First things first, apparently Oilers prospect William Lagesson is on his way to the SHL in Sweden. At least according to the tweet below. It’s only rumored right now and nobody from the Oilers has announced it, so I suppose we’ll play the waiting game on this one but would it surprise you at all with all of the depth on the left side in the organization already?
Klefbom-Sekera-Nurse-Oesterle-Reinhart-Jones etc. I’m sure I’m missing someone but just off of the top of my head, Lagesson is behind all of them.
The question I have is, will the Devils go the old Oilers route and take the skilled winger OR will they take the stud center who’s been compared to Sean Monohan and Mark Scheifele but has major injury concerns.
My advice, trade down Ray! Trade down!!
Philly and Dallas must’ve had horseshoes up their butts. Wow! Did they ever luck out! Philly, in theory, should get that dynamic winger in Hischier they’ve been looking for for quite some time and Dallas’ options are WIDE open. Maybe they go for the sharp-shooting Owen Tippett?
Burning the Midnight Oil
The start to last night’s game was horrendous, to say the least, but with that said, the comeback was glorious! I think I could hear the roar of the crowd all of the way over here in Taipei after Connor scored that beauty.
Another player who was on his game was Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Wow, he was firing on all cylinders from the get-go and I wondered aloud if Todd McLellan might be tempted to get him out there a bit more often. I haven’t checked the TOI in the 3rd but I know McDavid and his dash three didn’t play all that much once the game was out of hand. So maybe RNH did, in fact, get more ice-time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcJXIkO6i9E
The Wagner goal was unfortunate though and Darnell Nurse is struggling. I think Nurse really wants to make a difference but he’s not quite there yet and he’s hurting the team a bit.
Is it time to take him out for a game? Just a break to watch the game from the box and get his head squared away. Could Eric Gryba fill in for a game?
Can somebody answer me this? Why do I keep seeing Benning and Nurse out at the same time as Connor is on the ice? You’d think you’d want your best pairing w/97 out there. Maybe that is Nurse/Benning though… Either way, it’s seems off and I expect to see Klefbom and Larsson. Just thinking out lout here.
Here’s the thing though the Oilers kept the pedal to the medal and had their chances to score after that 4th goal by the Ducks but John Gibson stood on his head and Anaheim got a few more bounces their way.
The Oilers are still up 2-1 in the series. Let’s keep that in mind.
To address the title of my post, I’d like to start with a tweet from Mark Spector.
I’m right with ya there Spec! And I really think that Edmonton will do their damnedest to move Eberle and his $6M deal out of Edmonton and it’ll be another deal you don’t like on the surface but the difference between this year and the Hall trade from last year is that you trust Chiarelli’s judgment now.
I did hear that the Oilers were looking at the Sabres before the season ended and before Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma were axed. Maybe there’s a fit in Buffalo for Ebs but in my opinion, their offense isn’t the no.1 problem.
Can’t really say as to what the Oilers would want back for the button-hook assassin. Where do you think the Oilers need to address?
Let us know in the comments below!
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*Please welcome back Brennen York, better known as the brains behind Draftgeek.ca. We’re just trying to get him sorted with regards to the site so today’s post might look a tad off visually (perfect for Oilers fans, am I right?) as it’s a bit of copy and paste but we’ll have everything looking spick and span before you know it! Please forgive us and enjoy Brennen’s detailed look into the Oilers’ prospect depth and some future targets at the 2017 NHL Entry Draft because you know, it’s never too early to start looking at draft prospects! Enjoy!*
Long gone are the days of incompetent management and scouting, as the Edmonton Oilers have seemingly shifted their draft philosophy in a substantial way. Over the past two years Oilers management has selected fifteen players through the entry draft, nine of which have a legitimate shot at seeing NHL action. The other six, including Matthew Cairns (84th), Filip Berglund (91st), Graham McPhee (149th), Vincent Desharnais (183rd), John Marino (154th), and Miroslav Svoboda (208th), are more “wait and see” type prospects given both their production to this point as well as their chosen development path.
Oilers U23 Depth Chart
Left Wing
Center
Right Wing
Jujhar Khaira
Connor McDavid
Jesse Puljujarvi
Tyler Benson
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Nail Yakupov
Mitch Moroz
Leon Draisaitl
Anton Slepyshev
Graham McPhee
Drake Caggiula
Patrick Russell
Braden Christoffer
Bogdan Yakimov
Liam Coughlin
Kyle Platzer
Aapeli Rasanen
Greg Chase
Tyler Vesel
Left Defence
Right Defence
Darnell Nurse
Adam Larsson
Oskar Klefbom
Ethan Bear
Griffin Reinhart
Matt Benning
David Musil
Filip Berglund
Caleb Jones
John Marino
Ziyat Paigin
Markus Niemelainen
Dillon Simpson
Matt Cairns
William Lagesson
Ben Betker
Vincent Desharnais
Goalies
Laurent Brossoit
Nick Ellis
Eetu Laurikainen
Dylan Wells
Miroslav Svoboda
Keven Bouchard*
Though the Oilers seem to have far more legitimate prospects than ever before, there are still a number of holes when you take a look at the depth chart. Both wing positions are fairly light when it comes to elite level talent, however, the pain of that is somewhat alleviated given the Oilers only have one winger over the age of thirty on the main roster. Goaltending is another position where the Oilers are good, but far from great, lacking a clear cut number one prospect. Luckily for management, there are a large number of players slated to go in this year’s draft who are more than capable of filling these spots.
Stuart Skinner, G – Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
Height: 6’3 / Weight: 209 lbs
There are very few goalies who come through the junior ranks labelled as future starters by the age of 16. Stuart Skinner is the latest goalie to earn that praise and is one of the first WHL netminders since Carey Price to potentially end up in the top fifteen. Though both Price and Skinner have had a similar junior upbringing relative to their nationwide popularity, they are far from similar when you look at their playing style. Skinner, a big, 6’3 backstop has relied heavily upon his large frame and doesn’t play an overly athletic game. One major problem Skinner faces as an NHL bound goalie is the shrinking of equipment as anyone who’s seen him play knows he plays with an extra inch or two on his pads as well as some extra bulk in the chest region. A major positive heading into his draft year is the strength of the Hurricanes roster as many WHL experts believe they will compete for a league championship meaning extended playoff time for Skinner.
Klim Kostin, RW – Dynamo Moskva (KHL) Height: 6’3 / Weight: 196 lbs
The first overall import draft pick Klim Kostin is going to have a very interesting season. We know he has the speed and skill to be a force in the CHL, but after turning down the opportunity to play in Kootenay, and starting off with less than ten minutes per game in the KHL, Kostin may be a diamond in the rough come the time the Oilers are on the clock. At 6’3, Kostin already has NHL size, and given the lack of up and coming wingers with size and top six potential, he is likely someone the Oilers target come next June. Kostin is a hard player to label or define as he is more than just a pure sniper or playmaker, and tends to bring the best of both worlds onto the ice. If you’re looking for an NHL comparable, Vladimir Tarasenko is as close as you can get at this point in Kostin’s development.
In 2014 the Edmonton Oilers selected a player many Germans believe too be the “German Gretzky” in Leon Draisaitl, and so far he has yet to disappoint. Nico Hischier, a Swiss born prospect who haas moved to Halifax for the upcoming season, has e most promising sSwiss born ison within his ountryhand coming wingers with size and top six potential, he may be also garnered a ton of attention on a national level, and is largely considered the most promising prospect since Kevin Fiala was selected by Nashville back in 2014. Hischieer boasts an impressive two hundred foot game, which comes as a bit of a surprise given his pure playmaking ability and overall offensive zone capabilities. Hischier would be a stellar addition to the Oilers top six as he’s shown promise as an elite level playmaker and has been able to find chemistry with a number of centers over the past few years. Next to Leon, Hischier is likely a career sixty point guy.
Luke Martin, RD – University of Michigan (NCAA) Height: 6’2 / 201 lbs
Of all the defenders ranked to go in the first round, Luke Martin may have the highest chance of rising into the top ten. As a draft eligible defenceman playing in the NCAA, Martin is going to be tested early and often, and based upon his performance last year, he should be able to hold his own. Martin is a strong two-way defenceman (like many blue liners in this draft), who excels in the defensive zone, and has shown an innate ability to break up plays behind the goal line. He plays an effective physical style and has proven to be able to skate the puck out of trouble when need be. Given his choice of development path, as well as the skills he currently possesses, I think it’s safe to say Luke Martin is capable of being a top-four NHL defenceman within the next five years.
When it comes to finding your future top pairing, right handed, puck moving defenceman (yes, check all three boxes), the Oilers need look no further than Bandits defenceman Cale Makar. Though slightly undersized, Makar’s puck moving and skating ability set him apart as arguably the best player in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. In his rookie campaign, Makar broke out with fifty-five points in fifty-four games, forty-five of which came in the form of assists. Makar also laced em up for Team Canada West at the World Junior Challenge, where he only managed a single point, yet stood out ahead of defenceman such as Nashville’s first rounder Dante Fabbro. Makar is committed to the University of UMass (Amherst), and will head down following his sophomore season in Brooks. Something to note is that given the lack of exposure in the AJHL, Makar, as well as a few others including Ian Mitchell, may not be consensus top ranked prospects, however, I believe they are both legitimate NHL prospects who could very well slide into the first round.
Given that the Oilers should see a vast improvement in the points department, it’s likely a number of players above are off the board, however, the fact that they need help on the right side of the ice and in net remains. Long term, the Oilers are fairly secure down the middle with McDavid and Draisaitl both under twenty-one years old, and the left side defence isn’t necessarily an area for concern, though projecting where Darnell Nurse will be a few years down the road is a trying task. With the addition of Matt Benning, the right side of the blue line may begin to become less of a concern for management, however, it is still an area that needs to be addressed. One player Oilers fans should be overly optimistic about is Seattle Thunderbirds star, Ethan Bear. Bear was selected 124th by the Oilers in 2015 and brings a real element for Duncan Keith to the ice. The native of Regina, Saskatchewan will likely find himself on the Team Canada roster for the World Junior Championships after being left off the initial roster for the summer development camp.
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Tomorrow, the hockey season starts as the latest edition of the u18 international tournament known as the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup begins. If you don’t know much about this tournament, let us get you caught up before previewing the 2016 version.
“The Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, formerly known as the Junior World Cup and Pacific Cup, has been held annually since 1991, with the first tournament being held in Japan. Since 1997, the tournament has taken place in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, although only since 2002 has the tournament been held in both countries simultaneously.
Involving players under the age of eighteen, the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup is the premier showcase for hockey talent from Europe and overseas. The teams that regularly feature in the tournament are: Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA. In the past, the tournament has helped introduce the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Steven Stamkos to the international stage.
The most successful nation at the tournament so far has been Canada, who have won gold a staggering eighteen times in twenty-two attempts. Including the Soviet Union’s 1991 victory, Russia have won gold three times, while Sweden and the USA have one gold medal to their credit so far.
The Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup bears the name of the deceased Czech hockey legend who died in 2004. The name of the tournament was changed in 2012, whereas before it was called the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka.”
THE 2016 IVAN HLINKA MEMORIAL CUP PREVIEW
I enlisted the services of two ridiculously talented and “in the know” hockey prospect guys to help me with this preview. Brayden Sullivan (@SullyDraftGeek) from Draftgeek.cahas actually taken the time to write the preview you’re about to read and to give us an even better idea of the players we should be watching out for, we’ll be using some individual players reports from Justin Froese (@FroeseFC) from Future Considerations. Those will be italicized to differentiate from Brayden’s comments.
She’s a tad long but I hope you enjoy it!
Will Joe Veleno be the 1st overall pick in 2018?
Coming into this year’s Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament, Canada will be looking to build off of their dominant display last year where they won their 8th consecutive gold medal. Over the past 8 years Canada has managed to consistently form highly skilled and highly competitive teams that have dominated the tournament. This year is no exception as they will be led by several highly touted prospects that will look to make an immediate impact on their draft eligible year.
Three players named to Canada’s roster are still one year away from beginning their draft year, however the highly touted 2018’s, including Ryan McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads) and Joseph Veleno (Saint John Sea Dogs) will be looking to showcase their high end skill and dynamic playing styles in hopes of impressing the plethora of scouts in attendance.
Joey Veleno, C, St. John (QMJHL)- Exceptional talent is worth the hype. All over the ice making brilliance happen. Top tier awareness keeps him pacing the game when he’s on the ice. Only knock is that he could use his teammates a bit more when the pressure is on.
Ryan McLeod. C, Mississauga (OHL)- Very talented two way player who skates well and shows deception in his ability to shake opponents. Vision is top notch and he can thread a pass through a mine field. Willingness to compete is there.
Outside of those two forwards the lone 2018 draft eligible defender is Evan Bouchard (London Knights), a rangy two-way right-handed blue liner who impressed with his poised play and his crisp first pass. Expect him to anchor the Canadian blue line and be a very impactful player in this tournament.
Evan Bouchard, D, London Knights (OHL)- Big time catalyst on the backend. Shows great anticipation to jump into plays and make a difference. Excellent puck mover who can hold and show off a booming shot. Very sound defender.
Canada’s roster features many highly touted 2017 NHL draft prospects and features a variety of skill sets. Starting with the bigger bodied players in Michael Rasmussen (Tri-City Americans) and Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville Tigres), who are both capable of dominating this tournament physically and production-wise. Comtois and Rasmussen will be coming into Slovakia with a lot of confidence after their impressive showing at the summer showcase and will be given key roles in order to win the 9th consecutive gold.
Maxime Comtois, RW, Victoriaville (QMJHL)– Skilled forward who plays a dependable game. Shows up every shift and uses top end puck skill and smarts to create offense.
You’ll find a lot of mobility on the back end with players like Ian Mitchell (Spruce Grove Saints), Elijah Roberts (Kitchener Rangers) and Marcus Phillips (Owen Sound Attack) who all have the ability to impact the game offensively with their top-end skating abilities and offensive instincts with the pucks.
Ian Mitchell, D, Spruce Grove (AJHL)–Smaller puck rushing defenseman who pushes the pace and has good instincts with the puck on his stick. Has quarter back type skills and handles the puck with finesse, manufacturing lanes and chances with his quickness and excellent awareness.
Markus Phillips, D, Owen Sound (OHL)- Steady defender has intelligence to succeed in any situation. Calm nature and has skating ability to get out of trouble or lead a rush.
Look for Elijah Roberts to break out on scouts list and be top defender in this years tournament, as he was highly impressive at the summer showcase and raised a lot of eyebrows with his mobility, puck moving abilities, and defensive awareness.
Another few players who I will be keeping an eye out for is forwards McKenzie Entwistle (Hamilton Bulldogs), Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads), Stelios Mattheos (Brandon Wheat Kings) and Shane Bowers (Waterloo Blackhawks)., as well as QMJHL defenseman Antoine Crete-Belzile (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada).
Owen Tippett. RW, Mississauga (OHL)-Showed off his ability to execute under pressure. Great offensive ability.
Stellio Mattheos, C/W, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)- Skilled and strong offensive threat plays the game responsibly and with skill. No one has taken a bigger stride forward in the last 2 months. Power game and effectiveness on the rush taking center stage in the playoffs.
Shane Bowers, C, Waterloo (USHL)- 200 foot guy that works well with the puck. Great speed and natural skill. Plays with a lot of gumption and makes life hard for opponents.
While Tippett and Mattheos are two highly-touted forwards who have been on scouts’ watch lists for months, Entwistle and Crete-Belzile are two players I look forward to watching because of their notable performances at the summer showcase.
In net, I expect Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires) to take the reins in net for Canada and play most of the tournament, but I do believe that Ian Scott (Prince Albert Raiders) will get the opportunity to show what he has and will strive in that moment.
Other Notable Players
The following players will grab your attention almost immediately if you get a chance to watch their games.
Nico Hischier (Switzerland): My current #2 ranked prospect going into the 2017 entry draft, Nico will have an opportunity to dominate this tournament and lead in the scoring department. He finished last year with 6PTS (3G-3A) in just 4 games and was arguably the most valuable player for the Swiss. Hischier is a highly skilled playmaker that plays the game at a high tempo and with loads of compete. He possesses elite vision and makes his linemates better by finding them on the ice in a consistent manner. Recently Hischier has followed in the footsteps of Swiss product Timo Meier and will join the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL.
Timothy Liljegren (Sweden): A top-end defensive prospect going into this years NHL entry draft, Timothy Liljegren will be looking to show scouts that he can challenge Nolan Patrick for that #1 spot in the draft. Currently ranked #3 on my personal rankings, Liljegren is a mobile offensive defender that has the potential to put up big time numbers in this tournament. He possesses a deadly wrister from the point and a laser-like first pass that NHL scouts are in awe about. A right-handed shot, Liljegren has already played in the SHL as a 16 year old and already posted a solid 5PTS (1G-4A) in 19 games. Look for Liljegren to get big time minutes for Sweden and rack up some major stats on the score sheet.
Timothy Liljegren, D, Rogle (SWE J20 Elite)-While there needs to be some defensive work he is a rangy and excellent puck rushing defenceman who loves getting involved offensively.
Urho Vaakanainen (Finland): Another solid Finnish draft eligible who knows how to move the puck, Vaakanainen will be looking to proves to scouts that he should be treated as a top-10 pick. Going into his 2nd season in the Finnish elite league, Urho’s passing abilities have impressed on all stages of hockey he has played at. Look for Vaakanainen to eat up a lot of minutes for Finland and more importantly produce at a high-end level.
Urho Vaakanainen, D, Blues (Liiga)- Intelligent two way defender is great at turning the puck up ice. Very little risk and does a good job boxing out and managing the defensive zone.
Ostap Safin (Czech Republic): My current #10 ranked player in this year NHL draft, Ostap Safin will be looking to lead the Czech Republic into the medal stages. Another big power forward, Safin put up very impressive numbers in the Czech U20 league last year and I believed he would have came over the NA this upcoming season. I fully expect that Safin will be in the run for MVP since this is his opportunity to show NA fans what he can do.
Ostap Safin, RW, HC Sparta Praha (Czech U20)- Large and offensively gifted. Builds momentum to overcome adversity. High IQ and creates chances with skilled passes or individual sequences.
Klim Kostin (Russia) : The 1st overall pick in the 2016 import draft, Klim Kostin is a big bodied power forward who has amazing offensive scoring abilities. He will most likely be the Captain for Russia and will be given the biggest responsibility in this tournament, to lead Russia to a medal. A player who may play against men in the KHL next year, I’m looking for Klim Kostin to make a huge impact in this tournament physically and production wise. A player who I believe will be in the run for tournament MVP alongside Safin and Hischier.
Klim Kostin, RW, Dynamo Moskva (Russia U17)- Man sized guy who can dominate for stretches with the puck. Works his tail off and leads by example. Could be top Russian off the board.
Isac Lundestrom (Sweden) : Not eligible till the 2018 NHL Draft, the Swedish forward will be looking to make his mark at this tournament as an underage. A top end puck handler who protects the puck well, Lundestrom has the talents to shine at this tournament. Also, he has already played in the SHL but was unable to put up any points. I fully expect that Lundestrom will be a crucial part to the Swedish roster and will be hassle to deal with as a defender, thanks to his NHL caliber speed.
Isaac Lundestrom, C, Lulea HF J20 (Super Elit)- Poised puck handler is capable of leading a play and makes quick decisions when he is flying. Puts himself in the right spot to execute consistently.
Filip Zadina (Czech Republic) : A high-end dynamic offensive threat, Zadina will also be going into this years Ivan Hlinka tournament as an underage player, not being eligible until the 2018 NHL draft. Coming off of a solid year in the Czech U20 league, Zadina will suit up this upcoming season with the Vancouver Giants of the WHL and will be looking to showcase his talents to the North American fan. Personally I love his offensive game and I feel he will be able to produce big time numbers at this tournament alongside Ostap Safin, but will struggle against much faster teams and will need to get over that in order to be successful here. Expect a big time tournament out of Filip Zadina.
Filip Zadina, F, HC Pardubice (Czech U-20)– Absolutely dynamic skillset and a premier puckhandler. Has blazing speed and the thought process to think 3 steps ahead. Conscious efforts to defend. Capable of domination.
Michael Pastujov (USA) : Once highly regarded as a 1st round pick in this years upcoming NHL draft, Pastujov will be looking to show scouts that he is still capable of playing at that level. The University of Michigan commit is coming off of an injury riddled season that saw him only play 14 games with the USNDTP of the USHL. I expect we’ll see a heavily motivated Pastujov.
Rasmus Dahlin (Sweden) : As one of the lone 2000 players in this year tournament, Dahlin will be pushing for ice time and responsibilities on a stacked Swedish blue line. A player to remember for the 2018 NHL draft, Dahlin possesses similar offensive abilities to teammate Timothy Liljegren and will hopefully be able to produce at this tournament. Currently ranked #6 on my list of 2018 draft eligible, this will be Dahlin’s chance to lock his name into scout’s rankings.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Finland): One of the only highly-regarded goaltenders going into this years Ivan Hlinka tournament, Luukkonen will be batting with Canadian goalie Michael DiPietro to prove that he is the #1 goalie in this year’s NHL draft. Coming off of a season with HPK U20 where he posted a 1.98 GAA and a .924 SV%, Luukkonen is looking to carry those top end number into the tournament and be named the top goalie of the tournament. At 6’3 196lbs, Luukkonen is certainly NHL goalie size.
Nando Eggenberger (Switzerland): A late ’99, Eggenberger will be coming into his 2nd Ivan Hlinka tournament looking to improve on last year’s performance. Last year Eggenberger finished the tournament without a point and at a brutal minus-5, he was very under-utilized and will be looking towards being a more impactful player this time around. Not being eligible until the 2018 draft, Eggenberger will have a head start on all the other eligibles. Eggenberger is a solid 6’2 power forward who has a solid drive to go to the net and battle for his points. He plays hard in all 3 zones and has a reliable defensive game that scouts will be looking for.
Thanks for reading and enjoy the tournament! If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below!
Today Brayden Sullivan (@sullydraftgeek) blesses us with his 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament Awards for MVP, Best Forward, Best Defenceman, Best Goaltender, and Best 2017 Draft Eligible!
MVP: Tyler Benson (Runners up: Michael McLeod, Jacob Cederholm)
Tyler Benson
The current Vancouver Giant was a beast throughout the tournament for Canada. He finished
the tournament tied for 3rd in scoring with 6 points in 5 games (2 Goals, 4 Assists) and with the game winning goal in the gold medal game. He beats out his team mate Michael McLeod for this award because he was much more consistent then McLeod was and much more utilized/relied on.Another part that helped him was that he didn’t take a single penalty the whole tournament and drew a few penalties that helped his team win.
The thing he brought most to Canada was his playmaking abilities while still being somewhat physical, as he was a player who won a lot of his battles in the corner and always found the open man. As a 2016 draft eligible, Tyler is ranked very high as he currently sits ranked at 7th overall by Future Considerations and 14th by DraftGeek. It will be interesting to see how Tyler plays this year in Vancouver, under a new coach, and how he will be able to maintain his draft stock on a weaker team in the WHL.
Top Forward: Alexander Nylander
(Runner up: Sam Steel, Nikita Popugaev)
Alexander Nylander: Better than William?
Alexander Nylander’s current CHL rights are owned by the Mississauga Steelheads, as they took him 12th overall in the 2015 CHL import draft. His USHL rights are owned by Dubuque Fighting Saints. I predict that he will commit to Mississauga and have a great year playing alongside Canadian, Michael McLeod.
Going into the tournament Nylander was a player that everyone had their eyes on and was someone who everyone knew would play a lot for Sweden. He always seemed to be on the ice for Sweden and was easily one of the most skilled players in this tournament. He was a very quick and creative player throughout the tournament and he always showed that he wanted the puck on his stick. As the tournament progressed his skill did not decline but his shot started to become more of a weapon and he ended his tournament by scoring a great goal on a shot in slot that went over the shoulder of the Canadian goalie in the gold medal game.
Going into his draft year I hope that Nylander chooses the right team to commit to and gets the attention throughout the year that he deserves.
Top Defenseman: Jacob Cederholm
(Runner Up: Kale Clague, Libor Hajek, Markus Niemelainen)
Jacob Cederholm
The 6’3 Swedish defenseman was a wall for his national team, he was heavily relied upon and was by far the top defenseman in this tournament.
Cederholm is a big strong two way defenseman who is very good defensively but also brings high end puck moving skills. He possesses a very long stride which allows him to get to pucks first before using his body. He was someone who played crucial minutes for the Swedish side. He also came on as a leader through the tournament and took on the responsibility of captain. Jacob Cederholm beats out 3 high scoring blueliners to this award because of the way that he was relied upon and how he always rose to the occasion.
For the 2016 draft eligible the giant Swede is ranked 17th on DraftGeek’s new draft rankings, he should suit up this season with HV71 in the SHL but if not he will be a dominant force on their J20 team.
Top Goalie: Severi Isokangas (Runner Up: Vladislav Sukhachev, Filip Gustavsson)
Severi Isokangas
The reason Isokangas beats out all goalies to this award is because how he makes himself look big in his net and how calm he looked at all times.
He finished the tournament with a 1.77 GAA and a .920 SVG % through 4 games and put himself 4th in goalie statistics. He’s a 6’1 goalie who is currently committed to Karpat in the Finnish league and will most likely play with their U20 team once again. Although Finland did not take home a medal in this tournament he was the true reason why they finished on top of group B and the reason why they made it to those semi-final games.
Isokangas is currently ranked 2nd amongst all goalies going into the 2016 draft by DraftGeek, right behind Sweden’s goaltender Filip Gustavsson. Through the 2015-2016 year it will be fun to see Severi playing up and down the Karpat junior system, looking for every starting opportunity he can get with the team as a 17 year old.
The final award goes to Nico Hischier as the top 2017 draft eligible through this tournament. As one of only a few 1999’s in this tournament, Hischier surpassed all expectations set and was by far the best player for a 7th place Switzerland side.
He finished the tournament tied for 3rd in scoring with 6 points in 4 games (3 goals; 3 assists), and was far and away one of the best forwards in this tournament. A strong playmaker who also possess some two way in his game, as he is always the deepest forward in his own zone. His skating was much better than anyone else’s on his team and playmaking abilities were heavily utilized by the Swiss. He was the most played player on his team and was always on the ice in the last 5 minutes, regardless of the score.
He beats out two of the top 5 2017 draft eligible, Canadian Nolan Patrick and American Kailer Yamamoto because of how he dominant he was on a 7th place team and how he always stood out in the games he played in. It will be good to see if Nico makes the switch over to NA hockey in the coming years and if he can push to be a top pick in the 2017 draft.
I wonder if any of these guys will be wearing an Edmonton Oilers jersey someday? Benson is a local boy but I’d be more than disappointed if Edmonton was in a position to draft him next summer.
Big thanks to Brayden Sulluvan for working his ass off to bring us coverage from the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. It’s been a real pleasure working with him and reading his posts! So I urge you to head over to DraftGeek.ca for all your NHL draft information. I know Brennen and Brayden and they are top guys who know their stuff when it comes to the draft! Follow them on Twitter too @draftgeekDOTcaand @sullydraftgeek.
And don’t forget to check out Jack Gruninger‘s Season Primer series. He’s up to Colorardo now and all we’ve gotten is rave reviews regarding the team previews! You don’t want to skip these ones! Check out his latest here!
With the first day of the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup Tournament in the books, there was plenty of great action across the day starting with Finland’s 5-1 beat down on the Americans, followed by the 4-3 nail biter between a big Swedish side and a young and skilled Swiss team. The Russians overpowered a weak Slovakian team 5-2, and the Canadians beat the co-host Czech Republic 3-1 (The game can be watched here on Youtube).
After watching the games and going through the score sheets the players I thought stood-out were:
Jacob Cederholm (Sweden): The highly touted 2016 draft eligible put on a great showcase against the Swiss, starting off with his game winning goal in the final 30 second of the game. Not only did he put the final stamp on the game but he was a brick wall. The 6’3 defenseman who is currently ranked 25th by Hockeyprospects.com showed off his physical stature and his defensive abilities throughout this game. He was a wall that the Swiss always had to climb when attempting to skate into the zone and was arguably the best Swedish player today.
Otto Makinen (Finland): Another 2016 eligible who had a great opening day. Putting up a 3 point performance against the Americans which included 2 goals and 1 assist. With above average size at 6’1, looked very good despite not being ranked by any of the scouting services, he showed his patience and his shooting abilities in a 5-1 victory over the US.
Alexander Nylander (Sweden): The brother of William Nylander put on a great showing. Played a really dynamic, but smart game against the Swiss and put up a good 2 point performance. Played a huge part of the Swedish power play and looked a lot like his skilled brother in the offensive zone. Still, I think he needs to work a bit on his defensive game. Nevertheless, it was a great opening day showing by futureconsiderations.com’s 14th ranked player.
Nico Hischier (Switzerland): One of the youngest players on an already young Swiss side, as he is not eligible until 2017, Hischier scored the opening goal of the game as he outbattled SWE defender Jacob Moverare in the corner before the getting the puck back on the half wall and firing the puck off the goalie’s blocker, on the PP. Hischier showed off his wide range of skill, as well as his hard working compete level. He really showed that he deserves to play against the older players. I’m looking forward to this kid next season.
Ilya Avramenko (Russia): Playing against a weak Slovakian side allowed this small forward to show off his abilities. Putting up a goal and an assist today, he played a huge part in the 5-2 win for Russia. Avramenko skates really well and uses his small size to get by defenders and open up ice, which allows him the time to show off his puck handling.
Libor Hajek (Czech Republic): Although he did not put up any points he did have a bad penalty after the play… The 6’2 196lbs defender was the best player on the Czech side (IMO). He handled the Canadian fore-check well and was able to show off his defensive abilities. Personally I think he’s one of the better defensive defenseman going into this year’s draft. With that being said he does need to work on his offensive abilities and discipline, but against Canada today he was a huge part of why the game was kept close.
Adam Brizgala (Czech Republic): The only goalie on this list goes to the Czech starter. Another 2016 draft eligible who currently sits at 6’0 209lbs. He saved 37 of 40 the shots he faced from a strong Canadian side which left him with a .925 SVG%. Big in stature and quite mobile in his crease, Brizgala made a big stop on Nolan Patrick’s penalty shot which kept the game within one.
Michael McLeod (Canada): The Mississauga Steelhead’s top 2016 eligible forward really showcased why he is on this deep Canadian team. McLeod showed off his physical upside and how he uses his 6’2 200lbs frame to fend off the other team’s players in the corner, and on the wall. He played a huge part on Dillon Dube’s shorthanded goal as he made a hit at the blue line which allowed him to send Dube alone on a breakaway. A player who I think will rise up the ranking this year, I’d love to see him round out his skating abilities though.
Tyler Benson (Canada): The final player of the day is probably the highest ranked player on this list. Ranked at 7th by FC, 27th by HockeyProspect, and 14th by DraftGeek, the 6’0 forward of the Vancouver Giants had a good game. Benson had a couple of chances on Brizgala, and sprung a breakaway on a good backhand feed. He showed good awareness and great abilities with the puck today. He did not put up a points against the Czechs but his hard work did not go unrecognized.
Day 2 of the Ivan Hlinka Memorial will feature two early games that include two 1-0 teams as Russia plays Finland, and another 1-0 team in Canada as they play Switzerland who look bounce back. Later on, the games include the two bottom teams in group B facing off in USA vs Slovakia, and as well as co-host team Czech Republic taking on Sweden. I expect a good showcase from Canada’s Jake Bean and a bounce back game from the Americans.
Thanks Brayden! You can follow Mr.Sullivan on Twitter @Sullydraftgeek. For more hockey prospect news and insight, head on over to DraftGeek.ca!
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