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SMJHL Entry Draft Rewind, Season 24 - Printable Version

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- Allegiant - 08-04-2015

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Last season, we looked at each player who had been drafted in the SMJHL entry draft to see how they played over the course of the year, how far they developed - with the ultimate goal of seeing just how telling draft position turned out to be when it came to the first season of play. Last season’s draft rewind showed that although some of the premier picks did live up to the hype, there were a number of late round gems that proved they were worth a better look than they got leading into the draft.

This article will look at each draft pick’s play over the course of the season, their abilities, as well as the progress they’ve made to judge their overall potential - however, no grading system will be used and it will be largely comparative to the round and team to which the player was selected.

With a large and rowdy draft class leading into their own prospect showcase, junior general managers had ample opportunity to scout both the talents and the personalities of their prospects. But scouting isn’t an exact science, and sometimes talent falls through the cracks - and sometimes hype can’t be lived up to. In some cases, hype proves to be dangerous, as was seen with the calamity of Stacker Pentecost some seasons ago -- an open wound for St. Louis players that remember it, and one that is often passed around as a warning tale.

With such a large draft class, the only logical starting point is from the very beginning, with the St. Louis’ Scarecrows’ first overall pick. As the draft was, according to some, one of the more active drafts in recent memory, teams were faced with a particular challenge in trying to choose from a wide range of talent. The top two picks were rarely questioned, however. So - without further adieu, the draft rewind can begin.

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Round 1:

1. Scarecrows - Robb Wind - RW (TPE - 396)

Robb Wind entered the S24 SMJHL Entry Draft with something of a head-start over his peers, as he wasn’t exactly a rookie at all, having played the end of the previous season and the play-offs with the Impact, before his team was eliminated by the team that would, ironically, draft him first overall. Wind was never expected to drop any lower than second overall, but some suspected the Scarecrows might pass him over to allow him to remain in Montreal. That, of course, didn’t happen.

What you get with Robb Wind is a dynamic skater with good offensive instincts. A sniper first and foremost, the Scottish winger has all of the makings of a generational talent. Although the pressure was clearly on as the first overall pick, Wind delivered and there’s no doubt that the Scarecrows would repeat the pick if they had the chance. At forty-five points, he had the second highest point totals on the Scarecrows’ loaded offensive team, behind only sophomore Damien Wert. He also had the third highest goal totals, and he remained fairly defensively sound all season.

2. :impact: - Evandrus Jesster - C (TPE - 363)

The only player hyped up as much as Robb Wind was Evandrus Jesster. The two can almost be seen as rivals with the sort of media hype around them; ‘Wind versus Jesster’ was the talk of the SMJHL for some time at the start of the season. As a second overall pick, Jesster was an easy choice to make. A talented sniper with strong skating and decent overall physical qualities, Jesster’s only weakness is the lack of a physical game which, given his focus, doesn’t really hold him back any.

With the ability to snake his way into the zone and snipe home those opportunities most players wouldn’t be able to get a handle on, Jesster was a good pick. Like Wind, he was second on his team in overall points, coming in at 43 points (19 goals and 24 assists). He was a plus 2 and remained a consistent offensive threat all season long. Superstardom is in his blood, and all the pressure is on him to prove he can live up to his surname - but as far as the SMJHL goes, this was a very good, if obvious, selection.

3. Knights - KRISTJAN VILHJALMSSON - C (TPE - 272)

Being drafted right after Jesster and Wind puts a bit of a microscope on Vihjalmsson. At first glance, you might assume that he couldn’t possibly match the top two, given the lack of professional development Jesster saw in the off-season, and the extra time Wind had as an Impact player at the tail end of season 23, but Vihjalmsson really did perform to the same standard that both of Wind and Jesster did.

Although his 37 points was less than either Wind or Jesster, he had a plus 10 rating and performed particularly well as a set-up guy, putting up 31 assists, behind only third-season junior Stacker Pentecost, the ghost that haunts Lahey and Miller to this day. As a play-maker, Vihalmsson is solid and sees the ice well. He can put the puck tape to tape and make daring break-out passes, which more than often seem to work. Further, his skating is up to par and he’s responsible enough in his own end to be trusted in high pressure situations.

4. Whalers - ZACK HOOVER - LW (TPE - 285)

The Whalers’ first round pick on the season, Zack Hoover, is an exceptional talent in his own right. He’s a good skater who doesn’t tire easily, and he’s solid at both ends of the ice. Although his primary focus as an offensive player is to make plays, he’s got a fair shot and actually ended the season with more goals than assists - 18 goals and 16 assists. His -1 rating is actually quite good on the weak Whalers team, and his level of offense, while lower than the three drafted before him, has to be considered along with his team -- a team which didn’t have a single point per game player.

As the saying goes, the sky is the limit for Zack Hoover, and if players like Ballard, Bure and McZehrl are called up next year, he’s likely to be the man that the Whalers will go to in order to carry the offense on the first line and on the power-play -- even more than they already did this season.

5. Falcons - BASTIEN SALABANZI - D (TPE - 222)

With their first pick, the reigning Four Star Cup champions selected Bastien Salabanzi, a two-way defender from Ireland with a strong shot, a good set of wheels, decent conditioning and all around good play in his own zone. Although at face value Salabanzi was a good first selection for the Falcons, he may prove to have been a mistake to draft so high. Despite a decent first season in which he recorded 25 points, 8 of which were goals, and ended with an impressive plus 17 rating -- as well as adding a moderate amount of blocked shots to the mix -- there are some questions as to Salabanzi’s future.

A common trend in the SMJHL, Salabanzi is a player with all of the natural talent in the world, but a player who, as the season rolled on, was ground down by the pressures of playing. His development has stalled considerably and a player who one may have been looked at as a star blueliner is now liable to be a late-round draft pick.

Salabanzi is talented enough that a bit more work in the off-season could see his career right back on track, but as of right now, he’s likely the first bust of the draft.

6. Firebirds - Leon Webb - LW (TPE - 247)

Leon Webb is another first round pick with absolutely phenomenal scoring hands, as well as decent playmaking ability and fair skating. Further, he’s extremely strong on the puck and is hard to knock loose despite his relatively unphysical style of play. The returning Firebirds made their first selection since returning to Prince George with Webb, and for all intents and purposes it may turn to be a good selection, despite his quiet rookie year.

At 11 goals and 13 assists, for a -1, Webb wasn’t one of the primary offensive players on the Firebirds, but rather filled in an auxiliary role for them. He played well overall, however, and he has the natural talent to succeed at the highest level. It’s hard to say whether he should have been drafted so early with the calibre of the players found throughout the draft, but it’s hard to go wrong with you draft from an established lineage. Like Jesster, he needs to put in work to show he can live up to his name.

Round 2:

1. Firebirds - Luke Fleming - C (TPE - 291)

Luke Fleming is a very good, well rounded centre with tremendous potential. A two way player, he’s good at both ends of the ice, but his biggest strengths are his scoring ability, as well as his speed and strength. He also had a fairly quiet, but respectable rookie season as he tallied 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points on the year. He also threw a fair few hits for a player who isn’t known to be physical, showing a bit of heart.

Where the hype comes for Fleming now isn’t necessarily his play on the ice, but what his play could one day be. Not only does he have star potential, but he has the ethic to back it up, and he’s made considerable strides this year towards improving his all around play.

2. Falcons - JASPER CLAYTON - D (TPE - 288)

If you’re a Falcons fan and you’re burned out by the poor development of fifth overall pick Salabanzi, there’s good news; Jasper Clayton, as someone commonly being discussed a top 3 or 4 pick in the upcoming SHL entry draft, is actually sort of a steal. It’s hard to be a steal in a draft this deep, as there are great talents scattered throughout, but if nothing else, the picking of Clayton makes up for the picking up Salabanzi.

With 28 points on the season, 12 of which were on the power-play, Clayton had a fairly good first year on the scoreboard - but that isn’t what makes Clayton special. He’s got very good work ethic on top of his natural talent, and despite a lack of physicality to his game, the English defender has solid defensive talents to add to his tremendous offensive ability. Look for Clayton to run the Falcons’ blue-line next season, which should be his last season in the SMJHL unless the team that drafts him is particularly careful with the development of their prospects.

3. Whalers - COLIN WOOD - D (TPE - 196)

A second round pick in a very deep draft, Colin Wood may well be a bust for the Whalers, despite putting up good numbers for a defenceman in his first season at 24 points (with a -12 rating). Wood is a good all around defender with talent at both ends of the ice, and he has particularly well developed defensive instincts. However, he isn’t very well conditioned and won’t be able to play big-minutes without some serious work.

That becomes the area where Wood falls to the side and becomes labelled as a bust; work. Although Wood showed every sign of being a potential star in the SMJHL, with a lot of effort put towards refining his game for the season, he fell to the wayside to some degree, possibly due to the Whalers’ disappointing season (at least, disappointing regular season -- they didn’t exactly dissapoint in the postseason.)

Although he may be labelled a bust here, a resurgence is very possible for Wood -- he’s a talented player and the only thing that can bring him down is himself.

4. Knights - Maria Maximova - D (TPE - 301)

Maria Maximova may have been a second round pick in the SMJHL, but she’s a player that’s being talked about as a top pick in the SHL draft. A two way defenseman with a good shot, fair playmaking instincts, and all around refined offensive skills -- as well as good defensive play allowing her to be a solid player at either end of the ice, Maximova has it all. She may have blended into the sudden rush of Russian players at the start, but she’s emerged amongst her countrymen as a gem in her own right.

With 34 points on the season and a plus six, Maximova’s only downside is her lack of a physical game - a common trend among two way defenders in the SMJHL. Even so, it hasn’t hindered her ability to play as she’s behind only the absentee superstar himself, Stacker Pentecost, in scoring amongst Knights’ defenders, and she was even trusted briefly to play the penalty kill, though that isn’t something she performed often over the season.

5. :impact: - Lord Pretty Flacko - LW (TPE - 316)

It was easy not to give Lord Pretty Flacko his due early on - he was a man whose first name was ‘Lord’ and whose surname included ‘Pretty’. Despite that, Flacko has exceptional scoring abilities. His ability to put the puck in the net is arguably as good as both Wind and Jesster, the two top picks. Although he didn’t have as good a season as either of them, with only 24 points and a final minus 14, Flacko is one of those players who’s poised to break out.

He’s fast, he can handle the puck, his shot is phenomenal, and he has no real downside. Look for Flacko to be a dominating presence for the Impact next season if he isn’t called up to the SHL by whatever team drafts him; even in a deep draft, this was a very solid pick by the Impact.

6. Scarecrows - Nikita Nevzorov - G (TPE - 261)

Nevzorov made headlines when he announced he wouldn’t play in the prospect showcase, and there was some doubt whether he’d get much opportunity to play behind returning netminder Sergei Kozar. He ended up splitting three ways with Kozar and Zanchez, playing eighteen games - nine wins and nine losses. With a 3.65 goals against average and a mediocre save percentage of .864, Nevzorov’s first season wasn’t anything to write home about.

Despite this, Nevzorov has shown considerable development since his first games in North America and has all the makings of a future starter. He’s not the biggest, or the quickest goalie in the world, but he has excellent rebound control and his instincts are solid. This wasn’t a bad pick, but one question that does hang over it is -- where will Nevzorov play next year? As one of the first Portland Admirals, it’s very possible he may have played his last game with the St. Louis Scarecrows as he makes his way into the SHL.

Round 3:

1. Scarecrows - William Hendrickson - LW (TPE - 215)

Hendrickson is a small, but powerful forward with a bit of a defensive focus. A responsible puck handler who’s strong on the puck, Hendrickson’s biggest downside is a lack of offensive instincts which hold him back from a pure top six slot at this stage in his career. Being picked in the third round, Hendrickson can easily be seen as a solid but unremarkable utility player for the Scarecrows.

Over the course of the season, Henrickson recorded ten points overall, with a minus eight rating. He did, however, throw a fair few hits and was one of the more physical forwards on the Scarecrows’ team - behind only Mitchell Dambach, as far as forwards were concerned. Although his first year may not have been the most awe-inspiring, Hendrickson is carving out a specific role for himself and was a solid pick for where he was in the draft. As long as he can keep pushing forward and working on his defensive play, there’s no reason why Hendrickson can’t one day fill in a third line grinding role in the SHL.

2. :impact: - Adam Fälk - LW (TPE - 273)

Adam Falk didn’t seem to have the same offensive potential as some of his peers coming into the draft; he was more a solid two-way player who you know you could trust to put on the ice. His play over the course of the season, then, has to be seen as a pleasant surprise, and one which should raise his draft stock. With 40 points on the season, 16 of which were goals, Falk was a consistent offensive threat as well as a decent two-way player, and he became an integral part of the Falcon’s overall game.

Falk may need to further develop his offensive abilities to repeat his success, given teams are going to start looking out for him on the ice a bit more, but he’s had a solid first season to build off of, and he has all the potential in the world.

3. Knights - Ivan Koroviev - RW (TPE - 288)

The third round pick for the Knights was their second Russian; Koroviev is a playmaking winger with strong skating, puck handling, and the natural ability to put together dynamic passing plays. He’s also surprisingly solid in his own end and does have a decent shot - enough to maintain some offensive threat on the break.

Koroviev’s play this season wasn’t necessarily up to potential, with 10 goals and 10 assists for a plus 3, but it wasn’t bad either. He only played 10 minutes a game, so his production was actually rather respectable when you factor that in. He also didn’t see time on the power-play, another factor to explain his low totals at the end of the year.

Going into next season, Koroviev is likely to stay down in the SMJHL -- and he should see his playtime increase with the likely departure of names such as Randleman and Abodobe. As a result, you can look to Koroviev growing into a potent offensive threat next season when he’s really given a chance to showcase his ability.

4. Whalers - TOMAS JANDL - C (TPE - 201)

Tomas Jandl is a two-way forward with good playmaking and scoring abilities, along with decent puck-handling and skating. He’s fairly well conditioned and can log a fair few minutes if he has to, but and he isn’t a liability in his own end. Despite that, his defensive play isn’t as good as you might expect from a two way player, and he’s average at best with face-offs.

Despite being given about 14 minutes a game ice-time, Jandle only managed 9 points on the year, and ended with a -7. It was a disappointing regular season for the whole team, so it isn’t entirely his fault, but the jury is still out on Jandl; this off-season and this coming SMJHL season will more or less make or break him as a future SHLer, or a career SMJHLer. He certainly has the talent to make it.

5. Falcons - MICHAEL BURCH - RW (TPE - 297)

The Falcon’s next pick is Michael Burch, and he, like his buddy Clayton, was a very solid pick-up for the Falcons. A playmaking winger from Canada, recently transferred to the United Kingdom, Burch has excellent playmaking capabilities (fittingly) as well as strong skating and puck-handling. He’s also a well conditioned player, and is good in his own end.

His rookie season saw him net 12 goals and 22 assists, for a total of 34 points. He earned a +10 rating, and was trusted by the Falcons on the power-play. Although he isn’t very physical, he doesn’t need to be, as his offensive abilities will make him a highly sought after talent.

6. Firebirds - Rick Chleb - D (TPE - 200)

Rick Chleb is a defensive defenceman who’s fairly good at generating offense through crisp, but unimaginative passing plays. He’s responsible defensively, and has a physical edge to his game despite his small size at 5’11”, 180lbs. That said, he didn’t progress very far over the course of the season and his biggest drawback is that his potential may be nearing its cap.

He did put up a surprising amount of points for the Firebirds, but his plus/minus was -15 - a particularly poor rating for a player whose primary usage was meant to be as a defensive player. He played big minutes for the Firebirds, but if he isn’t able to improve, may soon see himself replaced by newer talent.

Round 4:

1. Firebirds - Travis Kudleychuk - C (TPE - 291)

Travis Kudleychuk wasn’t a very well-known player moving into the draft, but he’s a player that did turn out to be somewhat surprising. Another two-way forward, Kudleychuk’s greatest utility has to be his hockey sense. He isn’t the strongest, fastest, or most dynamic player around, but he has very good sense and can see the play before it happens. As a result, he’s reliable at both ends of the ice and has carved out a spot as a playmaker.

Over the course of the season, he tallied 30 points overall - 25 of which were assists. Furthermore, he recorded a +3 rating on Prince George. He was an excellent selection as a 4th round pick, and very well could have gone earlier.

2. Falcons - AUSTIN LEMIEUX - G (TPE - 270)

Austin Lemieux may not be the first goaltender selected in this draft, but given how quickly he’s progressed, some might question why. He’s not the biggest man in the world, but he knows how to take up the net, and he’s rather quick on top of that. He doesn’t give up that many rebounds, and his hand-speed is good for a junior goaltender. The only area he may need to work on to play better in juniors is his conditioning to enable him to start more games without tiring out.

As it was, Lemieux played 28 games on the season and recorded a .863 save percentage, and a 3.16 goals against average. Those statistics may not sound good, and they place him behind Falcons’ netminder Lee Bowden in terms of quality of play - but the potential is there, and Lemiux only needs a bit more work before he can be a bona fide starter.

3. Whalers - JACK DURDEN - C (TPE - 255)

The Whaler’s fourth round selection wasn’t as heralded as his predecessor coming into the draft, but he’s flourished since then, making this a very good pick, particularly for the round. A playmaker primarily, Durden is quick on his feet, but also rather sturdy and hard to knock off the puck. He has an impressive set of offensive tools and, in addition to being apt at making passing plays, has a rather good shot as well.

Defensively, Durden is responsible enough to fit into a top six role without hindering his team, and he’s rather good at face-offs as well - something that heightens his value, as centers are always in high demand. In all, Durden finished the season with 29 points, 20 of which were assists, and a -10 which isn’t quite as bad as it sounds when you factor in the performance of the team as a whole.

4. Knights - Nikolaus Scholz - C (TPE - 280)
Nikolaus Scholz is a sizable playmaking centre from Germany who played a modest role on the Knights’ roster in his first season. Ending the season with 14 points and a plus 4, with only 7 hits, some were surprised at the lack of physicality from someone of Scholz’ size. Even so, a physical edge to his game isn’t necessarily something he needs given his offensive awareness. Good with and without the puck, at both ends of the ice, Scholz is one of many young players in this draft who have more talent than they were given the chance to show.

Although he played relatively few minutes this season, Scholz is a player who can look to see a more important role in the top six of his team and potentially on special teams next season, provided he can work on his conditioning. There’s no reason why Scholz shouldn’t be seen as a player who will help carry the Knights’ offense in a post-Randleman, post-Abodobe era for the team - at least for a season, as he’s developing fast enough he shouldn’t expect to remain in the SMJHL for multiple seasons after the draft, defending on which team selects him.

5. :impact: - Chris Welch - RW (TPE - 260)

The Impact are a team with quite a bit of offensive talent, and Chris Welch is no different. He has exceptional playmaking instincts and is quick on his feet to boot. Although he isn’t much of a scoring player, he knows how to put the puck in the back of the net when he has to - something which keeps opposition goaltenders on their toes. He finished the season with 31 points, 18 of which were assists and 13 of which were goals.

This was a very good pick up by the Impact and one which should pay dividends as he develops over the off-season; with a couple of their more veteran players liable to make the jump into the SHL next season, Welch may be a man the team looks to in order to carry the offense as they look to repeat their success next season. He certainly has the talent.


6. Scarecrows - John Matthews - D (TPE - 252)

When it comes to defensemen, John Matthews has most of what you look for; he’s got good size, he’s defensively responsible, and he knows how to handle the puck and set up good passing plays. While he isn’t hard on the body and his shot leaves something to be desired, Matthews can drive into the zone and make the play off his own stick, or play set-up man.

He had a good first season with 28 points for a plus 8 rating. He didn’t throw many hits, but he didn’t make many mistakes either. Although he may have been overshadowed offensively by some of the Scarecrows’ other players, Matthews was an important piece to their regular season success, and has to be considered a steal when you consider his good play.

Round 5:

1. Scarecrows - McLaren Nasher - RW (TPE - 213)

McLaren Nasher is a offense-first forward whose primary focus is on sniping, but who posesses decent playmaking instincts as well. Although lacking the foot-speed of other offensive players in the draft, he’s still fairly quick on his feet and doesn’t tire easily.

Taking a backseat to some of the Scarecrows more touted offensive players, Nasher recored a respectable but unremarkable 27 points - 9 goals and 18 assists. He ended the season with a plus 2, and remained a consistent offensive threat while he was on the ice, even if he couldn’t put away goals every time. Nasher was a solid pick up at this point in the draft, but the jury is out on his future potential - his next season as a returning player to the Scarecrows should give him a chance to showcase his talents more, as he will undoubtedly be featured higher in the line-up.

2. :impact: - Alexander Wolff - D (TPE - 234)

To back up the Impact’s talented forward corps, they made the selection of Alexander Wolff -- a good all-around defenseman, but one with an offensive focus. It isn’t often you come across an offensive defender that’s so responsible in his own end, and Wolff’s well rounded abilities should earn him a spot on an SHL roster one day. For now, he isn’t quite far enough along to make the jump right away, but he will be a force on the Impact’s blue-line next season.

As a rookie defender, Wolff recorded 27 points - 23 of which were assists. That’s an impressive number in of itself, but to add to that, it came with a plus one rating on a team largely of minus players. Furthermore, his 112 hits was second only to Buster Killington. He has to be considered one of the Impact’s most valuable players this season, and the future is bright even if he hasn’t made as many strides towards improvement as some of his peers.

3. Knights - Fredrik Zavstrom - C (TPE - 235)

Zavstrom is another centre selected by the Knights in this draft, but one with a primarily defensive focus. Although not very physical, Zavstrom can perhaps be seen as a face-offs specialist with a particular penchant for responsible defensive-zone play and responsible, low-risk playmaking in the offensive zone.

His play with the Knights this season was certainly of a defensive nature has he recorded 13 points and ended with a plus 1. He also saw time on the penalty kill for most of the season and was able to carve out an integral position on the team as one of their primary defensive tools in crucial situations. Although he hasn’t made the same degree of improvements as some of his fellow Knights have over the year, his progression has been consistent and he’ll likely see a similar role next year -- given it’s something he’s shown himself able to excel at to such a degree.

4. Whalers - GEOFFREY ALLEN - RW (TPE - 297)

The Whalers managed another very good pick up at this stage of the draft when they selected Geoffrey Allen, the 6’2” playmaking winger from Buffalo. Allen immediately stands out for his tremendous scoring ability, but he’s a well-rounded player on top of it; decent in his own end, an ability to make strong passing plays when he needs to, as well as good physical abilities - a good set of wheels and the ability to play top line minutes without slowing down too much.

Despite being their fifth round pick, Allen immediately factored into the Whalers’ offense as he was their fourth highest scoring player with 38 points, 14 of which were goals. He was only a -1 on the Whalers’ team, and was even trusted to play the power-play in his first season, where 11 of his points ended up coming from. With 57 hits, he also had something of a physical side to his game, making use of his good size.

5. Falcons - CLIVE STONEHANDS - RW (TPE - 205)

Clive Stonehands is a powerful winger with an incredible beard. Despite his name, he’s actually got a fairly good shot and slick hands with the puck. His skating is good enough for the junior level, and he’s strong enough that he can play the game in the corners well. The only real issue with him is that he’s something of a puck hog and doesn’t like to pass it around much, which makes him an easier player to isolate and shut down.

Overall, he only managed to score 7 goals on the year, for 13 points. It’s a rather meagre number for an offensive player, and in all likelyhood, it’s something he won’t be able to fix unless he adds a bit more variety to his offensive arsenal. On top of that, he’s lost his drive over the course of the season, slowing his progression. He’s not a lost cause, but he may be a career junior.

6. Firebirds - Cynthia Taylor - D (TPE - 272)

For whatever reason, Cynthia Taylor wasn’t looked at coming into the draft as a premier talent, but she has shown herself to be one with her consistent improvements over the course of the season. Although her rating was a rather poor -18, she played rather well when you consider the amount of minutes she was made to play compared to her relatively moderate level of conditioning. She did, however, put up 16 points as a two-way defender (though her primary strength has to be considered defense).

She did finish the season with the second most hits on the Firebirds team, and tied for second in shots blocked. That, along with her consistent efforts to improve, should increase her draft stock for the upcoming SHL entry draft.

Round 6:

1. Firebirds - Thong Bonerstorm - RW (TPE - 204)

There are some things you just don’t want to do in life. Drink American beer, trust FIFA with your credit card information -- or write anything about a man named ‘Thong Bonerstorm’. But, in all seriousness, Bonerstorm is a player with rather good offensive talent - in particular, he has a rocket of a shot and can make some pretty flashy passes.

The other side to Bonerstorm is that he hasn’t shown the degree of work ethic SHL GMs are looking for, and he’s ground to a halt in his development. He also only tallied 17 points despite his offensive arsenal, despite playing 18 minutes a game -- something likely explained by his mediocre abilities in carrying the puck into the end and holding onto it. He’s also got no place in the defensive zone, limiting his usefulness.

At this point, Bonerstorm is relegating himself to be an occasional power-play weapon that won’t see the light of day on an SHL roster. Things can change, but they need to start sooner rather than later.

2. Falcons - JYRI JOLO - D (TPE - 165)

Jyri Jolo didn’t last long with the Falcons, as he was released prior to his first game. He was touted as a defensively responsible player with decent enough puck handling and skating, with the ability to throw hits when he needed to - unfortunately, for whatever reason, either Jolo or the Falcons decided that it wouldn’t work out, at he returned to Finland prior to training camp. It’s a tough hit for the Falcons to lose a pick like that, but at least it was a mid-draft pick.

3. Whalers - EICHEL JORDAN - D (TPE - 183)

Eichel Jordan is an offense-first defenceman who has a decent shot and fair playmaking abilities, along with good-enough play in his own zone. He’s a player who doesn’t do anything wrong, but doesn’t excel at anything either -- and that’s a problem, considering he’s only 5’5”. to make matters worse, he’s 200lbs, a rather hefty weight for his stature, and that may prove to be an issue in terms of his skating ability, however strong he might be.

His rookie season was alright, but uninspiring, as he recorded 14 points, all of which were assists, and ended with a -12. His development began to stall considerably after the season began, and at this stage there’s nothing to suggest the Whalers’ will find much use out of Jordan in the future, other than as a utility player to keep the load off of their primary defensive corps.

4. Knights - Matt Veenstra - C (TPE - 234)

Matt Veenstra is an offensively focused defenseman with both scoring and passing ability; he’s decent at both, but he doesn’t particularly excel at either. He’s also fairly responsible in his own zone, but is somewhat lacking with puck-handling in particular. Even so, he’s a strong and well-sized player with good skating for how big he is.

Despite his size and strength, Veenstra isn’t much good at a physical side of the game, despite putting in a fair bit of time in training camp working at it. He ended the season with 14 points and a -3. He’s a player who has continued to show steady improvements all season, and was a fairly safe pick in round six -- with a bit more concerted effort towards his offensive skillset and more work rounding out his game, Veenstra should be able to develop into a talented defender, even if he didn’t excel at much in his first season. This is one of those mid-late round picks which you have to like, since it’s a good value for the price paid.

5. :impact: - Roman Morenov - D (TPE - 269)

The Impact’s sixth round pick was another defender, but this one with a more defensive focus to him than Wolff. A hard hitting defensive player with absolutely phenomenal defensive instincts, Morenov has such good hockey sense that, if his play can grow to be a bit better rounded, he could find himself becoming a real star in the league.

He finished the season with nine points, and a minus open. He had a respectable 79 hits, and his play was as expected; responsible and conserved. He doesn’t take big risks, but as a result he doesn’t make many mistakes. His skating is acceptable for where he’s at now, and if he can improve his conditioning a bit to help him log bigger minutes, and add something to his overall game in the offensive zone, Morenov should be able to look forward to a productive career.

6. Scarecrows - Ryan King - RW (TPE - 277)

Ryan King was an extremely solid pick-up for the Scarecrows at this point in the draft, but only if you factor in his future potential. With only six points on the season and a minus ten rating, King’s offensive play was disappointing. For a player with the pure goal scoring ability of King, a single goal in fifty-two games is a puzzling thing to behold. The most likely explanation for this is simply that, on the stacked Scarecrows’ team, King simply couldn’t get enough ice-time or linemates he had any chemistry with.

Despite his meagre production this season, King’s commitment to training should earn him the attention of major league scouts, and all signs point to next season being King’s chance to break out and showcase what observers know he can do.

Round 7:

1. Scarecrows - John Wick - LW (TPE - 249)

John Wick, the man who claims Japanese professional wrestling Jushin Thunder Liger as his ‘life coach’, was a decent pick-up for the Scarecrows. A two-way forward with a focus on consistent, but responsible offense, Wick is a strong skater and puck handler, whose only real downside is a lack of strength - somewhat of a surprise for someone with his good size. Wick played a fairly prominent role with the Scarecrows, but it was a primarily defensive role.

Although his sixteen points and minus ten is mediocre, Wick’s play on the penalty kill has to be factored in. He is another solid pick up - not a star power player, but the sort of player you need on your team. If he can work on his offensive production a bit more, he may find himself in a top six offensive role next year in addition to his penalty killing responsibilities.

2. :impact: - Michael Gerrard - RW (TPE - 248)

When you look at Michael Gerrard, you look at a player with phenomenal offensive potential. Good scoring hands and decent playmaking abilities combine with strong skating to create a ideal top six winger. Add in good size and you have a winger who can not only put up points, but who won’t be pushed around too much doing it.

With Gerrard, though, the key word is potential. Playing only ten minutes per game this season, he notched just 6 goals for 9 points, and finished the season at -3. Playing behind the kind of offensive talent he was, it isn’t hard to see why he wouldn’t have been able to play to his potential, but there’s no reason to think Gerrard won’t blossom into a dangerous scoring player entering into next season. At this point in the draft, a player with good potential means a very solid pick, even if he didn’t light the lamp in his first season.

3. Knights - Hugh Johnson - C (TPE - 186)

Hugh Johnston is an offense-first centre whose game is fairly well rounded. Although not a spectacular skater, he’s quick on his feet when he needs to be, and strong enough that he isn’t often shoved around. He’s got enough of a tank to play decent minutes for a forward, and his skills with the puck are fairly refined.

Johnson played a surprising number of minutes for the Knights, and recorded 25 points in all - 9 goals and 16 assists. This comes in spite of a lack of overall development over the course of the year. At this point, he has to be seen as a useful top six player for the Knights, particularly if their roster thins next season, but that’s likely to be the farthest he’ll go if he can’t rekindle his drive come training camp. That may be something his friend, Randleman, may be able to do for him.

4. Whalers - Matthew Hebscher - RW (TPE - 183)
The Whaler’s draft really has been a mixed bag, as they’ve acquired tremendous talents and even had a few mid-draft steals -- as well as a couple players who really faded after being drafted. Such was the case for Eichel Jordan, and such is the case for Matthew Hebscher. Another player with enough going for him to suggest he could go far in the league, Hebscher’s work ethic is what’s keeping him back.

He’s a fair playmaker with good offensive instincts and decent skating, but his defensive play leaves a lot to be desired. Ultimately, he wasn’t given a shot with the Whalers as he played on average 3 minutes a game as his ice time diminished mid-season. His totals on the year were 3 points and a -7. Without serious work, Hebscher will not crack the line-up next year, and may go undrafted.

5. Falcons - MAC HOOPER - RW (TPE - 172)

Mac Hooper is a scoring sniper from Texas who makes up for his defensive downside with terrific natural offensive ability. He’s a smooth skater with great hands who can make plays as well as put the puck in the back of the net. On top of it, he’s a responsible puck carrier and rarely coughs it up, making him an offensive threat and a natural top six winger.

Hooper unfortunately has the problem that so many other juniors have; he simply wasn’t able to translate his natural talent into a career. Without the work ethic his coaches expected of him, Hooper’s ice time went right down as he became little more than a bench warmer, tallying one assist in the season as he rarely saw icetime.

6. Firebirds - Mario Nyquist - C (TPE - 242)

Mario Nyquist might be a bit quiet, but he’s got some very good skills as a playmaker and was well worth the pick, especially this far into the draft - a seventh round pick notching 36 points is pretty impressive, and goes to show you how easy it is to fly under the radar if you aren’t able to speak up as much as your peers.

Needless to say, as a playmaking centre, Nyquist’s greatest strength is his ability to make clean passing plays. He’s also an impressive skater and doesn’t make many mistakes with the puck. He could stand to work on his face-offs, but there isn’t anything Nyquist is particularly bad at, and he should find himself having heightened responsibilities next year. Despite being such a late pick, Nyquist has the potential to be a top six player for an SHL team, one day.

Round 8:

1. Firebirds - Hunter Bob - LW (TPE - 193)

Hunter Bob is a sniping winger with a tremendous shot. It’s thematically appropriate that someone with his name, from “‘Merica’”, would have such a good shot -- unfortunately, he isn’t nearly as good when it comes to passing, and he’s poor in the defensive zone as well.

What Bob amounts to is a talented, but one dimensional scoring winger who may not have the work ethic, nor the all-around game, to transition into the SHL. As it stands, he plays relatively few minutes for Prince George, and tallied only 9 points over the season. This is likely due to his game being so predictable; skate down the wing and try to score. After a while, goaltenders know what to expect.

2. Falcons - ROSS BURKE - LW (TPE - 229)

Ross Burke didn’t do much this season on the Falcon’s wing, but that’s something that can largely be credited to his limited ice-time. While on the ice, Burke was able to add a bit to the Falcon’s offense, and he ended the season with 4 goals and 3 assists. While it isn’t the showing Burke may have wanted, he has enough going for him that he could flourish come next season.

Burke’s biggest asset is his scoring touch, even if it wasn’t showcased this season. He’s a large, but not physical, winger from Buffalo, and he skates fairly well for such a big player. He’s also strong on the puck and knows how to pass -- and alongside his fairly reliable play in his own zone, it wouldn’t be surprising if a team took a shot on Burke somewhere in the mid to late stages of the SHL draft. Next season will be an important one for him as he looks to prove he can play a top six role.

3. Whalers - Kevin Murphy - C (TPE - 161)

Kevin Murphy did not suit up for the Whalers at all this season. Despite being a sniper with fair offensive instincts, he didn’t show up to training camp and there was no reason for the Whalers to consider him as a member of their line-up over other players who clearly wanted it more. He was a liability defensively and did enough right that, had he been willing to train, would have received a chance. Thankfully, it was only an 8th round pick the Whalers lost on him.

4. Knights - Tony Flow - RW (TPE - 198)

The eighth round pick of the knights, Tony Flow, is a tough, rough and quick, but undersized winger who has just average offensive abilities. His main utility so far has been as a defensive player, and he’s recorded 11 points over the course of the season, along with 65 hits. Although only playing 8 minutes on average a game, Flow is actually a rather useful player as he’s the sort of guy who can give your team a spark by banging the body.

Flow hasn’t developed as much as he may have wanted to in his first season, but he is improving, and he should be able to fill in a more prominent role as a defensive player for the Knights next season. His limit is likely a defensive utility player filling third line and penalty killing responsibilities for an SHL team, but with greater focus on his offensive play, he could slide into a top six role.

5. :impact: - Joseph Driedger - LW (TPE - 155)

Joseph Driedger was an undersized playmaking winger with good speed and puck-handling. He gave himself the title, ‘A New Generation’, and quickly garnered some attention when he changed his name to Ivan Zhigunov and joined the rapidly expanding Russian ice hockey team as one of its converts. Despite this, Dridger/Zhigunov never amounted to anything. He didn’t play a single minute for the Impact and quietly became a free agent.

It may be a new generation, but Zhigunov needs to play serious catch-up if he’s going to be part of it.

6. Scarecrows - Dan Rage - C (TPE - 180)

Dan Rage was a disappointing pick in the end, but it comes late enough in the draft that it doesn’t truly hurt the Scarecrows. With three points and a minus eight, Dan Rage saw his ice-time diminish to a mere eight minutes a game by the end of the season. Despite solid play-making talents, Rage couldn’t improve his overall game enough to keep up with the fast play of the SMJHL. A mediocre skater with relatively poor strength for his size, and not much of a scoring touch, his primary use at this stage is as a fringe defensive player. His development has entirely stalled and it’s questionable whether he has the drive to make it any farther than he is now.

Round 9:

1. Scarecrows - Johnny Cahill - D (TPE - 217)

The Scarecrows’ next pick was, in contrast to their last, a pleasant surprise. A responsible two way player, Cahill doesn’t exactly turn heads with his play, but he’s a play with no real glaring weaknesses. Although he lacks a scoring touch, that isn’t essential to his style of play. He’s a decent skater, defensively sound, and he can make plays when he needs to.

With ten points and a plus two at only eleven minutes of ice time a game, Cahill can expect to see greater responsibilities next year, and with his talents, it’s an opportunity for him to shine. A physical edge adds depth to his game. Solid overall pick.

2. :impact: - Bobby Trill - LW (TPE - 190)

Bobby Trill was a two way forward with decent scoring ability and solid all-around abilities. He had fair size at 6’2, and had something of a physical edge to his game. Despite this, his play wasn’t anything notable as he recorded just 6 points over the season, and recorded only 21 hits. Although he put in a fair bit of work during training camp and did have the base to turn his career around, he ultimately opted to retire after his first junior season.

It isn’t clear why exactly he retired, but the Impact are surely glad they only used a ninth round pick to select him after all.

3. Knights - Jukka-Emil Vanaja - D (TPE - 226)

Vanaja is a stay-at-home defenceman, and an excellent pick-up at this point in the draft. He’s a strong player with good skating and good instincts in the defensive zone. There isn’t much to his game in the other end, but he fills a particular niche with the Knights’ and it’s something he’s done quite well with. He isn’t afraid to throw hits out when he needs to, although his physical game wasn’t that visible this season.

In total, he tallied 7 points, but ended the season with a plus 9 in 8 minutes a game average. While he didn’t throw many hits for someone with his capabilities, his defensive play was good enough that the lack of a physical presence didn’t hurt him much. He should see his ice-time increase next season, and after an off-season of conditioning should be able to rekindle that side of his game as he improves his all-around play.

4. Whalers - Brian McKrunk - D (TPE - 155)

This stay-at-home defenceman is another no-show to training camp that didn’t manage to lace up his skates once for the Whalers’ team. He was an unremarkable, but responsible defensive player from the United Kingdom, who had something of a physical side to his game. His main weakness was his puck handling and he could be accused of being somewhat sloppy. This may have factored into his game in the SMJHL and held him back somewhat, but we may never know.

5. Falcons - BALROG FUERTO - C (TPE - 165)

The Falcons final pick has to be considered a disappointment, but as with other players drafted in the late stages, it isn’t a very troubling one. The playmaking winger from Grand Rapids with a memorable name boasts a scoring touch and decent skating, along with good puck handling and responsible defensive play.

He does not, however, boast much effort in training camp and was cut from the team almost entirely to play scarce minutes early on. He averaged 2 minutes a game and recorded 1 assist. It’s likely he won’t be playing in a Falcons jersey next season.

6. Firebirds - Jacques Ford - D (TPE - 161)

Jacques Ford is a player that, like many on this list, saw his progression ground to a sudden halt come the start of the the season. He was an offensively minded defender with reliable in-zone defensive coverage as well as a good set of wheels, with the ability to drive into the zone or make plays. He played fairly well in his first season with 15 points, and a plus 3, but he simply hasn’t improved enough for him to be a player most SHL teams will be interested in.

He had a good foundation, but you need to be able to build on it to make it -- and he didn’t.

Round 10:

1. Firebirds - KYLE COBB - G (TPE - 191)

Kyle Cobb played the role of back-up to Kyle Prince, and that’s likely his limit, if nothing changes. Although he had fairly good fundamentals to build on and was making strides, his play was poor with a .843 save percentage and a 3.91 goals against average. This may be the ultimate cause of his slowed development - he may be the case of a goaltender who simply can’t handle it when poor play gets him down.

Cobb may return to the Firebirds next season as a back-up, or even to hold the fort while they groom the next starter if Prince jumps into the SHL next year, but it’s doubtful he’ll ever start for an SHL team.

3. Whalers - Setanta Moloney - D (TPE - 155)

With Moloney, the Whalers took a chance on another defender with questionable work ethic -- and it’s not a chance that panned out in their favour. Despite having good all-around abilities, with the exception of his very lacklustre skating, Moloney didn’t crack the line-up for the Whalers, and will likely be released before the season begins. At this stage, there’s no reason to have him on the books if the team isn’t going to get anything from him. It’s back to Ireland for him.

4. Knights - Dominic Weber - D (TPE- 196)

Dominic Weber is another stay-at-home defenceman picked up by the Knights late in the draft, but he doesn’t quite have the same potential as Vanaja. His progression having stalled somewhat as the season’s gone on, Weber may not have the right work ethic to crack an SHL line-up, but that isn’t to say he doesn’t have a good set of skills in his own right.

He combines speed and strength with good defensive awareness to make for a well-rounded, physical game. He only tallied nine points, but ended the season on a plus ten with an impressive 56 hits -- impressive given his relatively meagre ice-time. His only real issue is that he takes far too many penalties for how often he’s on the ice. Combine that with his relatively slow progression and you get a player who’s going to need some heavy coaching to make it any farther.

5. :impact: - John "Brick Wall" Hirschman - G (TPE - 161)

The Impact were hoping that with their final pick in the draft, they might score a late-round steal with their selection of John “Brick Wall” Hirschman, a large goaltender with decent all-around ability and rebound control. What they got, however, as a career back-up who doesn’t seem to be able to use his size to his advantage as best he should.

Although there’s always the chance Hirschman could make a comeback next season, at this rate it seems his days on the Impact may be numbered, particularly if they select a new goaltender this coming season.

6. Scarecrows - Gustavs Muschenkersons - RW (TPE - 161)

There isn’t much to say about Muschenkersons. At only five minutes a game, he notched two points and was a minus one. He entered the draft as a player with decent scoring instincts, but not much in the way of future potential, and he never really found a place on the Scarecrows’ roster. With so many more driven and developed forward ahead of him, Muschenkersons wasn’t given the chance to amount to anything - but at the same time, he didn’t do anything to warrant that chance being given to him.

If he can work harder this off-season, he may be able to turn his career around, given his good size and scoring ability, but it’s not likely.

Round 11:

1. Scarecrows - Jenkins Sanchez - G (TPE - 161)

Sanchez was drafted to be the back-up to a back-up, and that’s really all he’s likely to be. Although he may replace Nevzorov’s slot next year if he goes to Portland, the last pick of the Scarecrows in the SMJHL Entry Draft really doesn’t show much future potential. He played fifteen games for the Scarecrows, but most of those were as a relief goaltender. Overall, he had a .869 save percentage, narrowly above Nevzorov, but he showcased much less by the way of talent than Nevzorov. This was too late in the draft to be considered a ‘bust’, but it certainly wasn’t a steal.

3. Knights - Peklo Palffy - RW (TPE - 161)

If you were to bring up the name of Peklo “Hopscotch” Palffy in Kelowna, the response you could expect to get would be, “who?”. Despite natural playmaking ability, Palffy didn’t leave his management with a good impression when he missed team training camp, and he never really got a chance to play as a result. A lack of work ethic has virtually ensured that Palffy’s career won’t go anywhere. In fact, it’s doubtful he’ll even return to Kelowna next year, and if he isn’t willing to work to rekindle his career, it’s doubtful even an expansion team will take a chance with him.

Life is a game of hopscotch, and sometimes the rock bounces up and hits you in the face. Thankfully, that metaphor isn’t relevant here, because Pallfy was an eleventh round pick and the Knights didn’t lose anything in selecting him.

4. Whalers - Mathias Roßberg (Rossberg) (TPE: 155)

Mathias Rossberg, or ‘Grossberg’, depending on who you ask - he provided both names in his initial entry to the draft - was a two-way defenceman who had rather well developed defensive instincts and puck hand

- damienj10 - 08-04-2015

Holy crap!

- Eggy216 - 08-04-2015

This is.....the best article I've ever read

- BeanSnoodie - 08-04-2015

This stopped counting 3,282 words ago...

- Jesster - 08-04-2015

Wow, very impressive!

- Nereus - 08-04-2015

Wow. Great stuff. =D>

- Allegiant - 08-04-2015

Quote:Originally posted by BeanSobie@Aug 4 2015, 08:32 PM
This stopped counting 3,282 words ago...

Maybe. I'm not sure how it works if you go over, but I wanted to finish it anyways.

It was fun, if long!

- Nereus - 08-04-2015

Quote:Originally posted by Allegiant@Aug 4 2015, 04:34 PM


Maybe. I'm not sure how it works if you go over, but I wanted to finish it anyways.

It was fun, if long!
You'll get paid for it.

- enigmatic - 08-04-2015

Gotta love how the Whalers won the Cup with all those pity picks :lol:

- Allegiant - 08-04-2015

Quote:Originally posted by enigmatic@Aug 4 2015, 08:39 PM
Gotta love how the Whalers won the Cup with all those pity picks :lol:

It was good karma. Smile

- Allen - 08-04-2015

=D>

- BeanSnoodie - 08-04-2015

Quote:Originally posted by Nereus@Aug 4 2015, 08:35 PM

You'll get paid for it.
I thought 7.5M was the limit? Just asking, not sure on the rules.

- Eggy216 - 08-04-2015

Quote:Originally posted by BeanSobie@Aug 4 2015, 08:03 PM

I thought 7.5M was the limit?&nbsp; Just asking, not sure on the rules.

Don't think there is a limit.

- Baelor Swift - 08-04-2015

Wooooowwww =D> =D> =D>

- Voyagaming - 08-05-2015

Impressive. And yes, Nikita Sucks.