2017 BRHL DRAFT REVIEW – Mid Season

 

The 2016 NHL draft was an excellent draft with two franchise defining talents at the top of the draft and several excellent players following. But there were several diamonds in the rough that have come to people’s knowledge now that we are a 18 months from the original draft. Below I will review each teams efforts on the draft floor, now 6 months from the official BRHL draft. It is interesting in hindsight that only 18 of 30 teams had a first round pick. I thought we had more teams picking in the first but clearly, they are more tradable than the rival NHL! More surprising to me was the fact that 5 teams had no pick at all!

In this article we will focus on those making an impact in the BRHL already or those that are BRHL ready.

 

 

 

 

1.     Capitals – Auston Matthews, Kieffer Bellows, Lucas Johansen, Filip Gustavsson. With 5 picks the Capitals were winners no matter how it shook on draft day with Matthews being pick one after pre-draft trade to give the Capitals Matthews. The others are considered solid prospects with Bellows having a great WJC in 2018.

 

2.     Kings- Patrick Laine, Clayton Keller, Alex Nylander – Short and sweet was the description of Tyler’s draft. Laine was the clear 2^nd overall and after surprise pre-draft trades was Tyler’s focus. He is already making an impact in the BRHL with 18 g and 36 pts thus far. Unfortunately, he is currently a distant 2^nd in rookie scoring though and is unlikely to bring home the calder. Keller is BRHL ready, currently playing in the rival NHL. He will clearly take up a 2^nd line center role behind Kuznetsov. Alex Nylander is likely several years away after a cup of coffee in the NHL, he has struggled to find his game in the AHL.

 

 

3.     Flyers – Jesse Pulujarvi, Filip Hronek, Connor Ingram, Otto Koivula, Fredrik Karlstrom, Cam Morrison, Mikhail Maltsev, Chad Krys, Tim Gettinger, Brett McKenzie, Connor Bunnaman.  Pulujarvi is ready for BRHL prime time next year. He took his time spending last year in the minors but is ready to make his BRHL impact next year. The other players drafted are true prospects with no one on the BRHL horizon. Connor Ingram and Filip Hronek will make their BRHL minors debut after strong AHL seasons.

 

 

4.     Bruins – Matthew Tkachuk, Charlie McAvoy, Janne Kuokannen, Adam Fox,  Josh Mahura, Vladimir Tkachyov (95). Dan irritated the piss out of many in the league but he did a great job with is 6 picks. Tkachuk is having his BRHL rookie year and doing well with 12 g and 30 pts thus far. McAvoy is ready to make his debut next season after a very strong NHL season thus far, in contention for ROY. Kuokannen had a cup of coffee and will be in the minors from next season and Josh Mahura was a late cut from Team Canada. All and all a solid draft. Can Joe continue the build?

 

5.     Ducks – Sam Steel, Henrik Borgstrom, Konstantin Volkov. With only 3 picks, the Ducks made a bold move to acquire Steel early. He was a late first in the rival NHL, but Devon was convinced of his value and moved way up to acquire him. Steel has played well in Junior but has not yet made the move to the pro game. He certainly looked strong in the Team Canada’s world junior title. Borgstrom continues to develop in the NCAA and is one of the top scorers in the league. He is likely several years away.

 

 

6.     Sharks – Tyson Jost, Libor Hajek. Another short but sweet draft. Jost in BRHL ready for next season. Though injured for much of the NHL season, Jost has put up 3 goals and 10 pts in the 31 games. Importantly for rates and contracts, he has played 5 AHL games and is minor eligible. Libor Hajek had an outstanding WJC with 8 pts in 7 games and is a year or two away.

 

7.     Flames – Mikhail Sergachev, German Rubtsov, Tyler Parsons, Trent Frederic, Rasmus Asplund, Vitali Abramov, Ryan Lindgren, Dillon Dube, Adam Mascherin, Boris Katchouk, Wade Allison, Andrew Peeke,  William Lockwood, Casey Fitzgerald, Joseph Woll, Cal Petersen, Rem Pitlick, Linus Lindstrom, Nolan Stevens, Zach MacEwen, Linus Hogberg, Philip Nyberg, Gabriel Fontaine,  Eetu Tuulola, Cole Candella, Darren Raddysh, Merrick Madsen, Mathias From, Josh Healey, Jakob Stenqvist, Vasily Glotov,. Could you get a few more picks Kevin?? The worst part is, a young talented team with solid prospects has only gotten stronger. And with the BRHL Flames shitting the bed in the worst division in the league, and Kevin moving assets for over a year for the expansion draft, they have more in the 2018 season. The first several picks are top prospects but the gem is Mikhail Sergachev.  Sergachev is BRHL ready and in the Calder discussion in the NHL. Watch out in the coming years though for later round picks Katchouk (beast in WJC and Jrs since draft), Dube team Canada captain is diminuitive but productive and Joe Woll who led team USA over more highly touted Oettinger. This is only the tip of the ice berg with many others drafted in the 2017 BRHL draft.

 

 

8.     Wild – Olli Juolevi, Brett Howden, Yegor Korshkov, Kasper Bjorkvist, Filip Berglund, Jacob Cederholm, Mikhail Berdin. I was surprised to see non-Finns drafted. Juolevi has been an enigma for a few seasons and was expected to make the Canucks of the NHL this year. Many were disappointed when he didn’t and was loaed the the Finnish Elite League. Has had a very strong year and will play for team Finland at the Olympics but remains a good two seasons for BRHL competition. I like Korshkov as a Leafs fan in the NHL and rumour has him coming to NA next season.

 

9.     Sabres – Michael Mcleod, Dennis Cholowski, Kale Clague, Nathan Noel, Matthew Phillips, Jordy Stallard, Justin Kloos. Jared is generally a solid drafter and take BPA. McLeod was injured in the NHL Devils training camp and only recently returned to play prior to the WJC. Since his return has looked strong though. Cholowski was an enigma to many with his play in NCAA and thus many looked past him in the draft. He has proved many wrong with solid play in the WHL. He was rumoured to be a late cut for the Wings of the NHL and may be  a lock given their rebuilding status to debut next season, meaning he would be two years away. Kale Clague has stepped forward offensively very strongly this season with nearly 2 pts per game in the WHL. He will also be several years away.

 

10. Leafs – Pierre-Luc Dubois, Samuel Girard, Artur Kayumov, Will Bitten, JD Greenway, Tarmo Reunanen, Jacob Middleton, Aapeli Rasanen, Filip Larsson, Ross Colton. The Dubois pick was questioned by many in the BRHL circles when COB made him the 3^rd overall selection. He slid in the BRHL after a mediocre junior year. But Garrett saw something and traded down on hope he might be available. Dubois has been excellent in the NHL this season and will make his rookie BRHL debut next year as he is now the top line centre in COB of the BRHL with 10 goals and 22 pts. As well, Girard has been a revelation after a strong start in Nashville of the NHL, he was moved in a 3 way trade to now make Colorado his home. He has been outstanding with his puck moving and offensive instincts and is now a key cog in their game. Solid 2^nd round selection will also debut next season.

 

 

11. Canadiens – Jakob Chychrun, Carter Hart, Dylan Gambrell, Mike Vecchione, Garrett Pilon, Johnathon Ang. Steve took a BRHL ready dman who has been a key cog in the Habs BRHL game this year. With 8 goals and 17 assists and solid +/- he is a very underrated rookie and should be in the ROY conversation. Importantly, Carter Hart has emerged as the best goaltender not in the BRHL. He will not make his debut for a few seasons, but is nearly unbeatable in Jr and recently led Canada to a WJC.

 

12. Blue Jackets – Julien Gauthier, Tage Thompson, Victor Mete, Cam Dineen, Brandon Gignac, Igor Rykov, , Jacob Moverare, Jesper Bratt, Neal Pionk, Anthony Salinitri, Calle Rosen, Michael Kapla, Nick Ellis, Vince Pedrie, Matiss Kivlenieks, David Kampf. I have already given Jesse credit for his draft decisions from this past draft. Myself (and others) felt Mete was drafted way too early. But sure enough, he is BRHL ready, often playing top line defensive minutes with Shea Weber on the NHL Habs. To top it off, he has a great late round selection that is scoring well for the NHL Devils in Jesper Bratt. And that doesn’t even mention the evolving games of Tage Thompson (also BRHL ready), Calle Rosen and Julien Gauthier (BRHL minors ready). Excellent draft and credit where credit is due Jesse!

 

 

13. Canucks – Luke Kunin, Tyler Benson, Nathan Bastian, Evan Fitzpatrick, Rodrigo Abols, Philip Holm, Dylan Sikura. Kunin is ready with split times between rival NHL and AHL this season. With 14 games pro and 27 in the minors, he is unlikely to have no better than 4^th line rates, but will be eligible for the minors. Nathan Bastian has taken a step forward with an excellent offensive junior season. With a big frame, if he can continue to develop his skating, he may be an early round steal. Holm came to the AHL this season and has 23 pts in 38 games thus far. If he can develop his game, he may be another late round steal. Dylan Sikura continues to light up the NCAA with 38 pts in 23 games.

 

14. Wings – Taylor Raddysh, Oscar Fantenberg, Chase Priskie, Gavin Bayreuther, Danil Vovchenkov, Henrik Haapala, John Dahlstrom, Matej Machovsky. This draft was about one player for the Wings. Raddysh. He has been nothing but beast since an early round selection of the NHL Lightning. Is there a better recent drafting team in the NHL? He will be NHL ready likely next season, and should make his BRHL debut two years from now.

 

 

15. Avalanche – Jordan Kyrou, Matt Benning, Viktor Antipin, Paul Ladue, Viktor Ejdsell, Maxim Mamin, Karlis Cukste, Filip Sandberg, Nikolai Chebykin, Mitch Hults, Spencer Foo, CJ Smith, Carsen Twarynski, Tyler Sheejy, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Adam Werner, Michael Eyssimont, Jake Bischoff, Matteo Gennero, Sebastian Aho (D), Hunter Miska. Several quality picks that will be available soon. Benning has already debuted and is playing sufficiently. Late round pick Aho came the rival NHL this season and has played well when the Isles defense was depleted with injury.  Russian rookie Antipin, though older, has played in the NHL this season and will debut in the BRHL soon.

 

16. Sens – John Dahlen, Max Jones, Cliff Pu, Givani Smith, Sean Day,  Adam Brooks, Nicholas Caamano, Hudson Elynuik, Jack Kopacka, Tanner Laczynski, Jan Rutta, Lucas Carlson, Patrick Harper, Calvin Thurkauf, David Bernhardt, Joachim Blochfeld, Ondrej Vala, Tyler Soy, Manuel Wiederer. Very much a futures draft with no one jumping out to make an impact in the next year but several solid spects. Adam Brooks broke out and was an older draftee in the NHL. He is playing in the AHL this season but not standing out, playing primarily on the 3^rd-4^th line early in the season in a limited role. His role and playing time has been increased as has his production. John Dahlen’s skating was questioned but has been on fire in the SHL this season.  With 20g and 17a in the SHL as a teenager, he has made the NHL Sens look foolish trading for Burrows who now struggles to find time on ice beyond the 4^th line now. Late round pick Jan Rutta has played quality minutes on the Hawks blue line and will be rated and making BRHL debut next season with 17 pts in 39 g.

 

 

17. Isles – Dante Fabbro, Matt Filipe, Josh Anderson, Jack Lafontaine, Matthew Cairn. Fabbro is playing well in the NCAA but is several seasons away. The rest may never play. Time will tell.

 

18. Preds – Alex Debrincat, Connor Hall. Debrincat slid in the NHL and man is ever making teams pay. He has had two hat tricks and may approach 30 goals in his rookie year. Certainly rated and debuting next season.

 

 

19. Jets – Carl Grundstrom, Riley Tufte, Logan Stanley, Luke Green, Mitchell Mattson, Michael McNiven, Frederick Gaudreau, Jordan Sambrook, Oleg Sosunov. The Jets are happy with the progression of players from the draft, in particular Tufte who has flourished at the NCAA level. Grundstrom has played in the rival minors with great success. He was returned to the SHL this season and after an injury is back playing in his normal skilled gritty game. The NHL Leafs expect to have him replace Komarov as the grinding, rat in their lineup as soon as 2018 and will make his BRHL Jets debut shortly after. Frederick Gaudreau is already playing in the BRHL, up and down from the minors in a 4^th line role. Michael McNiven will make his BRHL minors debut next season after seeing a fair amount of time at the AHL level this season.

 

 

 

I am tired and the remaining players don’t jump off the page at me

 

 

20. Rangers – Joseph Anderson, Markus Niemelainen, Pascal Laberge, Sam Vigneault, Tyler Wall, Alexei Bereglazov, Beck Malenstyn, Daniel Brickley, Angus Redmond

 

 

21. Lightning – Zach Aston-Reese, Dmitry Sokolov, Jakub Jerabek, Stepan Falkovsky, Colton Point, Ty Ronning. The name that stands out is Colton Point. A mid round pick that  surprised many by taking game to new level at Colgate this season and making team Canada and the WJC. The others are projects

 

22.  Blues – Fredric Allard, Rhett Gardner, Brandon Hagel, Tanner Kaspick, Todd Burgess. Allard will debut in the BRHL minors next season.

 

 

23.  Coyotes – Joona Koppanen, Dylan Wells. Wells was competing for WJ back up for Canada but quickly got passed with an ineffective year.

 

24. Devils – David Quennville, Noah Gregor, Jack Walker, Vladimir Bobylev, Wouter Peeters, Jakob Stukel

 

 

25. Panthers – Andreas Borgman, David Rittich, Yaroslav Dyblenko. Borgman has played solid minutes for the NHL Leafs and may play 5-7 minutes for the Panthers next year.