Now onto the S50 draft preview, in which we see 85 prospects that played at some point for a SMJHL team.  However, not all these prospects will be drafted by the SHL, as some are destined to finish out their careers in juniors.  This draft does feature a deep class, though, as we could easily see it going 4 full rounds (64 players).  As many 40+ players possibly becoming SHL regulars.  We see 45 players with 200 or better TPE, with another two players at 199, and one more at 196.  The first round will nearly be full of players with 275 TPE or more, with these numbers we could see a full round of superstars in the near future.

 The general managers have their work cut out for them this season, as none of these players will be in the SHL in S50, a couple may see action in S51, but in reality, many of the top players won’t be seeing SHL action till S52.  So the managers will have to try and project as many as three seasons from now, where these players will be in their development.  That is a long time, and a lot can change when dealing with young players.

One player you will not see drafted is Lethbridge Lions’ defenseman Akira Ren, whose agent is the general manager for the Chicago Syndicate.  He is automatically put under Chicago’s control, and will be an important cog to their future.  If not for that caveat, Ren most likely would have been in the running for the top overall pick.  Ren led all rookies in the SMJHL scoring race.  

D-Akira Ren 292 TPE


As you can Akira Ren was relied upon heavily by a youthful Lethbridge Lions’ squad.  The Syndicate are definitely getting a vital piece to their future core, and he will continue to serve as the top rearguard for the Lions.  Akira was used in all situations, playing on the second units of both the powerplay and penalty kill.

Projection: #1 Defenseman



1) (via ) D-Adam Barron 277 TPE


Adam Barron is the consensus number one pick for season 50.  While some can argue that there could be some better options out there, Barron has proven to be amongst the hardest working players in this deep class.  While he didn’t get to show as much as other prospects, playing on the third pairing of a deep Raiders blueline, his defensive prowess did show up.  Winnipeg believes this young defenseman is the future for their blueline, and we will get to see more of him as Halifax will assuredly use him in all situations next season.  A couple major stats that stand out, a -1 is great compared to many other SMJHL rookies, and the 55 shot blocks, shows his willingness to sacrifice his body for the betterment of the team.

Projection: #1 Defenseman, possible Hall of Famer

2) C-Ivan Maximus 275 TPE


Ivan Maximus seemed to move up the board all season long, and now is projected as the second overall pick.  The slick playmaking center kept his teammates lighting up the scoreboard.  His 22 assists put amongst the top in this rookie class.  Solid in the faceoff circle, the Renegades have found their front line center here.

Projection; 1st Line Center.

3) C-Ryan Shepard 280 TPE


Shepard was the 1st overall pick in the S49 SMJHL draft, his fall to 3rd here is not a knock on him, as he proved he was worth the top billing.  Rather teams saw different holes to fill above, or projected other players to have higher ceilings.  Shepard will be a dominant force in the seasons to come, and will show it starting next season in Kelowna, when he gets to see more minutes.  His faceoff prowess was incredible for a rookie, and it should only improve as he matures and gets stronger.

Projection: 1st Line Center

4) RW-Bobby Lane 304 TPE


Bobby Lane is the pinnacle of offense in this class.  With a class leading 13 goals, Lane also proved vital to the Montreal Militia’s (now Carolina Kraken), Four Star Cup title.  He will be a key piece to Toronto’s revamped offense in the near future, and will be an all-star for years to come.  Bobby would have one higher, but teams always have a need for defense and centers.  Stars get a top notch player here.

Projection: 1st Line Winger, All-Star

5) D-Augustus Wang 284 TPE


Wang is a defenseman who loves to carry the puck up the ice, but not at the expense of putting his team in trouble defensively.  He will give up the body to block shots, and with his speed can lead to odd man breaks the other way.  He will be a big boon to complement the already taken Akira Ren for the Syndicate, and make a deadly top pairing.  This pick will make Chicago a tough team to beat, as in a few years, the pairing of Ren and Wang may be the top pairing in the SHL.

Projection: #1 Defenseman

6) (via ) C-Vorian Atreides 281 TPE


Atreides is a monster in the faceoff circle.  Rookies are not suppose to win 55% of their draws, yet here we are with Atreides.  He should provide a great two-way game, but may take a little longer to reach his ceiling.  As with most centers, they have many aspects of their game to work on compared to wingers and defensemen.  The Stampede certainly have a #1 center here if he reaches his potential.

Projection: 1st Line Center

7) D-Disisde Dayudie 271 TPE


Dayudie is another top flight defenseman in this class.  He played big minutes as a rookie for Lethbridge, and didn’t disappoint.  Amongst the leaders in points and shot blocks, Disisde provides a complete game from the rearguard position.  Panthers are lucky to have him fall this far.  As #1 defenseman are hard to come by.

Projection: #1 Defenseman

8) (via ) LW-Henrik Lekberg Osterman 278 TPE


Osterman is a power play dynamo, providing 8 points on the Raptors unit.  He can contribute strongly on offense at any time, but the power play will be his bread and butter.  He is working to improve his defense, so he is going to be a full 200 foot player.  The Panthers have a solid pick in Henrik, and he will no doubt be a top player in the near future.

Projection: 1st Line Winger

9) (via ) LW-Phineas Gold 277 TPE


Gold is a rather curious prospect.  He did not see many minutes with the champion Militia, but his numbers seem to show a strong offensive touch.  He seems to possibly have a higher ceiling then some of his teammates in this draft, and that was why can see Hamilton going for a ‘reach’ here.  But it really is not a reach as Phineas with more playing time, could be amongst the leaders rather easily.

Projection: Top 6 Forward, probable top line winger

10) LW-Aron Hernadivic 275 TPE


Hernadivic comes in as a smaller playmaker, but his skill is nothing short of elite.  He will provide a steady offense for the Jets in the near future, and has a knack for scoring timely goals as well.  He will begin to show some more talent once he gets in the top 6 for St. Louis.

Projection:. Top 6 Forward, probable top line winger

11) (via , ) LW-Ricky Bobby 274 TPE


Ricky Bobby was another vital piece to the Montreal Militia’s cup win.  Amongst the leaders in goal scored, he will become better with time.  The Platoon traded a couple strong players to get back a first rounder, and Bobby is their man.  This feels like a safe bet, and they will be rewarded with a goal scoring machine.

Projection: 1st Line Winger

12) D-Samuel Michaud 272 TPE


Michaud is a solid defensive defenseman, despite his plus-minus total.  He played on Anchorage team that had a rough go of it, and many players stats suffered for it.  Expect better numbers for him next year, as many believe the bad Armada season was more of fluke than a bad squad.  Calgary takes the blueliner for his potential more than anything.

Projection: #2/#3 Defenseman

13) (via ) LW-Alexei Rykov 270 TPE


Rykov is an offensive threat at all times, especially on the power play.  Already showing a strong defensive game with his +11, Alexei surprised some people that despite being a lethal scorer, he does not shy away from his own zone for the big play.  The Pride will happily take this sniper late in the first round.

Projection: 1st Line Winger

14) D-Björn Leppänen 281 TPE


Leppanen looks to defy the odds as the SHL seems to shy away from enforcer types.  However, his physical presence on the ice makes him a threat to knock the best players of their games.  He does need to improve in his own zone, however, if he wants to make an impact at the SHL level.  He does some flashes of offense, but that will not be enough if he keeps letting the opponents score at will.  Rage take a gamble on this pick, but feel that defensive positioning can be taught, and then they will have a wrecking ball on their hands.

Projection: #3/#4 Defenseman

15) (via ) RW-Kalevolaripaavo Käspertommevisnapuu 282TPE


The name no announcer wants to pronounce, Kalevolaripaavo is from the small nation of Estonia.  After a slow start playing on the fourth line for Kelowna (1 assist in 11 games), he went on to finish second amongst rookie scorers.  The reason for such a low first round pick, is teams question whether he is really that talented, or if he benefited from playing with better players on the second line and second power play unit.  Kalevolaripaavo had the highest P/20 in the class, by a wide margin though, thanks in large part after that move, 29 points in 39 games).  His agent does have one Hall of Famer under his belt, but this pick seems iffy at best.

Projection: 1st Round Bust,  Bottom 6 Forward

16) LW-Marcus Ohlsson 278 TPE


Ohlsson is a prospect that just oozes potential, but on a strong Vancouver team, it was hidden.  This should change next season as the Whalers will look to utilize him more.  He should be able to get better line mates where his talented passing will come to the fore.  The reigning Challenge Cup champions have a great pick here.  

Projection: Top 6 Forward, likely 1st line winger