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dandydoodle · 04-19-2017, 05:06 PM

In Part II of the SMJHL Rookie Rankings we start to move up into a list of players that are having more of a real impact on their SMJHL team's play. While we're not looking at the best of the best quite yet, this group shows that while they may not quite have the same top end performances of some of their peers, that they are still a valuable piece of the team they play for.

34) RW - Jack Dore

[Image: a39a8110-d8e5-42f1-bf87-9b0ae4ee0d2f_1000.jpg]

[Image: a39a8110-d8e5-42f1-bf87-9b0ae4ee0d2f_1000.jpg]

An excellent skater, Jack Dore's fall in the SMJHL entry draft was a little bit of a surprise to some outsiders. With some concerns about his ability to take his game to the next level, as well as a tendency to engage in weaker perimeter style play, Dore has struggled in his own end this season. On the other hand, with two goals in limited ice time, as well as fifteen shots on goal, Jack has slotted in nicely in a depth role with the Whalers. Considering where he was drafted, the Whalers have to be excited with what they see in a rough around the edges prospect who will likely take a long while to adjust to the pro level of hockey.

33) RW - Maxwell Andrews

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A diminutive skater with a nose for the net, Andrews was a late round draft pick by the Colorado Avalanche that has yet to really take his game to the next level. One thing that can be said for Andrews is that he is not afraid to shoot, putting twenty on net already this season. Though he has only one assist thus far, Maxwell gets very little ice time and actually produces at a better offensive paces than guys like McKenzie and Kruger, both of whom were first round draft picks. A tough player to get a read on, Maxwell's next step will be to convert on some of his many shots and earn himself some more ice time with Colorado.

32) LW - Mike Izzy

[Image: keep-calm-because-izzy-is-awesome.jpg]

[Image: keep-calm-because-izzy-is-awesome.jpg]

Hailing from the same hometown as the NHL great Liam Reddox, Mike Izzy is hoping to have some of the same success that the ginger haired phenom now has in Sweden. A hard nosed winger cut from a different cloth than many of his peers, Izzy has made a name for himself with his willingness to drop the gloves, his ability to hit, and his desire to shoot the puck. One of the more intriguing players in the draft, Izzy was selected in the third round by the Kelowna Knights and has suited up in every game for them so far this season. Given the amount of ice time he has been given in most games, the Knights are surely looking for more than just the one goal that Izzy has given them. As long as he keeps up the physical play however, he should have a solid role with the team.

31) C - Gord McKenzie

[Image: bob-mckenzie-cartoon-599x400.jpg]

[Image: bob-mckenzie-cartoon-599x400.jpg]

When McKenzie was drafted there was a lot said about his scoring ability, combined with his natural skating skill. Though there were some concerns about his play without the puck, scouts tended to overlook it due to his game breaking skills. The Halifax Raiders drafted McKenzie sixth overall in what has so far been the high point of McKenzie's time with the club. With a goal and an assist so far this year his offense has been slightly off the mark. The biggest point of his concern is his woeful defensive play as his faceoff percentage is hovering at just barely over fourty percent, and his minus 9 is a league worst among rookies. Clearly his challenges in his own end are going to be a big concern and with an average of less than a shot per game right now, the chances of his offense making up for it are slim. The Raiders are hoping for a lot more from the centerman and have been working closely with him to get him going.

30) G - Jordin FourFour Jr

Legacies can be a tough thing to live up to and Jordin FourFour is no exception. With connections to one of the greatest goaltenders of all time, FourFour has huge expectations coming from the general public, and no doubt himself. Drafted at the end of the third round, the hybrid goaltender from Chicago has had a rough start to his junior career in Halifax. In seven starts he's managed only two wins and has the worst save percentage and goals against average out of any rookie goaltender in the league at the moment. The upside is that Jordin's work ethic is nearly unmatched and surely his skill will catch up in time. For now he will need to work on his craft one game at a time.

29) LW - Logan Tesfaye

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[Image: logan-how-it-should-have-ended.jpg]

A late fourth round draft pick by the Prince George Firebirds, Tesfaye came into the league with very few expectations. Though given very little ice time this season, he has still managed to put up a couple of assists while dishing out six hits and remaining a plus player for the team. It's likely that Tesfaye is going to need to ease into ice time slowly and his chances of really breaking out this season are small, but stranger things have happened. Yet another of a recent string of UK players to cross the pond and try their hand at the SMJHL, Tesfaye has to have made his team happy with what he has delivered given his draft position.

28) D - Finn Kruger

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Defensemen are rarely expected to produce offensively when they first enter the league but Kruger was a possible exception to that rule. Drafted by the Mammoths are fourth overall, he was an exciting package of skating, passing, and defense, that seemed to scream of a high ceiling. A few weeks into the season and while he is playing a big role with the club and logging huge minutes, his two assists are likely to be somewhat less than what the team was expecting to get out of him. A solid shot blocker he has been slightly less physical than expected and a little less engaged in the play. Kruger looks to be one of those types that may take a little longer to hit his peak but when he does will be a top end two way blueliner that every team in the league wants on their roster. For now, he's still working his way up to that point with the usual speed bumps that come with learning on the job.

27) G - Intars Barsou

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The great Arturs Irbe said of Barsou that he was the best goalie to ever come out of the country, including himself. While it is high praise, it is likely going to take quite some time to live up to that billing. Though sharing the pipes in Detroit at the moment, Barsou has struggled to really put it all together, and has struggled with only one win in five games so far this year. With an .889 save percentage he's clearly going to need to work on several aspects of his game to steal a starting role in the future. For now he'll have to watch more youtube videos of Irbe and hope that his hard work is going to pay off.

26) D - Trucker Grog

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Passed over in the draft, Grogan was recently acquired by the Halifax Raiders and has so far appeared in four games. In that time he has managed to put up one assist, but also has laid out thirteen his in that time period. A defensive defenseman with great checking skills, the Australian is looking to put Strahan on the map as a hockey hotbed as he continues to increase his ice time with the Raiders from here on out.

25) D - Jake Sanders

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Another New York state athlete, Sanders was the nineteenth overall draft pick and has brought a touch of offense to the Kelowna Knights this season, while still featuring his trademark defensive game. With sixteen hits and ten penalty minutes, Sanders makes like difficult for opposing team's forwards who dare to cross into the Knight's zone. With one goal and one assist on the year, as well as only one shot, his offense could be an area that needs some work, but with a continued desire to work on his game Sanders should keep slowly improving.