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JHM S13 NWJHL Draft Review
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JHM S13 NWJHL Draft Review
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Well it was hyped, it came and it went and was the “Super Draft” all that it was a cracked up to be? In one word, YES! With one of the deepest drafts in recent history the S13 draft had its fair share of shocks and drops of talent and when one team moving its team! First we will be reviewing the first three rounds of picks and then a full review of who they took and how successful the draft was for them.
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1st Overall St. Louis' Marian Potoczny

First Round Review
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The first round of the S13 NWJHL draft was chocked full of elite talent and even one team dropped out of the first round as Vancouver made a trade with Prince George to trade the third pick overall. Chicago had the first pick overall and made a big splash before the draft even started by announcing their movement from Chicago to St. Louis and rebranded with a spectacular new logo.


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1st Overall – St. Louis Scarecrows

Their Selection: Marian Potoczny, C

Our Opinion: The selection of Potoczny was well predicted, Potoczny was electric in the Prospect Showcase showing off his amazing passing skills and it was inevitable that St. Louis would select his to pair him up with sniper Ryan Haan. Potoczny is a strong leader and a big time player and will be a driving force in the league. His slick skating skills and puck handling will only help him down the line. St. Louis really scored big when they won the draft lottery so they could take his franchise players.

Grade: A+

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2nd Overall – Detroit Falcons

Their Selection: Ryan Bolt, C

Our Opinion: Ryan Bolt is the type of player that teams are scared to play against. He can hurt you so many ways but Scoring is his weapon of choice. The Anaheim, California born Center is a sniper through and through and he’s not afraid to shoot it from anywhere on the ice, and most of the time he’ll score too! Bolt is a big time elite center who isn’t too shabby in the face off dot too. His defense is suspect but he’s a player that will be a big time weapon for the Falcons.

Grade: A

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3rd Overall – Prince George Firebirds

Their Selection: Chuck Winnfield, D

Our Opinion: Chuck Winnfield is exactly what the Firebirds needed. He’s a slick skating two-way defenseman that will control an offense like a quarterback. If his prospect showcase didn’t tell you he can put up some big time points too. Chuck likes to play a cerebral game and with the Firebirds send downs Reinhart and Vittika watch out for the Firebird attack. Winnfield is also a big time leader in the locker room so expect him to wear a letter this season too.

Grade: A+

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4th Overall – Prince George Firebirds

Their Selection: Enrich Brundahl, W

Our Opinion: There’s no question Enrich is a talented player, there’s also no question He can be an offensive dynamo in the NWJHL but some question his effort on the ice. Brundahl’s performance at the prospect showcase had some scouts scratching their heads when he put up a dismal amount of points and just look uninterested. However with the right teammates and a little taste of success could change his attitude and then watch out. He’s a very skilled forward and should in find nicely next to Reinhart and Vittika.

Grade: A-

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5th Overall – Kelowna Knights

Their Selection: Sergei Zherdev, D

Our Opinion: With a roster full of send downs and literally zero defenseman, Zherdev at number five is a no brainer. Although he’s not the most fleet of foot, Zherdev is an extremely smart player and will be a cornerstone for the Knights. While he publicly declared that he only wanted to play for Kelowna or Montreal, that hindered his future teams, but Kelowna picked up a star for their team and Zherdev should bolster that defense.

Grade: A

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6th Overall – Montreal Impact

Their Selection: Hans Schultz, W

Our Opinion: With their first selection of the draft, the four star cup champions took a flier on Winger, Hans Schultz. Schultz has been flying up the charts after having a strong prospects showcase and showing his focused attitude about getting better with his work ethic on and off the ice. Billed as a power forward, Schultz is a tough customer on the ice. He’s a bit smaller than most power forwards but he sure than makes up for it with his big hits, his strong hands and offensive touch. Schultz has loads of potential and that’s what makes him a great pick.

Grade: A-

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Detroit's 10th Overall, Ammon Tutankamun


Second Round Review
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The Second Round proved to be quite the eventful one. A lot of picks traded hands before the draft so that added to the chaos of the whole thing. Some big named prospects dropped from the first round but that just proved how deep this draft really is. Let’s get to the action with the first pick of the second round which was actually the most predictable one of them all.

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7th Overall – Kelowna Knights

Their Selection: Carter O’Callahan, C

Our Opinion: “The Beast” as he is affectionately known as among the hockey world was a no brainer at pick number seven. O’Callahan is a big, strong and mean center with an aggressive attitude and a thirst for pain. An automatic selection at this pick so there’s no telling where he would’ve been picked had he not been automatic, but some say he’d give Bolt a run for his money. His play at the Prospect Showcase showed his budding offensive skills but really highlighted his physical play. O’Callahan will be in the face of every player in the NWJHL and judging by his headshot, you do not want to be face to face with this man child.

Grade: B+ (Automatic Selection, if not he’d be an A)

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8th Overall – Kelowna Knights

Their Selection: Belial, F

Our Opinion: Getting a first round talent in the second round is one thing but getting a possible top three talent in the second round is thievery. As shown by his handful of trophies from the Prospect Showcase including Tournament MVP, Belial is a top name talent. While some GMs might have been scared off by his attitude, he’s a big talent player and he’s going to do wonders in Kelowna paired up next to his Showcase line mate O’Callahan

Grade: A

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9th Overall – Prince George Firebirds

Their Selection: Daniel Merica, W

Our Opinion: Another fast riser since declaring for the draft this speedy scoring winger will be a surprise talent for the Firebirds who continue to load up on the talent. Merica provides a type of game that lifts people out of their seats and electrifies them. Part of a deadly power play line in the Prospect Showcase with fellow Firebird draftee Chuck Winnfield, Merica was a bright spot for the Lions and really helped solidified his chances at being a top two round pick. Watch for Merica to be a sneaky pick for leading scorer this year.

Grade: A-

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10th Overall – Detroit Falcons

Their Selection: Ammon Tutankamun, W

Our Opinion: This is just ridiculous that a talent like Tutankamun drops to number ten. The power forward didn’t really get a chance to light the rink on fire in the prospect showcase as he was paired with a pair of lackluster line mates. Paired up with Ryan Bolt, the Falcons have a one-two punch that will help fuel the offense and be a weapon all season. “King Tut” is a fantastic talent and will flourish in the Detroit high octane offense.

Grade: A

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11th Overall – Vancouver Whalers

Their Selection: Markus Lokt, C

Our Opinion: The Vancouver Whalers must have known something because normally a talent like Lokt wouldn’t drop to the eleventh pick. However like the tale of most picks this draft, he fell because of the talent pool’s depth. Lokt plays a little more balanced style than other centers in the draft so he’s not as flashy but he still gets the job done and can be counted on to lead the Whalers’ offense and will be a leader in the locker room. Lokt will be a great player in Vancouver and this pick is a score for the Blue and Green.

Grade: A-

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12th Overall – St. Louis Scarecrows

Their Selection: Ondrej Ravchitikov, D

Our Opinion: St. Louis scores the draft’s only two Slovaks and Ravchitikov is a big time talent from the blue line. Extremely offensively driven Ravchitikov is a power play quarterback from hell; he’s speedy and has a slap shot that gives goalies nightmares. With Potoczny feeding him passes, the Scarecrow offense should be nasty going forward. Look for Ravchitikov to lead defenseman in goals and possibly points. He’ll be a perfect match for St. Louis to utilize his skills from blue line and you’ll hear his name called a lot.

Grade: A

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13th overall Prince George's Gabriel DuJardin


Third and Fourth Round Review
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The third and fourth round will be a rapid review style but we will still give our grade and a short opinion on each pick. The third and fourth rounds is where unknown prospects where taken but they still provide a huge boost to every team that selects them. This is where the teams fill out with secondary scoring and a physical boost.

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13th Overall – Prince George Firebirds – Gabriel DuJardin, D
Comments: Underrated defender, will be a big steal for the Firebirds
Grade: B

14th Overall – Detroit Falcons – John Anderson, W
Comments: Offensive stud, Detroit loads up on the scoring offense with this selection.
Grade: B

15th Overall – Vancouver Whalers – Mike Hawk, W
Comments: Little known Swedish power forward is a big space maker, will be a good addition to the Whaler offense.
Grade: B-

16th Overall – Vancouver Whalers – Michael Barrett, W
Comments: His twitter handle is SmallbutFurious and that explains his game to a tee. “Big” for the Whalers.
Grade: B

17th Overall – Kelowna Knights – Mitch O’Callahan, D
Comments: Unrelated to the earlier Knights draft pick, O’Callahan will be a good pair with Zherdev on the blue line.
Grade: B

18th Overall – Montreal Impact – James Reimer, G
Comments: Stirred the pot a little with his public comments hours before the draft but got his wish. Impact get a goalie to lean on.
Grade: B-

19th Overall – Montreal Impact – Steven Jalopski, W
Comments: Good find in the fourth round. He’s a tough customer and will help create space for the other forwards. Good value pick.
Grade: B

20th Overall – Montreal Impact - Emlis Vilmenietis, W
Comments: Not much is known about Vilmenietis but he’s a solid forward at this pick. If he shows more potential could become a steal.
Grade: C

21st Overall – Detroit Falcons – Urijah Wolfe, G
Comments: Detroit traded up to grab the German goalie. He’s got a great skillset and could be a huge steal in the fourth.
Grade: B+

22nd Overall – Vancouver Whalers – Shawn Kelly, W
Comments: Prospect Showcase proved to be big for him. Not very active in the weight room but could provide secondary offense.
Grade: B

23rd Overall – Prince George Firebirds –Brian Morley, C
Comments: Very unknown player is slowly showing signs of potential but still needs to be focused in training.
Grade: C+

24th Overall – Prince George Firebirds – Dominic Nolan, C
Comments: Nolan’s has a great skillset but can’t exactly put the tools together. He needs to get it together.
Grade: C-

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Team Draft Review</b>
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In this section we will be giving you an overview of the team’s draft as a whole and grading it. We will display all the team’s picks and giving our thoughts as a team how the draft unfolded. Draft picks were regarded as a premium in this draft and were moved easily. All teams made the most of their selections and should provide for an exciting season in the NWJHL.
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St. Louis Scarecrows

Draft Picks: Potoczny (1st), Ravchitikov (12th), Paulson (25th, & Graf (36th)

Analysis: St. Louis had the lowest amount of draft picks among the rest of the teams but they made the most of them with great selections at the values they had. Whenever you have the first overall pick you’re going to start off well. Potoczny is a sure-fire elite talent, Ravchitikov is an offensive dynamo from the point and getting Paulson back in the fifth round could be one of the biggest steals of the whole draft. Graf is left over talent in the sixth round but he should provide good offense from the bottom lines. Overall St. Louis played the quality over quantity card in the S13 draft and while that worked to get full marks we’d like to see at least one more pick in the draft.

Team Grade: B+

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Detroit Falcons

Draft Picks: Bolt (2nd), Tutankamun (10th), Anderson (14th), Wolfe (21st),
Schmidt-Larsson (26th), & Robinson (35th)

Analysis: The Falcons really showed how they were forming their offense by grabbing three sniper build players. Bolt is going to be the leader of this offense and Tutankamun will score goals too but he’ll create more space than anything else. Anderson was a great value offensively but still plays a raw game. Trading up for Wolfe was probably their best move in the draft as he’ll be a beast in between the pipes. Schmidt-Larsson is a good value pick but his work ethic really holds him back. Jay Robinson is a solid pick at 35th but like Schmidt-Larsson his work ethic and focus isn’t on getting better. Overall I’d like to see a little more variety in the playing style of the draft picks but still great talent and getting Wolfe will be huge.

Team Grade: B

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Montreal Impact

Draft Picks: Schultz (6th), Reimer (18th), Jalopski (19th), Vilmenietis (20th), Robinson (30th), & Meister (31st)

Analysis: The Impact really relied on the middle of the draft to get their meat and potatoes. Schultz is a fast rising three zone talent, Reimer while abrasive sometimes is still a great talent and should be a good backstop for the Impact. Adding Jalopski is a good value pick but usually his talents are used to protect superstar players which Montreal really doesn’t have so interesting to see how he’ll play in the scheme. Vilmenietis is the turning point in draft where the Impact start just going off false potential. While we don’t think he’ll be a bad player, just so little is known about him. Robinson is a good pick but he plays a similar defensive version of Jalopski’s game. Adding Jagr Meister is another pick that shows no work ethic or focus on getting better. Montreal’s draft was a good team building draft but like Detroit, I don’t see any much variety in the playing styles so it will be interesting to see how they develop their offense.

Team Grade: B-

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Kelowna Knights

Draft Picks: Zherdev (5th), C. O’Callahan (7th), Belial (8th), M. O’Callahan (17th), Katsu (29th), & Bouchard (32nd)

Analysis: Kelowna’s draft was quite successful as they grabbed at least four big value players with their first four picks. Zherdev is a premium talent in the draft and is one of the best defenseman in the draft. Carter O’Callahan was an automatic pick is still a great value and he will lead the Knights’ offense physically. Belial is a great pick at eight overall and his chemistry with Carter will pay dividends in the season. Mitch O’Callahan is a solid pick at 17th but then the Knights’ draft falls apart. Katsu and Bouchard are nothing more than depth picks and not exactly solid picks either. The Knights however do have great value in their picks and should be a good season for them going forward.

Team Grade: B+

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Prince George Firebirds

Draft Picks: Winnfield (3rd), Brundahl (4th), Merica (9th), DuJardin (13th), Morley (23rd), Nolan (24th), Vitakis (28th), & Minator (33rd)

Analysis: Wow well unlike the Scarecrows the Firebirds went another direction but in this instance they chose quality and quantity. Already on tap to have two big time send downs from the SHL the Firebirds added elite level defenseman Chuck Winnfield. Adding Enrich Brundahl to that first line is uncanny to think how much talent is in Prince George. Merica is a flashy electric winger that will provide a big time spark to the team and DuJardin is a great grab at 13th overall. Morley is an amazing value pick if he continues his revived activity. Dominic Nolan isn’t going to wow you and he’lll be a depth player for sure. Vitakis is a good value but lots of question marks surround this young defenseman. Roy Minator isn’t a bad pick at 33rd but not a lot if seen from this player so most likely will be a depth pick.

Team Grade: A-

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Vancouver Whalers

Draft Picks: Lokt (11th), Hawk (15th), Barrett (16th), Kelly (22nd), Fourfour (27th), & Nicalex (34th)

Analysis: The Whalers relied on their scouting department to really dig deep to find some hidden talent and on most picks they did exactly that. Originally the Whalers had the third overall pick but after trading down they still grabbed a player they targeted from the beginning while grabbing valuable picks along the way. At 11th overall grabbing the steady Markus Lokt was a great choice. Most likely their number one target from the beginning by grabbing him later get them the next few picks. Mike Hawk at 15th is good value to add the power forward from Sweden. He’ll definitely help in the offense. Michael Barrett is a great player to add that highlight-reel spark to the physically strong power forwards they grabbed earlier. Shawn Kelly at 22nd is actually one of the best picks in the draft. Kelly really showed off his skills in the prospect showcase and dropped a bit in the draft but should be a good scorer in Vancouver. Jordin Fourfour was left sweating till the fifth round but probably should thank his lucky stars that he did because now he’ll be a part of a team that will rely on him to steal some games. Nicalex isn’t much more than a depth scoring talent but he should provide some help in the bottom six.

Team Grade: B


Diamond In The Rough
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In this section we will talk a little more about what we think is the diamond in the rough of this draft. In the self-proclaimed “Super Draft” there are a lot of players that would be considered a diamond in the rough but one specific player really shows that he could be the most qualified for the title. Urijah Wolfe was a late addition to the prospects pool; even so that he didn’t get a chance to practice in front of any GMs before the draft started. However the scouting reports on Wolfe all point to a goalie that can steal games for his team. In the mold of another German goalie, Josef Heiss, Wolfe is a big time back stop and was a huge addition to the Detroit Falcons when they traded up to get him.

Expect Wolfe to be one of the top goalies in the league. While he isn‘t a SHL send down like Aittikallio or Prikulis , Wolfe has a driven personality and should be a star in the NWJHL and even the SHL. Look for Wolfe to follow in Heiss’ footsteps and be an elite goalie going forward in the S13 season.

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Wrapping Up
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The S13 NWJHL draft was extremely hyped but for a very good reason. The draft was chocked full of big time talent and great role players for all the teams to fill out their rosters. Some teams had the advantage of grabbing more depth players than others but some made the most of their picks so, on the whole, all of the NWJHL teams had a successful draft, they all picked up great players and players that will just be solid for them. This season will be one of the best seasons in NWJHL recent history and look for many of these players to make a break for the first overall pick come the S14 SHL draft.

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#40 Niclas Wastlund - W - VANCOUVER WHALERS Whalers / MINNESOTA MONARCHS Monarchs
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#2

A only for the leader in TPE right now, but A+ for the picks around him. I don't get that.
Reply
#3

dat Paulson Wink

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#4

I might be TPE leader... I have 202 TPE already.

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Reply
#5

Quote:Originally posted by 701@Apr 16 2013, 01:22 PM
A only for the leader in TPE right now, but A+ for the picks around him. I don't get that.
Whos the TPE leader?

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#40 Niclas Wastlund - W - VANCOUVER WHALERS Whalers / MINNESOTA MONARCHS Monarchs
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Reply
#6

Quote:Originally posted by Taron47@Apr 16 2013, 01:26 PM
I might be TPE leader... I have 202 TPE already.
Ill have 206 after training camp is posted.

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#40 Niclas Wastlund - W - VANCOUVER WHALERS Whalers / MINNESOTA MONARCHS Monarchs
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Reply
#7

Quote:Originally posted by Wastlund@Apr 16 2013, 04:26 PM

Ill have 206 after training camp is posted.
High five for a big year of fighting each other for the lead?

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Reply
#8

Quote:Originally posted by Taron47@Apr 16 2013, 01:27 PM

High five for a big year of fighting each other for the lead?
lol pretty much, this season is gonna full of big TPE whores haha

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#40 Niclas Wastlund - W - VANCOUVER WHALERS Whalers / MINNESOTA MONARCHS Monarchs
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Reply
#9

Quote:Originally posted by Wastlund@Apr 16 2013, 03:26 PM

Whos the TPE leader?

I was talking at draft time, and that would be the Lightning Bolt.
Reply
#10

yeah, and is TTC part of training?

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Reply
#11

Quote:Originally posted by Taron47@Apr 16 2013, 01:30 PM
yeah, and is TTC part of training?
I was wondering this too!

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#40 Niclas Wastlund - W - VANCOUVER WHALERS Whalers / MINNESOTA MONARCHS Monarchs
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Reply
#12

Oh and Wasty, I love you for giving me the highest grade in the later rounds :D
Reply
#13

Quote:Originally posted by Wastlund@Apr 16 2013, 04:31 PM

I was wondering this too!
If so, I used up 28/35 of the cap.

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Reply
#14

Good read. But I'ma be better than all of you so I need my own letter. I want to be a "S" for Surefire Sex Stud Sumbitch

Thank you to My boys @Merica and @Ragnar for the lovely sigs!
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#15

Yeah, TTC counts towards the cap Tongue
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