THW’s 2015 NHL Draft Ultimate Prospect Tracker – Intro

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by Eldon MacDonald (edited by @ChrisRalphTHW)

The 2015 NHL Draft Rankings War Room: First Look brings you the Top 60 ranked prospects as compiled by THW’s Eastern Canada based hockey bird dog, Eldon MacDonald. The Next Ones Early Look (a.k.a. Chris’s List will follow shortly). 

Update: Prospects Covered Expanded from 180 to 400

Jack Eichel of Team USA - 2014 World Juniors (WJHC)
Jack Eichel is just one of highly coveted prospects available for the 2015 NHL Draft. (USA Hockey/Ellen DeLuca)

This update (done with no change to the rankings) expands the previous list of prospects covered from 180 to 400, adds the stats from the recently completed Ivan Hlinka Tournament, updates the projected 2014-15 teams for many of the prospects and also updates the height and weight for most of the MHL, OHL, QMJHL and WHL prospects. The USHL is usually the last to release their height and weight updates.

First Year Draft Eligible Americans and Europeans Coming to the CHL

There is a tremendous crop of imports coming to the CHL this year. The list includes two prospects ranked in the first round:

  • Yevgeni Svechnikov of Cape Breton
  • Pavel Zacha of Sarnia.

It also includes five prospects ranked in the second round:

  • Jakub Zboril, Saint John
  • Dennis Yan, Shawinigan
  • Gustav Franzén, Kitchener
  • Ivan Provorov, Brandon
  • Pavel Karnaukhov, Calgary.

Below you will find some of the players that appear to be coming to the CHL to date. Every time I look there is more so there is probably some I have missed and some more who will decide later. If you are more of a CHL team follower than a NHL prospect follower, some of the players who will have as big or bigger impact than the ones I have ranked in the first two rounds (but are currently ranked lower due to size considerations) are Petrus Palmu (Owen Sound) and Dmytro Timashov (Quebec City). Also of note, 2014 draft eligible Juraj Siska (6’2, 194) from Slovakia has finally been deemed well enough to play after missing all of last season and scored two goals in his first game back with Saint John.

 

Coming to the QMJHL

Acadie-Bathurst – Mily, Juraj – RW, R, 5,8, 153

Acadie-Bathurst – Popov, Yegor – F, R, 6’0, 185

Cape Breton – Svechnikov, Yevgeni – LW, L, 6’3, 205

Charlottetown – Chlapik, Filip, C,L, 6’1, 183

Gatineau – Trenin, Yakov – C, L, 6’2, 179

Halifax – Resop, Kevin – G, L, 6’2, 197

Quebec City – Timashov, Dmytro – W, L, 5’9, 186

https://twitter.com/Agentrosell/statuses/498023378524340224

Saint John – Lee, Nikita – RW, L, 6’2, 183

Saint John – Zboril Jakub, D, L, 6’1, 186

Shawinigan – Yan, Dennis – RW, L, 6’2, 192

Sherbrooke – Schweri, Kay – C, L, 5’10, 175

Val d’Or – Krenzelok, Deniel, D, L, 6’2, 176

 

Coming to the OHL

Barrie – Andersson, Rasmus – D, R, 6’0, 214

Barrie – Radke, Roy – RW, R, 6’2, 205

Kingston – Parikka, Jarko – D, L, 6,0, 194

Kitchener – Franzén, Gustaf – C, R, 6’0, 169

Oshawa – Brodeur, Jeremy – G, L, 6,’1, 165 (the son of Martin Brodeur)

Ottawa – Lazarev, Leonid – G, L, 5’10, 161

Owen Sound – Palmu, Petrus, F, L, 5’6, 170

Peterborough – Vladimirov, Artyom, D, L, 6’4, 198

Saginaw – Artemov, Artem – F, L, 5’11, 201

Sarnia – Zacha, Pavel – LW, L, 6’3, 201

Sault Ste. Marie – Bouramman, Gustav – D, R, 6’0, 174

 

Coming to the WHL

Brandon – Provorov, Ivan – D, L, 6’0, 194

Calgary – Karnaukhov, Pavel – C, L, 6’2, 197

https://twitter.com/MarkStaudz/status/492904096555220993

Kelowna – Soustal, Tomas – F, R, 6’3, 198

Lethbridge – Skumatov, Pavel – LW, L, 6’0, 165

Moose Jaw – Smejkal, Jirka – F, L, 6’2,183

Portland – Heid, Nick – D, R, 6’4, 194

Red Deer – Jansons, Eduards – D, R, 6’2, 183

Regina – Zborovsky, Sergei – D, R, 6’5, 194

Seattle – True, Alexander – C, L, 6’3, 179

Spokane – Laday, Tamas – D, L, 6’7, 212 (2nd year draft eligible from Hungary)

 

Vancouver – Bobylyov, Vladimir – RW, L, 6’2, 198

 

First Year Draft Eligible Q Players With Growth Spurts

Yes, there finally is hockey. The exhibition season is underway for all CHL teams. The QMJHL regular season kicked off on September 10th with Rouyn-Noranda travelling to Val d’Or. The Q startsearly because the teams must complete their rosters before the school year starts for the CEGEP system in Quebec.

 

Listed below are some of the big boys in the Q next year plus Daniel Sprong. Daniel is now listed at 6’0 (up from 5’10) and 190 (up from the 160’s). If he plays like he did in last year’s playoffs, he could very easily go in the top 10 with his now closer to NHL size. Also of note, Nicolas Roy went from the 160’s to 202 lb. He started the Ivan Hlinka Tournament a bit slowly but finished with a flourish (5 points in 5 games and a tied for 2nd in the tournament +8). We could see a breakout from him too when he gets accustomed to his new weight. Finally, we should follow Gabriel Gagné of Victoriaville closely this season as starts to use 6’5 frame more. Yes, he did start the pre-season with a two goal game.

 

Cape Breton – Svechnikov, Yevgeni – LW, L, 6’3, 205

Charlottetown – Sprong, Daniel – RW, R, 6’0, 192

Charlottetown – Henley, David – D, L, 6’4, 203

Chicoutimi – Roy, Nicolas – C/RW, R, 6’4, 202

Gatineau – Lundholm, Mitchell – LW, L, 6’5, 211

Halifax – Moynihan, Connor – LW, L, 6’4, 213

Moncton – Askew, Cameron – RW, R, 6’3, 202

Rimouski – Picco, Andrew – D, L, 6’4, 220

Rouyn-Noranda – Myers, Philippe – D, L, 6’4, 186

Victoriaville – Gagné, Gabriel – RW, R, 6’5, 184

 

First Year Draft Eligible Players Going the NCAA Route

While I don’t think there are any more first year draft eligible playing in the NCAA this year, there are certainly are more high profile prospects who will play their draft year in the NCAA – including four prospects ranked in the first round.

Boston College – Hanifin, Noah – D, L. 6’3, 195 (3)

Boston University – Eichel, Jack – C, R, 6’1, 191 (2)

Boston University – Greer, A.J. – LW, L, 6’3, 198 (24)

University of Michigan – Werenski, Zack – D, L, 6’2, 210 (20)

University of Wisconsin – Hughes, Cameron – C, L, 5’11, 161 (unranked)

 

[Click here for link to the spreadsheet]