He is first in scoring right now on the Bulldogs (O’Brien and Vanacker have played less games), and tied for second in OHL scoring with 61 points in 45 games.
He is prorated right now to finish with 91 points in 67 games.
While he is on PP2 from what I’ve seen, he is usually stapled to their second line, with Sam McCue and Cooper Dennis, while the first line consists of Jake O’Brien, Marek Vanacker, and Adam Benak. If Malhotra was with any two of that trio, and had more minutes, he would be going for 100+ points.
I wouldn’t be so quick to say that he definitely won’t be a first-liner in the NHL.
Out of thanks, but thanks!
Good to know that you feel he has the potential to be a #1. I certainly prefer his size as a #1.
I would say that sometimes when a player playing on the 2nd line gets promoted, he doesn't always experience a pop in production. However, given that Malhotra seems to be a catalyst in all zones, while also being on PP2, I would also expect a nice 'pop' in points if he was elevated to the top line and PP1.
Sometimes the pop isn't translatable. Conroy noticing that Horak was the catalyst and Ryan Howse was a one-trick pony of sorts with his shot is a great example. Or actually watching Pavel Brendl playing on the Hitmen and hitting those gaudy numbers, but realizing that he is cheating the game so much while doing so. Or Virtanen's lack of IQ and vision, and continually making the exact same play over and over again to generate offence. At the top end of the draft, first and foremost you better be getting a catalyst (or line driver).
I haven't been able to watch anything other than highlights and youtube videos of him - does he have a non-stop motor? That's what it sounds like to me anyway.
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Some draft watchers are saying that there may be no centers in this draft that have a better than average shot of being true #1 centers on a Stanley Cup team. Lawrence and Malhotra probably have the best chance of course.
Not necessarily a style of play comparison, but the impression I get is that they both have Monahan/Lindholm potential. Good centers for sure, but not top guys that will write a ticket to contender status. Good second line centers on a contender though.
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"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
Not that it is this draft related but not sure where to put it. Billet pick back. Asked who's the best on the Tigers. Pickford didmt play but regarded as the best in the league. Also said Jonas Woo is ridiculous. Has he been picked up by anyone yet?
Some draft watchers are saying that there may be no centers in this draft that have a better than average shot of being true #1 centers on a Stanley Cup team. Lawrence and Malhotra probably have the best chance of course.
Not necessarily a style of play comparison, but the impression I get is that they both have Monahan/Lindholm potential. Good centers for sure, but not top guys that will write a ticket to contender status. Good second line centers on a contender though.
I think for the most part, it is rare for draftwatchers to claim a prospect has #1 centre potential. Outside of the big guys like Celebrini and Bedard, in the last 5 years there were question-marks beside every other centre.
Even a guy like Leo Carlsson had question-marks beside him.
So I think this year is about the same, maybe a bit less due to less centres at the top of the draft in general.
2025 had a lot of centres...will be interesting to see if any of them turn into #1 guys or not.
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Good to know that you feel [Malhotra] has the potential to be a #1. I certainly prefer his size as a #1.
I've mentioned this before, but I'm near 100% convinced Malhotra's height is overstated.
Spoiler!
From left: Malhotra, Charlie Paquette, Adam Benak, Adam Jiricek.
Paquette and Jiricek are both listed at 6'2", and while Malhotra is a bit tilted in that photo I'd still say Jiricek is noticeably taller than him. Malhotra looks like he might be about the same height as Paquette if he was up straight, but Paquette is also further away.
You said Paquette and Jiricek are both listed at 6'2". And yet Jiricek looks noticably taller than Paquette in the picture. So let me ask you: did they get those two wrong as well? Or, perhaps, the picture (like many pictures) is simply misleading?
You said Paquette and Jiricek are both listed at 6'2". And yet Jiricek looks noticably taller than Paquette in the picture. So let me ask you: did they get those two wrong as well? Or, perhaps, the picture (like many pictures) is simply misleading?
Not that it is this draft related but not sure where to put it. Billet pick back. Asked who's the best on the Tigers. Pickford didmt play but regarded as the best in the league. Also said Jonas Woo is ridiculous. Has he been picked up by anyone yet?
As far as I know, Woo is not the property of any NHL team. The big knock on him is that he's only 5'10", but he skates and handles well. 61 points in 39 games is impressive, even despite the fact that he gets to ride shotgun with Pickford. He's headed for 90+ points.
Jan.27th: "B"-rated LHC Olivers Murnieks (6'1",200lbs) has been a huge disappointment this season, at least on the offensive side of the puck. Before the start of the current campaign, he seemed primed for first-round status, and even started off well in his first season with the Saint John Sea Dogs, putting up 8 points in his first 6 games. As of right now, he sits in 10th on the team (6th in ppg, with 0.62) with 18 points in 29 games; this is a kid who put up an impressive 35 points in 52 USHL games with the Sioux City Musketeers in 2024-25 as a 16 year-old, which ties him (with Matt Boldy, and 1 point behind Adam Fantilli and Frank Nazar) for the 35th-best U-17 season in league history. He was also given first-line duties for Team Latvia at the World Juniors (4 points in 5 games, third on the team), and played in Latvia's top men's league as a 15 year-old in 2023-24, posting an amazing 15 points in 18 contests. The Sea Dogs are 16th (out of 18 teams) in the standings right now, but are 8th in goals-for, and he regularly gets time in their top-six- so the reason for his lack of offense this season in the Q is unclear. Murnieks, who doesn't even turn 18 until the end of July, appears at # 71 for North American Skaters on Central Scouting's Mid-Term List, and has committed to Boston College for the 2027-28 season.
Not sure what's going on in Saint John, but I really like this kid- although he's going to need time to work on his speed, explosiveness, and agility. Murnieks is scrappy as hell, physical, hard-working, and owns a relentless motor- he makes up for his lack of footspeed somewhat with his high-end workrate, and his lofty IQ, awareness, and instincts. He plays a simple, but translatable game, and is one of the best defensive forwards through all 200 feet of ice in this draft- he disrupts opponents and kills plays in every inch of their attack, racking up turnovers, picks, steals, and blocks. Murnieks plays a detailed and responsible two-way game, thwarting the opposition's attack in all three zones, then driving play in the other direction. While he isn't truly dynamically skilled or fast, his hockey sense is at a near-elite level, and he employs a power game to win positioning in the offensive zone, and to separate man from puck in the defensive zone. Although his pace with the puck has been criticized, he seems to always be ahead of the play, and in proper position; he reads the ice well, almost always makes good decisions, and manages the puck well. Without any flash, he exerts his well-honed passing skill to find teammates in high-danger areas, and has shown the ability to thread the needle through small seams in traffic. His shot may not be anything too special, but he uses it as an incisive playmaking tool to create second-chance opportunities for his teammates. Murnieks charges into board-battles and comes out with the puck more often than not, and attacks the net without fear- he also excels in front of the enemies' net. If he can fix his mobility issues, he will make an excellent middle-six C in the NHL, but most likely a 3C; he already plays a mature, responsible game, but his offense will be in question going forward.
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Jan.27th: Considering what he was able to accomplish in 2024-25 (45 points in 62 games) for the Sarnia Sting, C Beckham Edwards' production this season is disappointing, with only 14 goals and 31 points in 45 games- he has been struggling lately as well, with only 6 points in his last 10- including none in the last 4 tilts. The reason has a lot to do with the team he plays for, as they went on a losing skid in December due to a team-wide offensive drought, and currently sit second-last in the OHL standings, with the 17th-ranked goals-for; he simply doesn't have much to work with, and has had a revolving door of linemates in an attempt to spark the offense. The Sting made a coaching change in November as well, jettisoning Alan Letang in favor of former QMJHL, and Hockey Canada Head Coach, Mathieu Turcotte- who teaches structure. Edwards is the focal point of every opposing teams' defensive strategy on a nightly basis, but is still 2nd on the team in points. I believe he's a lot better than his numbers, but he's on pace for 21 goals and 47 points in 68 games, which is not much of a progression from his production in his D-minus-1 season, and Sarnia wasn't much better back then, finishing 18th, out of 20 teams.
The 6'1" left-shooting Edwards is a hard-working, disruptive 200-ft buzzsaw with a power-forward style, who is a shoot-first goal-scorer with a nose for the net, and silky mitts in-tight. He owns a hard and heavy NHL-caliber shot that he can deploy on the fly, with a stunning release that can fool goalies from distance, and the precision to pick corners; throughout his young career, he has been known to be a clutch goal-scorer that can bulge the twine in important moments. He has a built-in sense of how to find open space in high-danger areas, a knowledge of how to use screens to his advantage, and is often seen dipping in-and-out of the slot, or standing in front of the net, but he will also crash the crease for loose pucks. Edwards boasts reliable handling and puck-control, and protects very well, which helps him to drive the net, or barge his way inside while leaning into defenders and fending off stick-checks. Scouts would like to see him diversify his offensive skillset a bit, to include a deeper playmaking base in order to be less predictable; most of his current play-creation comes from his tunnel-vision to the net in the form of second-chance opportunities for teammates from his high shot-volume. Edwards is highly intelligent and active off-puck, seemingly always in position at the right place and time, and works as hard on the backcheck, as he does on the forecheck- he also holds a faceoff percentage of 52.3% at the present time. Edwards moves around well, and has a peppy burst when needed, but he will need some work on his mobility going forward. He's a high-pace attacker though, and plays with energy and high motor. I really believe that Edwards is much better than his stats, and I can definitely see him patrolling the ice in an NHL team's middle-six. Look for him in the second-round.
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Jan.27th: Everyone's favorite whipping boy, "A"-rated winger Ryan Roobroeck (6'2.75",215lbs) must be listening to his critics, as he amassed 22 points in 14 games for Niagara (OHL) since his disappointing appearance in the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge, including 20 in the first 12 games of his return. Right now, he is second in team scoring, with 27 goals and 53 points in 45 games, but with the departure of frequent linemate Kevin He in a late December trade to Flint, he has only managed to post 10 points in 10 games so far in January. In last year's U-18 Worlds, Roobroeck was one of Team Canada's key contributors on their journey to the Gold, finishing 10th in tournament scoring, with 9 points in games.
One of Roobroeck's big knocks is his age- he is one of the oldest players in the 2026 draft-class, born on September 25th, 2007; and the other big detriment is his passivity. Though he uses his body well to protect the puck, and is hard to move when he stands in front of the net, his physicality is not as big a part of his game as it could be. Too often, he isn't doing the heavy-lifting for his linemates, and defers to them often to do the battling for loose pucks. His footspeed is average-ish at best, but he also does a lot of gliding when he should be moving his feet- there will need to be improvement in this area. Roobroeck has shown the ability to be a reliable contributor to team defense, but his engagement level and work-ethic in this area has wide ebbs and flows, unfortunately. I might be wrong, but he seemed like a much more intense and hard-working player last year; in 2024-25, he finished with 41 goals and 87 points in 64 games (leading the IceDogs in scoring by 12 points), but is projected to finish the current season with 41 goals and 80 points in 68 games. Clearly, something is not clicking this year, as he should be chasing 100-plus points right now. Roobroeck is skilled with the puck, owns a high-end IQ, and can sometimes make difficult passes look easy, but he's not much of a creator, or a play-driver. What he does have is one of the best shots in this draft-class, with a stunning release, and the ability to score from seemingly anywhere on the ice. Most of what he creates is based on his high shot-volume, and he's not afraid to go to the net to finish in-close with his soft hands. I'm still betting on Roobroeck being taken in the first-round.
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Jan.27th: We may be seriously underrating "A"-rated RHC Brooks Rogowski, a gigantic 6'7",232lb American kid, playing this season for the Oshawa Generals, who are the worst team in the OHL, as well as the lowest-scoring by a wide margin- their 104 goals in 44 contests is 13 less than the next lowest-scoring club. Rogowski missed about a month between mid-November and mid-December, but is still 4th in scoring on the team, with 7 goals and 25 points in 31 games- and it's my bet that his numbers would be higher on just about any other squad. In last summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he impressed in a background role, showing off his skill and posting 3 points in 5 games, en route to a Gold-Medal.
Born on June 28th, 2008, he may actually still have room to grow, but he's still a bit raw, and still learning how to use his size to his advantage. With long legs and a wide skating base, he moves shockingly well for a player his size- though there is a need to perfect his edgework, and improve his first-step quickness; he also handles well enough to contribute in transition, and can sometimes beat defenders with 1-on-1 dekes and dangles. His protection skills are well-developed, and he's strong on the puck, making it very hard to take possession from him. Though he keeps things quite simple, he exhibits good skill and elevated hockey sense, with a touch of creativity and vision in his passing off the rush, but he makes his living around the net, where he's impossible to move, and makes an indomitable screen in front of the goalie. He's proficient at finishing on second-chance opportunities, and his high shot-volume creates similar chances for teammates. Rogowski also boasts a hard and heavy shot with precision and a slick release to round out his offensive game. Going forward, it would be ideal if he could further develop his playmaking game, in order to diversify his attack. With his awareness and range, he contributes well to team defense by filling lanes and poking pucks away from sticks- his reach is nearly impossible to get around. I wouldn't call Rogowski a punishing hitter by any means, but he uses his considerable frame to create room for himself, win battles, push opponents off of the puck, and bulldoze his way to the net. Scouts would like to see more intensity, as well as better consistency in his game. With players like Mason West, Dean Letourneau, and Jack Nesbitt being drafted in the first-round in recent years, it's highly probable that Rogowski gets picked early as well- especially because Rogowski is just as skilled (maybe more) as those players.
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Jan.27th: It looked as though C Colin Fitzgerald (6'2.25",211lbs) had found his game again, after a November trade that sent him to the Soo Greyhounds, from the Peterborough Petes; the move was a lateral one though, with both teams sporting identical records in the standings. In his first 9 games with the Soo, he put up 10 points, but has only picked up 2 points in his last 11, for 12 points in 20 games as a Greyhound. The lack of offense this season is perplexing, as Fitzgerald was able to post 28 points in 48 games in 2024-25 with an exceptionally weak Petes squad that finished dead-last in the OHL, with the worst goals-for by a wide margin. He started the current campaign with a mere 13 points in 24 games with Peterborough, but his numbers with the Soo bring him up to a total of 25 points in 44 games on the season- which prorates to a mere 38 in 67. Fitzgerald has been moved around the Greyhounds' lineup since his arrival, including the first-line, and has played both center and wing, but has been on the third-line in recent games- on a team that sits 7th in the standings, with only 1 team in the league scoring more than their 177 tallies in 45 games.
A favorite of mine, Fitzy is as hard-nosed, tough, and relentlessly physical as they come, and his motor, compete, and intensity get high grades. He fights hard in the trenches, rarely loses a puck-battle, and is hard to stop from getting to the net, especially when he has a full head of steam behind him. While he could use a better first-step, and would benefit from added acceleration speed, he moves very well when he gets going, and plays a north-south pro-style with the ability to lead the rush through the neutral zone. Fitzgerald is not without skill, and was Peterborough's first-round draft-choice (3rd-overall) in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection, perhaps due to his above-average puck-skill, his hard and heavy shot, and his finishing touch. He's a shoot-first player, with a nose for the net, and most of his contributions to his team's offense come from his high-volume shooting, and his persistence in funneling pucks to the slot- but he is no slouch in the playmaking department, and has shown developing passing skill. Fitzgerald is a lot like Cole Beaudoin (24th-overall in 2024 by Utah) in that he's got superb defensive awareness, and hunts down pucks like a dog on a bone- bringing energy and compete, while dragging his teammates into battle. This is the type of player you win with, and while he appears to be ideally suited to checking-line duties in the NHL, he could be more. Look for him in the second-round.
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Jan.17th: The Everett Silvertips seem to be perennial contenders in the WHL, and they are once again in first place this season. "C"-rated RD Brek Liske (6'1.25",190lbs) is 6th in the league in plus/minus, with a +33, and has posted 18 points in 41 games to date- which puts him 4th in scoring from the Silvertips' blueline, but he specializes more in matching up against opposing teams' top players, and in moving the puck efficiently. Liske actually had 14 points in his first 28 games, but has only managed to post 4 points in 13 games since; his totals prorate to 28 points in 64 games currently. Central Scouting put him at #34 for North American Skaters in their Mid-Term Rankings.
Liske seems like a poor-man's version of Blake Fiddler from the 2025 Draft, or Charlie Elick from the year prior- one with the profile of a mobile shutdown defender who can contribute offense in the other end of the rink. His IQ, awareness, and anticipation help him to deploy proactive positioning in defensive situations to always be on the right side of the puck, and his smooth backwards skating combined with a well-timed stick makes him highly effective in killing rushes with his tight gaps. His details and habits are sharply honed, and he defends the net-front with stick-lifts and physicality. Liske is remarkably calm, poised, and patient in his retrievals, as well as his first-passes to kickstart the breakout, and is an active participant in his teams' offense; he walks the line to open seams and distributes well, keeps pucks alive, and activates when the coast is clear. Liske is a physical player with good motor, and battles hard in the trenches, but he must continue to get stronger, and his straight-line speed could use an upgrade. There might be enough two-way ability here for a future, middle-pairing defenseman in the NHL- look for him in the second, or third-round this summer.
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Jan.27th: The 9th-place Saskatoon Blades drafted "C"-rated RW Zach Olsen (6'0.75",198lbs) with their second-round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, at 29th-overall, and though he can reportedly play center, they are using him as a third-line winger. In my opinion, Olsen is the type of player that might be among the league's scoring leaders in another season or two- he's a nice blend of power, speed, and skill. From the Blades' bottom-six, the Calgary-born winger has been able to put up 13 goals and 26 points in 44 games (with 61 PIM), prorated to 20 goals and 40 points in 67 games. Olsen can play on any line, and he will gladly do the dirty work AND the heavy lifting for his linemates, in digging out pucks along the boards with his grit and compete, and going to the net to cause havok. He's got speed and handling ability, making him a contributor to his teams' transition with connective passing, or by carrying through the middle third with his quick feet and hands. Olsen is never outworked or outhustled- he leaves it all on the ice, supplying his teammates with energy, physicality, and intensity, and dragging them into the battle through all 200-feet of the ice. In the offensive zone, he uses his size and strength to power his way around (and through) defenders, drive the net, win pucks down low, and screen the goalie. Olsen's best asset is his finishing skills, and his underrated shot that he can get off in a hurry. I like this kid- he's noticeable every shift, and would be a good pick in the mid-to-late rounds.
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