2015 CHL Import Draft Review

On Tuesday, June 30, the Canadian Hockey League held its annual Import Draft. It is here, CHL teams get the opportunity to add import talent to their roster. There are two rounds of the draft, and a team can pass on their pick at any time. Import picks can not be traded. Goalies are also no longer allowed to be selected.

Just to remind you, CHL clubs are permitted to carry only two import players on their team or protected list every year. However, if a CHL team has an Import who was an NHL first round pick (such as Sarnia with Pavel Zacha), they receive the opportunity to add another player to their protected list to cover should that first round import (like Zacha) make the NHL.

While the Import Draft can be a bit of a crap shoot, many of the players drafted do come over and can have an impact. Let's breakdown the results of previous five Import Drafts.

In 2010
26 of 26 players selected came to the Ontario Hockey League (100%)
21 of 26 players selected lasted the entire OHL season with their clubs (81%)
10 (open for debate) of 26 players had a significant impact on their OHL teams (38%)

In 2011
17 of 20 players selected came to the OHL (85%)
17 of 20 players selected lasted the entire OHL season with their clubs (85%)
10 (open for debate) of 20 players had a significant impact on their OHL teams (50%)

In 2012
22 of 27 players selected came to the OHL (81%)
17 of 27 players selected lasted the entire OHL season with their clubs (63%)
9 (open for debate) of the 20 players had a significant impact on their OHL teams (33%)

In 2013
22 of 25 players selected came to the OHL (88%)
20 of 25 players selected lasted the entire OHL season with their clubs (80%)
7 (open for debate) of the 25 players had a significant impact on their OHL teams (28%)

In 2014
19 of 25 players selected came to the OHL (76%)
18 of 25 players selected lasted the entire OHL season with their clubs (72%)
11 (open for debate) of the 25 players had a significant impact on their OHL teams (44%)

This article will provide you with some information and scouting reports on those selected.

Of course this article wouldn't have been possible without the help of these experts:

Matt Grainda is currently a US Scout for thescout.ca, and is a former USHL scout for ISS Hockey. He can be followed on twitter too (@graindaiv)

Dan Stewart is the head scout for Future Considerations. He and the staff there were able to help out and I'm grateful for that. Others from FC that helped include: Daniel Deschenes, Colin Mayberry, Niklas Adolfsson, Mikael Kreutz, Marco Bambino.

Anthony Mauro of Draft Buzz Hockey is a terrific source for information about NHL prospects. Be sure to follow him on twitter (@draftbuzzhockey).

Chapin Landvogt is also a writer for HockeysFuture, in addition to being a scout for Future Considerations. Give him a follow on twitter (@Csomichapin).

And of course our anonymous European scout (who chooses to remain that way for various reasons). Without his help, these articles wouldn't be possible year after year.

3. Sudbury Wolves - Dmitry Sokolov - Forward
The Wolves start off the draft with a bang, selecting a Russian forward who is currently considered a Top 10 selection for the 2016 NHL Draft (FC has him 8th, HP has him 10th). He had quite the year in 2014/2015, finishing 3rd in scoring at the U17's, and then finishing 3rd in scoring on Team Russia as an underager at the U18's. Needless to say, if he reports, he's a great get for the Wolves.
Scouting Report: Dan Stewart of Future Considerations says,“A big, thickly built forward with some impressive ‘get-your-butt-out -of-your-seat’ offensive skills. Plays a heavy yet light game in that he is hard to move or knock off stride but also has the ability to really dangle through defenders. A powerful stride and cannon shot are his best assets but his underrated playmaking ability rounds out his offensive arsenal. This kid has huge upside and will be one of the top picks in the 2016 NHL draft.” Daniel Deschenes of Future Considerations says, "“The smooth skating winger has a nice mix of speed, size, and puck skills. Uses his large frame to his advantage as he is hard on the puck and protects it exceptionally well. Uses his size to create some space with and without the puck. Possesses a heavy slap shot and a decently quick wrist shot - mixing them with good shot selection based on the time he has to work with. Puck hungry and shows a determination to have it on his stick as he pushes the pace and move the puck up ice. Books it back hard and fast on the backcheck to help defend; moves very well and reads and reacts even better.” Our anonymous European scout says, "First round prospect. Excellent scoring touch and has good size/strength. Uses size to protect the puck. Excellent shot, has quick release, good finishing touch and good hands-eyes coordination. Hard wrister, good hands in tight, instinctive in offensive zone. Very dangerous on PP. Sees passing lanes in offensive zone and has a bit of creativity too. Not hardworker, little effort without the puck, doesn´t use his size to get the puck in battles and doesn´t finish many checks. First steps needs improvement as well as foot speed. Hard to knock off his skates."

6. Windsor Spitfires - Mikhail Sergachev - Defence
Windsor aims to rebuild their defence with the selection of Sergachev, a talented and defensive oriented blueliner who is also currently garnering attention as a potential first round pick in 2016 (HP has him 17th). The big, physical defender who likely really help a Spitfires defence that struggled last year.
Scouting Report: Daniel Deschenes of Future Considerations says, “Makes very good passes and plays under pressure, not seeming hesitant or scared when forced to make a decision quicker than expected, showing good awareness and the ability to make a good pass up the wall to his man. Has a heavy shot loaded with power as he lets it go from the point. His slap shot possesses a high amount of velocity while looking to be somewhat pedestrian as he winds up. I would like to see him be more physical in his own zone - he has the size to do so - as he looked very hesitant to engage physically and use his body in my views. Good defensive awareness and does a very good job of pushing his man to the outside and limiting the space he gives the puck carrier to work with.” Our anonymous European scout says, "First round prospect, plays mature game, doesn´t make mistakes at both sides. Very good at both sides of rink, reads the play really well, plays with poise and patience. Excels in moving the puck out of zone. Good size/strength, thick body, strong on skates. Goes on pinching, forces the play at the blue line and stands up and makes the play at the blueline. Rubs opposing player at the board and plays physical and aggressive game, doesn´t back down, stands his ground. Plays the point on the PP very well, accurate in moving the puck, moves well laterally to create lanes for passing and shooting and has hard shot which he keeps low and gets on net through traffic consistently. Highly confident with the puck, fakes shot, slides around defending forwards and moves into better position. Has nice instinct, jumps into the play at right time, joins rushes. Can make surprising, creative passes through traffic. Has very good footwork." Matt Grainda says, "Mikhail Sergachev was one of my favorite 1998-born defensemen I saw all of last season. I really like his balanced two-way style along with his toughness. His size and strength are immediately noticeable along with his physicality. He plays an aggressive, mean style and balances it well with lots of skill. He’s more of a pass and move player and can create space very well while accelerating up the ice. His skating stride is powerful and smooth. He is highly poised in possession and uses his vision to make quality decisions on both ends of the ice. His game management skills are impressive. He’s got a very hard shot from the point and solid command for when to use it. Sergachev projects as a first round selection in the 2016 NHL Draft due to his complete overall game and physical nature. He’s a fantastic, young player."

9. Flint Firebirds - Vili Saarijarvi - Defence
Flint rolls the dice selecting Detroit's 3rd rounder (73rd OV) in the most recent NHL draft. Saarijarvi is an undersized offensive defender who rose up the draft charts after an explosive U18's, where he was named the Top Defenseman. With Gianluca Curcuruto graduating, Flint really needed a powerplay QB and puck moving replacement. Problem is that Saarijarvi just signed a deal to play for Karpat back home in Finland. Maybe the Red Wings can help get him to Flint.
Scouting Report: Future Considerations says, "The tiny puck-moving blueliner has a heavy shot from the point and moves with some strong elusiveness and quickness. He can be a bit too much of a scrambled mess in his own zone and obviously gets pushed off the puck or loses one-on-one battles too easily. But, he still plays an aggressive style of game from the blue line. He gets up the ice with regularity and also is keen on starting the transition game with a nice pass." Anthony Mauro (of Draft Buzz Hockey) says, "He’s a small but decently filled out [23.8 BMI] D who can flex as both a speedy puck rusher and a tactical puck mover. His skating is visually pleasing displaying all of the ingredients of a great skater. His legs pop off the ice with sharp movement and response, and he looks very fluid in reverse. He may lack some strength and power to his stride, but that will come with age. He has a very good shot that he wasn’t able to actualize much with a shooting percentage of less than 6%. Though a good passer in control, he did have some difficulty hitting tape under pressure or in quick action sequences."Our anonymous European scout says, "Very impressive at international stage but (I was told) struggled a bit in USHL. Smallish D is dynamic and smart with the puck. Great skater, leads offensive attacks all the time, jumps into the play, excellent decision making, can either go through neutral zone and gain the zone or skate the puck out of zone and make perfect cross passes into the full speed. Impossible to contain, very tricky leading the puck, always skates with head up and goes into open spots, excellent timing on his passes. Rarely rushed into bad decision, excellent reading, has poise. Agility, quickness and puck control enables him to gain space and time to make play. Has enough speed to get back from his rushes into offensive zone. Passes are crisp and accurate, excellent vision. Runs PP well, moves his feet creating passing and shooting lines, knows when to shoot and when pass. Good shot, keeps it low and gets it to the net through traffic. Fast enough to get back from his rushes. Love his passion and competitiveness." Matt Grainda says, "Vili Saarijarvi is a very quick, highly-skilled offensive defenseman. Right away you notice his fast footworkand efficient skating stride. He can really explode up the ice while in possession of the puck. He gets the rush started from the defensive zone and makes smart decisions with his passes. He can quarterback a power-play very well from the point. You really notice his great puck control and mobility when the puck is on his stick. His shot is quick, accurate and hard for his smaller sized frame. The only thing really holding his defensive game back is his smaller size. He’s not the most physical player and he’s not very strong. Detroit took him in the third round of the 2015 NHL Draft and I don’t believe NHL Central Scouting had him on their midterm or final rankings. That should tell you something."

12. Mississauga Steelheads - Alexander Nylander - Forward
They struck out with William last year, but that doesn't deter the Steelheads from selecting his brother Alex this year. Honestly, it's not a terrible strategy. His brother will be playing in Toronto, so playing for Mississauga would give Alex a chance to be near (or even live with) his brother. The younger Nylander is very highly regarded for the 2016 NHL Draft (currently ranked 14th by FC and 22nd by HP). He'd give the Steelheads another potential first rounder for 2016 (with Day and McLeod). And also give them a much needed injection of offensive ability.
Scouting Report: Colin Mayberry of Future Considerations says, "“Nylander is a pretty special player. He is primarily a finesse player, relying heavily on his high skill level. It seems to me that he rides and dies with his feet as he is a fantastic skater. His feet allow him to get away from or elude defenders, both in open space and along the boards. I also love his ability to stop on a dime, making defenders go right past him and give himself an extra second or two to survey his options. His vision is on point and his passing is precise. He hits players cross ice, through the smallest of holes, tape to tape. Nylander is a high upside guy for Sweden in 2016.” Niklas Adolfsson of Future Considerations says, “His skill level and reading of the game seemed simply a fair amount above the rest. He is very much a copy of his older brother William, with a few differences. But just like his brother his has some weaknesses in his game. Very agile and moves well in all directions. He can make quick turn with ease. He skates a lot like his brother William but a little less explosive. Really soft hands. Almost as good as William, but he doesn’t dangle or try to beat his defender 1 - on -1 as much as William does. He can make jaw dropping passes and seems to have some accuracy in his wrist shot but is more of a playmaker than William. He is not very physically mature and needs to get stronger.”

15. Peterborough Petes - Jonne Tammela - Forward
The Petes go for Tampa Bay 4th rounder (118 OV) Tammela in hopes of adding depth to their top 6 for next season. Tammela was a standout for a Finland U18 team that won the Silver at this year's event. Problem is, like Saarijarvi, he has a contract to play in Finland next year with KalPa (where he played against men this past year). The Lightning love their OHL content though, so something tells me that they'll be pushing hard to get Tammela here, especially with Masin and Spencer already in Peterborough.
Scouting Report: Anthony Mauro (of Draft Buzz Hockey) says, "Blessed with high-end skating ability, he can take off with insane acceleration and blow the pants off defenders. A constant threat, even if he isn’t outright beating his opponents, he is the type of speedy forward who can cause them to take last resort penalties in the process of attempting to stop him. The type of direction changes he’s able to make at top speed are remarkable. He’s not a puck possessive forward in a good way IE he has the skill to make plays, but only does as much as he needs to stickhandling wise expertly splitting energy between speed and handle. He’s small, no doubt about it, but the way he positions his arms and adjusts his body to contact while still keeping his stick on the puck shows he will be able to get it done in the bigs. He will hit and is competitive in the right way. A natural playmaker, Tammela is just a super player who will break out soon." Future Considerations says, "A solid two-way prospect who is just starting to show what he can become. Possesses good separation speed and he can break away from his check and split to a lane for a pass. Often loses the puck when under pressure as he tries to gain speed and work his way up ice; will need to get stronger on the puck in order to maintain possession at top speed. Makes crisp passes to the most solid options in all three zones. Applies immense pressure on the forecheck and makes good use of his stick and body; finishes his checks as he gets low and drives his man into the wall. Has a bomb of a shot. Tammela is strong in the face-off circle, winning draws cleanly to the perfect spot; setting his team up for success. We
like what he brings to the game; a character, hard-working player." Our anonymous Euro scout says, "Very good skater with speed, quick burst of speed. Not big, but solidly built, low point of gravity, decent balance. Soft and quick hands, has flash in his game, can dangle a bit and beat D with finesse moves. Good vision and passing touch. Goes to the net with and without the puck and plays bigger than his size, feisty, has some grit. Finishes some checks, takes hit to make play and goes through checks. Never stops moving his feet trying to get away of attention of opposing D, difficult to cover. Shifty, hard to contain, tough to knock off the puck. Decent shot and can finish off his chances. Plays with nice passion and energy, good effort every shift, competes. Plays up-tempo game. Smooth passing and receiving in full stride. Uses his speed to gain control of the puck. Hockey sense is above average but still needs to work on decision making."

18. Saginaw Spirit - Markus Niemelainen - Defence
The Spirit go for a young Finnish defender (a '98) who is a highly regarded prospect for the 2016 NHL draft. At 6'4, Niemelainen would join forces with the likes of Keaton Middleton, to give Saginaw a dynamic and large duo. Niemelainen played for the Finnish U18 as an underager (that won Silver), which has to point to his ability being strong.
Scouting Report: Colin Mayberry of Future Considerations says, “Niemeläinen got kind of lost in such a deep U17 Finnish team at the World U17 Challenge in Sarnia, but he did have some flashes of brilliance out there. For a bigger kid, I loved his agility and ability to quickly get to the line to keep the puck in as well as pinch in from the point. He is smart in the offensive zone, knowing how to move effectively with the puck to open up space for himself. He has an absolute bomb from the point and can really rip the puck on net.” Our anonymous Euro scout says, "Big, strong, mobile, can play physical game. Quick feet for big guy. Can skate the puck out of danger. Strong in battles. Fairly solid and steady defensively, contains well and has solid awareness. Move the puck simply but quite efficially. Hockey sense above average."

21. Hamilton Bulldogs - Ondrej Kachyna - Defence
One of two defenders selected by Hamilton as they try to reshape a defense that struggled last year. Kachyna is a '98 who would be eligible for the 2016 NHL draft. In terms of hype, there doesn't appear to be a lot surrounding him, so here's hoping that the Bulldogs found a diamond in the rough.
Scouting Report: Our anonymous Euro scout says, "Regarding Ondrej Kachyna, I saw him only once in Czech junior Extraleague. He was rather bad but frankly the whole team looked terrible. Missed that U17 series with Finland where I saw plenty of 98´born players. Report on Kachyna from forementioned game: " Tall but a bit lanky. Moves fairly well for his size. Decent lateral mobility and footwork but stopped moving his feet off the rush and beaten wide on several occasion. Doesn´t use his size enough to play physical game. Made some positional mistakes and not very quick in reading developing play. Limited puck skills and very average hockey sense. However he probably isn´t that bad, there were scouts who told me that he was okay when they saw him."

24. Sarnia Sting - Patrik Laine - Forward
After lucking out with Zacha last year, the Sting go big again this year. Laine is considered a potential lottery pick for 2016 (8th by HP, 15th by FC). At the U18's this year, where he played as an underager, he tied with Austin Matthews for the goal scoring lead (8 goals in 7 games). He's got a contract with Tappara in Finland, so who knows what to expect. If he comes, that strong Sarnia team just got even better.
Scouting Report: Mikael Kreutz of Future Considerations says, “Stands out from the rest of the team with his huge frame. Heard about some skating deficiencies but in my opinion he moved relatively smoothly for his size and age, see no issues with his skating in the future. Played limited minutes but he did the most he could with it in the offensive zone, flashes of brilliance with the puck, great passing game and not afraid to take shots when the opportunity presented itself. Hard to believe he's only 16 when you see him out on the ice playing against men, he looks bigger and better built then most adult players out there, but he was clearly not comfortable with using his size as he was cautious along the boards and avoided plays where there was risk of physical play. Impossible to get a good read of a players game based on a handful of shifts, but it is clear that Laine is a big talent that will be interesting to follow for the 2016 draft.” Daniel Deschenes of Future Considerations says, “(At the U18’s in April) Laine is a massive winger who has all the confidence in the world. He shows poise in his ability to deke his way up ice and gain the offensive zone with speed and control. He displays a desire to finish in tight and doesn’t back down easily. Possesses all kinds of speed and quick feet on the rush, not limiting his decision making despite the speed as he makes quick decisions to deliver a centering pass or drive the net and get a shot off.”

27. Kingston Frontenacs - Konstantin Chernyuk - Defence
The Fronts take Chernyuk, a big Russian defender who has been playing in North America for a few years now. Last year he split time between a Wilkes Barre U18 team and Wichita Falls in the NAHL. In 2014 he committed to the University of Maine (a prestigious program). Seems like Chernyuk has some options after being selected last year in the USHL draft. Could suit up there or the OHL next year. Depends how serious he is about this Maine commitment.
Scouting Report: Matt Grainda says, "Konstantin Chernyuk is a really, really tall defensive defenseman. His big, lanky frame is probably his most notable characteristic. Physically he looks really tall, but also somewhat skinny. He has good smarts and plays his position very well. He knows how to take away space by using his defensive angles and his extremely long reach. It can be tough breaking into the offensive zone due to his smart stick defense. He can play the body but sometimes relies on his stick to do the work. His skating stride is a little awkward but he moves pretty quickly north-to-south. He’s smart while in control of the puck and he likes to look for the long stretch pass. His shot is good but he’s not one to use it often. His size alone might make him a NHL pick for next season but he needs to add weight and improve his footwork."

33. Niagara IceDogs - David Kase - Forward
It's not often that a player gets selected twice in the Import Draft, but that's the case with Kase (see what I did there?). He went to Blainville-Boisbriand last year in the 1st and never showed. This year what's different? A couple of things that may sway him to North America. Firstly, he was taken in the 5th round by Philadelphia at the NHL Draft. Maybe they influence him. Secondly, his brother Ondrej will be crossing the pond next year to play in the AHL. Kase would be a great add by the Dogs, as he's a legit offensive talent and prospect. He played on the Czech WJC team (U20) this year and served as the captain of their U18 team (and Silver medal winning Hlinka team).
Scouting Report: The Hockey News says, "A solid all around talent who is great on draws and protects the puck well." Future Considerations says, "Kase is a diminutive and high-impact offensive player with the ability to drive the pace of a game. Plays at high speed and always is in the hunt to attack. Exceptional acceleration, agility and separation speed. Kase is very confident player who is a high-end stick handler. He knows where to find space in the offensive zone and can elude coverage with quickness and skill. Has a quick release on his shot with some sneaky fast zip to it. 
He loves to play the possession game, even though he can be easily outmatched if caught. He tends to over complicate passes at times, trying to make high level plays when easy routes are to be had. He sometimes fumbles the execution and doesn’t always deliver flat, accurate passes in the open lane. He is weak and easily outmatched physically. Despite deficiencies, Kase does see some penalty kill time and exhibits patience, defensive awareness and quickness with his stick." Anthony Mauro (of Draft Buzz Hockey) says, "He has made a name for himself with a chameleon like ability to take different roles in different environments. With older competition, he relies on his work ethic, well-rounded game, and fire to help in any way possible IE not focused on points. With his own age group, he has captained teams and been one of the go to offensive guys as seen in his 5PTS in 4GP this past U18. He’s fast because he keeps his cadence high, but his strides can look uncontrolled. He can be flippant with the puck and not have the smoothest handle/passes come off it, but can orchestrate top line dekes when things click. A little fierce dynamo." Our anonymous Euro scout says, "Love his character, competitiveness, effort, heart, smart player. Plays bigger than his size, great passion and determination, does everything to win the game. Skates hard both ways, always first forward on backcheck, keeps moving his feet. Anticipates well, first on the puck on many occasion despite of lack of speed, always around the puck. Slick with the puck and controls the puck well along the boards but still just above average hands for small guy. Good playmaking skills and vision. Protects the puck well and fairly strong on puck along the boards. Neither quick and shifty nor great change of pace, lacks more effective stride and his feet are not very quick for his size. |Not afraid to take hit and gets involved in high traffic areas regularly but lacks dynamic stick skills. Good hands in close but shot is nothing special. Actually think that he will be very good player on European rinks in the future however his NHL upside is questionable due to combination of lack of size, average skating ability and lack of top end puck skills. Could be excellent junior player if he decides to come over though."

39. Guelph Storm - Timo Haussener - Forward
The Storm have some big shoes to fill with two import selections this year. Pius Suter and Phil Baltisberger have been great for that organization. Haussener is a huge forward (6'4) who was eligible for this year's NHL draft and went undrafted (was ranked 94th by NHL Central Scouting). At the very least, he looks like he could play a physical role on the team's 3rd line.
Scouting Report: Daniel Deschenes of Future Considerations says, “Haussener is a strong power forward type who has a slick set of hands. He has a long reach and is active with his stick in the defensive zone. Displayed confidence to take a little in the offensive zone by deking around his opponent and driving into the offensive zone.”

42. Ottawa 67's - Stepan Falkovsky - Defence
Holy crap. I thought there was a typo when I saw the size of Falkovsky. 6'9, 231lbs. That's one big defender. He was eligible for this year's NHL Draft but went undrafted (was ranked 44th by NHL Central Scouting). The Belarus native suited up for the Belarus U20 team this year (in the 2nd division) and helped them earn a chance to get back to the main group next year. Seems like a potentially big add (pun intended).
Scouting Report: Haven't gotten anything back from my scouts yet on Falkovsky, so in the meantime, here's a great write up on him (with scouting) from Alex Quevillon. Link is here.

45. London Knights - Olli Juolevi - Defence
London's had some good luck with defenders named Olli, so this looks like a good pick. All joking aside, Juolevi is a very highly regarded young defender. HP has him 14th currently for 2016, while FC has him 16th. He played as an underager this past year at the Hlinka for Finland and has been wearing an "A" for Finland internationally. If he comes, this gives London 4 potential first rounders for next year (with Jones, Tkachuk, and Mete).
Scouting Report: Marco Bambino of Future Considerations says, “Juolevi is such a talented and strong player at both ends of the ice that if I you didn't know, you would think he's a 20-year-old player. First of all, his puck management and reliability are one of his strengths. He did make two quite bad passes that went for icings, which is unusual for him. However, overall his playing with the puck and ability make that strong first pass, whether it be a long or short one, are clearly above a 16-year-old. Juolevi skates well with a long stride, smooth at turning pivots and with his clever positioning he's very tough to get around. He reads the game very well and thus his hockey sense is great. He can also contribute offensively. He got the puck once at the offensive blueline, showed quick hands and moves to get by the forward. His pass to the slot area wasn't the best, but again, this just shows how well he reads the play. He can really shoot the puck as well and almost score in the game after taking a shot on a rolling puck. The shot went a bit wide. This player has a ton of talent.“ Daniel Deschenes of Future Considerations says, “He runs the power play with strong passes and good offensive instincts. Receives passes like an egg, doing so with ease. Makes smart, crisp D to D passes that help the transition game. Has an array of dekes and can get creative offensively as seen by his slick heel to toe pull around the defender to open some space and get a shot off.” Our anonymous European scout says, "Excellent defensive prospect, should be first round draft pick next June. Highly mobile in all four directions, strong footwork, almost impossible to beat him off the rush, smooth pivots. Excellent wheels with the puck, fluid, long stride, can skate the puck out of zone, creates separation easily. Plays strong gap and forces forward to the outside off the rush. Sees the ice very well and strong moving the puck out of zone, excellent creative first pass giving puck away on the fly. Passes are crisp and accurate and likes to join rush. Rarely makes bad decision both with and without the puck. Aggressive in battles, ties forwards up at the board, uses active stick off the rush, tough to beat, contains well in tight areas. Forces the play at the blueline. Has ability to play the point on PP but needs to work on shot, some trouble to get the puck through traffic and hit the net, too many shots misses the net."

48. North Bay Battalion - Max Kislinger - Forward
Kislinger certainly hasn't taken the conventional hockey journey. The young German forward came to play for the Peterborough Petes minor midget team last year and played in the OHL Cup. He was one of the team's leading scorers. This past year he returned to Europe and played in Austria. The '98 forward has good size and will likely try to fill one of Henriksson or Olsson's spots on a checking line.
Scouting Report: Chapin Landvogt says, "Max Kislinger is already a tall player who is more likely 195-200 lbs. as opposed to the 172 or so that some sites state. He is coming off a season where he was in anything but a prominent role. Before that, he got a good taste of North American play in the Peterborough area and shouldn't have any problem adjusting to life in North America should he play in the CHL. Likely to be used as more of a hard-working banger heading in, he's quick to pick up what's being taught and tends to be very well liked by coaches and teammates alike." Also, here's a great article on his year in Minor Midget (with a scouting report) from the Peterborough Examiner. Link is here.

51. Barrie Colts - Julius Nattinen - Forward
At the Import Draft, sometimes you just have to shoot for the stars. The Colts have done that in selecting Nattinen, a 2nd rounder by Anaheim at the 2015 Draft. Nattinen played against men this year in the Finnish league and was one of the top players on a Finland U18 team that won Silver. The two-way center would be a fantastic addition if he comes over, especially considering Barrie's losses down the middle (Blandisi and Hooey).
Scouting Report: The Hockey News says, "creative producer who has added a much needed physical element to his game." Future Considerations says, "Nattinen is a two-way center who plays a solid playmaking game. He has good skating mechanics and is solid in his skates but doesn’t really have an extra gear that will drop jaws. He can generate speed on the rush but works best when he flows with the play and uses his smarts to find the openings. He shines when given time and space like on the powerplay. Has a cool head and is efficient under pressure. Spots teammates well and can open up space with quick and accurate passes. Has some soft mitts and a big frame to support some power forward characteristics when in the offensive zone and in transition. Strong positioning in the defensive zone and plays a highly efficient center’s role. Supports the puck well and goes to work when called upon." Anthony Mauro (of Draft Buzz Hockey) says, "He is a focused two way forward whose puck ability allows him to be just as good defensively as he is offensively. Over the year, he has been the type of forward to make extremely nice passes and dekes that actually materialize into goals [longer traveled plays]. He is hard to knock off the puck though his skating could improve. He’s a smooth, long legged skater, but his agility isn’t great and acceleration lags. His overall pace can be slow though it doesn’t really affect him much as he has great vision, and ability to cut back and utilize quick hands." Our anonymous European scout says, "More skilled and creative, much higher offensive upside than his older brother, thrives on PP. Deceptive skater, not dynamic skater and first steps a bit slow but actually has some acceleration and top end speed, just doesn´t use it much. Needs to shoot the puck more, he can shoot the puck but rarely uses it. Excellent vision and playmaking skills and elite passer. Very patient with the puck on stick, great timing on his passes, makes terrific sets-up through traffic, very soft touch no his passes. Highly intelligent in all three zones, very imaginative. Doesn´t play tough, physical game but good positionally on d-side and goes deep for puck in transition. Controls the puck well, very good hands. Not aggressive at all, it´s simply not his game, lacks aggressive mentality. Needs to get stronger on puck, protect it better."

54. Erie Otters - Erik Cernak - Defence
There were rumours suggesting that Cernak would definitely be picked at the Import Draft and those came to fruition. The 43rd overall pick in 2015 (by Los Angeles) has been a much hyped prospect coming out of Slovakia for quite some time. He's played at the last two U20's as an underager. Physically mature, Cernak would help to counter some of the significant OA losses to Erie's blueline. A fantastic pick here.
Scouting Report: Future Considerations says, "Cernak is a physically imposing defender who can wreak havoc on the wall with his size and pure strength. He brings strong play at both ends of the ice. He is aware and has very fluid movements to go with his solid mobility. Makes good decisions with the puck and sees lots of options in front of him as he scopes out the ice and decides what to do with the puck. Cernak makes crisp, effortless passes through the neutral zone. His strong, crisp passes normally lead his man, but can also be inconsistent at times; a challenge for those who try to receive them. Protects and shields the puck with his large frame but has moments where he can give it up with questionable decision on when to move it. Has the defensive smarts to pick up missed assignments and uses his stick to swat pucks away or poke them off of sticks. Strong gaps when the opposition tries to enter the zone. Plays his man hard and will drive him into, or even through, the boards to show that he is a physical force and should not be messed with. Not as tight to the man around the crease as he should be. A solid defense-first prospect with underrated
offensive tools." Anthony Mauro (of Draft Buzz Hockey) says, "A huge on ice presence, he loves laying into opponents and is the type of defender who can unexpectedly destroy opponents with little to no acceleration/speed. A surprise point man for his size and reach on the line, he uses good mobility to seek the right pass and/or move into his hard shot. Defensively, he is a strong force on the puck who can stand a play up on his own and win battles to move the puck safely. His skating is a point of contention, as he needs to improve in a few areas, which are his straight line and crossover power. Too often it looks like he isn’t generating enough speed forward, and is just weakly shuffling his feet on cross. This puts him at a disadvantage against forwards with speed, as he does have a problem letting forwards slip behind him in lapses." Our anonymous Euro scout says, "I´m not a big fan, overrated as NHL prospect in my eyes. Improved decision making with the puck as the season progressed, became more efficient moving the puck out of zone. Plays it mostly simply, often making only D to D passes. Never will be puck moving D but has some ability to skate the puck and make first pass into the stride. Not smart and poised under pressure though. Passes are crisp but accuracy is often lacking. Lacks hands for soft passes. Very average skater for his size, stride is short, not very athletic, pivots are not smooth and quick, feet a bit slow. Forwards are often able to get behind him, unable to contain them. Needs to play better gap. His thought process and reading in own zone is slow, he often looks lost in d-zone coverage, lacks awareness. Doesn´t play with the edge, not consistently aggressive in 1 on 1 battles, lacks mean streak. Not afraid to join rush occasionally, slides into the cycle down low in offensive zone and has solid shot but very little creativity."

56. Oshawa Generals - Lukas Lofquist - Forward
An interesting pick here by Oshawa. Lofquist is a '96 born forward who has gone through two NHL drafts. He has good size and has put up some decent numbers in the Swedish junior leagues. He recently signed a contract with Djurgarden next year, where he'll try to make the main club. Or he comes over for a year in Oshawa to get some ice time. Who knows.
Scouting Report: Still waiting on a report from a contact on Lofquist. Until then, I was able to translate an interview with Lofquist (from here) where he describes himself as being a terrific skater with a great shot who works hard on the ice, but needs to use his size more physically.

58. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds - Makar Tokarev - Forward
I tend to trust the Soo scouts in situations like this. Tokarev is not a guy who's received a lot of attention thus far. He only played a handful of games in the MHL this year (the Russian junior league) and had some success there. But he didn't play for the Russian U17 team at the World Hockey Challenge. The '98 forward must have done something right to catch the eye of the Greyhounds.
Scouting Report: Waiting on a report on Tokarev from a scout. Until then, check out what GM Kyle Raftis had to say about him from a Sault Star article (here)

66. Windsor Spitfries - Christof Kromp - Forward
The Spitfires make their second pick a talented offensive forward from Austria. Kromp was passed over at this year's NHL Draft, but looks to have some talent. He led the second division at the U18's in scoring and got Austria back to the main group for next year. His father Wolfgang was a longtime member of the Austrian National and Olympic team.
Scouting Report: Waiting on a scouting report on Kromp. Until then, I've found a scouting report in German on Kromp following the completion of the U18's (here). The report is very complimentary and states that "Kromp was one of the best players in the tournament. He's a sniper with a terrific wrister who has great hands and speed. He's a tad inconsistent and his play away from the puck needs improvement."

69. Flint Firebirds - Matyas Kantner - Forward
With their second pick, the Firebirds take a '98 Czech forward who seems to have a fair amount of offensive talent. He averaged over a point per game internationally this year and could be a nice under the radar selection. Flint's going to need some help scoring next year so he's worth a look.
Scouting Report: Our Anonymous Euro scout says, " I only saw him twice playing for Czech U17 team against Finns in December. Short report from these games: "Tall and lanky, decent competitor, gets some pucks along the boards but not overly physical. Drives the net a bit and goes through checks occasionally. Stiff skater, no stride, no speed and acceleration, often behind the play. A bit of stone hands, not smooth with the puck and lacks skills to beat D 1 on 1. Looks like character kid with heart but can´t skate and below average hands."

72. Mississauga Steelheads - Daniel Muzito-Bagenda - Forward
This Swedish forward is an older selection ('96) who has gone through two NHL Drafts, but does seem to have some talent. He's played for Sweden at the U17's and U18's throughout his career and he did see some limited action for Modo at the men's league level this year. The Steelheads need help scoring, so let's see what he's made of.
Scouting Report: Still waiting on a report from a contact. In the meantime, Mike Mackley posted his scouting report of Muzito-Bagenda on twitter (check it out here). Basically sounds like he's a hard nosed winger who could chip in offensively too.

81. Hamilton Bulldogs - Christian Mieritz - Defence
The second defender taken by Hamilton on the day, Mieritz is an offensive blueliner from Denmark. He was passed over at this year's NHL Draft, but he played professionally in Denmark against men in 2015. He's also played at the U18's for Denmark the past two years, captaining their team this year.
Scouting Report: Still waiting on a report from a scout. Here are a couple of links to give you an idea of the type of player Mieritz is. First is an audio recording from Dogs Radio, which speaks to Mieritz (found here). Second is a Hamilton Spectator article where George Burnett describes Mieritz as a good skating puck mover with an edge. Article is here.

84. Sarnia Sting - Louis Latta - Forward
The name should be pretty familiar. Louis is the brother of former Sting captain Nick. The '98 forward would obviously be eager to come over and play for Sarnia. The issue is that Sarnia has 3 Imports (because Zacha was an NHL first rounder). If Zacha is sent back, one of Laine (if he reports) or Latta has to go. It'll be interesting to see how this situation unfolds.
Scouting Report: Chapin Landvogt says, "Latta may have a better developmental trajectory than his older brother, a former captain for Sarnia, and is already quite big for a 17 year old. He was rookie of the year for a pro team in the third league and was fairly dominant when he did play in the junior team. His brother Nick had a fine career for Sarnia after having coming straight over from the DNL, never having seen the type of pro play Louis has already gotten a taste of. He may even be excluded from his foreign player status at some point since his father Ken, who coaches here, is originally from Canada. A good hustler who can handle the rough stuff. Definitely a guy to watch out for."

99. Guelph Storm - Vladislav Barulin - Forward
Barulin is an older Import selection ('96) who has been playing in the MHL B League (2nd tier junior division). He's been a leading scorer there, but the competition isn't incredibly strong. He's never suited up internationally for Russia and has gone through a couple of NHL Drafts. Not sure I'm expecting much out of this pick, but you never know.
Scouting Report: Still waiting on a report on Barulin. Until then, here's a Tony Saxon article which has some info from Mike Kelly on Barulin. Link is here.

105. London Knights - Daniel Bernhardt - Forward
A 4th rounder by the New York Rangers in 2015, Bernhardt is a '96 who was chosen as a re-entry in the NHL. The 6'2 forward has a good year in the Swedish U20 league, where he led the league in scoring. He's signed on with Djurgarden for next year, but perhaps the Rangers try to get him to North America in 2015/16.
Scouting Report: Future Considerations says, "This big, skilled winger creates a lot of offense by entering the offensive zone with good speed and protecting the puck with his long reach. He keeps the puck away from the defenders with pretty skilled hands and a decent wrist shot. Good top speed but just average acceleration. He is quite shifty and can change directions pretty quickly, often throwing off defenders. He is not a physically punishing player, but is pretty strong on his feet in regards to fending off defenders along the wall. He is no softie, but it would be nice to see him bring more bite and be able to use his impressive frame more effectively. Average defensive player, but has shown improved hustling and back checking from last season’s many lackadaisical efforts. If you like puck possession hockey, Daniel is a very good fit. He needs to improve his slapshot and his first step, which isn’t horrible but not really an asset either. Top speed is good though."

108. North Bay Battalion - Robin Kovacs - Forward
Another New York Rangers pick from 2015 (3rd round), Kovacs is also a '96 born forward. He had a ton of success playing against men in Sweden this past year (with AIK), but I don't believe he has a contract to play over there for next year. He'd be an absolutely fantastic add for the Battalion next year if he comes over.
Scouting Report: Future Considerations says, "Kovacs is a high skill offensive type of player with good hands and skating. He has top-notch skating ability, as his acceleration, speed and mobility are excellent. He proves successful handling the puck and on zone entries as he is very slippery between the defenders, making him hard to stop. He is more of a scorer with a sharp, quick release than a playmaker trying to set up his teammates. His determination makes his efforts strong; although, he needs to work on his defensive positioning. Offensively, he needs to get a little bit stronger in front of the net. Even though he is willing to play that feisty type of game, he needs to bulk up. His hockey sense is very good as he makes quick and smart decisions with the puck. He supports his defenders in the defensive zone when needed and he tries to verbally build up his teammates as much as possible, showing strong leadership qualities." Anthony Mauro (of Draft Buzz Hockey) says, "With team adjusted numbers that match top 5-15 picks [Marner, Strome, Crouse] in %GF [14] and %PTS [24] that match 2nd rounders [Roy, Bittner, Stephens, Korostelev], it is amazing he factored in these equivalencies at men’s league play. Seen in his SuperElit play, he came to play as top dog and looked a very confident top liner. Dictating play, he took his HA experience and became an all around threat actually leaning more towards setting his teammates up with technical bullets of passes. He is a very good skater who uses full body quickness to swivel and position himself as a target in all 3 zones. He has an inclination to play very physical making it no surprise he did well in HA. Kovacs plays hard, can skate, and has goal scoring instincts, what’s not to like?"

114. Erie Otters - Jakob Mayenschein -Forward
A German forward who has suited up for Germany at the U18's the past two years. He was eligible for this year's NHL Draft but was passed over. He saw some time in the German second league against men this past year (on the same team as former OHL'er Patrick Jarrett). Can't be any worse than Erie's 2nd rounder at the Import Draft last year.
Scouting Report: Chapin Landvogt says, "Mayenschein had some injuries and then played 3rd/4th line minutes on a pro team in the second league and was asked to be a defensive player. What his real offensive upside is has yet to be seen. Could help Erie surely as a responsible 3rd liner. I suspect he'll go over. He has some stuff to prove."

116. Oshawa Generals - Mischa Moor - Defence
The final OHL pick of the Import Draft, Moor is a Swiss defender with good size who played in the Swiss U20 league this past year. He was eligible for the NHL Draft but was not selected. Could be a good depth option similar to Hertzberg this past year.
Scouting Report: Our anonymous European scout says, "Tall and lanky D is raw but there are a few aspects in his game to like. Mobile for his size, has good lateral agility and footwork, plays good gap, uses stick to break plays, long reach. Pushes forwards on outside and hard to beat off the rush. Lacks strength to be more effective in battles, simply overpowered a lot but not afraid to get involved physically and competes in battles down low. Just okay skills/hands but decent vision and a bit of ability to move the puck out of zone. Lacks balance and knocked off the puck in battles. Needs to work a lot on his shot. A bit of sleeper, could turn into better player than some of much higher selected players"