Category Archives: NHL Entry Draft

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, International, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Who to Watch at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup

Tomorrow, the hockey season starts as the latest edition of the u18 international tournament known as the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup begins. If you don’t know much about this tournament, let us get you caught up before previewing the 2016 version.

From the Ivan Hlinka Memorial website itself:

“The Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, formerly known as the Junior World Cup and Pacific Cup, has been held annually since 1991, with the first tournament being held in Japan. Since 1997, the tournament has taken place in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, although only since 2002 has the tournament been held in both countries simultaneously.

Involving players under the age of eighteen, the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup is the premier showcase for hockey talent from Europe and overseas. The teams that regularly feature in the tournament are: Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA. In the past, the tournament has helped introduce the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Steven Stamkos to the international stage.

The most successful nation at the tournament so far has been Canada, who have won gold a staggering eighteen times in twenty-two attempts. Including the Soviet Union’s 1991 victory, Russia have won gold three times, while Sweden and the USA have one gold medal to their credit so far.

The Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup bears the name of the deceased Czech hockey legend who died in 2004. The name of the tournament was changed in 2012, whereas before it was called the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka.”

THE 2016 IVAN HLINKA MEMORIAL CUP PREVIEW

I enlisted the services of two ridiculously talented and “in the know” hockey prospect guys to help me with this preview. Brayden Sullivan (@SullyDraftGeek) from Draftgeek.ca has actually taken the time to write the preview you’re about to read and to give us an even better idea of the players we should be watching out for, we’ll be using some individual players reports from Justin Froese (@FroeseFC) from Future Considerations. Those will be italicized to differentiate from Brayden’s comments. 

She’s a tad long but I hope you enjoy it!

Will Joe Veleno be the 1st overall pick in 2018?

Coming into this year’s Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament, Canada will be looking to build off of their dominant display last year where they won their 8th consecutive gold medal. Over the past 8 years Canada has managed to consistently form highly skilled and highly competitive teams that have dominated the tournament. This year is no exception as they will be led by several highly touted prospects that will look to make an immediate impact on their draft eligible year.

Three players named to Canada’s roster are still one year away from beginning their draft year, however the highly touted 2018’s, including Ryan McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads) and Joseph Veleno (Saint John Sea Dogs) will be looking to showcase their high end skill and dynamic playing styles in hopes of impressing the plethora of scouts in attendance.

Joey Veleno, C, St. John (QMJHL)- Exceptional talent is worth the hype. All over the ice making brilliance happen. Top tier awareness keeps him pacing the game when he’s on the ice. Only knock is that he could use his teammates a bit more when the pressure is on.

Ryan McLeod. C, Mississauga (OHL)- Very talented two way player who skates well and shows deception in his ability to shake opponents. Vision is top notch and he can thread a pass through a mine field. Willingness to compete is there.

Outside of those two forwards the lone 2018 draft eligible defender is Evan Bouchard (London Knights), a rangy two-way right-handed blue liner who impressed with his poised play and his crisp first pass. Expect him to anchor the Canadian blue line and be a very impactful player in this tournament.

Evan Bouchard, D, London Knights (OHL)- Big time catalyst on the backend. Shows great anticipation to jump into plays and make a difference. Excellent puck mover who can hold and show off a booming shot. Very sound defender.

Canada’s roster features many highly touted 2017 NHL draft prospects and features a variety of skill sets. Starting with the bigger bodied players in Michael Rasmussen (Tri-City Americans) and Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville Tigres), who are both capable of dominating this tournament physically and production-wise. Comtois and Rasmussen will be coming into Slovakia with a lot of confidence after their impressive showing at the summer showcase and will be given key roles in order to win the 9th consecutive gold.

Maxime Comtois, RW, Victoriaville (QMJHL)– Skilled forward who plays a dependable game. Shows up every shift and uses top end puck skill and smarts to create offense.

You’ll find a lot of mobility on the back end with players like Ian Mitchell (Spruce Grove Saints), Elijah Roberts (Kitchener Rangers) and Marcus Phillips (Owen Sound Attack) who all have the ability to impact the game offensively with their top-end skating abilities and offensive instincts with the pucks.

Ian Mitchell, D, Spruce Grove (AJHL) – Smaller puck rushing defenseman who pushes the pace and has good instincts with the puck on his stick. Has quarter back type skills and handles the puck with finesse, manufacturing lanes and chances with his quickness and excellent awareness.

Markus Phillips, D, Owen Sound (OHL)- Steady defender has intelligence to succeed in any situation. Calm nature and has skating ability to get out of trouble or lead a rush.

Look for Elijah Roberts to break out on scouts list and be top defender in this years tournament, as he was highly impressive at the summer showcase and raised a lot of eyebrows with his mobility, puck moving abilities, and defensive awareness.

Another few players who I will be keeping an eye out for is forwards McKenzie Entwistle (Hamilton Bulldogs), Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads), Stelios Mattheos (Brandon Wheat Kings) and Shane Bowers (Waterloo Blackhawks)., as well as QMJHL defenseman Antoine Crete-Belzile (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada).

Owen Tippett. RW, Mississauga (OHL)-Showed off his ability to execute under pressure. Great offensive ability.

Stellio Mattheos, C/W, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)- Skilled and strong offensive threat plays the game responsibly and with skill. No one has taken a bigger stride forward in the last 2 months. Power game and effectiveness on the rush taking center stage in the playoffs.

Shane Bowers, C, Waterloo (USHL)- 200 foot guy that works well with the puck. Great speed and natural skill. Plays with a lot of gumption and makes life hard for opponents.

While Tippett and Mattheos are two highly-touted forwards who have been on scouts’ watch lists for months, Entwistle and Crete-Belzile are two players I look forward to watching because of their notable performances at the summer showcase.

In net, I expect Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires) to take the reins in net for Canada and play most of the tournament, but I do believe that Ian Scott (Prince Albert Raiders) will get the opportunity to show what he has and will strive in that moment.

Other Notable Players

The following players will grab your attention almost immediately if you get a chance to watch their games.

Nico Hischier (Switzerland): My current #2 ranked prospect going into the 2017 entry draft, Nico will have an opportunity to dominate this tournament and lead in the scoring department. He finished last year with 6PTS (3G-3A) in just 4 games and was arguably the most valuable player for the Swiss. Hischier is a highly skilled playmaker that plays the game at a high tempo and with loads of compete. He possesses elite vision and makes his linemates better by finding them on the ice in a consistent manner. Recently Hischier has followed in the footsteps of Swiss product Timo Meier and will join the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL.

Timothy Liljegren (Sweden): A top-end defensive prospect going into this years NHL entry draft, Timothy Liljegren will be looking to show scouts that he can challenge Nolan Patrick for that #1 spot in the draft. Currently ranked #3 on my personal rankings, Liljegren is a mobile offensive defender that has the potential to put up big time numbers in this tournament. He possesses a deadly wrister from the point and a laser-like first pass that NHL scouts are in awe about. A right-handed shot, Liljegren has already played in the SHL as a 16 year old and already posted a solid 5PTS (1G-4A) in 19 games. Look for Liljegren to get big time minutes for Sweden and rack up some major stats on the score sheet.

Timothy Liljegren, D, Rogle (SWE J20 Elite)-While there needs to be some defensive work he is a rangy and excellent puck rushing defenceman who loves getting involved offensively.

Urho Vaakanainen (Finland): Another solid Finnish draft eligible who knows how to move the puck, Vaakanainen will be looking to proves to scouts that he should be treated as a top-10 pick. Going into his 2nd season in the Finnish elite league, Urho’s passing abilities have impressed on all stages of hockey he has played at. Look for Vaakanainen to eat up a lot of minutes for Finland and more importantly produce at a high-end level.

Urho Vaakanainen, D, Blues (Liiga)- Intelligent two way defender is great at turning the puck up ice. Very little risk and does a good job boxing out and managing the defensive zone.

Ostap Safin (Czech Republic): My current #10 ranked player in this year NHL draft, Ostap Safin will be looking to lead the Czech Republic into the medal stages. Another big power forward, Safin put up very impressive numbers in the Czech U20 league last year and I believed he would have came over the NA this upcoming season. I fully expect that Safin will be in the run for MVP since this is his opportunity to show NA fans what he can do.

Ostap Safin, RW, HC Sparta Praha (Czech U20)- Large and offensively gifted. Builds momentum to overcome adversity. High IQ and creates chances with skilled passes or individual sequences.

Klim Kostin (Russia) : The 1st overall pick in the 2016 import draft, Klim Kostin is a big bodied power forward who has amazing offensive scoring abilities. He will most likely be the Captain for Russia and will be given the biggest responsibility in this tournament, to lead Russia to a medal. A player who may play against men in the KHL next year, I’m looking for Klim Kostin to make a huge impact in this tournament physically and production wise. A player who I believe will be in the run for tournament MVP alongside Safin and Hischier.

Klim Kostin, RW, Dynamo Moskva (Russia U17)- Man sized guy who can dominate for stretches with the puck. Works his tail off and leads by example. Could be top Russian off the board.

Isac Lundestrom (Sweden) : Not eligible till the 2018 NHL Draft, the Swedish forward will be looking to make his mark at this tournament as an underage. A top end puck handler who protects the puck well, Lundestrom has the talents to shine at this tournament. Also, he has already played in the SHL but was unable to put up any points. I fully expect that Lundestrom will be a crucial part to the Swedish roster and will be hassle to deal with as a defender, thanks to his NHL caliber speed.

Isaac Lundestrom, C, Lulea HF J20 (Super Elit)- Poised puck handler is capable of leading a play and makes quick decisions when he is flying. Puts himself in the right spot to execute consistently.

Filip Zadina (Czech Republic) : A high-end dynamic offensive threat, Zadina will also be going into this years Ivan Hlinka tournament as an underage player, not being eligible until the 2018 NHL draft. Coming off of a solid year in the Czech U20 league, Zadina will suit up this upcoming season with the Vancouver Giants of the WHL and will be looking to showcase his talents to the North American fan. Personally I love his offensive game and I feel he will be able to produce big time numbers at this tournament alongside Ostap Safin, but will struggle against much faster teams and will need to get over that in order to be successful here. Expect a big time tournament out of Filip Zadina.

Filip Zadina, F, HC Pardubice (Czech U-20)– Absolutely dynamic skillset and a premier puckhandler. Has blazing speed and the thought process to think 3 steps ahead. Conscious efforts to defend. Capable of domination.

Michael Pastujov (USA) : Once highly regarded as a 1st round pick in this years upcoming NHL draft, Pastujov will be looking to show scouts that he is still capable of playing at that level. The University of Michigan commit is coming off of an injury riddled season that saw him only play 14 games with the USNDTP of the USHL. I expect we’ll see a heavily motivated Pastujov.

Rasmus Dahlin (Sweden) : As one of the lone 2000 players in this year tournament, Dahlin will be pushing for ice time and responsibilities on a stacked Swedish blue line. A player to remember for the 2018 NHL draft, Dahlin possesses similar offensive abilities to teammate Timothy Liljegren and will hopefully be able to produce at this tournament. Currently ranked #6 on my list of 2018 draft eligible, this will be Dahlin’s chance to lock his name into scout’s rankings.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Finland): One of the only highly-regarded goaltenders going into this years Ivan Hlinka tournament, Luukkonen will be batting with Canadian goalie Michael DiPietro to prove that he is the #1 goalie in this year’s NHL draft. Coming off of a season with HPK U20 where he posted a 1.98 GAA and a .924 SV%, Luukkonen is looking to carry those top end number into the tournament and be named the top goalie of the tournament. At 6’3 196lbs, Luukkonen is certainly NHL goalie size.

Nando Eggenberger (Switzerland): A late ’99, Eggenberger will be coming into his 2nd Ivan Hlinka tournament looking to improve on last year’s performance. Last year Eggenberger finished the tournament without a point and at a brutal minus-5, he was very under-utilized and will be looking towards being a more impactful player this time around. Not being eligible until the 2018 draft, Eggenberger will have a head start on all the other eligibles. Eggenberger is a solid 6’2 power forward who has a solid drive to go to the net and battle for his points. He plays hard in all 3 zones and has a reliable defensive game that scouts will be looking for.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the tournament! If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below!

 

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Rumors, Trades

Had This Deal Gone Down, Could the Oilers Have Kept Hall?

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When’s the last time the Flames and Oilers hooked up for a trade? Staios? Smid?

I came across a guest post on another website the other day and there was a gentlemen out of Toronto who wrote something very interesting…

So i was talking to someone with direct knowledge of the situation that there was almost a 3 way trade done on day 1 of the draft just before it began.

They had mentioned that there was a trade in the works that would have sent the 3rd overall pick (clb) to calgary for the 6th overall pick + but that the blue jackets did not want to move to the 6th spot.

Enter the oilers 4th overall pick peter chiarelli was in and almost made this trade

blue jackets
ryan nugent-hopkins
4th overall pick (edm)

flames
3rd overall pick (clb)
sonny milano

oilers
6th overall pick (cgy)
dougie hamilton

this was the entire proposed trade i asked him twice to make sure but he said these were all the parts no additions anywhere , he also said this trade was essentially done until the last second when the blue jackets gm jarmo Kekäläinen played his hand a little quick , mentioned he had dubios above puljujarvi and that was the comment that killed the trade. chiarelli pulled out once he realized that he could get puljujarvi with the 4th overall and that stopped all wheels in motion.

That would’ve been a killer I say. Now it’s all hearsay and rumour at this point of course. We’ll never know if this is actually true or not but how would’ve this deal changed the landscape of the Oilers as we know them today?

  • Is it safe to assume that the team would’ve still gone and signed Lucic? I say yes.
  • Bob Stauffer has intimated that the Oilers had Mikhail Sergachev at the no.4 spot behind Puljujarvi. I’ll say they would’ve taken him at no.6 but they would’ve had their choice or Juolevi or Tkachuk as well.
  • Who would slot in at 3C? Caggiula? A free agent? Not sure they’d have had the cash to bring in anybody significant.

Here’s how the roster might’ve looked had the deal gone down.

Lucic-McDavid-Yakupov
Hall-Draisaitl-Eberle
Pouliot-XXX-Kassian
Maroon-Letestu-Pakarinen
Hendricks, Lander

Klefbom-Hamilton
Sekera-Fayne
Nurse-Davidson
Reinhart

Talbot
Gustavsson

Down Nugent-Hopkins but up on defence with Dougie Hamilton. We know that the Oilers did in fact talk to the Blue Jackets GM and the Flames GM at the draft (Stauffer has mentioned this on his show as well) and we also know that Chiarelli was trying to get Hamilton out of Boston at last year’s draft.

Walter Foddis had this to say when comparing Larsson to Hamilton:

That’s a tough one. Hamilton is better offensively, whereas Larsson is better defensively. Looking  at some metrics, Hamilton’s eGF% vs top-end competition is better than Larsson’s, especially against top-pairing D-men. Hamilton’s eGF% vs top-pairing Dmen was 47.3% & Larsson’s was 39.5%.

Overall, Larsson’s CA RelTM is -4 and Hamilton’s +2, which suggest Larsson is stronger defensivelly. That is, Larsson’s NJD allowed 6 fewer shot attempts/60 minutes than Hamilton’s Flames.

The opposite is true for offense, though. Hamilton’s Flames generated 11 more shot attempts per 60 minutes than Larsson’s NJD.

So although Larsson appears be stronger defensively, Hamilton’s offensive game more than compensates for this deficiency.

Comparing them on the WoodMoney metric would be interesting.

Would the Oilers still be looking for that PP QB? Chiarelli did say that the Hall deal was going down regardless but I have to call bullsh*t on that if Hamilton could’ve been acquired…

I don’t like the idea of the Oilers having poor depth at centre but one would have to think that had this scenario gone down as such that the Oilers would’ve traded one of the left-wings (Pouliot most likely) for a serviceable third line center.

What are your thoughts on this rumor? Would you have rather had Hall, Lucic, Hamilton and Sergachev, or Nugent-Hopkins, Lucic, Larsson, and Puljujarvi? Which grouping would’ve made the Oilers a better team?

Let me know in the comments below!

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

This is How I’d Have Done It

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I’ve had a day to recover from covering the draft for the Oilers and I figure it’s time to go though what the Oilers did, review the players and add my two cents as to who I would’ve picked instead.

I’m happy with the players that the Oilers got to an extent. I reckon Chiarelli and Green went reaching at times when they didn’t necessarily have to but took great advantage of some players that had fallen. Like Puljujarvi for example.

  • 4th overall: Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (Finland), 6’3″, 208lbs
    • “Puljujarvi is an offensive fixture who skates like the wind and provides size on the wing. He has an explosive first step for a big body and no noticeable flaws in his stride. He’s very balanced and exceptionally agile. Despite being noted as a scorer, I think he’s just as prone to be a set up guy. Vision is near the top of his class. Loves to drive the net from the perimeter and boasts a powerful shot and goal scoring knack that allows him to play the point on the powerplay and be a threat from anywhere under the sun. I loved what he offered defensively, showing hustle and tenacity to be a sound component when playing a team game. He follows puck movements well and has quick reactions that enable him to steal pucks and subsequently make a play to transition the puck up ice.” Justin Froese, (@FroeseFC), Future Considerations
  • 32nd overall: Tyler Benson – LW, Vancouver (WHL), 5’11”, 197lbs
    • “He’s a strong pro-style player who has a sound two-way package to rely on. He has a strong lower half that allows him to generate a lot of speed. He’s very sound in the fundamental areas of the game that require agility. A confident puck carrier, distributor and focal player that has some definite flair in his game. He favours a no-nonsense north/south game that keeps the stove element cranked up on his opponents” – Justin Froese (@FroeseFC), Future Considerations
  • 63rd overall: Markus Niemelainen – D, Saginaw (OHL), 6’6″, 205lbs
    • Was Saginaw’s best defenceman. He’s huge, smart, has the technical tools to be a solid defender going forward. More of a puck distributor than a shooter. I wonder how he’d have done on London instead of Saginaw? Are we looking at Martin Marincin 2.0 here?
  • 84th overall: Matthew Cairns – D, Georgetown (OJHL), 6’2″, 200lbs
    • “Cairns is a very textbook defender who plays both sides of the ice very well. His awareness of the play allows him to get the jump on plays and adjust his positioning so he is set up to make a solid play. He skates well for his size and has the agility that is important to escape the zone and also carry pucks through the neutral zone. Has a good set of hands and reads plays well up ice. He’s great at delivering the longer or quicker pass to kick off a breakout. Cairns establishes a presence defensively and traps opponents with his mind. Show poise when defending and knows when he can make a move to disrupt the puck carrier. He’s not intimidated and keeps his gaps tight.” Justin Froese,(@FroeseFC), Future Considerations
  • 91st overall: Filip Berglund – D, Skelleftea (Sweden), 6’3″, 209lbs
    • Here’s big bodied right-handed shooter that put up major points in the Swedish junior leagues last season. Mans Karlsson (@manskarlssonyao) told me Berglund has great offense and that Skelleftea is a player producing factory; he also said that they (Skelleftea) lost a lot of defenders for next year, so Berglund should get a chance to compete for a spot on the Senior team. Good enough for me!
  • 123rd overall: Dylan Wells – G, Peterborough (OHL), 6’1″, 182lbs
    • I don’t have a lot on Wells right now that you haven’t already been informed on by other sites.
  • 149th overall: Graham McPhee – LW, NTDP U18 (USA), 6’0″, 183lbs
    • I think the Oilers loved his Gritistics. Meaning he’s very “competitive” and has potential to put up some offense.
  • 153rd overall: Aapeli Rasanen – C, Tappara Jr (Finland), 6’0″, 196lbs
    • Rasanen was a nice pick here. He reminds me a bit of Anton Lander. Now if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, that remains to be seen. He’s played with Puljujarvi and Niemelainen on the Finnish national team this past year. He’s been captain and assistant captain when playing internationally as well. I guess he’s coming to the USHL to play next season because there won’t be much opportunity in Finland on Tappara’s senior team.
  • 183rd overall: Vincent Desharnais – D, Providence (NCAA), 6’5″, 207lbs
    • “Desharnais is an absolute behemoth of a player on the back-end. Has decent skating ability for his size and does well to handle opponents speed with surprisingly quick feet laterally as well as in reverse. He hands the puck half decent and moves the play along simplistically but smart. He has a booming shot if he is given the time to tee it up, but struggles to get much behind it if he can’t time it right. He plays a defensive game primarily and is a monster that has a mean streak if his side of the ice is invaded. Deharnais made the jump from high school hockey to junior hockey and an NHL watch list in the course of a year (2015)” – Justin Froese, (@FroeseFC), Future Considerations.

So there’s what I’ve gathered. Big thanks for Justin Froese for providing me with some reports on a few of the players drafted by the Oilers. You should give him a follow on Twitter and if you are in need of an area scout, I believe he’s in the Brandon, Manitoba region.

Onwards to who I’d have picked at each spot and why.

No.4 – Jesse Puljujarvi (RW): I might’ve ran up a little faster to annouce his name. For me this could be a Selanne/Kariya pairing with McDavid.

No.32 – Pascal Laberge (C): I like that he’s got an offensive flair to him, that he’s a chippy player, and that he’s right-handed.

No.63 – Frederic Allard (D): A right-handed defender who produced at a similar level to more notable defencemen. The Oilers need righties who can put up points and Allard can do that. He’s got a sizeable frame on him as well standing at 6’1″ 185lbs.

No.84 – Zach Sawchenko (G): How did a goalie rated #6 in North America by Central Scouting not get picked? Easy selection here for the goalie who had a really nice Ivan Hlinka tournament.

No.91 – Filip Berglund (D): I like taking the right-handed Swede here. I’d change nothing about this pick.

No.123 – Jordan Sambrook (D): I’d have taken this right-handed dman to add to the stable and create more balance within the organization. He’s a sound two-way defender and I believe Lowetide had him in his mock draft for the Oilers.

No.149 – Graham McPhee (LW): After reading what Lowetide had to say about him. I’m more convinced that this was a good pick here.

No.153 – Aapeli Rasanen (C): Wouldn’t change anything with this guy. Rightie (Again) that plays a very honest game. He can play in all situations and spent some time playing alongside Puljujarvi on the Finnish Powerplay at the u18s.

No.183 – Rodrigo Abols (C/W): Was picked by the Canucks one selection later oddly enough. But his size and skating ability is sometime I value. He’s tenacious as well. I wouldn’t’ve gambled on a large defenceman with Abols, David Quenneville, or Dmitri Sokolov still sitting there. In fact, I might’ve dealt into the 7th round to pick up another one of those three being as they were all still available.

That’s my revisionist draft folks! What do you think? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading!

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

Oilers Draft Goalie, Finn, and Another Dman To Complete 2016 Draft

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Dylan Wells was the Oilers first pick in the 5th round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Wells, a goalie for the OHL’s Peterborough Petes, was ranked tenth in North America by NHL Central Scouting and TSN’s Bob McKenzie had him at 55th.

I seen his numbers and the first thing I thought was Kevin Bouchard. Great, another wasted pick but his team wasn’t great this year and from all accounts he’ll be tasked with taking the reigns in Peterborough next season.

Date of birth: January 3rd, 1998
Place of birth: St. Catharines, ON
Ht: 6’2″  Wt: 183 lbs
Catches: Left

“One of the top goaltender prospects in the class, he has confidence, concentration and rebound control. Tracks puck very well and almost always makes the first save. Attacks rebounds with his soft pads and works his tail off in games and in practice. Has shown he can carry the heavy load game after game. Traffic in front doesn’t faze him, and plays the angles well.” – Bill Placzek, Draftsite.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG-bETwbkzE

At #149, the Oilers took Graham McPhee. The son of former NHL GM and one of the “toughest SOBs in NHL History for his size” according to Bob Stauffer, George McPhee. Very high level of compete and given his bloodline, not a surprise. The Younger McPhee is slated to go to Boston College next season. A long-term project surely.

Graham McPhee

BIRTHYEAR: 1998-07-24
BIRTHPLACE: Bethesda, MD, USA
AGE: 17
NATION: USA / Canada
POSITION: LW
SHOOTS: L
HEIGHT: 5’11”
WEIGHT: 172 lbs

“”Graham is a solid two-way player with a solid compete level,” NHL Central Scouting’s Greg Rajanen said. “He battles hard, sees and protects the puck well.”

Aapeli Rasanen

At pick #153, the Oilers went back to Finland to select right-handed centre Aapeli Rasanen. He joins countrymen Jesse Puljujarvi and Markus Niemelainen as 2016 draft picks of the Oilers. He was ranked #157 by ISS.

I dig this pick because Rasanen is all business and he’s a right-handed pivot, something the Oilers pipeline could use. He’s a self-proclaimed 200ft player but he’ll take some time. He might be headed over to the USHL, so keep an eye on this fella.

BIRTHYEAR 1998-06-01
BIRTHPLACE: Tampere, FIN
AGE 18
POSITION C
SHOOTS R
HEIGHT 6’0″
WEIGHT 196 lbs

“All signs point towards this special teams dynamo becoming one of the better two-way players this draft produces. Not only does he do it all on the ice — playmaking, speed, escapability, tenacity, versatility — but he’s a student of the game who spends time honing his craft away from the rink. Rasanen clubbed the international circuit to a tune of almost a point per game, and he’s close to 200 pounds before turning 18 in June. He won’t disappoint teams in search of skill players, but the fact that he forechecks and backchecks better than most of his draft peers makes him even more desirable. In a draft thin on two-way types with a strong understanding of both sides of the red line, there’s a strong possibility Rasanen gets gobbled up earlier than anticipated. He’s strong at the dot and can be leaned on for tough checking assignments, yet he has a hunter’s mindset in that he is always looking to make opponents pay for the slightest mistake. Rasanen is a very good skater with a variety of moves to get inside the offensive zone, and he immediately identifies multiple pass options and greets them with a clean, crisp set-up. Rasanen has excellent work habits and should be groomed for positions of significant responsibility.” – Steve Kournianos, The Draft Analyst

With the last pick, number 183, the Oilers selected overage defenceman Vincent Desharnais out of Providence College. HA! The Oilers just couldn’t resist… Desharnais spent some time in the BCHL before committing to Providence. Large frame with few penalty minutes?… Hope he’s good at moving the puck or else this is a failed pick. I mean it’s the 7th round and all but if there’s a better player there, why not pick him?

BIRTHYEAR: 1996-05-29
BIRTHPLACE: Laval, QC, CAN
AGE 20
POSITION D
SHOOTS R
HEIGHT 6’6″
WEIGHT 209 lbs

That’s it folks! Surely there’ll be a Oilers draft review coming shortly but I’m bushed and could use a break from the desk! How do you feel about the draft picks? Let me know in the comments below!

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

Oilers Get Defensive In Third Round

The third round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft garnered some very nice defensive prospects for the Edmonton Oilers.

#63 – Markus Niemelainen (D) Saginaw (OHL)
#84 – Matthew Cairns (D), Georgetown (OJHL)
#91 – Filip Berglund (D), Skelleftea (SHL)

I love that the Oilers decided to address an organizational need here but I’d have loved for them to grab a goalie here or address some skill at forward. Surprised David Quenneville wasn’t selected because Matt Cairns is completely off the map. I expect them to touch on the forwards and at least one goalie in the 5th round as the don’t have a 4th round pick.

The Oilers first pick in the third round had them take Markus Niemelainen. The towering Finn is a left-shooting defender that plays the right side.

Bob Stauffer pegged him as a late first rounder and he wasn’t the only pundit that had Niemelainen ranked in or near the 1st round. The Oilers might feel as if they’ve gotten another player who could’ve been a 1st round player.

Team: Saginaw Spirit(OHL)
Position: Defense
Height:6’6″  Weight: 205 lbs.
Shoots: Left
Stats: 65 games 1 goal, 26 assists, 27 points, -23

“Niemelainen’s calling card is his defensive game, but his developing offensive skills go largely unnoticed playing for a rebuilding squad in Saginaw. While he still doesn’t post eye-popping numbers, Niemelainen is very low-risk in his style of play and can be counted on in any situation. He is very good at making the first pass out of his own zone, and can stretch the ice with a long pass. In the offensive zone, he has a booming shot that is a weapon on the power play as well as at even strength. He isn’t one to carry the puck and quarterback the play, but he is no slouch offensively and is quite good at handling the puck.” – Joseph Aleong, The Hockey Writers

The Oilers second pick in the third round seen them take Matthew Cairns, a defenceman out of the Ontario Junior Hockey league. I’ll be honest, this one is WAAAAY off the radar. From what I can gather he’s a more offensive defenceman putting up 9 goals and 24 assists in 46 games for the Georgetown Raiders. He’s slated to go to Cornel in 2017, so he’s got one more year playing for Georgetown.

He was also coached by former Oiler Paul Coffey. Not sure if you know him or not.

“The Ontario Jr. A League doesn’t produce a ton of NHL draft picks these days, but there’s always a couple good reps – such as Jake Walman or Jake Evans, in recent years. Cairns will be a flagbearer in 2016 thanks to his big frame (he’s 6-foot-2, 190 already) and great skating ability from the back end. His Raiders are in the league final and Cairns is tied for tops among OJHL defensemen with 14 points through 17 games.” – Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News

The Oilers picked a right-handed overage Swedish defender Filip Berglund with their third pick in the 3rd round. He comes out of the Skelleftea hockey club in Sweden. I had the Oilers taking him in my extensive mock draft earlier in the week.

BIRTHYEAR: 1997-05-10
BIRTHPLACE: Skellefteå, SWE
AGE: 19
POSITION: D
SHOOTS: R
HEIGHT: 190 cm / 6’3″
WEIGHT: 95 kg / 209 lbs
STATS: 43gp 19g 22a 41pts 6PIM 8+/- 

“A big and strong two-way defenseman with good hockey sense and passing ability. Valuable on the man advantage with a strong release and good puck control. Not a speedster and should use his large frame to his advantage.” (EP 2016)

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