For the SHL draft, most people will be doing a mock post, but what I want to focus on is the potential upside for each player. What is their future role?

Anaheim's   Ryuuji Kawashima, is a left handed center. He's a popular draft target, and he's got some tremendous upside. The key to any hockey team is having a strong forward who can play defence, win faceoffs, and transition the puck up to the offensive zone. Kawashima is quite skilled at doing all of these. He's a fast center who is defensively responsible, and excellent in transition. He also is a skilled passer, making him a threat on the power play. This is the gold standard for centers, and the upside here is a #1 center on a contender.

Dane Von Gucci plays for the St. Louis Scarecrows. While most defenders focus on their positioning and defence, Von Gucci has emphasized his offensive scoring. Despite this, he was used in the minors more on the penalty kill than he was on the power play. Still, his calling card looks to be his vision on the ice, and his ability to transition the puck up the ice. His future looks like a modern defenceman, one with a 200 foot game, that has a booming shot and vision to be a quarterback on the power play.

Alexis Saint-Michel plays for the Vancouver Whalers. His strengths as a winger is that he plays a simple offensive game. He's fast, knows where he needs to go on offence, and makes a good north south or even east west pass in the offensive zone, where he shows a lot of creativity. This year he was balanced with 18 goals and 20 assists, and we could see him doing that as he goes to the higher SHL level. His defence isn't his specialty, but as a winger you want to see that offensive freedom and creativity. He could be a first liner or even a sheltered scoring line, with a lot of power play time in multiple different roles.

Jay Sink plays for Anchorage, and he's a right defenceman. Anchorage had a great goals against number, and Sink is a big reason why. He's standout defender who dishes out punishing hits and knows where to be, to break up tough offensive attacks. He isn't going to get much power play time, but he will be an asset on the penalty kill. He's a decent passer, but his strength has and will be in stopping the opponents from scoring. Every team needs a guy like this, and he can easily be a top pairing defenceman that shuts down opposing forwards, playing crunch time minutes holding the lead for your team, especially when the other team pulls their goalie.

Daud Razma is a center for the Kraken. He's not the fastest guy around, but he's an offensive savant. He knows how to drive offence, make the creative pass, and take advantage of his teammates by putting himself in position to score. He's a solid defensive center, but you know what you're getting with him, which is a center who adds some scoring punch. Razma played a mix of the penalty kill and the power play, though with some hard work he should be able to be a top line center who can do it all, or a  second line C who is used on both special teams units.

Sekai Wollker is a defender who plays for Anaheim. He's another offence friendly defender, able to push play up and add value as the quarterback on the power play. This season he had 6 points on the powerplay, and he played 2 minutes on the power play and over a minute on the penalty kill. However, at the SHL level I expect he'll be shifted primarily to top 4 role where he focuses more on the power play.

Aleksandrs Balcers, is an offensive defenceman. He had 32 points on the year, which was 7th among defenders. He's got a wicked transition game, has plus plus vision to see his teammates to make the creative pass, and he has a booming shot as well. His defence is solid, but like the others he will be expected to be a power play specialist. However, he has top pairing upside, as this year he had little to no PP time and still scored 32 points!

Shane Duffy Jr plays for Quebec, and his strengths are that he is great at transitioning the puck, and finding his teammates with some creative passes. He doesn't take many shots, but he made the ones he did count. He didn't take any penalties, so he's able to hit his opponents in legal ways to get the puck. A smart, pass first player with a defensive edge who can be an asset on a line as a winger.

Marco Barengrub - The first center on this list who is more of a defensive player, Barengrub is a shutdown center. Every team needs a guy like that. He's a solid passer, but he's not likely to be on the power play. This is the forward who will get the D-zone starts, who will win faceoffs, dish out some hits, take the puck away, and transition it up the ice. And he'll be lethal on the penalty kill. Barengrub had 25 points this year, and while he didn't play much on the special teams, we could see him being a top center who is ruthless and difficult to play against.

Robert Speedwagon - A winger who plays for Newfoundland, Robert is an all around threat on the ice. He can pass, shoot, he can bring the puck up in transition, and play smart defence. The jack of all trades player, one who might get underrated. He didn't get any power play time, but he was used on the penalty kill, which shows his coaches trust his defensive game. He's a pest to play against, and one fans will love. Possibly top winger, but might settle as a top 6 winger who plays on both special teams.

Robert Black - The Roberts duo both play for Newfoundland. While Speedwagon is the bigger defensive threat, Black is expected to produce far more offence. He added 26 points this year, but did not receive any special teams play. Going forward, he will likely settle in as a pass happy center, the kind offensive wingers love to get a one timer from. He will need to continue to develop his defensive game, but he should be a top 2 center in the SHL.

Ville Kurri is a right winger who Anchorage challenged to play center. He more than accepted said challenge. He's turned into a solid faceoff guy on the dot, who is solid across the board. He doesn't stand out at anything, but he won't hurt you either. He's got decent passing chops, but  right now it's looking more like a second unit power play option. He might also spend some time on the PK as well. His shot isn't there yet, but he drives play in the right direction. Possibly a second line C, that really should be a #1 C is his future.
KEKW Kekkonen, is an offensive winger for Colorado. He's not a liability on defence, but his strength obviously lies in his dynamic shot. He knows when and how to get that shot off, and he's lethal in the O-Zone. His future is likely setting up his office in the faceoff dot, patiently waiting to fire off his one timer. Likely a top 6 winger with first line power play time.

Kappa Kappa is a defenceman who plays for Quebec. He's a smart defender who always knows where he should be. He plays on the penalty kill, and with his breakout pass he could spring a fast forward on a short handed breakaway. He's good at transitioning the puck out of his zone, and keeping offensive players away from the net. He could be a top 4 defenceman and an asset on the PK.

Miguel Hefeweizen plays a solid 2 way game. He's dominant off the faceoffs, He has a good pass, and he's developing his offensive game. Right now he's looking like a top 6 forward.

Sven Svechnikov - He's a fast forward who's got a wicked shot. He was moved off the wing, likely because his defense is not at a high enough level yet to play there. That being said, he's been focusing on his scoring, and he's a dynamic scorer. This season he did a good job passing and getting some assists, but going forward he's likely to be the primary scoring threat off a power play.

Fedor Sotakov - Sotakov is a winger who knows the offensive zone like the back of his hand. The defensive zone? Well, the best defence is a good offence, right? Sotakov has a great shot, and is an elite and creative passer. He should be an asset on any top power play, but the lack of defence means he's going to need some help on his line. Either a sheltered scoring line, or as the top winger with some other 2 way players.

Pasta The Turtle - The Berserker is a classic defender, a physical guy able to push his opponents away from the crease and into the boards. He's got a decent passing game, but his strength is keeping skaters away from his net, and punishing them with good defence. A penalty kill staple and top 4 role is in his future.

Ethan Bouchard - He knows what his strengths are, and he sticks to them. He's excellent in transition, has decent passing abilities, and is a tremendous defender. This is an underrated player, and whatever team will get him will get a steal. He should definitely play on the penalty kill, and he might even surprise you on the power play.

Jack Micro is a center still learning the ropes. His early focus seems to suggest he has a  future as a defensive player. He's a center without a shot, but has decent vision for passing. He's good in transition and getting the puck to the right part of the ice. He's a great complimentary player.

Bob Duncan - Micro's teammate in Anaheim, Duncan has a bit more of an offensive flare. That being said, he's still a competent 2 way center, and one that should be an asset in any role on any team.

Evgeni Petrov - A wild goalie has appeared! Yes, Petrov is the rare goaltender in this class. Analyzing a goalie will always be a mystery from the dark arts, but Petrov seems to be one with a very bright future. He has surprisingly good rebound control, and could be a high end #1 goaltender.

Jack Nishimori - Capable of playing wing or center, he's a versatile asset to any squad. He's a solid defender with great east west passing vision. The shot isn't what he's known for, but he'll get some goalies to bite on the fake and leave a wide open net as a result.

Cormac Ponaire - The Carolina winger is an all around threat who players hate facing. He is a pesky defender, who can transition the puck up, has a decent shot, and can make a quality pass. Every team needs a glue guy like that.

There are so many talented players in this draft - apologies if you didn't make this writing. But who will rise to meet their potential? It will be fun to watch their careers unfold!

(1933 words)

:thumbs-up:

Aleister Cain - S42-S57
HOF GOALIE- CLASS OF S60- SECOND BALLOT
S54 CHALLENGE CUP
S54 RAZOV






Ville Kurri - S57-S70
BEST SMJHL DEFENSIVE FORWARD S60
That's pretty much it







Quinton Hennessy - S84



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