Tag Archives: Brayden Sullivan

NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Day 5 of the Ivan Hlinka Memorial: CANADA WINS GOLD!!

After what was a great tournament that featured many highly skilled players and future NHL players the final day has come upon the Ivan Hlinka memorial tournament. Let’s recap what was the days efforts.

The first game of the day was the Bronze medal game between Russia and Finland where Russia went into the 3rd period down 3-1 but Finland collapsed in a major way. 2 goals from Nikita Popugaev and another from Artur Kayumov gifted Russia the Bronze.

The final most important game remaining was between Sweden and Canada. All it too was 4 goals in 17 minutes to sink the Swedes. Canada won the game 7-3 in what was their 8th straight gold medal at this tournament and 20th win in 25 years of the tournament.

If you’re interested in watching the game, I’ve included it at the bottom of the post for your viewing pleasure.

With all that in the books the final standings for the 2015 Ivan Hlinka memorial were as followed:

  1. Canada
  2. Sweden
  3. Russia
  4. Finland
  5. USA
  6. Czech Republic (host)
  7. Switzerland
  8. Slovakia (co-host)

After some very impressive showings throughout all of the Hlinka Memorial here are the players who stood out to me today:

Nikita Popugaev (Russia): Another skilled forward to add to a Russia empire filled with them. Nikita recently noted that he will not be showing up to the Moose Jaw Warriors training camp effectively ending any chances of him playing in the WHL this season. With all that aside Popugaev is a skilled forward who possesses a blistering shot and soft hands that all add up into to make a helluva pure goal scorer. Popugaev finished the tournament tied for 3rd in points with 6 in 5 games (3 goals 3 assists).

An aspect that Nikita showed today that caught my eye was his ability to make tape to tape passes through defenders with ease. As a 2016 NHL draft eligible he is going to have a lot of eyes on him and will most likely have a lot of controversy as the Russian factor still exists and he is small in stature.

In my opinion I would slot Popugaev somewhere in the first 2 rounds which may be high, but he played exceptional through the whole tournament and has potential to be a WJC threat in years to come ala Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Alexander Nylander (Sweden): He was crucial in today’s gold medal game as he was always on the ice, and scored the second goal for Sweden off of a wicked shot over the shoulder of Dylan Wells. He finished the tournament with 6 point in 5 games and was finished tied for 3rd and was one of the top European players.

Since he was drafted 12th overall in the CHL import draft in 2015, the Mississauga Steelheads are hopeful to see him suit up with them the coming season and play alongside Gold medal game opponent Michael McLeod. Talk about a 1-2 punch!

As the brother of former top 10 draft pick William Nylander, you could go on and say he is a mirror image of his elder brother when it comes to playing style. He brings along a very creative player who always finds a way to get the puck on his stick. Although he may not go as high as his brother did, he will still be a top prospect to any team he goes to. Depending on where in the draft he goes, he could be a steal.

Pierre-Luc Dubois (Canada): The current Cape Breton Screaming Eagle finished off an amazing tournament with a solid 3 point effort and was awarded player of the game in a 7-3 win over Sweden.

Pierre is a slick and shifty forward who can be a force on any power play unit. His skating stance is quite wide but he still able to avoid hits and uses that stance to protect the puck exceptionally well.

A couple of items I liked about his game was how he was chirpy at times and how he liked to get under the skin of opponents after the whistle. The other side I liked was his ability to pick pocket players before quickly turning up the ice.

Another potential top 20 pick who is someone to look for the coming season. I expect him to be paired on a line with Detroit Red Wing’s first round pick Evgeni Svechnikov this upcoming season.

Samuel Girard (Canada): The 5’10 defenseman who currently plays for Shawinigan in the QMJHL had a great tournament as he put up 3 points in 5 games to lead the Canadian defense in points.

A small two way defender who has a lot of offensive upside but doesn’t get enough credit for the defensive side of his game. He’s a very reliable defenseman who works hard defensively and uses his stick very well to break up the passing lanes and to separate the opponents from the puck.

He recently put up 43 points in 64 games, and was given QMJHL rookie of the year amongst defensemen. Going into his draft year I expect Samuel to try and bulk up as he only weighs 161lbs, he should also work towards being more physical. Personally I thought he was one of the top 2 defenseman on Team Canada.

Now that the tournament has wrapped up and all the medals have been handed out, I have to say THANK YOU! to everyone who read my work the past 5 days. I have tried my best to scout all players and to bring the ones that popped out to me. Tomorrow will be my last post on the tournament as I will be sharing my tournament MVP, best defenceman, etc.

Huge thanks to Beer League Heroes for having me guest write for him and I look forward to helping out again in the future. For any questions or if you want NHL draft news and rankings you can follow me @sullydraftgeek or you can find my scouting services at draftgeek.ca .

Edmonton Oilers, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Day 4 of the Ivan Hlinka Tournament!

Our coverage from the Ivan Hlinka Memorial continues with Brayden Sullivan guest posting for us! Follow him on Twitter @sullydraftgeek!

The beginning of the day started off with a consolation game for seventh place between Slovakia and Switzerland. The game went back and forth but Team Switzerland tied the game up with 27 seconds remaining! Overtime solved nothing and in the shootout is where Lee Roberts(SWI) scored to clinch seventh place for the Swiss.

The second consolation game featured the Czech Republic meeting the United States. The Americans won 4-3 including a five minute stretch in the third in which they managed to score three goals. Though they had a less than impressive performance, forwards Kailer Yamamoto and Casey Mittlestatd were more than impressive as both players combined racked up seven points.

Next up were two semi-final games which featured Sweden against Finland and Canada taking on Russia.

The first semi-final game was a Scandinavian grudge match where we saw Sweden take the win 2-1 and advance to the finals. A tightly contested match saw much of the game a 1-1 draw until the 7th minute of the 3rd period. That’s when Alexander Nylander’s shot was tipped by William Fallstrom. That goal stood and the Swedes moved on to the Finals.

The last game of the day was a classic as Canada matched up against Russia. Fans got more than they bargained for as the barn burner ended in a 2-1 decision courtesy of the shootout. Nolan Patrick scored the shootout winner against the hottest goalie in the tournament, Vladislav Sukhachev.

Tomorrow will be the last day of the Ivan Hlinka and will feature Russia vs. Finland for Bronze, and on the other side will have Canada vs Sweden for Gold. Canada has won seven straight U-18 championships, but Sweden has a loaded roster that will make Canada fight for that eight championship.

 

After some very impressive showings throughout day four of the Hlinka here are the players who stood out to me:

Nico Hischier (Switzerland): The 2017 draft eligible had a remarkable tournament. He has been a regular on the Swiss number one power play unit, and also finished 3rd in round robin scoring with six points in four games.

At 5`11, Nico is slightly undersized but possesses high end playmaking skills and good skating ability. He is very skilled with the puck and always has his head on a swivel. He was trusted in many key situations and saw more time than any of his teammates, which is impressive considering he is only 16 years of age. The downgrade to his game is his physical play, as well as his lack of support during puck battles in his own zone. He is a 2017 draft eligible which means he will have more than enough time to round out as a player. He was the sole spotlight on a sub-par Swiss squad.

Vojtech Budik (Czech Republic): Budik is a big, strong defender who has been impressive considering the caliber of his defensive partners. Players like Hrdinka, Hajek, and Novak were bound to be stand outs, but Budik held his own. The young Czech plays a powerful two way style and contains his opponents very well along the wall and in front of the net. He brings an awareness and reliability factor that scouts salivate over, and will likely trend upwards over the course of the coming year. Budik will fly over and ply his trade for the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL this coming season. Everyone will expect him to have a strong start in his first year in North America. He will be a huge addition to a team that has struggled to make its mark on the WHL in quite a while. One aspect of his game that will need improvement is his offensive awareness as he is frequently caught going too deep into the zone and being the cause for odd man counter-rushes.

Ty Farmer (USA): Farmer demonstrated his smart two way game throughout the tourney but had an exceptional day four. He utilized his body well and wasn’t afraid to step up to make a big hit. In the game versus the Czechs he looked very confident with the puck and was very vocal at both ends of the ice. He currently plays for Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL and is committed to Michigan State. He looked to be having trouble distributing the puck today, but ended up scoring the second goal of the game. Farmer is a 2016 draft eligible who could climb up the ranks as he looks to have a successful season in the USHL.

Filip Gustavsson (Sweden): The top player in today’s semi-finals matchup between Finland and Sweden as he saved 38 of 39 shots in a 2-1 win. Gustavsson is a 6’2, 2016 draft eligible goalie, who currently plays for Lulea HF J20. Gustavsson is someone who looks big in his crease and isn’t afraid to step up on the shooter. He made a few smart poke checks when the opponent came close to his net but didn`t give up his position. Playing behind a strong defensive team like Sweden helps, but having a goaltender like Gustavsson instills a tremendous amount of confidence in his teammates. He finished as the only goalie to start in all 4 games and ended up 3rd amongst all goalies with a 1.50 GAA and a 0.956 SVG%.

Dante Fabbro (Canada): This 6’0″ 190lbs right-handed defender plays a good two way game. Fabbro currently plays for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL. He is someone who is very aware of which man he needs to pick up and isn’t afraid to step up to make a big hit. Fabbro is very confident in his own abilities and loves to get a bomb off from the point. He had plenty of ice time, and proved to be one of Canada`s best in the 4 on 4 overtime. Fabbro was relied upon for special teams, playing both penalty kill and power play. Currently ranked eleventh by HockeyProspect and twentieth by Future Considerations, he is likely to be a top twenty pick if he continues to progress. Should be interesting to see how his year goes in the BCHL, and if he can maintain or raise his draft stock.

Nolan Patrick (Canada): Patrick, the top ranked prospect for the 2017 NHL Draft, has been relied heavily upon by the Brandon Wheat Kings dating back to mid-season last year, as the 30 goal scorer has proven to be dominant in all situations. Though he`s not yet the fleetest of foot, Nolan makes up for any skating deficiencies by being agile and evasive.

Nolan Patrick brings a unique style as he is as much a goal scorer as he is a distributor, and though his offensive talents are talked about quite often, it`s his defensive abilities that push him over the edge. He is the definition of all-around player. He possesses great vision, good size, great puck handling abilities, and a deadly shot from all angles. One aspect of his game that doesn’t get much attention is his “Smytty” side, where he sets up his 6’2 body frame and parks it right in front of the goalies face. As the Brandon Wheat Kings will make a push for the memorial cup in the 2015-16 season, it will be interesting to see if he is featured in a prominent role on their run.

Vladislav Sukhachev (Russia): Sukhachev is the sole reason as to why Russia stayed in it against a loaded Canadian squad. He was spectacular. Sukhachev is small in stature but very mobile in his crease. He`s a very stylistic net minder who doesn’t shy away from the flashy save. He sees the puck well and challenges the shooter hard on odd man rushes. He finished the tournament with a 0.949 SVG % through one game and should likely have started more, but was caught in a 3 goalie rotation. He has played two games this year with Belve Medvedi Chelybinsk in the MHL and was perfect in both performances.

 

Only two days remain heading into the final day of the tournament. Sweden has some solid young guns on the back end, such as Jacob Cederholm, as well as a high flying offence with the likes of Bratt and Nylander.

On the other side, Team Canada is a defensive powerhouse, with tremendous goal scoring ability up front. I predict Canada comes out ahead 3-2, and 4-2 Russia in the bronze medal game. All games tomorrow will be aired on YouTube live and I will be keeping everyone up to date on Twitter @sullydraftgeek.

NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Day 3 of the Ivan Hlinka Tournament!

The final day of the Ivan Hlinka memorial tournament is in the books and it presented a couple of close games and a couple of blowouts.

Opening the four games for today was the battle for top spot in Group B where Russia fell victim to a hot goalie and a skilled Finland team as they lost the game 3-0. The second game of the day was a 9-2 blowout by Canada over Switzerland. Canada finished on top of group A and Switzerland ended up in the basement of Group A. Following that was the Slovakia/USA showdown. The Americans topped off their horrendous tournament with a 7-3 win and a 3rd place finish in Group B. As a result Slovakia finished last.

Lastly in the last game of the tournament round robin Sweden and the Czech Republic faced off for 2nd place in Group A. The Swedes beat the Czechs 2-0 in what was a very close game. The defence and goaltending dominated on both sides.

The Final Round Robin Standings

Group A: Canada-Sweden-Czech Republic-Switzerland
Group B: Finland-Russia-USA-Slovakia

All of the semi-final games will be found on YouTube here or at live.huste.tv/intro.

After some impressive showings throughout the first few days at the Hlinka here are a the players who stood out for me on Day 3:

Severi Isokangas (Finland): After another great showing from the Finnish goaltender to top off what was a great first 3 days. In a heated game with Russia for top spot in group B, Isokangas put up a 22 save shutout and was spectacular to say the least.

The 6’1 goalkeeper currently plays for Karpat U20 in the Finnish Jr.A league. He finished the tournament with a 0.50 GAA and a .973 SVG % which put him second amongst all goalies in the tournament.

After watching Isokangas throughout the tournament I have found that he does a great job making himself look big in his goal and he’s especially good at covering the bottom of the net. He’s mobile, calm and aggressive in the crease but isn’t afraid to challenge the shooter.

Isokangas was the top player for Finland IMO through the round robin part of the tournament and was a wall that all opponents had a hard time getting through.

German Rubtcov (Russia): Leading the Russian team in penalty minutes (16 PIM) and managing 1 assist through the 3 games the tenacious Russian doesn’t get much credit where credit is deserved.

The 6’1″ power forward possesses quick hands which go hand in hand with his big frame. Rubtcov showed that he can play a whole 200 foots game, he’s hard on the back check and supports very well deep in his own zone.

During the round robin he found himself deployed with the first PP unit where he set up shop in front of the net as a screen and on the first PK unit as someone to clog-up the passing lanes and block shots.

He is a player who isn’t afraid to do some of the dirty work out front and in the corners. Rubctov is one of Russia’s top 2016 draft eligible and it should be fun to see what he does through the year and how that will affect his draft stock.

Kailer Yamamoto (USA): As one of the top 2017 draft eligible in this tournament, Kailer hasn’t risen to all the hype in my eyes but today was definitely his best showing. In a 7-2 win over Slovakia, Yamamoto put up a 3 point (1 goal 2 assists) performance and was arguably the best player for the Americans in their final game.

The current Spokane Chief was one of the top rookies last year in the WHL and managed 57 points in just 68 regular season games. I compare Yamamoto right now to the way Marner was in his rookie season as he likes to show off skill and can skate like the wind, but sometimes can over handle the puck or force passes through congested lanes.

Nonetheless I like Yamamoto as he is another small forward who uses his small size to his advantage. He shows this by being very strong on his feet and getting under the checks of taller opponents to avoid losing the puck. It will be good to see how he does this coming seasons and if he can maintain his draft stock.

Sam Steel (Canada): The top 2016 eligible at this tournament had an exceptional game for Canada in a 9-2 win over Switzerland. He managed a goal and 2 assists in what was his best game of the tournament thus far IMO.

One thing that separates Sam Steel from everyone else is his elite skating. He is really good on his edges and is very shifty when entering with the puck in the offensive zone. He never gets hit by the opposition as he always has his head up and on a swivel.

A top playmaker in this coming draft, Steel put up 37 assists in his rookie campaign with the Regina Pats before injuring his knee late in the season. This upcoming season I expect his stock to stay where it is currently at as he is a projected top 10 pick.

Kale Clague (Canada): The current Brandon Wheat King defenseman has had a great tournament for Canada, and is a projected first round pick going into next summer’s NHL draft.

Standing at 6’1 and 176lbs he is very agile and loves to jump into the rush. Clague is very deadly with the puck and while he only managed one point today in the 9-2 win over Switzerland, it doesn’t take away from the great performance he truly had.

One thing that caught my eye was how calm he was with the puck but was quick to move it. He also showed the ability to create more room for himself when under pressure. Clague is a player who I expect to crack the top 15 and maybe even top 10 with a good campaign on a heavily stacked Brandon Wheat Kings team.

Jacob Cederholm (Sweden): Another returnee on this list, Cederholm had another great game as Sweden beat the Czech’s 2-0.

He is a big and strong defender who anchors a strong and deep Swedish D core. Cederholm possesses a powerful long stride that allows him to win puck races in the corner which he then uses his body to dominate those puck battles. Standing at 6’3 and 180lbs, his frame makes his very noticeable as he looks like a man amongst boys.

Cederholm was crucial late in the game as Sweden tried to hold on to the 2-0 lead. During that late game stretch he showed lots of leadership and was a defensive titan that the Czechs couldn’t beat. Currently ranked 25th by HockeyProspects, I expect his stock to rise most out of this tournament and most likely be in the top 20 shortly.

Tomas Psenicka (Czech Republic): A 2017 draft eligible, Tomas Psenicka is coming off of a great year with HC Sparta Praha in the Czech U18 league, where he managed 51 points in 41 games and almost half his points were goals.

Standing at 6’3 and almost 180lbs, even with a big frame Psenicka brings good playmaking abilities while also being a deadly scoring option that the opponent’s D must keep an eye on. I love how he demonstrates good vision that allows him to always find that open team mate.

The lean Czech had a great game against Sweden but not good enough as his Czech team lost 2-0. Psenicka had one of the best opportunities of the game to get his team on the board as he was awarded a penalty shot that he unfortunately missed. He was the go-to guy in the last 5 minutes as the Czech’s were searching for a goal but Jacob Cederholm and the Swedish defence had their number.

Tomas will be staying with HC Sparta Praha in the coming season and hopefully will make the switch over to North American hockey in the 2016-2017 season.

Oliver Horrsell (Sweden): This tiny Swedish defender (5’6″) caught my eye because of how he separated himself from the rest of the Swedish D core with his size and offensive abilities.

He’s a small, smooth skating defender who played a very offensive role with Sweden throughout this tournament. Horrsell showed a little nastiness in his game by being involved in scrums and making big hits when nobody was expecting it. He is very good on his edges and shows he has good awareness of everything going on around him.

Oliver Horrsell is currently playing for the Linkoping U20 team, a 2016 draft eligible who is unlikely to be drafted due to size, but may just be another free agent gem like fellow Canadian Joe Hicketts.

The round robin for the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament has come to an end and we’re left with Canada, Sweden, Finland, and Russia all fighting for gold.

The biggest let down for me through over these past 3 days were the Americans, they came out flat footed against the Finns and looked weak in both of the other games they played in. I believe that if the young skilled Swiss team was stationed in group B, they could have finished top 3.

On a high note, Canada and Finland had very good round robin showings. Both teams finished the tournament with a 3-0 record and both had top players and goalies in the tournament.

Everybody gets a day off tomorrow and then the semifinals will begin on the 14th. Slovakia will meet Switzerland to start the day off then the USA will square off with the Czech Republic. Later in the day will feature a pair of all-time rivalries going head to head. Sweden will face Finland in what should be a very intense game and then Canada will go up against Russia.

I predict Canada will finish with the gold for an 8th straight year, then Finland for silver and lastly Sweden taking home the bronze

After watching 12 games and seeing everyone player, my top 3 lines of the tournament are:

1st Line all stars:
McLeod(CAN)-Steel(CAN)-Benson(CAN)
Cederholm(SWE)-Makinen(FIN)
Isokangas(FIN)

2nd line all stars:
Nylander(SWE)-Kuokkanen(FIN)-Patrick(CAN)
Clague(CAN)-Niemelainen(FIN)
Wells(CAN)

3rd line all stars:
Yamamoto(USA)-Jost(CAN)-Mittelstadt(USA)
Stadler(SWI)-Kmec(SLO)
Brizagala(CZE)

Thanks for reading everyone! If you’re enjoying Brayden Sullivan’s coverage of the U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup please let him know on Twitter (@sullydraftgeek) or in the comments below! And don’t forget to check out his site, www.draftgeek.ca! Well worth it if you’re a draft nut like me!

Please share those posts with all of your friends or draft geeks! It let’s us know that we’re doing a good job and creating the content that you enjoy!

Take Care!

– BLH (@beerleagueheroe)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUzXMdj951g

NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Day 2 of the Ivan Hlinka Tournament!

The second day of the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament has come to an end, and the final group standings are pretty much set. Day two was another disappointment for the Americans, as they fell 5-2 to an average Russian team. Canada followed it up with a nail biter against Sweden, and came away with a 2-0 victory. The third match of the day displayed a dominant effort by Finland as they beat a weak Slovakian team 4-2. The final game of the day featured the Czechs taking on a skilled Swiss team which ended in a 5-3 decision favouring the Czech Republic in what was one of the more entertaining games of the tournament thus far.

All of the “Group A” games will be found on YouTube here and all of the “Group B” games will be at live.huste.tv/intro.

After impressive showings throughout the first couple days at the Hlinka, here are a few players who have stood out:

Michael McLeod (Canada): McLeod had another great day for Canada, netting the game winning goal on a great individual effort. McLeod, the fifth overall pick in the 2014 OHL draft, was arguably the best player to touch the ice today for the Canadian squad. Yesterday he showed off his physical side and defensive abilities in a 3-1 win over the Czech.

Today, however, he showed off a much more skilled and creative game and demonstrated his dazzling speed, which led Sweden to the penalty box as the attempted to slow him down. He has been a cornerstone player for Canada in this tournament and it will be interesting to see if he can crack this list again with three days left in the tournament.

Marcus Niemelainen (Finland): It was not hard to find Niemelainen on the ice today as the 6’5 defender was dominant for Finland in their victory. Niemelainen, a 2016 draft eligible who is set to make his North American debut with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. He is a tall, lengthy defender who skates very well for his size. He was a huge barrier for a struggling Slovakian team as he as he showcased his raw defensive abilities and played a key shutdown role. He manned the top PK pairing and managed to play on both the left and right side. He is a smart and reliable player for Finland who takes good angles to pucks. While he doesn’t manage much offence, he did earn two assists in today’s winning effort. If there is a knock on this guy’s game, it would be his lack of physical play. It will be exciting to watch his progression over the next year.

Livio Stadler (Switzerland): Stadler was the player of the game for a losing Swiss squad. He was very strong offensively and was more than deserving of that accolade. He is an average size defender with great offensive upside, and he brought those traits to life when he quarterbacked the Swiss power play today and displayed  his deceptive shot with a beautiful goal from the point. He shows good patience with the puck as well as strong playmaking abilities. Stadler is currently the top scoring defenseman in the tournament at 3 points in 2 games. Expect him to play a few games this year with EV Zug in the Swiss National League after he tears up the U20 division.

Georgi Ivanov (Russia): Ivanov is a 2017 draft eligible who was strong in his performance against a struggling American team. The thick Russian stands 6’0 209lbs and is fresh off of a U17 gold medal with Russia. In a 5-2 victory, Ivanov scored a goal and tallied an assist. Following that victory, Russia is now tied with Finland for first place in Group B. Ivanov showed off his puck skills today, dangling through three American players,then finishing it off with a beautiful backhand. He currently sits tied for second in tournament scoring with 2 points in 2 games and is someone to watch over the remainder of the tournament as well as the course of the next two years as his stock will surely rise before the 2017 NHL Draft.

Dylan Wells (Canada): Wells was nothing short of spectacular in his first start of the tournament. He made 21 of 21 saves for Canada and became the first goalie in this tournament to manage a shutout. Wells tracked the puck very well and stayed square to the shooter, but what caught my eye most was his ability to find pucks through traffic. He made a number of huge saves from point shots that pin balled its way through to the net.

Wells currently plays for the Peterborough Pete’s in the OHL and will most likely be in the conversation as one of the top three goalies in the draft. Wells is a 6’2 butterfly style goaltender who could add a few pounds, but is already strong in the athleticism department.

Frantisek Hrdinka (Czech Republic): Playing on a team filled with big defenders who can skate, Hrdinka did a great job today, setting himself apart from the rest. He earned an assist on the second Czech goal, as well, he impressed by displaying an above average offensive tool set making smart passes and controlling the puck well. What put Hrdinka on the list was his sound defensive play, as well as his impressive corsi numbers.

Hrdinka stands at 6’0 187lbs, and his his CHL rights are currently owned by the Saint John Sea Dogs, it would be nice to see him come over and play for their already stellar defensive core, he also managed +29 Corsi for, and only -11 against while facing a skilled Swedish team. A very impactful player on today’s game and someone who I look forward to seeing tomorrow against Sweden. (Thanks to @The_HockeyNinja on Twitter for the CZE corsi chart, follow him for all the CZE game corsi charts)

David Kofron (Czech Republic): Another 2017 draft eligible on this list, he manage to be the lone 2 goal scorer in any of today’s match ups. Kofron is a late 1998 who possesses a good shot, which he demonstrated with his game winning goal on the breakaway against the Swiss. He displayed strong defensive insticts and had a good stick in defensive situations. Kofron managed over a point per game in the U18 Czech league last season, and is currently tied for first place in goals through the tournament with two. He stands at 5’10 and 146lbs, and is seemingly going to need to gain weight and continue to compete for the next couple season in order to be one of the top round picks.

With day two of the Ivan Hlinka wrapped up, theres a few things I am looking forward to seeing in the match-ups tomorrow. Most importantly I would love to see a break out performance from the highly touted Kailer Yamamoto, Garrett Wait, and the rest of the American team as they take on Slovakia for 3rd place in the group. I expect another great effort out of the Canadians as they play Switzerland, and am anticipating a stand out effort from Jake Bean. Russia and Finland will battle it out for first place in Group B, and I am expecting to see a Finland victory after being carried by Makinen and Niemelainen. Lastly, Sweden and the Czech Republic face off for second place in Group A, in what should be a real good game considering how well both teams competed against Canada.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7xlk92PO-o

Thank you for reading! I hope you’re enjoying our coverage of the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. Please let us know in the comments below and if you’re so inclined we’d love it if you shared and retweeted our posts. It lets us know we’re doing a good job and it’s good karma on your part.

Lastly, TeePublic is having a sale from August 12th-14th. EVERYTHING is on SALE! So head on over to the Beer League Heroes T-Shirt shop here and pick up your favorite NHL superstar in 16-bit or even the Official BLH t-shirt! They’ll only set you back $14 for the next three days!

Take Care!

– BLH