Tag Archives: Anton Lundell

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

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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@Keithfries Mid-Season 2020 NHL Draft Rankings WITH Top-15 Mock Draft Included!

Hello, Heroes! Welcome back to another round of draft talk. 

Last time, I promised you guys a top-100 ranking which you can find in the images below.  

Additionally, an early mock lottery draft was promised and here that is, as well. Thanks to the folks at tankathon.com for providing a draft simulator – in which: San Jose, Montreal, and Anaheim moved up into the top-3 spots, respectively. 

1. Ottawa Senators (San Jose Sharks) – Alexis Lafreniere (LW) – Rimouski, QMJHL

This couldn’t have worked out better for Ottawa who are in need of a quick rebuild with a big ol’ Band-Aid to cover up their scars. While teams are always looking to build down the middle, Lafreniere’s potential as a franchise-level talent matches, if not exceeds, that of a first-line center. 

BLH’s Pick: No doubt, the Sens take the elite goal-scoring Lafreniere here and hope he doesn’t turn out like the last one they picked 1st overall… I don’t even know who to compare this guy to. He shoots like Stamkos, handles the puck like Nugent-Hopkins, sees the ice like Crosby, and hits like Tkachuk. He’s also got that “it” factor so many people respect Jonathan Toews for. He’ll be an impact player immediately. 

2. Montreal Canadiens – Quinton Byfield (C) – Sudbury, OHL

Montreal have been looking for a new face of their club and a true #1-Centerman to anchor their top-6, and Byfield is the godsend they’ve been praying for. With ideal NHL size and skill, already, I’d expect Montreal wouldn’t waste time getting him into the line-up – possibly alongside Max Domi. 

BLH’s Pick: If this is how the draft lottery played out, I wonder how hard Marc Bergevin would work to try and get to 1st overall? That said, he has to go with the next Evgeni Malkin here in Byfield. The way that this behemoth controls the ice when he has the puck will leave Habs fans with mouths agape on a nightly basis. Montreal would surely be a team to reckon within three years having Byfield, Suzuki, and Kotkaniemi as part of their spine. 

3. Anaheim Ducks – Tim Stutzle (C/LW) – Mannheim, DEL

I don’t know why but the Ducks seem to always select the player I’d like the Kings to select. Anywho, Stutzle has risen in many rankings and holds a solid billing as a top-5 selection. Anaheim adds another offensive, playmaking, dynamo into their system – a strong 1-2-punch with Trevor Zegras.

BLH’s Pick: I’m not sold Stutzle will get taken this high nor would Anaheim take him. They’ve got lots of talent coming at forward but nothing really on defense. Jamie Drysdale makes a lot of sense here for the Ducks in my opinion. A slick puck-moving defender whose hockey IQ is off the charts. Anybody else reminded of ex-Duck Scott Neidermayer here? 

4. Detroit Red Wings – Yaroslav Askarov (G) – St. Petersburg, MHL

Detroit is still in the midst of a full-on rebuild and it likely won’t be another 3-5 seasons until they’re back to being the club that made the playoffs 25 years in a row. Goaltenders take a bit longer than skaters to develop and, by the time Detroit’s ready to make a run, Askarov will fit in nicely like a custom fit glove.

BLH’s Pick: Now here I could see Steve Yzerman going with another German. Stutzle is flashy and clever like Stevie Y used to be and the Red Wings will be envisioning a 1-2 punch of Zadina and Stutzle driving them to future Stanley Cups. Throw Joe Veleno in there and someday Detroit might have a line that could remind folks of who they’ve got running the show in Boston right now. 

5. Los Angeles Kings – Lucas Raymond (RW) – Frolunda, SHL

The Kings end up with the worst scenario, again, falling from the 2nd-overall slot down to the 5th. But, with Raymond still on the board, the Kings may have found their final piece to their future-forward puzzle. LA hasn’t been shy about their affinity with Swedish-born prospects and Raymond seems like a natural fit.

BLH’s Pick: I agree with Keith here. Raymond terrorizing defenses on the wing alongside Alex Turcotte will provide maximum entertainment for years to come. This guy should probably be a top-3 pick to be honest, but for whatever reason, he’s not been able to stick. He doesn’t get a lot of TOI with his team in the SHL mind you. So I would say that has something to do with it but he sure impresses on the international stage. Such a smart and talented hockey player. 

6. New Jersey Devils – Jamie Drysdale (D) – Erie, OHL

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Devils continue to build up their prospect pool with as much forward talent as they can get their hands on, but Drysdale’s offensive skillset from the backend could prove to be the point producer that New Jersey is seeking.

BLH’s Pick: Alexander Holtz would give the Devils a ridiculous youth core and NJ a bonafide scoring threat from the wing and a target man for Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. If you like Filip Forsberg, you’re going to love Holtz. 

7. Ottawa Senators – Marco Rossi (C) – Ottawa, OHL

It doesn’t matter who Ottawa picks on day two as both the selections of Alexis Lafreniere and Marco Rossi should be enough to reward the Senators with an A+ draft grade. In my early number run, both are leading ALL prospects in points. That should sound like a symphony to the Ottawa contingency. 

BLH’s Pick: I can’t argue with taking Rossi here. Last time they had the chance to pick a hometown boy, it was Cody Ceci. Even with centers like Logan Brown, Josh Norris, and Filip Chlapik on the brink of making the team, you can never have enough high-end pivots but none of the aforementioned have the vision and playmaking abilities that Rossi has. Lafreniere will need someone of equal intelligence and skill to be feeding him the puck too. 

8. Buffalo Sabres – Alexander Holtz (LW) – Djurgardens, SHL

Like LA, Buffalo has a lot of love for the Swedes and is looking to fill the last hole (or two) in their forward core of the future. Holtz would apply to both categories and, as arguably this draft’s best sniper, could bolster Jack Eichel, Casey Mittelstadt, and Dylan Cozens’ points when they hit a scoring slump.

BLH’s Pick: I reckon center Anton Lundell would be a good pick for the Sabres here. In my opinion, he’s going to be a great two-way forward when he achieves his potential and Buffalo will need someone reliable on the 2nd line. On the other hand, it wouldn’t shock me if they traded this pick for immediate help given the disaster they’ve got on their hands right now.

9. Minnesota Wild – Dylan Holloway (C/LW) – Univ. Wisconsin, NCAA

I don’t need to elaborate much further… This just sounds right, doesn’t it?!

BLH’s Pick: Charlie Coyle much, Keith? I’m not sure Holloway goes this early. That said, they like their College boys there. I see them taking Cole Perfetti here though. They’ve already had plenty of looks at him since he’s a teammate of Wild prospect Damien Giroux, so it’ll be a comfortable pick for them. Perfetti will give them a player who’s positionally flexible and can contribute with the shot or the pass. A very smart player here who could help transform this team. 

10. New York Rangers – Noel Gunler (RW) – Lulea, SHL

Every year, you’ll hear/see the word “polarizing” appear next to various prospects’ names and such is the case for Gunler. Still, this offensively gifted Winger has some grit and bite in his game, a solid combination of skills that should make him a favorite amongst the blue shirt faithful. 

BLH’s Pick: Here’s a team that seems tailor-made for forward Dylan Holloway. He’s not as strong and powerful as Chris Kreider right now, but he could get there. I really feel like he could give New York a twin threat with him and Kakko. Now, if Kreider decides to re-sign with the Rangers, he’ll be a perfect mentor for Holloway. 

11. Chicago Blackhawks – Anton Lundell (C) – HIFK, SM-Liiga

Having fallen much further than he should have, the Blackhawks select Lundell in what could be the steal of this draft. The solid, two-way, Centerman’s upside is as high as he wants it to be. With both Lundell and Kirby Dach as their future anchors down the middle, Chicago’s future looks very, VERY, bright.

BLH’s Pick: With Corey Crawford and Robin Lehner offering more question marks than exclamation marks, I think they’ll should take uber-goalie Yaroslav Askarov here and solidify their netminding future. If he can be as good as that guy over in Tampa, the Hawks could return to domination sooner than later. 

12. Winnipeg Jets – Jan Mysak (C/LW) – Hamilton, OHL

The Winnipeg Jets seem to be a cultural melting pot and their winning ways are reflected in their decisions to draft the best player available, in each draft class. Mysak (arguably) is the best player on the board and will be a solid gear to put into the machine once it’s in need of repairs. 

BLH’s Pick: Connor Zary, one of the WHL’s top-scoring centers, would be a dazzling pick for the Jets here. Winnipeg have a nice future set for them down the middle with Scheifele, Roslovic, and Gustafsson, but I think that Zary has a higher offensive ceiling than the latter two gentlemen and he’ll be an NHL player sooner than later.  

13. Nashville Predators – Zion Nybeck (RW) – HV71, SHL

The Predators have established themselves as one of the NHL’s high-powered offenses and Nybeck fits the mold of their play. He can distribute the puck as well as he can bury it – the kind of offensive flexibility that will serve Nashville, well. A country-singer might even write a song about him…

BLH’s Pick: The Predators are finally heading into a rebuild after years of being one of the leagues best teams thanks to its spectacular goaltending and unbelievable defense. Pekka Rinne has slowed down and its defense isn’t what it used to be. For that reason, I see them taking USNTDP blueliner Jake Sanderson. His skating and ability to defend and recover is amongst the best in this draft class. 

14. Carolina Hurricanes (Toronto Maple Leafs) – Roni Hirvonen (C) – Assat, SM-Liiga

If there’s one team in the NHL that the country of Finland roots for, it’s undisputedly the Carolina Hurricanes. They continue to add another highly-skilled Finnish-born prospect to their pool – a legit playmaker with top-6 potential. 

BLH’s Pick: As if Carolina needs another draft pick… LOL! I don’t share Keith’s sentiment that they’ll take another Finn though. Knowing how much they rely on analytics, I think it’s winger Noel Gunler for the Canes here. Fact is, this guy scores at will against his peers and when he’s ready to do so in North America, he’ll provide the Hurricanes with some sublime secondary scoring to complement that of Andrei Svechnikov’s. 

15. Philadelphia Flyers – Cole Perfetti (C/LW) – Saginaw, OHL

Like last year, a sniper named “Cole” falls to the 15th-overall slot for reasons that should leave you scratching your head. While the Flyers have been known as the “Broad Street Bullies” and a bunch of rabble-rousers, Perfetti’s scoring touch could be the catalyst for a change on identity, in Philly. 

BLH’s Pick: To me, the Flyers should be looking at defender Jeremie Poirier. His skating and edgework is amazing to watch and the way he moves the puck reminds me a bit of Kris Letang. Shit, if there’s a team who’s seen a lot of that guy over the years, it’s Philly. At some point, they’re going to move on from Shane Gostisbehere and one of Morin, Hagg, and Myers is going to be a miss too. If they’ve got Cam York and Poirier ready to go, they’ll be sorted. 

That’s it for me this week, Heroes. Be sure to follow us on Twitter: @BeerLeagueHeroe/@keithfries and don’t forget to tip your waitresses. Until next time… Cheers! 

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2020 NHL Draft Rankings: BLH October Top-20 w/@Keithfries and @TPEHockey

Welcome back! This post is going to cover our latest draft rankings as well as a Q&A with Keith Fries (Dobber’s Prospects) and Max from TPE Hockey where we cover such topics as who are the best skaters in the draft, who should the Edmonton Oilers draft if they had to today, and much more!

# Beer League Hero Keith Fries TPE Hockey
1 Quinton Byfield (C) Alexis Lafreniere (LW) Alexis Lafreniere (LW)
2 Alexis Lafreniere (LW) Anton Lundell (C) Quinton Byfield (C)
3 Yaroslav Askarov (G) Quinton Byfield (C) Lucas Raymond (W)
4 Anton Lundell (C) Lucas Raymond (W) Anton Lundell (C)
5 Jamie Drysdale (D) Yaroslav Askarov (G) Yaroslav Askarov (G)
6 Alexander Holtz (W) Noel Gunler (W) Alexander Holtz (W)
7 Lucas Raymond (W) Jamie Drysdale (D) Noel Gunler (W)
8 Tim Stutzle (W)  Tim Stutzle (LW) Tim Stutzle (LW)
9 Marco Rossi (C) Alexander Holtz (W) Jamie Drysdale (D)
10 Cole Perfetti (C/W) Cole Perfetti (C/W) Cole Perfetti (C/W)
11 Dylan Holloway (C) Marco Rossi (C) Marco Rossi (C)
12 Noel Gunler (W) Dylan Holloway (C) Dylan Holloway (C)
13 Connor Zary (C) Justin Barron (D) Jan Mysak (LW)
14 Jaromir Pytlik (C) Alexander Nikishin (D) Antonio Stranges (C/W)
15 Kasper Simontaival (C) Kasper Simontaival (C) Hendrix Lapierre (C)
16 Antonio Stranges (C/W) Antonio Stranges (C/W) Kasper Simontaival (C)
17 Justin Barron (D) Jaromir Pytlik (C) Connor Zary (C)
18 Dawson Mercer (RW) Jeremie Poirer (D) Zion Nybeck (RW)
19 Alexander Pashin (RW) Justin Sourdif (D) Rodion Amirov (LW)
20 Zion Nybeck (RW) Zion Nybeck (RW) Jeremie Poirer (D)

BLH: There are three international tournaments coming up. Can you give the readers a few names from each that we should have on our radar for the upcoming drafts?

Fries: The big tournament fans will likely be watching is the World U17 Hockey Challenge featuring mostly 2021 and a handful of 2022 draft-eligible prospects. Analysts are projecting a solid outing from Team U.S.A. whose USNTDP-U17 roster will be on display. But, Canada has more than a handful of top-tier 2021 prospects playing, as well. Logan Stankoven has seen his name circulating, recently, and a nice showing at this tournament could cement him as a first-round projected talent. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing Sean Tschigerl, a solid two-way forward who has the leadership qualities of a captain, and Russian forward Prokhor Poltapov. 2022 top-ranked prospects Matthew Savoie and Shane Wright will also be playing in this tournament, likely challenging one another on the stat sheet every step of the way.

As for the other tournaments, Finland’s U20 team looks really fun, with a great mix of talent already drafted, like Patrik Puistola, Anttoni Honka, and Mikko Kokkonen in addition to some top up-and-coming prospects, Anton Lundell and Aatu Raty – both of which who could be the first Finnish-born players selected in their respective draft classes.

Max: A lot of the top prospects for this year’s draft are at the U20s. Anton Lundell, Alex Holtz, and Lucas Raymond will all ever there. 2021 projected #1 pick Aatu Räty will also be there.

The U18s are a little sparse with much of the top talent off with the U20 squads but I’d have an eye on Zion Nybeck, a top 2020 prospect who’s torn up the U20 league in Sweden. Another Swede to have an eye on is goaltender Jesper Wallstedt. For Finland, Kasper Simontaival is a criminally underrated 2020 prospect. Should go top 15.

At the WHC-U17s the guys to watch are the 2022 top 3 of Matthew Savoie, Brad Lambert, and Shane Wright. Other top players are Dylan Guenther, Brandt Clarke, and Samu Tuomaala.

BLH: I feel like the Oilers need more speed in their prospect cupboard. Who are the top-5 best skaters available in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft?

Fries: I had a chance to catch the Bakersfield Condors, a few weeks ago, and their top skaters like Ryan McLeod and Kailer Yamamoto definitely stood out from the pack (in a good way, mind you). They were flying around and pushing the pace of play while others floated around. It definitely could be a problem in the long-term and is certainly one in the short. But, these are who I would suggest keeping an eye on:

– Lucas Raymond
– Tim Stutzle
– Justin Sourdif
– Antonio Stranges
– Jamie Drysdale

Max: 1. Antonio Stranges 2. Juuso Mäenpää 3. Lucas Raymond 4. Jamie Drysdale 5. Zion Nybeck

BLH: We’re more than one month into the season. Who has been your biggest surprise amongst the draft prospects?

Fries: I think Tim Stutzle has become a real household name and a legitimate top-10 pick. I’m very biased in-favor of German-born prospects and would likely support Stutzle whether he was good or garbage, but I’ve always been a fan of his skating and hockey IQ and I’m happy to see more-and-more people talking about him. He’s a true first-round talent, it’s just where he’s selected in the first-round that’s up in the air. But at this point, it’s in the high single digits.

Max: No one has really shocked me so far, but Tim Stützle rose quite a bit for me. It was clear his tools were always there, but this season he’s blown away a lot of expectations. He went from dominating a very weak junior league in Germany (at about the level of the OJHL) to dominating the German professional league. Nobody expected a transition as smooth as his was.

BLH: Piggybacking on the previous question, who has been your biggest disappointment so far?

Fries: Jan Bednar hasn’t had a stellar beginning to the season, but not all hope is lost. He started the season as my #2-ranked goaltender (behind Yaroslav Askarov) and at this point is still holding onto that title – just not so tightly. Keep in mind that he plays in the adult Czech pro-league so he’s being challenged by real challengers, but a 3.84 GAA and a .893 SV% is nothing to write home about.

Max: I was never super high on Justin Barron, but even then he fell off quite a bit for me. My concern last season was that his point totals were inflated by a very good Halifax team, and that his decision making and playmaking abilities weren’t up to snuff. He was flashy and skated fast, got a lot done off the rush, but you can’t play on just that. This season that’s really showed as he’s on a weaker pace than last season.

BLH: Given where the Oilers are sitting in the standings and how different that is from most preseason projections, who would you advise Ken Holland to select if the draft were held tomorrow?

Fries: You always want to select the best player available. You’re right that skating may be a want, but it may not be a need. Honestly, if the Oilers were picking anywhere in that 9-15 range and he’s still on the board, I’m taking Yaroslav Askarov all day! The Oilers have a solid pipeline of goaltenders which means they’re always valuable trade assets. And, for those arguing otherwise, yes, I do believe Askarov would be the best player available in this scenario.

Max: I’d bet Zion Nybeck could fall into their laps based on NHL teams continuous trend of passing on short players that are clearly really good. Been the best player in the SuperElit all season, and a kid that deserves to be in the SHL right now.

How do you feel about our rankings? Let us know in the comments below!

Thanks to Max and Keith for their participation in this month’s draft prospects Q&A. You can catch them on Twitter @keithfries and @TPEHockey. Keith has signed on with Dobber Prospects to cover the Florida Panthers and Max is working with The Prospect Network! Both sites are must-visits for your hockey prospect information.

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2020 NHL Entry Draft: BLH September Top-20 Rankings

Apologies for the tardiness on the rankings! I started at a new school and the time has been limited. Add to that the NHL and AHL season starting and things are busy around the BLH household!

One thing you’ll notice is that it’s only a top-20 and the reason I decided to go that route this month is that I think the top-10 are pretty set and selfishly as an Edmonton Oilers fan, I’d like to focus on some of the players that might fall out of that range and give those who are also fans of the team a broad idea of who the Oilers might be drafting next summer!

As always, I tapped into the headbones of my favorite draft gurus, Keith Fries and Max from TPE Hockey. Both of who, I’m proud to say, are playing their crafts at some much larger online institutions than this one. Keith has signed on with Dobber Prospects to cover the Florida Panthers and Max is working with The Prospect Network! Congrats to both of them!

But without delaying this any longer, here are our September rankings for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft!

# Beer League Hero Keith Fries TPE Hockey
1 Quinton Byfield (C) Alexis Lafreniere (LW) Alexis Lafreniere (LW)
2 Alexis Lafreniere (LW) Anton Lundell (C) Quinton Byfield (C)
3 Yaroslav Askarov (G) Quinton Byfield (C) Lucas Raymond (W)
4 Anton Lundell (C) Lucas Raymond (W) Anton Lundell (C)
5 Alexander Holtz (W) Noel Gunler (W) Yaroslav Askarov (G)
6 Lucas Raymond (W) Yaroslav Askarov (G) Noel Gunler (W)
7 Jamie Drysdale (D) Tim Stutzle (LW) Alexander Holtz (W)
8 Cole Perfetti (C/W) Alexander Holtz (W) Tim Stutzle (LW)
9 Tim Stutzle (W) Cole Perfetti (C/W) Jamie Drysdale (D)
10 Hendrix Lapierre (C) Marco Rossi (C) Cole Perfetti (C/W)
11 Dylan Holloway (C) Justin Barron (D) Marco Rossi (C)
12 Marco Rossi (C) Jamie Drysdale (D) Dylan Holloway (C)
13 Justin Barron (D) Jaromir Pytlik (C) Antonio Stranges (C/W)
14 Alexander Pashin (RW) Alexander Nikishin (D) Hendrix Lapierre (C)
15 Kasper Simontaival (C) Kasper Simontaival (C) Jan Mysak (LW)
16 Antonio Stranges (C/W) Jeremie Poirer (D) Kasper Simontaival (C)
17 Braden Schneider (D) Hendrix Lapierre (C) Justin Barron (D)
18 Jan Mysak (C/W) Antonio Stranges (C/W) Connor Zary (C)
19 Connor Zary (C) Justin Sourdif (D) Zion Nybeck (RW)
20 Zion Nybeck (RW) Theo Rochette (D) Michael Benning (D)

My feeling, as a fan of the Oilers, is that they’ll be looking to add a forward in the first round given the ridiculous amount of talent they have coming on defense. I’m hoping that they’ll be drafting somewhere between 14th and 31st overall and with that, they take a goal-scoring forward. Of course, it’ll depend on where they land but in that role I like Alexander Pashin, Connor Zary, Will Cuylle, Noel Gunler, or Jacob Perreault. Gunler probably being the best of that group but he comes with some baggage and there’s no guarantee he slips…

A few names that you won’t find in more mainstream rankings include Alexander Nikishin, a big Russian defender who can skate very well but might have some work to do with his passing and decision making. The micro-profile below and the highlight will shed some light on the player a bit better.

Antonio Stranges out of London is another player that I think the big draft gurus might be a bit scared of ranking too high because he’s so much flash and dash. He reminds me of Mathew Barzal a bit. Not sure if he’s THAT good, but his hands, skating, and edgework are elite.

Lastly, Michael Benning (Matt’s brother), is lighting up the AJHL right now with another 2020 draft-eligible, Carter Savoie. He’s a smaller defender but his vision and passing are exemplary. Safe to say he’s polar opposite to Matt in terms of skill and playing style. Check out this brief report on him from Daniel Gee and the following video.

What do you think of our top-20s? Considering where your favorite team might end up drafting, who would you like to see them draft? Let us know in the comments below! Thanks for reading!

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Edmonton Oilers: Should Oilers Fans Even Bother With the 2019/20 Season?

Most years I’m chomping at the bit for the Oilers season to get going but for some reason, I’ve got very little to be excited about this year. That’s kinda weird, right? Given Edmonton has the best duo in the world in McDavid and Draisaitl as well as the acquisition of James Neal, you’d think there’d be more reason to be jacked up. But I’m not. In fact, I’m thinking about just being a casual follower this year and perhaps focusing my efforts on Bakersfield and the draft (the first round is so f*cking good this year).

To compound the dark cloud hovering over me, I’ve got a strange feeling that McDavid’s knee was a lot worse than previously thought or it’s not healing as fast as the doctors had previously anticipated it would. I’m going to go as far as saying that I think he won’t lead his own team in scoring let alone the NHL. I think that honor will go to Leon Draisaitl.

The impression I’m getting from my sources, what Ken Holland has been preaching and with his actions over the last couple of months, is that this is a transition year. Just look at how he’s been signing players this summer, mostly to one or two-year deals. He’s doing his best to improve the penalty kill and the Oilers’ bottom-six on the short term with one move that has a chance at improving the top-6.

Looking at the roster as it currently stands, does it really have your heart racing?

Draisaitl-McDavid-Kassian
Nygard-RNH-Neal
Granlund–Haas–Archibald
Khaira-Gagner-Chiasson
Cave, Jurco

I suppose there’s a little bit of intrigue when it comes to Nygard and Haas… But nothing to get hard over. I don’t think Brodziak makes it this year. It might make more sense to send him to Ference Island or to Bakersfield. No kids from the Condors either. One more year of marination and domination in the AHL.

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Benning
Russell-Persson
Lagesson

I’m still adamant that Jones/Bear will be running the show in Bakersfield and I think that’s the right thing to do. There’s no sense in having them up in Edmonton sitting in the press box when they could be getting 20-22 minutes a night for the Condors.

Koskinen
Smith

How will Mike Smith’s puckhandling ability impact the opposition’s zone entries and his team’s exits?

Isn’t it obvious, he’s going to go for broke in the summer of 2020 when the UFA class could be staggering.

  • Taylor Hall
  • Alex Pietrangelo
  • Niklas Backstrom
  • Braden Holtby
  • Mikael Granlund
  • Tyson Barrie
  • Justin Schultz
  • Torey Krug
  • Mike Hoffman
  • Jared Spurgeon
  • Brayden Schenn
  • Robin Lehner
  • Alex Galchenyuk
  • Chris Kreider
  • Tyler Toffoli
  • Evgeni Dadonov

There are a shite ton more but these are the cream of the crop.

Ken Holland, with enough cap room, could add a proper difference-making player to each forward line, defensive pair, and in the net, if he so chooses to and in a single off-season no less. The Oilers would be contenders not just for the playoffs, but the Stanley Cup!

Look at the projected roster for 2020-21

Draisaitl-McDavid-Neal
XXX-RNH-XXX
XXX-XXX-XXX
XXX-Khaira-Chiasson
XXX-XXX

Klefbom-Larsson
Russell-Bouchard
Samorukov-XXX
XXX

Koskinen
XXX

Now, by then, the likes of Marody, Yamamoto, Benson, McLeod, Maksimov, Safin, or Gambardella might be off the farm and playing for the Oilers, but I have to say only Benson and maybe Yamamoto have a real shot. If Marody’s skating has improved immensely by then, he could be an addition, but I don’t get the feeling that’s something he’s concerned about. As for Gambardella, his skating also concerns me and he’s aging out, to be honest.

One wildcard addition to the team in 2020 could be that of Jesse Puljujarvi. If the team doesn’t trade him and he has an excellent season, surely it’d be incumbent on both parties to re-visit a conversation themed around Pulju coming back to Edmonton. He’d be 22 years old and on a cheap contract, possibly only one or two years long too.

So what would that forward group look like if we threw in some free agents and prospects?

Draisaitl-McDavid-Neal
Hall-RNH-Puljujarvi
Benson–Pageau–Karlsson
Watson-Khaira-Chiasson
Carr–Yamamoto

So how much do you think it would cost to sign Jesse Puljujarvi, Taylor Hall, JG Pageau, Melker Karlsson, Austin Watson, and Daniel Carr? $18M-$20M? I’ve got Hall taking under $10M, Pageau asking for over $4M but under $5M, Puljujarvi taking $1M-$2M, Karlsson around $2M-$2.5M, and Watson/Carr

If the cap stays the same, the Oilers might have around $25M to play with, that’s not too bad. It won’t leave them with a lot to help the defense though. As usual, I’m most likely blue-skying this… #Wishin’

The defense in 2020 is an interesting conundrum. Darnell Nurse is coming along nicely and he’d be great on the 2nd pair as the clean-up man with a mobile right-shot defender who can move the puck. A player like Tyson Barrie or Jared Spurgeon would be ideal in my opinion. But this is predicated upon Doc signing a team-friendly contract and I don’t think that’s going to happen. Add to that the impression I’m getting from sources close to the team that Nurse could be trade bait if his ask is too high. He’s not going to have a lot of leverage with the crop of talented defenders coming out of Bakersfield and Sweden…

Bob Stauffer (Oilers PxP colorman) said not too long ago that the Oilers are going to have a “mechanism” to open up salary next summer. Is that a buyout in Kris Russell’s case? Not much savings in 2020/21 ($1M) but the next season they’re only paying 500k and that’s the year that the salary cap is expected to spike. I reckon just sending him to the minors would be a better move as it costs them only $2.5M to put him there as opposed to spending $3.5M over two years on a buyout. That or trade him…

However the Oilers choose to open up the cap space, there is going to be a push to have younger players overperforming on their ELC contracts but they do have to be careful of who they play and how much they play him as the expansion draft for the new Seattle franchise will be in the summer or 2021. They could play their cards right and give someone 35 games in each season and then leave him exposed. Say William Lagesson?

How does their defense look if updated in 2020? Maybe Nurse signs a friendly contract (that is easily traded down the road) but Russell is traded for picks.

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Spurgeon
Lagesson-Bouchard
Samorukov

I think William Lagesson would cost the Oilers less than what Matt Benning is being paid right now. So that would put the gritty Swede at around $1M-$1.5M. But Jared Spurgeon is a whole other bucket of balls. He’s going to be around $7M or $8M. So how do you fit that in with only $5M or less in space available?

You have to ask yourself if it came down to JG Pageau and Jared Spurgeon, who would you sign? The local lad or the guy that will anchor your 3rd line and PK for the foreseeable future? Or possibly forget about Pulju coming back, would you be comfortable filling the hole on right-wing internally with one of Kiril Maksimov of Kailer Yamamoto? Would Raphael Lavoie be ready by then?

As for the goalies, I wouldn’t be shocked if the Oilers found a way to move Koskinen on and have a completely different tandem in net for the season after this upcoming one. Maybe one of those is Shane Starrett? He’s definitely paid his dues.

Anyways, I think you get the point of that exercise. Holland is gearing up for a big swing but not this season. He’s going to watch a few pitches go by this season before digging in and hittin’ that dinger in 2020/21.

THE 2020 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

Another reason for the Oilers to just ice a sub-par team is the 2020 NHL entry draft. This might be one of the best drafts in NHL history. The battle for first overall today is looking like it belongs to Rimouski winger Alexis Lafreniere, but I’m here to tell you that it could go as deep as four or five players.

  • Quinton Byfield – C – (Sudbury) – The 6’5″ centre reminds me of Rick Nash with his size, skating, and soft hands. He’s also one of the youngest players in the draft…
  • Lucas Raymond – RW – (Frolunda) – If you’re a fan of Carolina’s Sebastian Aho, you’ll love this crafty winger!
  • Anton Lundell – C – (HIFK) – Being called the next Barkov. Highly intelligent two-way centre.

I’d add possibly the purest goal-scorer in the draft, Swedish winger Alexander Holtz (Djurgarden), and the next great Russian~ neh! NHL goalie Yaro Askarov (SKA) to that list of players who could challenge Lafreniere. It’ll all depend on the Oceanic winger’s season really. If he slips one bit, those players I mentioned above are poised to pounce.

Even if they didn’t wind up with a top-5 pick in the draft, there’s literally a great player at every position for them to select should they miss the playoffs.

  • Cole Perfetti – C – (Saginaw) – Will rival Holtz as purest goal-scoring forward available.
  • Dylan Holloway – LW – (Wisconsin) – As balanced-a-player as you’re going to get. AJHL MVP as a 17-year-old last year.
  • Noel Gunler – RW – (Lulea) – Talented sniper but comes with concerns re attitude.
  • Hendrix Lapierre – C – (Chicoutimi) – The silkiest of hands and one of the best playmakers in the draft. Elite vision.
  • Kaiden Guhle – D – (Prince George) – Hard-nosed defender that can skate and make a play.
  • Jamie Drysdale – D – (Erie) – A fantastic skater, maybe best skating defender in 2020. Very smart, poised, and confident with the puck.
  • Justin Barron – D – (Halifax) – Built in the Thomas Chabot/Shea Theodore molding. Might be better.
  • Rodion Amirov – LW – (Tolpar) – Another flashy Russian you don’t say? He scores in bunches too.
  • Tim Stutzle – C – (Adler) – Outstanding shooter. Quite dynamic.  Very fast with great edges.
  • Marco Rossi – C – (Ottawa) – Short, stocky, and very strong. Very effective down low. Great shooter. Excellent two-way game.
  • Kasper Simontaival – RW – (Tappara) -Quick, deadly release, high-octane offensive skill.

There is SO MUCH (small) skill available in 2020. You can’t tell me the Oilers couldn’t do with one more high-end pick… My feeling is that they need to focus their attention on the centres slated to go in the first round. They don’t really have any high-end pivots in the system, do they? I mean centres who are projected to be top-6 players.

So Oilers fans, what do you think? Is there much to watch for this year or should you hold off, like the Oilers are poised to, until 2020/21?

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