelled that right) has only contributed 2 assists in 25 games to their cause (with 49 PIM), but his specialty right now is playing a suffocating shut-down game, while wielding his enormous range (he's 6'7",225lbs) and intimidating physicality. He needs work on his robotic stride and his overall mobility, but I think he moves fairly well for a player his size- mostly because his legs are so long. While he hasn't put up a ton of points, he is active in the offensive end of the ice and is blessed with a cannon of a shot, and scouts seem to like his hockey sense- particularly in defensive situations. Myloserdnyy uses his extra-long stick and his wide reach very well.
-In 2024-25, big LW Oscar Olsson (6'3",187lbs) was one of the best players in Sweden's J18 league, where his 28 points in 13 games was 3rd-overall, and his 2.15 ppg put him ahead of players like Alexander Command (1.94), Mans Jobrant (1.59), and Marcus Nordmark (1.73). This season, Olsson is 8th in scoring (13 points in 20 games) on a deep and talented Orebro U20 roster that includes the likes of Command, D Axel Elofsson, C Ludvig Andersson, and RW Niklas Aaram-Olsen- and though he has played periodically with Aaram-Olsen, I wonder just how much ice-time he is getting. Olsson is a big, physical power-forward who wins battles along the boards, and goes to the net; he owns a powerful shot with a snappy release, and is a volume-shooter, but he's smart enough to make plays as well. There's work to be done on his skating, particularly his explosiveness and acceleration, but I think he might be better than his stats indicate.
-The Tri-City Americans currently sit in 14th-place out of 23 teams in the WHL, but they are 3rd-worst when it comes to goals-for (76). RW Cruz Pavao (5'11",196lbs) is tied for the lead in goals (10) on the team, and is 6th in points, with 15 in 24 games- which prorates to 28 goals and 42 points in 66 games. Pavao is a high-motor, high-pace player, who brings energy and physicality to his team, with his best attribute being his NHL-caliber shot. He is reasonably skilled, skates well, and a solid passer, who makes huge contributions in the defensive zone, and is capable of driving transition, but plays a rather simple game without much flash or dynamism. He reads the game well, and is usually well-positioned off-puck, but I was expecting a bit more offense from him, after he scored 25 points in 63 games last season.
-C/LW Emile Ricard is older by draft standards, sporting a Nov.18, 2007 birthdate, and he is 8th in scoring on the 2nd-place Chicoutimi Sagueneens, with 22 points in 27 games (53 in 64 when prorated). In his defense though, he is one of the youngest members of a deep and talented squad, and he was drafted 12th-overall in the 2023 QMJHL Draft by Cape Breton. Ricard is energetic, hard-working, and gritty, with tremendous speed that he puts to good use in dictating pace, as well as being disruptive and defensively responsible throughout all 200 feet of ice; he is smart and aware, and trusted in defensive scenarios, including the PK. Though he owns soft hands around the net and a good shot, he leans towards his playmaking- and has elevated hockey sense, vision, and creativity in that area. Going forward, he needs to increase his strength if he expects to play the same kind of rambunctious physical style at the next level.
-LD Vertti Svensk (6'0",165lbs) was given a "W" by Central Scouting in their Preliminary Rankings, but that grade is sure to change as the season wears on; there are some who have him in the first-round. Svensk has turned heads with his skating, which is elite- he is probably the fastest player in this draft in all four directions. He is very offensive-minded, and able to be as active in the zone as he wants, with the ability to come back quickly in a defensive mode without missing a beat. Though he's an older player by draft standards (with a Nov.9th birthday) his numbers in the U20 league are certainly eye-catching, with 15 points in 18 games, to go with 48 PIM. Those numbers earned him 1 game in the second-tier Mestis (no points), as well as 12 games in the SHL (1 assist), and while he has been given good grades for his play against men, his flaws are also amplified in the pro-leagues. While he's not a stalwart defensively, and can be prone to making mistakes with the puck (or throwing it away), these issues look much worse against older competition, and have brought up questions about his hockey-sense and overall decision-making. In junior, he's a transition ace with his overwhelming speed and well-developed puck-skill, very aggressive in the offensive zone, and looks good against the rush with his slick backwards skating and ability to mirror oncoming attackers' footwork. He battles hard for loose pucks, and plays a fiery physical game, but his lack of size and strength hurts him in this area- even against juniors. His offensive instincts and playmaking ability are outstanding, but there will be questions as to how translatable they are. At the very least, Svensk will need a longer runway, but he has a very good base to build on. Exciting prospect, but there's plenty of questions.
-LHC Danil Sysoyev (6'0",170lbs) looks to be a well-rounded, all-situations pivot with a physical edge, who can drive play through transition. Though he owns a decent shot, he leans more into his playmaking, and is a skilled passer. To date, his 24 points in 29 games for Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk ties him for 29th-overall in MHL scoring, but he is second in scoring for first-time draft-eligibles, behind Lavr Gashilov- who leads the league with 38 points in 28 games. Sysoyev has more of a bottom-six NHL projection, and has to improve his speed if he hopes to make it across the pond, but he is second in scoring for one of the MHL's best teams.
-RW Oliver Torkki (6'1.25",193lbs) was a bit invisible in a 4th-line at the Hlinka (1 point in 5 games), and by all accounts was more of the same at the U-17 Worlds. In league play this season, his production has been respectable- 12 points (6 goals) in 14 games, with a +9 for Kiekko-Espo U20, which ranks 6th on the team. Torkki might not project to top-line status in the NHL, but he's a solid north-south power-forward who moves well, and wields a physical edge. He works hard, plays well without the puck, and seems to be well-balanced between shooting and passing- although he does most of his best work around the net and down-low.
-Tuomas Uronen's brother, LD Eelis Uronen, was measured by Central Scouting to be 5'11.75, 195lbs, but most outlets have him at 6'1". With the absences of Juho Piiparainen and Sam Alauri at November's 5 Nations, Uronen was given an elevated role, and was even named Captain of the team; he responded admirably, with 4 points in 4 games, and was a tournament standout. Uronen is competitive, fiery, and intense, and can play a physical brand of shutdown hockey with aptitude in defending the rush. He moves the puck well, owns smooth puck-skill, and despite possessing average-ish speed, he showed in the 5 Nations that he carry the puck himself through exit and entry, and is capable of running his team's offense from the line- he can also activate intelligently in search of offense. He played top-pairing there, and was a minute-muncher. Back home, he has been cast in more of a dependable stay-at-home presence, and has shown proficiency in his retrievals and puck-movement in breakouts. With only 6 points in 18 U20 games with HIFK, his NHL future is cloudy, but he has already earned 2 games in the Liiga with over 15 minutes in each contest- fairly good TOI for a youngster.
-Eelis Uronen's twin brother, LHC Anttoni (listed at 6'0.25",191lbs by Central Scouting), may have a murky path to the NHL as well, but I like him. To date, he has 5 goals and 10 points in 13 U20 games with HIFK, which has earned him 7 games in the Liiga (1 assist) with fourth-line ice-time. Like his brother, he is fiery, intense, and physical, and can play a grinding defensive game with solid details- his 35 PIM attests to his rather surly demeanor. He skates and handles well, but plays a simple and straight-ahead game that's devoid of any flashiness or dynamism. All of the above, plus his relentless motor and work-ethic, make me believe that he could make a good bottom-six performer in the show- or maybe a top-six scorer in the Liiga. Worth a late-round pick though, in my opinion.
-Believe it or not, LHC Adam Valentini was given a "W" as a player to watch for the late-rounds of the draft. To date, he is ranked as a first-rounder on most lists, and has produced 17 points in 20 NCAA games with the Michigan Wolverines as a 17 year-old- which already ranks as the 58th-best season by a U-18 player all-time, or the 21st-best season by a U-18 player in the last 35 seasons (and there's still plenty of hockey left in the season). To put it in better perspective, his 0.85 ppg is 35th-best all-time in the NCAA by a U-18 player. In 2024-25, he posted an impressive 39 points in 58 games with the USHL's Chicago Steel, who were the second-worst team in the league (he was tied for first in scoring on the team). I thought he was one of the best players at the Hlinka, even though he finished 4th in scoring for Team Canada with 4 points in 5 games, showing an industrious and detailed defensive game (his +9 led the tournament), and the ability to facilitate and drive play offensively. Valentini isn't big, but he wins battles, employs a physical game, fights through checks, competes hard, and plays with energy and high-motor. Valentini is a speedy and shifty skater, who can separate in open-ice, and elude attackers, and owns the stickhandling skill to deke and dodge through traffic. He displays a good shot with accuracy, but leans heavily towards his playmaking ability, and has high-end anticipation and vision, with soft-touch passing skill.
-The Halifax Mooseheads are 10th in the standings out of 18 teams, but rank 8th in goals-for, with a top-6 that contains the likes of Shawn Carrier, Liam Kilfoil, Quinn Kennedy, Connor MacPherson, Jasu Mensonen, and draft-eligible Oleg Kulebyakin. Their third-line C is a "W" -rated lefty by the name of Daniel Walters (6'0",193lbs), a mean and surly pivot with solid shut-down potential. With 12 points in 25 games, to go with 51 PIM (projected to 30 points in 63 games, with 129 PIM), he may never be a big offensive producer, but he possesses good speed to dictate pace, decent puck-skill, and an elite compete level, to go with smarts and awareness in defensive situations. He's hard-working, and plays on the edge- sometimes, going over it. In the other end of the rink, he plays a simple game with a specialty in going to the net to cause chaos, and forechecks with purpose. I like this kid, and I think he might be worth a late-round pick.
-Walters' teammate in Halifax, LW Oleg Kulebyakin, was not considered to be a legitimate prospect before the season began, even though he was taken with the 9th-overall pick in the CHL Import Draft, with Central Scouting rating him as a "W". Kulebyakin (5'10.25",178lbs) has opened eyes, with 17 goals and 33 points in just 26 games- a pace that puts him on a trajectory for 42 goals and 81 points in 64 games. Though he's not an elite speedster, he skates very well, plays with pace and shiftiness, and can go end-to-end with the puck on occasion. He isn't a very physical player in terms of throwing hits, but he's not afraid of competing in the dirty areas of the ice, cutting to the middle from the wall, or skating through contact. He has work to do defensively, but he's a constant threat in the other end of the ice with his quick hands that enable him to beat defenders (and goalies) 1-on-1, and a hard and accurate shot with a deceptive release that can freeze goalies. He is deceptive with the puck, and uses delays and fakes to buy time for himself and teammates. It will be interesting to see where he is drafted.
-The first Kazakhstani in Q history, RW Kornei Korneyev, may be older, with an October 16 birthdate- but he is developing a more projectable power game with Victoriaville, who are 16th out of 18 teams. He was traded there after 2 games this season with Chicoutimi (2 points in 2 games), and has managed to produce 14 points in 19 games with the Tigres. Korneyev works hard in puck-battles, goes to the net, and will drop a shoulder and lean into a defender on the way to the net- he is learning to play with more physicality. He owns solid puck-skills, and though he isn't a burner, he moves well enough to push pace and beat some defenders wide. He has a good shot that he should use more often, but he opts to pass first; he exhibits a high-level of vision and awareness, as well as well-developed passing skill, and makes mostly sound decisions quickly. In addition, he is a good two-way player and works hard defensively.
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