Gavin Chiasson’s Final 2021 NHL Draft Rankings

The 2021 NHL Draft is now just around the corner, being less than a week away. I usually release rankings, with a few player profiles each year, but this year I wanted to produce something just before the draft that people can read and understand why my rankings are the way they are. This entire article will be dedicated to my final rankings, and why I have certain players ranked where they are. So grab a soda, your reading glasses and a snack and prepare to read my final write up for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.

Tier 1: Potential First Overall Picks.

You may have heard that the 2021 NHL Draft is very unique, in that it is very open. There seems to be a little bit of a consensus for Owen Power at number 1, but there is certainly no guarantee that he will be selected first overall. There are four players in total, that I feel are contenders for the first overall pick.

#1- Matthew Beniers

In my opinion, there is no player in this draft that walks away as first overall talent, however, Matthew Beniers can certainly make a challenge for that. A true centreman, Beniers plays a very mature 200-foot game. What makes Beniers so impressive is that he can still produce offence at a high compete level. He has the motor on him that makes coaches happy, and the fact that he can play in all situations should be seen as nothing short of impressive. What makes me choose Beniers first is a number of reasons. He’s an important player for any team, being responsible defensively and still finding ways to produce offensively. Another reason is that he shows signs of still being a potentially dominant player at the NHL level. His patience with the puck is exceptional, he hardly makes a play too early, he’s confident with the puck- he knows exactly where he wants to go, and his puck control is phenomenal. There are times while watching Beniers that I am blown away at how he views possession. He’s someone that will hold onto the puck as long as he can to ensure his team has possession. He’s also a physical player, and while he didn’t record any penalty minutes in the NCAA this year, he doesn’t shy away from any action. He pins players to the boards, he makes clean hits that will give his team possession and loves getting into corner action. He may not end up being the player from this draft class to put up the most amount of points, but he might just be the most important player from this draft class, which is why he takes the place for first overall.

Potential- 2nd line two-way centre, penalty killer.

Potential likelihood: 9/10

#2- Owen Power

Owen Power is certainly a controversial player in this draft class. Ranked #1 by many NHL scouts, and big name company scouts, hockey twitter has him ranged. I’ve seen Power outside of the top 10 on some people’s lists. While I’m not sure Power is worthy of the first overall selection this year, he is certainly a contender for that spot. What has solidified Power as a potential first overall pick was his World Championship tournament. In that tournament, he was able to prove that he can play at the next level. He can play in the NHL and make his name known. Standing at 6’5 and weighing 214 lbs, Power will be a dominant defender in the NHL. His stick work can use some tuning up, but he still brings physicality and has fantastic offensive abilities. I think that if Power is choosing to return to Michigan next year, nobody should complain. Power does have a lot of potential, but another year in the NCAA to round out his game could be extremely useful. There are still flaws that he’s working on, which was noticeable at the World Championship. In Michigan, Power could sometimes be playing too high up offensively which led to breakouts from opposing teams, and even defensively, there were times where Power was caught not defending his open man which led to either a goal, or a big opportunity for the other team. In the World Championship, this happened less. Power is clearly someone who takes his criticism seriously and works on it. The mistakes that we saw him make at the tournament was not more than any draft eligible player would make playing against professionals. I think Power is very worthy of a top 3 pick in this draft.

Potential: Top 4 D, Power play unit.

Potential likelihood: 8.5/10

#3- William Eklund

Another safe player, I think Eklund has had quite the draft year. A late 2002-birthday, Eklund spent his season playing in the SHL, where he did more than enough to catch the eyes of scouts. Eklund put up more than 0.5 points per game in one of the best professional hockey leagues in the world- and he isn’t even drafted yet. Eklund’s play style to me, is NHL ready. Everything that Eklund does on the ice is well calculated, and he already has the poise, control and drive that most NHL players have. He has good body mechanics, does a good job at protecting the puck, has a sneaky shot and can go anywhere on the ice to steal the puck. He’s only 5’10, but it doesn’t matter when you’re putting the puck in the net at the rate he does. There were countless games where I thought Eklund was playing better than Alexander Holtz, who was a top 10 pick in last years NHL Draft. Eklund will certainly be a player that many teams are looking for this year, and while he’s climbed up many draft boards, I wouldn’t be surprised if Eklund is in most team’s top 3.

Potential: 2nd line winger

Potential likelihood: 8.5/10

#4- Brandt Clarke

Brandt Clarke is an interesting player this year. The highest ranked right-handed defender, Clarke had to struggle this year before we saw greatness. With the OHL shut down, Clarke headed off to Slovakia to play in the professional league. He struggled at the start, a new league, new teammates, new language, new arenas, it was certainly an adjustment period for him. The last half of his season in Slovakia saw him pick up the pace and run away on the scoresheets. The best part about Clarke is that he doesn’t just do well offensively, but on the defensive side of things, he is reliable. What Clarke does well at in his own end is his stick work and pushing players to the outside. He isn’t the smoothest when it comes to pushing guys to the outside, but he makes it work and battles hard with players to stop a potential play from developing. Clarke also has size to him, and uses it effectively. He isn’t shy in the corners, and uses his body positioning effectively when pinning a player to the boards. Clarke is a player that has the natural ability to become an NHL talent based on his Hockey IQ. He doesn’t need to do much to drive a play and look like a genius.

Potential: Top 4 D, Power Play unit.

Potential likelihood: 8.5/10

Tier 2: Rounding out the top 10.

In this tier, you’ll find players who I believe should round out the top 10. Most of these players are safer picks that also have a ton of potential. Lysell, Hughes, Johnson and Guenther all having a great sense of potential to their game. These are players I’d expect/like to see drafted within the top 10.

#5- Fabian Lysell

Fabian Lysell is one of my personal favourites when it comes to this years draft. While there seems to be a pretty big range of where people rank him and where NHL teams are expected to take a swing on him, there is one thing for certain in my eyes; Lysell is a top 10 talent in this draft. Lysell leads the pack of my second tier of players between 5 and 10. At the start of the year, I was one of the few people to rank Lysell extremely high. Given my first viewings of the year, Lysell reminded me a lot of Lucas Raymond. Although, I think Raymond is a better player, Lysell has some similarities to him. They are both speedy players who use their skating effectively to both generate speed in all 3 zones, and to skate to a better positional spot on the ice. Both players have tremendous puck control, both players have a good shot and both players played in the SHL in their draft year playing minimal minutes. Lysell is someone I certainly see as a top 5 pick, and someone who can reach their full potential on the wing. While there are parts of his game I would like to see him improve on, this is someone who is certainly worth the swing and will make a GM look very smart in a couple of years.

Potential: 2nd line winger

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#6- Luke Hughes

The youngest of 3 star NHL level talents, Luke Hughes is a combo-punch of his two older brothers. This offseason, Luke grew to be 6’2, giving him the full season to get used to his growth-spurt. Luke has an incredibly high ceiling, he’s an exceptional skater who makes smart offensive plays and does a decent job defensively too. This is a player who needs the NCAA to grow his game, which is why he will flourish as an NHL player in a few years. Hughes has the size, and the offensive drive to be a great offensive threat in the NHL, but his defence will need a little bit of tuning. There are also parts of his offensive game that will need tuning such as decision making, effective passes and reading the ice. However, this isn’t to say that he struggles in these areas. Hughes is good all over the ice, but the NCAA will mature his game into becoming a more well-rounded talented player who can play on the special team units in the future. One thing Hughes does well is jumping into the play in the offensive zone to create a scoring chance. There were many times where Hughes saw an opening in the OZ and quickly jumped into open ice to receive a pass in order to shoot the puck at the net or circle around for another pass. I don’t think Hughes name will be on the board for too long come draft day as teams are eager to take a swing on the high-ceiling talented d-man.

Potential: Top 4 D, special teams.

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#7- Kent Johnson

Kent Johnson is the last on my list for University of Michigan players, but he’s still an unreal player. Possibly having the highest potential in the draft, Johnson is a player I know a team will swing on in the top 10. There are parts of Johnson’s game that I think he needs to slow down on, such as constantly trying to be a highlight reel player. There are times where Johnson tries to do too much and it leads to stolen puck, or a lost opportunity for a goal. These are easy kinks to work on for most players. I think Johnson has the talent to become a potential 2nd line winger in the NHL given his style of play. One thing I noticed he does well on is slowing down the pace in the offensive zone just pass the blue line. If he isn’t immediately being battled with when he enters the zone, he like to slow down and try to give a nice pass to a player entering the zone with speed. Another part of Johnson’s game that I like is that he isn’t shy to play the puck off the boards if necessary. He’s a smart player who can score highlight reel goals, but he needs to slow down on trying to make every play news-worthy. Apart from that, he has a decent shot and a dangerous backhand release, he has good speed and vision on the ice giving him very high upside.

Potential: 2nd line winger

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#8- Dylan Guenther

Dylan Guenther is rated on the board from Bob McKenzie as being the 2nd/3rd player that NHL scouts have ranked. I’d argue that picking him that high is extremely dangerous. Yes, he certainly is the point-getter in the WHL, this is undisputed. However, I don’t believe this translates to the NHL easily. Guenther finds positioning pretty easily, and does so with ease. He’s a fast skater, with decent hands and a fairly accurate shot- but he struggles against good stick defenders. He doesn’t find his way along the outside so easily against good defensemen. This was especially visible at the U18s, where I would argue he wasn’t even the best draft eligible player on his team, in the tournament anyway. Francesco Pinelli, Wyatt Johnston and especially Logan Stankoven looked like the star players on team Canada. Throughout the entire tournament I was a little disappointed with Guenther – however, he’s still an exceptional player who will find his way into the NHL. I think he will need a few years to reach that level that he needs to be at, but he will reach it. Guenther is a skilled winger who will probably, even likely, find team on the power play units in the NHL. Guenther thrives when there is space, his passes are crisp and he has more room to create a scoring chance, however, I can see Guenther struggling at 5v5 in the NHL.

Potential: Middle 6 winger

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#9- Mason McTavish

Mason McTavish has played chutes and ladders on my rankings this year. I had him fairly high as a top 15 pick at the start of the year, and the more I watched, the more I was unsure of his play (I was watching his OHL action as a 16 year old as he had not played yet) and he dropped down to 23rd. He slowly moved his way up again once he started playing this year, and now he is slotted at 9th. I was surprised to see how well-rounded his game can be when you shove him at centre. He’s much faster than he was last year as well, and still has that hard-core shot we all loved. McTavish was playing decent as a two-way centre in Switzerland, he’s certainly got size and physicality, and he may the closest player this year to being a rough and tough hockey player. At the U18s I was impressed again by his play. He had no problem holding onto the puck and waiting for a goalie to make the first move/mistake, of which, McTavish would capitalize on. I think McTavish will have some minor difficulties in translating to the NHL, but no doubt in my mind that he can make it as a 25-30 goal scorer in the future if everything works in his favour.

Potential: Top six forward

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#10- Simon Edvinsson

This guy could be even lower on my list, but his potential is high. Bob McKenzie has Edvinsson ranked 2nd or 3rd for NHL scout rankings, and all I have to say is; be aware of the risk taking Edvinsson this high. Yes, Edvinsson is a tall player, with a good stick defensively, I’ll be honest with you, but he isn’t a top 5 in this draft kind of player. His offence is questionable a lot of the time, open passes and chances that aren’t utilized, and his decision making is questionable too. There were many times this season, and at the U18s, where Edvinsson coughed up the puck and it either led to a scoring chance, or led to a goal. I think there is potential for Edvinsson to become a decent NHL player, given his defensive stick, his size and his potential, but I wouldn’t waste a top 5 pick on him, and even top 10 can be a little bit questionable. What I do like about Edvinsson is his ability to cover ice in the defensive zone. Even when Edvinsson isn’t pushing players to the outside and using his stick to poke the puck away, he still does a good job at shutting down chances with his reach. He certainly utilizes that to his advantage, but to reiterate, I don’t believe a team should take that big of a swing in the top 5 picks of the draft.

Potential: Top 4 D

Potential likelihood: 7.5/10

Tier 3: Middle-Round Players.

This third tier is all about taking swings on players I believe should be in the middle of the first round. Lots of centremen, two high potential wingers, the best goaltender in the draft, and my favourite player of this class.

#11- Nikita Chibrikov

Nikita Chibrikov is easily one of my favourite prospects this year. A talented winger with extremely high upside, I wouldn’t mind seeing a team take a swing on him, especially in a draft like this. This middle-round tier is a big tier for me, since Chibrikov can easily be number 19 on my list as well. Personally, I am high on Chibrikov because of his upside, when he is on his game, he is seriously on his game. He’s a quick player with good skating, good hands and playmaking abilities, and as stated, I believe when he’s on his game, he could be a top 10 pick in this draft. He does have consistency issues that go from shift to shift. Chibrikov is someone I would like to see take a few years to develop, maybe gain experience and confidence as he develops. I can see Chibrikov as a hit or miss kind of prospect, which is why I would recommend a team with a good prospect pool take a swing on him. RecruitScouting is the highest service to have Chibrikov ranked, and there are a few of us that believe in his potential to become a top 6 winger on an NHL team if all goes well. Some areas I think Chibrikov should work on is his consistency and his ability to create space for himself. He can also use more patience in the offensive end of the ice to build space and more dangerous scoring chances, which I hope to see him accomplish with time.

Potential: Top 6 Winger

Potential likelihood: 7.5/10

#12- Cole Sillinger

Cole Sillinger is another player I wouldn’t mind seeing a team pick between 11-19 in the draft. Personally, I don’t think he’s as capable of joining the top 10 in this class, but there are extremely good reasons on why he would be a perfect mid-round selection. I’m sure most people are aware now, but Sillinger can shoot the puck. He has a strong, powerful shot that he can use from any area on the ice. His shot is so accurate and he picks super smart places to shoot. Sillinger isn’t the player that shoots high every time, he had some shots this year that were low and powerful enough to get into the net, which I think is an important trait to have. Sillinger is also a smart player; there are little details in his game that I started to pick up on the more I watched him. He uses his bigger frame to protect his shots from being interrupted- something that will greatly work at the NHL level. He also knows when to pull back a shot to find a safe release on the net, to avoid getting the puck poked away from him. These details are going to make Sillinger a goal scorer at the NHL level too. Some areas of improvement I would like him to do is to find open space more consistently to utilize a more open shot, and his skating will need to be improved as well.

Potential: Middle six winger

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#13- Xavier Bourgault

Another one of my favourite prospects for this draft, Bourgault offers everything that you want in a centreman. His two way game is effective, he produces offensively at a high rate, and he focuses on every detail he can when he is on the ice. What people don’t understand, is that Bourgault was a two-way player, who produced 20 goals and 40 points in 29 games this season, and nearly 85% of his points were primary. Points are not everything, but when you can be a leader on your team in both areas of the ice, and drive the play being the primary point scorer for your team, there’s something special there. I’m not sure if I see Bourgault playing on the first line in the NHL, but he’s certainly going to be a middle six centre. His passing tendencies are something I’ve noticed as well, he does a great job at finding a passing spot and will make it happen. There are times where he is being challenged, and while he isn’t the fastest player, he will get out of trouble. His puck protection, and vision on the ice are two areas of his game I feel are critically underrated at times. One area of his game I would like to see worked on is his speed and how he utilizes his skating. Other than that, he is probably one of the safest players in this draft class.

Potential: Middle-six centre

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#14- Zachary Bolduc

Zachary Bolduc cannot be ignored when it comes to the middle section of the first round. He’s jumped around a few times in my ranking, and I’m surprised we have him as low as we do for RecruitScouting’s team rankings- as I should have argued for him higher. His first half of the season was quite unimpressive from a production standpoints, which is why I was weary about putting him within the top 25, as he floated around 25-35 for my earliest rankings this season. His production was low, but he did show signs of being a top player from his pure athleticism and play style. As the season went into the second half, this is where Bolduc really started showing up on the scoreboard, producing 17 points in his last 10 games of the season. During this time, I was seeing the same Bolduc as earlier in the season, but getting to open spaces a little bit easier, perhaps he found his mojo, perhaps his luck was turning around, but this is certainly a player that I believe will be able to transition into the NHL. I think Bolduc is another player that a team should take a swing on at this point in the draft because he can be a first liner or a 3rd liner. He has the potential to be a great NHL player, but I believe he isn’t exactly the safest player to pick.

Potential: Top 6 Forward

Potential likelihood: 7.5/10

#15- Francesco Pinelli

Francesco Pinelli is a player I’ve really come to enjoy watching leading up to the draft, and I believe he was the second most impressive player for Team Canada and the U18s. He’s got speed to burn, he has good puck control and body movements, and can shoot the puck fairly well too. I think there’s a huge amount of potential for Pinelli, and I can definitely understand a team potentially having him in their top 12 or so players. An impressive part of Pinelli’s game is his ability to absolutely turn it on every single shift. He’s a hard working player who seriously valued his time on Team Canada. When Pinelli stepped onto the ice, the momentum changed, and I believe it was Pinelli who initiated that momentum. He absolutely loves bursting into the player and doing what he can to give his team a scoring chance. Pinelli was definitely a player that was hurt a lot by the OHL shutting down this season, as I believe more NHL teams would have him in their top 15 if he had played the full year for the Kitchener Rangers.

Potential: Top 6 Forward

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#16- Isak Rosen

Isak Rosen is a player who I do believe has high potential, but will have a much harder time translating to the NHL. Rosen is a player who loves to be smooth and slick and slippery, but can skate himself into trouble. He has the raw talent to be a potential top 6 winger, but I think his potential is flawed based on his style of play. I do believe a team could take a swing on him around this point of the draft and walk away very lucky with a skilled forward with a high upside, but Rosen will have to develop for a few more years before I consider him a legitimate prospect. He’s a great skater, does a great job at faking and fooling goaltenders and defenders, but can be a lazy player as well. One thing I think Rosen does extremely well is reading his opponents, which will make his development a little easier because he’s such a smart thinking player when it comes to trying to create space/find an opening for a play- I just think his game could use some toning down. If he can try to be more patient with the puck and use his raw ability to generate points, I think he could become a very special player down the line.

Potential: Middle six winger

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#17- Sebastian Cossa

Here we go. Probably my most controversial take for this draft, I believe Sebastian Cossa is a better goaltender than Jesper Wallstedt, especially for the future. I truly believe Cossa is the best goalie available in this draft, and teams should highly, highly consider drafting him before 20. A late 2002-born goaltender, Cossa stands at a giant 6’6 and still manages to move quickly in net. He’s a player who is safe and big in goal, with the ability to make jaw-dropping saves at the same time. For a goalie who is standing 6’6, he does an incredible job at moving from post to post, making him dangerous for one-timers, cross-crease passes, and 2-on-1s. Goalies are certainly hard to rank and justify potential of, but if my senses are right, Cossa could be the clearest goalie to be a starter in this draft. It certainly helps that he was playing on a strong team, which some people knock, but I don’t. Playing on a strong team is important for a goaltender in my opinion, and when you watch him, there are times where he looks like the piece that keeps his team in the games a lot of the time, which certainly says something.

Potential: Starting goaltender

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#18- Fyodor Svechkov

Fyodor Svechkov has been making a ton of noise in the hockey prospects world since the U18s, with some people even ranking him within their top 10. While I think that’s a huge case of recency bias, I do believe he can be a top 20 pick in this draft. A true centre, Svechkov never shy’s away from playing a strong defensive game. He’s someone who takes back checking very seriously, and is one of the best two-way players in this entire draft. His offensive abilities are great characteristics as well, he has a good shot and his vision in the offensive end is good. However, I don’t believe Svechkov has the potential to be a top 10 pick in this draft, simply because I can’t compare anyone inside my top 10 to Svechkov, his company inside the top 10 would be ahead of him. I do like him though, he’s a heart and soul kind of player who can play in so many situations, and thus why I believe he’s an important player to pick up and draft in the teens of this draft.

Potential: Middle-Six centre

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#19- Jack Peart

Anyone that has followed me this season should be prepared for a longer write up on Jack Peart, who has quickly become my favourite player of this draft class. In fact, he seriously belongs in this tier of 11-19, as I can whole-heartedly see him being the 11th best player to come out of this draft class. It isn’t too often you see someone who plays high school hockey jump in and make the impact that Peart made in the USHL. Within his first few games I knew he was good enough to be a top 50 pick, when the season was starting to close, I though Peart could be in serious contention as a first rounder, and then the playoffs happened. Peart someone turned it on even more in that time which proves to me that he’s going to do well in the future. On the defensive side of things, Peart does exceptional work with pushing players to the outside edges. Nearly every time I watch an opponent enter the zone, Peart is able to use his stick, or positioning, to drive a player to a more vulnerable spot on the ice. Another thing that he does well is he uses his body positioning extremely well when against the boards- both offensively and defensively in different ways. He’s able to protect the puck against the boards defensively and wait for a teammate to help him after he has stolen possession from the offence, and uses his positioning against the boards to keep possession and take away any chance a defender has at poking at the puck. If you watch how Peart plays the boards in the offensive end, you would be amazed at how he’s able to use his body language to his advantage and keep possession of the puck. His passing is another strong asset that I think isn’t talked about enough. His offensive vision is so on-key that he realizes spaces that are not only open, but spaces that will be open if he moves around a little bit. Peart is so special in both ends of the ice, that I would be racing to select him 19th overall if I had the chance to do so. He could be a little faster and a little stronger, but both of these will come with time and I believe Peart may be one of the smartest defenders I’ve watched in this draft class.

Potential: Top 4 D

Potential likelihood: 7.5/10

Tier 4: Mid-Late First Rounders who should definitely be first rounders.

#20- Chaz Lucius

While many would rank Lucius ahead of where I have him, there are parts of his game that worry me a little bit. Lucius is an elite goal scorer who I think has the potential to be a consistent goal scorer at the NHL level, but I believe his translation will be a difficult one to make. Lucius has a great shot, and has an accurate shot. He finds space so easily in the offensive end so that he can pick up one-timers and rebounds with ease and put them away. His skating is a bit of an issue as I feel he is slower than most in this range of the draft, and he doesn’t erase these issues with a great amount of puck control either. I think with tougher competition, Lucius will struggle to find easier exploitable areas in the offensive end to get his shot off. I am happy however, that he chose to commit to Minnesota, as I feel their program will best develop his play style and work out the kinks in his game. I think Lucius can fit into an NHL lineup, and perhaps putting him on the power play would be a good idea.

Potential: Middle six winger

Potential likelihood: 7.5/10

#21- Logan Stankoven

Logan Stankoven had the most successful U18 of any draft eligible player on the Canadian team. Stankoven is someone who trains really hard and I think will seriously push for a shot in the NHL. Last year, I had some concerns about his skating, but this year it is evident how hard he has worked on this issue. Stankoven is strong on his feet and uses it to his advantage when battling against the boards, easily pushing opponents bigger than him out of the way. I understand how some teams can be a little worried drafting a guy who is 5’8, but when you play like Stankoven, the worries should disappear. He has weight on him and uses it effectively already, which was evident at the U18s. He also has an unreal release and can put up numbers in any league he steps into. Scoring more than a goal per game in his short WHL stint this year, and scoring 4 goals in 7 games in the U18s as well. I think a team should at least consider him in the first round as I believe his skillset cannot be ignored even given his size. He’s a hard working kid who has constantly outplayed himself game after game.

Potential: Middle-six winger

Potential likelihood: 7.5/10

#22- Stanislav Svozil

Stanislav Svozil is one of the more difficult players to rank in my opinion. In tournament action, he did not impress me, and while I think he’s one of the better defenders in his own end in this draft, I struggle to see a good amount of upside in players I would typically rank in this area. However, he’s played a full season against men, and there are not any red flags that tell me he can’t be an NHL defender. Svozil is extremely poise against men already and can handle his own in battles. He has a good defensive stick, and makes the appropriate passes to break out of his own end. I would like to see his skating become better and for him to be more effective offensively, but in a draft like this, I have no problem ranking him around the end of my first round given my expectations to see him play in the NHL as a bottom 4 defence.

Potential: Bottom 4 D

Potential likelihood: 8.5/10

#23- Sasha Pastujov

This player is someone I’ve watched carefully this season, and I truly believe he should be considered a fore sure first round talent. His numbers are very impressive for the USNTDP, and while some may disagree, I think his play style did play a factor in those numbers. Pastujov is a sneaky player, he can be deceptive, he can come out of nowhere with the puck and he has an impressive shot too, constantly putting it in the back of the net. There are some areas of his game that I think need to be rounded out, but if he develops properly in the NCAA, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be drafted in the first round. He’s a powerful offensive threat who make offence happen from behind the net, to the top of the circle. He needs some more patience, and I think it wouldn’t hurt to work on play away from the puck outside of the offensive zone, but he’s a player I can see comfortably putting up a lot of points in the NHL if his potential reaches what I predict it to reach, and some time on the power play.

Potential: Middle six winger

Potential likelihood: 7.5/10

#24- Oskar Olausson

I honestly think Olausson can be a terrific NHL player, and the more I have watched him, the higher he can be on this list. Olausson plays such a smart, offensive game and he has a great shot to compliment it. Consistency may be his biggest issue, but I believe he can over come that with time. His skating is above average and he utilizes it in a great way as well. He does a terrific job at driving to the net, and protecting the puck when he pushes to the outside too. If you’re a team picking around the 18-25 range and Olausson is on the board, I would highly recommend drafting him. One area of his game I enjoy watching is his confidence- diving head first into the offensive end with the mindset of getting his team on the scoresheet. He’s responsible in that area of the ice too, and will make a pass if he thinks it will give his team the go-ahead, but I believe he believes in his ability to drive the net, which is very important.

Potential: Middle-six winger

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#25- Carson Lambos

Carson Lambos is someone who spent some time within my top 10 earlier this season, as someone who I believe has a high floor as a defender, I did not see a problem with it. I even called for more respect once he started dropping down some lists, as I felt his play in Finland was nothing short of impressive. I enjoyed watching his U20 league games, and even his games in Liiga, where he didn’t reach my expectation of him, but I still felt confident in my ranking of him. However, when he came back to the WHL, I started to see what others must’ve seen. I didn’t see anything special this season through his short WHL stint that I didn’t see last season. I’m not sure Lambos is someone who has a high ceiling in this draft and can become a regular NHL defender on the top 4. After watching back at the footage in Finland, I felt as though I understood why he was dropping. I think Lambos is decent defensively, but nothing impressive that makes him standout. There are even times defensively where I question what play he was trying to make/breakup. However, I still believe Lambos should be in that 20-25 range, as a high-floor defender who moves the puck very well and can create some smart offensive chances. However, I feel it is important to say that you should be happy if your team drafts Lambos, as I believe he is still a terrific player who has a real shot at playing in the NHL.

Potential: Middle pairing D

Potential likelihood: 7.5/10

#26- Simon Robertsson

Robertsson is the second last player in this tier of “certainly first round talents” and I will stand by that. Robertsson has a higher floor than most given his style of play, in my opinion. He plays how a winger on an NHL team would play, and he has a tremendous amount of patience, poise and decision making with the puck. Robertsson is a smart player, especially in the offensive end, with the puck on his stick. There are times he passes over the blue line and makes an accurate pass to one of his teammates before quickly taking off again to find his chance in front of the net. He also has a good amount of puck control, and likes to have the puck beside his body, to limit the chances of the puck being poked away, rather than in front of him. Robertsson uses the boards to his advantage, and is a decently physical player as well. Moving forward, I would like to see more of a motor for Robertsson and for him to drive to the net more.

Potential: Middle-six winger

Potential likelihood: 7.5/10

#27- Evan Nause

Nause is someone that I was told about early on in the season as potentially being a first round pick. There were areas of his game I liked, and areas of his game that I didn’t. Towards the end of the season, I started to see some pick up in the QMJHL, and felt he was a lot more confident in the league the longer he played. In the first half of the season, Nause was around my 40s and 50s- and there were a lot of issues with his decision making and how quickly he could make a pass on the ice. Many times it looked like Nause was not confident with his ability to commit to a play and he either wasted an opportunity or did not make the right decision. In the second half of the season however, he gained confidence. He committed to his plays and he had confidence in his abilities. When breaking out on the ice, Nause committed to his passes and made no mistake. He was more physical, and used his stick extremely well defensively. Nause reminds me of a high-floor good stick defender in the QMJHL, and I think we’re just scratching the surface of how good he can be offensively too. I’d like to see a little more physicality moving forward with Nause, and I want him to continue believing his abilities on the ice.

Potential: Middle pairing D

Potential likelihood: 8/10

Tier 5: Potential First Rounders.

#28- Samu Tuomaala

Samu Tuomaala is a borderline first rounder for me, and I’m still not sure I have my mind fully made up about him. On one hand, he still impressed me all season long, he played a powerful role, he kept scoring at a good rate, and he certainly impressed me at the U18s too, but I feel like there should have been more. It’s always a tough thing to rank when your expectations for a player weren’t quite met, which is the case with Tuomaala for me. I expected him to have more goals and make himself known as a more consistent goal scorer. However, there is no knocking how he played this year from a variety of areas. He still found open ice easily, he still has a pin point accurate shot, and he still battles fairly hard. I think he needs some more jump to his game, and I would like to see him generate more space offensively, but I believe he can still be a first rounder and potentially crack it in the NHL.

Potential: Middle-six winger

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#29- Jesper Wallstedt

Oh boy, do I have some explaining to do for this one. I have full belief in my judgement of goaltenders, and I’m not sure I see what others see in Wallstedt. The longer the season went on, the more I felt like he might not be a superstar starting goaltender that people make him out to be. If one thing the crowds are right about, it’s that Wallstedt is a very, very safe bet for making it into the NHL, which is why he is still in a first round spot for me. The way I see it, Wallstedt had an easy season in the SHL. Many of the games that I watched, the shots were not too dangerous, as the defenders on Lulea did an excellent job at keeping shooters to the outside of the net. Wallstedt did not face an absurd amount of shots throughout the season, and many of these shots were coming from an angle, which due to Wallstedt’s positioning and poise, was able to stop them. My reading’s on Wallstedt are the furthest thing possible from the consensus, and people ask me why I still have him as a first round talent then, and that is a tough question since goalies are so hard to rank. So here is my explanation: I believe Wallstedt does reach his potential, he’s still a terrific goaltender, but I see his potential as a fringe starter in the NHL. I fully believe Wallstedt will be an excellent backup in the NHL, who can steal a few games and take over for the starter once in a while, but will not be a terrific starter. I believe if he does get a starting role in the NHL, playing 60 games per season, he will be within the bottom 6-7 starting goaltenders in the league. If you ask me though, a goalie who can do that, which I believe he can, should still be considered a first round talent. It’s always nice to have a fringe starter or a really good backup goaltender for your team.

Potential: Fringe starter

Potential likelihood: 9/10

#30- Ayrton Martino

What a performance this year from Martino. A player who did not enter my rankings until my ‘Third Edition: Top 100’ at the tail end of 2020. This was before Martino had even played in the USHL, where he entered between 95-100 for me. Throughout the season he kept climbing up the more I watched him, to the point where he at least has to be in first round conversation. I believe the hardest thing to rank for Martino is how he translates to the NHL, and how good of a player he can be at that level, but I think with patience, the NCAA will hone his skills and translate him into the NHL nicely. Martino has the slick and slippery style of the OJHL, where he played last season, and the USHL has brought him a higher level of play all-around. Martino was able to show us how dangerous he is with space, and how embarrassing he can make defenders look, while also being a threat in the neutral zone, where he consistently intercepted passes leading to scoring chances for himself and his team. He’s an excellent passer with a mind and vision that work at the speed of light. I love that he will be playing in the NCAA soon, as that will hone his skillset more and teach him to be a little more mature, reliable and tune his game to a more well-rounded style. I think if a team were to pick Martino in this area, their fan base should be very happy with the outcome.

Potential: Top 9 Forward

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#31- Brennan Othmann

Othmann is a borderline first rounder for me, and while I know the consensus is a bit higher on him, I’m not sure I see his translation to the NHL being easy for him. His skating is okay, his physicality is okay, but his shot is what is his most impressive feature. Othmann reminds me, in glimpses, of Elias Pettersson, due to his ability to release the puck quickly with such a unique shot. I think Othmann can become a talented winger at the NHL level, but he needs to round out his game a little more and become more consistent. He’s a little bit of a goofy skater, and when I’m watching him play against others, it feels like against NHL talent, he would not be able to do nearly as much as he does with the puck in the offensive end. He should focus on finding space easier, and becoming more confident.

Potential: Middle-six winger

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#32- Aatu Raty

A strong two-way player, Aatu Raty has certainly slipped through the rankings quite a bit during the season. However, I still believe he’s capable of being a fringe first round talent, especially if he can bounce back from this year. Raty is a strong skater with a good motor and back checking ability. He’s good for the special team units, and reads all three zones fairly well. The one thing that is going to hold Raty back is his decision making. There are shifts in most of his games where I question what his plans were with a play, or ‘what happened to the player I was just watching a few minutes ago?’. While Raty is inconsistent, if he can find his footing again and gain his confidence back up, there’s no reason we shouldn’t consider him a borderline first rounder.

Potential: 3rd line centre

Potential likelihood: 8.5/10

#33- Matthew Coronato

How dare I? How dare I rank a USHL superstar so low in my rankings. 85 points this season, and nearly a goal per game pace, and I have him as a fringe first rounder? I know. I’ll explain. Coronato is an insane talent in the USHL, clearly, given his point totals, however, I don’t believe most of his skills are transferrable to the NHL level. I think Coronato has a lot to work on, and playing on a strong team is never a bad thing, but I felt as if though Coronato would not have done this on any other team. Coronato has a nice, accurate shot which will likely translate to the NHL, but his skating will need to be worked on, his positioning won’t be as easily available as it was in the USHL, and his patience will need to be worked on too. I think Coronato doesn’t have a high ceiling, and would be an extremely risky pick in the top 15.

Potential: Middle-six winger

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#34- Ville Koivunen

Koivunen is an interesting prospect. A pretty risky player, but a higher ceiling than many in the class. Koivunen is a great skater, and has terrific passing vision. I think Koivunen could potentially even be a top 6 forward in the NHL, but the chance of this is fairly low. I think Koivunen needs to work on some pretty big stuff in order to be a good NHL player, but it is possible. His consistency needs to be worked on, same with his patience, vision and decision making. These are all hard things to work on, but he has the athleticism and skillset to make it work. I think teams should definitely proceed with caution when picking Koivunen, but taking him within the early second round might make the pick look smart in a few years.

Potential: Top 9 Forward

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#35- Brett Harrison

Brett Harrison is the perfect player to have as a late-first or early second round player. His skillset is fairly well-rounded and shouldn’t be overlooked. He’s a good skater, has an accurate shot and is a good player to drive the net. At 6’2, Harrison can be physical, although it wouldn’t hurt to see that a bit more often. What I like about Harrison is that he can make a play happen from anywhere in the offensive end. He can drive in any route, and if he feels trapped in a play, he’s good at getting the puck to another teammate quickly. Harrison is one of those players who has a high ceiling, and does a good job at protecting possession- whether it is on his stick or his teammates. I think Harrison can be a middle-six forward at the NHL level, with the ability to play on the special teams.

Potential: Middle-six forward

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#36- Mackie Samoskevich

Samoskevich is in the same tier as his teammate Coronato, and this is one I feel is necessary. Samoskevich did not find the same success as Coronato on the scoresheet, but probably has an easier translation to the NHL. He’s a speedy player with good hands and excellent passing abilities. Samoskevich could probably try to be a little less fancy some of the time, but he doesn’t typically over-do it. Samoskevich has excellent vision in the neutral zone and makes his decisions carefully between playing it off the board, transitioning into the offensive end, or making a smart pass to give someone the lead in rushing in. Samoskevich is a player I think could reach his potential as a top 9 forward.

Potential: Top 9 Forward

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#37- William Stromgren

I really enjoyed watching Stromgren this year, and he constantly rose up my rankings the more I watched. Stromgren is a bigger player, standing at 6’3, and has a powerful game. His shooting is hard and accurate, although I wish he would pick his shots a little smarter, and his skating is smooth. He’s a speedy player who is strong on the puck, and I believe will be able to make that transition to the NHL. There are parts of his game that are a little bit risky, his decision making can be worked on, but I believe a team should look at his play style and decide to spend a second round pick on him.

Potential: Middle-six winger

Potential likelihood: 7/10

Tier 6: Second Round Choices

#38- Anton Olsson

I absolutely love Anton Olsson, and had him as a first rounder for much of the year, but as we got closer to the end of the year, I think I like other players a bit more than him. Olsson is a smooth skating defender who has excellent passes that are both hard and accurate. Olsson makes solid passes anywhere on the ice, and can turn so quickly. His skating is certainly eye opening and his puck movement skills, but defensively he’s good too. Positionally, he covers the open man, or gets in front of the net when his lineman is battling in the corner. Olsson could use more confidence, and I honestly believe playing in the SHL this year wasn’t great for his development, even if he didn’t make many mistakes each game.

Potential: Top 4 D

Potential likelihood: 6.5/10

#39- Prokhor Poltapov

Prokhor Poltapov is an exceptionally good skater, his ability to jump in and reach top speed fairly quick makes him a threat if he can learn to use it properly. I would love to see Poltapov do a better job at slowing down and speeding up the play, as I feel it would help generate space and throw defenders off. I like how Poltapov drives the net, and he has good puck control as well. Moving forward, I would like to see Poltapov have more patience with the puck and read the zone a little bit better, and working on defence wouldn’t hurt either.

Potential: Middle-six winger

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#40- Zach Dean

Zach Dean might have a pretty easy transition to the NHL given his play style. He does a tremendous job at protecting the puck, and making solid passes in the offensive zone. He isn’t a very speedy player, but he reads the game at a fast pace to make a play if he’s ever in trouble. He protects the puck well and is fairly mature, coming back and helping his team defensively as well.

Potential: Middle-six forward

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#41- Corson Ceulemans

Ceulemans is an extremely difficult player to rank in this draft because he can look both super good, and not so great. This is further made harder by the fact that he plays in the AJHL, where I definitely wish he was more consistent. Ceulemans is a good skater who makes excellent passes and can have elite vision in the offensive end, which we did see a lot of at the U18s. I think Ceulemans can prove me wrong and become first round talent worthy, and I believe the NCAA will be able to round out his game and show that he can consistently be a good player game after game.

Potential: Top 4 D

Potential likelihood: 6.5/10

#42- Sean Behrens

Sean Behrens spent time in my first round earlier this year, but I figured he truly belonged in this tier for my final rankings. While a smaller defender, Behrens should certainly still be a top 50 pick in this draft. His skating isn’t the greatest, but his offensive reads are well above-average and his positioning is noticeably good as well. I wish Behrens was more active defensively and had a better defensive stick, but as a two-way defence, I think he could step into the NHL someday.

Potential: Bottom 4 D

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#43- Wyatt Johnston

Johnston is one of my favourite players this year, and I’m glad that he’s nearly consensus, a top 50 pick. His skating is one of his best attributes, but he can be a deadly playmaker if given time and space. I think Johnston could use a bit of rounding out, I wish he was more aware off the puck, however, he is decently physical and can steal the puck against the boards from his opponents. He should be able to become a middle 6 forward at the NHL level.

Potential: Middle-six forward

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#44- Daniil Chayka

While I don’t think Chayka fully deserves to be a first round choice, I certainly believe he should be a lock for a top 50 player. Chayka has been dropped a lot by the ‘Hockey Twitter’ crowd because of his season in Russia. However, he hasn’t played in Russia for quite some time- his last 3 seasons before that have all been in Canada. His play in the OHL was nothing less than impressive, he was a solid defender in his own end, with a clean ability to poke the puck away due to a good defensive stick, and he pushed players to the outside a lot too. Offensively, there are some struggles, but he has a good shot and he reads oncoming plays well too, jumping in higher into the slot to pick up a pass and rip it home. I believe Chayka has a high floor, and while his season in Russia did hold him back, he can prove me wrong and look like a first round talent if he comes back to the OHL next season.

Potential: Bottom 4 D

Potential likelihood: 7.5/10

#45- Benjamin Gaudreau

I’ve been very vocal all year about how good Ben Gaudreau is, and the U18s proved again how well I view goalies (I know, a little too confident sometimes). All kidding aside, Gaudreau could be the real deal, and perhaps a full season in the OHL could have seen him in more first round conversations. Gaudreau had an extremely impressive rookie season in Sarnia, accumulating a lot of impressive feats. He’s extremely poise in net, while still able to make the big saves. He moves fast from post to post, and has pure athleticism that you want to see in a goalie. His rebound control could be a little bit better, but his ability to drop down and rotate so quickly makes him my 3rd ranked goaltender.

Potential: Starting goaltender

Potential likelihood: 5.5/10

#46- Joshua Roy

I understand people ranking Joshua Roy low in this draft, there are a few flags in his game that I don’t like either. His defensive abilities are not good, he can be lazy and inconsistent, and there are some decisions that leave you scratching your head. But, and it is a pretty big but, he’s a good skater who skates with purpose with and without the puck on his stick. Watching Roy this season, although there were many parts of his game I didn’t like, he may have been one of the best positional players I have seen in this draft. His ability to find open space so easily is visible every time you watch him. He reads the offensive end before getting into the offensive end and sets himself up nicely for shots on goal, or a good pass. I think Roy will need a lot of work for sure before ever getting into an NHL game, but there is a boatload of potential for this kid if he can be disciplined enough.

Potential: Top 6 Winger

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#47- Dylan Duke

There’s a lot to like about Dylan Duke. He has become quicker as the year has went on, and he offers some pretty well-thought out passes too, along with his ability to find the back of the net with his shots as well. Duke does it all in the offensive end, and while I do think he’s opened up more potential with his skating improving this year, I’m still worried his game won’t translate as well to the NHL. I think he could get better at every part of his game moving forward, since he is strong in most areas- which is hard to assess for a prospect sometimes. I see his play as being a possible middle-six forward on an NHL roster.

Potential: Middle-six forward

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#48- Zachary L’Heureux

I’m not a fan of L’Heureux as a first rounder, and to be honest, he’s been dropping down my list most of the season. Not because of the antics, not because of the suspensions, but because skill wise, I don’t see a lot of potential there. L’Heureux is a high ceiling player who is already a passenger at the QMJHL level, and while he can put up points and score goals at a good rate, I don’t believe it’ll be an easy translation to the NHL. He’s got a hard, accurate shot which will translate to the NHL, and he already has the size to throw around his body and be a physically demanding player, but I’m not sure I see higher than third line talent.

Potential: Middle-six winger

Potential likelihood: 7/10

Tier 7: Likely Second Round Choices

#49- Tyler Boucher

Tyler Boucher had a difficult year, an injury put him out of a year that was already difficult to scout. However, Boucher didn’t miss much of a step in his game when he returned for his short stint. He has an incredible shot, and while I hope he can tune some of his game to a more well-rounded play style, he’s an extremely safe pick in the 40s for this draft.

Potential: 3rd line winger

Potential likelihood: 8/10

#50- Topias Vilen

I like Vilen for a lot of reasons, I think he’s definitely worthy of a top 50 pick. His poise playing in a mens professional league has proven his comfortability, and I believe he’s worth a safety pick as well. He plays solid defence against men already, using a good defensive stick and pushing to the outside lane. His ability to do this, be physical, and have a very mature play style shows that he can make it to the NHL someday.

Potential: Bottom 4 D

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#51- Justin Robidas

One of my favourites for the draft this year, Robidas should be expected to go later than 51 due to his size, but not his skill. Robidas stands at only 5’7, but is an extremely speedy player who uses his edge work to his advantage, and can be a little bit deceiving with his skating as well. He offers an accurate shot as well that has a decent amount of power behind it, but his release shocks goalies since he’s able to fire off an accurate shot mid-skating.

Potential: Middle-six forward

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#52- Matthew Knies

This a spot I feel very comfortable with Knies being, he’s been around this spot for me all season long. A big body player, Knies can be physically demanding and can be a real physical threat in the offensive zone. He’s an all-around player who I believe is another safe pick at this range.

Potential: Middle-six forward

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#53- Red Savage

First of all, shout out to Gabe Foley for really getting me sold on this guy. He could easily be a top 50 pick this year. The captain for the USA U18 squad at the Juniors shows how mature of a player and person he really is. On the ice, he’s a smart two-way player who will translate as a centre at the NHL level too. An endless motor, Savage is a great backchecker who gets under the stick fairly easily to steal the puck. Offensively, he can be a creative player offering impressive passing that leads to a goal, or setting himself up for a shot on net.

Potential: Middle-six centre

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#54- Olen Zellweger

Zellweger could easily be towards my first round, late viewings made me like him more and more and I think he could be anywhere from here to the beginning of my second round. Zellweger is someone who definitely was hurt by the COVID season, and someone I’ve really grown to like. A smart player, Zellweger plays both ends fairly well, and produces smart-accurate passes time after time. He’s good at rushing the puck out of the defensive zone and setting up teammates offensively for a chance on goal. He’s got a good motor as well and was better each time I watched him.

Potential: Top 4 D

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#55- Conner Roulette

Conner Roulette is an interesting player, someone I believe has a high ceiling, and should definitely be swung on around this range of the draft. Good hockey IQ, Conner Roulette is able to view plays developing and make a decision with the puck based on what he sees. He drives the net well, he makes exceptional passes and can be quite dynamic with his skating.

Potential: Top 9 Forward

Potential likelihood: 6.5/10

#56- Alexander Kisakov

Kisakov is a good skater who skates with the idea of creating space. While I do think he’s a great player in this aspect, he needs to become stronger, he needs to become more physical and he needs to control his pace in games for me to want to rank him higher. There are plenty of times I watched Kisakov break into the offensive zone with speed, build a bit of room, but nothing comes of the entry. I think there’s more to his game I would like to see, but he can definitely be worked around what he already has.

Potential: Top 9 Forward

Potential likelihood: 6.5/10

#57- Riley Kidney

Another shout out here to Louis Troxler for putting me on this player. Kidney has impressed me more and more with every viewing, and I think he could definitely end up a top 50 player in this draft. Towards the end of the season he broke out, raking in plenty of points, and did so using his speed and playmaking ability more effectively. Kidney is someone who recognizes patterns in his game and is constantly trying to make the best play possible. He certainly has the potential to be a playmaker at the NHL level.

Potential: Top 9 Forward

Potential likelihood: 6.5/10

#58- Aleksi Heimosalmi

I understand why people like Heimosalmi, and why he’s built a big following of people who like his skillset, but I think Heimosalmi is also a bit of a gamble at this spot. Heimosalmi is a great skater, he’s speedy, does a good job at breaking out, and has good hands as well. However, Heimosalmi does not impress me enough in his passing and decision making at times. A riskier pick, but can still be considered a top 50 player in this draft class.

Potential: Top 4 D

Potential likelihood: 6.5/10

#59- Brent Johnson

Brent Johnson is a terrific player offensively. He holds the blue line fairly well, he rushes the puck well, and he makes smart decision passes that lead to scoring chances often. But Johnson is not a terrific defensive player, and there weren’t many parts of his defensive game that stood out to me. Some of the decision making is not there in my eyes, but given his offensive production and his ability to control the offensive end, he should be a solid pick in this range of the draft to work with.

Potential: Top 4 D

Potential likelihood: 6.5/10

#60- Sean Tschigerl

Tschigerl is another player who probably could be even higher on this list given the potential I saw in his short WHL stint this year. Tshigerl has worked a bit on his skating from last year, and there are parts of his game that remind me of Jack Quinn (not fully, just parts of his game). Tschigerl has a good shot, he sets himself up nicely in the offensive end to give him chances, and can be a deceiving skater as well.

Potential: Top 9 Forward

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#61- Victor Stjernborg

The last player in this tier, Stjernborg has size to him already. At 5”11 and 200 lbs, Stjernborg is a strong player who can be physical and can move opponents off the puck. He’s a good skater for his size, with speed and agility and has a great release as well. I cannot wait to see what he does in the SHL next year, and I believe he’s a safe player to draft in this range.

Potential: Middle-six forward

Potential likelihood: 7/10

Tier 9: Potential second round choices.

#62- Justin Janicke

Justin Janicke has been another one of my fan favourites all year long. There are parts of his game that I think can be elite once you turn the switch on. He’s a pretty safe pick in this range, with top 9 potential. He’ll likely crack it as a third liner in the NHL, but there were moments where Janicke looked better than he ever did this season. I remember there was one goal Janicke scored where he zoomed up the left side of the ice, getting past the defenders with ease before sniping it short side. There are parts of his game I think are great, but he might play it safe a little too much for my liking. I’d like to see his confidence grow next season.

Potential: Top 9 F

Potential likelihood: 7/10

#63- Samu Salminen

Samu Salminen is the type of player who I think could do well at the NCAA level next year. Getting a move to North American ice could be good for him. Playing a shortened season in Finland this year, Salminen was able to put up plenty of points and played a good offensive role. Salminen is a decent playmaker, but could be more of a power forward in the years to come. He’s a big player, good at puck battles and could have middle-six potential.

Potential: Middle-six winger

Potential likelihood: 6.5/10

#64- Aidan Hreschuk

Hreschuk is a player I don’t understand people ranking lower than this. Do his points reflect how good he is? Maybe not, but Hreschuk is still a decent player. He has a good two-way game, and while he isn’t amazing defensively, he is by no means bad defensively. His positioning is good, he makes good passes in all 3 zones whether it is the breakout or a set-up pass, and I do see potential in him.

Potential: Middle-pairing D

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#65- Kirill Gerasimyuk

It is certainly a year to stack up from the blue-line and back, and Gerasimyuk is no exception to that. Gerasimyuk has solid athletic ability and can get from post to post pretty easily. He could use some more poise in the crease, but he reads the play well and is constantly thinking of where the shot could come from. I believe he is more than deserving of a top 100 pick.

Potential: Starting goaltender

Potential likelihood: 4/10

#66- Peter Reynolds

Reynolds had an interesting year, going from the BCHL last season to the QMJHL this season- losing NCAA eligibility, and playing through a COVID year too. Reynolds is a smart, two-way centreman who projects as a true centre at the NHL level. While he’s average defensively, he does back check, and he can provide offence at the same time. He’s creative with his passing, and while inconsistent, can blow you away from time to time.

Potential: Middle-six centre

Potential likelihood: 6.5/10

#67- Chase Stillman

A slippery forward, Stillman has smooth hands and demonstrated that very clearly in Denmark this year. He top end speed could use some work, but his IQ and vision in the offensive end cannot be ignored. He also does a good job at slowing down the pace in order to make a play happen.

Potential: Middle-six winger

Potential likelihood: 6.5/10

#68- Ty Voit

Ty Voit was not as lucky as others this year who played in Europe while the OHL was shut down. However, he did end his second half of last season on an impressive not. Voit is a speedy playmaker who impressed me enough to still have him as a fringe second rounder this year. He has speed, hands, and IQ to be a high-ceiling player.

Potential: Top 9 Forward

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#69- Cameron Whynot

I very much like Cameron Whynot’s game. He’s a good defender, who coughs up mistakes once and a while, but otherwise has a very solid passing ability, and good puck protection as well. Whynot has a high enough ceiling, but I’m not sure if he reaches his full potential. He’s a good skater, playmaker with good puck control too, so I can’t see him lasting very long on the second day of the draft.

Potential: Top 4 D

Potential likelihood: 5/10

#70- Shai Buium

Buium is climbing draft boards towards the end of the season and there’s no wonder why. He has the size, he has the skating, he has the physicality and he’s a decent defender as well. Buium to me is a high-ceiling big defender who could probably be a bit higher on my draft board. He’s someone who gained comfortability in the USHL as the season progressed and should have a good season next year too. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Potential: Top 4 D

Potential likelihood: 5/10

#71- Ryder Korczak

This is where I feel comfortable ranking Korczak, and even then, it may be a little high. Korczak is someone who has 3 seasons in the WHL under his belt now, and that worries me. It worries me because he has constantly become better and what he has already been good at, while there has been little to no improvement at what he struggles with. He can be a deceptive skater, and can be quite the playmaker, but his IQ, decision making and vision in the offensive end is so inconsistent to the point where it sometimes leads to a breakaway for the other team and a goal against. This is another player you need to pay attention to if you draft him, he will need a lot of work.

Potential: Top 6 Forward

Potential likelihood: 3.5/10

Tier 10: Third round picks.

#72- Jeremy Wilmer

The pint-sized forward impressed me enough this year that, despite his size, is within my top 100 players. His ability to play comfortably though undersized, and control the puck is eye-catching. He does a great job at entering the zone and finding open spaces with the puck on his stick. He’s a possession player for sure.

Potential: Top 9 Forward

Potential likelihood: 5.5/10

#73- Jack Bar

I might not be as high on Jack Bar as other people, but he’s certainly a skilled defenceman. He has good two-way ability, but he seems more average in both areas. On the offensive end, he has a good shot and good offensive vision, but doesn’t have much of a jump to his game, and defensively I felt he was okay, but I’m not sure he translates very easily to the NHL.

Potential: Middle-pairing D

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#74- Tristan Broz

Tristan Broz is someone who I can understand why people rank high. When he’s on his game, he is on his game. However, given my viewings of him, these moments can be rare and come out of nowhere. Many times he can go 4-5 shifts without giving me much for my viewing and then have 1-2 shifts in a row that really really impress me. This is a pretty big consistency issue, but I’m hoping he can prove me wrong on this ranking.

Potential: Top 9 Forward

Potential likelihood: 5.5/10

#75- Dmitri Kostenko

Kostenko is a lot of things, a good skater, a good passer and someone with good vision. While I think there is a lot to work on defensively, there’s a lot to work with offensively. Kostenko is a big-range guy for me, because I’m not sure where I can project him, but there were times this season where I walked away really impressed.

Potential: Bottom 4 D

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#76- Colton Dach

Younger brother of Kirby Dach, he’s nearly the same size and brings a lot of skill to the table too. He could probably be higher on my rankings despite lack of viewings. He has size, he has good speed and a great shot as well. Could certainly be a powerful forward at the NHL level someday.

Potential: Middle-six forward

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#77- Oliver Kapanen

Kapanen is a pretty darn good player. Relative of Kasperi, Oliver did a tremendous job this season showing off his offensive instincts and speed. He’s a great player in the offensive end who can find teammates easily and shoot the puck fairly well too. Defensively he helps out, which is always a good thing to scout.

Potential: Top 9 Forward

Potential likelihood: 5.5/10

#78- Kirill Kirsanov

Kirsanov is another Russian defence who didn’t really impress me defensively this year, but has great playmaking abilities and did a good job at exploiting open ice through his 8 games in the MHL too. Good speed, good hands and good vision are all positives for Kirsanov.

Potential: Middle-pairing D

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#79- Artyom Grushnikov

My third Russian in a row here, Grushnikov did not play this season, and while I think he could certainly be higher, it was hard for me to judge him based on last years games. Good skater, good hockey vision, and a decent defender as well with a good defensive stick.

Potential: Middle-pairing D

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#80- Matvei Petrov

Petrov is an excellently skilled forward who has a tremendous shot but also has some playmaking touch to him as well. Jakub Hromada claims that Petrov reminds him a lot of Patrik Laine. I think he could become a better skater and use some better decision making skills as well.

Potential: Middle-six forward

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#81- Lorenzo Canonica

Early in the year, Canonica impressed me enough to have him in my top 60, but towards the end of the year, and playing in the Q, he dropped. Canonica has good skating ability, and good mechanics, but seems to lack the high-end skill level to put it on the scoresheet. I still see a lot of potential in him, but the chances of reaching that are not as high as they used to be.

Potential: Middle-six forward

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#82- Vincent Iorio

An offensive d-man, Iorio can also play some good defence against some top guys. With a big body, at 6’3, Iorio has a long reach with his defensive stick, which he uses well. He did drop a little bit on my board by the final ranking, but Iorio is a solid two-way guy who can still make an NHL team very happy.

Potential: Middle-pairing D

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#83- Samuel Helenius

A true two-way centre, Helenius brings size and skill to the table. I’m not sure how he projects to the NHL, hence the later ranking, but he’s an all-around player who can be physical at times, can steal the puck, can hustles on the ice and provide some offence. Definitely worth a swing at this point in the draft.

Potential: Middle-six centre

Potential likelihood: 6/10

#84- Alexei Kolosov

Kolosov was the 2nd rated European goaltender by central scouting, and for good reason. Although an overager, Kolosov showed how he can defend the crease effectively. He has good speed, good vision and decent rebound control.

Potential: Starting goaltender

Potential likelihood: 3.5/10

#85- Scott Morrow

This may come as a shock to have Morrow this low, but I fully support my ranking of him here. Morrow was a late 02 birthday who was still playing USHS hockey this year, against people younger than him for the most part. Stepping into the USHL, I was not impressed with his play and found that there still wasn’t much there for him apart from speed and good hands.

Potential: Middle-pairing D

Potential likelihood: 6/10

Tier ?: Player outside my top 85, who I really enjoyed watching.