Scouting Reports:

Taking a Look at the S48 SMJHL Prospects

Author: Gobbles

A proud member of TurkeyTime Media

Word Count: 7000+

Edit: Double Media? 

Another season done, and another draft to look forward to! This is another installment of the type of scouting reports I attempted for the Season 46 SMJHL Entry Draft, however I hope to be more successful in this one in terms of coverage - I only summarized only a little more than half of the 150 or so eligible prospects for that behemoth of a draft class, of which around 120 were selected. With much more manageable numbers, I had a look at the prospects available for selection in the upcoming SMJHL draft, and what talents might be available to SMJHL teams.  Afterwards, I have a section outlining the positional breakdown of the draft class, as well as a nationality breakdown, to help forward-thinking GM’s and IIHF planners to look ahead and see what positions and player types might be readily available to them, and which areas are leaner in talent.


This article covers the current prospects eligible for the S48 SMJHL draft, and right now the list is at 52 players I believe (a hell of a lot less than the last time I did this!), so if I missed some skaters/your player, I apologize in advance! 

Colour Key:

Center- Green

Wingers - Pink
Defense - Blue
Goaltender - Red

In no particular order...

D - Jay Steele: The British blue-liner has a knack for getting the puck towards the back of his opponent’s net, whether it’s by sniping it in himself or by delivering an excellent pass to the open man from the point. He’s more of a traditional puck-carrying puck-dishing offensive defenseman that thrives in the enemy zone, but sometimes struggles when penned in his own end. Some training and coaching should help his defensive side of the game. One of the faster skaters coming into the draft, Steele has some serious wheels and can stay out for good periods of time for his shifts. A relatively complete defenseman skill-wise, Steele’s only real knock is his reluctance to use his 6 ft.2 frame out there on the ice, and on the rare occasions he is caught up to, the Brit usually gets out-muscled for the puck.
Position: Defense
Nation: United Kingdom 
Archetype: Offensive Defenseman



D - Jason Bergenty: A stout defenseman, Bergenty is excellent in his own end of the ice, and has caught scouts attention for his 6 ft.5, 260 lb frame. He moves pretty well for such a large skater, and is well-rounded in most aspects of his game, with his defensive strength coming from his long reach. The American can pitch in on offensive rushes too, but it looks like his positioning is where he excels on the ice, making sure Bergenty is in the right place at the right time to help out his team.
Position: Defense
Nation: United States 
Archetype: Two-way Defenseman



RW - Freddie Sweeney: The toast of his minor league team, look for Sweeney to emerge as a pure dangler in his SMJHL rookie campaign. The American with ties to Zach Holt has speed, a slick shot, and keeps the puck on a string as he weaves through the offensive zone. The workhorse spends a lot of time out on the ice and likes it that way, demonstrating his boundless skill and stickwork. Sweeney has scouts drooling with his offensive capabilities, but they are tempered by his currently one-dimensional style of game. Go fast, try to deke through 3 opponents, slide one through the goalie’s five-hole if you get that far, rinse, repeat. Sweeney doesn’t pass well, or often, and his defensive awareness is definitely lacking. He is 6 ft. 2, but a bit lankier, and is pushed off of the puck easily, all around not being a very physical player. If Sweeney can hit the gym a bit, and learn a stricter system that encourages him to play defense and pass, he could become an elite talent for the SMJHL in a short amount of time. The skill and offensive display is already at that level, now the rest of Sweeney’s game needs to catch up.
Position: RW
Nation: United States 
Archetype: Offensive Forward



LW - Marc Palicka Jr. : The prodigal son enters the SMJHL right after his father retires from it, the cycle of life and death continues. Palicka Jr, born in the Czech Republic, is a well-rounded two-way skater. He excels in defensive positioning, and has no true weakness to his game, except for maybe a reluctance to throw a hit. Palicka is one of those players that you know will succeed at the SMJHL level, and right now he looks like a jack of all trades sort of skater, exceeding his peers at few skills but having more dimensions to his game than most other prospects. His father never quite made it to the SHL, we’ll have to see how Palicka Jr. stacks up in the family legacy.
Position: LW
Nation: Czech Republic 
Archetype: Two-way forward



LW - Melty Holyblood: An intimidating specimen hailing from newly minted IIHF nation Japan, Holyblood ensures that the Japanese teams will not be stereotypically small, fast, and easy to push around. Yes, he is small, and yes, he is quite fast (listed at 5’7 and 183 pounds), but Holyblood is by no means easy to push around. The pugilist is a natural scrapper, but is by no means a pure gorilla on skates. Holyblood has a well-rounded skill set an the ice, and actually excels as a wrecking ball style of player, wearing down opposing players at good speed. He also has a proclivity for garbage goals in front of the net, as well as tip-ins and screening as a netfront presence. Scouts look at his passing game as an area of improvement, and his hockey IQ needs to be nurtured, as Holyblood sometimes looks lost in the defensive zone and doesn’t anticipate the play as much as he could. A good coach will fix these problems, if Holyblood continues to put in the work to improve.  
Position: LW
Nation: Japan 
Archetype: Enforcer


RW - Atlas Rush: The name just rolls off of the tongue, just as Rush rolls through opposing players. A natural-born power forward from Canada,  he plays a similar style to Holyblood, being an absolute wrecking ball of a player. Less likely to throw down the gloves, but excels at the grinding role that gets results. A workhorse of a player, Rush won’t be expected to put up large numbers right away, but has room to grow in both his offensive and defensive game. Look to see him utilized in his rookie season in a checking role, wearing down other team’s lines while barely breaking a sweat while he practices his offensive game behind the scenes.
Position: RW
Nation: Canada 
Archetype: Power Forward


G - Michal Burzawa: The Polish-born goalie stands lanky and at a towering 6’7, while only weighing around 200 pounds. While the size comes naturally, Burzawa wowed scouts with the work he put into his reaction time and supernatural agility. A well-rounded goaltender overall, he utilizes his natural size and positioning to cut off angles for shooters, and if he gets into a pinch his excellent flexibility and hand speed bail him out. While naturally talented, Burzawa is a very raw goalie who still needs a lot of room to grow. If he can train and improve, look for him to be an excellent goalie. If he tries to ride out where he currently is in his progression, he may not crack the SMJHL. Only time will tell.
Position: Goalie
Nation: Poland 
Archetype: Hybrid Goalie


D - Victor Toeman: The Finnish defender’s agent is the same one that produced Maximus Sarone, and while the gap between the two players is long, the agent differs from many on this list as they have a proven body of work, and scouts are eager to see if Toeman can exceed the heights Sarone set seasons upon seasons ago. Sarone was an SHL regular for a couple of seasons (reaching 600-ish TPE), even winning a Challenge Cup. Toeman differs from the center vastly, but is still a force on the ice. A bull with the puck and a tower on defence, the Finn only needs to use his stout frame to punish opponents and acclimatize to the long SMJHL seasons schedule. He doesn’t shoot much, but otherwise Toeman will be able to give a lot of positive things on the back end to whoever drafts him.
Position: Defense
Nation: Finland 
Archetype: Two-way Defender


LW - Calogero Crudelli: The Latvian with an Italian name takes off in style, dazzling scouts with his smart two-way play. He really excels in the offensive zone, however, with an excellent shot and good offensive instincts. Crudelli has decent footspeed to get into position, and actively looks for the open spaces. While not the most physical player, Crudelli can be put in a position to succeed as long as he can find his openings. He’s pushed off of the puck easier than most and doesn’t throw much of the body, so if paired with a physical linemate to get into the dirty areas, he can provide the dynamic offensive abilities to round it out.
Position: LW
Nation: Latvia 
Archetype: Offensive Forward



D - Deece Graziatu: Another product of the apparent mass migration of Italian families to Latvia, Graziatu is a physical specimen that attracts scouts who look for the style of players with a mean streak to them. Decently well-rounded in most abilities on the ice, save the offensive ones, Graziatu is a very strong checker, and skilled at dropping the gloves with any skater who seeks to challenge him on his punishing hits. His skill in his own zone needs some more work, and he won’t likely rack up a lot of points, but the Latvian blueliner can eat minutes and dish out pain to the opposing team.
Position: D
Nation: Latvia 
Archetype: Defensive Defenseman


D - Padraig Sarantez: A steady two-way defender, Sarantez is skilled in his end of the rink, and good at getting the puck out of it. Scouts marvel at his work ethic and his high minute counts in bantam Irish leagues, spending over half of each game on the ice for his team. You can look for Sarantez to step into big minutes right away and not be shy about it, and be a responsible defender in his own end. The only knocks scouts have against him is that his cerebral game currently has to cover for his slower speed on skates, and while he has a hard shot, it’s not very accurate. Look for the Irish skater to be doing wind sprints at training camp, but otherwise be able to contribute right away to whichever team draft him.
Position: Defense
Nation: Ireland 
Archetype: Two-way Defenseman


RW - Ravyn Tedisko: The defensively-responsible winger hails from the Czech republic, a smart two-way player with a great shot and slick passing. A bit on the smaller side at 5’11, Tedisko isn’t the most physical skater. She throws the body a bit, but doesn’t have a lot of force behind her, preferring finesse to her game. She’s also got to put in some work on her first few strides, as getting up to speed is difficult for her. Tedisko has the potential to put up some good points in the SMJHL right out of the gate, and she could turn into one of the more proficient two-way players from the draft. 
Position: RW
Nation: Czech Republic 
Archetype: Two-Way Forward


LW - Onwudiwe Adebowale: This draft only proves that there has been a high immigration rate to Latvia in recent years from all over the world, and their kids are being introduced to, and playing, the wonderful sport of hockey. The Latvian with the West/Central African name is a pure scorer, with an excellent shot, but not a lot else. He has decent speed, and protects himself and the puck well, but is otherwise not very physical, not a great passer, and needs to work on the defensive part of his game. All things which can be improved, but one thing you don’t ever need to worry about is his laser of a shot.
Position: LW
Nation: Latvia  
Archetype: Sniper Forward


RW - Emeka Valentine-Okoli: The UK national is an excellent shot, and is otherwise a decently well-rounded, if raw, prospect. Not physical by nature, the forward is a bit on the shorter side, but their strengths lie elsewhere on the ice. Good speed, and a decent foundation to work with in all skills, Valentine-Okoli has the potential to grow into an excellent all-around player that specializes in their howitzer of a shot.
Position: RW
Nation: United Kingdom 
Archetype: Sniper Forward


LW - SHL Usedtobefun: Look out for the edgework on this skater, as the strange-named Canadian works his way onto the draft boards. A natural playmaker with good vision and hands that can keep up with his mind, Usedtobefun also had a decent shot, and if not the speediest skater, has some quick agile edgework with his skates and a quick agility to him. Opposing checkers don’t really have to fear being cut on his edge though, as Usedtobefun is not a very physical player and is prone to being pushed off of the puck. He’ll need to spend the off-season studying the blade, er, I mean, building up his strength if he wants to avoid being pushed around. Usedtobefun is also fairly defensively responsible in his own end for an offensively-skilled forward, something most GM’s appreciate when investigating young prospects.
Position: LW
Nation: Canada 
Archetype: Playmaker Forward


RW - Tah Pucheese: The hard-shooting skater has excellent scoring and skating abilities, with good agility, speed and control. The uniquely-named German sniper excels in those two categories, but needs improvement in some others. Their defensive work is okay, and their stickwork and stamina are also good for a young SMJHL prospect, but Pucheese also needs work on his passing and ability to stay on the puck, as they aren’t the most physical player. Some strength training would do a lot of good for Pucheese, but for now he could easily help out on a team looking for a rookie who could step into their PP2 unit right off the bat.
Position: RW
Nation: Germany 
Archetype: Sniper Forward


G - Kasperi Braulin: A goalie that is both exceptionally reactionary and well-positioned in structure for a rookie, Braulin also comes in at a commendable size, standing a stout and sinewy 6 ft’3 and 200 pounds. Braulin has a decent flexibility and agility that can bail him out sometimes in tough spots, as well as an excellent glove hand. Don’t expect the German keeper to play out the puck much, and look for Braulin to work on lateral movement and skating in training camp, but whoever takes them will be getting a quality prospect with a great framework as well as room to grow.
Position: Goalie
Nation: Germany 
Archetype: Butterfly Goalie


C - Hide Nagachika: One of the few centers in this draft, Nagachika may be listed as a natural center, but the Japanese forward really is no better at faceoffs than the wingers in this draft. Listed position doesn’t mean a whole lot for your first years in juniors, so Nagachika could likely play the wing in their first few seasons as they work on the skills on the dot. An excellent 200-foot player and great playmaker, scouts have been impressed with Nagachika’s defensive reliability, vision, and crisp passes Decent speed and stickhandling, but is hesitant with utilizing their solid 6’2, 225 pound frame. Not very strong against heavy checkers and won’t be laying out lots of hits. Needs to work on their shot and physical play in training camp, but is a high IQ player and an energetic player that can handle big minutes out of the gate, possessing good stamina for the SMJHL.
Position: Center
Nation: Japan 
Archetype: Playmaker Forward


D - Piotr Horvat: A relative of the recently-retired Vasily Horvat, the big Russian takes after Vasily’s wrecking ball playstyle, only this time from the blue line. The stay at home defender is a punishing player who is already solid defensively. A workhorse that has good speed for someone his size, Piotr also protects the puck and can move it up ice with a good first pass. Piotr is a true defensive defenseman, so his shot is rarely used or utilized and he won’t score a lot of points from the back end. But if an SMJHL team takes the Russian defenseman, they can expect a solid player with some pedigree that will anchor their own end of the ice.
Position: Defense
Nation: Russia 
Archetype: Defensive Defenseman


D - David Hines: The two-way defenseman wowed at the SMJHL combine during sprints and drills, and in particular his tireless work ethic and ability to exert himself without breaking much of a sweat. Hines could step right out of the draft and be able to take on top minutes without decreasing his on-ice product. Now Hines only needs to work on improving his already consistent on-ice performances in order to keep up at the SMJHL, and eventual SHL levels. Hines, skates decently, and excels as a puck-moving defenseman who is responsible and consistent at both ends of the ice. He’s faster, but a little weak in shoulder strength and is pushed off of the puck very easily if caught. He won’t check much, and has little power behind his shot, albeit an accurate one. As Hines continues to develop, he can slowly begin to reap the benefits of his tireless body and work ethic.
Position: Defense
Nation: Canada 
Archetype: Two-Way Defenseman


RW - Conrad Farell: A swift two-way forward that picks up for his linemates’ defensive woes, Farell isn’t the most physical specimen, but makes up for it in quick stickwork and a high hockey IQ. He sets up teammates well and scored the occasional goal, but the American’s true strengths lie in taking away passing lanes and keeping the puck away from opposing teams. Will benefit well from an SMJHL training facility to work on his strength and conditioning, but otherwise the foundations for a great player are up for grabs in Farell this draft.
Position: Right Wing
Nation: United States 
Archetype: Two-Way Forward


D - Satoshi Zigzagooney: While the moniker sounds like a Pokemon, it gives away the Nintendo-named defender’s country of origin, the same as Niantic’s fuzzy friend - Japan. Satoshi Zigzagooney is a gun-slinging defenseman who specializes is waltzing past defenders on the set-up, and cutting inside to snipe a quick and deceptively powerful wrister on net. While a driver of offensive plays, Zigzagooney is also defensively reliable on his own end of the ice, already being quite proficient in his own end. The offensive skills are clearly there, if a little raw, and Zigzagooney will benefit from a good coach, who hopefully helps hi less-than adequate passing skills. Like many of the speedier players we see as popular in the SHL, the Japanese blueliner doesn’t throw much of a check, and needs to work on being solid with the puck in face of an opponent with a physical presence. 
Position: Defense
Nation: Japan 
Archetype: Offensive Defenseman


G - Biz Nasty: Germany will have to be happy with another keeper from their borders up for eligibility this draft. An incredibly lithe goaltender with outstanding technical proficiency, Nasty has excellent potential to step into an SMJHL club and steal some games right after the draft. He doesn't quite boast the consistency and endurance of a starting goaltender, so he’s likely to build that up as he goes next season. Nasty also has some serious SHL pedigree, so look for him to get a few looks from GM’s in the earlier rounds, and perhaps be the first netminder that comes of the board, when one eventually does. 
Position: Goalie
Nation: Germany 
Archetype:Butterfly Goalie


G - Alexander Thorstrom: A Swedish-born goaltender, Thorstrom is technically excellent and boats the quickest glove hand out of draft eligible netminders. Thorstrom swallows up the puck and permits few rebounds, and the 6 ft. 3 goalkeeper might step into a few stolen games next season. He’ll need to bulk up as well as getting used to an SMJHL season workload, but otherwise has the foundations of a successful goalie. 
Position: Goalie
Nation: Sweden 
Archetype:Butterfly Goalie


LW - Jocke Nystrom: One of the most balanced players in the draft, the skater from Sweden doesn’t outshine most other other prospects in this draft in any particular area, but arguably has the most complete game coming into the draft, and has the highest floor of most prospects at Nystrom’s progression. A good passer, Nystrom can also take a decent shot, has a rough physical edge to his game, as well as throwing down the occasional scrap (but is in no way a goon). Nystrom also skates well, and otherwise has no discernible strengths or weaknesses to his complete, rounded playstyle.
Position: Left Wing
Nation: Sweden 
Archetype: Playmaker Forward


D - Gabriel Johnson: When you look almost anywhere on the ice, if Gabriel Johnson is playing, you’ll likely see him in the play and close to the puck no matter where it is. An offensive defenseman with well-rounded abilities and a knack for hunting for the puck, Johnson is a bloodhound. Not afraid of throwing hits in the offensive or defensive zone, Johnson is also comfortable with both shooting and dishing the puck to get it on net, although he has more success with the latter skill. Good in his own end, Johnson is reliable to show up at least somewhere on the stat line every single game, whether it’s a hit, a point, a shot, or what have you, Johnson enjoys being a renaissance defenseman.
Position: Defense
Nation: Canada 
Archetype: Offensive Defenseman


D - Zarley Zalapski: The slick skating defenseman is styled as an offensive threat, but he clearly excels better in his own end right now. Smooth, agile skating and excellent play in his own end gets Zalapski a lot of opportunity to get the puck to a teammate, which racks him up assists. The Russian needs to get used to North American ice, and while effective on the puck, a rigorous 50-game SMJHL season seems like it would be incredibly taxing on the young defenseman. He’ll need to build up both his strength and stamina if he wants to progress up the pairing charts in the SMJHL.
Position: Defense
Nation: Russia 
Archetype: Offensive Defenseman


C - Jayden Bender: One of the few pivots in the draft, Bender is a small but stout player, who is hard to shake of the puck in spite of his size. Excellent stickwork and possession is complimented by a bullish strength, making Bender hard to take off the puck when he has it. Bender also has a cannon of a shot, and his minor league arena has has to repair the holes he has made in the visitor’s nets more than once. He’s also very good when it comes to shoot-outs or penalty shots. For being touted as a two-way forward, Bender is lacking some hockey IQ to go with his skills, and he’s been found to make a few serious gaffes in his own end. His breakout passes are usually intercepted, and giveaways can be something of a problem. An SMJHL team that drafts Bender is going to want to instruct the coaches to pull out a lot of video tapes in preparation.
Position: Center
Nation: Canada 
Archetype: Two-way forward


LW - Paul Cantave: Cantave’s first big knock is that he’s not very good in his own end. He’s definitely someone who excels more with the puck than without it. He is quite the force, however, to be reckoned with when he does have it. Strong and skilled, Cantave is hard to take the puck away from. He can handle longer shifts and performs well in both passing and shooting drills at the combine. Indeed, SMJHL scouts were pleased to see that a good sniper also had positive passing skills. Cantave is also one of the best prospects in the case of penalty shots and shootouts, being able to pull a decent dangle or two when it’s one on one.
Position: LW
Nation: United States 
Archetype: Sniper Forward


C - Kathwyrm Hepbjorn: The Scandinavian descendant of the famous old-time actress, Hepbjorn traded in the theatrical stage for the stage on ice: the SMJHL. Declaring their eligibility, the barrel-chested Swede brings a lot of positive things to the rink, including silky passing hands and a decent shot, too. Hepbjorn doesn’t throw his stocky muscled body around much, but otherwise he is a very well-rounded player, with few glaring weaknesses. The Swedish skater will want to work on defensive skills in training camp, and could do with some bulking up as well, converting more of that 250 lbs into muscle.
Position: Center
Nation: Sweden 
Archetype: Playmaker Forward



C - Vince Barrie: Center is where Barrie thrives, and the defensive-minded pivot has a specific set of tools to allow him to succeed there. Barrie is the best draw-person of the draft, hands down. He comes into the draft having the best face-off skills out of any of the prospects, and looks like he can go toe-to toe with most centers already in the SMJHL. Defensive awareness is pretty good, and with a long pass Barrie can get the puck away from his own end and up the ice. Unfortunately, this is where Barrie's list of strengths comes to an end. He doesn’t check much, he’s easy to push of the puck with weak stickwork and low pushback strength, and he is not ready for a consistent workload of minutes at the SMJHL level yet. Barrie will automatically be an upgrade to most 4th-line centers due to his faceoffs and particular skill set, but if he wants to move farther up the lineup than that, he’ll need to grow in a few choice areas.
Position: Center
Nation: United States 
Archetype: Two-way forward


D - Lyle Odelein III: Defenseman Lyle Odelein, third of his name, king of the Andals and the First Men… Did you all see the Game of Thrones Season 8 opener? Anyways, Third-of-His-Name is a two-way defenseman with an accurate and deceptively strong wrist shot, and who is reliable in their own end. The Canadian also has a bit of a mean streak to him, as he can throw a good check and occasionally drops the gloves. Strong with the puck and strong at getting people off of the puck, Third-of-His-Name’s only knock is when he has the puck. Liable to make a bad giveaway every now and then, the Canadian needs to improve his stickwork and make less panic passes that sometimes lead to interceptions.
Position: Defense
Nation: Canada 
Archetype: Two-way defenseman



LW - Heikki Jaakola: An excellent set-up man, Jaakola can move the puck in ways that confuse and disorient defenders, and is great at making space to find the open man with a well-placed pass. The Finnish forward won’t throw the body much and could use some more upper-body strength on his smaller frame, but has a tireless ethic that can keep him out on the ice. Jaakola currently looks a little lost without the puck sometimes, and will need to work on defensive positioning during the off-season, but whoever drafts the agile Finn will be pleased with the skilled player they have as a foundation.
Position: LW
Nation: Finland 
Archetype: Playmaker Forward



RW - Mael Cauchemar: first Oliver Cloutier, now Cauchemar. The game of hockey is growing in France. While unlikely to be picked 3rd overall like Cloutier was in S46, Cauchemar is an excellent playmaker, and has excellent stickhandling skills to boot. Weak to checks and not very interested in playing defense, Cauchemar is knocked for having the puck stripped off of his too easily. Scouts agree that you have to catch him first, however. One of the fastest skaters in the draft, Cauchemar has a talent for making plays at speed, and his top speed is something to behold. Getting used to North American ice and the work schedule will also be a hurdle for Cauchemar, but while he catches up to that, the rest of the S48 prospects will be trying to catch up to him.
Position: RW
Nation: France 
Archetype: Playmaker Forward



RW - Ryan McCormack: Th Canadian is a bit on the smaller side, and while he likes to throw the body, he can be thrown off rather easily by some players. McCormack is more known for his play at the opponent’s faceoff circles, hammering home one-timers and cutting to the front of the net to deliver a lethal shot. Boasting a good pass and decent shootout skills, McCormack is a well-rounded skater overall. He needs to up his endurance a bit to play bigger minutes, and his defensive awareness could use some sharpening, but otherwise McCormack has a good basis for a few skills, and a great shot to start off with.
Position: RW
Nation: Canada 
Archetype: Sniper Forward



D - Noah Tedla: a swift-skating two-way defenseman, Tedla is great at retrieving the puck from his own end of the ice and moving it up to the forwards. A decent first pass combined well with good puck handling to make him a decently safe puck-mover. Tedla’s shot is something he chooses not to sue often and for good reasons. He sometimes can throw the body and is a little on the weaker side, but is still bulkier than a lot of the skating defenseman in the draft. Growing up on North American ice has helped Tedla’s development, and he is acclimatized to a more rigorous schedule out of the gate, so look for him to be able to step into better minutes after the preseason.
Position: Defense
Nation: United States 
Archetype: Two-way defenseman



D - Jaako Jarvinen: A defensive stalwart, Jarvinen is a skater that relies on smart plays and positioning to keep the puck out of his end. Strong on the puck and able to eat up big minutes, Jarvinen is a rock on the blue-line, and could step into reliable and consistent minutes with his SMJHL club right after the draft. The Finn boasts a decent first pass and good puck protection, but he’s not very fast. Don’t look for Jarvinen to throw too many checks right away, and his skills lie in his own end, definitely not in the offensive zone, as his shot is slow and predictable. Look for Jarvinen to be an excellent shut-down defenseman with a lot of tools right out of the gate.
Position: Defense
Nation: Finland 
Archetype: Defensive Defenseman



D - Simon Leblanc: A physical defensive defenseman, Leblanc is very reliable and clean in his own end, dishing out hard checks and holding down the fort in his own end. Not very fast and not very big, Leblanc won’t wow anybody on the scoresheet, but his puck handling is good and he can step into some decent minuted right away on a good team’s third pairing out of the draft. The Canadian has a good first pass out of the zone, but look for him during the preseason picking up his foot speed and strength a little bit.
Position: Defense
Nation: Canada 
Archetype: Defensive defenseman


RW - Kaleb Jackman: Fast and lethal, Jackman is a swift skater who thrives in the offensive zone, with a decent shot and wheels that can get him in a good position. Not afraid to get rough and tumble either, Jackman needs to pick up his play when he doesn't have the puck, particularly in his own end. Scouts knock his lack of defensive awareness and reluctance to pass. However, Jackman is a strong, fast, and hardy player, who has the tools to develop into something even stronger.
Position: RW
Nation: Canada 
Archetype: Offensive Forward


RW - Dwayn Petatyutin: The defensively-responsible Russian has a great set of tools, boasting good vision and passing as well as a very accurate shot. Decent speed gets him to both ends of the ice, and in both ends he excels. He comes into the draft excellent on both ends, regarding his play. The trick is that he can be countered rather easily right now. He’s not the most physical player, and is thrown off the puck easily by larger players. Petatyutin also needs sheltered minutes to start, and while the skill is there, the Russian will need to hit the gym before they can succeed on the ice.
Position: RW
Nation: Russia 
Archetype: Two-way Forward


LW - Nick Connolly: Connolly has scouts wowed with his playmaking abilities, being fast, agile, and good with the puck on his stick while looking for the open teammate. While great at all of these things, scouts want to see his game round out a bit more, specifically in his own end. Connolly’s defensive play is not good, and in addition his shot is under-utilized and rather weak. Connolly is definitely a feast or famine style of player right now, but can grow into a true threat on the ice that can be trusted in multiple situations.
Position: LW
Nation: United States 
Archetype: Playmaker Forward


C - Mika Kandinsky: The Russian pivot is one of the more well-rounded players in the draft, performing well in offensive and defensive skills, as well as demonstrating good physical fitness and stamina. Kandinsky doesn’t throw many body checks, but otherwise  finds success in most other areas of the ice. Something Kandinsky will look to work on is their faceoff skills. There isn’t much competition for centers this draft, and a lot of the time Centers play wing the first season anyways, but eventually the Russian two-way forward will have to improve in that area if they want to succeed on the dot.
Position: Center
Nation: Russia 
Archetype: Two-way forward


RW - Bobby Bobcalf: A workhorse of a skater, Bobcalf is an opportunist, waiting for the right pass at the right time to release a bomb of a shot. One of the best true snipers in the draft, the Irish winger is both strong and accurate and has a knack for finding the right time and place to let a blast loose. Bobcalf will look to build up his strength, and look to learn plays when he is without the puck. His defensive play is terrible, and when not shooting the puck, his passes never seem to quite be on target, and are often picked off. This is another case of a prospect looking to be drafted for their amazing skill in a particular area, then over their first season they learn to round out their game and grow into a very capable threat.
Position: RW
Nation: Ireland 
Archetype: Sniper Forward


D - Mikelis Ozolins: Joining S47 just a little late, Ozolins signed a junior contract with the Montreal Militia for the remainder of the season and playoffs, and is now re-entering the draft pool. Solid in his own end, Ozolins is dynamite in the offensive zone, with good vision, playmaking, and a laser of a snap shot. The Latvian could use a little more body strength to shake off more physical checkers, but otherwise has a swiftness and stability to his game that allows him to accommodate big minutes for an SMJHL team. Having a leg up on other prospects and a proven body of work always helps, so look for Ozolins to be one of the earlier non-recreate players drafted, by a team that needs a scoring defender that can step up right away.
Position: Defense
Nation: Latvia 
Archetype: Offensive Defenseman



D - Kaspars Claude: Another Latvian defender who declared eligibility before most, Claude is a stalwart in his own end, as well as an excellent passer and solid scorer. Claude demonstrates good vision and playmaking ability, as well as being a decent skater and good with maneuvering the puck at some speed. The stocky 6 ft. 3 inch defender doesn’t use his 225 lb frame to attempt a lot of body checks, but has a strong frame for withstanding attempts made against him. Kaspars Claude has a great agent, who has been extremely busy over the last few weeks, so look for Claude’s name to pop up an a fair few draft boards in the earlier rounds.
Position: Defense
Nation: Latvia  
Archetype: Two-way Defenseman



LW - Travis Bitties: Another member of the Bitties family, Travis might be considered the serious one in the family, given that his name isn’t an obvious boobs pun like his predecessors. The Austrian boasts a powerful shot, as well as some decent playmaking skills. While a bit on the slower side, and with less endurance and strength than ideal, Bitties is always in a good position, never being a slouch in his own end and looking to make the right play over the flashy one. 
Position: LW
Nation: Austria 
Archetype: Sniper Forward


RW - Joe Kerr: With good vision and solid stickhandling, Kerr looks for open spaces very well. What scouts really love about him, however, is his ability to connect passes that don’t look like they are there, specializing in the saucer pass. A smooth skater and a boasting a decent shot, Kerr really just needs to improve on his stamina after the draft, and he needs to make the most out of his minutes currently as he needs to weather a full 50-game schedule after the draft. Something that can’t go unsaid about Kerr is his size and strength. Standing 6 ft. 5 and 233 lbs of muscle, Kerr enters the draft as one of the strongest prospects, and with even more room to grow there as well. 
Position: RW
Nation: Latvia 
Archetype: Playmaker Forward


C - Gordon Bombay: a well-rounded and reliable forward, the pivot from the USA took a tour North, signing up with Anchorage at the end of S47. Now officially entering the draft after the expiration of his junior contract, Bombay comes in as one of the stronger face-off takers in the draft, and being one of the most in-demand positions this draft can be a boon. Equally skilled at passing and scoring, as well as keeping the puck out of his own end, Bombay will be looking to the preseason to bulk up a bit on strength, but otherwise is improving at a methodical, consistent rate in most aspects of his game.
Position: Center
Nation: United States 
Archetype: Playmaker Forward


D - Oliver Cleary: The good ol’ Ontariyah boy would be a Don Cherry favourite. While described as an offensive defenseman, Cleary’s playstyle certainly doesn’t show it. Throwing checks left and right, taking long shifts in the defensive zone and holding his own, Cleary currently plays more like a defensive defenseman. Cleary has a good first pass, and a mediocre shot, but both are at least accurate, if not strong. A little strength training and working to get some power there will help Cleary develop a much more terrifying offensive portfolio.
Position: Defense
Nation: Canada 
Archetype: Offensive Defenseman


LW - Teddy Nuggets: A balanced skater, Nuggets is on the smaller side at 5 ft. 8, and therefore has some problems with strength and getting pushed off of the puck. Otherwise, the American is a great blend of speed and skill, and can likely slot into many roles up and down the lineup (as long as it’s on the wing).
Position: LW
Nation: United States 
Archetype: Two-way forward


C - Bryan Lee: Lee comes to the draft well-balanced, and despite not being an overly physical player he has decent skills across the ice. A good pass compliments an okay shot, and Lee is defensively responsible in his own end. Training camp and the preseason will allow coaches to mold Lee in a positive direction, and starting from a well-rounded foundation is always an asset. Lee is also a center, and is pretty good at faceoffs, which gives him an edge over similar prospects on the wing in a draft with fewer centers.
Position:Center
Nation: Austria 
Archetype: Two-way forward


D - Izem Abioye: The rare player from Africa seems to surprise in the SHL, and Abioye could be the next, as a defenseman hailing from Nigeria. One of the cleanest players in the draft, Abioye has the most disciplined defensive games compared to his peers. Well-rounded in many aspects, including his penalty-shot skills for some reason, Abioye is balanced enough in most areas that he could grow in any direction after the draft and training camp. The West African protects the puck well, and has a very good fist pass.
Position:Defense
Nation: Nigeria 
Archetype: Two-way defenseman



Demographic and Statistical Breakdown:


By Nation:
Canada: 10 
United States: 9 
Latvia: 6 
Russia: 4 
Sweden: 3 
Finland: 3 
Germany: 3 
Japan: 3 
Czech Republic: 2 
Austria: 2 
United Kingdom: 2 
Ireland: 2 
Poland: 1 
France: 1 
Nigeria: 1  
Switzerland: 0 
Norway: 0 


Actually a pretty decent blend of nations, however expected leaders Canada and the U.S. are still clearly 1-2 in popularity. Latvia is a pleasant surprise at spot number 3 with 6 prospects up for drafting. Switzerland at zero is a bit of a surprise, as recreates declared interest in making someone Swiss, and Switzerland is one of only two IIHF nations that didn’t have a single prospect born there. Places like France, Poland, and Nigeria had more players declare eligibility for the SMJHL draft so far. Norway is also at zero, and the federation already didn’t have a large draw, which is concerning. Only three players were from places outside of eligibility, so this isn’t a class full of unassigned transfers to poach either. We’ll have to see is more Swiss or Norwegian players create just before the draft.


Position:
Center- 7
Left Wing - 11
Right Wing - 12
Defense - 18
Goaltender - 4


Archetype:
Offensive Forward: 3
Two-Way Forward: 9
Sniper Forward: 7
Playmaker Forward: 9
Power Forward: 1
Enforcer Forward: 1

Two-way Defenseman: 8
Offensive Defenseman: 6
Defensive Defenseman: 4
Enforcer Defenseman: 0

Hybrid Goalie: 1
Butterfly Goalie: 3
Stand-up Goalie: 0


Not many surprises here: Following common trends, centers are rare, enforcer archetypes are rarer, and the class of defenseman is very healthy. Goaltenders were bountiful in the last few drafts, so only having four here reflects that, as new blood isn’t as readily needed in net by most teams. All in all, a solid draft class with a good crop of new players, a mix of recreates and some players with S47 experience, and no serious lack of any in-demand positions, although centers are quite thin and goaltenders are few, if you need one. Thank you for reading!

Love it! So many good prospects this year

Calogero Crudelli || LW || Winnipeg Jets || Team Latvia || Italian Stallion
Name: Calogero Crudelli
Age: 19
Birthplace: Agrigento, Sicily
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 235 lbs
Number: 8
------------------------------------------------------------
Career Statistics:
SHL Regular Season:
TBD
SHL Playoffs:
TBD
SMJHL Regular Season:
S48 | 50 GP | 15 G | 11 A | 26 P | -6 | 7 PPP | 14 PIM | 43 HIT | 7 SB
S47 | 50 GP | 7 G | 7 A | 14 P | -27 | 3 PPP | 14 PIM | 48 HIT | 8 SB
TOT | 100 GP | 22 G | 18 A | 40 P | -33 | 10 PPP | 28 PIM | 91 HIT | 15 SB
SMJHL Playoffs:
S48 | 6 GP | 1 G | 3 A | 4 P | +2 | 0 PPP | 0 PIM | 2 HIT | 0 SB
S47 | 4 GP | 3 G | 1 A | 4 P | +1 | 0 PPP | 2 PIM | 4 HIT | 0 SB
TOT | 10 GP | 4 G | 4 A | 8 P | +3 | 0 PPP | 2 PIM | 6 HIT | 0 SB
SMJHL Prospect Showcase:
S47 | 23 GP | 17 G | 11 A | 28 P | -6 | 7 PPP | 2 PIM | 31 HIT | 14 SB
------------------------------------------------------------
International Career:
IIHF Round Robin:
TBD
IIHF Medal Round:
TBD
WJC Round Robin:
S48 | 14 GP | 3 G | 5 A | 8 P | +2 | 1 PPP | 0 PIM | 18 HIT | 2 SB
S47 | 27 GP | 4 G | 6 A | 10 P | -10 | 4 PPP | 6 PIM | 21 HIT | 5 SB
S46 | 27 GP | 1 G | 3 A | 4 P | -6 | 0 PPP | 2 PIM | 8 HIT | 1 SB
TOT | 68 GP | 8 G | 14 A | 22 P | -14 | 5 PPP | 8 PIM | 47 HIT | 8 SB
WJC Medal Round:
S48 | 1 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 P | -1 | 0 PPP | 0 PIM | 0 HIT | 0 SB
S47 | 1 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 P | -1 | 0 PPP | 0 PIM | 1 HIT | 1 SB
S46 | 1 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 P | -1 | 0 PPP | 0 PIM | 0 HIT | 0 SB
TOT | 3 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 P | -3 | 0 PPP | 0 PIM | 1 HIT | 1 SB
------------------------------------------------------------
Career Signing and Draft:
Signed a 2 yrs/$5,000,000 contract with the Winnipeg Jets
Selected 5th OVR (1st Round) by the Winnipeg Jets in the S48 SHL Entry Draft
Signed a 1 yr/$3,000,000 contract with the Colorado Raptors
Selected 11th OVR (2nd Round) by the Colorado Raptors in the S47 SMJHL Entry Draft
------------------------------------------------------------
Awards and Achievements:
S47 Colorado Raptors ROTY Award

Apperently my agents been busy? Good to know I have an agent

Thanks to @enigmatic , @Ragnar and @sulovilen for the sexy Signature

I wish you had written something like this for our draft class :D but nevertheless, very impressive work!

Player info | Updates | Stats


Aaron Wilson - C/LW/RW
------------------------------------------
SHL
Challenge Cup x6 (S51, S53, S56, S58, S61, S63)
Sergei Karpotsov - Most points - x2 (S55, S61)
Anton Razov - Playoff MVP (S58)
Ron Mexico - League MVP (S61)
Sarmad Khan - League MVP (S61)
First all-star team x3 (S55, S60, S61)
Second all-star team x2 (S52, S59)
Third all-star team (S53)

SMJHL
Four Star Cup (S48)
Playoff MVP (S48)
Playoff points leader (S48)

IIHF
IIHF Gold x4 (S54, S56, S57, S58)
IIHF Silver x2 (S61, S62)
IIHF Bronze x4 (S50, S55, S63, S64)
WJC Gold (S48)
WJC Bronze (S46)
------------------------------------------
S46: Drafted 37th overall by Vancouver Whalers
S47: Drafted 17th overall by Hamilton Steelhawks
S46: Signed a 1 year x 3M contract with Vancouver
S47: Signed a 3 year x 500k contract with Hamilton
S50: Signed a 3 year x 3M contract with Hamilton
S53: Signed a 2 year x 3M contract with Hamilton
S55: Signed a 2 year x 3M contract with Hamilton
S57: Signed a 3 year x 4M contract with Hamilton
S60: Signed a 1 year x 4M contract with Hamilton
S61: Signed a 3 year x 4M contract with Hamilton

Go Mika Go!

Mika Kandinsky  





[pbwpg]Mika Kandinsky || #77 || C || Toronto || 2,002 TPE
------------------------------------------------------------
***Rookie Scoring Record Holder [62 Points]***
***S50 Jesster Trophy Winner***
Career Statistics:
SHL Regular Season:
S50 | 50 GP | 26 G | 36 A | 62 P | +14 | 13 PPP | 2 PIM | 180 SHT
SMJHL Regular Season:

S47 | 50 GP |  3 G |  8 A | 11 P |  +3 |  0 PPP     |18 PIM   |   46 SHT
S48 | 50 GP | 19 G | 40 A | 59 P | +29 | 17 PPP | 27 PIM | 150 SHT
S49 | 50 GP | 16 G | 29 A | 45 P | +22 | 12 PPP | 34 PIM | 134 SHT
SMJHL Post Season:
S47 | 13 GP | 3 G | 1 A | 4 P | -5 | 0 PPP | 2 PIM | 21 SHT
S48 | 5 GP | 1 G | 4 A | 5 P | +5 | 1 PPP | 0 PIM | 13 SHT
S49 | 13 GP | 3 G | 6 A | 9 P | -3 | 1 PPP | 0 PIM | 35 SHT
SMJHL Awards:
S49 Brandon Holmes Trophy Winner 

 

Goddamn, this is impressive. Well done.

Ahh yes, fills my heart to see all this young Canadian talent

Team Ireland || Ragnar Lothbrok || San Fransisco Pride
                          Drafted 42nd Overall in SMJHL
                   Drafted 12th Overall in the SHL Draft

  |  | 

Nice to see a pair of young Czechs joining our ranks!

S77 - LiMu Emu - LD - 231 TPE - Carolina



[pbl]
S71 - Bob Wehadababyitsaboy - LD - Retired
Selected First overall in the S70 SMJHL draft



S60 - Stan Din'desque - Center - Retired
First overall pick in S59 SMJHL Draft (Anaheim Outlaws)
First overall pick in S60 SHL Draft (Montreal Patriotes)
Traded to Quebec City from Anaheim after S60
Named Co-GM of the Montreal Patriots S61
Named GM of the Montreal Patriots S62-S63
Traded to the Winnipeg Aurora S64



S44 - Barret McCarthy - Defenseman - Retired
S43 Four Star Cup Champion (Vancouver Whalers)
S44 Quilha Agante Award winner for best SMJHL Defenseman
S46 Ryan Jesster Award winner for Rookie of the Year
S46 Rookie All-Star
S49 Scott Stevens Award nominee
S49 Aidan Richan Award nominee
S49 2nd Team All-Star
S50 Damian Littleton Award winner for Most Dedicated Member
S52 Challenge Cup Champion
S52 3rd Team All-Star
S53 Bojo Biscuit Award Winner
S55 3rd Team All-Star



S36 Cloud McCarthy - Halifax Raiders - Retired

Apperently my agents been busy? Good to know I have an agent

Haha some folks on the site refer to the user as their player's "agent" as an in-character way of us to refer to them. What I correlate with the agent being "busy" is by frequently posting on the site/# of posts made since creation. So really, you've been selling yourself by being an active member on the site! 

Apperently my agents been busy? Good to know I have an agent

Haha some folks on the site refer to the user as their player's "agent" as an in-character way of us to refer to them. What I correlate with the agent being "busy" is by frequently posting on the site/# of posts made since creation. So really, you've been selling yourself by being an active member on the site! 

In that case, i love it

Thanks to @enigmatic , @Ragnar and @sulovilen for the sexy Signature

Very well-written!

Clearly I'm part of a very talented draft class! Let's see how it goes...

Didn't think I'd get spotted. Major props for the overview.

Also shoutout to whoever the Nigerian is. Major love repping Green and White.

Sig Credit: Flappy (EVO) and Skolpaddor (RESO)

EMEKA VALENTINE-OKOLI/PLAYER

First SMJHL Goal: Colorado Raptors, Emeka Valentine-Okoli 1 (Mikelis Ozoliņš 4, Loki Odinsson 3) at 3:12, 2nd Period (GWG) / SMJHL S47 Game 47 Day 12: Colorado Raptors vs Detroit Falcons
First SHL Goal: Texas Renegades, Emeka Valentine-Okoli 1 (Josef Kubinec 5, Ricky Spanish 4) at 16:23, 2nd Period / SHL S51 Game 71 Day 16: Edmonton Blizzard vs Texas Renegades

Eternal , onwards we roll

And Let's Retire at the Pinnacle

Well done on this! Nice to see an article encompassing the class as a whole.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryan Jesster - HoF Goalie (S1-S14)
Proud Calgary Dragon Alumni 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |