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dandydoodle · 04-20-2017, 01:04 PM

The top twenty-five SMJHL prospects are where the real cream rises to the top. The next tier of players include solid goaltenders, multi-faceted defensemen, and forwards who contribute across the board. While not massive impact players as of yet, many of these players are showing that they can be counted on by their team to really put forth the hard work and performances required to make it as a professional.

All statistics are taken as of the rest day before Day 18 on the schedule.

24) C - Robert Phelps

[Image: michael-phelps-200-individual-medley-usa...20x500.jpg]

[Image: michael-phelps-200-individual-medley-usa...20x500.jpg]

The number one overall pick in the SMJHL Entry Draft, Pehlps was looked at as a sure thing when it came to can't miss prospects. While that status has not changed, it's clear that the transition to the junior leagues has been a bit more difficult than perhaps Robert expected. With one goal and two assists, the young man has struggled on the faceoff dot and his frustrations have boiled over to the tune of seventeen penalty minutes, second amongst all SMJHL rookies. His minus six in plus minus also demonstrates some of the struggles the Vancouver Whalers have had as a whole in keeping the puck out of their net. With a rookie filled squad, the Whalers have no choice but to keep running Phelps out there onto the ice and he will get the chance to continue learning what it takes to become a high end player in the league.

23) D - Shoyu Kikkoman

[Image: 2583C45A00000578-2945710-Ekuan_who_is_a_...150113.jpg]

[Image: 2583C45A00000578-2945710-Ekuan_who_is_a_...150113.jpg]

Another player passed over in the SMJHL entry draft, Kikkoman plays with an edge that is remarkable among young players. The Whalers blueliner has racked up a rookie leading twenty-four penalty minutes, adding in ten hits and eleven shot blocks. He's a nasty player that causes opposing players to glance over their shoulder more often than they would like, at the expense of a few too many trips to the sin bin. With a goal and two assists with average ice time, Kikkoman has even added a little offense from the back end and has rounded out a Whalers defense core that is young, but could be huge in the next season or two.

22) D - Jack Zhang

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Acquired by the Vancouver Whalers after the start of the regular season, blueliner Jack Zhang has struggled with his adjustment in his own zone this season, sporting a dreadful minus eight in the plus minus department. On the other hand, he has managed to offset some of that with two goals and an assist, as well as twelve shot blocks, all while getting middling playing time. Clearly there is a solid player brewing there and Zhang is going through the normal growing pains that comes with a young team figuring things out together. One area he may need to improve in is his physical play, logging only six hits so far on the season, though the big goose egg on the penalty minute chart has to have his coaches smiling.

21) G - Carrick Murray

[Image: Carrot1.jpg]

Being a goaltender in the SMJHL can be a tough job, and that job becomes even more difficult when the team you are on is young and getting a little pummelled in the standings. Carrick Murray has done a serviceable job between the pipes with two wins and one loss, and holds a decent 0.897 save percentage. The Pittsburgh native will be looking to try and build on that as the season goes along, pushing for more starts as he continues to improve his game and all of the Whalers rookies grow in their game together.

20) D - Suri Uedo

[Image: 244f45fa9b8577c28dc7551c80c2ab4f.jpg]

[Image: 244f45fa9b8577c28dc7551c80c2ab4f.jpg]

Japan is not known to be a hot bed of hockey talent but Suri Uedo is doing his best to break that pattern. The high flying defenseman who was picked up shortly after the start of the season by the Colorado Mammoths has already started to make an impact for the team, despite getting fairly modest ice time for the club. His one goal and one assist, combined with his eight shot blocks, have made for a well rounded addition to the club. One area of concern is that he needs to become more engaged with the play, having failed to log a single hit on the season. Should he add that physical element to his game he will surely be able to take his game to the next level for the Mammoths.

19) C - Ziv Alekzandrov

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The final pick of any entry draft is always being setup for an incredible story. Will the player fade off into obscurity, never to be seen or heard of again, or will they create an exciting tale of the little engine who could, chugging their way through a fantastic career and beating all odds? The quiet centerman from Humboldt, Ziv has been grinding away with the top ranked Prince George Firebirds, barely registering on most radars. Known for his sublime passing skills, Alekzandrov has actually potted two goals already this season on only three shots, while adding eight hits to his resume. One might wonder why this player is ranked in the top twenty until a closer look reveals that he is averaging only seven minutes of ice time a game! Is this a case of small sample sizes or is Alekzandrov going to carve a career out of stone? Only time will tell.

18) LW/RW - Olle Harping

[Image: harp-023.jpg]

Another player that was overlooked in the SMJHL draft, Harping is doing his best to become the zero to hero that ESPN loves to talk about in twenty years.
The young winger is averaging just over seven minutes of ice time a game, but already has three assists to his name, along with twenty-one penalty minutes, one of the highest rookie totals in the league. A hard nosed player that is making the most of his opportunities, the Prince George Firebirds have snagged yet another potential diamond in the rough in Harping - a pattern that is starting to emerge with that franchise.

17) D - Chuck Goody Jr

[Image: goody.jpg]

The Scarecrows felt like they had stolen Goody Jr when they managed to pick him up in the second round of the SMJHL draft, with the highly defensive blueliner from Boston falling a bit more than expected on draft day. An excellent skater, Chuck Goody Jr has given the Scarecrows a nice mix of solid two way play, as well as a touch of offense with one goal and three assists. Though his defense has been steady, his low hit totals suggest a player who shies away from contact a bit more than the team may like, and given the absolutely massive minutes he plays each game, including time on the powerplay, perhaps a bit more offense is to be expected from the young defender. The future is bright for this young players and the Scarecrows do not appear to be afraid to give him every opportunity in every situation possible with the team.

16) RW - Yuri Bakos-Markov

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Russian wingers are not always known for their well-rounded games, or at least that's what the western media would like you to think. Bakos-Markov, the love child of a Russian counterterrorist agent and famous NHL blueliner Andrei Markov, has made it his mission to work on all aspects of his game, and not just his fancy puck skills. His two goals and one assist are solid given his ice time, but his twenty-three shots really show a player who pushes the river and is not afraid to try and make things happen in situations where lesser players might struggle. Montreal is likely quite happy with what they have in Bakos-Markov and if he can continue to develop then perhaps he will break the mold of what people have come to expect from Russian wingers.

15) RW - Scotty Steele

[Image: general-sst-toronto-2014-scotty-steele.jpg]

[Image: general-sst-toronto-2014-scotty-steele.jpg]

On the other end of the spectrum is two way forward Scotty Steele, a defensively responsible winger from the other windy city in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. With one of the greatest hockey names in history Steele seems like he was bred for SHL greatness from birth. Snagged by the Montreal Militia at the top of the second round, Steele has not disappointed, providing the team with two goals and two assists, as well as five hits, and even has been known to take a few faceoffs from time to time. His plus three on the season shows that the Militia's willingness to play him in every situation is paying off as he has really thrived at both ends of the ice. Providing the ying to Bakos-Markov's yang, the two wingers should be a big part of the team's success moving forward.

14) D - Sean McNamara

Selected late in the fourth round by Montreal, the defenseman from Barrie Ontario was a bit of an enigma. At times it can be difficult to know how these relatively unknown players will develop once they enter the SMJHL, but McNamara has really stepped up. His one goal and four assists are actually quite significant given the average ice time he has been given but when combined with his eleven shot blocks and eight hits, it's clear that he is a threat at both ends of the ice. With ten penalty minutes on the season McNamara has demonstrated that he is afraid of no one and the Militia have been excited by his hot start. The concern with McNamara is whether he can continue his development or if this is just a hot start that won't continue.

13) D - Kevin St Lauren

[Image: yves-saint-laurent-in-safari.jpg]

[Image: yves-saint-laurent-in-safari.jpg]

A defensive blueliner with a French sounding name who hails from Moscow Russia. It might be best not to ask how that works. Drafted by the Halifax Raiders with the final pick of Round Four, St Lauren has given the team a healthy mix of both offense and defense. One goal and six assists are near the top of all rookie defensemen in the SMJHL this season, but more impressive may be his total commitment to playing in his own end, with eight hits and fourteen shot blocks. Another player who had some serious question marks at the draft, St Lauren will be watched closely to be sure his development does not stall.

12) D - Jack Hanson

[Image: c7daa88a99af979065147ca3ecaf7c73.jpg]

[Image: c7daa88a99af979065147ca3ecaf7c73.jpg]

Is there a more Norwegian name than Jack? Yeah, okay so probably a lot more Norwegian names than that, but who cares. One has to wonder how Jack Hanson slipped under the radar of the scouts coming into the SMJHL draft. When the Montreal Militia picked him up shortly after the draft ended, there was a bit of head scratching from around the league. How did everyone miss out on a player that seemed so defensively capable? The Militia instantly put him through the ringer, throwing him out in all kinds of situations, noting that his fitness levels were far higher than many others at the draft. What they found out was that Hanson was even better than expected. A rookie leading plus eight combined with one goal and six assists, has seen Jack play with a chip on his shoulder that benefits only the Militia. Add in his nine hits and ten penalty minutes and you have a player who is a total pain to play against, as well as an effective player at both ends of the ice. If we were to run the SMJHL draft again there is no doubt that Hanson would be selected somewhere in the top two rounds.

11) D - Niklas St. Croix

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Possibly the most defensively sound rookie blueliner in the SMJHL draft, St Croix has provided a boost to the Colorado Mammoths across the board. Whether it's chipping in offensively with five assists on the year, or showing up all over the ice with fourteen hits and sixteen shot blocks, St Croix has shown himself more than capable to handle anything the opposition throws at him. The Mammoths will certainly be looking for a touch more offense from him as his four shots on goal show a guy so concerned with his defense that he is giving up on possible chances in the opposing end. It's a situation that Colorado is probably happy to be dealing with at this point, as it's been said that it's fair more difficult to teach a young player to be a sound defensive player, and St Croix has that in spades.