My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft - Part 1: Honorable Mentions

It has been great to have the OHL back this year and to have a fairly normal scouting season. I say fairly normal and not completely normal only because we didn't have a few large scale international events that would normally occur (Canada's participation in the Hlinka/Gretzky, the WJAC, the Under 17's Challenge), and because there are still very clearly some players whose development was stunted by the lost season last year. 

As per the usual, my top 50 will be released in four parts: Part 1 - Honorable Mentions, Part 2 - Prospects 50-31, Part 3 - Prospects 30-11, and Part 4 - Prospects 10-1.

Just for clarification, for my top 50 ranking, I haven't included any players eligible for draft re-entry, such as Tucker Robertson or Lucas Edmonds. This has been consistent all the way through my lists. Instead, I did a list of the top 10 draft re-entries, which can be found here.

Also for clarification, this list is MY list of the top 50 OHL prospects, as if I were drafting for my own team. In other words, this isn't a list of where I THINK or believe players will go, but a ranking of my own opinion on the top players eligible for this draft based on my viewings this season. If you want a draft projection and information about players outside the OHL, be sure to check out McKeens Hockey. I am now the scouting director for McKeen's and our draft guide will be released extremely soon (purchasing information is available on the linked site).
 
This first part includes the Honorable Mentions of my list. These are the players who received consideration for my top 50, but who fell just short. There are 19 in total. Last year, two players were taken from my HM's (Pasquale Zito and Chandler Romeo). This year, I could see a couple being drafted again. While all of these guys most definitely have potential, they remain long shots who need to put in a lot of work to be serious NHL prospects.

Here are my HM's (in alphabetical order)...

 

Gavin Bryant - Center - Owen Sound Attack

Really wanted to find a spot for Bryant in my top 50, but his lack of high end physical tools kept him out. An intelligent playmaker, Bryant is the epitome of what makes Owen Sound consistently successful. He plays all three zones effectively. His positioning and anticipation without the puck are excellent. He shows good poise with the puck, and is excellent when working down low, showing great scanning habits to find streaking teammates in the slot, even under the face of pressure. However, the skating is only average overall. He's not really a physical player. He can still be muscled off the puck and doesn't win quite as many 50/50 battles as you'd like to see from a high IQ/two way center. Really curious to see how he grows over the next few years and it's very possible that if those athletic tools can improve some, he could find himself very firmly on the pro radar.

 

Thomas Budnick - Defense - Kingston Frontenacs

Stay at home defender who moved up and down the lineup for the Frontenacs this year. Struggled a bit in the playoffs, but how many Frontenacs players had good playoffs? He combines decent mobility with physicality to take away time and space from opposing forwards. The puck skill is rather limited and he can struggle with turnovers in the defensive end. His ability to use his feet to clear the forecheck, or his ability to get his head up to make a quicker exit pass will need to improve. An NHL team could see him as a potential depth defender down the road.

 

Ben Bujold - Center/Wing - London Knights

On merit, Bujold probably doesn't deserve to be listed here. But I still believe he has the potential to be an impactful OHL player. He got buried this year in London and really struggled with the pace and strength of the OHL game after the year off. It's odd that he seemed to struggle with pace because his skating ability is his biggest strength. But the hands and brain need to catch up with the speed he can play at. Could easily see him breaking out next year...or I could easily see him out of the league in a few years. There may not be a middle ground.

 

Caeden Carlisle - Defense - Soo Greyhounds

Carlisle is a defender who seems to be trying to figure out what kind of OHL player he wants to be. He shows occasional flashes of being a strong puck mover, which is something he was known for as a U16 player with the Mississauga Senators. He can lead the attack. He also has decent four way mobility and a strong understanding of how to defend in transition. He can play physical too. But what is he? Can his play at either end elevate further to make him a standout offensively or defensively? Can the skating improve further? 

 

Justin DeZoete - Wing - Peterborough Petes 

Really liked DeZoete early on in the year and he was one of my favourites from his draft class. But as the year went on and Peterborough's struggles as a team magnified, DeZoete faded. I think that he will eventually develop into a quality, high energy scoring winger at the OHL level. However, his ability to skate with the puck, his four way agility, and his strength on/off the puck really need to improve for him to be considered a quality pro prospect. Thought he was right there with the likes of Stonehouse, Van Steensel, and Jelsma before, but it's clear those three separated themselves physically.

 

Kyle Downey - Goaltender - Windsor Spitfires

It just hasn't come together yet for the former highly touted netminder and goes to show you how difficult it is to assess goaltenders at a young age. After the Spits acquired Matt Onuska, Downey even went down to the GOJHL to get starts (and did perform well). He has good size. He has good instincts in the crease and tracks the play well. However, the four way agility needs to improve for him, and he just needs to gain confidence at the OHL level. Way too early to give up on him, but he's a long term play as of now.

 

Zach Filak - Center - Sarnia Sting

Filak finished the year well for the Sting, which is a great sign for his development as an OHL player. Consistency was an issue all year though. I think he has a lot of potential to be an impact player in the league. He shows well as a two-way player. He shows well as someone who can counter attack in transition. He wins battles down low and near the crease. I guess the question is, is he skilled enough to be a consistent offensive contributor? There's certainly a chance that his tools could make him a quality bottom six forward at the next level, but the lack of consistency puts him behind some other similar types. Also think he will need to upgrade his quickness to play that role effectively.

 

Ethan Larmand - Center - Sudbury Wolves 

This competitive, attacking center started the year well but fell down the lineup as the season went on. A late born 2003, he wore a letter with the Wolves and it's obvious that Sudbury values his character. If Larmand can continue to improve his vision and decision making with the puck, and his speed, he could easily develop into an Andrew Shaw kind of player in the future. Right now, he will need to prove that he can be a consistently impactful offensive player first.

 

Andrew Leblanc - Center/Wing - Kitchener Rangers 

Had high expectations for Leblanc coming into the season. He was one of my favourites from his OHL draft class. However, his athletic tools just did not get to where they needed to be in order for him to be an impactful OHL player. Still like the sense and awareness in all three zones; he's a high IQ player. However, he desperately needs to get quicker and stronger to take advantage of this. He did look better in the last few months, however let's see if he puts in the work this offseason to take his game to that next level.

 

Alec Leonard - Defense - Niagara IceDogs

Hard to standout consistently on a weak team as a defender due to how often you're forced to play in your own end. That said, Leonard improved a lot over the course of the year. Love his physical intensity level and his defensive awareness. I think he will develop into a standout defensive player in this league at some point. Just not sure the mobility or offensive touch will improve to the point where he could be considered a high-end two-way defender or NHL prospect.  

 

Jonathan Melee - Center/Wing - Peterborough Petes

Really thought that he would take off a bit with more ice time in Peterborough following the trade from Hamilton, but that wasn't the case. Melee stands out with his strong defensive awareness already; he's already a great penalty killer. He also shows well when he can get the puck down low as he can be tough to separate from the puck in the cycle. However, the quickness, speed, and agility all need to improve. Also not sure the puck skill is high end enough for him to be a quality pro. Tons of room for development as a goal scoring, two-way power center, but he's still a little ways off.

 

Cedricson Okitundu - Defense - Owen Sound Attack

Okitundu really caught my eye early in the year. He looked good at both ends and I loved his competitiveness in the defensive end. He's got a really strong and low center of gravity that makes him tough to get around in the defensive end. However, I found his confidence with the puck decreased significantly in the second half, especially after he returned from his injury. As such, without elite four way mobility, it's tough projecting him as more than a quality OHL player. 

 

Jacob Oster - Goaltender - Guelph Storm

Probably the player from this HM list with the best chance of being drafted this year. I think NHL scouts will  like how technically composed he is already. Challenges shooters. Fights for sight lines. Reads the play well. Already controls rebounds well. He just needs to become a more athletic netminder, improving his agility and quickness to really take that next step. Without improving his athleticism, he probably tops out as a quality OHL netminder and CIS player, but NHL teams may like how refined he is.

 

Nathan Poole - Center - Kingston Frontenacs

I love this player as someone who watches a lot of OHL hockey. He is already one of the most physically engaged players in the league as an 18 year old. He just never seems to give up on a play at either end of the ice. Has a chance to be a very strong defensive center. However he needs to get quicker and he needs to stay healthy. At this point, it's tough imagining him as a high end offensive player. However, I had to mention him because I love how he plays.

 

Teddy Sawyer - Defense - Ottawa 67's

A late born 2003, Sawyer has the makings of being a strong stay at home defender in the OHL. Solid mobility. Sturdy and balanced, he applies himself physically and makes life difficult down low for opposing players. Will block shots and do anything to help his team win. However, he doesn't have the kind of size/reach that you want from a stay at home type at the next level and his offensive tools just didn't improve a whole lot this year. He's going to be a standout OHL defender at some point, but did not play himself onto the NHL scouting radar this year IMO.

 

Kai Schwindt - Center/Wing - Mississauga Steelheads 

If you saw his brother Cole come through the league, you'd immediately know that these guys were related. Kai is all limbs. His length can be very disruptive in all three zones and as such, he projects well as a defensive forward at the very least. The athletic tools are not as good as Cole's though. Already a late born 2003, Kai needs to improve his quickness and his strength to truly become a strong two-way threat and consistent offensive contributor. Cole was a bit of a late bloomer too and his skating improved a ton over his OHL career, maybe Kai can do the same.

 

Landon Sim - Center/Wing - London Knights

The son of former NHL'er Jon Sim, Landon plays a similar kind of game. It's all about pace and energy. A strong forechecker, Sim found ways to be noticeable despite limited ice time on a lot of nights. A late bloomer physically, Sim has solid top speed and he shows well as a North/South attacker, with and without the puck. With a lack of true playing time, it's just tough projecting Sim. More of a strong complementary piece, can he be the focal point? Does he have the skill to create his own chances consistently, or better yet, the vision and creativity to create for his teammates? Is he a center or a wing long term? I'd want to see a little more from him to throw a draft pick at him. But the bloodlines and athletic tools are interesting. I could see him drafted.

 

Connor Toms - Defense - Soo Greyhounds

I think Toms has a lot of potential to be an impactful offensive defender and puck mover at the OHL level. He shows flashes of being a real standout with the puck on his stick and I think his composure inside the offensive blueline gives him a projection as a powerplay QB at some point. However, his overall skill/sense package is very raw. His quickness and four way mobility will need to improve. His physical intensity level in the defensive end needs to be more consistent. His decision making with the puck in the defensive zone and neutral zone needs to improve. I have faith in the Greyhounds development program, especially on the back-end. Could be a quality re-entry candidate next year. 

 

Dalyn Wakely - Center/Wing - North Bay Battalion 

The shot is high end. The application of all the other tools is wildly inconsistent. A bit of an early maturer, Wakely once was able to dominate physically as a U16 player, but since arriving in the OHL, many of his age equivalent peers have surpassed him. The key for him moving forward will be the improvement of his athletic tools. Like many listed in this HM list, improving his quickness in all four directions is key for him. This would help him get to those openings quicker so that he can get better looks to use his shot.