Tag Archives: 2019 NHL Draft Prospects

Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

@TPEHockey’s 2019 Mid-Season NHL Draft Rankings

1) Jack Hughes C (USNTDP, USHL) – 179cm, 73kg

It was unfortunate that due to injury Hughes missed much of the World Juniors. Although in his few games we saw his unparalleled skating ability and skill. He registered an assist in each of his games and played a crucial role in the Americans silver medal run.

From what I saw, Hughes was the best player on the ice every time he went out. He had an especially good game against Russia where, when given ice time, he was clearly the best player on either team. It was really too bad the USA staff favorited their veterans over their better young stars.

2) Kaapo Kakko RW (TPS Turku, Liiga) – 186cm, 82kg

The gold medal-winning Kaapo Kakko played an enormous role in Finland’s gold medal run. He scored the game winner in the finals and was clearly a top 2-3 player for Finland. In my opinion, only Aleksi Heponiemi played better for Finland.

Kakko has gotten a lot of attention as a possible #1 pick after this performance, but personally, I still see Hughes as better. Nonetheless, Kakko still shows the top talent and hockey IQ in the class outside of Hughes. Nobody is even close to challenging Kakko for the 2nd spot.

3) Dylan Cozens C (Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL) – 191cm, 80kg

Outside of Hughes and Kakko, Cozens is clearly the most NHL ready player in the class. He has the size and speed to hold his own in the NHL right now. The top 3 players are the only players could survive the NHL game right now. His straight line speed is the best of the 6ft plus players in the draft class. He’s also got an NHL ready shot and elite playmaking abilities. If a team wants an immediate solution at the 3rd or possibly 2nd line center spot, and a future number one center then Cozens is the guy.

4) Trevor Zegras C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 72kg

Nobody is trending up like Zegras has been. During Turcotte’s now ended absence, Zegras showed he is every bit as good as anyone in the draft class. He’s outproduced Hughes in the USHL and sees the ice as good as Hughes does. To continue the Hughes comparisons Zegras plays exactly like him. He usually plays center but due to some new found chemistry and Turcotte’s return, he’s being tested out on Hughes’ wing. Zegras is the 2nd out of 3 possibly elite centers out of the NTDP.

5) Alex Turcotte C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 88kg

The 3rd NTDP center in the top 5 is Alex Turcotte. The draft’s second-best skater is finally back from his injury that has cost him his entire season up until a few weeks ago. It hasn’t taken him long at all to get back up to pace as he’s already had a 3 point game against a collegiate opponent. With the rise of Zegras in his absence, there will be a coming battle between the two as to who the 2nd best center out of the NTDP will be.

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6) Kirby Dach C (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) – 192cm, 84kg

Saying Kirby Dach hasn’t had a good month is an understatement. In December, Dach scored only 4 points in 10 games with 3 of those points being in the last game of the month. He went on a 7 game point drought and had 1 point in his 1st 9 games. None the less, Dach is still one of the best players in the class. He has exceptional playmaking skill, underused shooting ability, and two-way prowess.

7) Peyton Krebs C/LW (Kootenay Ice, WHL) – 180cm, 78kg

Krebs continues to tear up the WHL without any support from his Kootenay Ice teammates. Krebs is the only major offensive driver on his team and still manages to be at over 1.2 points per game. None of his teammates are even close to one point per game with the highest being 0.79. Krebs has begun to be one of the more underrated players in the class. He’s showing he’s every bit as good as his fellow WHL stars in Cozens and Dach.

8) Alex Newhook C (Victoria Grizzlies, BCHL) – 180cm, 83kg

It’s really too bad that Newhook is stuck playing in the BCHL. He clearly exceeds the talent level in that league and is totally dominant. Newhook looked less than dominant at the recent World Junior A Challenge when the best players in non-CHL junior leagues compete for their countries. He was outplayed by players like Bobby Brink and Vasili Podkolzin, who will be found further down this list. Due to the lack of exposure in the BCHL, it’s going to be important for him to have a good showing at the U18 World Juniors.

9) Bowen Byram D (Vancouver Giants, WHL) – 183cm, 81kg

Vancouver’s star defender has rounded out another impressive month for the Giants. Byram has been a consistent threat from the blue line all season. He’s shown abilities in every aspect of the game including defense which many young flashy defensemen tend to lack. He’s up there as the best transitional defensemen in the class and impresses offensively. Expect Byram to plant himself in a top 10 spot as he continues to dominate the WHL from the blue line.

10) Ryan Suzuki C (Barrie Colts, OHL) – 183cm, 78kg

Ryan Suzuki has had a drop off in his stats as of late, but statistics don’t reflect the prowess of Suzuki. He is clearly the best passer in the draft, in my eyes. He makes impossible passes that you’d think he wouldn’t be able to see. He has unrivaled vision of the ice. He seems similar to your player in NHL 19 that can see the entire ice and make crazy passes because you have a bird’s eye view of the game.

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11) Cole Caufield RW/C (USNTDP, USHL) – 168cm, 70kg

Nobody in this class has the nose for the net that Caufield does. In the NTDP college cross over game, Caufield has 12 goals in 16 games. These goal counts from a draft eligible player is unheard of. Teams have learned from the success of Alex DeBrincat and getting Caufield anywhere past the 15th pick would be an absolute steal.

12) Bobby Brink RW (Sioux City, USHL) – 178cm, 75kg

Despite an injury, Brink has moved up my list. He’s been out for a while, but the more I watch him the more I like him. He does everything right, and it’s a shame he won’t be able to go to the U18 World Juniors since he isn’t on the NTDP. Playing in the USHL he doesn’t get the exposure other prospects do. It will be interesting to see where he ends up going come draft day.

13) Ville Heinola D (Lukko, Liiga) – 180cm, 80kg

Heinola is my sleeper pick to be the best defensemen out of this draft. Bowen Byram still remains well ahead of him but Heinola has surprised us before. He played as a top pairing defenseman for the gold medal-winning Finnish team alongside Henri Jokiharju. He thrived in that role not only showing offensive acumen, but very good defense too. While he hasn’t gotten a lot of attention up until now I think that will change after his WJC performance.

14) Vasili Podkolzin RW (SKA St. Petersburg, MHL) – 181cm, 75kg

Podkolzin is another draft-eligible player that attended the World Juniors. He seemed a bit out of his league but was able to hold his own and be a productive player. One of my criticisms of his play at that tournament was that often he would lose the puck in his feet and have his head down. Multiple times the tougher competition would realize that and he’d get lit up. This is less of a big criticism and more of a sign of a bigger problem. Podkolzin has the skill, strength, power, and versatility to be a great NHLer, but it’s the little things he seems to get wrong.

15) Arthur Kaliyev LW (Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL) – 188cm, 86kg

In terms of statistics, Kaliyev is one of the top performers. He’s got 33 goals in 42 games as a 17-year-old in the OHL and is on pace for over 100 points. With that, there is still some controversy around him. Many scouting services still have him ranked in the late first round due to some consistency, skating, and a few other small problems. For me, I see some of the same problems with Kaliyev but his sheer production is starting to override any doubts.

16) Anttoni Honka D (KeuPa, Mestis) – 179cm, 77kg

Nobody has fallen this season like Honka. At the World Juniors Summer Showcase Honka looked like the top 5 player we thought he could be last season. He had the trust of the Finnish staff and looked to be an important part of the World Junior team. But at the World Juniors Honka played the 7th defensemen spot and the Finnish coaching staff clearly had no confidence in him. It’s frustrating to see such a great player fall off as he has.

17) Connor McMichael C (London Knights, OHL) – 183cm, 77kg

With high expectations of players like Alex Formenton and Liam Foudy, they have both been outplayed by Connor McMichael. He’s been London’s best forward throughout every game. He’s got great vision for the ice and blazing speed. McMichael also plays a great 200ft game. It looks like London is going to have a player selected in the first round again.

18) Jakob Pelletier C/W (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL) – 175cm, 72kg

Jakob Pelletier is another player ripping up the CHL. He’s been a key part of the Moncton Wildcats offense. He’s been one of the more underrated and underexposed players in the draft.

19) Mikko Kokkonen D (Jukurit, Liiga) – 180cm, 86kg

Kokkonen has been an offensive dynamo for Jukurit in the Liiga. To put things in perspective, Miro Heiskanen finished his draft year with 10 points in 37 Liiga games. Kokkonen, on the other hand, already has 13 points in 36 games. It was criminal that Kokkonen was not named to the Finnish World Junior team.

20) Matthew Boldy C/W (USNTDP, USHL) – 183cm, 79kg

Boldy is going to be a favorite for many NHL teams. As big, fast, skilled power forward Boldy can contribute with goals, assists, and physical play. I’d consider Boldy to be one of the “safer” picks in the first round with a very high floor.

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21) Raphaël Lavoie C/W (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL) – 193cm, 87kg

The only 2019 eligible player named to the Canadian World Juniors selection camp was Lavoie. It was really unfortunate for Lavoie that he didn’t make the team because he hasn’t lived up to last season’s expectations and he hoped to prove himself at the World Juniors. Hopefully being cut will motivate him to get back on track.

22) Philip Broberg D (AIK, Allsvenskan) – 190cm, 90kg

The large and powerful skating defender out of AIK in the Allsvenskan finally got his first goal of the season recently. Broberg has been steadily adjusting to the pro game since his rough start to the regular season. While I think Broberg has been massively overhyped he’s still a solid option for a team looking for an offensive defenseman.

23) Moritz Seider D (Alder Mannheim, DEL) – 192cm, 83kg

Seider has been quite the force in the German league after returning from a more than dominant performance in the second-ranked division of the World Juniors. He served as captain and earned Germany a promotion to the main division of the World Juniors. The defenseman was astoundingly good by all accounts. He scored at more than a point per game and ended the tournament only one point behind 2018 first rounder Dominik Bokk (STL) for the lead in points.

Remember that Seider is doing this all from the blue line, and is more of a two-way defender than an all offense guy.

24) Cam York D (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 75kg

The best of the NTDP blueliners hasn’t had the great season we’d hoped for, but he remains an integral part of the NTDP. He’s the best American puck-moving defensemen and has two-way abilities.

25) Spencer Knight G (USNTDP, USHL) – 191cm, 90kg

Knight remains as the top goaltender in the draft. He was the third goalie for the Americans at the World Juniors but didn’t get into any games. He’s a big, aggressive goalie that has been able to handle collegiate competition with the NTDP. Watch for him to be a player that jumps up on draft day to a team in need of goaltending.

26) Nathan Légaré F (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHL) – 182cm, 89kg

Légaré has been a big offensive producer all season. He’s on pace to be just short of 100 points by the end of the season. He has benefited a lot from being on a very high scoring Baie-Comeau team.

27) Alex Vlasic D (USNTDP, USHL) – 196cm, 86kg

Standing on the blueline at 6’6” (197cm) Alex Vlasic immediately stands out. Being a such a vertically gifted defensemen Vlasic is an easy candidate to be overrated. Although I don’t think this is the case. Vlasic is more than just imposing. He can shoot, move the puck, and defend exceptionally well.

28) Nils Höglander LW (Rögle BK, SHL) – 174cm, 84kg

The first Swedish forward off the board comes pretty late. After a tough start to the season, Höglander has shown he can contribute for Rögle in the SHL. He’s been able to score and play physically at the pro level. Watch for Höglander to be one of the more NHL ready players in the class, and he could surprise people by making the NHL a little earlier than you’d think from a late 1st pick.

29) Dustin Wolf G (Everett Silvertips, WHL) – 183cm, 73kg

The anchor in the CHL’s 4th ranked team’s net has been Dustin Wolf all season long. Before the acquisition of a reliable back up, Wolf played nearly every game. Wolf is top 5 in WHL GAA, save percentage, wins, and shutouts at 17. Dustin Wolf has also increased his assists total this season to 4. This gives him 8 career WHL assists in 60 games.

30) Nick Robertson C/LW (Peterborough Petes, OHL) – 175cm, 76kg

The brother of top performing American World Junior player Jason Robertson has a similar outlook as his brother. Injuries derailed his season early, but he’s recovered and become the Peterborough Petes best player. He’s one of the more underrated players in the class.

31) Pavel Dorofeyev W (Stalnye Lisy/Metallurg Magnitogorsk, MHL/KHL) – 184cm, 74kg

The hard-working winger and Nizhny Tagil, Russia product has been a player worth watching all season. He’s split time between the KHL and MHL but has shown his best in the MHL. Dorofeyev is phenomenal on special teams and a great forechecker.

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

Oilers Poking Around Three Dmen + TPE Hockey’s September Top-31 for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft

Today Josh Morrissey signed a two-year bridge deal worth $3.15M per year to basically set the marker for Darnell Nurse and the Edmonton Oilers.

I can’t see Nurse is going to get much more than that. The Oilers have been holding strong at $3M and Morrissey’s deal might bring that up a bit but it certainly shouldn’t bring it anywhere near the $4M valuation that Anton Thun has of his client.

Then there’s this from our friend Bruce McCurdy replying to an excellent idea from Supernova:

Like I said yesterday on Twitter, I wouldn’t be surprised if Darnell Nurse was on the plane to Germany but he didn’t play because he missed all of or the majority of training camp because hi agent only sees short-term dollar signs.

Plan B

Chiarelli was asked if there was a “Plan B” the other day and he said yes. I imagine that plan includes sending out feelers on such defenders as Tyson Barrie, Justin Faulk, and the newly-minted free agent Jake Dotchin.

Jake Dotchin is a new one and I haven’t heard what really happened with him and the Lightning but he must’ve really stepped in it in order to get thrown on unconditional waivers. To be clear, as far as I know, his contract hasn’t been terminated yet. Dotchin has cleared unconditional waivers though so the next step is cutting Dotchin loose.

Hockey teams are usually pretty lenient and don’t want anything to do with NHLPA filing grievances on their players’ behalf. It’s a weird situation but regardless, I asked one of my sources what the deal was there and I was told that he’s a young guy and the Oilers like him.

Personally, I don’t see him as much better than Matt Benning and if we’re being truthful, wouldn’t it be more prudent to aim a bit higher than Jake Dotchin?

Max from TPE Hockey is back with his 2019 NHL draft prospect rankings for the month of September.

This time we threw in a little stat called “Age-Adjusted NHLe” and since most of the seasons haven’t started for these players, we’re using last year’s point totals to find our age-adjusted NHLe.

You can read about that here.

Draft eligible prospects don’t all play in the same league, and aren’t all the same age, so it doesn’t make sense to judge their statistics as if they do.

League/Age Adjusted Points Per Game can help us put all the prospects on even ground. To do this, we simply multiply the PPG of a player by two numbers: an age multiplier and a league multiplier. These multipliers adjust the PPGs of players to show how they would produce if they were all the same age, playing in the same league. In this case, that league is the OHL, the top Canadian junior league, and that age is exactly 17.

The numbers will look a bit odd, especially for the high-end players like Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko. I asked my friend Sam Happi (The Puck Authority and @DraftLook) about this and he said that the league translation factor, which is meant to represent the average player, doesn’t really do players like Hughes justice since they are so far above average. I’d also add to that that the competition from league to league can really vary. The SM-Liiga where Anttoni Honka and Kaapo Kakko play full-time is much more competitive than the USHL where Hughes plays most of his games or the BCHL where Alex Newhook plays.

So just keep that in mind when you’re looking at that. I do remember asking Rob Vollman about the USNTDP translation factor in Auston Matthews’ draft year and was told that since nobody makes the jump from that program to the NHL, there was no need to do up a factor for it… I imagine most people are using the USHL’s translation factor for the time being but I bet that’ll change in the future.

If you’d like a list of the translation factors for each league, click this link.

You can check out a little video before that and/or his previous summer rankings here.

1)  Jack Hughes C (USNTDP, USHL) – 179cm, 73kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 18pts)
The undisputed #1 pick will revolutionize whatever franchise drafts him. Jack Hughes is the brother of last year’s 7th overall pick, Quinn Hughes. Just like Quinn, Jack is an elite skater and reads the game better than anybody. Jack will spend this season with the USNTDP in the USHL. Hughes will rip up that league as last year he was the best player in the USHL at only 16.

2)  Kaapo Kakko RW (TPS Turku, Liiga) – 186cm, 82kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Kakko is everything you want in a winger. He’s a big guy but sacrifices nothing because of it. He’s quick on his feet and just as quick thinking. Kakko is ultra-skilled and has all the offensive talent to become an elite NHL winger. Whenever he’s on the ice everybody knows it, he stands out instantly.

3)  Anttoni Honka D (JYP Jyväskylä, Liiga) – 179cm, 77kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 17pts)
Brother of Julias Honka, Anttoni is already a star in the Finish pro league at 17. Honka spent last year in the pros on JYP playing 20 games with them. At the start of this season, Honka became a top pairing defenseman for JYP. He played in the Champions Hockey League and stood out every game.

4)  Alex Turcotte C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 88kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
The two-way center out of the USNTDP played in the shadow of Jack Hughes, but that doesn’t diminish his game. Turcotte is a high-intensity player that combines speed, size, and skill with great defensive capabilities.

5)  Alex Newhook C (Victoria Grizzlies, BCHL) – 180cm, 83kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 8pts)
Newhook is all about speed. He can zip into the offensive zone and great opportunities for his team. Newhook is mainly a playmaker, but he does have goal scoring ability. He’s also good in the defensive zone and competes very hard.

6)  Dylan Cozens C (Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL) – 191cm, 80kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 12pts)
The 2018 WHL Rookie of the Year is an all-around offensive player. Cozens is a big bodied center who is also very fast. He is mainly a goal scorer but does have playmaking abilities. Cozens has a sick release and super accurate shot.

7)  Kirby Dach C (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) – 192cm, 84kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Dach was a standout at the Hlinka tournament where he was the best draft eligible Canadian. He is a pure playmaker who can drive offense for any team he’s on. He uses his vision of the ice to open spaces for teammates and create scoring chances.

8)  Raphaël Lavoie C/W (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL) – 193cm, 87kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
Lavoie is the first player hailing from the QMJHL. He’s a big guy who is super dangerous around the net. That combined with his shot allowed him to score 30 goals as a rookie in the QMJHL. Lavoie went to the U18 World Juniors last season and scored 5 goals in 5 games. He also was taken on the U20 Summer Showcase roster for Canada.

9)  Bowen Byram D (Vancouver Giants, WHL) – 183cm, 81kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 6pts)
The Vancouver Giants pick is a player that can control every part of the game. His skating, passing, and vision allow him to dictate what happens when he’s on the ice. Byram is also great on the rush he uses his speed, lateral movement, and hands to work around defenders.

10) Peyton Krebs C/LW (Kootenay Ice, WHL) – 180cm, 78kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
The 2016 WHL 1st overall pick is a small playmaker coming out of Kootenay. Krebs is a lot like Johnny Gaudreau. Krebs is an elusive player who can easily avoid physical play. He also has good hands, speed, and a wicked wrister.

11) Vasili Podkolzin RW (Vityaz Podolsk U17, Russia U17) – 181cm, 75kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
Podkolzin exploded at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He led the tournament in points and goals playing with Russia. He showed his unbelievable highlight reel skill and clutch play. Podkolzin is super strong, and at top speed, he can’t be stopped.

12) Cole Caufield RW/C (USNTDP, USHL) – 168cm, 70kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 13pts)
The 168cm (5’6”) goal scorer is one of the most fun players to watch. Caufield was a goal a game with the U17 and U18 USNTDP teams. Caufield is electric but is written off because of his size. Even with his size, Caufield finished 2nd in points at the U17s only behind Jack Hughes.

13) Jakob Pelletier C/W (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL) – 175cm, 72kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 12pts)
Pelletier was statistically the best player coming out of the QMJHL. He is an all-around offensive player who can make plays and score. He also has all the skating abilities to make for a great NHLer.

14) Cam York D (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 75kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
York is the star defensemen for the USNTDP. He played a lot with the U18 team and went to the U18 World Juniors. Even as a 16-year-old at the tournament he was the best defensemen for the Americans.

15) Ryan Suzuki C (Barrie Colts, OHL) – 183cm, 78kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
The 1st overall pick of the 2017 OHL Draft is one of the smartest players and best passers in this draft. He makes plays that no one sees coming, it’s almost as if he has eyes in the back of his head. Like his older brother Nick who was recently dealt to Montreal, he has a solid wrist shot that can pick a corner from the dot.

16) Mikko Kokkonen D (Jukurit, Liiga) – 180cm, 86kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 4pts)
Kokkonen has had a great start to his first season in the Finish pro league. He’s gotten two nice assists in his first two games. Kokkonen has been leaned on a lot by Team Finland in international competition. If Kokkonen can continue to produce in the Liiga he will fight for a top 10 spot.

17) Simon Holmström RW (HV71 J20, SuperElit) – 181cm, 78kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
We could be talking about Holmström tearing up the SHL right now. Unfortunately, he is currently out with an injury. He was brilliant in the U20 Swedish league as a 16-year-old but didn’t get to play internationally because of injury. He is the strongest candidate to rise as he gets more exposure.

18) Philip Broberg D (AIK J20, SuperElit) – 190cm, 90kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 6pts)
Philip Broberg was the breakout player of the Hlinka tournament. He showed his amazing speed and skill on the rush. At that tournament, Broberg looked easily like a top 5 pick. Although, there are concerns with Broberg’s game. He had trouble producing in league play and international play before the tournament. Broberg needs to prove he can do what he did in the Hlinka on a regular basis.

https://twitter.com/NHLDraft2019/status/1039949613845958656

19) Trevor Zegras C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 72kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 9pts)
Zegras is a dangerous player with the puck. He has stellar stickhandling, high caliber speed, and is very smart. He loves to rush the puck but sometimes turns it over in the neutral zone when doing this. His shot is also something to watch out for from the slot.

20) Tobias Björnfot D (Djurgårdens IF J20, SuperElit) – 183cm, 85kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
Björnfot has struggled a lot in international competition, but thrived in league play. This season he is starting in the U20 Swedish league and looks to try and crack the SHL roster for Djurgårdens. Björnfot is defiantly a player to keep an eye on this year.

21) Nils Höglander LW (Rögle BK, SHL) – 174cm, 84kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
While splitting time between the Swedish 2nd pro league and Swedish U20 league Höglander was on a point per game pace in the U20s before being moved up to the 2nd league. He is a primarily small and skilled player with a physical edge to his game, much like former superstar Theo Fleury.

https://twitter.com/coreypronman/status/953655644766253057

22) Maxim Cajkovic W (Saint John Sea Dogs) – 180cm, 85kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 7pts)
The 1st overall pick is this year’s CHL Import Draft was put on the map after leading the U18 World Juniors in points per game and was second to Jack Hughes in points. Cajkovic is an offensive-minded player with all the tools to be a big-time producer in the QMJHL this year.

23) Marshall Warren D (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 73kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
Marshall Warren is a perfect all around defensemen coming out of the USNTDP. Warren is one of the best athletes in the draft too. His skating allows him to play a two-way game as he uses it to defend and great space in the offensive zone.

24) Arthur Kaliyev LW (Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL) – 188cm, 86kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
The U17 leader the OHL in goals and points is the top American outside of the USNTDP. Kaliyev is an aggressive power forward who was an important part of the OHL champion Hamilton Bulldogs.

25) Pavel Dorofeyev W (Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk, MHL) – 184cm, 74kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Dorofeyev is a dangerous goal scorer out of Russia. His shot is his best attribute, but he is also very skilled. He was able to play on the Russian U18 team last year which is very impressive because the Russian program is known to heavily favoring older players. Dorofeyev scored 4 points in that tournament.

26) Blake Murray C (Sudbury Wolves, OHL) – 188cm, 81kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Playing on a very weak Sudbury team Blake Murray managed to produce well for an U17 player in the OHL. Without much support on his wings Murray scored the 2nd most goals of U17 OHLers.

27) Dustin Wolf G (Everett Silvertips, WHL) – 183cm, 68kg 
Last year’s WHL break out goaltender has continued his great play into the WHL pre-season. Currently he is 3-0 with a .927 Sv%. Last year Wolf got some good time as the starting goaltender and managed to win the CHL Goaltender of the Week. The hit on Wolf is his size at only 183cm (6’0”). Wolf standout quality is his puckhandling. Last year at 16 he got 4 assists in 20 games. In my mind he is the best puckhandling goalie in junior hockey. For more info check out my full article on on Wolf and this year’s goaltending crop.

28) Matthew Boldy C/W (USNTDP, USHL) – 183cm, 79kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 1pts)
The American power forward is a monster in front of the net. Boldy also has very good playmaking abilities and offensive IQ. Boldy was unfortunately snubbed from being able to play with the U18 team at the USNTDP.

29) Albin Grewe C/RW (Djurgårdens IF J20, SuperElit) – 182cm, 80kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 7pts)
Grewe left a lot to be desired after last season with Djurgårdens J20 and international play. Despite this he broke out at the Hlinka and then has been great in the Swedish U20 league and is currently at a point per game pace.

https://twitter.com/NHLProspectsYT/status/1041496759195893760

30) Alex Vlasic D (USNTDP, USHL) – 196cm, 86kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 4pts)
Vlasic is an enormous shut down defensemen who plays a lot like Zdeno Chara. He uses his long stick to block passing lanes and has a booming shot. The cousin of the Shark’s shutdown defender Marc-Édouard Vlasic plays a lot like Marc-Édouard too.

31) Moritz Seider D (Alder Mannheim, DEL) – 192cm, 83kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 1pt)
The German monster playing the German pro league is one of the most interesting prospects in this draft. So interesting that I wrote an entire article on him.

https://twitter.com/NHLProspectsYT/status/1041500814676844545

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Is There a Faction of Oilers Fans that are The Most Entitled in the NHL?

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Today I felt the urge to post something to the Oilogosphere and so since there’s nothing really new to write about, I thought I’d write about what others are writing about. Catch my drift?

I swear, we’re not even 1 minute into rookie camp and the Oilers roster has been picked clean by the bloggers that cover the team and it doesn’t even stop there. Potential teams and lineups are being dissected as well.

Honestly, what more is there to say?

Let’s find out, shall we?

But before we do that, I want to share the latest “Late Night with the Oil Knight” podcast. This might be The Dirtbag’s and The Oil Knight’s best pod to date. The “How to be a fan” portion is the best and that’s where the title of this post comes from!

Check it out below:

Tyler Yaremchuk of Oilers Nation had this little ditty to preface his Cam Talbot article today:

if you comment on this article with some BS about “Oh, the twins are causing him to lose sleep”, just stop. The twins were born in October 2016, which was the beginning of the best season of his career. Also, lot’s of athletes have kids. That is a TERRIBLE narrative, so everyone should just drop it. (source)

This is just a really ignorant thing to say.

Poor Yaremchuk. If he only knew that all children are different. Just because Dubnyk had issues with his new baby doesn’t mean that Talbot’s twins would follow the same path, right? And how would Tyler know what the Talbot’s were going through last year? Maybe he’s part of the “I’ve Heard Things” gang with Baggedmilk and RCN though and I’m completely out to lunch.

What pisses me off about Yaremchuk’s ON post is that he throws out a shite ton of stats and graphics but never mentions once that Talbot was tired from the previous season and that he was hurt to start the year but played through that to the team’s detriment. Yet, he somehow knows that Talbot’s twins weren’t a factor going into and throughout last season.

Here’s a beauty from a closet Flames fan who covers the Oilers, Jeff Chapman,

Now they’ve got to sign Darnell Nurse with sugar packets and matchsticks. It would be comical if it wasn’t so sad… (source)

I’ve never really understood the POV that Copper and Blue writers write from (apart from OP (Original Pouzar), who is a really rad guy that I get along with quite well) because between Chapman and Batty they’ve got a tremendous about of knowledge for the game and both are relatively intelligent guys but they can’t find a way to cover the Oilers without throwing jabs at the team or shitting all over it in one way or another.

It’s a toxic relationship if you ask me (and I doubt anybody is) but to each his own.

Yes, the Oilers are in a pickle with the cap and last year was a kick in the jewels for real fans of the team, not the ones that find a negative in every win or revel in every loss, but Anton Thun (Nurse’s agent) could’ve accepted the bridge contract that was on the table weeks ago instead of bitching and moaning that $5M wasn’t enough to get Darnell under contract long-term. Hanifin and his agent were fine with it, there’s no reason Thun shouldn’t be.

Then again CnB would probably just dig around and find something else to make fun of.

The Oilersnation mailbag had a question this week that asked who had the most pressure on them in 2018/19 and why? The leader of the “I’ve Heard Things” Gang Baggedmilk had this gem,

Chiarelli and it’s not close. Why? I’m glad you asked. If he screws up yet another year with the Connor McDavid led Oilers, he’ll go down as arguably one of the worst GMs in NHL history. Not only will he lose his job, he’ll probably never get another one. Clock’s ticking, Pete.

One of the worst GMs in NHL history? If one truly believes that Peter Chiarelli could be one of the worst GMs in the history of the NHL, their Chia-hate is strong and they’re flat out ignorant. It’s weak, it’s unoriginal, and it’s low-hanging fruit.

Do better. Be better. Mike Milbury’s reputation depends on it.

We should blame him for building a team that made it to the playoffs in year 2 of his tenure after a decade out of the playoffs? Sure, why not? Blame him for the injuries and slumps that occurred last year. Sure, Peter Chiarelli was the sole man responsible for the Oilers PP and PK, not the coaching staff. He should be the one out there on the ice showing the players how it’s done, not McLellan or Woodcroft or Johnson. Chiarelli should’ve strapped on the pads and put himself in the net last season too because that would’ve been a sure sign of a GM taking responsibility.

I mean let’s blame him for firing McLellan’s seemingly competent coaching staff and replacing them with inferior coaches (probably, right?). Chiarelli never rights his wrongs. He just sits up in his office and counts the cash whilst laughing maniacally. The Jussi Jokinen for Mike Cammalleri was a mistake too, right? Chia should’ve stuck with the Finn who was obviously out of favor with the coach.

Every GM has made poor moves and I’ll never say that Chiarelli hasn’t made them, because he has. What I won’t do is put the blame solely on his shoulders because it’s not the right thing to do. Everybody plays a part in the success and failure of a hockey team.

Besides, if you think Katz would outright fire Chiarelli, you haven’t been paying attention. He’s not going to pay Chiarelli to sit on his sofa. Chiarelli would still be in charge as POHO (President of Hockey Operations) but he wouldn’t be the guy making the moves and signings. I can only assume Keith Gretzky would be the new GM.

GOALIES FOR THE 2019 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

My boy Max (@TPEhockey) has set us up with another sweet 2019 NHL draft prospect report. Give him a follow on Twitter for more!

As the 2019 NHL Entry Draft approaches two candidates for the top goaltender of the draft class have pulled away from the rest. Dustin Wolf and Spencer Knight have shown potential unrivaled by the rest of this year’s draft class, the 2018 class, and the 2017 class. In 2019 we expect at least one of Knight or Wolf to crack the first round.

Dustin Wolf spent the 2017-18 season playing backup to Philadelphia top prospect Carter Hart. With that Wolf was handed the starting position when Hart was out from illness and the World Juniors. In that time he showed his immense potential as he won CHL Goaltender of the Week and finished the season with a save percentage of .928 in 20 games that put him at 2nd in that category only behind the previously mentioned Carter Hart. Wolf was named to the American Hlinka Gretzky team and took the starting job.

Wolf has accomplished a lot, but let’s get into his game. Wolf’s game is highlighted by his technical play that is common with a lot of upcoming high-level goaltenders. Every movement is calculated and crisp. He doesn’t panic when out of position and makes a recovery using his skating ability and edges. Wolf is a butterfly goaltender and makes a lot of his movements on his knees. He’s good at sealing the ice which prevents him from opening up holes when moving.

Another quality to his game is his puck tracking and vision. Screens and tipped shots don’t phase him since often a shot is taken through a screen and Wolf can easily find it and pick it out of the air.

The hits on Wolf are his size and ability to take up the net. He measures in at about 183cm (6’0”) which is under the expected height for a top goaltending prospect at 188 (6’2”). This doesn’t combine well with his lack of aggressiveness. Wolf relies a little too much on his lightning quick reflexes and could come out of his net more to take away space. Although this isn’t a huge issue as it’s something he could easily fix as he progresses his game.

The most outstanding quality of Wolf is his unmatched puck handling ability.

The Everett Silvertips basically have a 3rd defensemen on their team in Dustin Wolf. Multiple times a game he will come out to the faceoff dot to jump-start a breakout. Other times he will come out to the top of the circles to make a pass to a winger as the opposing team changes. This has resulted in Wolf putting together 4 points in 20 games. This would place him ahead of 10 players on his team in terms of points per game. Out of 27 players on the Silvertips that played 10+ games, he ranks 21st in total points.

From what I’ve seen Dustin Wolf is the best puck playing goaltender in junior hockey right now.

The next player in contention for the 1st round is Spencer Knight. Knight spent last year playing in the US Development Program. As a 16 y/o he played most of the season with the U17 team but got a significant amount of time playing with the U18 team. Knight was also sent to the U18 World Juniors and took the starting spot and played fairly well. Lastly this summer he was one of four goaltenders that played at the World Junior Summer Showcase. In limited appearances, Knight performed well enough to become a serious contender to be named to the U20 World Juniors in December.

Knight’s game is a lot like many of the top goaltenders that have been drafted throughout the past few years. He is a big guy at 191cm (6’3”) who is a great skater and focuses on puck tracking. Knight is good on his edges which allows him to use his outstanding athleticism to move quickly across the crease. He moves quickly and explosively across the net, except he often can’t control these movements. This causes him to often end up out of position after a slide taking him past his post which makes it hard to recover. The best quality to Knight is his aggressiveness and ability to take up the net. Knight can come out, make a save, and recover to his post with his edges and athleticism. The troubles with Knight come from his lack of control, as mentioned previously, and his weakness in his high glove.

Wolf and Knight are the only real contenders for the 1st round but there are other interesting prospects to watch.

Nolan Maier is next in line, he plays for the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL and had a solid run last season. Maier is good at reading the game and has above-average athleticism. The biggest concern with Maier is his lack of consistency as he got lit up off easy goals multiple times last season.

Hugo Alnefelt is also an intriguing prospect out of Sweden. Alnefelt dominated in the J18 Elit league, a U18 league in Sweden, and got some opportunities with the HV71 U20 squad where he struggled. Although Alnefelt was great at the Hlinka tournament and also was outstanding in a recent summer tournament.

The last prospect that needs to be highlighted is Roman Basran of the Kelowna Rockets. I’ve written about Basran before as he was one of my sleepers for this draft. This was because Basran played great in the WHL but in a very small sample size. He started the season with his youth team before moving up to play with the Rockets. He only played 10 games, and if he can replicate his success into a whole season then he will be a very talked about player.

The 2019 goaltending class is very strong compared to past years. Rarely do we see multiple goaltenders challenge for spots in the 1st round. While there aren’t any Ilya Samsonovs or Andrei Vasilevskys this year’s top 2 prospects should be highly coveted. Comparing this year to last year we saw Olof Lindbom and Oilers pick Olivier Rodrigue go in the 2nd round. Those two are most comparable to Nolan Maier and Hugo Alnefelt who will likely go mid to late 2nd round. In the end, 2019 is a great year to watch for goaltending prospects.

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