Just like the 2020-21 regular season, the 2021 NHL Entry Draft is bound to be a crazy one. COVID-19 took a huge toll on draft prospects this year, as many leagues’ schedules were thrown into wack, seasons were heavily delayed or canceled, and many players didn’t get a fair shot to prove themselves to NHL scouts. Even when disregarding the pandemic, this year’s draft was going to be weird anyway.
Most NHL drafts have at least one player who is projected to be a star before the draft even happens. 2019 had Jack Hughes, 2020 had Alexis Lafreniere, and the 2022 and 2023 classes already look to have future superstars in Shane Wright and Connor Bedard, respectively. However, the 2021 draft class doesn’t appear to have any surefire star players. Right from pick number 1, teams appear to be picking from a crop of simply solid NHLers.
This does not mean that the 2021 draft is a bad one, however. While there is a lack of star power at the top, there are a lot of very solid players that should become very good NHL players. The Sabres will have the first pick in the draft, so they will have a crop of fine talent to choose from. The top tier consists of about 8-10 players that could make a case for being the number one overall pick. Since the Sabres finished last, they will have the 32nd pick overall in the second round as well. That guarantees at least one of the players in this ranking will be available when the Sabres are up on Day 2.
Without further ado, let’s jump into our 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Rankings!
#1: Matt Beniers, C, Michigan (NCAA)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 174 lbs
Stats: 24 GP, 10 G - 14 A - 24 P (NCAA); 7 GP, 1 G - 2 A - 3 P (WJC); 6 GP, 1 G - 1 A - 2 P (WC)
The top spot in many people’s rankings is going to look very different from one another, based on what each person values in a player. With all that being said, Matt Beniers is undoubtedly the most complete player in this year’s draft. Beniers de-committed from Harvard after the announcement that they would not play this season, and decided to join the University of Michigan with fellow top prospects Owen Power and Kent Johnson. This seems to have worked in Beniers’ favor, as he very well may have emerged as the best player of the three. He has a full toolbox of speed, skill, two-way ability, and effort that will certainly endear him to the fans of any team that may draft him. He also rarely makes a mistake-he always has sound positioning and is always doing the right thing to regain possession or create space for a scoring chance. Beniers had to fight for consistent ice time at center this year on a stacked Wolverines team, but he outdueled fellow 2021 prospect Kent Johnson and 2020 Vegas first-rounder Brendan Brisson for a spot down the middle, which helps his prospects as far as staying at center once he reaches the NHL. He also stood out at the World Junior championships, even as one of the youngest players on the gold medal-winning Team USA.
While he is known mainly for his defensive game, Beniers’ offensive playmaking game and transitional ability are certainly underrated. Much like Anton Lundell in last year’s draft, Beniers may be labeled as having a “low offensive ceiling” by some scouts because he is not as dynamic or flashy as some other players and takes pride in his defensive game. That’s not to say there are zero reasons for concern in that area, however; Michigan was a very high-powered offensive team, which may have slightly inflated Beniers’ point totals. He also is a bit thin for his frame right now, and he does need to fill it out a bit more to ensure he’ll be effective in puck battles at the NHL level. Nevertheless, Beniers has shown that he has a versatile skill set that should translate seamlessly to the NHL level, and he projects to be a good second-line center at the very least.
#2: William Eklund, LW, Djurgardens (SHL)
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 172 lbs
Stats: 40 GP, 11 G - 12 A - 23 P (SHL)
William Eklund is certainly the biggest riser in this draft class; if you told any scout this time last year that you had Eklund in the first round, let alone the top 5, they would’ve called you insane. However, he has proved with his performance this year that he is worthy of the meteoric rise on draft boards he’s experienced this year, a la Nico Hischier in 2017. Some believe he could even achieve what Hischier did and become the number one pick in the draft. Eklund played on Djurgardens’ top line with former Sabre Jacob Josefson and 2020 7th overall pick Alexander Holtz (New Jersey) and proved to be the driving force on that line. Like Beniers, Eklund has a blend of speed, skill, and work ethic that should translate very well to the NHL level. He is also great in transition through the neutral zone and has a tendency to both get dangerous shots for himself and find teammates in high danger areas. The combination of pace, work ethic, and offensive talent makes him an extremely valuable prospect, one that was very close to displacing Beniers atop these rankings.
Eklund’s high motor and skating can certainly be used as both an asset on the forecheck and attacking with the puck. But there are a couple of warning signs that could scare some teams off. First, he is a riser, and many teams are wary of those types of players and are concerned that those types of players are one-year wonders and won’t repeat that type of performance as they rise through the minor leagues. The majority of Eklund’s point production did come early in the season as his line was on a shooting percentage high. There could also be another confounding factor to this, however; Eklund tested positive for COVID-19, causing him to miss the World Juniors and may have caused a scoring slump when he returned. He appears to have fully recovered, which is a great sign for him moving forward. Secondly, many scouts still hold a lot of value in size, and being shorter than 6 feet tall certainly does not help Eklund in that department. Eklund scored at a very high rate for a draft-eligible player in the SHL and has shown that he has the tools to be a successful top 6 winger in the NHL. Multiple reports are stating that the Sabres are very high on Eklund, so you should be neither disappointed nor surprised if he’s donning the blue and gold by the end of draft night.
#3: Brandt Clarke, D, Barrie (OHL)/Nove Zamky (Slovakia)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 190 lbs
Stats: 26 GP, 5 G - 10 A - 15 P (Slovakia); 7 GP, 2 G - 5 A - 7 P (U18)
The 2021 draft class appears to have a higher percentage of defensemen occupying the top of the draft rankings than most other years, but the best player out of those defensemen is still debated by some scouts. Some may say Owen Power, Luke Hughes, or even Simon Edvinsson will be the best defenseman to come out of this draft, but we’re going with Brandt Clarke as the best defenseman in our rankings. Clarke is a dynamic offensive defenseman who shoots right-handed, which will instantly earn him some comparisons to Cale Makar, but fans should lower their expectations a tad in that regard-he projects more similarly to last year’s 6th overall pick, Jamie Drysdale (Anaheim). Clarke is the first of many players in these rankings who had his season majorly delayed, as the OHL season was canceled outright. Brandt and his brother, Devils prospect Graeme Clarke, decided to go play in the Slovakian pro league with HC Nove Zamky. He struggled at first, failing to register a point in his first 8 games, but then caught fire to finish with 15 points in his remaining 18 games. Clarke also joined Team Canada for the U18 Championships, producing 7 points in 7 games while quarterbacking Canada's top power-play unit.
Clarke is very good at driving offense both through transition and in the offensive zone itself. He is very crafty with the puck, creating passing lanes and always jumping into an odd-man rush. He is certainly a pass-first player, and while he creates a high volume of passes, he sometimes tries to force stretch passes when skating the puck or a shorter pass is the better option. Clarke is aggressive at holding the blue line and defending in the neutral zone, and he is fairly good at positioning in the defensive zone. Unfortunately, his size and lack of defensive prowess at this point in his career led to him being pretty outmatched against professionals. Some scouts also have some concerns with Clarke’s skating; while his lateral quickness is off the charts, his straight-line speed is relatively average by comparison. Overall, there is still a ton to like about Clarke’s game and his offensive prowess, and as long as he can improve his defensive game and speed, he should be a very good NHL defenseman.
#4: Luke Hughes, D, USNTDP (USHL)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 176 lbs
Stats: 36 GP, 6 G - 28 A - 34 P (USDP)
The youngest member of hockey’s newest elite family has finally arrived. Like his brothers Quinn and Jack, Luke Hughes appears destined to be a top 10 pick in the draft, which would be the first time a set of three siblings have ever all gone that high in a draft for any sport (The Staal brothers came closest-Eric and Jordan both were selected second, while Marc went 12th). Hughes played with the US Development Program this year, and after a slow start to the year, he picked up his game and his production. Unfortunately, Hughes suffered ligament damage in his foot late in the season that required surgery to repair. He is committed to playing at the University of Michigan, along with top prospects Matt Beniers, Owen Power, and Kent Johnson should they decide to stay at school for another year (which they’ve all but confirmed they will be). It will be interesting to see Hughes and Power play on the same team, as they are both vying to be the first defenseman drafted.
Hughes shares a lot of characteristics with his brothers, most notably his excellent skating ability and offensive creativity. While most scouts don’t think that Luke has quite as much dynamic offensive ability from the back end as Quinn, they’re quick to note that he is not far behind his brother at all. Luke is very good at pushing the play through transition, and he almost has a Rasmus Dahlin-esque ability to evade pressure in tight spaces. He is also significantly taller than his brothers, which indicates he has the potential to be a solid defensive player as well as having an effective physical element to his game. Hughes is one of the youngest players in this draft, just a few days away from being eligible for the 2022 draft, which implies his potential may be even higher than it appears to be right now. Like the other defenseman at the top of this draft, Hughes will likely be a good second-pair guy but has the potential to be a top-pairing player if all goes well with his development.
#5: Owen Power, D, Michigan (NCAA)
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 214 lbs
Stats: 26 GP, 3 G - 13 A - 16 P (NCAA); 10 GP, 0 G - 3 A - 3 P (WC)
Owen Power is atop many public prospect rankings and is currently the favorite to be the Sabres’ pick at first overall, and it is easy to see why. You can’t teach size, and scouts are always enamored with big men who can skate. However, if you dive deep and scour the internet, you will see an extremely wide range of projections and player comparables for Power; some think he can be the next Victor Hedman (nice), and others seem to think he’ll be the next Erik Gudbranson (yikes). The true answer is almost certainly somewhere in between. Power is merely very good at all the sorts of things that Victor Hedman is amazing at. He is a good skater, has good offensive instinct, and can use his size effectively on defense. He produced points at a very respectable clip for a freshman defender, albeit on a stacked Michigan team. It will be interesting to see if he returns to school, or if the team that drafts him will sign him right away for his size.
While Power has a lot of positives to his game, there are some negatives as well that may scare a few teams off. His size and potential are undeniable, but teams should understand what they’re getting if they decide to select him. Firstly, it is important to understand that he is very likely never going to be as good as Hedman, he is just similar in size and style. Secondly, Power doesn’t seem to have figured out how to use his body effectively when defending yet; he tends to over-rely on his reach with his stick and underuse his big frame and skating ability to close out attackers and cause turnovers. He also isn’t quite as dynamic of an offensive talent as someone like Clarke or Hughes, although he is certainly good in the offensive zone and as a passer in his own right. However, the tools are all there, and a good development staff can help Power put those tools together, reach his full potential, and become a great top-pairing defenseman, ultimately proving his doubters wrong. His performance at the World Championships was promising and he beat out NHL players to become the number 1 defenseman on Team Canada, so he appears to already be on the way to do so.
#6: Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton (WHL)/Sherwood Park (AJHL)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 181 lbs
Stats: 4 GP, 3 G - 2 A - 5 P (AJHL); 12 GP, 12 G - 12 A - 24 P (WHL); 7 GP, 4 G - 3 A - 7 P (U18)
Dylan Guenther is another one of many, many players in this draft class to have his season thrown extremely into wack by the pandemic. When the WHL season was delayed, he decided to go play for the Sherwood Park Crusaders in the AHL, a junior A league in Alberta. He only got to play 4 games in that league before it too was shut down due to COVID, and he didn’t completely dominate it like some scouts believed he should (he was even outperformed by projected 2022 top 3 pick Matt Savoie). Throughout the year, Guenther continued to slide down prospect rankings solely due to the fact that he wasn’t playing any games. However, when the WHL finally returned in March, Guenther showed why he was at the top of so many rankings in the first place. He tore through the league, posting 24 points in just 12 games. His rate of 2 points per game still leads the league, which ranks ahead of former first-rounders like Peyton Krebs (Vegas), Connor Zary (Calgary), and teammate Jake Neighbours (St. Louis), as well as 2023-eligible phenom Connor Bedard. He then left to go play in the World U18 championships with a stacked Team Canada, putting up 7 points in 7 games en route to a gold medal. However, Guenther didn’t stand out past the first couple of games, which worried some scouts, but shouldn’t affect his draft stock too much.
Guenther is known as a solid all-around offensive player who can skate, shoot, and pass at a high level while being an underrated forechecker. Even so, there is still a bit of hesitation from scouts to rank him this high in their rankings. After all, 12 games is not a very significant sample size, and Guenther doesn’t have much of a defensive game. Some also believe he leans on his shot too much, and they’d like to see him passing more often and fix his tunnel vision-like tendencies in the offensive zone. However, Guenther did score 59 points in a much larger sample size of 58 games last season, and he shows an effort and willingness to improve in his own end. Guenther should eventually slot in nicely on the right-wing in an NHL team’s top 6 and be a solid contributor.
#7: Jesper Wallstedt, G, Lulea (SHL)
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 214 lbs
Stats: 22 GP, 12-10-0, 2.23 GAA, .908 Sv% (SHL); 2 GP, 0-1-0, 2.40 GAA, .930 Sv% (WJC)
A goalie in the top 10? In this economy? Yup, welcome to 2021. Goalies have become the running backs of the NHL in the age of analytics: you never want to pay them a ton of money and you should never use a high draft pick on them. However, a select few goalies have defied that sentiment the last couple of years. Spencer Knight (Florida) and Yaroslav Askarov (Nashville) each became top 15 picks in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Wallstedt has proven that he belongs in that elite tier of goalie prospects, and some scouts believe he could be the best of the three. He was the youngest goaltender to ever start a game in Sweden’s top professional league, and even got into some games in the World Juniors as the backup goalie for the tournament and performed relatively well. His SHL season stats were hurt by a couple of bad games, but he ultimately proved he belonged with the big boys.
Wallstedt is the most technically sound goaltending prospect in a very long time. He isn’t flashy, but he’s very rarely out of position and has a tremendous amount of poise. He uses his size and positional awareness to his advantage by just staying in position and forcing shooters to beat him with their shot, which is extremely difficult to do because of his skill and quickness with his hands and legs. Any concerns with Wallstedt’s status as a top prospect are either due to his lack of flashiness or uncertainty with selecting a goalie so high in the draft. Wallstedt is certainly the best goalie prospect in this class, and arguably the best goalie prospect since Andrei Vasilevskiy came along in 2012, so all signs point to his ability to bolster any team’s future in the crease for years to come. His nickname is “The Brick Wall” for a reason, after all.
#8: Mason McTavish, C, Peterborough (OHL)/Olten(SL)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 207 lbs
Stats: 13 GP, 9 G - 2 A - 11 P (SL); 7 GP, 5 G - 6 A - 11 P (U18)
Mason McTavish is yet another player who has bounced up and down many prospect rankings throughout the season. He started the year at number 9 on Bob McKenzie’s rankings, then fell as other players got to play in games before him. As the OHL canceled their season, McTavish fell to a late first-round grade by many scouts as he could do nothing but watch other games. He finally got to play some games with EHC Olten of Switzerland’s second league, where he performed fairly well. The fact that his father, Dale, played professionally in Switzerland for years likely helped Mason with that adjustment. However, McTavish’s performance at the U18 tournament is what sent him back into the conversation for a top 10 pick, as he was a main contributor to Canada’s dominant gold medal run. There he displayed his unique skill set that has enamored scouts ever since.
McTavish has a rare blend of smarts, grit, and offensive talent that many teams crave in today’s game. The first thing that many people notice about McTavish is his fantastic shot, which is both powerful and accurate-after all, it got him 29 goals in his rookie OHL season in 2019-20. While most will be drawn to the goal totals, more keen-eyed observers will see his excellent forechecking ability. McTavish is outstanding in board battles, and he expertly uses his body to maintain or obtain possession of the puck. He then often displays the ability to move the puck to dangerous areas of the ice to generate scoring chances for himself and his teammates. McTavish’s main weakness is his speed, as his heavy stride makes him an average to a below-average skater. However, this is something that can be worked on, and McTavish should one day be a very good, if underrated, top 6 forward.
#9: Fabian Lysell, RW, Frolunda/Lulea (SHL)
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 172 lbs
Stats: 11 GP, 3 G - 10 A - 13 P (Sweden J20); 21 GP, 2 G - 1 A - 3 P (SHL); 7 GP, 3 G - 6 A - 9 P (U18)
Although I declared William Eklund the riser of this year’s draft class earlier, Fabian Lysell has been a close second in the race of who will skyrocket the farthest up draft boards throughout the year. The range of opinions on Lysell was fairly wide until the U18 tournament, as some scouts had him in their top 3 while others barely had him in the top 20. However, Lysell’s performance at the tournament solidified his status as a top 10 prospect in the draft. Lysell came up as a prospect through the Frolunda system, but with their SHL team being stacked he never had a chance to get onto the team. He then transferred to Lulea, where he was called up to the pros but received a very limited amount of ice time, which resulted in low point totals. Lysell definitely went into the U18 tournament with something to prove, and he did everything he could to carry a weak Sweden team through the tournament.
Lysell has a versatile skill set that is very translatable to the NHL level. He has dynamic offensive tools, most notably his stickhandling abilities, as well as a pretty good shot. He has a high motor and can hound the puck effectively with his speed. He is also surprisingly good in the defensive zone, partially because of his puck-hounding ability, but his positioning is fairly good as well. Lysell seems to have garnered a bad reputation from requesting to transfer to a different organization because of ice time, but those rumors of poor character are unconfirmed as of now. Lysell is possibly the most underrated player in this draft class, and if he slides on draft night, he is going to make teams pay for passing on him, and he’ll make his new teams’ fans extremely happy.
#10: Kent Johnson, C, Michigan (NCAA)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 165 lbs
Stats: 26 GP, 9 G - 18 A - 27 P (NCAA)
Kent Johnson is the highlight reel machine of this draft class. Ever since he scorched the BCHL with 101 points in 2019-20, the hockey world has gazed in wonder at videos of him undressing defenders and goaltenders. He continued this trend with the Wolverines in the NCAA this season, often coming up on Twitter feeds with creative plays dazzling many fans. He was a part of Michigan’s outstanding freshman class and was very important to their production and their success this season. There were times during the season where some believed Johnson could challenge for the first overall pick, but as the season went on he settled towards the back half of the top 10 in many rankings, which is still nothing to scoff at.
Johnson plays hockey like he’s playing a video game, which can be both a good thing and a bad thing. His puck handling ability and creativity are second to none in this draft, and he is very dangerous in 1-on-1 situations as both a playmaker and a shooter. Johnson is an agile skater and can use that to get around defenders, but his straight-line speed is fairly average, which may hinder that 1-on-1 ability a bit at the NHL level if it isn’t improved. Johnson also tends to try and do too much, thus skating himself into a turnover, but he did improve on simplifying his game a bit and cutting back on the turnovers through the course of the season. Johnson also doesn’t have much of a defensive game to speak of, which is somewhat expected of a skill forward like him. Overall, Johnson has a lot to like but a lot to dislike about his game, and a fair projection for his NHL status would be as a skill winger to complement a play-driving center.
#11: Simon Edvinsson, D, Frolunda (SHL)
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 207 lbs
Stats: 14 GP, 1 G - 5 A - 6 P (Sweden J20); 10 GP, 0 G - 1 A - 1 P (SHL); 14 GP, 0 G - 5 A - 5 P (Allsvenskan); 7 GP, 1 G - 3 A - 1 P (U18)
In a draft year with little consensus in player rankings, Simon Edvinsson is perhaps the most polarizing player in the draft. Some scouts have him as high as second overall, and others have him towards the end of the top 15. The discrepancy in Edvinsson’s rankings depends on how highly scouts weigh potential versus current skill level. It was also tricky to evaluate Edvinsson this year as he bounced between Sweden’s top two professional leagues and top junior league in the Frolunda system. However, on draft day it only takes one team to believe in a player to be selected, so Edvinsson’s raw talent will probably cause him to be drafted before the eleventh pick. Still, teams should understand that they have a lot of development to do with Edvinsson should they select him, as he is likely the biggest boom-or-bust prospect in this year’s draft.
Edvinsson has a boatload of physical talent that has kept him towards the top of draft boards throughout the season. Like Owen Power, he is a very large human who can also skate pretty fast. He almost has a Rasmus Dahlin-like ability to skate with the puck and create offensive chances. Edvinsson also can properly defend against the rush as well, and he is great at shutting down zone entries from the opposition. However, the negatives with Edvinsson are more worrying than they are with Power. For starters, Edvinsson seems to struggle with consistency, both on a game-to-game and shift-to-shift basis. This was best exemplified at the U18 tournament, where he would be dominant one shift and get embarrassed the next. The larger issue, however, is Edvinsson’s struggles with decision-making. While he sometimes makes dynamic plays to move the puck up the ice, he makes bone-headed passes to no one or skates himself into a corner way more often than you’d like out of a top defenseman prospect. He also tends to chase hits and over pursue the puck on defense. Overall, Edvinsson has a ton of raw physical skill but will require a lot of development and patience from his NHL team if he wants to become a good NHL player.
#12: Fyodor Svechkov, C, Togliatti (VHL)
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 179 lbs
Stats: 38 GP, 5 G - 10 A - 15 P (VHL); 15 GP, 4 G - 11 A - 15 P (MHL); 7 GP, 4 G - 6 A - 10 P (U18)
Fyodor Svechkov is the main player (besides Matt Beniers) in this draft that falls victim to the “defensive center must not be good offensively” archetype. This is mostly because his point totals weren’t super notable for playing in Russia’s second league. However, there was one major factor that was affecting his point totals: his VHL team was AWFUL surrounding him this year. Many scouts may have overlooked Svechkov’s offensive abilities since a lot of times they didn’t turn into goals during his regular season. However, that changed at the World U18 championships, where Svechkov finally had offensively talented players around him, and his level of production reflected that. He is heading over to the powerhouse that is the SKA system in Russia next year, so look for him to take a big jump in counting stats when he has better linemates for an entire season.
While Svechkov is definitely underrated offensively, what sets him apart from his peers is his defensive ability. He is very good at being able to start a play from the defensive end of the ice and push it all the way into the offensive zone. He can take the puck away from opponents and escape pressure to start the play in the defensive zone, then transition the puck with his skating ability. Once Svechkov gets to the offensive zone, his dynamic playmaking ability is severely underrated. When you look into it, there aren’t too many knocks on Svechkov’s game besides his size. He could be the steal of the draft when all is said and done.
#13: Logan Stankoven, RW, Kamloops (WHL)
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 170 lbs
Stats: 6 GP, 7 G - 3 A - 10 P (WHL); 7 GP, 4 G - 4 A - 8 P (U18)
Every few years or so, there is a high scoring forward that gets slept on solely due to a lack of size, when their production suggests they should be held in higher regard by scouts. 2016 had Alex DeBrincat fall to the second round, while 2019 had Cole Caufield slide to 15th overall after being considered a top 10 pick by many. Some would even consider Marco Rossi’s selection at 9th overall last year to be solely due to his size, as many scouts had him in their top 5. 2021’s edition of this trend appears to be Logan Stankoven. Standing at a mighty 5 feet 8 inches, Stankoven had been largely forgotten by scouts through the first half of the year, but once he returned to play, he assured everyone he was to be taken seriously. He only got into 13 games total this year, but he scored 29 goals as a WHL rookie last year, and he displayed that he’s more than just a goal scorer in the games he did play this year.
Stankoven’s best ability, like many in this class, is his shot, which is extremely powerful and accurate. He also can get those shots off from dangerous areas. His skating form is not very good, but he makes up for it with a very high motor and effort level, making him faster than you’d think just by watching him. Stankoven can also drive transitions very well, whether it is through his skating or dishing the puck to teammates. He has great vision and uses that as a playmaker very effectively. Stankoven is also a hound on the puck which makes him tough to play against. Hopefully, the scouts of NHL teams have learned their lesson, and Stankoven won’t slide as far as the other short kings before him did. But if he does, the Sabres should be sprinting to the podium on Day 2 to grab him up.
#14: Cole Sillinger, C, Medicine Hat (WHL)/Sioux Falls (USHL)
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 201 lbs
Stats: 31 GP, 24 G - 22 A - 46 P (USHL)
This is the part of the draft where draft rankings start to become dependent on personal preference, as there isn’t a ton of difference in overall skill level between a large group of players. At the top of this tier, we have Cole Sillinger. Sillinger put scouts on notice with a point-per-game season as a WHL rookie last season with the Medicine Hat Tigers. Once the WHL was put on hold to start the season, he decided to go play in the USHL to ensure he could bump his draft stock. And that he did, scoring at a 1.5 point-per-game rate on a weak Sioux Falls Stampede team. Sillinger’s father, Mike, was a longtime NHL veteran who played for 12 different teams, which should help him transition to the NHL easier.
Sillinger’s biggest strength is very clearly his shot. He has a very hard and accurate wrist shot and he knows how to get to prime areas of the ice to use it. Sillinger is also pretty good as a playmaker, but he doesn’t use that ability as much as you’d like. He seems to try to do it himself a lot, but that may have been a product of the lack of talent around him; only time will tell. Regardless, he is more than adequate at finding his teammates in the offensive zone. Sillinger has a pretty good physical game for a scoring forward as well. While he is very good in these areas, Sillinger does have a few weaknesses as well. The more concerning weakness is his skating, which is pretty average and will hurt his effectiveness at the NHL level if he can’t improve upon it. Sillinger doesn’t have much of a defensive game either, but many forwards don’t at this age and this can be worked on as well. However, these current deficiencies likely mean Sillinger transitions to the wing at the NHL level. Nonetheless, he should be a top 6 forward and a legitimate scoring threat in a few years.
#15: Chaz Lucius, C, USNTDP (USHL)
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 172 lbs
Stats: 13 GP, 13 G - 7 A - 20 P (USDP)
Besides having perhaps the best name in the draft, Chaz Lucius has a lot to like about his game as well. This year’s resident US Development Program sniper, Lucius is mostly known for his offensive skill. A multitude of injuries delayed his start to the season, but when he finally returned he scored at a goal-per-game rate, which is nothing to scoff at. The 10-15 range of rankings seems to be a very common consensus among scouts for Lucius. He is headed to the University of Minnesota in the fall, which was very competitive in the Big Ten this past year.
Lucius is very similar to Sillinger in strengths and weaknesses. He has a very good offensive toolkit, boasting an accurate shot and good playmaking instincts. Lucius is very good at getting shots from the slot and right in front of the net, which is extremely important for being able to score in the NHL. Where Sillinger has a more powerful shot, Lucius makes up for it in creativity and puck handling skills. However, he does share the weaknesses of skating and defense with Sillinger as well. The reason Lucius is lower in this ranking is the slightly smaller sample size where he played about as well as the players just above him. However, his right-handed shot may be more appealing to some teams, and he should be a solid top 6 scorer.
#16: Carson Lambos, D, Winnipeg (WHL)/JYP (Liiga)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 201 lbs
Stats: 2 GP, 0 G - 3 A - 3 P (U18 SM-sarja); 13 GP, 2 G - 9 A - 11 P (U20 SM-sarja); 2 GP, 0 P (Liiga); 2 GP, 0 P (WHL)
The phrase “jack of all trades, master of none” has been spoken many times about Carson Lambos over the past year or so. Lambos also had a crazy year, as he went to play in Finland’s junior ranks, bounced around between the levels of the JYP system, came back to Winnipeg, and got injured for the rest of the year. It’s speculated he had been playing through the injury over the course of the year because his level of play had been declining before he was ruled out. Either way, his draft stock took a hit as a result. While he was a consensus top 5 pick before the season, most scouts now have Lambos anywhere between the mid-first and early second round. Some still believe in the upside he showed with the Winnipeg ICE last year, while others are worried about his performance this year.
The most appealing attribute about Lambos is how well-rounded his game is. He doesn’t excel anywhere in the game, but he is pretty good at everything. Lambos is a solid defender positionally and physically, and he is adept at using both his body and stick to stop rushes. He is pretty good in transition as well, skating the puck if he can and passing if he is overmatched by the forechecker. Lambos has good awareness in the offensive zone, as he can use his feet and vision to make plays. It remains to be seen whether this year was an injury-riddled fluke or a legitimately concerning setback for Lambos, but if it’s the former he should have no problem becoming a solid second pair defenseman in the NHL.
#17: Aatu Raty, C, Karpat (SM Liiga)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 181 lbs
Stats: 8 GP, 3 G - 4 A - 7 P (U20 SM-sarja); 35 GP, 3 G - 3 A - 6 P (Liiga)
If you follow draft prospects closely for years before they’re eligible to be selected, you’ll know the name Aatu Raty very well. He was formerly considered to be the best prospect eligible for the 2021 draft. So what’s he doing all the way down here at 17? Well, after a strong performance last year in league play and as an underage player on Finland’s World Junior team, Raty struggled out of the gate this year. He wasn’t producing in the Liiga and appeared to lose a ton of confidence as a result. He was then cut from the World Junior team and sent down to Karpat’s junior team in an effort to boost his confidence and scoring output. When he was called back up to the pro squad, he still struggled to put up points, but he looked like a much different and better player-more similar to the Aatu Raty that had been dominating the Finnish junior ranks for the past few years. While some wrote him off after his poor start, others remained steadfast in their belief that Raty was worth a high pick in the draft.
Raty has a lot of things in his game that could either ensure he becomes a successful NHLer or contribute to his downfall. For starters, he has a ton of natural ability. While he isn’t the fastest skater, he has a powerful stride and good balance. He also has good puck handling ability. Perhaps his best attribute is his shot, which is very powerful and accurate. Raty also gives a good deal of effort defensively and has that skill set to diversify his game as well. Raty’s biggest issues as a player seem to be mental, but while they are significant, these issues are also coachable. He wasn’t extremely aggressive at driving play to the net, and at times would even skate himself out of high danger areas to make low-percentage offensive plays. However, with good development coaches helping him utilize his talent, Raty should become at least a middle 6 center in the NHL.
#18: Mackie Samoskevich, C/RW, Chicago (USHL)
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 190 lbs
Stats: 36 GP, 13 G - 24 A - 37 P (USHL)
The newest dynasty in the USHL, the Chicago Steel, are starting to produce top-end prospects at a ridiculous rate. Likely top pick Owen Power played there last year, and they have likely 2023 top-five pick Adam Fantilli on their roster (more on him in an article coming soon). However, the two players currently on the Steel who could be first-rounders this year are Mackie Samoskevich and Matthew Coronato. The first of the two in our rankings is Mackie Samoskevich, who had an injury derail his season but still showed a ton of promise. Samoskevich certainly made a case as the most talented player on the team as he flashed his tremendous skill night in and night out. He also dominated the Biosteel All American game, which pits the top USHL players against the US National Development team. Samoskevich is heading to the University of Michigan next year and will get a chance to prove himself next to a plethora of other very talented players.
If you’ve read many prospect rankings, you may be confused as to why Samoskevich is ahead of Coronato here. The two are neck and neck in terms of overall skill, and Coronato had much better counting stats, but Samoskevich’s skills are more translatable to the NHL, and as it stands right now should make him a more effective NHLer. The first of these is his playmaking ability, which is where he flashes a lot of his talent. Samoskevich is great at using his vision and finding his teammates with slick passes. He is also an extremely gifted puck handler, among the best in this draft class. His skating and shot are fairly good as well which rounds out a great offensive package. Samoskevich’s main drawback is his off-puck defensive play, but he is a high danger chance machine, and if he can get with teammates who finish more often-look out. Samoskevich would be a great pick at 32 should he fall that far.
#19: Matthew Coronato, LW, Chicago (USHL)
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 183 lbs
Stats: 51 GP, 48 G - 37 A - 85 P (USHL)
Matthew Coronato is the second member of the dynamic duo of Chicago Steel players who are likely first-round prospects. Coronato will likely go higher than this spot due to his fantastic production and a decent amount of hype surrounding him. While he isn’t quite a top 15 player in our rankings, Coronato is certainly still a great player in his own right. He led the USHL in scoring by 16 goals and was second in points only to Canadiens prospect and teammate Sean Farrell (who only stayed in the league due to the Ivy League schools’ cancellation of their season). Coronato is following Farrell to Harvard next season, and it will surely be a treat to watch the two of them rip up college hockey.
While Coronato’s point totals may indicate a potential NHL star, there are still reasons to question his actual upside. Coronato’s shooting is what makes him an offensive threat; he has a hard and heavy shot, and he often gets too dangerous areas to score, although location never scares him from the idea of taking a shot. He is a great passer and playmaker in his own right as well. Coronato is mostly a straight-line skater, but he makes up for his lack of agility with a high effort level. However, where Coronato struggles is when he doesn’t have a clear path to the net. He creates a lot of zone entries, but if he doesn’t have a straight line to cut to the net, it is fairly easy for a good defenseman to cut him off. He also sometimes has trouble with getting shots through traffic and with creativity as a puck carrier, which doesn't get easier as you move up through tougher levels of hockey. Regardless, Coronato has a lot of talents and he is smart enough to play within his limitations, and with some work could easily become a good NHLer.
#20: Zachary L’Heureux, C, Halifax (QMJHL)
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 196 lbs
Stats: 33 GP, 19 G - 20 A - 39 P (QMJHL)
The yearly Brad Marchand comparison is given to guys with offensive talent that play like a pest, and usually, those comparisons are a bit overstated. However, Zachary L’Heureux is probably the player who is the closest to being Marchand-like in recent years. There is a lot to like but also a lot to dislike about L’Heureux’s game, which causes him to be fairly polarizing among scouts. He had a good sample size of games this year since the QMJHL wasn’t shut down too hard by the pandemic, but it would have been more had he not been suspended on four separate occasions throughout the year. L’Heureux crosses the line too often, and this will certainly drive some teams away from drafting him. His effort level can be...questionable at times (to put it lightly), which certainly doesn’t help. Concerns aside, L’Heureux does have a lot of positive traits that ensure he’s still a top prospect in this draft.
L’Heureux mostly draws the Marchand comparisons due to his combination of playmaking ability and agitating style of play. Nasty guys who are hard to play against in the corners and are also skilled at the hockey side of the game are fairly hard to come by, and L’Heureux has the potential to be that type of player at the NHL level. He is a talented and creative puck handler who can pull off sweet dangles and slick passes. L’Heureux also has a good, accurate shot from in tight that is always important for players who want to score goals at the next level. He’s a pretty fast player as well-when he wants to be, at least-but his stride mechanics aren’t as smooth as a scout would be comfortable with at this point. The biggest issues for L’Heureux are on the mental side of the game. His compete level is very inconsistent, and he’s very clearly a hothead who either doesn’t know how to control his temper or simply doesn’t want to. Talent-wise, L’Heureux is probably a top 15 player in this draft, but the mental side of his game makes him a huge question mark moving forward. Hopefully, for both himself and whichever team drafts him, he will figure it out and be a versatile skill-and-sandpaper player going forward.
#21: Nikita Chibrikov, RW, SKA (KHL)
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 170 lbs
Stats: 16 GP, 1 G - 1A - 2 P (KHL); 20 GP, 3 G - 5 A - 8 P (VHL); 11 GP, 3 G - 6 A - 9 P (MHL); 7 GP, 4 G - 9 A - 13 P (U18)
Nikita Chibrikov is the pride of the esteemed SKA St. Petersburg system in Russia from this year’s draft. A lot of scouts are comparing his style and skills to last year’s top Russian prospect, Rodion Amirov (Toronto). Chibrikov bounced around to all of SKA’s teams this year and even got himself in some KHL games, which is quite impressive for draft-eligible players. He didn’t get a ton of ice time with the KHL club, which is expected of an 18-year-old, but he produced well for his age at both the VHL and MHL levels. He then captained Team Russia at the U18 world championships, leading them to a silver medal and displaying his offensive capabilities.
Chibrikov’s game is all about offense; his best qualities are his skating, passing ability, and his shot. He is an excellent driver of transition, and once he gets in the zone, he lets his playmaking take over. Chibrikov uses his speed to push the play, and he can beat defenders or open passing lanes with his puck handling. He can thread the needle with some pinpoint passes that will make your jaw drop. Chibrikov also goes to the net often, which is always good to see in a forward who wants to score goals. The biggest issue with Chibrikov is his consistency throughout any given game, which can be quite frustrating at times. Overall, smart playmaking forwards will always be a good pickup, and Chibrikov would certainly be that towards the end of the first round.
#22: Xavier Bourgault, RW, Shawinigan (QMJHL)
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 172 lbs
Stats: 29 GP, 20 G - 20 A - 40 P (QMJHL)
There are occasionally players in a given draft that scouts agree will play a role as a complementary player at the next level, rather than a guy who will drive his own line. Jack Quinn was widely regarded as one of those players going into last year’s draft, and this year scouts seem to agree Xavier Bourgault is that type of player this year. Bourgault plays on the Shawinigan Cataractes with 2020 first rounder Mavrik Bourque (Dallas), and the two of them can create magic on the ice together. With the QMJHL getting to play a solid amount of games this year relative to other seasons, scouts feel pretty secure about what type of player they’d be getting with Bourgault-a skilled forward who you stick next to a play-driving center and let them score some goals.
There’s not much deliberation on what kind of player Bourgault is. He’s a gifted offensive player that uses speed and skill to get the puck into the net. Bourgault has great offensive instincts on where to be around the net, and he’s good at finding passing lines for himself and others. He also has a goal scorer’s touch near the net that helps finish a lot of plays. Bourgault plays with speed and tenacity in the offensive zone and is the type of guy who will make a playmaking center look good by finishing his plays. The main issue with Bourgault is that while his offensive skill set is great, it’s not quite enough for him to drive his own line at the next level. He works much better when he’s alongside a guy like Mavrik Bourque with the way they’ve worked together over the past couple of seasons. Overall, Bourgault is a player you’d want for your team if you have a good center who needs teammates to finish for him and work off of his offensive creation, and he should do well with that at the next level.
#23: Scott Morrow, D, Shattuck-St. Mary’s (US-Prep)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 192 lbs
Stats: 30 GP, 8 G - 40 A - 48 P (US-Prep)
Just like every year has a short king, every year has a high school player who is far and away better than anyone else in their league. This year’s edition of that player is defenseman Scott Morrow. Morrow stayed at Shattuck this season for family reasons, and as a result, he lit the prep school hockey scene on fire. Morrow was previously committed to play at the University of North Dakota but decided to switch his commitment to UMass-Amherst recently. It is fitting that Morrow decided on UMass, as he shows flashes of the same brilliance as UMass alum and Norris trophy runner-up Cale Makar.
While the chances of Morrow ever hitting Makar’s level of play are pretty low, he has a similar style in the way he moves through the offensive zone. He is great at manipulating defending players with dekes and subtle stick movements to open up passing lanes, and he is a dynamic skater while moving around the zone as well. Morrow is also very good in transition, whether he is using his legs or his passing ability. Where Morrow struggles is in his own zone. He is not great positionally and he isn’t aggressive in putting defensive pressure on attackers. It is tougher to gauge Morrow’s exact overall potential since he played prep this year, but he has fantastic offensive tools that indicate the sky's the limit for him offensively, and he could work on his defense with development coaches to become a good, if not great, NHL defenseman.
#24: Corson Ceulemans, D, Brooks (AJHL)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 201 lbs
Stats: 8 GP, 4 G - 7 A - 11 P (AJHL); 6 GP, 1 G - 7 A - 8 P (U18)
Continuing the defenseman-from-lower-leagues trend, Corson Ceulemans is another player that has loads of upside but a good deal of issues that could hinder his ability to reach it. Ceulemans plays for the Brooks Bandits, the same team that Cale Makar played for in his draft year, although he wasn't nearly as dominant as Makar was. He only got to play eight games in the shortened AJHL season, and then just six more after making Canada’s U18 team and putting up mixed results at that tournament. Ceulemans is headed to the University of Wisconsin next year to play for Tony Granato, brother of current Sabres coach Don Granato.
A lot of the hype around Ceulemans is centered around his physical tools. He is a very good skater, has a hard and accurate shot, and isn’t afraid to use his body and get engaged in the physical side of the game and lay big hits. He also is a pretty sound passer in the offensive zone on the breakout. However, there’s still a lot to be concerned about with Ceulemans. He tends to make some dumb plays, which he can recover from in Junior A but will eat him alive at the next level. Ceulemans also wasn’t super involved in the total offensive output for his team, which was one of the highest-scoring teams in the AJHL. His style of offense may struggle translating to the NHL; he isn’t super creative with the puck and sometimes defers to the pass too often when he should skate the puck more. Regardless, these things are somewhat coachable, and the physical tools Ceulemans has could certainly help him reach his potential.
#25: Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton (WHL)
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 212
Stats: 19 GP, 17-1-1, 1.57 GAA, .941 Sv% (WHL)
Another goalie in the first round? Call the cops, these guys are faking it with the pro-analytics stance. Yes, Sebastian Cossa is the second goaltender with a first-round grade, but he deserves it. Cossa was the backbone of the absolute wagon that was the Edmonton Oil Kings this year. His statistics are nothing short of insane, and while some of that dominance may be due to the team playing in front of him, it is very impressive nonetheless. In an age where goalies rarely get considered for a first-round pick, Cossa has worked his way up in the prospect rankings to earn consideration for a mid-first-round pick, and some scouts even rank him higher than Jesper Wallstedt.
Size and athleticism are extremely important for goalies in this day and age, and luckily for Cossa, he has loads of both of them. While his technical goaltending skills aren’t quite as good as Wallstedt’s, they are still very good nonetheless. He is good positionally and uses his size effectively, and he has a great glove hand. Cossa’s main drawback is his lateral speed, which isn’t surprising given his size, but that can be worked on. The only other main concern is the fact that he played in a relatively weaker league than other prospects that played against men, especially since it is difficult to project goalies as they move up the ranks. On the other hand, it’s difficult to project goalies either way, and he could end up being better than Wallstedt and become a star. Either way, Cossa has shown a ton of potential and is certainly worth at least a consideration with a first-round pick.
#26: Simon Robertsson, RW, Skelleftea (SHL)
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 190 lbs
Stats: 15 GP, 9 G - 11 A - 20 P (J20 Nationell); 22 GP, 1 G - 1 A - 2 P (SHL); 7 GP, 3 G - 1 A - 4 P (U18)
Simon Robertsson is one of many draft-eligible players who bounced around between various levels of European pro hockey this year, which naturally results in a pretty wide range of scout opinions on him. Some scouts have him close to the top 15, while others have him in the early second round. He did very well at the Swedish junior level, but like most teenagers, struggled to get consistent ice time and production at the SHL level. It’s anyone’s guess as to where Robertsson ends up on draft night, but teams tend to like when players can get any playing time in a professional league. That’s not to say Robertsson will only get drafted because he played in a professional league; there’s certainly a lot to like about him as a player in his own right as well.
Robertsson has a versatile skill set that should allow him to be effective anywhere in an NHL lineup depending on how he develops. His shot is his best attribute, as it is sneakily accurate and he can beat goalies from long range with it. Robertsson also has good puck handling skills, and he can make nifty plays with the puck on his stick. He also plays with a lot of speed and energy, which are always good traits to fall back on if the skill doesn’t translate. The largest issue in Robertsson’s game is consistency, like a lot of players in this range. The big question with Robertsson’s development is whether he can translate his skill set to be a good top 6 winger, or whether he’ll be limited to a checking role in the NHL.
#27: Oskar Olausson, RW, HV71 (Sweden J20)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 181 lbs
Stats: 16 GP, 14 G - 13 A - 27 P (J20 Nationell); 16 GP, 3 G - 1 A - 4 P (SHL); 11 GP, 3 G - 3 A - 6 P (Allsvenskan); 4 GP, 0 P (WJC)
It appears Sweden has some shooters this year. Oskar Olausson is certainly less of a multi-dimensional player than some other players in this range, but he knows how to use those dimensions. Olausson didn’t have much hype behind him heading into this year, but he exploded on the Swedish junior scene to start the year and eventually made the SHL, where he put up very good production for a teenager. Olausson hadn’t struggled at the World Junior tournament, he likely would have risen to a mid-first round ranking. His team, HV71, was surprisingly relegated to the Allsvenskan (Sweden’s equivalent of the AHL) at the end of this season, so it will be interesting to see if he will stay with the club as they move down to lesser competition.
Olausson’s game is all about scoring goals. His main three tools are his shot, puck skills, and skating. The shot sticks out the most; it is NHL-caliber already and is very hard and accurate. His straight-line speed is very good as well, and it fits well with his North-South style game. Olausson uses his puck skills mostly just to get around defenders and get into better shooting lanes. That’s mostly what his game is about, after all-getting into shooting lanes to get quality scoring chances. Naturally, the main downside to Olausson is the lack of extra dimensions in his style of play, although some development could add some tools to his game. For any team looking for that Victor Olofsson-type player who can score a bunch of goals for you (even if he can’t do much else), Olausson is your guy.
#28: Isak Rosen, RW, Leksands (SHL)
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 161 lbs
Stats: 1 GP, 2 G - 2 A - 4 P (J18 Region); 12 GP, 7 G - 5 A - 12 P (J20 Nationell); 22 GP, 0 G - 1 A - 1 P (SHL); 7 GP, 7 G - 2 A - 9 P (U18)
Another Swede! Isak Rosen concludes this short run of Swedish wingers, and he’s another interesting and talented prospect in his own right. Like Robertsson and Olausson, he bounced around every level of Swedish hockey this year, but his struggles in the SHL are what ultimately slot him below the other two. He did perform very well at the U18 championships, however, so that keeps him in this range. With a full year at one level, it will be easier to tell just how good Rosen is, and he could end up being a good deal higher in these rankings when all is said and done. Rosen has a versatile skill set that if fully developed could turn into a very good all-around player.
Speed kills, and Rosen surely has lots of it. Rosen can also make a lot of plays at top speed, and with the NHL becoming more about speed and skill, this will certainly be valuable. Rosen also profiles as a play driver on a line, as he is very good with the puck on his stick and facilitating plays to high-danger areas. He’s very smart without the puck as well, which helps him make quick decisions and keep the play moving in the offensive zone. Rosen’s main issue is his size, as his thin frame leads to him not being very effective in puck battles or the defensive end. But if he continues to round out his game and if he can add some meat to his bones, Rosen could end up being a very good NHLer.
#29: Brennan Othmann, LW, Flint (OHL)/Olten (SL)
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 174 lbs
Stats: 34 GP, 7 G - 9 P - 16 P (SL); 7 GP, 3 G - 3 A - 6 P (U18)
Some extreme hockey prospect diehards will likely know Brennan Othmann best from his time spent as Shane Wright’s right-hand man on the youth hockey terror known as the 2018-19 Don Mills Flyers (a team that also had Brandt Clarke). However, Othmann wasn’t purely a benefactor of other talented players, as he continued to do what he does best-score goals-once he reached the OHL with the Flint Firebirds. When the OHL was canceled, he went over to Switzerland to play on EHC Olten along with Mason McTavish. He performed fairly well there and then continued his quality play with team Canada at the U18’s, where he continued to display his skill as well as some spunk and grit.
Othmann’s bread and butter is a pretty old-school type game. He tends to shoot the puck a lot, which works out for him pretty well since he’s pretty good at it. Othmann isn’t the best skater in the world, but he plays with a lot of energy and physicality, which helps him play at a high pace and be an effective forechecker. Othmann’s game versus Sweden at the U18’s displayed his effectiveness as an agitator; he laid out Simon Edvinsson early in the game, which goaded Sweden into retaliating later, when a Swedish defender goes out of his way to hit Othmann while he simply gives the puck to his teammate so he can score, then continues to chirp after the goal to leave Sweden rattled and off of their game. Othmann isn’t much of a playmaker or a driver of transition, so he likely tops out as a complementary player in the NHL. However, as simple as his game may be, Othmann should be an effective middle-six winger in the pros.
#30: Daniil Chayka, D, Guelph (OHL)/Moskva (KHL)
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 185 lbs
Stats: 5 GP, 1 G - 3 A - 4 P (MHL); 10 GP, 0 G - 1 A - 1 P (VHL); 11 GP, 1 G - 1 A - 2 P (KHL); 6 GP, 0 P (U20)
Daniil Chayka is the first player in these rankings who would definitely be considered a “defensive defenseman”. A native of Russia, Chayka came over to play minor hockey in Toronto before playing in the OHL, then returned to his homeland to play during COVID when the OHL got shut down. Chayka seems to be ranked anywhere from the mid-first round to the mid-second round of draft boards, which shows how much the rankings start to diverge at this point in the draft. There’s always one team who will covet a defensive defenseman in the late first round of the draft, and Chayka appears to be the guy that would be targeted by said team.
Like many stay-at-home defensemen, Chayka plays a pretty simple game. However, he does show traits of a more modern-day defensive defenseman, rather than the classic “big guy who just hits people” archetype. He is a good skater, which he uses to his advantage to defend against the rush and occasionally jump into the play, although he rarely takes a risk in doing so. He also uses his size fairly effectively to pinch off attackers or forecheckers. The biggest knock on Chayka is his lack of offensive upside, meaning he likely will never be a top-pairing defenseman. However, Chayka is the stereotypical “safe” pick for a team that is looking to add a solid bottom 4 defenseman for the future.
#31: Stanislav Svozil, D, Brno (Czech)
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 172 lbs
Stats: 30 GP, 1 G - 2 A - 3 P (Czech); 3 GP, 1 G - 1 A - 2 P (Czech2); 5 GP, 0 G - 1 A - 1 P (WJC); 5 GP, 0 G - 1 A - 1 P (U18)
Stanislav Svozil is another interesting case study in what happens when you put a young defenseman in a men’s league. The Czech pro league is a step below some other professional leagues in Europe but is still a quality league, and Svozil certainly held his own in it. Like Chayka, he is certainly more of a defensive defenseman. However, Svozil has a bit of offensive upside to his game to offer as well. Svozil played decently against men, but success against a player’s own age group is a solid indicator of how good a prospect can truly be. Unfortunately, Svozil’s play against his own age group was both small in sample size and not super consistent. He was good at the World Junior Championships against players 20 and under, but he struggled at the U18 championships.
Svozil is another one of these modern defensive defensemen who use mobility and smarts rather than an overwhelming physical presence to be an effective defender. He is very good positionally, you will rarely see him caught out of position. Svozil is also a great passer and quick decision-maker, which helps him move the puck up the ice quickly. Some of his decisions are made a bit too quickly sometimes, as he’ll sometimes just clear the puck to be safe when he has more time and space to move the puck and maintain possession for his team. Svozil doesn’t have a dynamic level of offensive talent, but he does occasionally jump into the play to keep the puck in the offensive zone. Svozil will likely be a bottom pair stay-at-home defenseman at the NHL level, but any offensive ability he might develop could be some additional icing on the cake for whoever drafts him.
#32: Sasha Pastujov, LW, USNTDP (USHL)
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 183 lbs
Stats: 41 GP, 30 G - 35 A - 65 P (USDP); 5 GP, 5 G - 3 A - 8 P (U18)
The US National Development Program has a way of warping opinions on prospects since it’s sometimes difficult to tell who’s really driving the team’s success. One of the players who could be affected significantly by this come draft night is Sasha Pastujov. Pastujov led the national team in scoring by a wide margin this season but may have flown under the radar in relation to guys like Luke Hughes and Chaz Lucius. While he did win MVP of the Biosteel All-American prospects game, there are still definitely concerns of how well Pastujov’s style of play will translate to higher levels of hockey. He’s headed to the University of Notre Dame next season, so it will be interesting to see if he can improve in the areas he’s struggling in and be an effective scorer for them.
Pastujov’s game is all about offense, and he displays most of his worth as a player in the offensive zone. Like many in this class, he has a great shot, but he is good at finding teammates near the net with passes as well. But as valuable as those two things are, there are a lot of holes in Pastujov’s game that are pretty concerning. Skating is the main issue here, as he wasn’t a very good skater even by USHL standards. As the NHL becomes more fast-paced, Pastujov may struggle to drive play through transition and to beat good defenders with his legs. Pastujov also tends to take a large proportion of his shots from low-danger areas, which may work against weaker goalies, but it will be harder to beat NHL goalies from those locations. Pastujov does have a certain knack for putting the puck in the net; he did produce at a point and a half per game, after all. But if he wants to be an effective NHL scorer, he has a lot of work to do on his skating and getting shots off from prime scoring areas.
Honorable Mentions: Francesco Pinelli, C, Kitchener (OHL)/Jesenice (AlpsHL); Zachary Bolduc, C, Rimouski (QMJHL); Olen Zellweger, D, Everett (WHL); Jack Peart, D, Fargo (USHL); Samu Tuomaala, RW, Karpat (Liiga)
Thanks for reading! Hopefully, the Sabres will snatch up at least a few of these players come draft night. Go Sabres!
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