Category Archives: NHL Entry Draft

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

2021 World Junior Hockey Championships: BLH’s Underrated Players to Watch

Later on today, the 2021 World Juniors in Edmonton, AB, are going to kick off. So, I apologize for not getting this post out earlier! I’m near certain all of the big names that you should watch out for have been covered. I’m talking about the likes of Kirby Dach (pre-injury), Cole Caufield, Alexander Holtz, Rodion Amirov, Anton Lundell, Martin Chromiak, Marco Rossi, or Edmonton Oilers prospects Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg.

So for this post, I want to introduce to you some players that might not get much ice time or put up a lot of points, but should, in theory, stand out in their limited appearances. Some of these players are eligible for the 2021 NHL draft and some won’t be drafted until 2022, but I’m very certain at some point you’re going to hear their names getting talked about.

If you’d like a more in-depth preview to the tournament this year as well as some fantastic profiles for the upcoming draft, please check out the $5 guide that Dan Stewart’s Draft Pro team has put together.

You can get that right here. 

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*2021 Draft Eligible
**2022 Draft Eligible

  • #24 Oskar Olausson (SWE)* – LW/RW – 6’2″ 181lbs – I recently watched some game video of Olausson and came away very impressed. He’s very fast and strong. His quickness off the start is suprisingly good for a kid his size. He injects himself into as many plays as possible on both sides of the puck and he’s a responsible two-way winger. The zip on his shot is stunningly good and I just look at him and see future NHL power winger. Even if he doesn’t develop into a pure goal-scorer, his work ethic and ability in the muck will allow him to contribute in other ways.
    • “Olausson is not quite as physical as his older Swedish counterpart (Filip Forsberg). But there are other aspects of their game that mirror each other. Both have great shots and skating, are brilliant at effecting zone entries. The two would also both rather fire the puck than defer to a team-mate. They both shield the puck exceptionally well on the cycle and are dangerous on the rush, with hands and confidence. The two also share the ability to find space in danger areas. They also both play the game at a high-tempo, and can be effective penalty-killers. Forsberg is a slightly more natural play-maker though.” (source)

  • #6 Semyon Chistyakov (RUS) – D – 5’11” 180lbs – I was really impressed with Chistyakov last year. He’s not a big guy but he stirs the drink for his teams. He’s offensively gifted but he’s also fearless and will take on all comers no matter the size. I dig his leadership abilities as being one of the older players on Team Russia. He really is a little Russian tank and I feel like this kind of player could really dominate a tournament like this.
    • “He is willing to play a physical game. His low centre of gravity and his strength allows him to compete on the boards and in front of the net despite his lack of height. Chistyakov maintains good gap control and keeps his opponent in front of him. Forwards attacking his side of the ice need to keep their head up as he looks to land a big hit. He also is well positioned and uses his stick to break up passing plays. Once turnovers are created, Chistyakov starts the transition game quickly with a good breakout pass.” (source)

  • #10 Matthew Beniers (USA)* – 6’1″ 174lbs – Beniers is the kind of player that inserts himself into every aspect of the game during each shift. It’s impossible not to notice him because he’s everywhere trying to make a difference, be that offensively or defensively. He demands the puck coming out of his own zone as he’s quite good at controlled zone entries. He so smart too, and because of that we’ll probably see him playing in every scenario for Team USA as well.  He’s a fantastic two-way talent that some are projecting to be better than LA Kings first rounder Alex Turcotte.
    • “Matthew displays high end hockey sense and instincts that allows him to be in the right place on the ice consistently. He is not a possession player as much as he is a quick strike player. He makes quick decisions with the puck due to his hockey sense and ability to think the game at another level”. [2019 Black Book]

  • #5 Stanislav Svozil (CZE)* – D – 6’1″ 172lbs – The first I’d heard of Svozil was when I saw a tweet announcing he’d won the rookie of the year award in the Czech pro league as a 16yr old. I thought to myself, “You’ve got to be pretty good to do that at that age.” Then later one I saw he was drafted in the CHL import draft to Regina, the same team as wonderkid Connor Bedard. If Svozil is as good as the report below, players like Bedard (when they get to the WHL) and Jan Mysak will thrive having a defender who can get them the puck. Svozil has already had a couple of highlights in the preliminary games for the Czech team.
    • “Svozil isn’t a big kid at 6-foot-0 and 172 pounds but he’s strong enough to fend for himself and doesn’t lose the puck on his stick often. He knows how to put pucks in the net and he’s responsible in his own zone” – (source)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1WzQ7Bjy84

  • #18 Juraj Slafkovsky (SVK)** – RW – 6’4″ 220lbs – Look, this guy is 16yrs old and already 6’4″ and 220lbs… What in Sam’s Hell do they feed hockey players in Slovakia? I mean is this guy a relative of Zdeno Chara or what? All joking aside, Slafkovsky is slated to play alongside Martin Chromiak on his side’s top line and he is an elite goal-scorer. The release on this guys shot… It’s outstanding. The last time we saw a double underager with this kind of size dominate the World Juniors was Jesse Puljujarvi, no? And he ended up winning the tournament MVP eventually…
    • “Capable of creating offense with slick hands in traffic, he has a soft touch on the puck, as well as great vision and offensive instincts. He plays a mature game with the puck and he is always aware of his passing options. He has a knack for taking away time and space and creating turnovers. He has a quick release on his wrist shot which makes him a threat from further out. But he can also be straight forward and drive to the net when needed. He has soft hands and can stickhandle in small spaces with ease.” (source)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_YkJ7FowhM

  • #8 Simon Knak (SUI)* – RW – 6’1″ 194lbs – Knak is a player you’ll appreciate for his tireless work rate and honest game. The Swiss don’t have a lot going for them at this year’s tournament but Knak will get his fair share of attention for being a very good disruptor in addition to most likely being his team’s generator of offense. Don’t get me wrong, he’s not some elite grinder, there’s high-end skill to go with that outstanding two-way game.
    • “He works to get inside positioning on the puck and rushes up & down the ice to stay ahead of the play. He helped break many opposing rushes by supporting his defencemen with backpressure. In the offensive zone, he worked the walls and the front of the net. Overall, Knak looked like a highly engaged player”. -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide

  • #33 Brad Lambert (FIN)** – C – 5’11” 172lbs – Lambert is a direct rival to Shane Wright’s designation as best NHL prospect for the 2022 NHL draft. To say that he’s electrifying couldn’t be more of an understatement. He’s just so fast, strong, and smooth with the puck. I wonder if he could turn out to be a Sidney Crosby-lite kind of player with those kind of attributes?
    • “He’s like watching a Nathan MacKinnon clone: Lambert is a dynamic two-way forward with incredible top-end speed, and it’s rare that someone manages to take the puck off him during a rush”. – Steven Ellis (SI.com)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s76Z5m4p5i8

  • #2 Braden Schneider (CAN) – D – 6’2″ 210lbs – Team Canada doesn’t have a defenceman on their team that they can count on 100% to be a shutdown specialist. They’ve got offensive juggernauts like Jamie Drysdale and Bowen Byram to go with a plethora of high-end two-way d-men such as Just Barron, Thomas Harley, Kaedan Korczak ,and Jordan Spence. Kaiden Guhle would be the closest to Schneider, but I think by tournament’s end, the New York Rangers first-rounder in 2020 will have the pundits talking about how critical his presence was to Canada’s blueline. He’s the new Shea Weber for me.
    • “He is an absolute behemoth of a dude at this level, imposing his will with thunderous hits, overpowering one-hand pushes, and crosschecks. He’s composed and doesn’t over-do the physicality or take needless penalties; enters every hit with his stick leading and doesn’t hit unless he can’t break up the play otherwise.” -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsgO62X_GkQ

Enjoy the tournament and have a wonderful holiday season!

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Edmonton Oiler 2020 Draft: These Three Players Are on Edmonton’s List

Not sure if you listen to a lot of Edmonton sports talk radio shows like Oilers Now or read Oilers blogs like The Cult of Hockey, but they’ve been dropping names like crazy over the last two weeks or so and I would like to take a closer look at them for you.

This tweet by Oilers play-by-play colorman Bob Stauffer, who incidentally is VERY connected throughout the west thanks to his connections via the University of Alberta hockey program. was sent back on the 11th of August.

There are two names on this list that he spoke to this morning on his daily radio show, Oilers Now, Seth Jarvis, and Anton Lundell.

The other name that is constantly coming up is that of Prince Alberta Raider defender Kaiden Guhle. This is what Cult of Hockey scribe and Oilers insider Kurt Leavins said in his latest blog,

 Fair to say most people think the Oilers have good depth in the organization on the blue line. That has many thinking that Edmonton should take a forward at #14 in the upcoming draft. Well…not so fast. What if you subscribe to the “take the best player available” theory? A run on forwards in the first 10 rounds could send a guy like Kaiden Guhle as low as 14. The 6’2 LHD out of Prince Albert has a tantalizing mix of size and speed. People who have seen him play lots say Guhle’s skating is more than a plus-asset. More like “plus-plus” boots. The Sherwood Park native went 11-29-40 in 64 games for P.A. last year and was a +23. Food for thought.

That mirrors what Stauffer has been saying on his show as well.

Guhle, being raised 5-minutes outside of Edmonton in Sherwood Park and related to a current member of the U of A Golden Bears, it makes sense that he’d be on Stauffer’s radar. Bob also has a lot of ins with some big agents like Gerry Johansson (reps Jarvis) and Allain Roy (reps Guhle). As far as I know, Lundell is represented by Acme World Sports, Markus Lehto’s old company, but now that agency falls under the Wasserman umbrella. Can’t say I know of a relationship between Stauffer and Lehto there.

Anyways, what I’m getting at is maybe these well-respected hockey media men are scratching some backs. Not to take anything away from those three players, but as we know, hockey is all about who you know and what you can do for them.

Let’s get to the scouting reports though.

Seth Jarvis

Right Wing/Centre — shoots Right
Born February 1st, 2002 — Winnipeg, Manitoba
Height 5’10” — Weight 172 lbs
NHL Comparable: Brayden Point

2019-2020 Portland Winterhawks WHL 58 42 56 98 24

He produced at an excellent rate, despite playing about 18:30 minutes per game. Marco Rossi averaged around 21:00 and Jack Quinn at about 20:00 minutes as examples. He’s a versatile, well rounded, line-driving winger who had a tremendous second half of the year. Jarvis is a player who is willing to make the on-ice sacrifices, by putting his body on the line to make plays. He has the hockey sense, the skating, the skillset and the mental approach needed to make him one of the safest picks in the draft.

The only real drawback, is that Seth’s offensive ceiling caps just slightly lower than some of the talent we have featured both in-front of him as well as a couple of prospects placed behind him on our list. That said, if we were on the draft floor and drafted Jarvis, we wouldn’t think twice if we could take him where we have him ranked. He’s the type of player you win with, and he can lead by example out on the ice. –  (Hockey Prospect Black Book)

What scares me off of this player is the fact that there have been many skilled prospects that have come through the program in Portland and have failed to make the impact everybody thought they would because they tore up the WHL. I’m thinking of players like Nic Petan, Cody Glass, Brendan Leipsic, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Sven Baertschi.

What I do like about this player is that he gets in the muck. He’ll go to the dirty areas to get the job done and I love players who will sacrifice themselves to make a play. His speed combined with his tenaciousness allows him to win puck races which in turn gives him the ability to make a play before the opposing team’s defense can. A small player without determination and drive and fearlessness is going to have a really tough time making it at the NHL level and we see it all the time. Look at Jeremy Bracco in Toronto of Josh Ho-Sang in Long Island for example. Those guys have a metric tonne of talent but he can’t get out of the AHL.

Would I take him 14th overall? It’s a really tough call. You’d hate to be the guy who skips over him and he turns into Brendan Gallagher or something to that effect, right? But you don’t want to be the player that was mesmerized by his skill in junior and end up with another Nic Petan either…

Kaiden Guhle

Defense — shoots Left
Born January 18th, 2002 — Sherwood Park, Alberta
Height 6’2″ — Weight 186 lbs
NHL Comparable: Darnell Nurse/Jacob Trouba

2019-2020 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 64 11 29 40 56

Guhle is a physically mature, highly-mobile, two-way defenseman. He’s a tenacious and imposing defender who can dictate on the defensive side of the puck by using his physical gifts. He’s most aggressive when looking to step-up on players crossing his own blueline, showing a tenacious defensive approach that some defenseman fail to initiate very often. He has a wide frame that gives him a lot of leverage when he’s attempting to stick press his opponents and was consistent with ability to pin along the boards. This extends to the penalty-kill, where he’s willing to use his frame and leverage to his advantage to box out opposing players near the front of the net. When projecting his game, the most enticing element to this player is his willingness to make life difficult for his opponents when they cross his line. There’s an overwhelming and swarming aspect to how he defends in one on one situations, generating a lot of pressure as a result.

The main concern is with his hockey sense. He can anticipate the play to the degree necessary to find the first option when it’s presented clearly in front of him, but he sometimes lacks the poise and processing ability to recognize what options could be available if he held the puck slightly longer than what seems to be his current comfort zone. Don’t get us wrong, we like it when a player can immediately assess his defensive partner and use him to swing the puck around the boards and get it out of harms way during an incoming forecheck. But, in the case of Guhle, he relies too much on his initial take of a play unfolding. It puts him in a position where he doesn’t always evaluate what could be available to him if he used his tools to hang onto the puck longer.

Sometimes Guhle shows an inability to assess risk as it relates to his aggression. We welcome his tenacious and almost throwback-like physical approach. But he sometimes steps-up without analyzing where his teammates are positioned as he’s about to do it.

We see Guhle as an effective shutdown defender with second pairing upside. – (Hockey Prospect Black Book)

I can’t believe we’re even talking about the Oilers taking another left-shot defender with their first-round draft pick. If it was Jake Sanderson, I could see it. But I don’t see the hullaballoo with Guhle.

What I don’t like about this player is stated above. His hockey IQ isn’t there and I’m not impressed with his skating to be honest. He skates very very well, don’t get me wrong, but a player with 2nd pairing upside who is a shutdown defender should not be taken this early in the draft. If the Oilers are hell-bent on taking a defenseman who can skate and is a defense-first player, there are plenty of those that will be available in the later rounds like Tyler Kleven.

What I do like about this player is that he’s a mean SOB than can keep up with the best skaters in the league.

I would not take this player with the 14th overall pick.

Anton Lundell

Center — shoots Left
Born October 3rd, 2001 — Espoo, Finland
Height 6’1″ — Weight 185 lbs
NHL Comparable: Mikko Koivu

2019-2020 HIFK Liiga 44 10 18 28 18

Lundell is a two-way, physically mature center whose attention to detail is among the best we’ve seen off the puck in recent years. His anticipation without the puck is what separates him, and it’s also what allows him to maintain excellent positioning. That anticipation allows him to intercept passes across the slot area in his own end, as well as anticipate what the defense is attempting to do when he’s on the forecheck. He’s a takeaway machine. When he’s not looking to intercept passes, he has consistently shown the ability to support his defense. Specifically, at the U20s last season, we thought given the competition he was up against and for his age he looked very comfortable and poised when helping his defenseman break-out of the zone.

The biggest concern regarding Lundell is his skating. You can make a legitimate argument that he was a better skater last season than this season. We know that sentence looks off at first glance but let us explain: This past season, Lundell has gotten bigger and heavier, yet his coordination has not matched his growth spurt as of this writing. The result is a clunkier stride than what we had seen previously. He now relies less on his mechanics which were already average, and more on his power. The good news is that Lundell is as strong as an ox, and this helps him compensate when accelerating or when switching gears in a straight-line.

There’s always room for a two-way center who can shutdown an opposing teams top-line, and that’s exactly what Lundell projects as. – (Hockey Prospect Black Book)

I never thought Lundell would be a player that might be available for the Oilers. At the beginning of the year I had him in the top-7 at least and I still really like him.

What I don’t like about this player is that there’s no guarantee that his skating comes around and in this age of hockey skating is so important if you want to be an impact player.

What I like about this player is that he’s so smart and defensively responsible at such a young age. He’s a big body and he’s shown for two years now that he can compete with men much older than him and excel. Plus there’s potential for some Selke consideration with this player down the road.

I would definitely take Lundell if he was available at 14th overall.

Here’s the thing with this pick, it’s a gift. Edmonton was supposed to be picking in the 20s and now they’re closer to the top-ten.

The Oilers do not have any high-end forward prospects coming through the pipeline. Question marks remain with Tyler Benson, Cooper Marody, Kirill Maksimov, and Ryan McLeod. We’re waiting to see what Rafa Lavoie is going to turn into as he’ll be lacing them up for Rogle in the SHL.

Ideally, they’d be able to select a center with their pick but unless Lundell falls to 14 (highly unlikely) or they really believe in Hendrix Lapierre or Connor Zary, they’ll be looking at a winger.

There is a generational right-catching goalie from Russia available they could take too but who wants one of those? Say, has anybody been watching Tampa recently? Don’t they have a Russian goalie? Like a really good one that was picked in the first round? Bet ya they regret that decision!

As for the theory that you take the best player available, I don’t know if that’s something teams do anymore unless they have a top-3 pick and you’ll see it when this next draft comes about. The fourth-best player in the draft is most likely defenseman Jamie Drysdale but there’s lots of chatter out there that the Red Wings will take Cole Perfetti, a center, and that’s a position Detroit needs to address.

Even if the Oilers were going by that theory, Kaiden Guhle won’t be the best player available at 14th overall. Not even close and if Edmonton’s scouts do believe that a shutdown defender who can skate well is the BPA, they should be fired.

I get it, defensemen are a premium and you’d like to copy the Nashville model, but if the majority consensus is that Guhle is even with Braden Scheider (Brandon, WHL), YOU TAKE THE RIGHT-SHOT DMAN!!! Which is what Schneider is and you take him because right-handers are even more of a premium!

Just on Schneider for a minute. Reminds me of a better skating Shea Weber. That might just be me though.

Take the forward (or the generational goalie), develop him correctly, and sign or trade for the left-handed shutdown blueliner when you need him.

Who would you like to see the Oilers select with their first-round pick in 2020?

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Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Latest NHL Speculation (8/17/2020)

Good morning hockey fans! As we mentioned last week, we’re going to up the content production here! We’ve talked to the fine gents over at The Scoring Touch and they’ve agreed to post some of their daily NHL rumors here at Beer League Heroes!

Now, if you don’t know, The Scoring Touch is the official website of The Puck Report from Instagram and Twitter. They produce some really rad IG graphics and are on the ball NHL news-wise on Twitter as well. You definitely need to give them a follow if you aren’t already!

The plan I have for this new segment is to comment on some of the speculations that are out there from an Edmonton Oilers perspective to try and keep things interesting during this next four-month layoff…

Today’s speculation will cover Ottawa’s picks, a Jack Johnson and Matt Murray trade package, a possible Toronto Maple Leafs signing, the Minnesota Wild’s future at center and more.

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  • Ottawa Sun: Senators owner Eugene Melnyk confirmed the club will NOT be trading their 3rd and 5th overall picks in this coming draft, despite speculation they would look at trading them for the 1st overall selection.Bruce Garrioch notes, however, that “the expectation is the Montreal Canadiens will make a pitch for 1st overall because they were one of the most vocal teams about having a shot at the pick during the discussions about the lottery format.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Will Marc Bergevin make a Mike Ditka-like trade to get Alexis Lafrenniere at the draft? If you don’t remember, in 1999, at the NFL draft, Ditka traded every pick he had to select a running back by the name of Ricky Williams. Ultimately, it didn’t work out but it was a massive story at the time. 

I think it’s probably best for the Sens long-term success if they keep the picks because they’re most likely going to have a shot at two of Quinton Byfield, Tim Stutzle, Jamie Drysdale, Cole Perfetti, or Marco Rossi. 

  • Michael Russo, TheAthletic (subscription required): “Jonas Brodin can become a free agent next summer, so if the Wild decide he’s too expensive to re-sign, trading him this off-season or in the middle of next season seems an absolute given. Brodin, like Dumba, is the type of chip that could probably land a center” – which Minnesota will need with Koivu likely gone and Staal being 36 with one year left on his contract.Russo lists the Wild’s trade options for potential top six centers: William Nylander, Max Domi, Anthony Cirelli (offer sheet possible too), Tyler Johnson, Dylan Strome, Ryan Strome, Alex Kerfoot, Adam Henrique, Jared McCann, and Adam Gaudette.

    Free agent options: Erik Haula, Mikael Granlund, Alex Galchenyuk (re-sign), and Derick Brassard.

BLH’s Thoughts: This will be an unpopular idea, but Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is going to he a UFA after next season as well. Now, I’m not sure about his appetite to re-sign in Edmonton but if, for the sake of conversation, he says he’d like to play elsewhere; you have to move him and get what you can. Would it be prudent for the Oilers to re-explore an RNH for Dumba trade? 

  • Dan Kingerski: Matt Murray’s trade value in a flooded market this off-season likely doesn’t exceed that of Robin Lehner (2nd round pick, prospect, roster player), but can be closely compared to Philipp Grubauer (2nd round pick and a prospect or favor).That “favor” could potentially be a team taking on Nick Bjugstad or Jack Johnson’s contract together with acquiring Matt Murray. There is some talk around the Penguins organization such a combo of Murray and one of those players as a package in a deal is on the radar.”

BLH’s Thoughts: If the price on Murray is a 2nd round pick and a prospect/favor, Oilers GM Ken Holland has to have his nose all up in this. Does Athanasiou and Puljujarvi for Matt Murray make sense? 

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  • Nashville Predators GM David Poile says he doesn’t have an answer yet as to how situations with pending UFAs Craig Smith and Mikael Granlund will play out. Adds he could circle back and speak with their agents in a couple of weeks to discuss potential contract extensions.

BLH’s Thoughts: As I’ve said before, Craig Smith should definitely be a target for the Oilers. When he’s on the ice, the goal share is tilted his direction in a big way. As for Granlund, he could be an option but I’m not as stoked about him as I am about Smith to be honest. 

  • Ryan S. Clark, TheAthletic (subscription required): The Colorado Avalanche will use the upcoming off-season to strike a deal with RFA Andre Burakovsky that works for all sides involved. He has repaid their faith in him with his performance this season.
  • Joshua Kloke, TheAthletic (subscription required): The Maple Leafs could sign Harvard forward Nick Abruzzese to an entry-level contract. The prospect would then forgo his college eligibility, and wouldn’t begin playing games until December. His other option is to not sign with Toronto, and instead go to Europe for game-time then see if the college hockey season starts up again.The Leafs are strongly considering loaning out a few of their other prospects to Europe to gain experience and game time before minor league and NHL seasons begin in December.

For more NHL Rumors, please visit The Scoring Touch!

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2020 Edmonton Oilers Draft: You’re Gonna Laf When You Read This

I’ll put it out there right now. I think that a Western Conference team is going to win the Alexis Lafreniere sweepstakes tonight and the reason for that is simple. Taylor Hall. Now, his team isn’t eligible to win the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery tonight because they actually won their play-in series vs. Nashville (as I predicted they would) but I’m thinking that just his presence in Edmonton could very well be enough to sway the odds to the West a bit…

All joking aside, I’m going to Laf if the Oilers win the right to pick first overall for the 5th time in ten years. I mean, you can’t get angry at them for winning it for the very reason that this is the NHL’s “well thought out” plan to begin with! I love the idea of Edmonton getting Alexis Lafreniere if nothing more than to create even more chaos and angst.

Another reason, aside from him being the perfect partner for Connor, I’d like to see it happen is that I envision the battle of Alberta being even more feisty with Lafreniere involved. This is a kid that doesn’t take any sh*t from anybody and you know that Matthew Tkachuk would have his sights on him from the get-go.

But I don’t want to talk about that today. If I’m being completely honest, I don’t think that the Oilers will win the lottery tonight, so I’d like to focus on a few prospects that the scouting pundits are projecting to go at 14th overall where Edmonton will be selecting.

Let’s start with the professional scouts:

  • Bob McKenzie (TSN) – Kaiden Guhle
  • Craig Button (TSN) – Dylan Holloway
  • Corey Pronman (The Athletic) – Brendan Brisson
  • Sam Cosentino (Sportsnet) – Dawson Mercer
  • Scott Wheeler (The Athletic) – Jack Quinn
  • Future Considerations – Rodion Amirov
  • Hockey Prospect – Ridly Greig
  • McKeen’s – Kaiden Guhle
  • ISS – Kaiden Guhle
  • The Hockey News – William Wallinder
  • Elite Prospects – Brendan Brisson
  • Central Scouting – William Wallinder (EUR)/Ridly Greig (NA)

I find it very interesting that Darnell Nurse 2.0, Kaiden Guhle, pops up three times here and this year’s Philip Broberg, William Wallinder, comes up twice. I can’t see the Oilers going for another defenseman here as according to my sources, Edmonton will be looking to spruce up the skill of their wing prospects and all of the forwards mentioned above bring something to the table that Ken Holland could use in 2-4 seasons from now.

The following quotes I’ll be gathering from the draft guides produced by McKeen’s, Hockey Prospect, The Hockey News, and The Draft Analyst.

“Among the top playmakers in the USHL, Brisson moves the puck around exceptionally well, and his ability to create movement between the dots is especially impressive.

Brisson also shows commendable commitment away from the puck. He backchecks hard and has been known to sneak in behind an opposing puck carrier to strip the puck from him and get the game going back the other way again”. – McKeen’s

“Brisson possesses an elite shot and it is one of the more respected weapons in his arsenal. He is very accurate with his slapper and isn’t afraid to use it.” – The Draft Analyst

“He anticipates the play extremely well, and knows how to identify his options rapidly as the result of his vision, in combination with his anticipation and processing ability. It’s on his stick and off his stick before he gets overwhelmed frequently. There’s a significant amount of deception and it’s rare for him to pass up on high-percentage options; both with his shooting and passing.” – Hockey Prospect

“Amirov is a skilled, two-way winger who plays a finesse style of game. What really jumps out is how shifty and slick he is. Rodion is very difficult to pin down or gain a read on.” – Hockey Prospect

“Shifty, aggressive and incredibly smart, Amirov impacts the game in all three zones with or without the puck. He can play either side of center, and his shot accuracy on his off wing is as accurate as it is on his strong side.

Two of the more noticeable aspects of Amirov’s game are his puck control and board play in all three zones. He is extremely elusive in tight spaces and will use multiple pivots or cut-backs with confidence to keep possession alive, specifically during the cycle.

mirov’s straight-line speed is very good, but it’s his anticipation coupled with the power of his stride that helps him create a sizable gap from back-pressure. He has an acute sense of identifying and evading oncoming opponents, and he’s not shy from stopping on a time and recalculating his next move.” – The Draft Analyst

“Quinn has the potential to drive his own line as a winger because he’s so good in the corners or along the boards, plus his escapability for an above-average skater is a tribute to his poise and the timing of his lateral cuts immediately after of zone entries.

Quinn is a tough competitor who is willing to fight for pucks and handle the disc in tight spaces. Defenders who try to contain or fix him into the corner run the risk of getting their ankles broken, but they also have to respect Quinn’s elite shot-release combination, to include his backhander.

You don’t score 52 goals in your first draft year without having some type of plus shot.

The intangibles are plentiful. Quinn will throw bodychecks, stick up for teammates after the whistle, battle hard for low-slot positioning against bigger defenders, and he is one of the league’s craftiest penalty killers in terms of looting pucks and creating scoring chances out of one-on-one scenarios” – The Draft Analyst

“He’s a highly skilled offensive guy who plays all 200 feet.” – The Hockey News

“Greig is a high-octane, two-way winger who can get under an opponent’s skin. He’s one of the younger players in the draft, and he plays with a ton of energy. The energy he consistently brings to the table is complimented by a fearlessness to attack in waves.

What’s even more impressive, is that there’s a maturity and a level of control featured in his game, that allows the grit and determination aspects of him to really thrive

He’s a gifted playmaker who can make high-end passes using a combination of creativity and deception.

One aspect of his shooting that makes him stand out, is that he’s gifted at shooting at top speeds and when using two-to-three step area quickness. He can also rapidly pull the puck and shift his shooting angle, yet also catch goalies off guard with how quick his release point can be.

Another impressive aspect of Greig is that he can attack in a multitude of ways using his aforementioned skills. If he’s moving east-west, he’s dangerous. If he’s moving north-south, he’s dangerous. If he’s stationary or in motion or if he’s attacking directly or making an indirect no look play, he’s dangerous.” – Hockey Prospect

Tell you what, I sure like the looks of Jack Quinn. He’s an older prospect if I’m not mistaken and he’s trending up sharply. He scores goals and he sounds like the kind of player coaches would love! Another guy out of this group of players I could see Edmonton grabbing is Ridly Greig. He’s be skyrocketing up the draft charts since the end of the season and seeing how the Oilers play-in series vs. Chicago just went, they might want to add some grit and determination to their pipeline.

And now the amateur scouts:

  • Steve Kournianos (The Draft Analyst) – Dylan Holloway
  • Larry Fisher (The Hockey Writers) – Jan Mysak
  • Sean Patrick Ryan (The Oiler Knight) – Yaroslav Askarov
  • Allan Mitchell (Lowetide) – Noel Gunler
  • Mark Seidel (NACSIB) – Dawson Mercer
  • Cam Robinson (Dobber’s Prospects) – Seth Jarvis

The players that this fantastic group of pundits is projecting are varied. We’ve even got a goalie in there! Let’s look at a few reports on these players.

“Mercer can play any kind of role on a team. He can play all three forward positions, and he is as good offensively as he is defensively. With his compete level, he’s the type of player you win hockey games with, as he plays like a winner and is very unselfish on the ice. Mercer projects as a top-6 forward at the NHL level. Even if his offense doesn’t translate, he could be a real good 3rd-line player down the road. He’s one of the safest players in this draft class.” – Hockey Prospect 

“Mercer ticks off just about every box. He’s determined and hardworking, plays well at both ends of the ice and has complementary offensive skill. He can play up and down the lineup and adapt to almost any style of game.” – The Hockey News

“He could be the perfect complement to higher skilled play creators because of how intelligent he is and how hard he works.” – McKeen’s

“Dylan is a very good playmaker with excellent vision. He is an accurate passer who also can create chances off his backhand, and he plays with his head up at all times.

Skating definitely is a strong suit and his escapability near the boards while taking hard shoves makes his balance impressive.

Holloway is a hound off the puck who consistently applies pressure with physicality, especially on the penalty kill. He gets involved on the forecheck and creates turnovers thanks to smart reads, proper stick positioning and quick turns towards the direction of puck travel.

Blessed with ideal size and excellent balance, Holloway is a jack of all trades who can play either center or wing; serve as a playmaker or finish around the net; and most importantly, be matched up against opposing top players.” – The Draft Analyst

“Mysak is not an explosive skater, but once he gets his feet moving he’s capable of creating separation. He can beat defenders by going wide and has a danger- ous shot. Mysak is seen as more of a scorer than playmaker, but some scouts noted that his assist total would have been much higher if teammates had been able to capitalize on his passes.” – The Hockey News

“Mysak is a scoring winger with some line driving instincts, who uses a combination of skill and speed to generate points. He has a takeover approach that you can’t teach a player, and the speed necessary to take advantage of his mentality.” – Hockey Prospect

“The skills set starts off with unparalleled athleticism, above and beyond any other goalie in this year’s draft class, and even more impressive than Spencer Knight was last year. His post-to-post movement is explosive, and his skating ability also allows him to play aggressively, telescoping out of his crease to cut down angles from long range shots. His athleticism also shows itself when he is forced to scramble when the play gets too hairy near his crease.” – McKeen’s

“Askarov has superstar potential. Much like Knight last season, he has done more than enough to cement his standing as not only the top goaltending prospect in the draft, but one worthy of being a high first-round pick.” – The Draft Analyst

“Askarov’s movement for his age is the best we’ve ever seen for his size, and it’s due to how seamless he can transition between different technical-movements.” – Hockey Prospect

“Gunler is actually more natural as a finisher than as a creator. His wrist shot is his primary weapon. He can read goalies well, knowing when the best time is to fire and he doesn’t need to be in tight to pick his spot either, as he has the power to connect for long range.” – McKeen’s

“Gunler is a cerebral – sniper, who is one of the most gifted scorers featured in this draft. It is Noel’s offensive abilities that really makes him stand out as he is gifted with a superb offensive toolkit to create and score goals. Gunler’s wrist shot is elite, featuring fantastic mechanics.” – Hockey Prospect

I started out the year really loving Holloway’s game. What he did in the AJHL as a 16-year-old was mindblowing to me but then his year didn’t start that well despite playing on the same team as Alex Turcotte and Cole Caufield. So I turned my attention to Mysak. I thought he was outstanding at the World Junior’s and even better in the OHL. But now, I’m torn. Is this the time in Edmonton’s build to take the safe player or risk it on a potential generational goaltender? Mercer or Askarov? Yet, there’s a possible 30-goal-scorer in Noel Gunler sitting there too…

If it was my choice this is how I’d rank the players mentioned above,

  1. Jack Quinn
  2. Yaroslav Askarov
  3. Noel Gunler
  4. Ridly Greig
  5. Dawson Mercer
  6. Jan Mysak
  7. Dylan Holloway
  8. Rodion Amirov
  9. Brendan Brisson

I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you that I think the Oilers should consider trading down with teams like the Devils, who have picks 18 and 21 (I think), Montreal (16th), or Ottawa (22nd) in an attempt to recoup some early-round draft picks that they lost at the deadline. A lot of the players I showed you today will most likely still be around by the 16th to 22nd selection. I feel like it just makes a lot of sense and Ken Holland has a history of trading down.

What do you think? Do you have your eyes on any specific players for this upcoming draft? Have your targets changed since the Oilers have moved up? Let us know in the comments below!

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2019/20 Edmonton Oilers Draft Talk: The Experts Picks for Edmonton So Far…

Tell me this isn’t all a bit too convenient for real life. The NHL expands the playoffs to include 8 more teams because reasons. Then! The NHL draft lottery is held and those teams as a group are given the 2nd best odds of winning the Alexis Lafreniere sweepstakes and they do?! Not only does this set up ANOTHER live TV event to determine the winner of the play-in losers but it shafts teams who are in desperate need of a player like Lafreniere…

Now, as a draft geek, I’d love nothing more than the opportunity to draft the latest French-Canadian phenom. I’m confident in saying that he’s going to be more impactful from a goal-scoring perspective than the last left-winger Edmonton drafted first overall. I mean topping an average of 20-goals/yr shouldn’t be that hard for a talent like this, should it? But the reality is, this is the Oilers’ best chance to go deep into the COVID Cup playoffs. This roster is as deep as it’s been since 2006, deeper than 2016 I’d argue. So I’m happy to be drafting at 20th overall or later if that ends up the case.

Who could the Oilers be looking at in or around 20th overall? Well, let’s see who the experts have Edmonton taking in their mock drafts or their latest rankings.

Cam Robinson (@hockey_robinson) – Dobber’s Prospects – 

  • Kaiden Guhle – LD – Prince Albert (WHL) – 6’2, 186lbs

“Strapping blueliner with great mobility and a keen eye for defending. Has the potential to be a minute-muncher down the line, albeit with a somewhat limited offensive ceiling. Safe.” – Robinson (source)

I’ve read that Guhle compares well to Darnell Nurse. He’s very athletic, he’s one of the better skaters in the draft on the blueline, and he’s got a mean streak.

I can’t see Edmonton taking another defenseman with their first-rounder this year. From all indications, my sources have more or less said that the Oilers will be looking to select a forward with skill.

Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) – TSN – 

  • Lukas Reichel – LW – Berlin (DEL) – 6’0, 170lbs

“Reichel is a very good skater with great combination of speed and quickness. He is constantly moving and participating in the play even when he doesn’t have the puck. Reichel has very good puck-skills and a great shot. He isn’t afraid to battle for pucks in the corners or go to the dirty areas of the ice which shows his pro-like style. Reichel has shown great hockey sense on both sides of the puck; he is already pretty good defensively which is a positive sign for his NHL future. He isn’t all that flashy, but he is very efficient, and he has legitimate middle-six upside at the NHL level. He is also pretty young for his draft class.” – Jokke Nevalainen (source)

What I like about this player is that he’s very good in the muck. If you’re a team who needs a winger to dig about in the corners or on the walls, Reichel is one of the best players in the draft at doing this. He doesn’t seem to care how big his opponent is either. He wins a lot of puck races and battles because of this regardless of his slight stature. Could be a real handy player to have alongside a highly-skilled center.

McKeen’s 2020 NHL Draft Guide

  • Hendrix Lapierre – C – Chicoutimi (QMJHL) – 6′, 179lbs

“Lapierre may just be the draft’s biggest wildcard this year because of his head and neck injuries. He entered the year as a potential top five pick and now is not even a guaranteed first rounder. However, the Oilers are a team that I believe are positioned to take a chance on Lapierre. They have tried to address their blueline the last few years in the first round, so the Chicoutimi center would certainly give them another offensive weapon in the future.” – Brock Otten

I’m torn on this player. He played 19 games in the ‘Q’ before shutting it down and only scored two goals… Not great but like Otten, I’ve got a feeling that Lapierre is high on Edmonton’s draft list but there’s a feeling that he’ll be long gone by the time the Oilers are selecting according to one of my sources. If you’re taking this player, you’re convinced his neck issues are behind him and you’re taking as much time as needed, or more, with regards to his development. Meaning, he gets the maximum amount of time in junior, then two or three years in the AHL.

For me, what the team decides to do with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will tell me how they plan on developing the club’s future. Taking Lapierre when the team has McDavid, Draisaitl, and RNH ahead of him for the next five seasons doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

Steve Kournianos (@thedraftanalyst) – The Draft Analyst – 

  • Emil Andrae – LD – HV71 J20 (Superelit) – 5’8″, 181lbs

“Andrae is a reliable one-on-one defender with a short gap who looks to deliver hits and battle hard for positioning. He may be on the smallish side, but Andrae has a very high compete level and it shows in the way he continues to fight for pucks and uses his lower-body strength and rapier-like stick thrusts. Andrae uses superior anticipation and short routes to intercept passes ranging from chips to cross-ice attempts, and he transitions from defense to offense as well as any of his peers. He also is a solid bodychecker who plasters unassuming puck carriers to the boards or line someone up for a jarring open-ice hit” – Kournianos

Another left-shot defender but this one only a shade taller than Kailer Yamamoto is probably not what the Oilers are looking for right now. I haven’t seen a lot of this player but from what I have he looks like a great puck mover. A smooth operator indeed. I’m just not sure how long his career would be if he was playing the role of Darius Kasparaitis AND Sandis Ozolinsh… As interesting as it sounds, I reckon he’ll fall to the second or third round.

Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) – The Athletic – 

  • Ridley Greig – C – Brandon (WHL) – 5’11”, 165lbs

Greig’s name kept rising in the final months of the season and scouts have told me they expect him to be a first-round lock due to how skilled he is and how hard he competes on the ice. I can see the Oilers valuing those attributes a lot, especially down the middle where the organization doesn’t have a lot of young depth. – Pronman

Now here’s where my previous point about draft a center hits a bit of a wall. Why draft Greig over Lapierre when they’ve got 97, 29, and 93 all locked up and the answer is, the Wheat King brings a different toolbox to the job site than Lapierre. He’s got some Martin Lapointe in him that I’m sure Ken Holland would love. If Lapierre isn’t helping out on offense or is being shut down, how else is he contributing? Can he excel in the muck like Greig can? I’m not so sure he can.

I’d be a little shocked if Mark Greig’s boy was drafted in the first round. He’s good but I think there are some better players that could be taken in the top-31 picks. That said, a team looking to increase its depth and character might take him before the first round is up.

The Hockey Prospect Black Book

  • Connor Zary – C – Kamloops (WHL) – 6’0″, 177lbs

“Zary is a multi-faceted, duel-threat center who might be more translatable on the wing. Arguably his best skill attribute are his hands. He has an excellent set of hands that he can use to break down opposing players at a consistent rate. His hands seamlessly blend into his release, giving him a fairly difficult wrist-shot for a goalie to pick up on. He can catch and release the puck, yet find difficult to hit seams on a goalie. There’s a good balance between accuracy, power, and timing with his shooting talent. He can make high-end passes and knows how to stretch out his passing options and readjust his passing lanes by slowing down the play. What really stands out the most is the deception. His competitiveness is also a plus. He’s consistent at getting into high danger areas, and isn’t afraid to use his body in tight to the net when looking to get a rebound. He can hit as well.”

When I watched Zary at the Top Prospects game I was really impressed. He was very creative with his playmaking and seemed to be in the right place at the right time offensively. Out of the centers discussed in this post, I think I like Zary the best. He’s got wonderful hands and he attacks the middle of the ice with no qualms. Maybe that could bite him in the ass at some point but Matt Barzal has done okay so far. Zary’s skating will need to improve a bit going forward as he looks like he’s got heavy boots. Not much waterbug in his game, he’s more of a straight-ahead skater.

At the start of the year, I was really into Dylan Holloway. I liked everything about the kid and that he dominated the AJHL as a 17-year-old was the catalyst. He had a slow start to his time in Wisconsin but I’m confident he’ll really pick it up in his 2nd season there whenever that gets started.

But as the season wore on, a Czech player caught my eye during the World Juniors and then continued to draw my attention as he made the hop over the Atlantic to play for Hamilton (OHL), his name is Jan Mysak.

An electrifying player in my opinion. Once he’s fully developed physically, he has the potential to be a real game-breaker at the next level. Might I say Pastrnak-like? Probably not to that point, but I’m confident in saying that he could be an effective triggerman at the NHL level.

Now, you’re not going to mistake Mysak for Ryan O’Reilly. Mysak scores goals and contributes to offense primarily and I’m okay with that. I really hope the days of taking elite offensive talents and trying to mold them into 200ft two-way players is over. Imagine if they tried to do that with Pavel Bure back in the day or Teemu Selanne? I don’t think so!

The reason I brought up Holloway is that I think there’s a possibility he may slip from around the 10-14 spot to possibly the 18-22 spot depending on who jumps up. It would be a very difficult decision for me to pick just one of these players as I’m a big fan of both. With that in mind, if Zary, Holloway, and Mysak are available when the Oilers draft, I reckon it’s a win/win/win situation for the club if they take one of them.

Do you have a personal preference for who the Oilers should pick? Let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter (@beerleagueheroe)!

Puck Racism

The sales are starting to trickle in with this design and I’m going to spam the hell out of it on my website and the BLH Hockey Instagram because I feel passionate about it and I feel like Hockey is Diversity deserves the proceeds that I’ll be donating to them.

So, please. If you’ve got an extra $20 lying around and you want to do a good thing for good people, click the pic down below and grab a t-shirt, a mask, a onesie, a tank top, or some stickers.

Hockey is Diversity is a German group whose aim is to draw attention to the ethnic diversity in society, which goes beyond the sporting borders in order to sensitize people interculturally. The diversity that has long been regarded as an enrichment in sport as a melting pot of people of different ethnicities, cultures, and religions should also be transferred to society.

Click the pic and help support this worthy cause! Portions of the proceeds will go to Hockey is Diversity!