Max from @TPEHockey is back with an article on three of the most underrated and underreported 2019 NHL draft prospects. These three players are all candidates that I could see the Edmonton Oilers taking a long look at depending on where their selections are but there’s outstanding skill, elite hockey IQ, and absurd athleticism in all of the players you’re going to read about here.
Connor McMichael is another top prospect coming out of the London Knights system. London is constantly been producing 1st round nearly every year talent and the 2019 draft is no different. At the beginning of the season, it seemed that there was no top London Knight making themselves known. Although it wasn’t long before McMichael made it clear that he was a can’t miss prospect. By November it was clear that the talented draft-eligible was the best forward on the Knights. With top picks in previous drafts like Liam Foudy (#18 CBJ) and Alex Formenton (#47 OTT) that didn’t seem possible in October. McMichael has already surpassed the 30 goal mark which other Knights who went in the 1st round, like Foudy and Robert Thomas, didn’t do in their draft years. He’s has been a standout in the OHL this season and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon.
He’s a center, which already boosts his stock like we saw last year with Barrett Hayton. A centerman who went far higher than projected because of his position. McMichael has shown competence in all three zones due to his high IQ play. He might not have any particular defensive skills, but he’s a smart enough player to be quite good defensively. Even with a focus on 200ft play McMichael has been dynamite offensively. His stellar vision of the ice and his ability to read the play makes him a hard player to defend against. On top of that, he has some nasty hands and has a history of undressing defenders. This is a player defenders can’t afford to lose track of. He can also use lightning fast speed to catch defensemen sleeping. His combination of nifty skill, smart play, and speed allow him to dominate at the OHL level as a draft-eligible player.
Right now McMichael slots into the 10-15 range when it comes to the draft. He currently sits at 12 behind Bobby Brink in my 2019 rankings. Although it’s quite possible we could see him make a huge jump on draft day.
This young London Knight is a stellar center with all the qualities to become a top 6 NHL center. It wouldn’t surprise me if he snuck into the top 10 come June.
Ville Heinola Lukko | LHD | Finland
Early this year Heinola was expected to be a big time player in the Finnish U20 team, but not necessarily one to hit the pros in his draft year. Although after a hot start going a point per game for Lukko U20 in his first nine games. He then got a well deserved promotion to the Liiga. Since then, Heinola has shown offensive prowess and unmatched skating skills against pro competition. We can often see Heinola skate literal circles around the opposing team in the offensive zone. He likes to walk the puck down the boards and tries to create offense from the outside hash marks. He plays an offensive game that I have no doubt will be effective at a higher level.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioJhVVzA2xo
Heinola also attended the World Juniors with the gold medal-winning Finnish squad. Heinola had a stellar tournament playing a huge role in the Finnish defense. He spent much of his time alongside Blackhawks prospect Henri Jokiharju who served as Finland’s #1 defensemen due to his extended time in the NHL this season. With this opportunity, Heinola capitalized big time. He flashed more offensive skill and talent than we saw in his Liiga time. We saw him loosen up a bit against lesser competition and was able to be more effective. Heinola also displayed his defensive capabilities and physical aspect in the tournament. He did a great job of clearing the center of the ice and shutting down the players he covered. Even at (5’11”) he is physically capable and not one to be pushed around. He’s strong on his skates and able to withstand physical pressure. This helps on the defensive side of the game for Heinola and is one of the reasons he was so successful at the World Juniors.
In terms of his draft position I currently label him as my second defensemen off the board. Bowen Byram remains as the clear number one, but after him, I don’t see any major impact defensemen available. Heinola slots in around the 15th pick for me, but expect him to go around the 20-25 range.
Hunter Jones Peterborough | G | Canada
This draft has shown to be a deep one for goaltenders. With top round prospects like Spencer Knight, Dustin Wolf, Isaiah Saville, and overager Ilya Konovalov, Hunter Jones is no exception.
The 6’4” self-described “bigger lad” plays big in the net. He uses body position and angles to take away net from shooters. His slides and short butterfly movements are crisp and precise. He can follow a puck in tight with his toe pushes and that precision on his knees is crucial. Post to post he can’t be beat due to his size and power, even on the butterfly. Jones is also a phenomenal puck tracker. He can track pucks through screens and follow passes without losing his angle. His big stature makes it very hard to screen him which contributes to his tracking ability.
Jones might not possess all the statistical attributes to wow scouts, but he has every quality that scouts want to see in a goalie. His size is obvious, but what a lot of scouts are looking for now is puck tracking. Jones is one of the best in the class when it comes to that category. I’d say only Dustin Wolf and Spencer Knight are better. Jones will likely slide in somewhere in the second round. Although I wouldn’t put it past a team in need of a goalie to take him in the late 1st.
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It was unfortunate that due to injury Hughes missed much of the World Juniors. Although in his few games we saw his unparalleled skating ability and skill. He registered an assist in each of his games and played a crucial role in the Americans silver medal run.
From what I saw, Hughes was the best player on the ice every time he went out. He had an especially good game against Russia where, when given ice time, he was clearly the best player on either team. It was really too bad the USA staff favorited their veterans over their better young stars.
The gold medal-winning Kaapo Kakko played an enormous role in Finland’s gold medal run. He scored the game winner in the finals and was clearly a top 2-3 player for Finland. In my opinion, only Aleksi Heponiemi played better for Finland.
Kakko has gotten a lot of attention as a possible #1 pick after this performance, but personally, I still see Hughes as better. Nonetheless, Kakko still shows the top talent and hockey IQ in the class outside of Hughes. Nobody is even close to challenging Kakko for the 2nd spot.
3) Dylan Cozens C (Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL) – 191cm, 80kg
Outside of Hughes and Kakko, Cozens is clearly the most NHL ready player in the class. He has the size and speed to hold his own in the NHL right now. The top 3 players are the only players could survive the NHL game right now. His straight line speed is the best of the 6ft plus players in the draft class. He’s also got an NHL ready shot and elite playmaking abilities. If a team wants an immediate solution at the 3rd or possibly 2nd line center spot, and a future number one center then Cozens is the guy.
4) Trevor Zegras C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 72kg
Nobody is trending up like Zegras has been. During Turcotte’s now ended absence, Zegras showed he is every bit as good as anyone in the draft class. He’s outproduced Hughes in the USHL and sees the ice as good as Hughes does. To continue the Hughes comparisons Zegras plays exactly like him. He usually plays center but due to some new found chemistry and Turcotte’s return, he’s being tested out on Hughes’ wing. Zegras is the 2nd out of 3 possibly elite centers out of the NTDP.
5) Alex Turcotte C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 88kg
The 3rd NTDP center in the top 5 is Alex Turcotte. The draft’s second-best skater is finally back from his injury that has cost him his entire season up until a few weeks ago. It hasn’t taken him long at all to get back up to pace as he’s already had a 3 point game against a collegiate opponent. With the rise of Zegras in his absence, there will be a coming battle between the two as to who the 2nd best center out of the NTDP will be.
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6) Kirby Dach C (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) – 192cm, 84kg
Saying Kirby Dach hasn’t had a good month is an understatement. In December, Dach scored only 4 points in 10 games with 3 of those points being in the last game of the month. He went on a 7 game point drought and had 1 point in his 1st 9 games. None the less, Dach is still one of the best players in the class. He has exceptional playmaking skill, underused shooting ability, and two-way prowess.
Krebs continues to tear up the WHL without any support from his Kootenay Ice teammates. Krebs is the only major offensive driver on his team and still manages to be at over 1.2 points per game. None of his teammates are even close to one point per game with the highest being 0.79. Krebs has begun to be one of the more underrated players in the class. He’s showing he’s every bit as good as his fellow WHL stars in Cozens and Dach.
8) Alex Newhook C (Victoria Grizzlies, BCHL) – 180cm, 83kg
It’s really too bad that Newhook is stuck playing in the BCHL. He clearly exceeds the talent level in that league and is totally dominant. Newhook looked less than dominant at the recent World Junior A Challenge when the best players in non-CHL junior leagues compete for their countries. He was outplayed by players like Bobby Brink and Vasili Podkolzin, who will be found further down this list. Due to the lack of exposure in the BCHL, it’s going to be important for him to have a good showing at the U18 World Juniors.
9) Bowen Byram D (Vancouver Giants, WHL) – 183cm, 81kg
Vancouver’s star defender has rounded out another impressive month for the Giants. Byram has been a consistent threat from the blue line all season. He’s shown abilities in every aspect of the game including defense which many young flashy defensemen tend to lack. He’s up there as the best transitional defensemen in the class and impresses offensively. Expect Byram to plant himself in a top 10 spot as he continues to dominate the WHL from the blue line.
10) Ryan Suzuki C (Barrie Colts, OHL) – 183cm, 78kg
Ryan Suzuki has had a drop off in his stats as of late, but statistics don’t reflect the prowess of Suzuki. He is clearly the best passer in the draft, in my eyes. He makes impossible passes that you’d think he wouldn’t be able to see. He has unrivaled vision of the ice. He seems similar to your player in NHL 19 that can see the entire ice and make crazy passes because you have a bird’s eye view of the game.
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Nobody in this class has the nose for the net that Caufield does. In the NTDP college cross over game, Caufield has 12 goals in 16 games. These goal counts from a draft eligible player is unheard of. Teams have learned from the success of Alex DeBrincat and getting Caufield anywhere past the 15th pick would be an absolute steal.
12) Bobby Brink RW (Sioux City, USHL) – 178cm, 75kg
Despite an injury, Brink has moved up my list. He’s been out for a while, but the more I watch him the more I like him. He does everything right, and it’s a shame he won’t be able to go to the U18 World Juniors since he isn’t on the NTDP. Playing in the USHL he doesn’t get the exposure other prospects do. It will be interesting to see where he ends up going come draft day.
13) Ville Heinola D (Lukko, Liiga) – 180cm, 80kg
Heinola is my sleeper pick to be the best defensemen out of this draft. Bowen Byram still remains well ahead of him but Heinola has surprised us before. He played as a top pairing defenseman for the gold medal-winning Finnish team alongside Henri Jokiharju. He thrived in that role not only showing offensive acumen, but very good defense too. While he hasn’t gotten a lot of attention up until now I think that will change after his WJC performance.
Podkolzin is another draft-eligible player that attended the World Juniors. He seemed a bit out of his league but was able to hold his own and be a productive player. One of my criticisms of his play at that tournament was that often he would lose the puck in his feet and have his head down. Multiple times the tougher competition would realize that and he’d get lit up. This is less of a big criticism and more of a sign of a bigger problem. Podkolzin has the skill, strength, power, and versatility to be a great NHLer, but it’s the little things he seems to get wrong.
15) Arthur Kaliyev LW (Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL) – 188cm, 86kg
In terms of statistics, Kaliyev is one of the top performers. He’s got 33 goals in 42 games as a 17-year-old in the OHL and is on pace for over 100 points. With that, there is still some controversy around him. Many scouting services still have him ranked in the late first round due to some consistency, skating, and a few other small problems. For me, I see some of the same problems with Kaliyev but his sheer production is starting to override any doubts.
16) Anttoni Honka D (KeuPa, Mestis) – 179cm, 77kg
Nobody has fallen this season like Honka. At the World Juniors Summer Showcase Honka looked like the top 5 player we thought he could be last season. He had the trust of the Finnish staff and looked to be an important part of the World Junior team. But at the World Juniors Honka played the 7th defensemen spot and the Finnish coaching staff clearly had no confidence in him. It’s frustrating to see such a great player fall off as he has.
17) Connor McMichael C (London Knights, OHL) – 183cm, 77kg
With high expectations of players like Alex Formenton and Liam Foudy, they have both been outplayed by Connor McMichael. He’s been London’s best forward throughout every game. He’s got great vision for the ice and blazing speed. McMichael also plays a great 200ft game. It looks like London is going to have a player selected in the first round again.
18) Jakob Pelletier C/W (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL) – 175cm, 72kg
Jakob Pelletier is another player ripping up the CHL. He’s been a key part of the Moncton Wildcats offense. He’s been one of the more underrated and underexposed players in the draft.
19) Mikko Kokkonen D (Jukurit, Liiga) – 180cm, 86kg
Kokkonen has been an offensive dynamo for Jukurit in the Liiga. To put things in perspective, Miro Heiskanen finished his draft year with 10 points in 37 Liiga games. Kokkonen, on the other hand, already has 13 points in 36 games. It was criminal that Kokkonen was not named to the Finnish World Junior team.
20) Matthew Boldy C/W (USNTDP, USHL) – 183cm, 79kg
Boldy is going to be a favorite for many NHL teams. As big, fast, skilled power forward Boldy can contribute with goals, assists, and physical play. I’d consider Boldy to be one of the “safer” picks in the first round with a very high floor.
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The only 2019 eligible player named to the Canadian World Juniors selection camp was Lavoie. It was really unfortunate for Lavoie that he didn’t make the team because he hasn’t lived up to last season’s expectations and he hoped to prove himself at the World Juniors. Hopefully being cut will motivate him to get back on track.
22) Philip Broberg D (AIK, Allsvenskan) – 190cm, 90kg
The large and powerful skating defender out of AIK in the Allsvenskan finally got his first goal of the season recently. Broberg has been steadily adjusting to the pro game since his rough start to the regular season. While I think Broberg has been massively overhyped he’s still a solid option for a team looking for an offensive defenseman.
23) Moritz Seider D (Alder Mannheim, DEL) – 192cm, 83kg
Seider has been quite the force in the German league after returning from a more than dominant performance in the second-ranked division of the World Juniors. He served as captain and earned Germany a promotion to the main division of the World Juniors. The defenseman was astoundingly good by all accounts. He scored at more than a point per game and ended the tournament only one point behind 2018 first rounder Dominik Bokk (STL) for the lead in points.
Remember that Seider is doing this all from the blue line, and is more of a two-way defender than an all offense guy.
24) Cam York D (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 75kg
The best of the NTDP blueliners hasn’t had the great season we’d hoped for, but he remains an integral part of the NTDP. He’s the best American puck-moving defensemen and has two-way abilities.
25) Spencer Knight G (USNTDP, USHL) – 191cm, 90kg
Knight remains as the top goaltender in the draft. He was the third goalie for the Americans at the World Juniors but didn’t get into any games. He’s a big, aggressive goalie that has been able to handle collegiate competition with the NTDP. Watch for him to be a player that jumps up on draft day to a team in need of goaltending.
26) Nathan Légaré F (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHL) – 182cm, 89kg
Légaré has been a big offensive producer all season. He’s on pace to be just short of 100 points by the end of the season. He has benefited a lot from being on a very high scoring Baie-Comeau team.
27) Alex Vlasic D (USNTDP, USHL) – 196cm, 86kg
Standing on the blueline at 6’6” (197cm) Alex Vlasic immediately stands out. Being a such a vertically gifted defensemen Vlasic is an easy candidate to be overrated. Although I don’t think this is the case. Vlasic is more than just imposing. He can shoot, move the puck, and defend exceptionally well.
28) Nils Höglander LW (Rögle BK, SHL) – 174cm, 84kg
The first Swedish forward off the board comes pretty late. After a tough start to the season, Höglander has shown he can contribute for Rögle in the SHL. He’s been able to score and play physically at the pro level. Watch for Höglander to be one of the more NHL ready players in the class, and he could surprise people by making the NHL a little earlier than you’d think from a late 1st pick.
29) Dustin Wolf G (Everett Silvertips, WHL) – 183cm, 73kg
The anchor in the CHL’s 4th ranked team’s net has been Dustin Wolf all season long. Before the acquisition of a reliable back up, Wolf played nearly every game. Wolf is top 5 in WHL GAA, save percentage, wins, and shutouts at 17. Dustin Wolf has also increased his assists total this season to 4. This gives him 8 career WHL assists in 60 games.
30) Nick Robertson C/LW (Peterborough Petes, OHL) – 175cm, 76kg
The brother of top performing American World Junior player Jason Robertson has a similar outlook as his brother. Injuries derailed his season early, but he’s recovered and become the Peterborough Petes best player. He’s one of the more underrated players in the class.
31) Pavel Dorofeyev W (Stalnye Lisy/Metallurg Magnitogorsk, MHL/KHL) – 184cm, 74kg
The hard-working winger and Nizhny Tagil, Russia product has been a player worth watching all season. He’s split time between the KHL and MHL but has shown his best in the MHL. Dorofeyev is phenomenal on special teams and a great forechecker.
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The Oilers are getting into the news more and more these days and I’m loving it! That means we’re getting closer to the season and that I can look forward to the temperatures cooling off…
So today we’ve got a trade rumor that simply won’t die as well as six sleepers for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft from the new guy, Max!
After you…
A NEW-ISH TRADE RUMOR
Bob Stauffer, Lowetide, Kurt Leavins, and David Staples have talked about it recently. We’ve briefly written about it here as well in the past week as well…
With the Oilers loading up on no.6/7 dmen and no.13/14 forwards, are they getting ready to trade a forward for a defender to replace the injured Andrej Sekera?
Justin Faulk has a modified no-movement clause that kicks in this year and with that comes a 15-team list. So basically he has told Carolina which teams he’s not interested in going to and which ones he is IF they decide to move him.
When we talk about what it’d take to acquire Faulk we first look at the return the Hurricanes got for Skinner and it was a shite return, let’s be honest. That said, I do not think that current Carolina GM Don Waddell had a whole lot to work with in that trade given Jeff Skinner was vetoing deals left and right.
I do think that he’s got a bit more flexibility with the Faulk trade. The only pressure he has is from his boss who isn’t interested in paying Faulk $6M a year to play 3rd-pairing TOI.
I’ve spoken on Twitter about the Oilers offering Zack Kassian and picks/prospects for Faulk and the reason being I believe that Kassian is really the only guy that Chiarelli is comfortable moving. Leavins has suggested Caggiula. Either way, a bottom-6 player from the Edmonton Oilers that plays a rugged style and might be overpaid slightly seems like the tender in which the Oilers are willing to pay for Justin Faulk.
If that is the case, they won’t get him. Toronto and Chicago both have the goods to give Carolina a much better offer.
Other things to consider:
How will acquiring Faulk affect the next expansion list for Edmonton?
Will the Oilers be over a barrel cap-wise sooner or later?
Are the Oilers really that desperate for Faulk?
Is Edmonton on Faulk’s “list”?
If those offers from Edmonton could “get it done”, why hasn’t the deal been made yet?
What happens when Sekera returns?
Would the Oilers be better off down a top-9 winger in a deal for Faulk or with the current roster as is?
Of course, Peter Chiarelli could offer Puljujarvi (god no…) or try and make a bigger deal with Nugent-Hopkins (I’ll hop on the fire Chia bandwagon if he moves RNH for Faulk straight across…).
Do the Oilers NEED Justin Faulk?
Thoughts? Please leave them in the comments below!
SIX SLEEPERS FOR THE 2019 NHL ENTRY DRAFT
My man Max is at it again! This time he’s offered up his six sleepers for the upcoming NHL entry draft in Vancouver next summer! Will the Edmonton Oilers get their hands on one of these beauties? Only time will tell but let’s dig in and see what Max has for us!
Roman Basran – G (Kelowna Rockets, WHL) – 185cm, 78kg – 10GP – .926 Sv%
Basran started the 17/18 season playing youth hockey in the B.C. Hockey Major Midget League, but by the end of the season he was dominating the Western Hockey League. Basran’s stats portray a goaltender that could be an early round pick in the draft except he only played 10 games. In his short time in the WHL he registered his first shutout on a 38 save game. Basran possesses a lot of natural skill as he didn’t lace up the skates until he was 9 years old. We ultimately need to see more of him to decide what he really is, and if he continues his great play we are looking at a high-level prospect.
Josh Williams – RW (Medicine Hat, WHL) – 185cm, 84kg – 47GP – 11G – 9A – 20TP
After struggling last season Josh Williams as he was given restricted minutes on the bottom 6 for Medicine Hat, and didn’t do as well as most hoped. Although when playing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and international U17 camps where he got more opportunities he outperformed expectations. At the Hlinka, he scored 5 goals and an assist and displayed his hard shot and quick thinking. Williams possesses great speed, skill, and talent. If he can gain confidence and receive more opportunities then I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in contention for the 1st round of the draft.
Robertson is one of the youngest players in the draft class being only 4 days off of the September 15th cut off. Much like Josh Williams, he struggled at the beginning of the season until, unlike Williams, he was given more opportunities to succeed in a bigger role. Robertson began to score more goals and display his true talent. He is known for his competitive drive, high-level skating ability, and hands to match. He exploded in the Hlinka tournament scoring a hat-trick against Canada showing that when given the opportunity he could perform.
Ville Heinola – LD (Ässät U20, Jr. A SM-Liiga) – 181cm, 79kg – 33GP – 3G – 14A – 17TP
This new age mobile defenseman is highlighted by his elite poise and two-way abilities. Heinola skates, handles the puck, and plays with unmatched poise. He’s calm and composed with the puck and in the defensive zone. Heinola played in the Finnish U20 league and looks to play in the pro league with Lukko next year. He’s flown under the radar all year but if he can crack the pro roster then he will surely get more attention.
As a rookie playing for Drummondville, Simoneau played both the power play and penalty kill. He is a solid two way player with a lot of hockey sense. He’s regarded as one of the smartest players coming out of the QMJHL this year which is why he was played so heavily on the special team units. The hit on Simoneau is his size and is likely why he hasn’t gotten a lot of attention. As we see him more and people get past his size he will rise on everyone’s rankings.
Likhachyov is a highlight reel player that plans to play for Gatineau in the QMJHL. This year he was the 22nd pick in the CHL Import Draft after his stint playing in Russia’s U17 league. Likhachyov is known for his outstanding skill and talent with the puck. He’s got great hands and has the ability stickhandle with little space and get a shot off with his quick release. The hit on Likhachyov though is his skating and play away from the puck. His issue is that his feet can’t keep up with his hand. If he can work on his speed and complete game we are looking at a first round talent.
Do you have a sleeper for the upcoming draft? Let us know in the comments below!
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