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*Festinator* · 09-11-2020, 06:30 AM

S56 Draft Class Year in Review/Draft Preview (2x draft media)
WC: 4863

Being a reddit draft, the s56 draft class was one of the bigger draft classes in recent seasons, and so while we often see a larger amount of inactives, we also see a bigger pool of active talent coming through the ranks. We’ll take a look at all the prospects drafted in the first 3 rounds and how their rookie seasons in the smjhl went and what we can expect from them in the future. We'll also look at any standout performers from the later rounds (anyone over 270 TPE).

First Round

1: Quebec City Citadelles - Zdenko Beranek - @ztevans (268 TPE)

Picked 1st overall by expansion team Quebec City, Zdenko Beranek lived up to the hype in his rookie season on the ice. Beranek finished the season with 6 goals and 15 assists for 21 points. His -22 rating is largely a result of being on an expansion team that was getting outmatched on all fronts for the majority of the season. He had a very disciplined first season, only taking 3 penalties in 50 games, and added 4 assists on the power-play. He also picked up 2 goals and 3 assists in a good playoff showing by the expansion team, making it to the 2nd round before being bundled out by the eventual champions from Newfoundland. Off the ice, he lagged a ways behind the top of the group with only 268, slightly disappointing from the 1st overall pick. In the upcoming draft, look for him to be drafted somewhere in the 2nd round.

2: St. Louis Scarecrows (via VAN) - Xavier Doom - @JKortesi81(300 TPE)

The Scarecrows 2nd overall selection Xavier Doom finished the season with 5 goals and 9 assists, which is not bad given that he was featured primarily on the 4th line receiving just under 11 minutes of ice time. He played that 4th line role really well, racking up 61 hits, which ranked 3rd on his team, and being a physical presence every time he was on the ice. He ranks tied for 9th in TPE among S56 rookies and the center can look to remain one of the top options in the 1st round of the draft.

3: Maine Timber - Lucas Johansson - @JR95(283 TPE)

Left Winger Lucas Johansson had a decent showing manning the wing on the 4th line of Maine’s offensive group. He finished the season with 2 goals and 9 assists, along with a +3 rating. While not making much of a physical imprint on games, Johansson was a responsible forward, only picking up 4 penalty minutes in the season. However in the playoffs, Johansson came alive during his teams run to the 4 star cup finals, picking up a stunning 6 goals playing on the 4th line, and adding another 2 assists. That clutch performance, along with his 283 TPE, shows that Johansson has a promising future ahead of him.

4: Nevada Battleborn - Vili Afalava - @Wasty (243 TPE)

Playing top pairing minutes on an expansion team, as an SMJHL rookie defenceman was always going to be a rough time. Afalava was throw into probably the toughest situation any of the players from this draft coil be thrown into, and while it did show on the ice with a -29 +/- rating, there were definitely bright spots. Afalava threw himself in front of 95 shots, made 101 hits and had 31 takeaways. He certainly could have done a bit more off the ice to help improve his situation as he sits at a somewhat disappointing 243 TPE, but we should not count him out as his growth may be slow, but it is sure to be steady. Going in the 2nd round would not be too much of a reach.

5: Carolina Kraken (via DET) - Aleksander Kozlov - @FlappyGiraffe(310 TPE)

Aleksander Kozlov is one of the frontrunners for the rookie of the season award. In his rookie season in Carolina, he was able to put up 10 goals and 8 assists with the S54 SMJHL champions. In the playoffs, he added another 2 goals and 8 assists in 11 games, nearly a point per game on the 4th line, which is extremely impressive. All of this with no power-play time, and Kozlov looks to be an offensive powerhouse in the future. Along with stunning growth, sitting at 310 TPE, the Carolina center is a surefire early first round pick in the upcoming SHL draft.

6: Detroit Falcons (via ANC) - Evangelos Giannopoulos - @JSS(293 TPE)

Giannopoulous played a leading defensive role in his rookie season on a young Detroit Falcons team. He finished the season with a defensive game rating of 68, 2nd on his team and 1st among defensemen. He played a big role on the penalty kill, averaging over 2 minutes per game. He blocked 53 shots and threw 61 hits, and didn’t shirk on offence either, putting up 12 points from the blueline. As one of the higher earners at 293 TPE, it wouldn’t be a shocked to see him go in the late first or early 2nd rounds.

7: Colorado Raptors - Rock Strongo - @Leafs4ever(307 TPE)

Probably the most dominant offensive performer in this draft class, if Rock Strongo didn’t set a record for points among SMJHL rookies, he must have been close. With a shocking 14 goals and 18 assists, he finished with 32 points as a rookie center. He not only hung with the vets, he was one of the leaders on his team, finishing tied for 5th in points, and all but 1 of those points came at even strength. In the playoffs, he was able to add 3 assists in 6 games for Colorado. Tied for 4th in TPE, he is at the top amongst earners, and is surely one of the top 3 picks in the s56 SHL draft.

8: Vancouver Whalers (via STL) - Dee Centerman IV - @grok(290 TPE)

Dee Centerman was able to rack up 2 goals and 9 assists on a young Vancouver team, while tacking on another 3 assists during their 8 playoffs games. He played responsibly defensively, playing 3rd line minutes for the Whalers, and was on the the higher earners at the draft, sitting at 290 TPE. It will be interesting to see if he continues to grow as a 2 way center or begins to lean more offensively, but he should be a lock for the top 2 rounds.

9: Nevada Battleborn (via NLB) - Phillip Weaver - @W19eaver(289 TPE)

The first goalie drafted in the s55 SMJHL draft, and drafted to an expansion team, Philip Weaver was unsurprisingly one of the busiest goalies in the league this season. What was surprising perhaps is how well he handled the workload. A shocking stat: Philip Weaver did not finish top 10 amongst goalies in minutes played this season, AND YET finished 1st in shots faced amongst goalies. He posted a .902 save %, arguably more than respectable for a rookie goalie on an expansion team, and collected 8 wins for the Nevada battleborn, most of them steals, including his first shutout. I don’t see Weaver not being the 1st goalie off the board during the upcoming SHL draft, and as one of the higher earners at 289 TPE, he is sure to one day be one of the premier goalies in the SHL. He will be drafted sooner rather than later for sure.

10: Anchorage Armada (via DET) - Vladmir Petrov - @Muford (316 TPE)

The first of many Petrovs to be drafted in this draft, center Vladimir Petrov finished the season with 8 goals and 10 assists, while playing just under 13 minutes per game. He was able to contribute on the power-play, with 4 points with the extra man, and may have been slightly unlucky with his shooting, as he finished with a shooting % of 9.76. Vladmir was a monster earner, finishing 2nd overall with 316 tpe, and would be a steal anywhere but the 1st 5 picks of the draft.

11: Detroit Falcons (via ANA) - Yngve Simonsson - @JumpierPegasus(299 TPE)

I don’t know how to say their first name (I can barely spell it, geez), but I do know Simonsson had a great first season in detroit. The Winger had 6 goals and 10 assists playing 3rd line minutes on the Falcons, although wasn’t able to add any in the playoffs. Simonsson was a willing shot blocker, something you don’t see often from a left winger, as they were able to block 54 shots this season. A smidge below 300 tpe, Yngve Simonsson was a top earner and has a very strong argument to be a first round draft pick.

12: Vancouver Whalers (via CAR) - KnockedOut ByOvechkin - @ddrector(303 TPE)

Right Winger KOBO may have only finished with 8 points for the Whalers, but he was also playing under 9 minutes per game. In this 9 minutes he was able to block 57 shots, showing his worth defensively if he could not fully show it offensively. The promising thing about KOBO is his growth, as he finished the season at 303 TPE, 7th among all rookies, and very impressive for a first gen player. With a larger role in the coming seasons, looking for big gains from KOBO on all fronts, and look to perhaps see him sneak into the first round of the draft.

Second Round

13: Vancouver Whalers - Sarah Burke - @Kyamprac(302 TPE)

Undoubtedly one of the best defensive prospects in the draft, Burke had a very solid defensive season. Burke finished with 4 goals and 9 assists, (and added 2 points in the playoffs) while also racking up an impressive 21 takeaways on the season. While not seeing time on the power-play, she was a key part of the penalty kill, and also proved to be dangerous on the counter attack, picking up 1 goal and 1 assist while shorthanded. She is a top earner with 302 TPE earned, and has most likely assured herself a 1st round draft pick.

14: Maine Timber - Calvin Hobbes - @krazko(280 TPE)

Calvin Hobbes had a very solid first season, picking up 4 goals and 11 assists in 50 games while averaging only 9:18 of ice time. He was a valuable member of the powerplay, with 2 goals and 5 assists coming with the man advantage. With extra ice time in the coming seasons, his play-making abilities will be on full display and at 280 TPE, his earning has been very consistent. He could be steal in the 2nd round.

15: Newfoundland Berserkers (via DET) - Jonas Kahnwald - @Festinator(307 TPE)

Completely, wholly and undeniably unbiased, my personal favourite rookie Jonas Kahnwald picked up 6 goals and 9 assists while being a somewhat meaningless and yet stunning +19 this season, leading all rookies. While being admittedly sheltered on the 3rd defensive pairing of a defensive corps stacked with capped 425 defenders, Jonas still managed to make a name for himself, leading that stacked defensive group in goals. In the playoffs Jonas added 1 goal and 6 assists, remaining a contributor to the offence of his teams cup run, while uselessly yet impressively leading the team in +/- with a rating of +12. He refused to just be carried along for the ride, and was able to push the play and have a positive impact on the ice with positive corsi and fenwick numbers relative to his teammates. His penalty minutes were a bit too high at 22, and so that is an area for improvement. At 307 TPE, just ahead of the impressive Vancouver rookies, he leads all first gens in earning and is tied for 4th overall. He has surely locked up a place in the 1st round of the draft.

16: Anchorage Armada - slava petrov - @ckroyal92(307 TPE)

The 2nd of the Petrov siblings to be drafted, and brother of teammate Vladmir. Slava racked up an impressive 4 goals and 14 assists for 18 points, the same point total as his brother Vladmir in his rookie season, and also 3 assists in 7 playoff games. With a shot percentage of 6%, he was definitely on the unlucky side with his shooting. A very skilled winger that can look to put up more goals in the coming season, especially if he sees some added power-play time as all his production came at even strength. Slava is another top earner in this draft, tied for 4th amongst all rookies in TPE.

17: Colorado Raptors - Marcel Laflamme - @HydroRaven(230 TPE)

Marcel Laflamme is our second Goaltender taken in the draft. He played as back-up to Jerry Huuveri in Colorado, and put up impressive numbers, finishing 6-1-0 in his starts with a save percentage of .914. His growth, however, leaves a lot to be desired as he finished 61st of all rookies in TPE with only 230. There are not many other options for goalies, so the likelihood is that he will still be drafted, but perhaps not until the later rounds. One would hope that his development picks up in the next few seasons, as his play looks promising and he could be a steal.

18: Anaheim Outlaws (via DET, via CAR, via STL) - Edward Teach - @biggestshlchad(236 TPE)

A strikingly similar case to Laflamme, Edward Teach was back-up for Separra Borro in Anaheim and did not develop as much as Anaheim would have hoped, with only slightly more TPE at 236. In his case he struggled a bit more when it came to his stats, finishing with a record of 5-6-1 and a save percentage of .881. He’ll need to do a lot more developing off the ice. Due to the lack of goalies, he could still look to be drafted at some point, and he too could end up turning into something if he can pick it up.

19: Nevada Battleborn (via QCC) - Tanjiro Kamado - @Andy(288 TPE)

Kamado had a good rookie season. He played top pairing minutes on newcomer Nevada, and was able to put up 4 goals and 12 assists for 16 points, and also a defensive game rating of 67. He featured heavily on special teams, being on both the power-play and penalty kill, and funnily enough, put up more points on the PK (3) than he did on the power-play (2) while playing virtually the exact same amount on both. He is one of the higher earners with 288 TPE, and is a solid choice for any team picking in the 2nd round.

20: Quebec City Citadelles (via NBB) - Jasper Maximov - @enigmatic(288 TPE)

Rookie defenceman, top pairing minutes, expansion team. We’ve seen this script before with Afalava on Nevada, and Jasper Maximov was in a similar situation, and it tolled heavily on him. He was able to finish with 6 goals and 12 assists, with a stunning 8 coming on the power-play but the -30 doesn’t look pretty. However it is very understandable in his situation. While he had nowhere near the blocked shots or hits that Afalava had, he has a large step up in development with 288 TPE racked up, making him one of the higher earners in the draft. In the future, he looks to become one of the top end power-play quarterbacks in the SMJHL.

21: Anaheim Outlaws - "Long" John Donair - @GCool(271 TPE)

Long John Donair quietly had an extremely good offensive season, playing 3rd line minutes on Anaheim and putting up 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points and added 2 more goals in the playoffs, contributing very well offensively, while also helping out on the penalty kill, averaging over a minute of PK time per game, showing that while his defensive game rating was a low 47, he can still be trusted defensively (or showing that game ratings are bullshit). His TPE is good at 271, and hopefully “Long” John is in for the “Long” run for whichever team picks him up, likely no later than the 3rd round.

22: St. Louis Scarecrows (via CAR) - Zbynek Dobrovsky - @iStegosauruz (272 TPE)

The european winger had an okay season, finishing with 4 goals and 7 assists for 11 points on the 4th line for St. Louis. He got good experience on both the powerplay and penalty kill this season, able to snag a lone powerplay assist during the season. He hopes to see larger production in the coming seasons with a bigger role, and his earning has been steady, finishing the season at 272 TPE. He should be a good pick in the 3rd or 4th round.

23: Kelowna Knights (via DET, via NLB) - Kynwyl Pearce - @Shmurph(243)

Hailing from the UK, Pearce picked up a very good 9 goals and 11 assists for 20 points while playing just over 12 minutes per night, a pretty good pace. He will have been disappointed to not pick up a point throughout 17 playoff games, but he barely saw the ice as he averaged under 7 minutes of ice time during the playoffs because Kelowna opted to run their top 9 group of forwards for heavy minutes, which is slightly disappointing for Pearce as he contributed well during the regular season. His development has been on the lower end, however, especially for a 2nd round pick. He’s looking at getting drafted in one of the later rounds.

24: Quebec City Citadelles (via KEL) - Teylora Petrov - @"Panda"(317)

Teylora Petrov is the greatest Petrov. She is the head of the family, the eldest sibling. She’s also the head of the s56 group of rookies when it comes to earning, finishing in the top spot with 317 TPE. Teylora had a very solid season, averaging 19 minutes per game and putting up 3 goals and 11 assists for 14 points, while adding 1 assist in the playoffs. With 49 shot blocks, 22 takeaways and featuring heavily on the PK with average of 2:25, she was a large piece in the defensive group of Quebec, and will continue to be for the next few seasons.

Third Round

25: Vancouver Whalers - FORFEIT

Well, I legit have no clue what the heck forfeit means. They didn’t pass on it, but I guess they didn’t use it either, and no one else did. F in the chat for pick 25, so much potential squandered here.

26: Quebec City Citadelles (via MET) - David Danielson - @WildfireMicro(218 TPE)

The starting goalie for expansion team Quebec faired very similarly to Nevada’s Philip Weaver. David Danielson finished outside the top 10 in games played, with only 33, while still finishing 6th in shots faced among all goalies. So when he was playing, he was pretty busy. He post a .900 save %, which is respectable, and finished with a record of 11-19-1. While starting most of the games in the regular season, he only played 1 game in the playoffs, as backup Mat Smith took over starting duties. He lost his starting spot most likely due to his lack of development, as he was on the lower end with 218 TPE. He’ll be a lower round draft pick likely.

27: Carolina Kraken (via DET) - Adrian Ayers - @gordieboom(237 TPE)

With 3 goals and 12 assists, Adrian Ayers fared well in his first season on the ice. The left winger averaged just over 12 minutes of ice time in 48 games, but did not feature during the playoffs. His offensive game rating was good at 61, and he hopes to continue his good offensive production in the future. His 237 TPE means he’s likely to be selected in one of the later rounds.

28: Anchorage Armada - Michael Withecheck - @sakrosankt(298 TPE)

Anchorages defenceman Michael Withecheck was one of the steals of the draft, selected 28th overall but finishing as one of the higher earners at 298 TPE. Playing top line minutes, he was extremely productive on the back end, putting up 6 goals and 16 assists for 22 points on the season. He was a fantastic power-play quarterback, with 1 goal and 9 assists with the man advantage, and in the playoffs he would add another assists. He’ll only get better as he develops, and he is developing quickly.

29: Colorado Raptors - William Hunt - @DachtorFeelgood(159 TPE)

The first big bust of the draft, he only featured in 10 games for colorado, snagging 2 assists. He finished the season with only 159 TPE. He did not show up for any practices and after 10 games the Raptors coach decided enough was enough and cut him from the team.

30: Vancouver Whalers (via STL) - Rikki Petrov - @"AndrewWarren13"(286 TPE)

Another Petrov, the 4th one! And the 3rd impressive prospect from the Whalers as well. Brother Rikki produced well with 4 goals and 13 assists on Vancouver’s 3rd line, while also featuring on their power-play, picking up a single power play point. A pretty balanced two-way player, Rikki did not stand out too much at the offensive or defensive end, so it will be interesting to see which side eventually wins out and what kind of Center he will be. He did jump out offensively in the playoffs though, scoring 1 goal and 4 assists in 8 games He was one of the higher TPE earners, and so we know he will be a good player, and will most likely go somewhere in the 2nd round.

31: Newfoundland Berserkers (via QCC) - Vaseline Podcalzone - @bdu754

Dubbed Beeg Yoshi by his teammates, the Beeg man Vaseline Podcalzone had a positive impact on the 4th line this season, scoring 2 goals and adding 6 assists, one of which was an assist on an overtime winner which was vital in securing the extra point needed to beat out Carolina for the Laurifer trophy this season. His offence also picked up in the playoffs, obtaining 4 assists while also stepping up and providing energy, getting into 2 fights. Newfoundland would use that energy to help them secure the 4 star cup. With 272 TPE, Podcalzone’s earning has been solid and steady. His activity and engagement in the locker room has been noted by his teammates and he could be a steal in the late second round.

32: Nevada Battleborn - Alexis Vermette - @treant(287 TPE)

Alexis Vermette scored 8 goals and 14 assists for a total of 22 points during the regular season, while adding 1 more goal during 4 playoff games. He was able to contribute on the powerplay as well, with 1 goal and 3 assists coming with the man advantage. At 287 TPE, he was a high earner and quite the steal for Nevada in the middle of the 3rd round.He should see himself going somewhere in the second round.

33: Vancouver Whalers (via ANA) - Valtterri Kauppinen - @Pythonic(286 TPE)

Vancouvers' excellent draft continued with another stellar pick, Valtterri Kauppinen. With 8 goals and 5 assists, the right winger had a solid first season playing just over 13 minutes per game, and seeing time on the powerplay, adding 1 powe-rplay assist. He was also one of the rookies who came alive in the playoffs, recording 2 goals and 3 assists in 8 games. He will hope to improve his offence next season, keeping up what he did in the playoffs, and with his current development, that should be a given.

34: Detroit Falcons (via CAR) - Daedalus James - @littleb(258 TPE)

Daedalus Could have had a better rookie season in Detroit, only putting up 2 goals and 3 assists in 50 games while centering the 4th line for the birds. 258 TPE is decidedly average, but not terrible. He will hope to up his development in order to put up a better showing next season. Look for him to go somewhere in the 4th or 5th round of the draft.

35: Detroit Falcons (via NLB) - Oliver Setzinger - @EricC11(182 TPE)

Another Detroit prospect, Oliver Setzinger only played 2 games for Detroit this season. He scored 2 goals in those two games surprisingly, but his lack of off ice development did him in as he finished the season with only 182 TPE. A classic case of talent going to waste, it is likely he goes undrafted.

36: Kelowna Knights - Patrik Money - @Mooney(280 TPE)

The Irishman, Patrik Money, cashed in for 5 goals and 8 assists, finishing with 13 points on the season. He played just under 9 minutes per game, and was able to add 2 more goals in 17 games in the playoffs while playing under 7 minutes per game. He’ll hope to be given more time and more opportunities next season in order to improve his numbers, because at 280 TPE his development has been very good and he will more likely be more than able to handle a larger role on the left wing of the Knights. Money should be a good bet to go somewhere in the early 3rd round.

Late Round Steals/Standouts

37: Vancouver Whalers - Zebulon Leavitt - @Kraagenskul (278 TPE)

The first pick of the 4th round, Zebulon Leavitt finished the season with 1 goal and 8 assists, and potted 1 more goal in the playoffs. He was a solid defenceman for the Whalers, and a physical presence, throwing 98 hits, blocking 64 shots and getting into 3 fights. At 278 TPE, he was a very good earner and could see himself going somewhere in the 3rd or 4th round of the draft.

39: Anaheim Outlaws (via DET) - Thomas Rose - @bigbluex02(271 TPE)

Thomas Rose had a strong offensive season, racking up 8 goals and 10 assists for 18 points while playing 3rd line minutes on Anaheim. He also had a successful playoffs, with 1 goal and 2 assists, scoring at a 0.5 ppg pace. At 271 TPE, he was a good earner. I see him going somewhere in the 4th round, and if his growth increases a bit, he could be a big player for Anaheim sooner rather than later.

44: Nevada Battleborn - Sachimo Zoidberg III - @Jala(300 TPE)

Probably the biggest steal in the draft was Sachimo Zoidberg III. Playing top minutes alongside Vili Afalava on Nevada, he provided plenty of offence, scoring 5 goals and racking up 14 assists, while also playing stellar in the defensive zone, racking up 127 blocked shots, good for 3rd in the entire league and achieving a defensive game rating of 76. With 300 TPE, he was a top earner amongst the rookies, finishing tied for 9th. Nevada will enjoy watching him grow as the seasons go on, and I assure you Zoidberg will not be falling to the 4th round of this SHL draft. He may not even make it to the 2nd round.

45: Quebec City Citadelles (via ANA) - Boris Petrov - @LimJahey(287 TPE)

*DJ Khaled voice* Another one. Boris Petrov of the Quebec City Citadelles. 3 goals, 10 assists, yada yada yada good season on Quebec’s blueline he had a power-play point.

326 Hits. 15 Fights. 211 Penalty minutes. This absolute madman was wondering why so many hockey games were breaking out during his boxing matches. How do you even have time to lay 326 hits when you’re in the penalty box for 211 minutes? Needless to say he led the league in all 3 categories, hits and penalty minutes not even being close. This rookie took the league by storm, then beat it black and blue. Vets Adam Friedland and Valentin Kalashnikov in shambles. At 287 TPE, Boris was a high earner, and we can expect a lot more physicality in the coming years.

46: Carolina Kraken - Grape Fruit - @canes2112(277 TPE)

Playing alongside Alekzander Kozlov, grape fruit also had a fantastic rookie season, scoring 6 goals and adding 13 assists for 19 points while only playing about 10 minutes per game. Grape fruit was steal at 46th overall, and his development was solid as well, with 277 TPE. Grape Fruit will be a sweet addition to Carolina’s forward crew in the coming years if he can keep up that kind of production and growth. Look for Fruit to go somewhere in the 3rd round of the draft.

56: Nevada Battleborn - Grandmaster Funk - @"GMFunk"(280 TPE)

Grandmaster Funk was another steal by Nevada. More of a defensive defeceman, Funk scored 3 goals and 6 assists for 9 points while also having 88 shot blocks. He was a physical presence as well, laying 55 hits and getting into 5 fights. He was a high earner at 280 TPE, and has increased his draft stock drastically since the smjhl draft. He is a good bet to go somewhere in round 2.

Undrafted- Nevada Battleborn- Raivo Helminen - @jRuutu(290 TPE)

A fantastic story, Raivo helminen watched himself go undrafted in the s55 SMJHL draft, and spent a few days in Limbo before being picked up by Nevada, who seemed to have a great knack for getting steals. Helminen proved to be a pure goal scorer, scoring 13 goals in the season which ranks 2nd amongst all rookies, and adding on 4 assists while playing 3rd line minutes for Nevada. Off the ice he worked extremely hard to prove himself, ranking in the top 15 in TPE amongst all rookies. From nothing to a surefire 2nd round SHL draft pick , Helminen’s career will be one to follow with interest for sure.

Nhamlet · 09-11-2020, 09:26 AM

Beeeeeeeg

Kraagenskul · 09-11-2020, 10:12 AM

Solid Stuff!

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