30. Gutierrez, Justin, C [6'04, 185] Tri-City, WHL (70•3•18•21•-14•103): Big forward is still growing into his body, but has quick feet and gets up to good top speed. Acceleration needs some work, but it's just a little gangly right now. Has some great tools, like aformentioned speed, a huge reach that allow him to protect the puck from defenders and a really solid playmaking game. Sometimes looks like he doesn't want to get involved and I wonder about his conditioning as he often takes shorter shifts than the rest of his linemates. Right now, he's more of a projection than a total package, but I think if he grows into his frame, gets a little confidence and works on his conditioning, he might be a guy in 2-3 years that comes a long way to be a steal. INTERESTING STAT: Averaged 0.67 PpG in September but never averaged more than 0.33 PpG in any other month. QUOTE: JIM HILLER, then-Tri-City coach: “He has made a lot of progress. It’s a situation that if not for our injuries, he may not have gotten the opportunity to show us what he can do. Because he has played so much, he’s been able to show us what he can do, and he’s been consistent, which is what he struggled with earlier...I think he has earned his minutes and deserves the ice time. What I like best about Gutz is he is playing an aggressive, in-your-face type of game, and that’s the biggest challenge for guys like him (tall and lanky). You expect that from him, and he gives us that. He has the making of a really strong player....A number of times, he’s been willing. When you do that, you let everyone in the building know what you are about.” From February 2013
29. Sleptsov, Alexei, D [6'00, 165] Moose Jaw, WHL (66•4•21•25•-20•44): Solid skater who makes a good first pass. Defensive play isn't his forte, but uses his skating to get him out of trouble. Confidence grew as season wore on and he got more daring, maybe even a little cavalier skating the puck out of his own zone. Solid power-play quarterback with a hard point shot. Smart player who is quick to jump on loose pucks. INTERESTING STAT: Had an almost perfect split of scoring stats with 12 points in his first half and 13 in the second, however his +/- was glaringly better in 2014 where he was only -6 while posting a -14 in the first four months of the year. QUOTE: ALAN MILLAR, Moose Jaw GM: ““He’s an offensive guy with good mobility, a good puck-moving defenceman. We hope we’ve landed a really important piece of our future with Alexei.” From July 2013
28. Lang, Chase, RW [6'01, 182] Calgary, WHL (68•10•15•25•13•52): Solid frame that he uses to protect the puck well in the offensive zone and go into high-traffic areas. Trusted by coaching staff and was used to help defend some 5-on-3 penalty kills. Definition of pure will: Lang never stops working, will battle all shift long and is rarely beaten to loose pucks. Uses his speed as a real forechecking threat and forces turnovers galore. Very physical but has a tendency to take some bad penalties. Puck play improved as his season went on and displayed a nifty playmaking ability and an underrated shot. INTERESTING STAT: Had 1 point in his first 22 games, then 24 in his next 46. Penalty minute totals also took off in 2014, from 17 in the first half of the season, to 35 on the back half. QUOTE: MIKE WILLIAMSON, then-Calgary Coach: “To his credit he was one of our hardest working guys every day and once he got an opportunity, that hard work paid off. I thought he made great strides and was probably our most improved player in the second half...He’s got a good skill set. A lot of it will depend on where scouts see his progression. If they can envision him continuing to improve and get bigger and stronger, then he’ll be a guy they will look at closer.” From September 2013
27. Hicketts, Joe, D [5'08, 165] Victoria, WHL (36•6•18•24•25•12): Has great on-ice awareness and loves to jump into the play. Is a stabilizing presence on the point, has a huge point shot and makes excellent passes. Has a real knack for entering the zone safely, and at retrieving rebounds. s surprisingly physical, given his size and fearlessly steps into larger opponents or blocks shots. Fairly solid defensively with the occasional giveaway. Missed the better part of three months with an injury, then looked a little tentative on his return but rounded back into form come playoff time. INTERESTING STAT: His 9 penalty minutes during Victoria's 2nd round playoff series against Portland was more than Hicketts had in any single month of the regular season. QUOTE: BEN KERR, Last Word on Sports: “Hicketts was the 12th overall pick in the recent WHL draft, and its rare to see a 16 year old defenceman drafted in that area come in and have a big impact in the WHL. However Hicketts has impressed many with his pre-season play, and that has carried over for the first few games of the regular season. An impressive skater with great vision and passing ability, Hicketts might be Victoria’s best defenceman already and is someone the team will build around going forward. He looks like a natural on the power play and he will be someone to keep an eye on before the 2014 NHL draft.” From October 2012
26. Nikolishin, Ivan, C [5'09, 160] Everett, WHL (72•18•41•59•-4•16): Shifty little forward has explosive straight-ahead speed but is supremely quick going side-to-side, as well. Is an offensive dynamo. Everett's power-play runs through him and he's dangerous: a great passer, a stinging wrist-shot and has unbelievable stickhandling in close quarters. Has a developed defensive conscience. Displays virtually no physical play whatsoever and his pro ceiling might eventually be that of a power-play specialist. Father Andre was a longtime NHL player. INTERESTING STAT: Was 7th amongst WHL draft eligible prospects in assist at the end of the season with 41, buoyed by his March in which he put up 9 assists in just 8 games. QUOTE: KEVIN CONSTANTINE, Everett Coach: "Ivan's puck skills, his confidence, his vision, his passing, we think, are exceptional. That's a skill not found in a lot of players and it's a nice additional thing to have on a team. I think he really knows the game." From September 2013
25. Baillie, Tyson, C [5'10, 187] Kelowna, WHL (56•22•33•55•19•53): Very intelligent and good on-ice awareness and staggering vision which contributes to his excellent passing. Stickhandles well in traffic, makes terrific plays at high speeds and has a terrific wrist-shot that he can get off mid-flight. Has a defensive conscience and a desire to play physical, but sometimes takes bad penalties. Sometimes tries to do too much and doesn't make decisions quick enough. Was really flying early in the season but play slowed down a little, then got injured and missed the bulk of the last two months of the season. INTERESTING STAT: Lead all WHL players in assists and points in December when he had 15 assists and 20 points in just 12 games. QUOTE: RYAN HUSKA, Kelowna Head Coach: "He loves the game, he's always working hard, and his passion and enthusiasm rubs off on the other guys. So last year, when he was a healthy scratch it was really tough on him. He changed his style, became a far better two-way player and turned into a guy we could trust and rely on. The adversity was the best thing that happened to him and he's been in the lineup ever since." From September 2013
24. Bukarts, Rihards, LW [5'09, 189] Brandon, WHL (65•28•26•54•2•50): Loves to shoot the puck but is a decent passer who has a tendency to play a little too much one-on-one play on rushes. Then again, with stickhandling like his, he is often able to slice through the neutral-zone with precision. Is very quick to find open space, get there, and get open. Is very small and can be knocked off the puck but also displays a thrilling willingness to engage opponents with devastating bodychecks, gets into scrums and doesn't mind sacrificing his body to make a play. Father Ralf played professionally in Latvia, while brother Roberts plays in the KHL. INTERESTING STAT: Three times this season he was a Top 10 WHL draft eligible in goals. QUOTE: KYLE WOODLIEF, Red Line Report: “Skilled Latvian Bukarts continues to improve after seamlessly stepping into the league. He has impressed early on with quality puck skills, a heavy shot and surprising physicality for his size.” From November 2013
23. Mayo, Dysin, D [6'01. 180] Edmonton, WHL (63•7•28•35•17•50): Offensive defenceman who loves to jump into the play. Sometimes prone to overhandling the puck but has a solid shot that he usually succeeds in getting through. Needs to learn to recognize when less is more and not force a pass or shot. Can get panicky in own zone and pressured into making poor decisions. Not an overly physical player, but will stand up for self and teammates. INTERESTING STAT: Had just 6 points in his first 20 games (0.3 PpG) but had 29 in his last 43 (0.67 PpG). QUOTE: DAVE CAMERON, Edmonton Sun writer: “The 6-foot, 173-pounder has been quietly promising in his limited ice time even if he was the last Oil King to get on the scoreboard to start the season, now with a pair of assists. Not to blow up any expectations about Mayo, but parts of his game remind some around the Oil Kings of Mark Pysyk’s rookie season. The eventual captain of a WHL championship squad showed as a rook a poise and presence that only grew, rarely trying to do more than what he was capable of at the time. Pysyk, though, as the franchise’s first-ever draft choice — and on a much, much worse team — was a starter from the get-go.” From January 2013
22. Irving, Aaron, D [6'01, 190] Edmonton, WHL (63•9•21•30•26•88): Was relied on heavily early in the season and looked like a breakout star, playing solid defence and jumping effortlessly into the rush which is the basis for his elevated ranking. Seemed to lose the confidence of his coach and his ice-time dropped majorly in the second-half of the season and played only sparingly in the playoffs. Has a nice proectable frame and the ability to jump into the play. Moves the puck well along the point and has a heavy accurate shot. Defensive game is rather inconsistent, looking like a shut-down defenceman one night and lost the next. With solid program in Edmonton, I think he'll figure it out in time. INTERESTING STAT: 27 of his 30 points came from September-December, a point-per-game ratio of 0.73 which was 0.25 higher than his season total. QUOTE: KYLE WOODLIEF, Red Line Report: “Skills and confidence are just busting out all over. Has come from far up the track to suprass every d-man out west not named Fleury.” From March 2014
21. Chartier, Rourke, C [5'11, 180] Kelowna, WHL (72•24•34•58•26•8): Had a terrible beginning to the season, but came alive in the second half. Excellent passer is quick and somehow able to shield the puck from defenders despite not being that big and is much stronger than you would expect and makes some power moves to the net An excellent stickhandler in traffic. A hard-wokring forward who never quits on a play and brings a ton of energy on every shift. Excellent in his own zone, was voted the 'Best Defensive Forward' on his team and is used a lot on the penalty kill. INTERESTING STAT: Went scorless in 10 games in October and only put up 5 points in 11 games in November, but after that his scoring was never at less than a point-per-game. QUOTE: RYAN HUSKA, Kelowna Coach: “What we found out about Rourke pretty early on is that he's a very intelligent player. We've been able to use him in different situations and it didn't take him long to gain our confidence and trust. In key situations, he shows really strong hockey sense." From March 2013
20. Philp, Luke, C [5'10, 177] Kootenay, WHL (71•31•46•77•2•31): Smooth and smart forward who loves to go to the net and doesn't lack confidence. Really effective playing the point on the power-play with a heavy accurate slapshot and has a really nasty, tricky fake shot that he uses to get defenders off-balance. Isn't a great defender. Isn't a big guy but has some grit and even drops the gloves on occasion. Benefited a lot from Sam Reinhart, but often gave as good as he got with some really smart, clever passing. Is able to put separation between him and defenders with his skating and has a knack for getting to open spaces. Just a genuinely smart player with terrific hands. Whoever takes Reinhart would be smart to gamble on Philp as early as the second round. INTERESTING STAT: Finished the season 6th for goals scored, 6th for points scored and 6th for points-per-game. QUOTE: KYLE WOODLIEF, Red Line Report: “Got first-line minutes when Sam Reinhart left for the world juniors, and his confidence with the puck has skyrocketed ever since.” From March 2014
19. De Leo, Chase C [5'10, 175] Portland, WHL (72•39•42•81•49•36): Really fast and incredibly shifty with a quick, accurate one-timer. Unbelievably evasive and has a nice spin move to roll off defenders. Wins battles he has no business winning along boards and out front by using his smarts Could stand to be more patient with the puck, sometimes just throws it in the middle when nothing else is available. Excellent vision and playmaking. That said, when the game gets tough, I don't notice him as much, he seems to disappear into the background until power-play comes up. INTERESTING STAT: Was a staggering +27 over the months of February and March. QUOTE: B.J. MacDONALD, CSS: “Chase is another buzz saw out of Portland. He’s a very good skater and pays attention to detail at both ends of the rink. He has quick hands with good vision and offers nice playmaking capabilities. The thing I like is that he really competes in all areas and in key situations and plays bigger than his size.” From October 2013
18. Iverson, Keegan C [6'00, 216] Portland, WHL (67•22•20•42•16•70): Solid, physical player who is tough to stop when he drives to the net. Skating stride is a little choppy. Big hitter who generates chances off of the cycle and along the boards. Is man-strong already and opposing defenders have a terrible time controlling him as he keeps his feet moving in the offensive zone. Has a solid shot and makes some solid passes but doesn't have a lot of offensive creativity, often just throws the puck into the slot and hopes for the best. Has a defensive conscience and always comes back to help out. INTERESTING STAT: In months where he played 8 games (October and March, he averaged 0.88 points-per-game. He only cracked the 0.8 threshold one other time in the season. QUOTE: TRAVIS GREEN, then-Portland Assistant Coach: “'Physical guy "has a chance to be a real good player in our league and a good pro"" From Jun 2013
17. Point, Brayden, C [5'09, 160] Moose Jaw, WHL (72•36•55•91•-27•53): Supremely quick, he loses defenders with his speed and quick moves, or else meets them and spins off of them with the puck still on his stick. Has tons of confidence which he puts on display when he skates the puck effortlessly out of his own end and is surprisingly strong on the puck for his size. Puck seems to follow him in the offensive zone and he is a tireless forechecker who is adept at stealing the puck off his opponents' sticks. Very smart player who anticipates where rebounds will end up and gets to them first. He also uses these smarts to go into high-traffic areas and somehow emerge with the puck despite his size. Great passer who also possesses a big slap shot. INTERESTING STAT: Averaged an incredibl 1.75 points-per-game in 2014. If he had maintained that pace all season, he would have led WHL draft eligibles in scoring by more than 20 points with 126. Also, despite his points, he only posted a positive +/- rating in February with +3. QUOTE: ALAN MILLAR, Moose Jaw GM: [On Point not being on the roster for the Top Prospects game, he was later added] "I don't know if Brayden is paying a bit of a price for the struggles of our hockey club in general for the first half of the season. I'm disappointed. I think Craig Button would have had him in (the Top Prospects Game) and I think Dale Hunter, who ran the Under-18 team this summer, would have him in that game...Knowing Brayden and knowing his character and his commitment to being a player, he'll quickly put that behind him. I'll bet that he's a better player and he'll go higher in the draft than some players that are playing in that game." From December 2013
16. Fazleev, Radel LW [6'00, 178] Calgary, WHL (38•5•20•25•1•12): Intelligent, two-way forward is very aggressive defensively, though sometimes a little too casual handling puck in own zone, but is still a trusted and useful penalty-killer. Offensively, he's pass-first and loves to set up his linemates from behind the net for one-timers but can be a tad impatient with the puck on his stick. Carries the puck well, losing defenders by changing his speeds and is a good stickhandler Not a great shooter, but plays the point on the power play which is useful for his puck distribution. Doesn't mind the rough stuff, but is occasionally undisciplined and takes bad retaliatory penalties. Missed the last three months of the season with an injury but came back for the playoffs. INTERESTING STAT: Would have finished the season in 18th had he not been injured and maintained his 0.66 point-per-game average, his injuries saw him finish 44th. QUOTE: MIKE MOORE, Calgary GM: “He’s a hard-working guy, his fitness testing was exceptional and his skill is terrific.” From August 2013
15. Turgeon, Dominic C [6'02, 196] Portland, WHL (65•10•21•31•18•31) : Son of NHL star Pierre Turgeon is a defensively responsible forward who needs to get stronger but is incredibly reliable. Game has grown steadily, albeit maybe less quickly than many expected. Is a solid playmaker who is only starting to recognize how his frame allows him to protect the puck from defencemen. Also played increasingly physical as the year went on and added a real edge to his game. Displays flashes of brilliance with beautiful dekes, stickhandling and power-moves to the net that create chances and goals but sometimes tries to force the pass when it isn't there. Valuable penalty-killer who seemed to get more ice-time as the season wore on. With Portland likely graduating 4-5 players to the pro ranks next year, I'm betting his numbers will see a quick spike with more, better playing time. INTERESTING STAT: Point-per-game averages were between 0.25 to 0.56 per month all season long, except for February when he had 12 points in 12 games. QUOTE: TRAVIS GREEN, then-Portland Assistant Coach: “'Turge' is going to be a great player in the league, a potential 100-point guy" From Jun 2013
14. Honka, Julius, D [5'11, 175] Swift Current, WHL (62•16•40•56•10•52): Smooth effortless skater is exremely confident with the puck, whether making rushes up the ice or walking the line on the point. Has a good wrister and an even better slapshot that he consistently gets on net and lives to shoot the puck, always has his slapper loaded and ready to fire. Has some grit but is a bit erratic and dangerous in his own zone. Can he handle NHL duty at his size will be the ultimate question? INTERESTING STAT: 36 of his 56 points came before Christmas. QUOTE: GORAN STUBB, CSS Director of European Scouting: “Julius Honka is smallish but an excellent skater with great balance. He is an offensive-minded defenseman with good vision and a high skill level. Quick moves, reads the game very well and loves to join the offensive rush." From August 2013
13. Hawryluk, Jayce, C [5'10, 190] Brandon, WHL (59•24•40•64•16•44): Quick forward who never stops working. Despite his frame, wins most puck battles and plays physical. Is a speedy skater with quick hands, good puckhandling and an excellent wrist-shot. Makes things happen on the ice. Is also an excellent playmaker. Worrisome incident in the playoffs where he collapsed post-game and was rushed to hospital, but returned to play the next game and whatever it was seems to be a non-issue. INTRESTING STAT: Averaged just 0.73 points-per-game September/October but only failed to crack 1.20 points-per-game one other month in the season (January when he posted 0.67). QUOTE: KYLE WOODLIEF, Red Line Report: “Red Line is a huge fan of the way Hawryluk plays the game. It is very rare for an undersized, skilled offensive forward to also possess the work ethic and grit away the puck that he shows nightly in the rinks around the [WHL]”. From November 2013
12. Schoenborn, Alex, RW [6'01, 194] Portland, WHL (72•18•18•36•19•121): Power Forward in training is mean and chippy, always ticked off, and creates mayhem in front of the net. Solid skater with good acceleration. He's not a natural puckhandler, and doesn't always handle passes clean, but has a solid shot and is a decent playmaker. He sometimes succeeds on will, rather than skill. A relenteless forechecker, he and linemates Dominic Turgeon and Keegan Iverson were used in the playoffs to forecheck, cycle and grind out the puck and would repeatedly draw opposing penalties. Is used on the penalty-kill and even-strength but rarely on the power-play. INTERESTING STAT: If you subtracted his January totals, his points-per-game would raise one an 0.1 from 0.50 to 0.60 (He only had 1 goal in 14 games in January). He only failed to post double-digit penalty minute totals in September, when he had 6 in 4 games. QUOTE: KYLE WOODLIEF, Red Line Report: “Brings size, toughness, is a good fighter, and is close to 20 goals, all with mostly fourth-line ice time.” From March 2014
11. Quenneville, John, C [6'01, 186] Brandon, WHL (61•25•33•58•3•71): Very smart player with a very projectable frame. Like many his age, he badly needs to add weight and strength. As it is, what keeps him a level below Pollock and Kirkland is that he is quite easily knocked off the puck despite his size. That said, he's a quality net-front presence and absorbs big hits to make plays. Very durable, seemed on the wrong end of a few borderlines hits but stayed in the game. Sometimes awkward handling the puck, nevertheless has a flawless one-timer that rarely misses. Already has a well-developed defensive game. INTERESTING STAT: Just 21 of his 58 points came after Christmas, however, he never posted a positive +/- rating in those first four months, and posted all positive ratings after Christmas. QUOTE: KYLE WOODLIEF, Red Line Report: “Slick and offensively instinctive pivot with a great frame...when it comes to the most complete prospect, Quenneville’s mature two-way game is starting to convince us that he might end up leading the pack [of teammate draft eligilbes Hawryluk and Bukarts]...John already has a larger frame [than draft pick brother Peter] and constantly occupies space down the middle, playing a mature two-way game. This natural center constantly supports the play, has a high hockey IQ and good understanding of the game’s nuances. Technically sound skater will only improve with further development. We were uncertain about his offensive ceiling entering the season, but must admit he has taken full advantage of first line icetime in Brandon and exceeding expectations so far, erasing our only main issue with his game.” From November 2013
10. Kirkland, Justin, LW [6'03, 189] Kelowna, WHL (68•17•31•48•23•40): Great, disruptive net-front presence and loves to battle defenders and play physical, and usually comes out a winner. Uses his big frame to shield the puck well and is a good stickhandler, though he can be dispossessed of the puck rather easily sometimes. Was used a lot on the penalty kill in the second half of the season. Is a really smart forward who likes to go to the net and is sneaky-quick with a strong stride for someone his size. Has an excellent wristshot that can pick the top corners with ease. Staring to become a force on the cycle and along the boards. INTERESTING STAT: Never posted a negative Plus/Minus rating in any months of the season. Also, his point-per-game totals went up every successive month from December through to March. QUOTE: KYLE WOODLIEF, Red Line Report: “Late-blooming power winger is 6-3 and still growing, with an impressive hockey IQ. Best-case scenario: Could he become Jamie Benn lite...who is still filling out an impressive 6-3 frame after a recent growth spurt. One of our WHL scouts has been impressed by the seamless transition he has made into major junior, and sees a high end hockey IQ...Kirkland already graduated high school a year early to dedicate his draft season towards improving on ice and logging extra hours needed in the gym. For now we’ll call him a Red Line sleeper because we haven’t heard much talk about him yet among the scouting fraternity. But we’ll be surprised if their isn’t some added scouting attention on Kelowna in the second half.” From January 2013
09. Thomas, Ben, D [6'02, 193] Calgary, WHL (72•7•24•31•11•39): Physical two-way defenceman has a nice frame. Good zone exits and footspeed and has a beautiful hard point shot that he consistently gets on net. A really smooth point presence on the power-play but sometimes makes poor decisions on when to jump in on a rush. Plays a physical game in his own zone but has a tendency to get a little scrambly back there and can be pressured into turnovers. Has to watch his temper and he took some costly retaliatory penalties in the playoffs. INTERESTING STAT: His best month for points was in October when he put up 8 and averaged 0.57 points-per-game. He never averaged higher than 0.50 in any other month (Save the 2 games in September). Was a +17 through December and January. QUOTE: MIKE WILIAMSON, Calgay Head Coach: “He’s more consistent. We saw stretches last year when Benny got called up that he looked poised and polished, but there was a lot of gaps in between his top shifts and bottom shifts...he’s gotten better and he’s continued to improve his consistency. When he does that, he continues to improve. He’s got a great skill set and he’s a multi-dimensional player. He’s got good poise and vision offensively but he can play good, sound defensive game as well, so he’s a guy that can eat up a lot of minutes.” From January 2013
08. Bleackley, Connor, C [6'01, 195] Red Deer, WHL (71•29•39•68•3•48): Quick feet and nice straight-ahead speed, Bleackley was named captain of his WHL team at the age of 17. Drives to the net. Works hard at both ends of the rink and seems to always be everywhere at once. Shot selection is questionable sometimes but he has a quick, heavy wrister. Plays physical and makes good power moves to the net, holding off defenders with one arm while he attacks. INTERESTING STAT: Was second on his team in points-per-game with 0.96 and was .20 higher than any other player. QUOTE: DENNIS MACINNIS, ISS Hockey Director of Scouting: “Conner Bleackley is Red Deer’s most dangerous offensive player and has clear leadership qualities. He has a great pure release on his shot and knows how to place shots dangerously, but he can also be a good playmaker and a strong skater with good balance and shifty edge usage”. From October 2013
07. Pollock, Brett, C [6'02, 183] Edmonton, WHL (71•25•30•55•18•36): Big forward's game took gigantic leap forward in the playoffs. Strong skater with surprising explosiveness who is confident with the puck on his stick and shields it well with his body. Has an NHL-quality wrist-shot already. Sometimes lacks intensity, which isn't uncommon at his age, but when he's engaged, he's a dangerous presence. Isn't overly physical, but can really put a player on his back when he wants to. Excellent stickhandler with some unbelievable dangles but doesn't always protect it well-enough. Has a decent defensive conscience and an active stick while back-checking but doesn't always fully buy-in defensively. A really smart player who seems to have a sixth-sense about when to pass the puck and when to take it himself; very rarely gives the puck away once it hits his stick. INTERESTING STAT: His 11 goals led all WHL draft eligible players in the playoffs and he was second in points amongst draft eligibles with 19. QUOTE: KYLE WOODLIEF, Red Line Report: “The other pleasant surprise is forward Brett Pollock...liked him in a very limited energy role last year, as he used his big frame to spark the team with an up-tempo forecheck. But the fact that he has already eclipsed his offensive numbers from last year in this campaign’s first four games has drawn our attention. Pollock seems to have come back with a much smoother and improved skating stride, and a new-found confidence in his puckhandling.” From October 2013
06. Sanheim, Travis, D [6'03, 189] Calgary, WHL (67•5•24•29•25•14): Started off season as a defence-first anchor for partner Ben Thomas, but his offensive game exploded after December. I'm not sure that I've ever seen a guy go from stay-at-home to go-go-go as quickly as Sanheim did this year. Suddenly started jumping into play offensively with solid skating and a lazer wrist shot. Has terrific offensive instincts and seems to always find the open man. Has a solid skating stride and started to make end-to-end rushes as his game progressed but is still able to recover due to his speed. Also emerged as a reliable power-play point man who's not afraid to shoot and gets his shot reliably on goal. A little added strength and bulk will make those shots even scarier. Still solid defensively, he keeps attackers to the outside and gets his stick in the shooting lane but needs to be reigned in occasionally from jumping into the play when he doesn't have a teammate covering him. INTERESTING STAT: 20 of his 29 points came in the months of January and February, when he averaged 0.74 points-per-game. The rest of the season he averaged 0.22 points-per-game. QUOTE: IAN ESPLEN, Around the Boards: “The big defenceman has all the tools NHL scouts love. He can make a very good first pass or he can skate the puck up the ice. In his own end, he seems to gain confidence with every passing game. Add in that the Hitmen are starting to use his talents more and you have a player worth keeping an eye on.” From January 2014
05. Scherbak, Nikita, RW [6'02, 174] Saskatoon, WHL (65•28•50•78•-6•46): Fast, shifty and an excellent stickhandler, Scherbak wants the puck all the time and when he gets it, he puts it on the net or uses his solid vision to get it to an open man. He doesn't push the issue when a play isn't there, instead makes the safe, simple play. Is a little weak at the moment and gets oustmuscled along the boards but isn't afraid of being challenged physically. Didn't have a ton of help offensively but still put up staggering numbers for a first-year import player. Not much of a defensive game, yet, and often leaves the zone way too early. Takes extremely long shifts, but that seems to be a coaching decision and not selfishness as he was never punished for them and was actually double-shifted and used in key situations like penalty-kills and last minutes. Has a lazer of a wrist shot and smarts galore and his solid skating allows him to lose defenders, even in tight quarters like behind the net. Got injured toward the end of the season and that seemed to slow him down. INTERESTING STAT: His 11 goals, 12 assists and 12 points in October led all WHL draft eligible players for that month. QUOTE: DAVE STRUCH, then-Saskatoon Coach: “While we were in training camp and waiting for his papers to be finished so he could join us on the ice, he sat in the player’s box and rode a stationary bike while we practiced and played. When he finally got his release, the coaching staff went to show him our systems and he showed us our systems. He picked everything up just from watching our practices and games...[On taking English classes]He’s learning a lot more because he doesn’t shut up now...The best thing about him is he’s very coachable and teachable. Because he can skate he can get on the puck. But when he’s not on it right away he’s not afraid to make or take a hit. When you’ve got that part of a game from a Russian player it’s exciting...He’s a gifted skater. Gifted with the puck and his vision is really good” From December 2013
04. Draisaitl, Leon, C [6'01, 209] Prince Albert, WHL (64•38•67•105•7•24): Supremely confident stickhandler who is adept at using his large game to protect the puck. One of the best passers in the WHL but what's striking about Draisaitl's game is that he's equally adept at making letter-perfect cross-ice passes on either the forehand or backhand which is something you don't see a lot of, even at the NHL level. Some of his struggles, I feel, have to do with teammates who are often unable to get him the puck or convert on his seeing-eye passes. Some scouts question his skating, but I think it's perfectly competent, given his size, and nothing that can't be improved over time. Has an underrated defensive game, using his massive reach to break up plays. Despite his size he's not a physical player, by nature, but when he gets angry (Which isn't often enough!) he can put a guy on his back pretty well and is strong enough to make plays with defenders draped all over him. He actually has a decent shot but he still doesn't use it nearly often enough which lets defenders off the hook when covering him because you really only have to defend the pass. Really intelligent with good vision and is adept at slowing the game down. INTERESTING STAT: In January, just back from the WJHCs, Draisaitl put up 0.9 points-per-game, the only month of the season that saw him dip below a 1 point-per-game pace. Finished the last two months at a 2.14 point-per-game pace. QUOTE: CRAIG BUTTON, TSN Director of Scouting: “Leon is a blend of skill and power and comfortable in either element. His skill derives from excellent hockey sense and the ability to make plays and recognize what is unfolding. His power is more along the lines of being hard to deter and imposing himself on opponents, with a serious determination to make a difference. Skating is good with much room to improve. A Top 2 line type forward.” From September 2013
03. Fleury, Haydn, D [6’03, 198] Red Deer, WHL (70•8•38•46•15•46): Reminds me a ton of Jay Bouwmeester: a big, rangy defenceman who has an effortless skating stride and plays both ends of the ice equally well. Stepped up this year and displayed a previously unseen penchant for making beautiful end-to-end rushes. When he's not skating the puck up the ice, himself, has a knack for spotting teammates and making the breakaway pass. Likes to jump into the play and is so quick that, if he loses the puck, is usually able to get back on defence before his opponents. Point shot is a little wild and he needs to work on getting it down. Isn't naturally physical but is working on it. Is a little easily pushed off the puck for someone his size, but a little added weight and strength will make that defect a thing of the past. Has no panic in his game defensively, and is getting better at keeping forwards to the outside with his reach and active stick. INTERESTING STAT: Point-per-game average in the first four months was 0.76, after December, it dipped to 0.55. QUOTE: PETER SULLIVAN, Central Scouting: "I compare him to a Jay Bouwmeester type since he makes it look so easy in your own end. He can carry it out or with one pass you're on the transition and that's what makes him so effective. His points might not be as high as some of the other defensemen on the board, but he just does so many other things well." From April 2014: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=713377
02. Virtanen, Jake, LW [6'01, 210] Calgary, WHL (71•45•26•71•23•100): Power forward seems to be a hate-him-or-love-him prospect. Obviously, with him at #2, I'm in the latter camp. Best, most explosive skater in the WHL also has the best shot in the WHL, with an absolute seeing-eye lazer. Scored 45 goals this year, yet just 10 came with the man advantage and he often didn't seen first-unit powerplay time. Virtanen is, and has been, man-strong for a while now and it was stunning just how many times he literally bulldozed defencemen while keeping the puck on his stick. But he also uses that power to make NHL-style power moves to the net and lose defencemen along the way. That said, there are some flaws to his game: he doesn't create much offence off the boards and isn't really creative offensively and there are some concerns over his stickhandling. His defensive game is under-developed and he isn't the most disciplined player. But, he's absolutely dynamic North-South player with all the tools to be a big-time pro. INTERESTING STATS: Only 26 draft eligible players had more goals all season than Virtanen put up in the month of January (13). QUOTE: PETER LOUBARDIAS, Calgary Flames radio broadcaster: "Even though the Top Prospects Game, self-admittedly, wasn't his best night, I'm not sure there's anyone I've seen, so far, for the upcoming draft, that has more tools than Jake Virtanen." From January televised WHL on Shaw broadcast.
01. Reinhart, Sam, C [6'01, 183] Kootenay, WHL (60•36•69•105•24•11): You can't start a description of him without the word 'smart'. Is probably the smartest player in the draft, maybe the smartest player to come along in years. Two key plays in the playoffs illustrate these smarts better than any: in a game against Calgary he took the puck in his own zone on the penalty kill and with clever stickhandling and quick cuts was able to kill the better part of a minute all by himself and, in another game against Calgary, he took the puck on the backhand in his own zone and rather than turn around and dump it, he instead skated backwards for ten or twenty feet with the puck on his stick then put it down the ice. Excellent passer who makes impossible passes seem like second-nature. He's not really explosive and he's not going to be an emotional, physical leader, but he's going to play Top 6 minutes at center in the NHL for a long, long time. Reminds me a lot of Patrice Bergeron at both ends of the rink. Farther Paul is an NHL veteran, brothers Griffin and Max are NHL prospects. INTERESTING STATS: Averaged better than 2 points per game in 3 months and only dipped below 1.38 once (When he had 4 points in the 4 GP in December). QUOTE: PETER SULLIVAN, Central Scouting: “He has a complete game at both ends of the ice. He does everything well. He won't get you overly excited, but from a coaching perspective, he's the guy you always want on the ice in critical situations. He's your go-to guy and team leader and is just going to be consistent at the junior level, and eventually the pro level." From July 2013
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