CALEY'S TOP 40 WHL SKATERS FOR THE 2015 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

I know I'm very late this year, but I needed some decompression time from the end of the WHL season, then I tried to over-think things, but I got back and here it is, the final list.

Please note: Any Advanced Statistics cited are either courtesy the wonderful CHL Stats or sourced myself.

A second note: You might see me refer to +/- here and think "This guy is nuts, +/- is a useless stat that tells us nothing." And you might be right. But you should also know, through some studies I've done myself, I've found that +/- is a pretty wonderful predictor of NHL success. In fact, of the 30 best players drafted out of the WHL from 2005-2009, only 5 posted a negative +/- rating in their draft year, and only 2 posted one of worse than -10. So while it doesn't tell the whole story or is an indicator of a player's play, it does provide some context for predicting a player's NHL potential.

And away we go!

01. Nick Merkley, C/RW, Kelowna. 5'10", 187 lbs, 1997-May-23

Too small, plays for a good team, benefits from playing with a good goal scorer, play leveled off in the second half, too little to be a center, didn't score a lot of goals, mostly generated on the power play. I've heard all manner of explanations as to why Nick Merkley isn't the top WHL prospect in this draft, but, at some point, I think, you have to look at the facts: he scored 90 points this year. He didn't have a good year for a draft eligible player, he had a good year. Period. Now all of the above are valid criticisms, to an extent. First off, he is small. Listed now as 5'10, though there's some conjecture as to the validity of that listing, Merkley's not a big guy. But watch him on the ice, and you'd swear he's bigger, he plays like a guy well over six-feet. That was him in the Memorial Cup final, annoyed at what he perceived as a cheapshot on a teammate, going after 6'5 behemoth Michael McCarron and knocking him down in the corner. If anything, I'd actually like to see Merkley dial the grit back down a bit, he actually finished 9th amongst draft eligibles in penalty minutes this season. And, yes, he did play for a good team, with a good goal-scorer (Rourke Chartier) on his wing. But, Merkley was not passenger. A lot of those Chartier goals were because of incredible set-ups by Merkley. He has an unnatural sixth sense when it comes to passing, making a number of low percentage passes and putting them right on the tape. And, yes, his numbers did tail off in the second half, but you have to understand he went from being the #1 centerman on the team, on the ice to start every power-play, to being shifted up and down the lineup as coach Dan Lambert tried to find the perfect lineup to complement prize trade acquisition Leon Draisaitl. And, yes, he might be too small to be a center (But then you look at Tyler Johnson and go...wait a minute...) but even if he is, Merkley played long stretches of the season on the wing, sometimes to shield him from one of the real weaknesses in his game: his faceoff talents. And, yes, he generated more assists than goals (Though he did finish tied for 9th in terms of goals scored) this season, and a good amount of his points came on the power-play. But, to me, that's not necessarily a criticism. Nick Merkley should shoot more, he's actually got a sneaky hard wrist-shot when he deploys it, but the criticism of him as a guy who passes up shots is also overstated: in the 18 WHL games I saw him play this past season, he put up 33 shots on goal, plus another 26 at the goal, which means he generated over 3 shots on goal per game at the net. What I like about Merkley, most of all, however, is that while there is room for his game to grow (Taking more shots, for instance, adding size and strength, also), to my eyes, he's as close to NHL-ready as any WHL prospect for this year's draft. Merkley has shown a knack for not just working a puck-cycle game, but for excelling off the cycle, generating chances off the boards and out of the corners where NHL games are won. But, he also has a well-developed two-way game, that keeps him from being a liability on the rare occasions when his name doesn't turn up on the scoresheet. He's almost always one of the first players back on the back-check, and has a seeming knack for getting the puck off his opponents' sticks and jumping back up the ice for a scoring chance. So even if, for some reason, his offensive game doesn't translate to the NHL (and that's a big if), Merkley could still conceivably carve out a niche as a two-way winger who is a real pain to play against. But, I'm not anticipating that happening. Sometimes when a guy puts up as many points as Merkley did this season, instead of trying to find things that are wrong with him, it's more beneficial to look at the things that are right with him, and celebrate those reasons, and it's those reasons why I have Nick Merkley as the top prospect coming out of the WHL this year. Merkley should be a first round pick this year, likely towards the middle of the round, though his showing in the Memorial Cup might bump him up a couple spots.

02. Ivan Provorov, D, Brandon. 6'00", 200 lbs. 1997-January-13

Provorov burst onto the scene quickly, this year, putting up huge numbers as a rookie defenceman on the best team in the WHL regular season. Equally adept in his own zone, or the offensive zone, but really stands out when carrying the puck out of his own zone. With the increased emphasis on maintaining possession while exiting the defensive zone, Provorov is going to make some team very happy if he continues his progression. His playoff performance wasn't a letdown, per se, but he was not nearly as dominant as he had been during the regular season. Kelowna, in particular, ate him and season-long defence partner, and also draft eligible, Ryan Pilon, up for dinner (Was a staggeringly poor -7 in that series when he only posted a negative +/- number against three teams all year). He also seemed to fade as series went on, putting up 9 of his 13 points in Game 1s and 2s, but only 4 points in the other 11 games spread out over Games 5 through 7. A lot of that could have been rectified, likely, if Brandon had a big minute-eating defenceman to absorb some of those tough minutes that Provorov was forced to play in his rookie WHL season. But, there's still a lot to like here. As mentioned, Provorov excels when carrying the puck, but he's also a real able point man and has a definite knack for getting his shot through. In the 14 games I saw him play this season in the WHL, he had 24 shots on goal, 6 missed shots, and 17 blocked/deflected shots, which means he directs, on average, over three shots a game at the net, but also that he hits the net six times more often than he misses it completely. His physical game is a little uneven in that, on some nights, I saw him quite thoroughly display a real knack for using the body, winning puck battles and delivering some highlight reel checks, but other nights would see him pushed rather easily off the puck and sometimes rushed into poor decisions. One aspect of his game with which I must say I'm not enamored, is his use of an extra-long hockey stick. While the stick can be useful defensively for knocking the puck off puck-carriers' sticks, I sometimes feel like it holds his skating back in that he can't really use a normal skating stride with it and, other times, passes that could be one-timers aren't able to be one-timed because of the occasionally awkward way he holds that big stick. But, really, it's a minor quibble. The only thing really holding Provorov back, for me, from being in the top spot on this list is what his eventual ceiling might be. If he gets proper development, and continues his excellent play, he could very well be a top pairing defender for a long time in the NHL, handling big minutes at both ends, manning the power-play, anchoring the penalty kill. But, there's also the possibility that this is as good as he gets. And if that's the case, well it's really pretty good, but maybe just not quite good enough. Provorov will likely go in the Top 10 of this year's draft.

03. Paul Bittner, LW, Portland. 6'04", 202 lbs. 96-November-05

The first thing you notice about Paul Bittner is the size. And, for years, the phrase was "You can't teach size" which is the same phrase that lead to such catastrophes as 'Hugh Jessiman, 12th overall'. Recently, the scales have tipped the other ways and teams drafting big players are now expected to almost have to justify the selection of sizable prospects over smaller forwards with better numbers. Luckily, with Paul Bittner, his numbers are the equal to his tantalizing physical stature, so no such justification is needed. A surprisingly nimble skater who has a genuine knack for getting open, and finding defensive seams that allow him to be sprung for breakaways, Paul Bittner is a Corsi fan's dream as he generated, on average, 9 shots directed at the goal in WHL games I scouted this season. He could definitely benefit from using his size to play more of a physical game, especially defensively. But he uses his size quite capably in the offensive zone with big-time power moves that bring him right to the front of the net. He has a big slapshot, but also an underrated passing game. He also has a knack for turning up for big games, witness that he put up 89% of his points this year against playoff teams (A fair caveat is he played in a strong US Division where every team was a playoff team so there wasn't a lot of weaker talent for him to beat up on, though he did feast on the lower Tri-City Americans (16 points), he also put up 10 points against division-leading Everett). A criticism I've seen of Bittner's play is that he benefits from his linemates: Nic Petan last year, and Oliver Bjorkstrand this year, that Bittner underperforms when he's not lined up with a bonefide point-producer. But, is that really a criticism? I mean, if you're planning on drafting Paul Bittner, to truly take advantage of his skills, are you going to play him on the 4th line with pluggers and agitators? No, you're going to put him on a top line with good players who will get the puck to him and have him put it in the net. There's nothing wrong with drafting complementary players, which is what Bittner really is. Paul Bittner should be a mid-to-late first round pick.

04. Mathew Barzal, C, Seattle. 6'00", 177 lbs. 1997-May-26

An admission: I didn't see a ton of Mathew Barzal this year. Most of my Seattle viewing came when he was injured, though I saw him a fair bit last year, and also saw him play in the U-18s at the end of the season. And there's a lot about his game that I'm a big fan of. He's an excellent passer, and is a better goal-scorer than Nick Merkley and actually averaged more points-per-game than Merkley did. The biggest question mark I take away from his game is whether his play with the puck will translate at the NHL-level, where Merkley plays a cycle game at an uptempo pace, Barzal plays more of a possession-based game at a slower pace. Much the way Sam Reinhart struggled at the NHL level in his first season because, along with a lack of strength, the space and time he was given at the WHL level which allowed him to pick out the open man and make pinpoint perfect passes was taken away by the quicker, bigger, more uptempo NHL opponents, I have reservations about Barzal's ability to make his extraordinary WHL play translate into NHL success. This isn't a red flag, mind you, just something he's going to need to work on, playing with pace, really. Another reason I have Merkley higher than him, is the latter has experience contributing from the second line, in more of a support role which is where he'll be in the NHL, he'll be a guy, but he won't be the guy. I feel like this Barzal's ultimate upside, too, a good, really good second-line center, but basically since his arrival in Seattle, Barzal has been feature as the #1 center, on the #1 power-play and he is the guy for the Thunderbirds. Still, though, he's a really good prospect and I'd be shocked if he slipped out of the Top 10.

05. Jansen Harkins, LW, Prince George. 6'01", 180 lbs. 1997-May-23

Son and nephew of former NHLers Todd and Brett Harkins, respetively, Jansen Harkins had a breakout second WHL season in which he more than doubled his goal, assist, and point totals from the year before. He reminds me a lot of a draft pick from last year, Conner Bleackley, who went late in the first round to Colorado. Like Bleackley, Harkins is a hard-working, character guy who plays a scoring role in the WHL but might not project as a scoring forward in the NHL. He's a decent skater, and has a great vision for making passes and picking up assists. But there were times I watched him play when I felt like he wasn't really driving the play, he was the benefit of the hard work of frequent linemates Chase Witala and fellow draft eligible prospect Brad Morrison. While he has a good NHL frame, he needs a lot of work on his strength as he is often bumped off the puck at the WHL level. Too often I saw him play a perimeter game, like he didn't want to pay the price in front of the net to score, content simply to fire cross-ice ice passes to teammates. All of this aside, though, he's clearly a player who knows how to pick up points as he did with aplomb this year. I'm also impress with the way he puts up points almost twice as often against playoff teams as he does against non-playoff teams. Though he did struggle mightily against Victoria (2 points in 8 games and a -11), he played much better against conference-leading Kelowna (6 points in 8 games) and was dominant against the US division teams (28 points in 18 games). Harkins should go in the first round, but I wouldn't be shocked if he slipped into the early second.

06. Jake DeBrusk, LW, Swift Current. 6'00", 177 lbs. 1996-October-17

When looking at Jake DeBrusk's numbers, it's hard to imagine much missing from his game. DeBrusk led draft eligibles in goals, was second in assists, first in power-play goals, fourth in points-per-game, second in estimated time on ice, and first in estimated minutes played. He has decent enough size, great speed and terrific anticipation on the ice, to go along with great vision. What's truly fascinating about the son of former NHL enforcer Louie DeBrusk is how little physical gumption he often plays with. In the playoff game I saw him play, he was nearly invisible in the first half of the game, didn't seem to want to pay the price to be succesful, and left the game due to a vicious headshot from a Regina Pat opponent. If DeBrusk wants to ascend to the next level, the talent is very clearly there, but he needs to get himself fully engaged game-in/game-out. There's a lot of talent there, and he's a dynamic shot-producer, and a dogged back-checker, but in 5 games this year, he only had one hit, which is actually quite difficult to pull off. Given his bloodlines, and his likely high draft position, I think he'll get it, though. It's just a matter of experience. DeBrusk is a fringe first round pick, but odds are he goes in the second.

07. Noah Juulsen, D, Everett. 6'01", 180 lbs. 1997-April-02

Juulsen might be the most underrated player going into this draft. A good-sized, right-shooting defenceman who put up 52 points in his draft season, plays good defence and plays physical, what is there not to like? In all honesty, not a lot. Juulsen was a horse for the Everett Silvertips, where he averaged an estimated 22 minutes a night and played good, hard, fully-engaged hockey. He has tons of stamina and doesn't seem to run out of gas, even at the tail-end of very long shifts. He's a solid defensive player, though he does have a tendency to overcommit and become too puck-focused, at times, losing his position. Carries the puck confidently out of his own zone, is a deft passer, and has a nice solid shot. His biggest weakness is his strength, which is something that will come in time. About the biggest fear I have for him, as a prospect, is Kevin Constantine-coached defencemen sometimes have a tendency to look like world-beaters for the Silvertips where their weaknesses are hidden by a strong team-first defensive commitment and are exposed at the next level. But Juulsen looks to have too many tools, to be just too darn good for that to happen to him. I expect Juulsen to be a very early pick in the second round.


08. Austin Wagner, LW, Regina. 6'02", 180 lbs. 1997-June-23

Man, is it hard not to watch one Austin Wagner game and want to move him up to #1 on your list sometimes. A good-sized winger with grit, but it's Wagner's tantalizing speed that will win a scout over. If you happened to see him early in the season, you might not have noticed him much, but a funny thing happened this year in Regina. Despite leading their division, it was determined that the team would build for the future and shipped out top forwards like Morgan Klimchuk which opened up ice-time for players like Wagner. After his first 16 games, he had just 6 points, but in his next 31 games, he put up 28 points as ice-time opened up for him. The other big difference is that, in December, you can see his short-handed time was increased and all of a sudden the bullish winger began putting up short-handed goals, scoring 5 by season's end (And he had none by December 13th!) which is, by far, the most of any WHL prospect (No other player scored more than 2 and only 13 actually scored 1!). Those goals were almost all generated by his blinding speed, as soon as a defenceman bobbles the puck along the point, Wagner is gone and there is no hope of catching him. What's funny, though, is his speed might be an even bigger asset in the NHL because the WHL's no-touch icing rule actually hinders him because there are races he won that would have negated the icing at the NHL level, but were moot in the WHL. SImply put: at the WHL level, Austin Wagner does not lose puck battles. Now it might be easy for a player with Wagner's physical gifts to dog it on the ice, but he's always one of the hardest-working players out there. He believes he can win every puck battle, either with his skating or by outworking his opponent, and he usually does. One night, I saw outwork three opponents just to get a shot on goal He might not have the puck skills to be a big-time point producer at the NHL level, but as the season wore on his confidence soared and he began to add power forward moves to his arsenal which allowed him more chances, and if he keeps developing in this fashion, he's going to be hard to handle. My only concern was he was relatively quiet in the playoffs, with just 3 points in 9 games played, and was completely held off the scoresheet against Brandon. To be fair to Wagner, though, he suffered an upper body injury late in the season and didn't play for almost two weeks at the end of February into early March, so it's possible he was still playing his way back into shape. Wagner should be a surefire second round pick, but I could see a scout falling in love with his otherworldly speed and pushing his GM to take him late in the first.

09. Ryan Pilon, D, Brandon. 6'02", 212 lbs. 1996-October-10

Who would think a defenceman could put up 52 points, play on the first pairing for the best team in the league, in all situations and not even be the highest-ranked defenceman in the WHL, much less on his own team?! But such is the case for Ryan Pilon who played, and played well this season, albeit deep in the shadow of his even more impressive defence partner Ivan Provorov. Like Provorov, Pilon played first-pairing minutes, power-play minutes, and on the penalty kill. He has a solid point shot that he excels at getting through traffic but perhaps his most impressive weapon along the point is an extremely deceptive slap-pass that is almost always right on the money. Moves the puck with poise out of his own zone. A great passer, adept at springing forwards on the stretch pass. Good skater, very mobile, but he's not as solid in his own zone as Provorov, though he is a better shot-blocker. Needs to protect the puck better in his own zone, and also attempts some questionable passes in his own end instead of just putting the puck off the glass and out. I think Pilon will be a second round pick, though there are players I'd be tempted to pick ahead of him that might slip into the third round.

10. Pavel Karnaukhov, C, Calgary. 6'02", 200 lbs. 1997-March-15

Another admission: I have a soft spot for import players playing in the CHL. To come to a strange country at such a young age, but to excel demonstrates, to me, a real dedication to the game. Even Mike Keenan says "Boy, are we ever arrogant. No appreciation for the young guys that come over...We just throw those kids to the wolves" *1. What I find truly fascinating about Pavel Karnaukhov is not just how successful he was numbers-wise - 20 goals and 22 assists in 69 games - but how well he adjusted to the grinding, physical, cycle game of the WHL. Karnaukhov has an excellent frame that he uses very well, likes to hit and willing to be hit, and he's one of the first guys in a post-whistle scrum and will stand up for teammates. Not a great skater, but he has a pretty great understanding of where the puck is going to be so that knock against his skating isn't that big of a deal. Is a great stickhandler but has a tendency to try to take on too many defenders by himself. He's an absolute weapon on the power-play with a dominant half-wall game but also displays a great use of his body as a net-front presence. Has a bullet of a shot which he likes to shoot through defenders, using them as a screen, a la Alex Ovechkin. His defensive game needs a lot of work, but he seems like a game student who just needs to buckled down and be taught as he's always one of the first forwards back on defence, he just seems unclear on what he needs to do when he gets back there, gets out of position, or doesn't tie up his check's stick. He's an absolute turnover-forcing machine in the neutral zone (I counted 5 takeaways in one first round playoff game against Kootenay) so once he's able to hone that ability in his own zone, I suspect his defensive game will come around. My biggest concern over Karnaukhov is his fitness level, as he had some big slumps in the latter half of the season, and takes extremely short shifts. If I'm drafting, I nab Karnahkhov late in the second round, but he might fall to the third/fourth.

11. Tyler Soy, C, Victoria. 5'11", 172 lbs. 1997-February-10

Slight pivot for the Victoria Royals had an excellent season but was snake-bit in the playoffs. Excellent stickhandler with a quick release and quick, fluid skating style. Terrific passer and displays excellent vision on the ice. Clutch goal-scorer in the regular season (One-quarter of his 28 goals were game-winners), couldn't seem to find the net to save his life against conference-leading Kelowna Rockets, frequently putting pucks wide of open nets, off posts, cross-bars etc. Very light and lacking in strength, thus easily pushed off the puck by bigger defenders. His slight frame is a big concern because he gets hit often, and while willing to take hits to make a play, he often takes some big hits you worry will put him out of the game. Though he finished just shy of a point-per-game average this season, frankly, I was expecting a little more out of him. Part of the problem, I feel is he was sometimes mis-used, deferring to the older Austin Carroll to carry the play while he would drive the net. He would have benefitted tremendously by having a shoot-first sniper like Paul Bittner or Jake Virtanen on his off-wing, allowing him to carry the puck and distribute it. That said, he should be a solid middle of the draft pick.

12. Ryan Gropp, RW, Seattle. 6'02", 183 lbs. 1996-September-16

Like Soy, I really wanted to love Ryan Gropp's game but something about his play kept me from putting him higher. Had an excellent season statistically, putting up 30 goals and 58 points in 67 points, while adding another 8 points in 6 playoff games. Played a good portion of the season without usual linemate Matt Barzal, but his production didn't seem to suffer despite the loss. A good skater with a great frame who uses said frame to protect the puck well. Good passer with great vision for finding the open man. Good shot and was second among draft eligibles in percentage of goals-created per team, while scoring those goals at a key time as evidence by him being second in Game-Winning Goals (6). One of the oldest players for this year's draft, was just two days shy of being eligible for last year's draft. At times I felt like he was not a natural puck-handler, and struggled to keep from turning it over. Perhaps it's his relatively older age, or perhaps it was the fact that I felt like he never grabbed my attention during games, but I just expected more out of Gropp. That said, I'd be pretty shocked if he wasn't a second round pick this year.

13. Brandon Carlo, D, Tri-City. 6'05", 185 lbs. 1996-November-26

Brandon Carlo seems to be one of the more divisive prospects for this year's draft. A mammoth defenceman with a real mean-streak, there is much discussion on what his ceiling is. On the one hand, he put up just 25 points this season, on the other, that puts him in the Top 10 for points by a defenceman among draft eligibles. On the one hand, with a late November birthday, he's one of the older draft eligibles this year, on the other, he's one of the few draft eligibles to play a bonefide top pairing role amongst defencemen (Provorov, Pilon, Juulsen, partner Parker Wotherspoon, and Brendan Guhle being the others). Carlo is never likely going to be a defenceman who wows you with his points or skill, but where he is going to make his bread-and-butter is as a mean, defensive defenceman capable of logging big minutes and shutting down opponents. Carlo is very physical, likes to hit, and hits hard. Has a great active defensive stick and his reach lets him break up plays a smaller man wouldn't be able to. He loses very few puck battles and is nearly impossible to skate around when positioned properly. He passes the puck well enough, and will shoot the puck but that's not really his forte. I would not be shocked to see a team grab him in the first round, he's got the physical gifts and playing style that should put him in the NHL for a long-time, I'm just not sure if that's as a solid third-pairing defenceman, or as a big-minute top pairing guy.

14. Glenn Gawdin, C, Swift Current. 6'01", 181 lbs. 1997-March-25

Excellent offensive player who played in the shadow of his higher-scoring draft eligible linemate Jake DeBrusk. The biggest question about him is whether he's a by-product of playing with DeBrusk, or if DeBrusk benefits more from his work. An elite passer who always finds the open man, and makes pinpoint passes, I once saw him complete a behind-the-back pass as he was being hauled to the ice. Smooth skater who sometimes plays the point on the power-play. Nice frame, what he really needs now is consistency. I've seen games where he drives the net hard, and games where he shies away from the front of the net. Just two of his 15 goals came on the power-play. I really liked his compete level in the playoffs where he tried to step up after linemate DeBrusk was knocked out of the playoffs. Good on the faceoff dot, and adept at drawing penalties.

15. Brad Morrison, C, Prince George. 6'01", 180 lbs. 1997-January-04

Like Gawdin, the fact that Morrison put up 23 goals and 50 points this year was largely overshadowed by the fact that frequent linemate and fellow draft eligible Jansen Harkins drew most of the spotlight. What's most dazzling about those naumbers is that Morrison put up 18 of those goals at even-strength (6th among draft eligibles), so he wasn't reliant solely on the power-play to inflate his numbers. A solid-sized pivot with great offensive skills. Benefits from playing with playmaking, notorious linemate, but is a capable finisher with solid pasing skills, himself. A bit of an adventure in his own zone, needs to reign in that defensive play.

16. Adam Musil, C, Red Deer. 6'03", 208 lbs. 1997-March-26

The son of NHL journeyman Frank Musil, and brother of Oilers prospect David, Adam Musil has great bloodlines, an imposing frame, and terrific natural skills. So what went wrong this year in which, despite being a year older and playing an extra 6 games, Adam Musil only put up 10 more points than the previous year for a very modest 39 points in his draft year? Well, there are several factors. Some insight could be derived from this quote by his father, comparing him with his brother, from 2012: "Completely different personalities. David’s more level-headed. I compare David to a diesel engine. You start the engine and it will run for 500,000 kilometres. Adam, he’s more of a Ferrari. He can fly 250 miles per hour or break on the starting line.”*2 And there's something in that quote, I think, with Musil this year, things sometimes just sputtered on the starting line. He had a terrible stretch from December to mid-January where he was injured and missed some time, and was only able to muster 3 goals and 2 assists in 16 games that really took the wind out of his sails. Further, I feel like coach Brent Sutter didn't trust Musil enough in his own zone, where his game is still quite raw and underdeveloped, so he player lesser minutes as part of a draft eligible third line with Grayson Pawlenchuk and Meyer Nell. Skating on that third line, though detrimental to his scoring game, did elevate one aspect of Musil's play: his physical play. Where previously, he tended to shy away from contact, this year he nearly doubled his penalty minutes and even fought a few times. The increased snarl in his game, coupled with his physical gifts, are why it's hard not to view this past season as an aberration: a year where things just didn't go his way, indeed, it even finished poorly with him suffering a late ankle sprain that kept him from playing in the playoffs for Red Deer. A smooth-skating forward with speed to burn, who is always wanting and calling for the puck and looking to rush up-ice with it, I expect Musil will play a much larger role offensively for the Rebels next year as they host the Memorial Cup. There was one game which reminded me of what a prospect he can be, against Brandon in early January where Musil got a shift on the penalty-kill and forced turnovers, and dogged the puck along the boards, basically killing the bulk of the penalty all by himself. Musil will likely be drafted this year, though I suspect teams will be loathe to look at him much above the fourth round.

17. Parker Wotherspoon, D, Tri-City. 6'00", 170 lbs. 1997-August-24

His brother Tyler is an interesting study in contrasts. Like his brother Parker played for an American team in the WHL, while Tyler was slightly taller at his age (6'1), he was also 33 pounds heavier. But where Parker put up an impressive 9 goals and 33 assists in his draft year, Tyler only put up 12 points. Where Tyler projects out as a steady stay-at-home defender, Parker should be a puck-moving d-man who can man your power-play. The biggest difference between the draft year for the two brothers might be usage, though. Where Tyler played for a powerhouse Portland Winterhawks team that only lost 19 games all year and was a third pairing defender with vets like Joe Morrow and Troy Rutkowski handling the tough minutes; Parker was on the top pairing for the much weaker Tri-City Americans, playing power-play and penalty kill minutes and being charged with shutting down opponents' top lines. Though lacking ideal size, the younger Wotherspoon plays an aggressive game and possess an active defensive stick. A good skater who passes well and has a sneaky accurate shot that he consistently puts on the net. Tyler was a second round pick, 57th overall, and that seems like a perfect landing spot for Parker, as well.

18. Deven Sideroff, RW, Kamloops. 5'11", 178 lbs. 1997-April-14

The fleet-footed Kamloops winger flew somewhat under the radar as the Kamloops Blazers were not a good team this year. But there is lots to love about Sideroff. He loves to drive the net, has speed to burn and wants the puck on his stick. He has great hands and a heavy wristshot, and is a wonderful stickhandler. Despite his rather average size and strength, he is quite adept at protecting the puck and shielding it with his body. A good passer with vision who works really hard, whether his team is still in the game or not, I never once saw him give up. His numbers are decent, but one can't help but wonder if they'd be a little better if he'd played on a better team, seeing as he actually finished Top 10 for draft eligibles in even-strength goals, despite missing 8 games. Another interesting factor in his development is playing for coach Don Hay, who doesn't always put his players in a position to put up gaudy numbers, but nobody over the last few years has sent more players to the NHL than Hay. Aside from his smaller frame, about the only other knock on Sideroff's game is his defensive game as he doesn't always engage the puck-carrier defensively and sometimes waits for a teammate to make the play. Again, though, expect that his defensive game will be fully realized after a couple years under Hay's tutelage.

19. Jesse Gabrielle, LW, Regina. 6'00", 214 lbs. 1997-June-17

Gabrielle started the season on fire, putting up 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points before Christmas with the powerhouse Brandon Wheat Kings. But rumored off-ice problems, and a reported rift with Brandon coaching and management over ice-time saw Gabrielle taken off the ice from December 12th on until he was dealt to Regina for Morgan Klimchuk. Despite speculation he clashed with the Wheat Kings over ice-time, he wasn't able to maintain his torrid early season pace and ended up with 10 more goals and 9 more assists for a season-ending total of 44 points. Gabrielle's a high-strung player with a short fuse who was credited with 112 penalty minutes on the year, but that number should actually be 176 because the WHL doesn't count Misconducts or Ejections in their totals. A speedy winger with a non-stop motor, Gabrielle's most notable quality would be his skating, if not for his abrasive nature. There's good and bad to that quality. On one hand, he sticks up for his teammates, hits, and can draw penalties when he's got a handle on his temper and uses is wisely. On the other, he often takes some pretty nasty beatings when he drops the gloves with larger players than himself, takes some bad penalties, and can sometimes energize an opponent by taunting or otherwise getting on their bad side. Gabrielle has a great wristshot with a terrific release and generates a ton of shots per game. Has a defensive conscience and is always trying to back-check. I would think there are teams that have a system in place that can hone his natural feistiness and competitiveness, and Gabrielle will be a player they're going to want to be looking at as early as the late second round, and no later than the third. But I can also imagine the above looking like a list of red flags to some, and could imagine there are a few teams with him on their 'Do Not Draft' list. Myself, I feel like you can't teach his talent, so you've got to take a chance on him, although I probably wouldn't take him much higher than the fifth round.

20. Kegan Kolesar, RW, Seattle. 6'02", 219 lbs. 1997-April-08

In some ways Kolesar might be one of the most intriguing options come draft day out of the WHL. He's a big forward with NHL size and strength already, with a good scoring touch, but a definite mean streak. Now Kolesar did benefit from playing with highly-touted Matt Barzal, but he also created openings for Barzal with his physical play. A good skater with good hands, Kolesar also has a nice eye for playmaking and makes some solid passes. A strong net-front presence, Kolesar is always very strong on the puck, but I'd like to see him carry the puck more. This could be a lack of confidence, a tendency to defer to linemates more used to handling the puck, or maybe a stickhandling weakness, but I was never able to ascertain the latter, so it's likely a combination of the former two. Kolesar has a real physical bent to his game, is very strong and is a very willing fighter. Kolesar was injured late in the season and missed Seattle's entire first round series against Portland. My biggest concern is what his NHL ceiling is. Is he a Top 6 winger with a physical edge to his game, or is he more of a 3rd/4th line winger who can pot the occasional goal. One of the areas that's slightly alarming is that over 50% of his goals came on the power-play, suggesting to me that he maybe doesn't have an NHL-level goal-scoring ability.

21. Ethan Bear, D, Seattle. 6'00", 204 lbs. 1997-June-26

Ethan Bear had a terrific offensive season finishing 5th among defenceman in points, and second in goals, yet doesn't seem to get in nearly as much discussion as defenders like Provorov, Pilon, Wotherspoon, or Juulsen. Part of that could be that Bear was arguably the 4th most intriguing draft eligible player on his team (Behind Matt Barzal, Ryan Gropp and Keegan Kolesar), but another concern is likely with his size and whether he can play the same style of game at the NHL level. While Bear measures in at just six-feet, he is quite solid, already topping the scales at 204 pounds. Bear is a break-out machine, equally adept at passing the puck out of his zone, or skating it out and starting a rush. Very elusive, he owns a great shot that really jumps off his stick at the point. A good skater, Bear looks most comfortable along the point where he makes precision cross-ice passes and is very heady with the puck. His defensive game is a little scatter-shot but he owns a good active defensive stick. With the way teams like Chicago, and Tampa relied heavily on puck-moving d-men this past Stanley Cup finals, players like Ethan Bear should be at a premium. I fully expect a team will nab him in the second round, though I might be tempted to grab him late in the first.

22. Dustin Perillat, D, Moose Jaw. 5'11", 180 lbs. 1997-January-10

Perillat's the rarest of the rare: a player who didn't make Moose Jaw's roster out of camp, he was called up as an injury replacement in early November and after putting up 2 goals and an assist in his first 5 games, found himself playing full-time on Moose Jaw's blueline for the rest of the season. An undersized d-man who is a natural with the puck, Perillat quickly found himself on the point for the Warriors' top power-play unit. Great vision and passing on the point, Perillat is also a great stickhandler who is quite adept at keeping the puck in along the blueline. Perillat still lacks strength and his defensive game is underdeveloped, but he has good gap control, a smart active stick, he just needs to buy in more defensively. His confidence and game seemed to improve every time I saw him, and in an early January game I saw him get 7 shots on goal in one game (Another interesting Perillat fact is that in the games I saw him play, he 83% of the shots he took ended up on the net!). Perillat's an intriguing weapon. While right now he tends to be safe and efficient in exiting his own zone, his vision and terrific passing could be paired with an increasing confidence to make a real dynamic puck-mover. He's not there yet, but he has really interesting pro potential if his game continues to develop as quickly as it did last year. A very off-the-radar pick, I would honestly be shocked if Perillat was chosen this year, but I think he definitely should be. He's a guy I'd consider scooping up as early as the 5th round because of all his offensive weapons.

23. Brendan Guhle, D, Prince Albert. 6'02", 186 lbs. 1997-July-29

No player might have helped his stock at the draft combine as much as Brendan Guhle. The Moose Jaw defender had 9 Top 10 finishes at the combine and was first in the standing long jump and peak power output tests, as well as coming in 7th for body-fat percentage. This performance likely really put Guhle on the radar for scouts, but he really should have been there, anyways. An effortless, fluid skater, Guhle loves to jump into the rush, and will even carry the puck right to the net. His skating is so good, that he can often afford to jump into the rush, and still come back to beat an attacking forward should the puck get turned over. A strong defender with a bit of chippiness to his game, what likely kept Guhle off of scouts' radar is that he played for one of the weaker teams in the WHL, made weaker by having to deal off NHL first-rounders Josh Morrissey and Leon Draisaitl, so Prince Albert wasn't exactly a big destination for scouts. Guhle has great anticipation, an active stick, and is very good defending one-on-one. In the offensive zone, he needs to operate a little quicker with the puck sometimes, and can be prone to giveaways when he's not playing decisive.

24. Giorgio Estephan, RW, Lethbridge. 6'00", 184 lbs. 1997-February-03

An offseason injury caused Estephan to miss the first 8 games of the season, and when he came back he looked rusty, and his team was reeling, hurt not just by his injury but also by two of the teams vets forcing a trade off the team, and it reflected in Estephan's play as he put up just 4 points in his first 21 games, including a 14 game pointless streak through late October and all of November. Most scouts basically had him crossed off their lists at that point, I know in an early season viewing of him, I came away disappointed as the little sparkplug from 2013-14 wasn't visible, instead he looked like a guy wary of his injury, trying to avoid battles. But, as Lethbridge evolved (Firing their coach and GM, acquiring some younger, hungrier players), Estephan's game took a quantum leap forward and he put up 47 points in his final 43 games. Estephan is offensive dynamite. A good skater with great hands, he stickhandles ably around defenders and never quits on the play. His shots is a little weak, but that should improve as he gets stronger. He's a great passer and possesses a surprisingly strong defensive conscience, always trying to come back and cover defensively. While the off-ice situation in Lethbridge is still pretty rocky, the team took a leap forward by climbing out of the WHL basement last year, and Estephan's game should develop more in the coming year as the team gets better. I think Estephan could realistically go in one of the last two rounds of the draft.

25. Devante Stephens, D, Kelowna. 6'01", 161 lbs. 1997-January-02

The Kelowna Rockets have a reputation for being a defenceman factory sending a long line of players such as Shea Weber, Tyler Myers, Alex Edler, Luke Schenn, Josh Gorges, Tyson Barrie and Duncan Keith to the NHL. In that lineup, Devante Stephens is somewhat of an unheralded quantity. A broken leg cause him to miss his entire 16-year-old season and few were talking about Stephens when he came into camp, but his play put him on the team and he worked hard to get himself on the list. A fleet-footed defender, Stephens was in and out of the lineup early on, worked his way into a semi-permanent role in the season, but found himself on the outside looking in during the second round series against Victoria, as Kelowna opted to go with the more experienced Mitchell Wheaton. But Stephens kept working hard, even playing some shifts at forward for Kelowna, then pushed his away back into the lineup against Portland and became the regular defence partner of the Rockets top defenceman Madison Bowey. That's the role that will be ideal for Stephens: the defence-first rock to play alongside a more gambling offensive defenceman. Stephens is a terrific one-on-one defender with great defensive instincts. He is quite mobile and takes away room from attacking forwards. As he gets older and stronger, he's going to get that much better at asserting his will and keeping forwards out of the crease. His offensive game is limited, though he occasionally displays a startling soft touch on passes and got more confident jumping into the play late in the playoffs, thus, he might have unexplored room to grow there. But his bread and butter is as a rock-solid guy in his own zone, who keeps forwards at bay. I thought he was the best defenceman in the Memorial Cup finals, bar none, and that includes a first round pick (Josh Morrissey), a second round pick (Bowey), and a potential 2015 first rounder (Mitch Vande Sompel).

26. Andrew Nielsen, D, Lethbridge. 6'03", 210 lbs. 1996-November-13

The mammoth defender surprised many, myself included, but showing a real dynamic game with the puck on his stick. Nielsen carries the puck well with his head up, but knows his limitations and doesn't try to overhandle it when pressured. You can see he has a desire to rush the puck up ice, but he needs to improve his stickhandling before he's able to do that effectively. Has a huge, powerful slapshot, which he loves to load up, and the confidence to call for it when he's on the point. Has the vision to get his shots on goal more often than not. A good passer with the ability to make some excellent stretch passes. Defensively, he's got a really solid toolbox including a massive wingspan that forces defenders outside, and the strength to effectively pin forwards along the walls. Trusted by his coaches in key situations, Nielsen does have a tendency to get lost defensively if forced out of position, but that's a coachable weakness. A rock on his skates, Nielsen is almost impossible to push around, and is surprisingly mobile for his size. He's a project at this point, still, but a very intriguing one with a fascinating toolbox. I'd risk a pick on him as early as the 5th round.

27. Matt Bradley, RW, Medicine Hat. 5'11", 187 lbs. 1997-January-22

How does a forward put up 40 points in his draft season yet remain almost completely off-the-radar? I don't know, honestly, but Matt Bradley mostly did that this year. Bradley had a very good year for Medicine Hat but doesn't seem to get nearly the press some of his fellow draft eligibles do. A part of that could be that he's a bit of a tweener. While he's a good skater, he's not a real burner. While a decent goal-scorer (17 goals this year), he likely doesn't project as a real goal-scoring winger at the next level. While not undersized at 5'11, he's not that big, either. And while he's a decent passer, he's not a top-notch playmaker either. Still, though, there's a lot to like about Bradley's game. Despite his size, he's a real solid net-front presence and excellent at retrieving rebounds, as well as possessing an innate knowledge of where the puck is going to be. He handles the puck very well, though has a tendency to sometimes overhandle or take on too many defenders, and turn the puck over. He has a good active defensive stick and a desire to come back and make a difference. He is a good skater, and seems to generate the most speed when he's cutting through the middle of the ice. Has nice hands, and scored some pretty deflection goals this year.

28. Joe Gatenby, D, Kelowna. 6'00", 177 lbs. 1997-May-15

Gatenby's numbers aren't eye-popping: 2 goals and 13 assists in 65 games with the high-flying Kelowna Rockets. But, with Gatenby, it's not really about the numbers. He got off to a slow start due to an early injury that caused him to miss 7 of the team's first 9 games, Gatenby had 2 assists in the first game of the season and didn't put up another point until early in November. Struggled to assert himself in the lineup in the early going, but by mid-season he'd earned a role in Kelowna's Top 4 defensive rotation and was often the go-to guy when protecting a lead in the third period. By the playoffs, Gatenby was an every situation player, always on the penalty kill and even getting the odd look on the power-play. Shaw TV announcers even referenced Rockets' coach Dan Lambert saying Gatenby had been their best defender in the playoffs. An impossibly smooth skater, Gatenby has a real knack for when to pressure attacking forwards and take the puck off of them with a real active stick, and when to back off and repel them from the crease, and despite his less-than-ideal size, he deals some crushing bodychecks.. Makes good, solid, quietly effective zone exits and carries the puck with confidence through the neutral zone. His offensive skills aren't dazzling, but he's certainly capable with the puck on his stick along the point, but works even better as the dependable guy who partners up with a riverboat gamber-type/ With the departure of so many Rocket defencemen (Madison Bowey, Josh Morrissey, Cole Martin), Gatenby is going to find himself with ice-time to spare next year, and Gatenby will be one of the players who will be rewarded with the extra time and I expect his game to be refined even further next year. Gatenby is no cinch to be drafted, but after his solid playoff and Memorial Cup runs, I think you might see a team take a flyer on him in the 6th or 7th round. He might be another in a long line of underrated Rocket d-men to make a team look good or stupid for taking or passing on him late in the draft.

29. Chaz Reddekopp, D, Victoria. 6'03", 215 lbs. 1997-January-01

Reddekopp's somewhat of a throw-back defender: a big, raw-boned defenceman who plays tough. Very strong, especially for his age, and uses that strength physically, whether delivering crunching bodychecks along the boards, or clearing the front of his crease. Reddekopp is a tireless worker, and I once watched him clear the zone without a stick, simply outmuscling his opponents and outworking them. By the end of the season, he had fully earned the trust of coach Dave Lowry, playing lots of minutes and getting out there in key situations including being one of the defenders called on to defend 5 on 3 penalty kills. While his puck skill isn't what gets Reddekopp this slot, he's actually surprisingly able with the puck. Plays thoughtful with the puck, doesn't just dump it off the boards and out if he spots better alternatives. Along the point, he launches everything he can at the net, and his heavy slapshot could be developed into a real offensive tool. That said, his game offensively, and defensively, still, is very raw and will need some development. He can get outmuscled on the puck when he isn't decisive with it, and can be prone to giveaways. But his strength is something to behold.

30. Zak Zborosky, RW, Kootenay. 6'00", 175 lbs. 1996-October-15

Zborosky's an interesting case as he could be seen as being the benefit of Kootenay returning a whole schwack of big-time offensive players this year (Sam Reinhart, Tim Bozon, Luke Philp, Jadeon Descheneau) but his point totals didn't noticeably go up or down when the former two were returned. An average-sized winger who drives the net, and possesses some solid power moves, despite his meagre 175 pounds. A nice playmaker with a soft touch on his passes and good awareness. Always seems to be involved around the net and some nights the puck just follows him. Generates a lot of shots. His defensive game is lacking, but he's a dogged forechecker in the offensive zone and likely just needs to learn to apply the same principles in his own zone. I thought he was Kootenay's best forward in their playoff series against Calgary before he got injured in the second game and didn't play again. What really intrigues me about Zborosky is that with all that talent on his team, and all those weapons, where Zborosky generated 89% of his goals was at even-strength rather than on the power play. I think Zborosky's a potential 7th round pick, but some scouts may not have noticed him alongside his more notorious linemates.

31. Keoni Texeira, D, Portland. 6'00", 203 lbs. 1997-March-24

If this had been Keoni Texeira's first season in the WHL, I likely would have had him up higher on the list. As it is, he had a perfectly fine season in 2014-15, putting up 8 goals and 26 assists. But, as someone who saw him play frequently in 2013-14, I couldn't help but feel slightly underwhelmed by his year. Maybe I was expecting too much out of him, but the way his game grew the previous season, I thought, especially playing for Portland, he would be one of the leaders amongst defencemen scoring, but Layne Viveiros seemed to get most of Texeira's power-play time and the numbers never really came. He's still a solid defenceman, mind you, but I was expecting him to be, at worst, a Top 10 pick out of the WHL this year and right now I'd say he looks like a mid-to-late pick. Handles the puck well, jumps into the rush and is an explosive skater. Skates puck up and out of the zone with his head up, but is prone to some dangerous defensive zone passes. He could stand to be more decisive, and turnovers are something he badly needs to get out of his game. Quite solid for his height and not easily pushed around or off the puck. A good wristshot, but playing with a powerful scoring team, he often defers to his teammates. Basically, I like all of Texeira's tools, but I have some questions if, mentally, he can play the game at a high level.

32. Nikita Soshnin, LW, Saskatoon. 5'10", 159 lbs. 1997-March-23

If you look at Nikita Soshnin's stats, his size, and his heritage and pieced together what you thought was a fairly acurate portrayal of his game based on stereotypes and assumptions -smooth skating, good puck handler, lacking strength - you'd be basically bang-on. Soshnin plays the prototypical Russian hockey style. A beautiful smooth skater, with a good top speed and terrific lateral quickness, Soshin also has some of the best hands you could ask for: his stickhandling is top notch, leaving him capable of going around defenders or just dangling his way right through them. A fixture on the Saskatoon Blades' power-play, Soshin started slow (Just 6 points in his first 29 games), but his totals picked up as his role with the team did and he ended up with 10 goals and 27 points for the league-worst Blades. Has a solid slapshot, and a good vision for playmaking. The knocks against Soshnin are likely what you've already assumed, as well: his lack of size and strength and a raw defensive game. Despite that size, he's surprisingly physical, will throw hits, and even gets into scrums, once challenging WHL heavyweight Mackenze Stewart to a fight (Luckily for Soshnin, who would have been out-sized by Stewart by 5 inches and 81 pounds, the linesmen stepped in and prevented the fight). Soshnin is a hard-working forward who competes hard. Personally, I'd take a late-round flyer on him, but I really doubt he'll be picked. As the Blades mature and their younger players take on bigger roles with the team, I think Soshin is a guy who could explode offensively and find himself on the radar for the 2016 draft if he keeps putting in the work.

33. Jiri Smejkal, RW, Moose Jaw. 6'03", 202 lbs. 1996-November-05

Smejkal was an interesting stud in a player's confidence having a major impact on his game. Early in the season, as an import from the Czech Republic, Smjekal struggled (In one 15 game stretch from early October into early November, he had just 2 assists). But as the season wore on, Smjekal's confidence grew and he started to assert himself physically as well as on the stat sheet and he ended up with a very solid 32 points by the end of the season, including 7 points in his last 10 games. A very projectable frame, Smejkal was passive early on in the season, but by the end of the year was initiating and engaging in board battles, asserting himself in front of the net offensively, and using his incredible reach to stickhandle around opponents. Smejkal has solid puck skills: good hands, terrific passing and playmaking vision and a knack for finding loose rebounds. His skating is okay, but should get better as he continues to get stronger. His shot is a little weak right now, but again, that's something that should be rectified with increased strength and development. I don't foresee Smejkal being drafted, his numbers aren't eye-popping, and his team was quite poor this year, but he's a guy to keep an eye on next year. His development might leave a few teams wishing they had nabbed him in the late rounds of this year's draft.

34. Michael Zipp, D, Calgary. 6'01", 190 lbs. 1996-September-20

Who could have foreseen Michael Zipp's offensive development this season? A defence-first defenceman, Zipp never once put up more than 8 points in a season, his previous three years, then goes out and scores 9 goals (Which puts him fourth amongst draft eligible WHL defencemen trailing only Provorov, Bear and Pilon) and 26 points (9th). Now it's up to scouts if this is the development of a here-to-previously-unseen offensive game, or a by-product of playing for the third highest-scoring team in the WHL. I think it's a little bit of both, but possibly more of the latter than the former. That said, even if it was a career offensive year for Zipp, there's still a lot to like about the player, whether the offensive game continues to develop or not. A physical defenceman with a decent frame, Zipp has a high panic threshold and gets the puck out of the zone efficiently. He always picks up the man and has a knack for getting in shooting lanes. Rock-solid defensively, he got a lot of ice-time for coach Mark French. In the offensive zone, he has a heavy slapshot, sees the ice well and distributes the puck confidently, though he often struggles to keep the puck in along the blueline. He carries the puck confidently, though he can be prone to giveaways. In the playoffs, his confidence seemed to take a hit and he wasn't the rock he'd been during the regular season. He became more prone to giveaways, was occasionally outmuscled, and his previous high-panic threshold was replaced by a player who would quickly dump the puck up off the glass without looking for an outlet. Is this a player who loses his nerve when the going gets tough, or a guy who was worn out after going from a part-time player (52 games the previous year with Calgary, who never seemed to win the confidence of then-coach Mike Willamson and found himself playing 4th line minutes as a forward; and had never previously played more than 32 games in a season)? I'm betting the latter, especially after how good he looked during the season, but it's something to keep an eye on, for sure.

35. Kevin Davis, D, Everett. 6'00", 180 lbs. 1997-March-14

Kevin Davis is the most easily overlookable player coming out of the WHL this year. He has an average frame (6'00"), average weight (180 lbs), was born right at the mid-point of the the draft year, plays defence with one of the higher-ranked WHL prospects in Noah Juulsen, and even his name is average-sounding. But he's actually quite an exciting player. Davis quietly finished 11th amongst WHL draft eligible defencemen in points-per-game and in the Top 30 overall amongst draft eligibles in assists. As expected of someone with so many assists, Davis is a great passer, who loves to jump into the play. A good skater, he excels at dealing the puck to forwards along the point, though his shot isn't anything to write home about at this point. He's a very smart player, and knows how to keep his stick in the lane defensively and makes simple, smart plays in his own end and is rewarded for these attributes with being a regular fixture on Everett's penalty-kill. The biggest concern I have about Davis is what exactly his role is going to be at the next level. While smart, he lacks the strength to deal with larger forwards and can be pushed off the puck quite easily. Additionally, defencemen who play under Kevin Constantine at the WHL level, often see their games/stats artificially raised by playing his strict defensive system and often-times there flaws are not as visible until they move up to the next level. No WHL coach has had more drafted players flame out at the next level in the last while as Constantine, so that's another reason to doubt Davis. But when you come back to his smarts, it's hard to continute to doubt him, and you wonder if he might be able to carve out a niche at the next level. If Davis gets drafted, it'll be late in the draft, but I do think he's worth a flier.

36. Tomas Soustal, LW, Kelowna. 6'03", 198 lbs. 1997-February-15

Kelowna's pick in the import draft this year fit right into the North American style with his brawny, aggressive style. A big, strong winger, Soustal's greatest strength is that he understands his role and doesn't overextend his game. He's at his best when grinding the puck along the boards or parking his ample frame in front of the net. That's not to say that Soustal doesn't possess some skill, but on a stacked Kelowna team, his role was more of an energy winger. But there were times he showed some real flashes of brilliance, including a 4 point night during the season, and a surprising showing in Kelowna's playoff series with Victoria which saw him put up 3 goals against the Royals in a 5 game series, after scoring 8 during the entire season! Soustal's biggest assets are his size and strength and willingness to use both to punish defenders along the wall, or battle for position in front of the net. He has decent hands, passes well and gets some greasy goals, though I'm not sure he's a natural finisher. His skating was noticeably sub-par early in the season, but I felt it got a lot better as the season went on and was not nearly as detrimental come playoff time when Soustal asserted himself on the roster. He's a great teammate, as well, standing up for teammates, covering on defence, and absorbing big hits to spring linemates for breakaways. It's easy to look at Soustal's points and be non-plussed, but he was a first-year import on a team built for success, the fact that he became a cog in that lineup, is a huge validation of his hard work.

37. Braylon Shmyr, LW, Brandon. 5'09", 163 lbs. 1997-May-16

A fast, under-sized winger with great passing skills and a drive for the net, I really want to put Shmyr higher on the list, and with 40 points in this past season, maybe I should, but I just couldn't justify ranking him above players whom I believe to have more pro potential than he does. Speedy skater with terrific hands and a good finish, the biggest knock on Shmyr, aside from his size, is I find he doesn't step up and be counted when the going gets tough. He was nearly invisible in the finals against Kelowna and was even taken out of the lineup for the elimination game against the Rockets. Shmy's a capable linemate when paired with good offensive players, but I don't feel like he creates chances on his own very often. His defensive game is also underwhelming.

38. Cameron Hebig, C, Saskatoon. 5'10", 174 lbs. 1997-January-21

Playing for the league-worst Saskatoon Blades probably hurt Cameron Hebig's numbers this year, but he still managed to put up 40 points. That said, that -28 plus-minus rating is UGLY, but it is explainable. Ever since Hebig made the Blades in 2013-14, he's clearly impressed Blades brass with his two-play and as a 16-year-old, he saw time on the penalty-kill. Well, there was nothing in Hebig's game this year that saw him regress, and he was a fixture on Saskatoon's PK this year, as well as often being tapped as the guy to go out and play against the other team's top players, thus his plus-minus is naturally going to be a lot lower than other players his age. A speedy player with fast feet, Hebig is a good stickhandler who will drive the net, but is more adept at playing a passing game, setting up others for shots. That said, he has a scoring touch of his own, as evidenced by his 18 goals, and has a good, hard slapshot. Defensively, he's very smart at taking away space, and has a good active stick. I have some questions about his grit, as he rarely plays physical, and shows some hesitance to get in the way of opponents' shots. But he's an intriguing package of offence and defensive responsibility. If Hebig gets drafted at all, it'll be late.

39. Brennan Menell, D, Vancouver. 5'10", 187 lbs. 1997-May-24

Menell's play this year is a tale of two coaches. Under Troy Ward, Menell struggled to get into the lineup, and even when he did, often lined up at forward on the 4th line and after his first 16 games, Menell had just 2 assists. But once Ward was let go and Claude Noel introduce as head coach, Menell's game picked up almost immediately, and he went on to put up 19 points in his last 41 games. A fixture on Noel's power-play, Menell was able to display his potent offensive gifts: a great stickhandler or a real excellent passing game. By the end of the year, Menell was almost completely unrecognizable from the confidence-lacking spare part he was earlier in the season, as he would skate up the ice confidently and deke out defenders to make breath-taking rushes. Along the point, Menell is assertive, willful, he handles the puck incredibly well, distributes well and gets his shot on net reliably. His defensive game needs work, but the will is there. In a late-season game against Kelowna, I saw the much smaller Menell take the puck away from Leon Draisaitl on a 1 on 1 breakaway, then pin him along the boards to force the turnover, then watched him win another battle with Draisaitl later on. So even if the results aren't always there, and he can force some bad decisions in his own zone, there exists the framework for a real solid defender, which I think is something that he can be taught. Menell's under the radar enough that I would try to sneak him in the 7th round, but he's also a guy you might be able to snag later with a simple camp invite. I do think he has pro potential, though.

40. Sergey Zborovskiy, D, Regina. 6'04", 190 lbs. 1997-February-21

Zborovskiy's greatest asset is his size. A massive six-feet-four, he towers over most WHLers this year. A very physical player with an incredible wingspan, Zborovskiy is a fearsome hitter and excels at rubbing out opposing forwards along the boards. His top speed is okay, while his acceleration is a little slow, but Zborovskiy actually has some fairly nimble feet and is quite skilled at making quick cuts and pivots in his own zone to lose forecheckers. The Russian import's offensive game is underdeveloped, but there is some value there. He's a decent passer with a big shot, who is very patient with the puck. By season's end he'd become a fixture on Regina's second power play. But it's Zborovskiy's size that will be his greatest asset at the pro level and how he uses it. Right now he's hard to get around, and loves to box forwards out away from rebounds, but he also possesses an intriguing mean-streak that saw him put up 70 penalty minutes in the regular season, and suspended in the playoffs for a head-shot. If you can harness that mean-streak to have him play on the edge, but not over it, Zborovskiy is an intriguing project that I'd have to consider in the last two rounds of the draft.

*1: http://grantland.com/features/mike-keenan-russia-khl/
*2: http://www.calgarysun.com/2012/12/27/macs-tournament-musil-plays-differently-from-famed-family