Blue Bullet's Top 100

Blue Bullet (an excellent Oiler poster at HF) has published his final top 100 for the draft and has agreed to have it posted here as well.

There are hockey fans who follow this very closely, and my theory is that BB (plus speeds, and others) may well have a better overall take on each year's draft than many of the NHL clubs who will do the drafting.

Why?

There's no "some him good" in these estimates.

In BB's own words: As usual, I always give a little disclaimer as I want to make sure people know that I am in no way a scout or have any ties to the scouting community. This is just something that started out as a little hobby of mine in seeing how well I could do making my own rankings and has turned into something I am quite passionate about. Most of these players I have tried to catch play on TV when I can but I never get to see them enough to give a scouting report. In essence, I am just gathering as much info as I can and trying to make an educated guess based on that. I have posted my top 100 as well as done a little write-up on the top 50. One thing that has changed this year is that I decided to forgo lowering Russian players rankings based on the risk of signing and retaining them. It is a hard item to quantify and therefore I decided to rank the Russians as if they had a transfer agreement in place. Therefore, though I would probably not take Cherepanov top 6 if i was actually drafting he does make the top 5 in my rankings. In the end, I hope you guys enjoy and feel free to ask questions or leave comments.


Top 100 Rankings

1. Kane, Patrick OHL London 19-Nov-88 5'10" 160 RW L
2. Voracek, Jakub QMJHL Halifax 15-Aug-89 6'1" 187 RW L
3. vanRiemsdyk, James USDP USA U-18 4-May-89 6'3" 200 LW L
4. Turris, Kyle BCHL Burnaby 14-Aug-89 6'1" 170 C R
5. Cherepanov, Alexei RUS Omsk 15-Jan-89 6'1" 183 RW L
6. Alzner, Karl WHL Calgary 24-Sep-88 6'2" 206 D L
7. Gagner, Sam OHL London 10-Aug-89 5'11" 191 C/W R
8. Couture, Logan OHL Ottawa 28-Mar-89 6'1" 195 C L
9. McDonagh, Ryan High-MN Cretin-Derham 13-Jun-89 6'1" 200 D L
10. Ellerby, Keaton WHL Kamloops 5-Nov-88 6'4" 186 D L
11. Hamill, Zach WHL Everett 23-Sep-88 5'11" 180 C R
12. Shattenkirk, Kevin USDP USA U-18 29-Jan-89 5'11" 193 D R
13. Esposito, Angelo QMJHL Quebec 20-Feb-89 6'1" 180 C L
14. Blum, Jonathon WHL Vancouver 30-Jan-89 6'0" 160 D R
15. Backlund, Mikael SWE-2 Vasteras 17-Mar-89 6'0" 194 C L
16. Eller, Lars SWE-Jr. Frolunda Jr. 8-May-89 6'1" 198 C L
17. Sweatt, William WCHA Colorado College 21-Sep-88 6'0" 180 LW L
18. Petrecki, Nicholas USHL Omaha 11-Jul-89 6'3" 213 D L
19. Hickey, Thomas WHL Seattle 8-Feb-89 5'11" 182 D L
20. Cole, Ian USDP USA U-18 21-Feb-89 6'1" 211 D L
21. MacLean, Brett OHL Oshawa 24-Dec-88 6'1" 196 LW R
22. White, Patrick USHL Tri-City 20-Jan-89 6’1" 186 C R
23. Mayorov, Maxim RUS-2 Leninogorsk 26-Mar-89 6'2" 187 W L
24. Ross, Nick WHL Regina 10-Feb-89 6'1" 188 D L
25. Moller, Oscar WHL Chilliwack 22-Jan-89 5'11" 179 C R
26. Perron, David QMJHL Lewiston 28-May-88 6'0" 180 LW R
27. Hjalmarsson, Simon SWE-Jr. Frolunda Jr. 1-Feb-89 5'11" 161 RW L
28. Katic, Mark OHL Sarnia 9-May-89 5’10" 180 D L
29. Pacioretty, Max USHL Sioux City 20-Nov-88 6'2" 203 LW L
30. Plante, Alex WHL Calgary 9-May-89 6’4" 225 D R
31. Repik, Michal WHL Vancouver Dec-88 5'10" 180 RW R
32. Sutter, Brandon WHL Red Deer 14-Feb-89 6'3" 170 C/RW R
33. MacMillan, Logan QMJHL Halifax 5-Jul-89 6'1" 172 C L
34. Gillies, Colton WHL Saskatoon 12-Feb-89 6'4" 189 C L
35. Brennan, T.J QMJHL St. John's 3-Apr-89 6'0" 204 D L
36. Tyrell, Dana WHL Prince George 23-Apr-89 5'10" 185 C/RW L
37. O'Brien, James WCHA U of Minnesota 29-Jan-89 6'2" 184 C R
38. Korostin, Sergei RUS Dynamo Moscow 5-Jul-89 5'10" 176 RW L
39. Andersson, Joakim SWE-Jr. Frolunda Jr. 5-Feb-89 6'2" 198 C L
40. Ruth, Ted USDP USA U-18 14-Feb-89 6'1" 199 D R
41. Nash, Riley BCHL Salmon Arm 9-May-89 6’1" 175 C R
42. Cross, Tommy High-CT Westminster 12-Sep-89 6'3" 195 D L
43. Legein, Stefan OHL Mississauga 24-Nov-88 5'9" 170 RW R
44. Cohen, Colby USHL Lincoln 25-Apr-89 6'2" 200 D R
45. Hoeffel, Mike USDP USA U-18 9-Apr-89 6'2" 186 W L
46. Smith, Jeremy OHL Plymouth 13-Apr-89 6'0" 160 G L
47. Killorn, Alexander High-MA Deerfield 14-Sep-89 6'0" 161 C L
48. Weber, Yannick OHL Kitchener 23-Sep-88 5'11" 194 D R
49. Cunti, Luca SUI-3 Dubendorf 4-Jul-89 6'0" 190 C/LW L
50. Gistedt, Joel SWE Frolunda 7-Dec-87 5’11" 174 G L
51. Bashkirov, Ruslan QMJHL Quebec 7-Mar-89 5'11" 186 LW L
52. Torquato, Zack OHL Erie 8-Jun-89 6'0" 195 C R
53. Galiardi, T.J. ECAC Dartmouth 22-Apr-88 6'2" 172 W L
54. Negrin, John WHL Kootenay 25-Mar-89 6'2" 195 D L
55. Doyle, Eric WHL Swift Current 5-Apr-89 6’3" 180 D R
56. Ruzicka, Vladimir CZE Slavia 17-Feb-89 6'3" 196 C L
57. Marshall, Kevin QMJHL Lewiston 10-Mar-89 6'1" 191 D L
58. Mitchell, Dale OHL Oshawa 9-Apr-89 5'9" 207 RW R
59. Spaling, Nick OHL Kitchener 19-Sep-88 6'0" 180 C L
60. Cann, Trevor OHL Peterborough 30-Mar-89 5'11" 199 G L
61. Veilleux, Keven QMJHL Victoriaville 27-Jun-89 6'5" 202 C R
62. Patterson, Kent USHL Cedar Rapids 15-Sep-89 6'1" 184 G L
63. Gratchev, Maxim QMJHL Rimouski 26-Sep-88 5'11" 196 LW L
64. Smith, Brendan OPJHL St. Michaels 8-Feb-89 6'1" 170 D L
65. Lafleur, Antoine QMJHL PEI 12-Dec-88 6'4" 186 G L
66. Ellington, Taylor WHL Everett 31-Oct-88 6'0" 200 D L
67. Tangradi, Eric OHL Belleville 10-Feb-89 6'3" 207 C L
68. Rowat, Linden WHL Regina 27-Jun-89 6'1" 177 G L
69. Sexsmith, Tyson WHL Vancouver 19-Mar-89 5'11" 209 G L
70. Sacchetti, Nico High-MN Virginia 21-Aug-89 5'11" 189 C R
71. Bowman, Drayson WHL Spokane 8-Mar-89 6'0" 181 C/LW L
72. Tanguay, Maxime QMJHL Rimouski 16-Nov-88 5'11" 175 C L
73. Fortier, Olivier QMJHL Rimouski 2-May-89 6'0" 168 C L
74. Palmieri, Nick OHL Erie 12-Jul-89 6'2" 212 RW R
75. Aliu, Akim OHL Sudbury 24-Apr-89 6'2" 200 C/RW R
76. Cameron, Bryan OHL Belleville 25-Feb-89 5'10" 175 C/RW R
77. Machacek, Spencer WHL Vancouver 14-Oct-88 6'1" 182 RW R
78. Goncharov, Maxim RUS-3 CSKA 2 15-Jun-89 6'0" 176 D R
79. Hellgren, Jens SWE-Jr. Frolunda Jr. 6-Mar-89 6'3" 187 D L
80. Skokan, David QMJHL Rimouski 6-Dec-88 6'0" 191 C L
81. Pierro-Zabotel, Casey BCHL Merritt 8-Nov-88 6'1" 205 C L
82. Torp, Nichlas SWE-Jr. HV 71 Jr. 10-Apr-89 5'11" 194 D L
83. Palushaj, Aaron USHL Des Moines 7-Sep-89 5'11" 187 RW R
84. Stich, David QMJHL Saint John 15-Apr-89 6'2" 209 D L
85. Ryan, Ben USHL Des Moines 16-Oct-88 5'11" 190 C R
86. Subban, P.K. OHL Belleville 13-May-89 5'11" 200 D R
87. Dadonov, Evgeni RUS Chelyabinsk 12-Mar-89 5'10" 168 RW L
88. Averin, Egor RUS Omsk 25-Aug-89 5'11" 172 LW L
89. McCrae, Justin WHL Saskatoon 30-Oct-88 6'0" 185 C R
90. Lavin, Joseph USDP USA U-18 17-Jul-89 6'2" 195 D L
91. Valach, Juraj WHL Tri-City 1-Feb-89 6'6" 216 D R
92. Gregoire, Jason USHL Lincoln 24-Feb-89 5'11" 175 LW L
93. Owuya, Mark SWE-Jr. Djurgarden Jr. 18-Jul-89 6’2" 192 G L
94. Reul, Denis GER-3 Heilbronn 29-Jun-89 6'4" 214 D R
95. Larson, Nick USHL Omaha 16-Jan-89 6'1" 175 C R
96. Kidd, Josh OHL Erie 16-Nov-88 6’5" 220 D R
97. Malone, Brad USHL Sioux Falls 20-May-89 6'2" 207 C/LW L
98. Allard, Jean-Simon QMJHL St. John's 24-May-89 6'2" 195 C R
99. Seleznev, Yakov RUS-2 Leninogorsk 4-Aug-89 6'1" 185 D L
100. Marshall, Matt High-MA Nobles 30-Aug-88 6'1" 175 C/RW R

Player Profiles

Patrick Kane-Kane’s offensive skills are what set him on top of my list. He has the offensive ability to be a 40-goal scorer at the NHL level and the determination to get there. Despite his size and lack of a defensive game I believe there is too much talent to pass over. If he lives up to his potential he could be as good as other smaller players in the league like Briere or St. Louis.

Jakub Voracek If you prefer a more complete player than Pat Kane I would suggest taking Jakub Voracek. He has the talent to be a 1st line playmaking winger that plays in both ends. My only complaint with the way he plays is that he tends to pass too much instead of taking the shot.

James VanRiemsdyk JVR is the prototypical powerforward as he has good hands to go along with his large frame. He also skates well for his size and is very good at driving to the net. He has had problems with consistency but when he is on his game he can be a dominant player as he was at the World U-18 tournament.

Kyle Turris Turris is the type of player I may regret ranking at 4th as I believe he has the ability to be the best player from this draft class. The only thing holding him back is his skinny frame as he has great hands to go along with some top-notch wheels. A stronger showing at the U-18 tournament would have solidified him in my top 2.

Alexei Cherepanov Cherepanov has caused a lot of discussion on these boards leading up to the draft. He is one of the most offensively talented players in the draft as he has great hands, vision and speed. However, he has had problems with consistency as well as the fact that he is a Russian player who you have to sign within a two year period which makes him a riskier pick.

Karl Alzner Karl Alzner is the type of player that does not get the credit he deserves. He is an extremely solid d-man that logs a ton of minutes and can play in all situations. He also has an underrated offensive skillset as he chooses to play a more conservative game. He is a very safe pick and should be able to make the jump to the NHL much quicker than most other d-men.

Sam Gagner Sam Gagner has all the ability to be a top line center that plays at both ends of the ice and excels on the PP. He isn’t the biggest player but as he adds lower body strength his skating should improve as well as his ability to fight through checks, which are the two areas of concern in his game.

Logan Couture There always seems to be a top end player that falls in the rankings and on a lot of lists it is Couture. The only reason that I can think of for the drop is his skating but I believe that his mono had a big effect on this area of his game. Despite that he has all the skills to be a very complete playmaking center and is right up there with Sam Gagner in terms of potential.

Ryan McDonagh As with most high school players you wonder how well they will adjust to the large leap in level of competition. McDonagh is one of those players that should be able to make that leap. He has a very good all-around game and will play physical which has drawn comparisons to Chris Chelios. He has all the talent to be the best d-man from this year’s draft.

Keaton Ellerby Ellerby is a player that makes my top 10 based on projection. He has the talent to be a top pairing d-man due to his size and skating ability however he needs to fill out before he becomes more dominant. While his upside is higher than Alzner’s his hockey sense is not at the same level as he is more prone to making mistakes.

Zach Hamill Hamill is one of the most talented offensive players in the draft as he led the WHL in scoring despite playing on Everett’s 2nd line. It will be his hands and vision that will get him to the NHL. However, despite him being a top end talent he still needs to work on his defensive play as well as become stronger on the puck if he wants to excel.

Kevin Shattenkirk Shattenkirk is one of the top offensive d-man in this year’s draft as he uses his vision and passing to jump up into the play. He is also fairly solid in his own zone and though slightly undersized for a d-man he plays a solid positional game. He lacks the strength to be a top-end talent but should be a solid top four d-man at the NHL level.

Angelo Esposito Esposito started off the year right at the top of almost everybody’s list but his stock dropped as the year went on. He has all the tools, as he is a great skater with good hands, but you wonder if he lacks the toolbox. He can also play physical at times and can play in both ends but he was very inconsistent all year in terms of effort in these areas. There are just too many question marks to take him in the top 10.

Jon Blum Blum is one of the best two-way d-man in the draft and if he were bigger he would be the first d-man chosen. He plays very solid at both ends of the ice and plays a very smart game. However at this time he lacks the strength to be effective along the boards at the higher level of plays and needs to add at least 30 lbs to his frame to be effective in the NHL.

Mikael Backlund At the start of the year Backlund was garnering attention as a top 5 pick but a knee injury really hurt his development this year. However, he was able to showcase his skills at the World U-18 tournament, which has raised his stock. He is a very skilled player with a great shot as well as being a good playmaker. As with most young players he needs to improve his consistency and defensive play. If he can get his development back on track, Backlund could prove to be a big steal.

Lars Eller Eller may turn out to be the best player to ever come out of Denmark as he is a very solid complete player. He is a two-way playmaking center with good size, vision and skating. There is not much to complain about as Eller has all the skill to be a very good 2nd line center and should be a fairly safe pick.

Bill Sweatt Sweatt is one of the safest picks in the entire draft as his amazing speed and work ethic make him a fairly safe bet to make the NHL. The only real question about Sweatt is whether his offensive game will develop to the point where he can play on your top two lines. If not he has the speed and defensive awareness to turn out to be a top-checking center comparable to that of a Kris Draper or John Madden.

Nick Petrecki Petrecki is the Matt Greene of this year’s draft as they are both big physical d-man that can punish players in their own zone and are fairly good skaters for their size. As well they both take too many penalties and are limited in the offensive zone. Despite that Petrecki could become a very good shutdown d-man in the NHL.

Thomas Hickey Like Shattenkirk and Blum, Hickey is an offensive d-man that is also fairly solid in his own zone. He is a good skater with the vision and smarts to know when to jump into the play. In his own zone he plays a fairly solid positional game and uses his stickwork to contain the opposition. As with Blum and Shattenkirk, he needs to add strength to become more effective along the boards. Ian ColeCole plays beyond his years, as he is a very consistent and steady d-man. He is the type of d-man that will likely be a steadying force on the backend for many years to come, as there are not many holes in his game. While his upside is not as high as the d-man listed above him he should be a very good 2nd pairing d-man.

Brett MacLean MacLean has the hands and strong play along the boards to be a top 6 forward in the NHL. However he needs to continue to improve upon his skating which is the main item holding him back. Another concern of course is how much his stats were affected by playing with wunderkid John Tavares but despite that he is still a solid prospect.

Patrick White White really jumped up in my rankings after his strong play in the USHL and at the U-18’s. He has very good hands and is strong along the boards when protecting the puck. As with most high school players he needs to improve his consistency but the talent is there to be a top 6 forward.

Maxim Mayorov Mayarov is a talented player with the potential to be a top 6 forward. He has a good combination of size, hands and skating and will use his size to protect the puck and drive to the net. His biggest problem is his consistency as he is prone to be invisible for long stretches.

Nick Ross Ross has very good hands for a d-man and uses them well to create chances offensively. In addition, he enjoys playing a physical game and loves to go for the big hit even though it does sometimes take him out of position. And while he is usually solid in his own zone he can be error prone at times. He has some holes in his game at the moment but I see him turning out into a well-rounded d-man that might play in your top 4.

Oscar Moller As with a lot of slightly undersized skilled players you wonder how well their game will translate to the NHL level. With Moller I believe his work ethic and the fact that he is not afraid to play in the dirty areas give him a better chance at succeeding in the transition to the next level. If he works hard at improving his defensive game and strength he definitely has a good shot at being a solid pro.

David Perron In terms of puck skills, Perron is one of the most talented players in the entire draft. He has amazing hands and moves that can leave you breathless. However, he has not been playing hockey at a high level for very long and has developed some bad habits because of this. He relies too much on his skills and at times he doesn’t use his teammates enough. Despite that he had a very strong playoffs to lead Lewiston to the Memorial Cup. In the end, he is a risky pick and the very definition of boom or bust prospect. If he does live up to his potential he could be a huge steal with the ability to be a first line winger in the NHL.

Simon Hjalmarsson A strong showing at the U-18’s shot Hjalmarsson up my rankings as he demonstrated his strong two-way game. He is a skilled player with good hands and slick moves. The only thing that will hold him back from the NHL is his size. If he is able to add some size to his frame he should be able to adapt to the North American game.

Mark Katic Katic was a player that has been up and down on my rankings all year. He is not a big d-man but few players in the world can skate like him. He also has great vision and uses his hockey sense to play a strong positional game in his own zone. However, he is also on -the smaller side and therefore he can be out-muscled along the boards. The talent is there but we will have to see whether his smarts can make up for the lack of size.

Max Pacioretty Pacioretty was the rookie of the year in the USHL because of his strong play due to his combination of size, skill and skating. While he has the talent to be a 2nd line forward he will need to work on the three main areas that most young players have to improve upon which are consistency, strength and defensive play. He is going to a strong program in Michigan and will most definitely be a better player because of it.

Alex Plante Plante is a rarity as he is an offensive d-man in a 6’4 frame. He can move the puck very well and has a hard accurate shot from the point. He has a lot of upside but he is a project as there are definite areas of concern in his game. He will need to improve his skating as well as continue to improve his play in his own zone to succeed in the NHL.

Michal Repik Before the playoffs started Repik was a late 2nd round choice but he has shot up my rankings as he stepped up his play when it mattered. In terms of talent nobody has questioned Repik as he has the skill and speed to play in your top 6. However, his effort has been inconsistent and since he is below average in size he will definitely need to improve his consistency to succeed at the pro level.

Brandon Sutter Sutter is a player that has seen his stock drop as the year went on. He is a solid player that could turn out to be a real solid checking line centre that can play at both ends of the ice. However, he really needs to add some size to his thin frame to be effective at the pro level. When he does add some size his game should be a lot more effective as he plays a grittier style of game that doesn’t suit his current frame.

Logan MacMillan It seems many of the players on my list are related to former or current NHL players as MacMillan is one of 5 players in my top 40 to do so (the other four are Ganger, Ellerby, Sutter and Gillies). While not as offensively talented as his father he has shown that he can produce during crunch time as he really stepped up his play in the playoffs. He is a hard-working player that will likely end up as a checking line centre at the pro level. However, he will need to improve his skating if he wants to make it there.

Colton Gillies Despite Gillies stats he is a player that is still a very intriguing prospect. While he doesn’t have the hockey sense to be a scoring force there are many qualities that make me believe he could be a very good checking line winger. This season wasn’t the best for him as he seems to be out of position playing at centre. However, at the pro level after he fills out he could turn out to be a 215-220 lb winger that skates like the wind and plays a physical brand of hockey. He is a bit of a project but I could see him turning into a bigger and faster version of Ethan Moreau.

T.J. Brennan Brennan is a very raw but talented offensive d-man that has seen his stock rise all year. He is a good skater and can move the puck very well and he has a big hard shot from the point. Brennan also doesn’t mind the rough stuff and likes to play physical. At the start of the year his defensive game was quite raw but he has shown a lot of improvement in his positional play as the year goes on. He is a project but the upside is there for him to be a top 4 defender.

Dana Tyrell Tyrell is the type of player that will be a fan favourite wherever he plays because he is all heart. He plays a solid two-way game but will likely be more of a checking line player or energy player at the pro level. He also has good wheels which he uses effectively. The only thing that might hold him back from the NHL level is his size.

Jim O'Brien O’Brien is a very safe pick as he will likely be a solid checking line player at the pro level. He has good size and is a strong skater that plays at both ends of the rink. His offensive game is likely not good enough for him to play in your top 6 but he could be a very valuable role player at the pro level.

Sergei Korostin Korostin is one of the most talented offensive players in the draft. He is a very good skater with great hands and a good shot. One-on-one he is a handful when he has the puck. However, there are concerns with work ethic and consistency as he is the type of player that may not do anything all game and than suddenly the puck is in the back of the net. If he comes over to N.A. he may turn out to be a frustrating player to watch (see Samsonov).

Joakim Andersson Andersson would be a first round pick but his skating holds him back from doing so. He will need to improve upon his skating if he wants to make it at the pro level. Despite that he is a very solid two-way player with the potential to be a very good checking line center.

Ted Ruth When people are describing Ruth they always mention his character. He is a hard working steady d-man that plays a very solid defensive game. He also makes a fairly good first pass out of his own zone. However, he does lack the offensive potential to be a top end d-man. While he won’t be your best d-man on the team he is the type of d-man that have long steady careers in the NHL.

Riley Nash Nash is the second player from the BCHL to make my top 50 and was a player that was not on my radar until a couple months back. He is a fairly well-rounded player with good skills and skating to go along with a strong two-way game. As with other players playing Tier 2 it is tougher to get a good read on how they will do against strong competition. If his coach is right Nash could turn out to be as good as a former Salmon Arm player Travis Zajac.

Tommy Cross While McDonagh saw his stock rise with a strong U-18, Tommy Cross saw his rankings slide the other way. Cross is a very good skater for a d-man of his size and he is also a good passer and moves the puck well. However, he is a very raw player at this time because he has been playing against weaker opposition. His defensive game is not at the level you would expect as he is prone to making bad decisions. However, this is an area he can work on in college and since he is also one of the youngest players in the draft there is a lot of room for development.

Stefan Legein Legein is the best pest in this year’s draft and if he was bigger I have no doubt he would be a first round pick. He is a quick skater with a nose for the net and a good shot. He has no fear of playing in the dirty areas despite only being 5’9. However, the consensus is that he does not have the natural offensive skills to be a top 6 player and there is concern whether his smaller frame will be able to hold up at the pro level.

Colby Cohen Cohen is going to be either the steal of the draft or a coach’s worst nightmare. In terms of offensive skills he may be the best of the draft for d-men. He is great with the puck on the PP and has a very hard accurate shot. He also has good size and doesn’t mind playing physical. However, his play in the d-zone needs a lot of improvement as well as his work ethic is suspect at times. Other character issues have been brought up as well regarding his departure from the national program.

Mike Hoeffel Hoeffel started out the year as a 1st round choice but his offensive skills did not translate from the high school level. However, he is a solid player with good size and speed and likes to play a physical game. While his offensive skills are not good enough for him to play on the top 6 but he could turn out to be a solid checking line winger.

Jeremy Smith Smith is my top rated goalie in a year when there are no standouts between the pipes. He has all the athletic ability and the positional game to be a starter in the NHL. He is a fairly complete goalie as he has very few weaknesses. He will need to add some size to his frame as he is a bit undersized for what you would like in a goalie. The talent is there but as always goalies are the toughest players to project.

Alexander Killorn Killorn has shot up my rankings as he is a skilled two-way player that likes to play a physical brand of hockey. He will need to add some size to his frame if he wants to continue to play his style at the higher levels but if he does he could be a steal. Like most high school players they are very hard to judge as a select few turn out like Oshie while many others never translate their skills to the college level.

Yannick Weber Weber is an unheralded d-man that may turn out as good as some of the more known names in my rankings (Shattenkirk, Blum, Hickey, etc.). He is a good playmaking d-man that can move the puck well. His defensive game has improved over the course of the year as he primarily uses his positioning and stick defensively. He will need to get stronger as he does move up in level of competition.

Luca Cunti Cunti is another boom or bust project that somebody will take a chance on. In terms of offensive talent he is one of the best players in the draft as he is a great skater that can make moves at top speed. However, his work ethic is poor and he has developed some bad habits as he can be selfish with the puck. Despite that it is hard to let someone of his talent slip too far in the draft.

Joel Gistedt Gistedt was a goalie that I thought would have been drafted last year but I had concerns about his size which kept him out of my top 100 last year. This year he has changed that opinion after knocking Tommy Salo out of the starting position as well as having a solid WJC. He is a quick butterfly goalie with a good glove hand. My biggest concern is his size but he has shown at 19 that he is good enough to be a starter in the SEL which shows a lot about the mental side of his game.