2013 NHL Draft Rankings – War Room May Edition (Round 3: 61-90)

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by Eldon MacDonald (edited by @ChrisRalphTHW)

This is the second of four posts highlighting the top 120 prospects for this year’s entry draft in June in Newark, New Jersey – the 2013 NHL Draft Rankings: War Room May Edition.

Gangs of New Jersey

Here are some of the groupings for the round 3 crowd.

1. The Goalies: Yes, you are right, Team Canada’s U18 Team’s two goalies are just as likely to go in the second round. However, it is more a question as to when NHL teams feel the need for a goalie as to which round they will go with.

Both goalies traveled similar roads over the year, very high early season successes followed by injuries and playoff disappointments. However, both of them put their act back together again with Team Canada in Sochi, Russia to win gold on the Team Canada U18 team. I have Spencer slightly ahead because I prefer the more athletic goalie type. However, given Philippe’s Sochi performance, there is a strong possibility that NHL teams may prefer Philippe first.

  • Spencer Martin, Mississauga, OHL.
  • Philippe Desrosiers, Rimouski, QMJHL.
Spencer Martin
Spencer Martin (Aaron Bell/OHL Images)

2. The Just Got Promoted to Round 2 Crowd:

  • Tommy Vannelli, Defense, USA NDP U18, USHL – The more he played for Team USA after finishing high school, the better he got. Logged major minutes at the U18’s – USA might have won gold if Tommy had spent the whole year on the U18 team.
  • Jonathan Ismael-Diaby, Defense, Victoriaville, QMJHL.Too big, too good a skater to leave behind in round three.
  • Adam Tambellini, Left Wing/Centre, Surrey, BCHL – Adam led Surrey to the BCHL championship plus the Western Canada Cup. He has kind of put me in a pickle as to who to root for in the RBC Championship Tournament – my old hometown, Surrey Eagles or the Truro Bearcats (just 45 minutes from my house). I am leaning to supporting the Bearcats. What were the lyrics to that song? Oh yeah, “Love the one you’re with”.
  • Zack Nastasiuk, Right Wing, Owen Sound, OHL – Zack is like a spore; he just keeps growing on you. He was that do whatever it takes to win attitude about him that endears him to coaches and fans alike.
  • Nick Baptiste, Right Wing, Sudbury, OHL – Nick was my biggest surprise in my May rankings. He was excellent for the Team Canada U18 Team in Russia; innovative, opportunistic, motivated – not at all the same player that you saw in the first half of the year.
  • Hudson Fasching, Right Wing, USA NDP U18, USHL – No, I am not completely sold on him yet but he impressed me enough in Russia to put him back in round two – too big, too skilled, too much potential – needs the consistency to be all he can be.

3. The Just Got Demoted to Round 3 Crowd:

  • Spencer Martin, Goaltender, Mississauga, OHL – See above.
  • Eric Roy, Defense, Brandon, WHL – His relegation is mainly do to others passing him in the post season.
  • Linus Arnesson, Defense, MODO J20, Sweden – Same as Eric.
  • Nick Sorensen, Right Wing, Quebec, QMJHL – Another injury in the playoffs is starting to scare off scouts as this guy had two previous major injuries.
  • Jan Kostalek, Defense, Rimouski, QMJHL – Like the guy but he didn’t progress as much as I would have liked during the season and was underwhelming in the playoffs like most of his Rimouski teammates not named Samuel Morin.
  • Keaton Thompson, Defense, USA NDP U18, USHL – Keaton had a terrible U18 tournament. In fact, he sat on the bench for whole periods at a time.

4. The Just Got Promoted to Round 3 Crowd.

  • Roberts Lipsbergs, Left Wing, Seattle, WHL – Had an excellent playoff after he adapted to the North American game in the second half of the season. There is a developing physicality to this guy which just adds to his goal scoring exploits that is just too intriguing to leave him back in round four.
  • Tyler Motte, USA NDP U18, USHL – Liked his performance at the U18’s; not everyone can win gold but Tyler certainly tried his damndest.
  • Matt Buckles, Centre, St. Michael’s, OJHL – Size and finish is there, a bit of skating improvement et voila, you got yourself a major league hockey player on any team.

5. The Just Got Demoted to Round 4 Crowd:

  • Peter Trainor, Left Wing, Rimouski, QMJHL – Trainor and the whole Rimouski team did not have a stellar playoff.
  • Greg Chase, Centre, Calgary, WHL – Some really like this guy but I haven’t been able to define him well enough to know what I am getting.
  • Eamon McAdam, Goaltender, Waterloo, USHL – Turned up big in international tournaments and USHL Top Prospects game but did not lay down very appealing results in league play.

 

Historic Success Rate

Some of these guys will turn out as planned but historically only about 24% or 7 players from below will make it as full time NHLers.

Other Rankings

NHL – Combined rankings of the NHL Central Scouting’s segregated final rankings

Bob MacKenzie – Mid-season poll of NHL scouts at TSN

Chris Ralph – Top 100 mid-season rankings – The Next Ones (Final rankings to be released early June)

Other Posts in this Series:

 

2013 NHL Draft Rankings – War Room May Edition (Round 3: 61-90) 

61. Martin, Spencer

  • #30, Mississauga, OHL, G, R, 6’2, 198 lb.
  • Oakville, ON, 9-Jun-95
  • Other rankings – NHL 65, Bob MacKenzie 46, Chris Ralph 64
  • WJC U18: 2g 1.00 .941
  • Playoffs: 2g 6.04 .804
  • YTD: 46 0 3.02 .906
  • Twitter A/C: @S_Marty95

  • Quote: Mississauga Coach, James Boyd via Inside.Halton.com, “He’s an all-around tremendous athlete. He’s big and he’s quick as a cat.”

62. Desrosiers, Philippe

  • #30, Rimouski, QMJHL, Q, R, 6’1, 182 lb.
  • St. Hyacinthe, QC, 15-Aug-15
  • Other rankings – NHL 76, Bob MacKenzie HM (61 to 70)
  • WJC U18: 5g 2 0.80 .970
  • Playoffs: 4 0 2.26 .892
  • YTD: 43 1 3.07 .900
  • Twitter A/C: @pdesro30

  • Quote: Team Canada U18 Assistant Coach, Jody Hull via TheGlobeandMail.com, “He was awesome. He was awesome early when they were coming at us, I think at one point it was 6-0 or 7-0 on shots on net. He was very solid and calming influence back there for us. He gave us the opportunity to get the big victory today.”

63. Roy, Eric

  • #7, Brandon, WHL, D, L, 6’3, 190 lb.
  • Beauval, SK, 24-Pct-94
  • Other rankings – NHL 55, Bob MacKenzie 51, Chris Ralph 50
  • YTD: 72g 39pts -32
  • Twitter A/C: @Royzy07

  • Quote: By Brendan Ross via THW, “Wheat Kings’ Eric Roy fits the prototype of a typical WHL defenseman as he possess the ruggedness we’ve come to like from these Western boys but Roy’s game runs much deeper than just fighting and hitting. The Saskatchewan native is rounding out his game under Coach Cory Clouston and is continually looking to improve defensively”.

64. Arnesson, Linus

  • #8, Djurgarden, Allsvenskan, D, L, 6’2, 190 lb.
  • Stockholm, Sweden, 21-Sep-94
  • Other rankings – NHL 68, Bob MacKenzie 39, Chris Ralph 76
  • YTD: 31g 1pt -3
  • WJC U20: 6g 0pts +0

Twitter A/C: @ArnessonLinus

  • Quote: Ryan Kennedy via TheHockeyNews.com, “Sweden went undefeated at the under-20 Four Nations this weekend and Arnesson was the top defenseman. A sturdy shutdown blueliner, the youngster also showed off what he can do in the offensive end, tallying three points in three games to lead the tourney in scoring from the back end”.

65. Sorensen, Nick

  • #94, Quebec, QMJHL, RW, R, 6’1, 175 lb.
  • Holbaek, Denmark, 23-Oct-94
  • Other rankings – NHL 64, Bob MacKenzie 50, Chris Ralph 45
  • Playoffs: 8g 10pts +0
  • YTD: 46g 47pts +10
  • WJC U20: 6g 0pts -1
  • Twitter A/C: @NickSorensen94
  • Quote: Ryan English via TheScoutingReport.org, “He has a good stride, is quite agile and plays a smart two-way game positionally. Sorensen is a natural finisher with a knack in front of the net, and seems like the type of player that will only rise with a full seasons worth of exposure to scouts”. 

66. Downing, Michael

  • #4, Dubuque, USHL,D, L, 6’3,190 lb.
  • Canton, MI, 19-May-95
  • Commit: U of Michigan
  • Other rankings – NHL 65, Bob MacKenzie HM (61 to 70), Chris Ralph 69
  • Playoffs: 8g 2pts +4
  • YTD: 52g 23pts +16
  • Twitter A/C: @M_Downing4
  • Quote: Rich Michalowski @ TheScoutingReport.org, “The Michigan recruit packs loads of potential into his large frame.  His strength is in his ability to move the puck quickly and accurately whether it’s to a quick moving forward through the neutral zone or a soft pass left behind the net for his defensive partner while being pursued by a forechecker.  Downing sees the ice and is very good at anticipating the play and chooses the right option.  He is so quick in transitioning and reading the play that he sometimes executes before his teammates are ready.  He should have no trouble in this regard as he advances in his career”.

67. Wallmark, Lucas

  • #15, Karlskrona, Allsvenskan, C, L, 5’10, 172 lb.
  • Umeå, SWE, 5-Sep-95
  • Other rankings – NHL 86, Chris Ralph 90
  • WJC U18: 5g 5pts +0
  • Playoffs: 7g 5pts +2
  • YTD: 16g 10pts -6
  • Twitter A/C: @LWallmark
  • Quote: Lucas Wallmark via TheHockeyNews.com, “Power play is my biggest strength. I can play on the penalty kill too, but the power play is my best; I’m a playmaker.” 

68. Kostalek, Jan

  • #3, Rimouski, QMJHL, D, R, 6’0, 182 lb.
  • Prague, Czech Republic, 17-Feb-95
  • Other rankings – NHL 58, Chris Ralph 58
  • WJC U18: 5g 2pts +1
  • Playoffs: 6g 1pt -5
  • YTD: 48g 18pts +17
  • Twitter A/C: None found

  • Quote: Via my profile at THW Combine, “I saw a poised, mature defender of modest stature play a professional type of two-way game. Everything was smooth; his skating, his breakout passes, his ability to move the puck up ice, his skill in keeping defenders at bay. Košťálek looks like a reliable 20 year-old defender playing in the CHL waiting for the NHL to finally get its act together. In fact, the only thing that wasn’t smooth was his bunker buster hits which caused the building to shake a bit”. 

69. Buchnevich, Pavel

  • #89, Cherepovets, MHL, C, L, 6’0, 165 lb.
  • Cherepovets, Russia, 17-Apr-95
  • Other rankings – NHL 40, Bob MacKenzie 57, Chris Ralph 47
  • WJC U18: 7g 11pts +4
  • Playoffs: KHL – 6g 0pts +0
  • YTD: 24g 23pts -2
  • 5 Nations: 4g 7pts
  • Twitter A/C: None found
  • Quote: Former Severstal Coach, Andrei Nazarov via IIHF.com, “Buchnevich had a good season, but it was not excellent. He had a great desire to go on ice, but he didn’t work enough for it in training. Desire is not enough to start playing. Let’s hope that Pavel will understand it. I think that he has to play better than (Valeri) Nichushkin. 

70. Olofsson, Gustaf

  • Green Bay, USHL, D, L, 6’2, 185 lb.
  • Borås, SWE, 1-Dec-94
  • Commit: Colorado College. Younger brother, Frederik has committed to the Tigers as well.
  • Other rankings:  NHL 69, Bob MacKenzie HM (61 to 70), Chris Ralph 87
  • Playoffs: 4 g 0pts -2
  • YTD: 63g 23pts +11
  • Twitter A/C: @golofsson94
  • Quote: Colorado Thunderbirds Director of Hockey Operations, Angelo Ricci at Colorado Rubber Hockey, “Gustav has developed into a very special player. The scary thing is that his potential is unlimited and I truly believe CC (Colorado College) felt the same way. He possesses great patience with the puck, his first pass is tape-to-tape and he’s a terrific 1-on-1 defender. CC is very fortunate to be getting such a terrific student athlete”. 

71. LaPlante, Yan Pavel

  • #23, PEI, QMJHL, LW, L, 6’0, 170 lb.
  • Chateauguay, QC, 23-Apr-95
  • Other rankings – NHL 67
  • WJC U18: 7g 1pt +4
  • Playoffs: 6g 5pts +1
  • YTD: 18g 13pts +11
  • Twitter A/C: @RuanPavel23

  • Quote: Yan Pavel LaPlante via HockeyCanada.ca, “It is always an honor to wear the Team Canada uniform, especially after winning the last tournament in the Czech Republic. Arriving in Toronto, we just had a week to prepare the tactical and socially. From the first day we started strong. After several sessions on the ice and in the gym, we quickly got together and created a very good team chemistry. The days were very busy and very difficult physically. Over the week progressed, we could see that the players became much more comfortable on the ice and with the other players. The event marked my week in Toronto was definitely the meeting with Ron Ellis who came to speak to us of the 1972 series between Canada and the Soviet Union. I had chills just listening to his story when they came back from a deficit of three games and then win in the Soviet Union during the eighth game.” (Google translation)

72. Wheaton, Mitchell

  • #6, Kelowna, WHL, D, E, 6’5, 225 lb.
  • Sherwood Park, AB, 6-Feb-95
  • Other rankings – NHL 96, Chris Ralph 89
  • Playoffs: 4g 0pts -2
  • YTD: 39g  8pts +20
  • Twitter A/C: @Mwheats2

  • Quote: Bill Kellett via DobberSports.com, “Wheaton is one of those defensemen that is doing his job best when you don’t notice him out there. Wheaton finished with an impressive plus-20 this year and rarely makes bad decisions on the ice. His decision making ability and on ice vision has been compared to that of Chris Tanev of the Vancouver Canucks. Wheaton is a late bloomer who was a 10th round pick by the Kelowna Rockets but his play this year has made them look like geniuses as he was an integral part of the success the franchise this season. Wheaton is a huge body and is not afraid to throw it around. Not an offensive guy by any means but Wheaton plays his defensive role very well”.

73. Thompson, Keaton

  • USA NDP U18, USHL, D, L, 6’0, 185 lb.
  • Devil’s Lake, ND, 14-Sep-95
  • Commit: U of North Dakota
  • Other rankings – NHL 72, Bob MacKenzie 43, Chris Ralph 48
  • WJC U18: 7g 1pt -2
  • YTD: 67g 20pts +18
  • Twitter A/C: KThomps48
  • Quote: By Russ Bitely via DobberSports.com, “The US NTDP-18 defenseman is mobile and defends opponents efficiently. He is not overly physically though but he skates well. He is good at pushing the puck up ice although will likely not provide high-end offensive output. He will be off to North Dakota (WCHA) next season”. 

74. Poirier, Émile

  • #27, Gatineau, QMJHL, LW, L, 6’1, 183 lb.
  • Montréal, QC, 14-Dec-94
  • Other rankings – NHL 53, Bob MacKenzie HM (61 to 70), Chris Ralph 53
  • Playoffs: 10g 10pts -2
  • YTD: 65g 70pts +0
  • Twitter A/C:  @epoirier27

  • Quote: From MomentumHockey.com, “The creative playmaker (Poirier) with soft hands and top speed second gear had 89 % of his points at even strength or on the Penalty Kill after Christmas. Poirier saw his status skyrocket in the second half of the season and was also one of the main reasons why the No. 13 seeded Gatineau Olympiques defeated the No. 4 seeded Rimouski Oceanic in the first round of the QMJHL Playoffs. Poirier had 10 points in 10 playoffs games, including 6 goals, and earned the first star of the game three times during that stretch. His very competitive nature, combined with his offensive instincts, gave him the chance to double his number of goals from last season and he just does lots of things NHL scouts like for an offensive forward”. 

75. Bell, Myles

  • #29, Kelowna, WHL, LW, R, 6’0, 210 lb.
  • Calgary, AB, 13-Aug-93 – 3rd time draft eligible
  • Other rankings – NHL 61
  • Playoffs: 11g 9pts +1
  • YTD: 69g 93pts +46
  • Twitter A/C: @my_ohs29
  • Quote: From Dave Cunning via KelownaDailyCourier.ca, “His current numbers would look remarkable on any player’s resume, but they perhaps stand out more so on Bell’s considering that he had been playing defence for his entire WHL career prior to this season. Rockets coach Ryan Huska’s gamble of moving Bell up to forward from his familiar blue line patrol certainly seems to have paid off”.

76. Buckles, Matt

  • #19, St. Michael’s, OJHL, C, R, 6’2, 210 lb.
  • Toronto, ON, 5-May-95
  • Other rankings: NHL 161
  • Playoffs: 17g 17pts
  • YTD: 50g 71pts
  • Twitter A/C: @BuckNasty1pt

  • Quote: Director of NHL Central Scouting, Dan Marr via ViseSports.com, “Matt Buckles plays a power forward game. He’s a very effective offensive player when utilizing a size/strength game to the net and is a proven scorer.  Matt has an NHL calibre shot and great finishing ability”.

77. Fitzgerald, Ryan

  • #27, Valley Jr, EJHL, C/RW, L, 5’10, 170 lb.
  • Florida, 19-Oct-94
  • Commit: Boston College
  • Other rankings – NHL 77, Bob MacKenzie 56, Chris Ralph 54
  • Playoffs: 6g 6pts
  • YTD: 26g 30pts
  • Twitter A/C: @RTF_17

  • Quote: NHL Western Conference Scout via TheNewEnglandHockeyJournal.com, “Ryan Fitzgerald is a skilled player with speed, vision, quick hands and an accurate shot. He moves the puck well in the offensive zone. He has high-end hockey sense. Despite his lack of size, he is effective physically and not afraid to battle in the corners. He has a feisty side to his game”.

78. Yakimov, Bogdan

  • Izhstal Izhevs (Loan), VHL, C, L, 6’5, 202 lb.
  • Nizhnekamsk, Russia, 4-Oct-94
  • Other rankings – NHL 47, Chris Ralph 73
  • YTD: 16g 13pts +6
  • Twitter A/C: None found

79. Roy, Marc-Oliver

  • #11, Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL, C/LW, L, 6’1, 180 lb.
  • Bosbriand, QC, 5-Nov-94
  • Other rankings – NHL 73, Chris Ralph 49
  • Playoffs: 15g 19pts +4
  • YTD: 65g 67pts +12
  • Twitter A/C: @MarcoRoy11

  • Quote: Ryan English via TheScouting Report.org, “Roy plays 1st line, 1st powerplay and 2nd PK minutes for a deep Armada team with coach Jean-Francois Houle, who is very strict with regards to compete level and defensive play. That alone tells you a lot about Roy as a prospect. Roy has a quick, tidy stride and has great agility and footwork. He competes on the boards despite being undersized and is very dangerous on the rush offensively”.

80. Weeger, MacKenzie

  • #52, Halifax, QMJHL, D, R, 5’11, 181 lb.
  • Nepean, ON, 2-Jan-94 – 2nd time draft eligible
  • Other rankings – NHL 224
  • Playoffs: 12g 4pts +10
  • YTD: 62g 44pts +55
  • Twitter A/C: @weegar52

  • Quote: Halifax Mooseheads Coach, Dominique Ducharme via Yahoo.com, “He had a great season. There were little details in his game. He had the Junior A habits a little bit where he would sometimes take too much time with the puck or his execution or reaction would be a little bit slow. He really adapted well. It took a little bit of time. He really improved on everything else — his skating, his positioning”. 

81. Moutrey, Nick

  • #91, Saginaw, OHL, LW, L, 6’2, 208 lb.
  • Shelburne, ON, 24-Jun-95
  • Other rankings – NHL 80, Chris Ralph 81
  • Playoffs: 4g 0pts -5
  • YTD: 65g 43pts +2
  • Twitter A/C: @Moutrey91
  • Quote: Dominic Tiano via InTheRadio.com, “Moutrey is already close to having NHL size and he uses it effectively. He doesn’t possess blazing speed but is a very effective north and south skater. He has a very high hockey IQ and an excellent passer. He’s not afraid of the dirty areas, boards, in front of the net or going in on the forecheck”. 

82. Kujawinski, Ryan

  • #17, Kingston, OHL, LW/C, L, 6’2, 205 lb.
  • Iroquois Falls, ON, 30-May-95
  • Other rankings: NHL 87, Bob MacKenzie 44, Chris Ralph 37
  • Playoffs: 4g 2pts -4
  • YTD: 66g 48pts -12
  • Twitter A/C: @Kuj17
  • Quote: Brock Otten and his panel of junior hockey experts at OHLProspects.Blogspot.ca, “Consistency is definitely the key word from this point on. Kujawinski has shown flashes of dominance which have been marred by sustained periods of ineffectiveness. When he’s on, he has a Top 15 skillset in this draft, but NHL teams will have to really do their work in determining whether or not they’re getting the Top 15 Kujawinski, or the inconsistent enigma”. 

83. Etchegary, Kurt

  • Quebec, QMJHL, C, L, 5’11, 185 lb.
  • St. John’s, NL, 12-Nov-94
  • Other rankings – NHL 100
  • Playoffs: 10g 8pts -1
  • YTD: 31g 25pts +10
  • Twitter A/C: @etchy19
  • Quote: Shawn Reznik via THW, “Etchegary may not be the biggest guy on the ice, but he certainly knows how to throw his weight around.  Strong in all facets of the game, Etchegary prides himself on his work ethic and determination.  He owns a deceptively quick wrist shot and is very strong on faceoffs”. 

84. Motte, Tyler

  • #14, USA NDP U18, USHL, LW, L, 5’9, 190 lb.
  • St.Clair, MI, 10-Mar-95
  • Commit: U of Michigan
  • Other rankings – NHL 115;
  • WJC U18: 7g 7pts +5
  • YTD: 57g 44pts +25
  • Twitter A/C: @tmotte_14

  • Quote: From TheScoutingReport.org, “Motte is a very good skater and utilizes his quick feet to make up for a lack of size and strength. A wide base and great puck possession are assets to his game that help create space for Motte against larger players. Offensively, Motte’s heavy shot is his main asset as the winger is a fairly prolific scorer. Hockey sense, however, is a concern for Motte as he can be uninvolved at times, which really neutralizes his impact on a game”. 

85. Lipsbergs, Roberts

  • #29, Seattle, WHL, LW, L, 5’10, 192 lb.
  • Riga, Latvia, 29-Jul-94 – 2nd time draft eligible
  • Other rankings: NHL 116
  • Playoffs: 7g 7pts +5
  • YTD: 64g 58pts -11
  • WJC U20: 6g 2pts -4

  • Quote: Seattle Thunderbirds Coach, Steve Konowalchuk, via TheSeattleTimes.com, “He definitely has an NHL shot, one that’s accurate and hard. He’s strong on the puck and has a strong trunk. The determining factor for him is whether he is willing to do all the little things more than scoring goals, like blocking shots and finishing checks. I had to remind him a couple of times this season, but he has shown he is willing to be a complete player. There will be a lot of eyes on him”. 

86. Crus-Rydberg, Victor

  • #27, Linkoping J20, SWE J20, C, R, 6’0, 187 lb.
  • Växjö, Swede, 21-Mar-95
  • Other rankings – NHL107, Chris Ralph 79
  • WJC U18: 4g 1pt -1
  • Playoffs: 4g 2pts -1
  • YTD: 35g 35pts +10
  • Twitter A/C: @CrusRydberg
  • Quote: Bill Placzek via DraftSite.com, “Thick centre-forward who plays an excellent two-way game with smarts and good vision. Strong on the puck and solid on his skates he is an excellent wall player in the cycle who shows offensive upside”.

87. Paquin-Boudreau, Gabryel

  • #13, Baie-Comeau, QMJHL, LW, L, 5’11, 167 lb.
  • McMasterville, QC, 21-Feb-95
  • Other rankings – NHL 71, Chris Ralph 67
  • Playoffs: 6g 10pts +7
  • YTD: 67g 63pts +31
  • Twitter A/C: None found

  • Quote: Baie-Comeau Drakkar Coach, Eric Veilleux via OeilRegional.com, “He had a great season. He is a fine passer and fast skater. I’m not worried in his case”. (Google translation)

88. Dunn, Vincent

  • #26, Val d’Or, QMJHL, C, L, 5’11, 175 lb.
  • Gatineau, QC, 14-Sep-95
  • Other rankings – NHL 101, Chris Ralph 98
  • Playoffs: 10g 3pts +1
  • YTD: 53g 52pts +21
  • Twitter A/C: @DunnVincent

  • Quote: Kyle Woodlief via USAToday.com, “Every time we go in to see Anthony Mantha play, we come out wondering who this Dunn kid is. Now we know”.

89. Ikonen, Juuso

  • #16, Blues, SM-liiga, LW, R, 5’9,170 lb.
  • Espoo, Finland, 3-Jan-95
  • Other rankings – NHL 121, Chris Ralph 52
  • Playoffs: (Blues U20) 10g 13pts +5
  • WJC U18: 7g 7pts +2
  • YTD: 57g  26pts +1
  • 5 Nations: 4g 3pts
  • WJC U20: 8g 5pts +0
  • Twitter A/C: None found
  • Quote: Russ Bitely via DobberHockey.com, “He skates well as he has the lower center of gravity being 5’7” 165 lbs., though not overly explosive in his stride. He possesses nice stick skills, can be a playmaker, and holds good hockey sense too. The big knock as mentioned will be his size and strength, and if he will be able to handle the big bodies and physicality of the North American pro ranks”.

90. Murphy, Matt

  • #24, Halifax, QMJHL, D, L, 6’1, 200 lb.
  • Federicton, 1-May-95
  • Other rankings – NHL 156, Chris Ralph 63
  • Playoffs: 12g 2pts +3
  • YTD: 69g 33pts +22
  • Twitter A/C: @Mpmurphy2

  • Quote: Ryan English via TheScoutingReport.org, “A very solid two way defender, Murphy is the type of player that you wish you never had to take off the ice. He’s a great defender but he can also chip in offensively with his plus shot and poise. It seems like he never makes a mistake. He can make a solid outlet pass but he’s also not afraid to rush it up the ice himself. He plays with a lot of confidence for a 17 year old but when you see him play, you can see why. He has the speed to keep up with the best forwards in the league and the hockey sense to out play them”.

Previous Posts in This Series

Other rankings:

NHL – Combined rankings of the NHL Central Scoutings mid-season 4 lists at the TheHockeyWriters.com

Bob MacKenzie– Mid-season poll of NHL scouts at TSN

Chris Ralph–Top 100 mid-season rankings at the TheHockeyWriters.com

Other Posts in this Series: