Ash Glover
Well, here it is. Countless hours of viewing and head-scratching has lead to this…
MY FINAL Top 93 rankings for the 2020 NHL draft.
I knuckled down on this, dedicating nearly 15 months, moving the magnets as I evaluated and ranked accordingly. Many Camel plains and cups of coffee were consumed during it. This class is as deep as one can remember, with 55 prospects tracking at first round production. In contrast, just 28 last season were at that clip. Big difference. The Avalanche will have a slew of good choices at pick 25, so lets buckle up for draft day number one and see who is next to don the burgundy and blue.
Enjoy, my friends. Feel free to share and discuss.
Peterson is a strong big center who excels with the puck. He has good vision and poise when in the offensive zone and often slows the game down, churning his feet, waiting out the defense to find passing seams. He is a great game manager, sets the tempo of his line and drives the play. Great skater for his size and offers good stick-handling and puck protection. Doesn’t boast a huge shot or a killer instinct. He’s a good 200-foot power forward who is yet to grab that next gear offensively. Has good upside, but questions remain around his scoring output.
A small but dynamic winger, Crnkovic is an offensive weapon who can score just as well as he can pass. He’s super quick on the puck and makes his living sprinting down the wings and creating. He can pull up, curl or deke you in a flash, skating isn’t an issue at all. He’s great at surveying the middle of the ice and can dart passes through tight holes into dangerous areas. Crnkovic has got a quick snappy release that is accurate and he can finish from really tight angles. But being a lighter body, more strength will see it bare more weight. He’s got a good sense for finding holes in the defense and skates into dangerous areas with the puck, or without. His defensive awareness is above average and his skating makes up for any coverage or positional mishaps that may occur. Crnkovic needs to find a way to handle the physicality. Often he can get kept to the outside, at times shows a timidness to engage in scrums and sometimes doesn’t take the risk of getting to dirty net-front areas.
91. Theo Rochette – C – Québec Remparts
Another player who can be frustrating to watch, Rochette went from a potential first-round pick pre-season, but never built off his previous season. Even the change of scenery, going to Quebec, didn’t see him turn the corner and elevate. Rochette is a fantastic passer, one of the best in the 2020 crop. There aren’t many passes that he can’t make, the vision with Rochette is elite. Outside of that, his shot is ok. He’s got good hands and has a quick release but doesn’t get enough pucks on net. Mostly because his skating hasn’t elevated to the next level, either has his size. He struggles to skate into dangerous areas and can’t find it hard to keep up with stellar competition. He’s got a lot to work with, patience and patience.
A fast and smart mobile defenseman, Dion is the epitome of offense from the back-end. He’s a great skater with explosive speed and tears through the neutral zone with that speed and flashes of brilliance with the puck. Dion is fantastic leading the rush or creating the extra man. His shot is heavy and he gets it off quickly. He has great vision and his pace and direct attacks make for a lot of passing opportunities. He displays sound defensive positioning and isn’t afraid to close gaps to pressure attackers. He’s not a big kid, he does need to work on his one-on-one defensive strength and correct his decisions under duress in his own end.
Evangelista is a skillful winger who boasts high hockey IQ. He sees the ice well and often finds himself around the puck. He’s got good pace and wins a lot of loose pucks and interrupts the passing lanes well, his penalty kill work is impressive. Evangelista is a brilliant passer and is most effective when on the puck, he makes good decisions at a good rate of speed. He’s got a great release and is a lethal weapon when a man up. There is a lot of raw upside here, but he’s got to build some strength and work on puck security.
With one of the better releases and goal senses in the crop, Aimurzin, in my opinion, is heavily underrated. He’s a hard-working player in all three zones and often reaps rewards from that effort. Aimurzin is a constant in all three zones. He isn’t shy to engage on the back-check and is rather good at covering for pinching defenseman. Although not overly fast, he has good edge-work and good balance and holds his own against elite skaters. He doesn’t keep the puck on the tape for long, he processes the game around him quickly, either looking for good passes and good shooting opportunities. He works hard to find soft spots so that he let his sliiiick shot go. For me, he can try and push the pace a tad and make some forced plays and also, needs to find ways to drive the play, finding his own shots and distributing more. He’s got a lethal shot and shows solid compete, the rest is yet to come.
Kleven has the build, defensive game and raw enough upside to warrant attention. He’s ok offensively, he’s got a bomb for a shot and positions himself well, but it’s his defense that will get teams sniffing around him on draft day. His great positioning combined with his wingspan makes him a wall to get around. Kleven is a good skater for his size and has some good lateral movements and a strong balanced stride, aiding him in being a stout blue-line defender. He is not going to blow you away with the puck, but he makes good exits passes and shows poise when under pressure. If he can work out some offense and improve his skating, he could be a very good pick later round pick.
Puutio, the 2019 CHL import draft’s first-overall pick is on his way to the Liiga next season (by all reports). With him, he’ll be taking his impressive skills. Puutio I believe has a high ceiling, he’s just yet to put it all together. Offensively, Puutio has a fantastic shot, maybe the best one-timer of all the 2020 first-year eligible defenseman. He’s also a great skater, although not overly quick, he’s got a quick first step and clean long stride with decent lateral ability and edge-work. He’s got good awareness in attack and skates into the good areas to unleash his bomb. Puutio has a really good array of passes and when attacking shows poise in finding open passing lanes. Whilst he’s good positionally in his own end, Puutio can tend to panic even when in space and not make positive plays. There just isn’t the same confidence in defense with the puck that he should have. He’s great on the powerplay and can kill penalties, he’s not far off being a complete player.
Found a nice groove in Barrie after an early-season trade from Flint. Vierling is a fantastic playmaker with great passing vision and poise on the puck. He can make just as lethal passes either handed and isn’t limited to playing his strong side. He’s got a hard but accurate shot and has deft hands around the net. Although he’s not an elite skater, Vierling is a hard worker and with or without the puck he’s always seeking advantageous positions. Vierling is smart defensively and rarely drifts out of position. Displays a good active stick and works angles well to close off passing lanes. Excited to see what he can do in his DY+1. Expect a big one.
Finland’s best prospect in net, Blomqvist plays well for his size. He’s technically sound and tracks the puck well. He has solid lateral movements and has good rebound control. Can be prone to some mental errors, but makes up for it with the odd spectacular highlight-reel save.
Had a big rise this season. Despite 2021 eligible Jesper Wallstedt garnering most of the attention in the goalie ranks, Clang had a superb SuperElit season and excelled when called upon internationally. He’s got good size at 6’2″” and covers a lot of area laterally, great glove hand.
Stranges is a guy who just leaves me wanting more. He’s flashy and fun to watch and can be ever-present in a game, but it just doesn’t produce the fruit I think it should. The biggest plus with Stranges is his skating, the 10-2 technique works very well for him. He’s got deceptive speed and the angles and cuts he’s able to make are incredible. With the puck, he’s got great play-making ability. The elusiveness combined with poise and vision makes for a player who can not only maneuver around the ice well but also see all the passing lanes and soft spots available to them. He’s got great hands and his soft one-touch passes are neat. For me, an issue is his efforts away from the puck and his willingness to engage physically. Also, is his play style translatable?
81. Dmitri Ovchinnikov – C/W – Sibirskie
Ovchinnikov is an intriguing prospect. He’s one of the better offensive weapons in the draft, but he’s more defense first and an opportunist in the attack. Ovchinnikov has fantastic senses all over the ice and plays very well in the system as required. He’s constantly aware defensively and positions himself where the puck will be and is often the deepest forward. It’s off his defense where he builds his offense, Ovchinnikov often trails the play as he’s often deeper in the d-zone, but he’s quick and smart enough to catch up and has smarts to skate into good scoring areas. He’s got a great shot and has a very quick, whippy shot that surprises many goalies. He’s fast, but has limited lateral moves and thus can be thwarted in navigating bodies when entering the offensive zone. He needs to build some core and leg strength in order to fix that, also will help him with strength over the puck, as he is prone to being run off it from time to time. I’d like to see some more play drive and cleaner distribution.
80. Oskar Magnusson – C/W – Malmö Redhawks J20
A center/winger, Magnusson is an energetic two-way player who covers a tonne of ice. He’s got fantastic hockey sense and is always in good positions in all three zones. Offensively he’s poised and great and finding space in order to allow his fellow forwards to skate into good scoring areas. Magnusson is a good skater and can create separation with his speed and is deceptive with his elusiveness. He’s got a good shot, mostly stronger from distance and has a good one-timer from the circles. He’s an aggressive penalty killer who pursues the point of attack and is lethal when streaking the other way.
A fantastic exponent of scoring off the rush, McClennon is a fantastic finisher. He’s got great vision and is able to skate his way into good open spots on the ice and score. He can either beat you with his snapper or take it to the net. I really like McClennon’s scoring upside. He’s got a long-clean stride that doesn’t need much work if anything, I’d like to see some more explosiveness. He’s pretty handy on the back-check and uses those anticipation skills to cut off passing lanes and read the play. He had a shortened season but still managed 15 even-strength goals in 42 games. McClennon is 5’8″” and slight at 157lbs, but he’s a late June birthday so he’s got some time to grow and gain weight.
Hunt is a good skater, not amazing speed but good edges and has decent separation speed. Has a great defensive stick and will engage physically when required. Has a sneaky ability to jump into the offensive zone, patrol the blueline and unleash his big clapper. Needs some work on his puck rushing and puck skill abilities but his first pass is usually good from his own end. Hunt has good positioning in his own zone, he can get caught out sometimes over committing and jumping gaps but is smart and agile enough to cover. I think Hunt has all the tools to be a good middle pairing defenseman, he will need to find some more consistency and creativity, missing a lot of time this season to injury didn’t help him grow, could be ranked higher.
Pashin is a highly-skilled but small (5’7″”- 155lbs) scoring winger, who has question marks. What’s to like? He’s got a good shot release, he’s a really good skater with speed and elusiveness, a great sense for finding good scoring areas and is constantly buzzing on his skates in all three zones disrupting the passing lanes. What I dislike for one is the effort at times. He doesn’t really follow up the play or doesn’t follow his shot in, he often just… stops. At times his shot selection is questionable and the accuracy itself is often varied. Trailing the play hoping to get sprung is a dangerous game, I’d like to see that same compete he shows offensively in his own end. Overall, I love his skills, it’s just a matter of getting the brain to match the feet in order for Pashin to become an effective pro.
Smooth moving defender who is proving to be building a solid two-way game. He’s a big mobile guy who is sound defensively and displays good cap control. Uses his big frame well to disrupt players entering the zone and uses his wingspan well to clog passing lanes. He has a good first pass and is elusiveness enough to comfortably exit the zone by foot. He has the puck skills and protection to be a good transition skater. Has a big point shot and gets solid powerplay and penalty kill time. Lacks high-end skills and some hockey smarts, but… he’s doing good things in the NCAA at such a young age, but what exactly is his ceiling?
Kerins, a natural goal-scoring 200-foot center is someone who I am tipping to be a quality mid-round steal. Kerins is fantastic around the net and gets a lot of goals through hard work and good placement around the slot. He’s got a rocket of a shot and doesn’t need much time to let it go. When distributing, Kerins shows good poise and doesn’t rush plays if they don’t develop, he’d rather slow plays down and churn the feet in order to find passing lanes. Defensively he shows good positioning with both body and stick and offers great support to pinching defenders. He’s fantastic at faceoffs and useful on both special teams. He plays well above his size but needs to fill out his frame and gain a quicker first step.
Cuylle is one of the better two-way power wingers in the 2020 class. Cuylle has good speed for his 6’2″” – 200lbs frame and has a well-balanced stride and good skating posture. His fantastic leg drive allows him to drive hard from the next-to-no start and fight off defenders. Cuylle doesn’t have high-end puck-skills but he has got a rocket for a shot and high-end hockey smarts. He works into good scoring areas, dirty or soft. He’s able to create his own space if need be or skate into soft areas. Cuylle is a good play reader and it shows when it comes to his neutral zone defense. He’s able to close holes and controls gaps well and is physical enough to stand you up. Displays a good active stick in all three zones and is mobile and smart enough to disrupt passes and clog lanes. Cuylle has a translatable skill-set that should bode well at the next level.
Much like his brother Alex, Tuch is a big powerful winger who keeps you honest every shift. He’s great at cleaning up around the crease and has soft deft hands in tight. Tuch boasts a big shot and isn’t afraid to let it go either, but he just doesn’t bomb away, he’s strong on the puck and has great balance, seeing him find good scoring areas. Hard on the fore-check and hard to navigate in the neutral zone, once he finds some more speed and senses in his own end, Tuch looks to be a solid power forward who projects well at the next level.
Ripped up the AJHL for 99 points (53 goals) in just 54 games, he was simply too good for the competition. Savoie is a natural scorer who has a bevy of ways to find twine. He can beat you off the rush, blasting a one-timer from the top circles and drive the net and roof it. For someone who is 5’11″”, he’s got good leg drive and often out-bodies bigger opponents on his way to the net. Savoie has great offensive awareness and finds good scoring areas with regularity. He’s more suited and plays better when he’s entering the zone in possession. The concerns with Savoie are… severe. He can be totally at sea without the puck and gets totally disinterested if the play doesn’t go his way. Often doesn’t show an intensity when back-checking and gets caught out cheating in the defensive zone. There is no doubt Savoie is an elite offensive prospect, it’s just a matter if he can/wants to put everything else together.
71.Samuel Knazko – LHD – TPS U20
One of the better skating defensemen in the draft, Knazko has silently put together a stellar season playing Jr. A in Finland. Knazko has great edge-work and speed, he can cover the ice quickly both north/south or laterally. He’s got a fluid stride and has one of the better separation steps too. With the puck, Knazko is extremely poised in all three zones. He makes smart sound passes and knows how to navigate into clean ice. He’s got several gears, he can play at a ferocious pace skating the puck up ice or can slow it down and create patiently. Knazko has a great shot and combined with his skating and great puck skills, can walk into high danger areas and let go of his lethal shot. His shot warrants a lot respect and opens up passing opportunities off of it.
Hardly spoken about nor ranked, Hardie has come on leaps and bounds this season. The former Barrie Colts midget star is a skilled left-winger saw a jump of 40 points from his rookie campaign and managed to bag 34 goals, 23 of which were at even strength. With Hardie you get a skilled winger who has a great shot, fantastic puck skills and a mix of north/south speed and lateral ability. Hardie also goes in hard on the forecheck and as a skill player is effective in using his pace and angles to force the puck carrier into mistakes. He’s most effective skating in off the wing and letting his wrister zing into the top corners and receiving the puck in-flight cutting through the middle. Hardie can also play a variety of positions in your system. He drifts wing to wing, can control the point and isn’t afraid to get down to the net-front and bash around. He’s gotta be more decisive in his own zone with the puck and find ways to position himself a bit better when he’s away from the play. There isn’t much wrong with his game and he’s recognized that, which as always, is a bonus.
Francis has excellent play-making ability due to his stellar vision, good skating, and soft hands. When in the offensive zone, Francis has stellar poise and can make excellent passes off either his forehand and backhand on either wing. He works hard to battle to find the good ice and his constant passing threat leaves him shooting open lanes. He’s good a quick snappy release and elevates the puck well when in close proximity to the net. He needs to get a bit stronger and show more effort defensively.
Powell is a terrific two-way defenseman who may have one of the more intriguing upsides of any defender in 2020. Powell’s biggest asset is his smarts. When it comes to positioning and anticipation in all three zones, you could argue he’s probably the most rounded defender. Offensively, Powell has a niche at being able to jump into holes when trailing the play and finding space in which to get a shot off. He’s poised running the point and is good at finding both open passing and shooting lanes. In his own end, Powell is confident in jumping passes and closing gaps in order to create turnovers. He is calm under pressure in his own zone and rarely makes a panicked decision. There is no question Powell knows his way around the ice, he’s smart and a good skater. For my liking, he just lacks a bit of strength when engaged, some overall consistency and he could add some polish to his skating. Once he gets it all together, he’s going to be VERY good.
Benning is a solid all-around defender who’s had a rapid rise this season, everything just came together for him at the right time. Benning has good hockey sense and in all three zones is rarely out of position and tracks the puck well. He’s a technically sound skater with great posture. He closes gaps with ease and has a solid base that sees him hard to knock off balance. Never backs down from contact and is willing to take a hit in order to make a play. Benning has good puck control and is a very capable transition man from the back end. At this stage, the questions around Benning are about his high-end skills, in particular shooting and passing. He’s got it between the ears in bucket-loads, how much more does he have to give? Especially against tougher competition. Either way, Benning has a good upside, will be a matter of patience.
Foudy is somewhat frustrating. He’s probably the best skater in North America and that doesn’t convert to more points. He’s got an effortless stride and hits top gear in a camera flash. He’ll enter the zone in full flight and eat up ice in front of defense before they even know it, obliterating gaps. What my issue with Foudy is, I think that he just tries a tad too hard. Sometimes he can skate himself into a corner or deep into the zone and force himself into a poor decision. It’s not so much that he’s too far ahead of the play, it’s the question making when under duress. He’s prone to over handling the puck and doesn’t necessarily seek outlets as much as he could, thus creating sometimes unnecessary turnovers. He’s got great hands and boasts a really good shot, he’s just got to find ways to utilize it more and find consistency.
Jarventie spent the best part of the season playing men’s league pro-hockey in the Mestis and he didn’t disappoint. Jarventie has one of the most, if not the best range of shot variations in the class. Playing off his wing, Jarventie can either drive you to the net with his big 6’2″” frame or cut inside and dangle his way into the slot and score. The speed in which the puck travels off his stick is insane. He’s more than capable of creating offense too, not just be on the receiving end. Jarventie has solid puck control and is extremely balanced on his skates. When in the neutral zone has good lateral movements that see him able to shift around the defense and open up the ice ahead of him in order to create. For me, some more willingness to get dirty and defensive awareness will go along way to see him become a more solid, less peripheral player.
Berard is a gritty little winger with good skills. He’s very young and just days away from 2021 eligibility and in parts, it shows, but he’s held himself well being 17 for what would have been his full draft season. Berard is a fast-agile skater who’s got fantastic hockey sense. When not in possession of the puck, Berard has a good sense of where the puck will be and skates into good areas. With the puck, Berard can be very slippery. When facing being cut off entering the offensive zone, Berard uses his low center and edge work to shift around would-be defenders and enters the zone in a myriad of angles. He’s got a good release and deceptive weight to his shot. Berard plays way above his size and goes in hard into the corners and to the net front. He’s a natural scorer who will only benefit from some size and tougher competition.
63.. Anton Johannesson – LHD – HV71 J20
A power-play driver and elusive blue-liner, Johannesson is as raw as they come. Limited last season and partly this season due to injury, Johannesson is a pass-first defenseman who excels in driving play. He’s a fantastic skater with lovely edge-work and has no problems carrying the puck end-to-end. He’s got a great wrist shot and when in the offensive zone dances his way into open shooting lanes. Johannesson has it between the ears also. For an aggressive offensive blue-liner, he makes smart pinches and is always in dangerous but smart positions. The downside to Johannesson is unfortunately, he’s pretty bad in his own end. He’s got the smarts, he just struggles with physicality. He’s 5’8″” and lucky to be 154lbs as listed. He doesn’t engage his opponents and when stuck in board or corner battles and has a tendency to turn it over rather easily. He’s got A LOT of weight to put on before he’s worthy of serious NHL consideration, but he’s got incredible raw upside that many teams will fall in love with.
Sturdy right-hander with good mobility for his size. Displays good two-way ability. Jumps into the rush well and pushes the pace well from the back end. Great stick defender who uses his frame well when faced with one-on-one situations. Shows flashes of good nous offensively and can perform well in the cycle.
Torgersson is a big but raw scoring winger with what I’d say is intriguing, exciting upside. He’s mobile and agile for his 6’3″” – 205lbs frame, thinks the game through at a high pace and has a very good finish on a variety of shots. He’s capable of playing either wing and can shoot off of either. I like his support play, he’s often around the puck and skates his way into spots where he’ll have scoring openings. Torgesson has sound defensive awareness and displays an active stick over 200-feet. Too often Torgersson shy’s away from contact even when he has a chance to advance or win the puck. Also too, he can get sloppy with the puck on his stick and sometimes harder passes aren’t received all that well. He’s a solid passer and sees the ice well, he just doesn’t make enough plays that his skill-set should allow. Torgersson has intriguing size and good offensive upside, he just needs molding and correction.
He’s had injury troubles so far this season, but when healthy Smilanic is a joy on ice. He’s got great hockey sense and has fantastic skating ability, making him a buzzsaw over 200-feet. Smilanic is one of the hardest working forwards in the class, he’s always on his skates looking for the puck. He’s got great separation speed and great balance making for someone who has superior puck protection. For Smilanic, I’d like to see him develop more shot variety and add some strength to his frame to help him finish off some more scoring chances.
A dependable two-way defenseman, Viro was able to crack the Liiga this season and made a good impact. He’s a jack of all trades but a master of none. Offensively Viro is limited but makes sound decisions and does some pretty things. With possession, he’s more than happy to chip and chase if there’s nothing on rather than force something that simply isn’t there. Also likes to work the puck down the walls and zip passes into high danger areas. Defensively has great positioning and never seems flustered. Anticipates the play well and closes passing and shooting lanes down. Viro is confident enough to close his gaps and initiate contact at the blue-line and rarely does so without effect. When exiting the zone is calm and makes a good first pass. Viro is a clean effortless skater, although not overly quick. Has an accurate wrist and point shot but needs some more oomph.
The young Czech is a wizard with the puck on his stick. He’s a terrific passer and has all the passes in his bag of tricks. He’s got great vision and needs little space or time in order to create and excels in finding seems through to the slot from the perimeter. He’s a good skater who plays at a high pace and thinks the game through just as quick. His shot gets on you quick and has great accuracy. One thing I’d like to see more from Novák is the ability to win his own pucks and more attacks at the net. He’s a great peripheral player, I just want to see more dynamic play around the slot and high-danger areas.
Pytlik is a physical forward who has great hands down low and from the circles in. Around the net and in the slot he’s constantly battling and searching for pucks, making a nuisance of himself. Pytlik is a good skater with good speed and balance and when in possession is hard to stop, especially in transition. Pytlik loves to drive deep into the offensive zone and create off of his ability to draw multiple defenders due to his size and willingness to skate into dangerous areas. He isn’t a primary distributor nor is he an overly dangerous scorer, as reflected in his primary and IPP stats. He’s got enough size and raw ability that he’ll have teams intrigued, but for me, he has a ceiling as middle-six complimentary piece at NHL level.
O’Rourke is a physical and smart defenseman who when in his own end, rarely makes errors. He’s in your face and isn’t afraid to close his gap to make contact. He is solid on the walls and makes himself a nuisance for oncoming attackers, he can sometimes over commit and get a bit loose with initial positioning but he’s smart and agile enough to cover most of his mistakes. O’Rourke has a clean first pass and isn’t shy to skate it out himself. He’s got good mobility and speed and has shown quick lateral movements in small doses. He’s got a heavy point shot that is developing and his passing and vision have improved. Whilst he has a bit to go to find his game offensively, O’Rourke is a stout defender who is only getting better and stronger with age.
On what is a loaded roster, it could have been easy for Tullio to slip back into the fold, but instead, he kept on trucking. He added eight pounds of muscle in the off-season, grew two-inches and improved his skating, surely that helped? Tullio is very good with the puck and has, in my opinion, one of the better releases in the OHL. He’s got a very quick release and with Tullio, has deceptive weight behind his shot. Tullio has solid play-making abilities and shows poise on the puck and makes good decisions. I love his effort on the fore-check and willingness to engage in physical battles. He blends good shooting, play-making ability and compete into a solid two-way center package.
One of the season’s most dominant juniors, Miettinen is a talented and gifted play-maker. Not only is he an offensive dynamo with his shot, stick-handling and skating ability, but he’s also proven to have a true puck sense over 200-feet. He’s killed penalties this season and been very dangerous in doing so. He’s a fantastic reader of the play and often skates himself into positions that will see him be able to either impact plays or find a soft spot in order to score. I love the fact he’s heading to St.Cloud too, upping the challenge for himself in a tough league that is the NCAA. Sure he’s small, but he’s an extremely smart player who doesn’t need to be physical nor need a lot of space in order to be an effective playmaker.
Poirier is an outstanding skater, has fantastic up-ice vision and possesses a shot that some forwards would craaaave. However, he’s at his best when trailing the play, jumping in to create the extra and finish. Defensively, he needs to be a bit more decisive in his own end and be a bit more reliable. Besides this, he’s only 18 and has a tonne of room to grow. The offense is all there, just more time needed to polish him up.
One of the most balanced and most complete forwards in the class, Neighbours is a hybrid-type forward who can be called upon to play any kind of role. He can be the puck hound, going out shift by shift applying pressure on the puck handler and making turnovers. He just doesn’t turn the puck over for others, rather, win his own battle and create transition offense. He’s got a big powerful stride and brilliant evasiveness, making him hard to contain. He cycles lower defensively than most forwards and is willing to engage at or below the net level to win the puck back. He’s got an accurate shot that isn’t overly heavy, but he’s smart and strong and skates his way to soft areas in order to finish. An underrated passer who has a knack for creating beautiful angles upon zone entry, leaving open passing lanes. He’s a beauty.
Farrell is a 5’9″ versatile forward who pretty much does everything well. His size shouldn’t be an issue. He’s elusive, well balanced and finds the soft spots well. Farrell has a fantastic release and often finds holes in behind the first wave and on the periphery in order to score. He’s got good defensive positioning and has seen PK minutes this season, something that will help with his anticipatory skill as a key forward.
Cormier is a fast and creative blue-liner who excels with the puck on his blade. He’s deceivingly quick and has great separation speed, seeing him be able to skate out of the zone and away from trouble with ease. Cormier has patience and poise with the puck and even though he plays at a rapid pace, he makes good decisions and quickly. Defensively he’s good positionally and has decent gap control. He’s got some work to do on building a better shot and has some iron to pump to be more effective at the next level.
Sourdiff has had a nice little rise post-Christmas. He’s not overly flashy, fast or in possession of high-end skill, but he’s quietly amassed 22 even-strength goals this season. Anytime he skates it into the zone he looks to deke his way into a shooting lane and snap a quick shot off. More known for his effort and compete, he’s got a sound hockey IQ and finds himself in the good areas in all three zones. He’s a high compete player who is a perfect foil for an offensive-minded center.
Barron was very much touted as a top-20 pick coming into the season, but a blood clot shut him down in early December. It’s unfortunate, as Barron was perhaps going to play himself into being the second blue-liner selected in the 2020 draft. He’s 6’3″ and as mobile as they come. Soundly responsible in his own end, Barron has a great nose for the puck and closes attackers down with confidence. He’s probably the most comfortable at his position under duress too, he can skate it out of the zone himself or stay composed, shield the puck and find an outlet up ice. Whilst the offensive capability isn’t elite, mobility and skating are. He should transition well into a 20 minute a night, all-situation guy.
The second-overall pick in the 2019 CHL import draft, Chromiak came into the OHL with pro-league experience and it showed. The crafty Slovak forward piled up 33 points in just 28 games. He has excellent poise on the puck and controls the pace of the game when the puck is on his stick. He’s got a heavy shot and at or below net level, works hard to put pucks on net. He’s got good edge work and has a beautiful looking stride, although not quick, he gallops along at an even pace.
Robins had a nice little outburst this season, partly due to his skating catching up to his vision and smarts. Robins is a solid two-way center who now is seeing the fruits of his solid off-season work. Offensively Robins is an aggressive attacker. Robins has great vision and skates into holes well with or without possession. He’s got great stickhandling skills and can dance his way through a defense. Robins has a short but whippy release that catches you out, it’s deceptive. Robins displays good distribution skills and can switch gears, whilst making good passes. Even for a smaller frame, Robins isn’t afraid to win his own pucks and help out deep in his own zone in an attempt to create offense.
After losing last season to a knee injury, Niederbach had a nice bounce back. He led Sweden in the five-nations tournament and stamped his mark with powerhouse Frölunda in the SuperElit. I really like his skills as a center. He thrives with the puck on his stick and when in the offensive zone has incredible vision and patience. Niederbach has a quick release and a deceptive heavy shot that is accurate. He has underrated puck skills and skating ability and can weave his way through a defense effortlessly. He’s brilliant passing off the shot and uses fakes and deceptive body movements well to disguise so. He isn’t overly fast (even when fully healthy) or boasts high-end puck skills, Niederbach just does a lot of things well. He has a high IQ and his poise shows a young man with a cool, no-panic approach to his craft.
A big mobile defenseman who excels in pushing the puck up ice. He’s 6’4″” and skates effortlessly through all three zones. He’s most effective when he is in possession of the puck exiting his zone. A long powerful stride coupled with fantastic up ice vision allows Jurmo to travel coast to coast with regularity. Once in the offensive zone, he’ll delay, survey his options and makes what usually is the best decision. He’s got a developing shot but being a shooter isn’t his true port of call. Jurmo is a pass-first defenseman. In his own end, he holds his own physically and patrols passing lanes well. What isn’t so good is the fact that when in his own end, he can get flat-footed and lose assignments and sometimes get caught defending too high.
Greig is an on the edge winger/center with great stick-handling, high-end skating and compete level. He’s a pass-first player who thinks ahead of the game and makes smart decisions. Has a good release and the accuracy on his shot surprises some. Greig loves to get physical with opposing players and isn’t afraid to up his tempo in terms of intensity when needed. Fantastic neutral zone player who displays a keen active stick and loves to jump passes with contact to see the puck separate.
Gushchin has been an elite scorer in every league he’s played in, at all ages (including international level). I don’t think the USHL will be the last league he’ll excel in either. Gushchin has near-elite puck-handling status and has an elite release from anywhere around the circles and in. For a smaller player, he is a handful. When entering and in the zone, he’s incredibly hard to retrieve the puck from due to his puck skills, low center of gravity and nifty edge work. Gushchin is a constant worker who isn’t selfish and is always looking to make the right play, either by shooting or finding the correct passing option. One issue I’ve noticed is that he can get a bit loose by over-committing defensively and leaving holes in behind him, nothing major, just a correction that needs to be made.
A smart and skilled forward, Ponomaryov is a relentless attacker who excels in the offensive zone. He’s got great separation speed and often finds himself ahead of the play with time to survey and create. He’s great shooting off the rush and has a heavy, accurate wrist shot. Besides not having a wealth of upper body strength, he displays constant compete and never quits on a play.
The leader of this year’s USDP forward crop, the diminutive Bordeleau boasts some good blood-lines and a playmaker ability, the latter being his best trait. Whenever he touches the circles with the puck on the stick, he’s got the green light. What I love about his game is the strength to take middle ice and fight off body and stick-checks in order to gain a better shooting position. He’s got a great center of balance and can slip through and around checks. He’s got great vision up-ice and has an array of passes, especially off the shot. Some added strength and better sense of cycling in defensive schemes will do him good.
A late bloomer, Heineman came out of nowhere this season. Never overly prolific, he’s made a name for himself now. A genuine scoring winger, Heineman has a lighting release and wheels to match. He’s lethal playing off either wing and has great senses as to where the puck will be and skates hard to find it. With the puck, he flys down the walls and picks his entry spots and attacks the gap hard. He’s a good puck protector and transitions effortlessly from backhand to forehand. Great passer of the shot. Fantastic powerplay weapon. Needs to find some more defensive consistency and ways to involve himself when the game isn’t going his way.
A fast-offense first winger, Simontaival boasts a great shot and deft touch in attack. He’s always aiming to skate into holes, with or without the puck. Not the biggest player, but makes up for it by getting involved by displaying an active stick and digging for pucks. Needs to work on the defensive aspects, as he can often get too far up ice and leave the play behind. Concerns have been raised about his size at the next level.
Not only has he got a sick name, but he’s also got a game to match it. He’s got a stocky 5’10″” frame and plays bigger than he’s listed as on paper. He doesn’t have elite high-end skating or puck skills, but he excels in effort and 200-foot awareness. Wiesblatt is a great scoring threat from the circles and in when receiving a pass and has developing play-making skills. Whilst he may not boast major hockey IQ, he’s a pest on the ice and always around the puck looking to generate offense. He’s fantastic in transition and uses deft direction and speed changes in order to navigate through the neutral zone.
A gifted two-way defenseman, Niemelä has made the transition to Liiga very comfortably. A great skater, Niemelä can skate his way out of trouble and also cover a lot of ice laterally. He’s clean with the puck and usually makes a clean exit pass or picks his spot and carries it out. The offense looks like it’s coming along, his shot has improved and he’s looking to find ways to be a bit more of a primary distributor when in possession. There’s no real flash to his game, but it’s also pretty mistake-free. Looks like a solid middle-pair all situation player at the next level.
Nybeck may be smaller in stature, but he has a big game. A fast in-your-face winger, Nybeck has a myriad of talents that negate his small frame. He’s normally faster, more elusive and more balanced on his skates than his peers, you can’t hit what you can’t see! He plays at an extreme tempo and makes good decisions in a blink of an eye. Besides having an excellent, well-documented wrist shot, Nybeck is no slouch in his own end. He has a stout understanding of the game and is rarely out of position. I love his ability to read the play and find the soft spots and finish, he’s a legit goal-scorer that deserves attention.
Villeneuve has taken the opportunity by the horns this season, making a name for himself on a young Sea Dogs team. He’s a quality right-handed two-way defenseman, with stronger offensive upside. He averaged more primary points-per-game than partner Jeremie Poirier and had a better IPP this season. He hasn’t the same game-breaking shot or game-breaking presence, but he’s just as creative. He’s got a fantastic arsenal of passes and skates into dangerous areas, looking to finish. Often drawing tough defensive assignments, Villeneuve is often up to the task and logs heavy minutes. He’s one of my favorite defenders and may just be the steal of the second round.
Hirvonen is a fast-thinking and fast-paced attacker who boasts high-end attacking skills. He’s always cycling and moving in the zone trying to find passing and shooting lanes, he’s relentless yet patient. He isn’t just all patience and passing, he’s not afraid to go into the corners or get to the net battles and engage. Really like his defensive efforts. He’s shown on numerous occasions that he’s aggressive in containing the man, without over-committing. Plays all situations and looks like he’s set to flourish as a two-way center in his second Liiga season.
Big and physical, Guhle is a terrific skater and plays a very solid defensive game. Displays fantastic gap control and stout overall defensive awareness. He isn’t afraid to jump a play to make a hit or aggressively attack the puck with his stick. He’s great under pressure and when in his own zone possesses a good first pass. He does the simple things well and hardly makes errors. I’m not that sold that he’s got a great upside. He’s got limited upside offensively and shows varying forms of inconsistency when tasked to be creative. He needs to find ways to incorporate offense into his game. Boom or bust.
A big winger with a deft scoring touch, Colangelo gives you a great 200-foot effort every game. He’s got a myriad of ways to score, whether it’s cutting inside and finishing or getting to the net front and tipping pucks, he’s a natural scorer. He’s got really good puck skills and often displays a willingness to distribute if the shot isn’t there. Loves to win his own pucks too, he’s not afraid to patrol the neutral zone and make contact in order to create a loose puck. He’s an above-average skater who seems to have improved his stride this season. Colangelo is off to the NCAA next, where I think his game style will shine.
A fantastic north/south skater, Gunler has an impressive skill-set. He can weave his way through just about any defense with his speed and lateral movement. Gunler has probably the quickest and smoothest release of all the Swedish forwards, it’s actually effortless, the accuracy is still coming. His passing is rather impressive also, the speed he possesses along the walls keeps opposing defenders guessing, they have to decide whether to defend the slick passes inboard or allow him to advance into the zone further. Commit levels are a question. He can defend well, it’s just a matter of consistency.
Mysak made the jump to the OHL mid-season after tearing up at the international level and in the Czech Extraliga. The crafty forward fit right in, producing at an above point-per-game pace. He has great poise in the offensive zone, solid puck retention skills and a great nose for driving inside and finishing. He’s terrific with the puck and has all the traits to be a versatile play-maker. He is great at opening up shooting lanes with the constant passing threat and can finish with his quick, strong wrister. Mysak shows bursts of speed but should look to improve his stride in order to maintain it.
A big and strong puck-moving two-way defenceman, Wallinder is a specimen. He’s got a huge reach and can bat and steal pucks off the blue-line like it’s nothing. He’s at ease skating the puck up-ice and does so with purpose. He’s got a long stride and powers over the top of the ice. For such a big guy, he’s got the edge-work to escape tight spaces and is very elegant in changing direction. He’s super confident in his body and isn’t afraid to engage anyone at any time, nor should he. Wallinder is very smart offensively. Whilst he doesn’t have a booming point shot, he’s patient enough to hold onto the puck and wait for net-front traffic and look for tip-ins. He’s also excellent at walking off the blue-line and finding soft spots in the zones. He’s a big fan of the give-and-go and is skilled enough to walk through a defense and finish at close proximity. For me, I’d like to see some more shot velocity and purpose on the point shot and just some more recognition of his positioning in his own end. It’s almost like he’s too busy processing what to do offensively and gets caught napping.
“He’s a shoot-first winger with a sick release and has a shot with weight and accuracy. He’s not a great skater nor is he fast, but he’s growing an impressive frame and he’s strong, so he’s hard to dislodge the puck from. He’s got some dangles too, which helps ease the lack of pace and laterals, he can easily go between your legs or around you. He gets stuck defensively sometimes due to his skating, but he does show good anticipation and can jump pucks in the neutral zone.”””
Fast and feisty, Peterka held his own in the DEL this season. The winger showcased several times the pure flash that gives him the ability to push a defense back and create off the rush. When streaming down the half-wall with space, he’s got great passing vision and sets up a lot of offense. He’s also a tenacious back-checker and that speed and compete makes for good penalty killing make-up. He’s got a really good release, but sometimes gets caught shooting from the outside and from congested areas too often. I’d like to see some more poise in timing his shots and a willingness to battle for center ice.
Brisson is one of the Chicago Steel’s three-headed monster that we’ll look over. I love his upside, that’s why he gets the nod ahead Farrell and Colangelo. He lit the World Jr. A challenge-up for 12 points and has been stellar in the USHL this season, showcasing many skills that see him ranked highly for me. Brisson’s shot is fantastic. His one-timer and wrist shot are high caliber and he’s got fast but soft hands meaning he can get his shot off very very quickly. Brisson also loves to carry the puck into the offensive zone and work his way into prime shooting positions, he’s a good skater with solid lateral movements and has good to great puck skills, allowing him to do so. He’s got good play-maker sense and is an excellent passer off the rush. He’s strong on his skates and protects the puck well.
26. Tyson Foerster – RW – Barrie Colts
Foerster has been one of my big risers this season. He’s transformed from a scrawny 5’9″ rookie year frame to nearly a 6’0″ and 195lbs man by his second year. He’s rejuvenated the Colts this season along with Evan Vierling. Foerster is one of the draft’s premier scorers, he has one of the best one-timers and senses as where to find the space in order to get the puck on net. He needs little space or encouragement to shoot, a true goal scorer’s toolkit and mentality. He’s improved his skating too which should see him be able to contribute more when in the cycle and help him develop some more play driving ability.
For me, the second-best Swedish blue-liner in the class. A physically mature, offensive defenseman, there’s a lot to like when it comes to Grans. He skates really hard, has a really good shot from the point and has a laser for a pass. He has been showing more promise in skating with the puck in transition and finding holes in which to penetrate. He does a really good job in the offensive zone in retaining the puck and finding passing and shooting lanes, he’s a craftsman with patience and silk. He does tend to get somewhat over-eager defending his line, almost like he wants to create instant turnovers instead of just playing the system and sticking to his gaps. If he can just relax, use some more stable gap control and stop looking for things that aren’t there, he’ll be a stud for a long time.
Undersized at 5’8″” but skates effortlessly in all three zones and has rather good leg and core strength. He’s super quick and has great edge work, making him a missile out there. He backs himself 100% of the time rushing up ice with or without the puck. He’s an excellent passer both from a flat stance or at full tilt. When it comes to shooting, he’s got a heavy point shot that he is patient with, he’ll walk the line, working himself open to find a shooting lane. He’s the ideal guy to lead your power-play and be the defender to dive in on the rush to create the extra. In his own end, he doesn’t shy away from contact AT ALL. He can actually surprise you with his contact initiation at the blue-line.
Somewhat an older-school type defender, Schneider isn’t going to win you games with three-point nights, nor will he lose you games. He’s very sturdy in his own end and displays fantastic gap control and enough physicality to bump you off the puck. He’s got great poise with the puck and doesn’t make rushed decisions. He’s not fast, but he’s got an inept ability to keep the feet moving and find the soft pockets and set-up from the back end. He’s got a good shot and has some mid to high-end passing ability, but it’s his work without the puck and in his own end that makes him special. He may be a safer pick, but there is nothing wrong with that. He’s got a bring strong frame and will be a team’s Mr. Dependable in the near future.
Khusnutdinov just never stops. He is a constant threat through the neutral zone and in the offensive zone, he’s a very dangerous skater and can turn and curl on a dime. He’s super agile and with the puck is almost unstoppable. He loves involving his wingers and defenders in the cycle. he’s happy to get to the point or the corner to keep the puck and himself moving. I love his little drop-offs to the winger along the wall and the cut inside, shot loaded. He’s got one of the best one-timers in the class and has a stick backhand and wrister. He’s got great leg strength and isn’t afraid to drive you to the net in order to score. Fantastic at the dot and has a physical edge.
The second of our German boys shows his face here in my rankings, Lukas Reichel. The skilled winger blends great hockey senses, solid skating, and great hands into a wicked concoction. Reichel gets a boatload of scoring chances in dangerous areas. He’s able to cut off his wing with the puck or stream down the middle in order to get into those areas. He’s got a great shot and he doesn’t waste it. Reichel is patient when picking his spots and is skilled enough to work his way around the defense in order to get a better look. He’s got great speed and he’s got a long clean stride and when he’s going downhill is very hard to stop. Reichel shows good defensive awareness and isn’t shy to lay the body to break up an attack or go deep into his own zone to battle for pucks.
A powerful forward, Holloway is a puck beast. He’s got a big frame and is in no way afraid to use it. He’s most effective when on the fore-check. He goes in hard, wins the battles and uses poise and skill to retain the puck, in order to make the best available play. For a bigger guy, Holloway’s skating is rather impressive. He has a big stride and above average lateral movement with fantastic balance. Throw it all together, you have size, puck security, and creativity. This makes for a dynamic player in the zone who is growing his shot. Another season or two at Wisconsin will do him good.
Concussion derailment aside, Hendrix Lapierre has all the high-end skills needed to be a great play-maker at the NHL level. Fears already surround his future, but I can evaluate him on his body of work and how it would translate. He’s as creative and gifted as just about anyone in the 2020 class. An elite passer and talisman with the puck, Lapierre is lethal in the offensive zone. High IQ blended with soft hands sees him be able to make difficult passes look easy. No real lethal shot as such, but he has a way of just tracking the puck and finding clean, close shooting areas. He’s not huge nor explosive, but he gets to a lot of pucks first purely due to his anticipatory skill. He’s a guy that just gets what’s needed doing at a high level without a true weakness. God bless him, let’s hope we get to see Hendrix again soon.
Zary, who is one of the older guys, in my opinion, is the second-best two-way center available. He’s more so known for his passing and compete, but he’s very sound over most aspects of the game of hockey. Zary isn’t an elite skater, but he has a quick first step that sees him gain the separation that he needs to be able to create. He has an incredible work ethic and is constantly hounding the puck, trying to force turnovers so that he can utilize his vision to create. For a guy that isn’t all that huge, he does get physical and isn’t afraid to get to the net front and battle, besides being under-strength. I question his top-end skill-set, he isn’t a highlight reel guy, but what he does do is play a very smart, 200-foot game with few faults, which I feel is very translatable to pro-level hockey.
Mercer is versed as both a winger and center, but I think his best fit is the former going forward. Very much a read and react forward, Mercer has an old-soul type thing going on. Always seems to be in the right areas, one has to question if he has the puck on a string. He is a patient play-maker who has a great sense of passing and how to pass people open. He’s at his best in the neutral zone, it seems to be the most comfortable place for him, as I think he is a player that likes having ice ahead of him. Has a really good shot that doesn’t get enough credit.
Goalies are far from a sure thing, but Askarov has the weapons to potentially be a franchise guy. He’s 17, playing against men and doing just fine. He’s big, athletic and has an excellent glove. I’m not as high on him as many, purely because of the success rate of goalies, but he’s as good as I’ve seen in a long time.
Bourque is a nifty-gifted athlete who has a non-stop attitude. I’ve heard a lot about his lack of size, but let’s be honest.. size doesn’t really matter. He plays and thinks at high speed, making him a lot if fun to watch. He’s super aggressive with the puck and is constantly looking for passing and shooting lanes. He can look you off and dish some no-look sauce or simply deke around you and make you look silly. With so many tricks in the passing bag, it makes defenders double guess his movements, leaving him room to shoot. Being a bit slight, he doesn’t have much grit in that sense to his game, but he does give up his body in order to make plays, truly team-first mentality. Bourque has increased his face-off percentage by 5 points this season, a big spike indeed. He’s the Cats’ best player and it shows.
The most complete forward in the class overall three zones, Lundell has been a superstar playing in what I see as the fourth-best league in the world. The 200-foot game is just so sound, it’s hard to find flaws. Offensively he is a very patient play-maker who rarely makes the wrong pass nor is out of position. Has a decent shot that is improving. Defensively, he has a fantastic active-stick and his elite senses see him be a total puck shark, he’s a bloodhound out there that gives 110% every shift. He’s strong both on his skates and through his legs, making for someone who can be very hard to dislodge the puck from. Given his pro-league experience and hockey mind, he should see an easier transition into the NHL, sooner than later.
Perreault, another favorite of mine. A strong 200-foot center who has a swag of ability. He has an awesome release and heavy shot and with that, a shoot-first mentality and a high-end goal scored. He’s an above-average skater with good edge work, deceptive speed and balance, who often finds himself skating into holes and creating angles. Although he’s not overly tall, he has a stocky but strong build which allows him to win more puck battles than he loses. Perreault has a healthy habit of getting dirty and helping out his defense by retrieving pucks in tight and creating zone exits. I’d like to see some better decisions when in possession of the puck when distributing, cleaning that up would see him nudge elite levels.
Quinn, who only just scraped in by days (literally) to qualify for the 2020 draft has been one of the more prolific scorers in major junior this season. Even though he’s a tad older, this shouldn’t take too much away from the year he’s had. Quinn is a good-mobile, lateral skater who can dodge and weave his way through schemes. Won’t burn you with straight-line speed nor high-end puck skills, he’s more your skate to the good areas type-player. He gets into the corners and at the net-front and has a knack for extracting pucks from scrums and creating offense. Quinn is smart with the puck, he doesn’t force plays that aren’t there and always look for a safe outlet. Terrific on the kill and in his own end, Quinn boasts a solid, growing 200 foot game.
One of the draft’s biggest risers, Jarvis has skill-set to be a very prolific player. He’s capable of playing center or wing and has some of the best hands around. He has fantastic agility and puck skills and can get his quick release off under duress from many locations. He is a wizard at making room for himself, often with speed and by deking himself open, creating shooting angles that should just not exist. He’s very handy on the PK and always has a sniff of where the puck will be defensively, he’s always at 110%, no matter what zone he’s in. Some extra size and willingness to get to the dirty areas and engage will bode him well.
Amirov is one of the better two-way wingers in the class and one of the smartest. He’s more a finesse skater than a powerful north/south type. He uses his edges and powerful stride to glide around opponents when entering the zone and to cut down angles and back-check when asked to defend. He has superior puck skills and hands to many of his peers, he rarely needs space or time to get a shot off and can shoot just as well off either wing. Amirov is great on both sets of special teams. He can run your power-play from the point or play the net man and on the kill plays a high-press, luring you into mistakes.
The draft’s premier blue-liner, Drysdale is a fast-paced D-man who pushes the tempo out of his own end. A head-up skater, Drysdale sees the ice like many other defensemen don’t. He is able to pick holes in the opposition both with or without the puck. The pace and puck control allows him to hit the neutral zone and create in his own space and he can read the play ahead in his own end, making long-outlet passes look easy. Drysdale isn’t just offense though, he makes some nice plays in his own end. He has good anticipation skills and makes good reads when exiting the zone either by foot or pass. His shot is coming along nicely.
Sanderson is far from a finished product, that’s what excites me about him the most. He’s good to very good in basically every area, and being just 17, suggests he has a lot of growth to come. I can’t help but think Adam Fox when I evaluate Sanderson. A smart-calculated defenseman, he picks his spots well in both zones. Offensively, he shows incredible puck skills in transition. No matter if it’s in space or under duress, Jake has the puck on a string. He finds holes in schemes when carrying the puck and rarely makes the wrong play. In his own zone, what Sanderson excels in can’t really be measured. He displays fantastic gap control, pressures the puck handler and uses his already big 6’2″” frame to work forwards away from the blue-line. He doesn’t have the offensive numbers some others in his position have, but what he has more of than any of them is between the ears.
Much like Raymond, Holtz is a transition wizard with a great shot. Honestly, side-by-side there isn’t much that isn’t too dissimilar. Holtz perhaps has more tools in regards to shot variety than Raymond, but doesn’t quite have the speed, strength and have that same level of nasty. But this shouldn’t take away from his own talents, Holtz has excellent offensive predatory skills and has a fantastic nose for goal. He processes the game at a high pace and is able to read ahead of the play.
A supreme finisher, Perfetti has one almighty shot. No matter if it’s cleaning up around the crease, shooting off the rush or unloading from the point, Perfetti has a true goal-scorers finish. Perfetti is a fine distributor in the offensive zone, he’s got great vision and as much he looks to score is a fantastic passer off his shot and is constantly looking to make the best play. Not overly prolific in transition offense, nor in the speed department, he does have some room to grow.
The Austrian-born pivot is one of the most dynamic players we’ve seen in a long time. The OHL scoring leader is a dynamic play-driver, Rossi displays fantastic patience and vision in order to make the best play available. His passing vision is second to none and can pass people open like it’s nobody’s business. Rossi has a rather good shot that gets shadowed by his playmaking ability, off the rush his shot is DANGEROUS. Even though he isn’t big in stature, the dangles and balance make it very hard to knock him off the puck. He’s a stallion that is a point-producing machine.
Raymond with his speed, shot, hockey IQ and compete should be a dominant player for many years to come. He excels in zone entries and does so with flair. He loves nothing more than collecting the puck in the defensive zone, build speed and pick his entry point and attack. But he isn’t just speed and transition. He’s got a fantastic shot off the rush and for a guy that’s not overly big, he uses his solid core-strength to power through checks to win his pucks and can fight his way out of the corners. Raymond plays at an incredible pace and has fantastic vision. Raymond has a sense of arrogance and confidence which I kinda like, He agitates you with skill and on the scoreboard.
Stützle is perhaps my favorite prospect in the class. A dangerous playmaker who is always a threat in his zone, he’s been a star in the DEL this season. Stützle is a patient, calculated distributor who can either play the half-walls, the slot or run the point, he’s not limited to any one zone in which he can be dangerous. Can make all the passes an elite center should. He has craftsman-like hands that allow him to get shots off quickly from a multitude of angles and spots on the ice. Fantastic skater also, a joy to watch.
A dominating physical presence, Byfield may just have the most upside of anyone in the 2020 NHL Draft. At 6′ 4″” and touching 215 lbs, he’s built like a man and plays like one. Has a wonderfully powerful stride that sees him create separation in a heartbeat. The mammoth wing-span helps with puck protection, but also defensively sees him be a mountain to get around. Throw in great skating ability, physicality and hands that Maradona would be proud of. He’s got a great release and is super dangerous from the hashmarks in. The heavens are truly the ceiling for Byfield.
DRUUUUUMROOOOOOLE…..
Alexis Lafreniere! No surprise really.
The Rimouski winger just about has it all. From the deadly wrist shot to the great skating and a VERY HIGH IQ. What impresses me the most and what sets him apart from everyone else is his compete level. He’s a bulldog on and off the puck, he’s abrasive when needed and just never stops. He has a better stick than most of his peers, combined with the effort, skill and IQ, will often beat you to the puck or take it from you and will create scoring chances for either himself or his team-mates. A total player with 90% of the tools to be a STUD.