Firstly, I’d like to thank the guys at The Charging Buffalo for giving me an opportunity to contribute to their site. They were gracious enough to publish my Sabres Prospects Stats page on their website all year so I encourage you to check that out as well if you are new to the site. These guys do some fantastic work and I am ecstatic to be a part of it. Now a foreword on how I developed my rankings and the factors I take into account when choosing one player over another. I do a TON of research on draft eligible prospects which includes getting a good feel for how they’ve developed from a stats standpoint from as early as age 15 through their draft year. Using factors developed by @mannyelk to represent the difficulty of each league and equating that to an NHL equivalent points production, I start to build a profile of a player for how well their game would project to the NHL. I then start to get scouting reports on players from a wide variety of respected scouts/analysts and begin to watch any highlight clips and games that I can. I have seen most of these players in action and have been projecting NHL prospects as a hobby for years now so it’s refreshing to finally document my thoughts for others to see. Note that my rankings are more of a projection of how I see these players panning out several years from now which is why you will see some guys between 32 and 62 that may be ranked a bit lower elsewhere. My main goal is to find players that are not as highly rated at age 17/18 and figure out which ones have the best chance at reaching their potential ceiling. I may release my own mock draft later this week on my twitter account @Schwartzkopf1 to reveal how I think the draft will actually play out as my rankings will not nearly reflect what happens later this week.
Advanced stats and puck possession numbers are not easy to come by for the pro European leagues and the junior leagues for these prospects and the ones that are available are still works in progress but do begin to paint a picture of if a player is driving puck possession or hindering it. When watching these players in games and highlight packages, I really focus on their ability to make sound hockey decisions that promote puck possession. Finding a player that can put his teammates in a position to make a positive play is just as important as the individual efforts that player has while in possession of the puck. I’m looking at overall impact on the ice and this is where I feel that the eyeball test still has relevance, so long as you know what you’re looking for. I’ve included Mason Black’s (@NHLRankKing) pNHLe for each prospect in my rankings which takes the NHL point equivalency to another level. Mason has done some fine work taking years of stats and data to calculate a prospect’s point potential in the NHL or in other words, their point ceiling. A few of the major factors that go into this are a players age and level of competition for the league that they are playing in. He also has an app available for download called “NHL Rank King” that is a great tool for an at glance view of prospects in an NHL team’s system.
If you would like to look at either of the google sheets that helped me organize my thoughts and give you insight on the overall 2019 class, you can view the 2 links here. The prospect list is just a viewer whereas the bio tool is a little more interactive in that you can select from a list of draft eligible players to have stats and information specific to that player pop up. Feel free to follow me on twitter @Schwartzkopf1 and reach out with any requests for other player reports or more in depth analysis. I hope to contribute more often for The Charging Buffalo as the summer goes along and into the next season.
1. Jack Hughes, C, US NTDP (USHL)
5’11”, 168 lbs, 5/14/2001 – pNHLe 75 pts
Hughes has been the projected 1st overall pick in the 2019 draft for quite some time now and his scouting report is pretty consistent across the board. He brings elite traits in skating ability and puck possession that project him as a superstar #1 center as the NHL continues to transition to a game that suits high skilled players like Hughes. Setting records for the U18 program this year, Hughes may have benefited from having possibly the greatest U18 team the US has ever seen but he still showed that one of the things he excels at is making those around him better. This kid has wheels and a natural ability to maintain his speed even in possession of the puck which makes defending him extremely difficult. New Jersey is going to add to their already deep center pool and expedite their path back towards the top of the Eastern Conference.
2. Kaapo Kakko, LW, TPS (Liiga)
6’2”, 190 lbs, 2/13/2001 – pNHLe 76 pts
As someone who has been very high on Kakko all year long, I think he truly deserves some discussion for 1st overall. He definitely closed the gap between himself and Hughes that existed at the start of the season and turned the conversation into a 1A vs. 1B ordeal. He was phenomenal in the Finnish pro league Liiga having posted the best U18 season in that league of all time. He has a knack for creating opportunities on his own as well as finishing high danger scoring chances. He’s a goal scorer with extreme compete level at both ends of the ice. Regardless of the moment, World Juniors, World Tournament, Liiga play, he was consistently a threat on a nightly basis and is a home run for the Rangers at 2 barring the Devils throwing a curve ball at 1 which I believe is unlikely but because of the quality of Kakko, I will not rule out.
3. Alex Turcotte, C, US NTDP (USHL)
5’ 11”, 186 lbs, 2/26/2001 – pNHLe 81 pts
The story with Turcotte this past year was injuries and had he not dealt with that for a majority of the season he would probably be the consensus 3rd overall pick. One of my favorite players in the draft, Turcotte really does just about everything above average or great. Like Hughes, I think Turcotte makes his linemates better with his excellent vision and awareness with the puck to go along with his solid defensive game. It’s cliche but he is a relentless 200 foot player who excels at both forechecking and backchecking, while also going into the gritty areas to take a hit to make a play. He is an exceptional passer and boasts a very good shot that could use some improvement once he gains some strength. Most likely a 1 and done player in the NCAA, he’s got 1st line center potential.
4. Bowen Byram, LD, Vancouver (WHL)
6’0”, 192 lbs, 6/13/2001 – pNHL 72 pts
Byram fits the mold of the new NHL defenseman who is an exceptional skater and can contribute offensively as if he were a 4th forward on the ice. He tore up the WHL this past season finishing 3rd in points among defensemen in the regular season and 1st in points out of all players in the WHL playoffs. I feel his greatest asset is his zone exits and entries with the puck. Though he has the ability to make tape to tape passes, he clearly prefers to take the puck out himself and meander his way through the neutral zone before finding a seam at the blue line and taking it in himself. This is a sign of a player with confidence in his game and one with high hockey IQ which ultimately make him the locked in top defenseman in the draft. He can QB the powerplay as evidenced by his tendency to walk the line and find lines to get a shot through or make a pass to an open teammate.
5. Trevor Zegras, C, US NTDP (USHL)
6’0″, 168 lbs, 5/20/2001 – pNHLe 54 pts
Boasting one of the highest hockey IQ’s of this draft class, Zegras makes up for his slight frame by processing the game at a very fast pace and making elite level passes. His vision on the ice is a big reason why he averaged just over an assist per game for the US U18 team this year and is a trait that will translate very well at the next level. Slated to play at BU this upcoming season, Zegras will need to continue to bulk up against the college competition that he played against on a semi regular basis last year but still produced at a very high rate. He definitely played a bit in the shadow of Hughes this year but make no mistake, this kid creates offense.
6. Dylan Cozens, C, Lethbridge (WHL)
6’3″, 185 lbs, 2/9/2001 – pNHLe 54 pts
Cozens is a guy that I could see getting that 9 game tryout at the beginning of the year, mostly due to the fact that he is physically one of the few guys ready to make the leap into the NHL at this point in time. He has a very well rounded game to go along with his big frame and is a great skater but I think that his strong stick handling and quick release are what will make him successful in the NHL. With his tenacious style of play and high hockey IQ, I could see him developing into a center who puts up a lot of points but is also shutting down an opposing team’s top line. He’s just another center in this top 10-12 that has all of the tools needed to be a top 6 forward in the NHL.
7. Cole Caufield, RW, US NTDP (USHL)
5’7″, 157 lbs, 1/2/2001 – pNHLe 54 pts
It took me almost all year but I think I finally have gotten on board the Caufield hype train. I had my reasons for skepticism and still do to some degree but there’s no denying that the kid can just flat out score. Early on in the year, Arthur Kaliyev was slated to be the best pure goal scorer in the class but Caufield has since run away with it. The tenacity with which he plays the game more than compensates for his lack of stature and his ability to find open ice in high danger scoring areas coupled with his elite release will ensure that the successes he’s had at the U18 level will someday carry over to the NHL. It’s easy to compare him to Debrincat but I think Caufield is unique in his own way and may very well eclipse Debrincat’s success in the NHL
8. Kirby Dach, C, Saskatoon (WHL)
6’4″, 198 lbs, 1/21/2001 – pNHLe 53 pts
Dach is another large center out of the WHL who had a strong season but at times had some consistency issues in his game. He is a very talented player who plays a similar game to Cozens in that he’s reliable and understands how to play the game at both ends of the ice. His skating has some technical flaws that if he can get them worked out to have a stronger and more efficient stride, could really elevate his potential. I could see him needing another year or two in the WHL though before getting a chance at NHL action but he’s a very smart player that can score goals in tight and make great passes.
9. Matthew Boldy, LW, US NTDP (USHL)
6’2″, 187 lbs, 4/5/2001 – pNHLe 57 pts
I had Boldy lower than this earlier in the year but I’m just a sucker for guys who think the game well and have high hockey IQ. He’s another guy from the elite US U18 team that was so good, I begin to question whether a guy like Boldy was just a product of the environment around him. Boldy sees the ice extremely well and has a knack for threading passes through defenders with his great vision. The knocks on him are his skating and consistency but for a kid that grew 4 inches year over year, I could understand how his skating struggled and didn’t grow with the rest of him. Given the proper time to develop, I project Boldy to be more of a 2nd line winger in the NHL.
10. Vasili Podkolzin, RW, SKA (VHL)
6’1”, 190 lbs, 6/24/2001 – pNHLe N/A
The age old Russian Factor rears its ugly head in 2019 with Podkolzin who some people just love, while others remain cautiously optimistic. He has the skill set that’s required to be a top line winger and has an effort level that would make Ted Nolan want to return to coaching. He split his time among multiple leagues in Russia which is historically a very difficult projection for the NHLe model. Though a factor to equate a season in the Russian Leagues MHL, VHL, and KHL has been established, the correlation to success in the NHL is very random and not a good barometer for a player that has played in these leagues. I’ve seen some people say that he is the Tarasenko of this draft and will end up falling further than he should and end up a steal for whoever takes a chance on him. His compete level is through the roof as he never takes a shift off and constantly has his feet moving. I think that his shot is NHL level right now and though he is committed to 2 more years over in Russian, some team is going to hit a home run taking him anywhere after 10.
11. Alex Newhook, C, Victoria (BCHL)
5’11”, 190 lbs, 1/28/2001 – pNHLe N/A
It’s always difficult to project guys that are playing in a lower difficulty league than their skills are suited for. Newhook improved on his first year in the BCHL and averaged almost 2 points per game this past season. He is one of the best skaters in this draft class with elite high end speed and is always keeping his feet moving which helped him blow by defenders with ease when he had the puck on his stick. I like that he seems to know what he’s going to do with the puck before he gets it and often changes his stance before getting the puck in anticipation for what he’s going to do next. This makes him an excellent play maker to go along with his finishing ability. The transition to the NCAA next year at Boston College is going to be a big one for him but with his skating and skill set, we could be talking about a similar path and timeline to the NHL like the one Cale Makar took recently.
12. Victor Soderstrom, RD, Brynas (SHL)
5’11”, 176 lbs, 2/26/2001 – pNHLe 26 pts
Playing in the SHL at the age of 17 is a big deal and Soderstrom did very well earning himself some PP time and big minutes this past season for Brynas. What stuck out to me when watching him was his poise with the puck and patience to make a pass or hang onto the puck just long enough. I love when a defenseman knows when a wrist shot from the point is the best option and Soderstrom has this tool in his game. He’s got great vision for a defender and though his speed needs some work, his ability to process the game fast and maintain good gaps when defending will allow him to develop into an excellent player. I believe that he has more offensive upside than his pNHLe number suggests and a big year in the SHL could have people talking about how he is a future top pair defender.
13. Moritz Seider, RD, Mannheim (DEL)
6’4″, 198 lbs, 4/6/2001 – pNHLe N/A
Seider has top pairing defender potential after a full season in the German pro league playing for Mannheim. He has very good positional awareness and plays a calm and poised game which enable him to make good decisions both with and without the puck. Watching him develop will be very fun for whichever team drafts him as he skates very well for a defenseman his size and also flashes some offensive upside. I don’t expect him to turn into an elite puck mover or be a flashy player but he projects as a reliable defender who will eat up minutes against an opponent’s first line and chip in on the score sheet here and there. He has a heavy shot but knows when a wrist shot is the best option and because of that, I believe there is some untapped potential in his offensive game.
14. Thomas Harley, LD, Mississauga (OHL)
6’3″, 183 lbs, 8/19/2001 – pNHLe 62 pts
I am a bit higher on Harley than some people for a few reasons. The biggest reason is his ability to drive play and possess the puck. Being one of the youngest players in the draft and having great size already, Harley is a great skater and fits the mold of the type of defenseman that NHL teams covet. He has a quick and accurate wrist shot that he can finesse through traffic or pick a corner on a goaltender straight on. One of the things I love about his offensive game is that he likes to sneak into the top of the circle area and get open for a pass so that he is waiting in a high danger scoring area. That type of vision just buys a player time to make decisions and will help him transition into the NHL smoothly some day.
15. Philip Tomasino, C, Niagara (OHL)
6’0″, 181 lbs, 7/28/2001 – pNHLe 56 pts
Tomasino is a player that I feel is very undervalued in this draft and as can be seen by my ranking, is someone I feel will outperform his draft position ultimately when all is said and done. My biggest reason for this is his ability to maintain his speed while carrying the puck and make plays on the offensive side of the game. He may ultimately be best suited as a winger in the NHL but I can see him playing on a 2nd line and being difficult to defend. One thing that popped out at me while watching him play is how his feet are always moving and as I referenced before, he can maintain that speed and make plays with the puck. This frequently came in handy on 1 on 1 plays with defenders where they could not adjust to his speed entering the zone and he would drive around them with ease. This was against OHL defenders though and it will not come so easy at the NHL level but having the natural ability to keep your feet moving is something that won’t go away with Tomasino and after another year in the O and maybe 1 or 2 in the AHL, he is going to be a dangerous player for whoever drafts him this year.
16. Cam York, LD, US NTDP (USHL)
5’11”, 176 lbs, 1/5/2001 – pNHLe 58 pts
Playing on the top pair of the USA U18 team allowed York to put his talents on display with some of the best of this years draft. At this stage of his career, he doesn’t project to be a great defender but with York, his best defense is his offense and ability to keep the puck out of trouble. Another defender in this class that possesses great poise with the puck, York is an excellent passer and really picks his spots when making a pass. By that I mean, he tends to find guys that will have time to make a play when they receive his passes and that was a big part of why he had 51 assists in 63 games this past season. It’s very important for a defenseman to get the puck out of the zone on a breakout, but it’s even more important for puck possession metrics to get the puck out of the zone with the assurance of maintaining possession. I think he’s a very smart player and he may not have top pair potential in the NHL, he most definitely could be an excellent 2nd pair guy who specializes on the power play.
17. Philip Broberg, LD, AIK (Allsvenskan)
6’3″, 203 lbs, 6/25/2001 – pNHLe 27 pts
Perhaps the best skater among defenders this year, Broberg has elite acceleration and speed to go along with his huge frame. The physical traits are there that scream franchise defender but his decision making on the ice is really what has held him back from being a locked in top 5 or even top 10 pick. As he will still be 17 on draft night, Broberg definitely has some room to grow from a maturity standpoint and if he can learn how to be more patient and responsible with the puck then he could develop into the best D of this class. His defensive game is very solid already so that is very encouraging for whoever decides to take him this year.
18. Ryan Suzuki, C, Barrie (OHL)
6’0″, 172 lbs 5/28/2001 – pNHLe 57 pts
He’s the younger brother of 2017 1st pick Nick Suzuki and had a fairly strong year in the OHL but not as productive as some would have hoped. Suzuki is a very fast and agile skater who handles the puck very well and can stick handle in very tight areas. I don’t think that he will be able to get away with some of the things he does in juniors in the NHL so it will be interesting to see how he can adapt his game to utilize his speed and playmaking ability to be successful at the next level. One of his best traits is his awareness of open areas of the ice that he can get to that will still enable him to be open for a pass. Positional type plays like this are big indicators of guys who will succeed at the next level and though he doesn’t play a very physical game, he projects as a fine 2nd line player.
19. Nils Hoglander, LW, Rogle (SHL)
5’9″, 185 lbs, 12/20/2000 – pNHLe 31 pts
A smaller forward playing in the pro league in Sweden this past year, Hoglander used his creative puck skills to put up respectable numbers this past season. To me, he projects as a balanced producer from a goals and assists standpoint but he’s an excellent puck handler so I can see him developing into more of a playmaker as he gets older. Hoglander could be much more of a dangerous player if his skating were on par with some of the upper echelon skaters in this class so for the time being he will need to rely on those puck skills and creativity to be successful. Continuing to play in Sweden for at least another year is necessary for him to work on his strength against physical competition.
20. Peyton Krebs, C, Kootenay (WHL)
5’11”, 181 lbs, 1/26/2001 – pNHLe 48 pts
I am much lower on Krebs than most and though I believe he has top 6 potential, I’m just not yet convinced he has a good chance to reach that potential. Though his production was limited due to being on an inferior Kootenay team this past season, there was just something about the pace of his game that I wasn’t a fan of. Now I have seen him play with good pace and some analysts would argue against me on this but I felt that while he does a great job of slowing the game down when in possession of the puck, it seemed to slow down too much for me to feel it would translate well at the next level. Learning to play and think faster is a difficult task so while I think he has great hockey IQ, I would’ve liked to have seen him make a larger leap from year 1 to 2 in the WHL. His skating is solid and he is a good playmaker but I still remain skeptical about his development.
21. Arthur Kaliyev, LW, Hamilton (OHL)
6’2″, 190 lbs 6/26/2001 – pNHLe 77 pts
The award for most polarizing draft eligible prospect of 2019 hands down goes to Kaliyev. This may be the only thing that scouts and analysts would be able to agree on when it comes to the 2nd best goal scorer in this draft class. Already at an NHL size, Kaliyev lit up the OHL in goals, joining an elite group of players to score 50 or more goals as a 17 year old (Tony Tanti, Eric Lindros, Steven Stamkos, Dan Quinn, Chris Gratton, Mike Ricci, David Legwand, Daniel Cleary, Alex DeBrincat, Owen Nolan, Jeff Skinner and Todd Harvey). The main knock on him has been his compete level which is very concerning for a player that is slated to be taken in the 1st round. My own thoughts on this are that having NHL size in the OHL is a luxury that can allow a player to ease off the intensity and though it’s not an ideal trait to have, he’s one of the younger players in class and after some maturing has been done, he could very well end up being a top 5 player from this group of players 5 years from now. As evidenced by his high goal total, his great shot is the main part of his game and though he is a shoot first type of player, he also has very good passing abilities that enabled him to top 50 assists this year as well. I will also point out that he scored 31 even strength goals this season which may help dispel some of the effort concerns noted above.
22. Spencer Knight, G, US NTDP (USHL)
6’3″, 193 lbs, 4/19/2001
It’s not very often that a goaltender gets consideration in the 1st round in this day and age but Knight is certainly worthy of just that. Projecting goaltenders may be just as difficult as NFL QB’s but Knight is exceptional at just about everything. He has great lateral movement whether he’s upright or on the ice and has a very quick glove hand. He moves well for his size and does an excellent job at tracking pucks through traffic. One thing that I particularly like about his game is his ability to maintain a good angle and depth from the net when an player is oncoming. This just speaks to elite level positional awareness by him having a good feel for how square he is to a shooter and also how big he is appearing to a shooter. There’s always some risk in taking a goaltender this high but comparisons to Carey Price, as far as potential, are definitely warranted in my opinion.
23. Raphael Lavoie, RW, Halifax (QMJHL)
6’4”, 198 lbs, 9/25/2000 – pNHLe 49 pts
Lavoie had a phenomenal playoff and Memorial Cup run this past year that definitely pushed his draft stock higher than it had been before the CHL playoffs began. Having missed being eligible for last years draft by only a few weeks, Lavoie is physically ready for the NHL but could definitely use another year in the Q to hone his defensive game and try to improve his skating which is definitely the weakest part of his game. Another knock on him is his decision making, as an older player he would ideally be further developed in this sense so it is a cause for a concern and may be the cause of some of the consistency issues associated with him. His strong shot and physical size though will certainly interest some team in the 1st round who will need to be patient with his development.
24. Nicholas Robertson, LW, Peterborough (OHL)
5’9″, 161 lbs, 9/11/2001 – pNHLe 60 pts
Another extremely young player in this draft class, Robertson is extremely talented and has a great shot. He definitely likes to get below the hash marks and find open ice to get his shot off, something he did very well in Peterborough especially on the power play. With his quick hands and offensive awareness, he is good at creating scoring chances for himself and in general. His size and skating are two areas that knock him down a bit this year but again, being so young those are two areas that he can definitely improve on and perhaps maybe be viewed as a late 1st round steal someday.
25. Bobby Brink, RW, Sioux City (USHL),
5’8″, 163 lbs, 7/8/2001 – pNHLe 61 pts
It was a strong year for Brink in the USHL and if not for his small stature and questionable skating, he would be more of a lock for the 1st round than is being discussed currently. He’s a goal scorer who can also dish out the puck when necessary. His strength is definitely his hockey IQ and vision as evidenced by some of the nice touch passes and plays he made in tight areas this past year. I love players that are patient with the puck and that’s just what a team is getting in selecting Brink this year. Perhaps he grows an inch or 2 over the next year and hooks up with a good skating coach to work on his awkward stride, at which point he can further develop his already promising offensive game.
26. Ville Heinola, LD, Lukko (Liiga)
5’11”, 181 lbs, 3/2/2001 – pNHLe 51 pts
After posting excellent numbers for a 17 year old in the Finnish Pro League Liiga, Heinola looks to continue to develop into a skilled puck moving defenseman. He played on the gold medal winning world junior team this past year and exhibited many of the things that make him a 1st round talent consistently all year round. I really like the fact that he is willing to hold onto the puck for an extra second to wait for a passing or shooting lane to open up, that type of patience is difficult to teach, especially playing against such tough competition. He isn’t one of the best skaters of this class of D but his ability with the puck should help him succeed while he works on becoming a better skater.
27. Brayden Tracey, LW, Moose Jaw (WHL)
6’0″, 176 lbs, 5/28/2001 – pNHLe 61 pts
A midseason riser in the ranks, Tracey put together an excellent rookie season in the WHL that for me warrants discussion as a fringe 1st rounder this year. He definitely needs to fill out more and add strength to his game but continuing in the WHL will allow him to do that at his own pace and still produce. He likes to get to the front of the net and has excellent vision with and without the puck but I do think he projects more as a goal scorer than anything. His skating needs some work and I’ve seen a lot of people agree on this but based on his age and late rising in the ranks, this may be a case of a prospect who hasn’t yet adjusted to his growing body and needs time to redevelop a more efficient stride.
28. Connor McMichael, C, London (OHL)
5’11”, 174 lbs, 1/15/2001 – pNHLe 48 pts
McMichael possesses one of the highest hockey IQ’s of any draft eligible player in this years draft. When looking at his game, he really doesn’t have a flaw or area of weakness except perhaps his size but in general I feel that he is good at just about everything (skating, shooting, positioning, defending). Though the upside may be limited to that of a 2nd line center, McMichael has all of the tools to be surefire 3rd line center at worst due to the fact he is such a smart player already and plays such a complete game. What I like about his game is his ability to know whether a shot or pass is the best option which again speaks to his high hockey IQ. Don’t be shocked if a several years from now, Pierre McGuire is raving about how McMichael is the unsung hero playing 12-14 minutes a night for a team on a cup run.
29. Nathan Legare, RW, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
6’0″, 196 lbs, 1/11/2001 – pNHLe 57 pts
Legare is another pure goal scorer in this class with great size. He used that physical advantage to impose his will on players in the OHL so I believe that’s why he’s a bit lower in some peoples eyes. His release combined with the accuracy and velocity of his shot give him a distinct advantage over goalies even when they get a clear view of his shot. He has shown at times a tendency to drop his shoulder and drive to the net for goals in tight as well so he’s a multifaceted scorer. He also did extremely well playing his off wing on the power play where his one timer was deadly. His speed isn’t incredible but because he can score from just about anywhere on the ice, I do not foresee it being a detriment to his development as he reaches the next level.
30. Pavel Dorofeyev, RW, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
6’0″, 163 lbs, 10/26/2000 – pNHLe 11 pts
Splitting time between the MHL and KHL this year, Dorofeyev showed off his offensive talents against the inferior competition in the MHL whereas he struggled against the pro league KHL. He has some ability to control the puck in the offensive zone and also control the pace of play when he has the puck on his stick. Shooting the puck is definitely his strongest asset but he also has above average vision for dishing the puck to teammates. His speed isn’t overly impressive but what scouts really like is the potential for his offensive game to continue to develop. Sporting a fairly lanky frame, adding some muscle will be a must for him and when that does occur, the opportunity will be there for him to really take the next step.
31. Samuel Fagemo, LW, Frolunda (SHL)
5’11”, 194 lbs 3/14/2000 – pNHLe 52 pts
One of my favorite players outside of the 1st round this draft is Samuel Fagemo who I believe will go somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd round. This 2nd year eligible player was projected as a late round pick last year when he got passed on but make no mistake, the strides Fagemo made playing for Frolunda in the SHL this season have opened up the eyes of scouts in the hockey world. Though relatively small, he is not afraid to get to the front of the net which is where he scores a lot of his goals. He has a very good shot and an uncanny ability that goal scorers possess to find himself in high danger areas which ultimately lead to scoring chances. The improvements he made to his skating from last year to this one are a big reason he developed into one of Frolunda’s greatest threats and a top prospect in 2019.
32. Jakob Pelletier, LW, Moncton (QMJHL)
5’9″, 161 lbs, 3/7/2001 – pNHLe 63 pts
33. Samuel Poulin, RW, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
6’2″, 207 lbs, 2/25/2001 – pNHLe 52 pts
34. Mikko Kokkonen, LD, Jukurit (Liiga)
5’11”, 198 lbs, 1/18/2001 – pNHLe 41 pts
35. Ilya Nikolayev, C, Yaroslavl (MHL)
6’0″, 190 lbs, 6/26/2001 – pNHLe N/A
36. Brett Leason, RW, Prince Albert (WHL)
6’4″, 198 lbs, 4/30/1999 – pNHLe 55 pts
37. Patrik Puistola, LW, Taapara (Liiga)
6’0″, 174 lbs, 1/11/2001 – pNHLe 6 pts
38. Matthew Robertson, LD, Edmonton (WHL)
6’3″, 201 lbs, 3/9/2001 – pNHLe 39 pts
39. Robert Mastrosimone, LW, Chicago (USHL)
5’10”, 170 lbs, 1/24/2001 – pNHLe 41 pts
40. Lassi Thomson, RD, Kelowna (WHL)
6’0″, 190 lbs, 9/24/2000 – pNHLe 37 pts
41. Tobias Bjornfot, LD, Djurgardens J20 (SuperElit)
6’0″, 203 lbs, 4/6/2001 – pNHLe N/A
42. Simon Holmstrom, RW, HV71 J20 (SuperElit)
6’1″, 185 lbs, 5/24/2001 – pNHLe N/A
43. John Beecher, C, US NTDP (USHL)
6’3″, 209 lbs, 4/5/2001 – pNHLe 27 pts
44. Ryan Johnson, LD, Sioux Falls (USHL)
6’0″, 161 lbs, 7/24/2001 – pNHLe 18 pts
45. Alex Vlasic, LD, US NTDP (USHL)
6’6″, 198 lbs, 6/5/2001 – pNHLe 28 pts
46. Jamieson Rees, C, Sarnia (OHL)
5’10”, 172 lbs, 2/26/2001 – pNHLe 39 pts
47. Pavel Gogolev, LW, Guelph (OHL)
6’1″, 179 lbs, 2/19/2000 – pNHLe 11 pts
48. Maxim Cajkovic, RW, Saint John (QMJHL)
5’11”, 187 lbs, 1/3/2001 – pNHLe 34 pts
49. Michal Teply, RW, Bili (Czech)
6’3″, 187 lbs, 5/27/2001 – pNHLe N/A
50. Kirill Slepets, RW, Yarslavl (MHL)
5’10”, 146 lbs, 4/6/1999 – pNHLe N/A
51. Albin Grewe, RW, Djurgardens J20 (SuperElit)
5’11”, 187 lbs, 3/22/2001 – pNHLe N/A
52. Yegor Afansyev, LW, Muskegon (USHL)
6’4″, 201 lbs, 1/23/2001 – pNHLe 39 pts
53. Nolan Foote, LW, Kelowna (WHL)
6’3″, 187 lbs, 11/29/2000 – pNHLe 42 pts
54. Vladislav Kolyachonok, LD, Flint (OHL)
6’0″, 181 lbs, 5/26/2001 – pNHLe 36 pts
55. Alex Beaucage, RW, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
6’2″, 192 lbs, 7/25/2001 – pNHLe 61 pts
56. Cole Mackay, RW, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
5’11”, 185 lbs, 6/13/2001 – pNHLe 47 pts
57. Yegor Spiridonov, C, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
6’2″, 192 lbs, 1/22/2001 – pNHLe N/A
58. Martin Hugo Has, RD, Tappara (Finland U20)
6’4″, 187 lbs, 2/2/2001 – pNHLe N/A
59. Mads Sogaard, G, Medicine Hat (WHL)
6’7″, 196 lbs, 12/13/2000
60. Rhett Pitlick, LW, Chaska (USHS)
5’9″, 161 lbs, 2/7/2001 – pNHLe N/A
61. Kaedan Korczak, RD, Kelowna (WHL)
6’3″, 192 lbs, 1/29/2001 – pNHLe 30 pts
62. Samuel Bolduc, LD, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
6’4″, 212 lbs, 12/9/2000 – pNHLe 34 pts
[…] only player out of the CHL. For a more detailed analysis from me on Cozens, here is a link to my final draft rankings. Cozens is a 2 way center with a lot of skill, regardless of what you’ve seen on Twitter […]