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Full Version: SHL Draft S53 Prospects (Double Draft Media)
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Thanks to the great list that was put together that tracks TPE for each season, it is easy to look at who the top TPE earners are from the Season 53 draft class.  I want to take a look at how that TPE translated into production on the ice and how attractive of a draft prospect they are.  This will cover the top 13 (since there is a tie for 10th).  I may do one for 14-20 and beyond if I have time because I need that money.

#1 Ambacas Cuddles - Carolina Kracken Defense - 306 TPE
Ambacas Cuddles certainly does not have a hockey name in the traditional sense.  This is a sport for the hardened player who can take a beating over a long season and keep going.  Cuddles does not sound like he is that person but who knows, maybe it is a trick to make you think they are soft.  Either way, there is no denying that they put the work in to earn the top spot for TPE earned in the draft class at 306.  Definitely not a scoring defenseman, Ambacas only managed to put one in the back of the net.  If you are looking for a strong defender who can shut the opposing team's top players down, Cuddles may be your pick.  A plus 14 over the season in about 18 minutes of game time on average is pretty strong.  Cuddles also knows how to set plays up with 20 assists on the season, second for defense on the Kracken.  Cuddles is probably not going to go first in the draft, but I would imagine a team will want to take him pretty early in the process given the need for strong defense in the league.

#1 Rocco Berni - Kelowna Knights Center - 306 TPE
Rocco Berni shares the number one spot with Cuddles and unlike the former, he definitely has a name for hockey.  A center for Kelowna, he was not a top line player for them this year.  He averaged about 13 minutes a game and contributed 6 goals and 16 assists, good enough for best on his team from a rookie standpoint.  He will be highly sought after even though there is a large number of centers in the league.  He should translate to a solid middle six forward with upside as a play maker in a few years.  Another season or two in the minors will probably be needed to get him to full potential and ready to step up to the next level but if he keeps up his earning, he will be a top player in the league.

#3 Jaska Seppala - Kelowna Knights Left Wing - 291 TPE
It is a pretty big drop off to the next player on the list at a 15 TPE disadvantage.  The left winger from Kelowna, Jaska Seppala is still a solid choice for any team needing help on the wing.  I think the coaches at Kelowna are happy to have two highly touted prospects out of the top three but unlike his counterpart Rocco Berni, the production was lacking from Jaska this season in the minors.  I think they expected more from him as he only produced four goals and four assists to go along with a -7 rating.  He will need to work on defining the type of player he wants to be over the next season or two so he can begin to fill a role at the next level.  Likely projecting to be a first round pick, his pro club will want to see some scoring or playmaking ability from him to get the call up.  This just means that Kelowna is a team to watch out for next season as they will be stacked with young talent.

#4 Frans Eller - Carolina Kracken Goalie - 290 TPE
Our first goalie in the mix comes from the Carolina Kracken.  Like Kelowna, Carolina has some premier prospects playing on their roster right now.  Frans is a feisty young goalie who is not afraid to be aggressive in the crease.  He racked up four penalty minutes in the limited action he saw this season playing backup to Mike Hroch.  In the 12 games he saw action  (8 starts), he had six wins, five losses, and one overtime loss.  His save percentage and goals against average were very similar to their starting goalie at about .880 and 3.  Both are solid numbers in the league.  I would expect a team needing help at goalie will take a hard look at Frans and you may see him go early in the first round.

#5 Erben Kasius - St. Louis Scarecrows Defense - 289 TPE
It's pretty crowded once you get past the top two TPE earners.  Most of the next batch likely are only separated by a few Primetime guesses or a 3v3.  Erben Kasius had a very solid year for the Scarecrows as one of their bright young stars.  Earning considerable playing time this season, he made the most of it.  A 25 point campaign that included 10 goals and 15 assists with a modest plus 4 rating makes him one the most attractive defensive prospects in the draft.  Five on five was decent for Kasius but you really have to look at his ability to generate scoring on the power play to understand his true value.  Scoring an amazing 9 of 10 goals on the power play, he ended the season with 14 points when the Scarecrows were up a man.  He is not a physical defenseman, rather relying on speed and skill so teams will want to pair him with someone who can muscle up on the other teams top lines.  He projects as a top pair defenseman with the ability to quarterback a power play.  High first rounder for sure.

#6 Jack Kanoff - Detroit Falcons Defense - 288 TPE
This draft is extremely heavy in top earning defenseman.  This is the year to stock the shelves to improve the blue line.  An early season trade brought Jack to Detroit from Halifax and it ended up being a smart one for the Falcons.  In his rookie season, Jack rewarded the Falcons with 7 goals and 12 assists in his 46 games with the club.  Add the assist he had in the first four games and he ended the season with a solid 20 points.  A very active player, he will be a great addition to any pro team's roster and locker room.  He saw a little time on the power play managing four points with one of those being a goal.  Detroit has a great young core of players that will all develop together so Jack will be on a competitive team and learn how to win before heading up to the SHL.

#7 Jimmy Wagner - Carolina Kracken Right Wing - 282 TPE
Another Carolina player in the top 10.  They have definitely drafted well by getting a group of very active players on their roster.  Jimmy Wagner played bottom six minutes in his first season but still managed to contribute on offense.  Six goals and eight assists for a total of 14 points is a pretty good season while also maintaining a plus 5 rating.  He saw some very limited action on the power play managing one assist.  Wingers have been hard to come by so I would expect Jimmy to go in the first round this year.  He will need a season or more in the minors to develop but he projects to be a middle six and possibly even top six forward.  Next season I would expect him to play on a top two line and see more power play action which should give him more opportunity to rack up some points.

#8 Magnus Liljestrom - Detroit Falcons Defense - 281 TPE
Magnus probably wins the award for the best name in the top 10.  He also brings a solid all around defensive game to go with some offense as well.  He had four goals to go along with 13 assists and a plus 9 rating.  Magnus will continue to grow with the strong young defensive corp that Detroit rolls out on a nightly basis.  While he didn't see much time on the power play, he was crucial in playing some key minutes on the penalty kill.  He will continue to develop and project to be a top two pair defenseman in a few years in the SHL.  His two way skills should translate well to the fast paced game in the SHL.

#9 Edward Williams - Detroit Falcons Center - 280 TPE
Detroit definitely has some great young prospects on their team much like Carolina.  Edward Williams was one of the real bright spots for them this year.  Offensively, he put up some of the best numbers in the draft class with 14 goals and 18 assists.  Edward is a clear choice for a top 2-3 pick in this draft and will be a massive asset down the road.  He projects to be a top line center who will be critical in both 5 on 5 and on the power play where he managed to notch 10 of his 32 points last season.  Teams would be foolish to overlook him and if he happens to drop down the board, someone is going to get a steal.

#10 Three players tied - 279 TPE 
Ethan Duncan - Kelowna Knights Center
Ethan Duncan was a bit of a disappointment this year.  Despite his TPE, he never produced on the ice this year for the Knights.  Coaches were not sure if there was a nagging injury or possibly he is just slower to adjust to the speed of the game but he will need to really look at how he is preparing to train this offseason and start to shift his build towards some stats that will translate to production.  It was tough playing on the last line and very limited minutes each game to really put up any stats but he did rack up 8 points on the season.  Next year will be a big test for him to see if he can make the jump.  Possibly a lower end first round but more likely a second round pick.  Projecting to be a bottom six forward.

Steve Harrington - Newfoundland Berzerkers Left Wing
Steve had a decent first season in the minors in Season 52.  17 points in just 13 minutes per game is nothing to look down on.  He should leapfrog a few of the people ahead of him and get drafted at the back half of the first round.  He likely projects to a middle six forward with upside if he can continue to grow his skills.  

Jukka Timonen - Newfoundland Berzerkers Defense
Possibly overshadowing his teammate Steve Harrington, Jukka had a great season on the blue line this year.  Putting up 21 points including 10 goals and 11 assists, he was a big time player for the Berzerkers this year.  Even that was not enough for the lead for rookies as they have a few bright stars right now that will get attention in the draft.  Timonen will be a major prospect and will likely get drafted in the middle of the first round.  He projects to a top four man with a chance to see some special teams time as well.  


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1882 Words Double Draft Media Eligible
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03-12-2020, 12:55 PMNhamlet Wrote: [ -> ]muh dark mode
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