A little different than usual, my final rankings release will only have three parts this year. Part of that is time related, but mostly it's because I just don't see a long enough list of honorable mentions that have a chance of being drafted. So this year it will be: Part 1 - Prospects 50-31, Part 2 - Prospects 30-11, and Part 3 - Prospects 10-1.
Just for clarification, for my top 50 ranking, I haven't included any players eligible for draft re-entry, such as Rodwin Dionicio, Spencer Sova or Brady Stonehouse. 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. As you may know (or not know) I am the scouting director for McKeen's and our draft guide will be released extremely soon (purchasing information is available on the linked site).
In four straight drafts (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), only three players ranked in this range have been selected. I don't see that changing this year either. The reality is that NHL teams are using mid to late round picks on European and College bound players more often these days because they get a longer signing window in regards to their rights. Longer shot prospects take longer to develop because they have more to work on. That longer window allows them a few extra years to see how they progress before they have to hand out an ELC. Additionally, in the mid to later rounds, teams are using picks on second/third year eligible CHL players who have already shown positive growth.
Without further ado, here are the players ranked 31 through 50.
31. Owen Outwater - Center - Kingston Frontenacs
The raw athletic tools are going to be very intriguing to NHL teams as they go over the later part of their lists. Outwater skates quite well for a bigger center. He can have a profound impact on the transition game with his straight line carrying ability. But when he's not attacking with speed, Outwater can be easily neutralized. In a lot of ways, Outwater needs to figure out what kind of player he wants to be first before he can be considered a significant NHL prospect. There's a need to get stronger to play a more consistent power game; to be more efficient in traffic. There's a need to work on his small area skill to become a better playmaker. There's a need to improve his shot and release to help him finish off chances near the crease that he can get by using his speed to drive the slot. The raw framework is there, as I mentioned, but the projection is muddled.
32. Alex Assadourian - Center - Niagara IceDogs
You really have to admire what Assadourian was able to accomplish after moving from Sudbury to Niagara. Sure, he got more ice time. But, the team was also struggling and constantly fighting from behind. Did any NHL scouts catch Niagara enough in the second half to truly be impressed by what Assadourian did? Questionable, but he deserves attention. The first thing you notice about Assadourian is his speed. He's lightning quick and he loves to push the pace. His motor without the puck never seems to quit too, as he is always looking to use his speed to apply pressure on opposing players or to win puck races. Not large, Assadourian is also tenacious. It's that classic, "he plays bigger than he is" type of scenario. The two things that I'm always looking for in smaller players to see if their game translates are high end skating ability and fearlessness/tenacity...Assadourian has both in spades. What scouts will need to evaluate is whether Assoudrian's puck skill, vision, creativity, etc are all good enough to be anything more than a fourth line, energy guy. If that belief is no, he probably does not get drafted. If that belief is yes (and all it takes is one), than I do think someone takes a shot. Personally, I saw enough from him in the second half (admittedly in the limited times that I watched Niagara) to suggest that he is skilled and smart enough to be a player.
33. Matthew Mayich - Defense - Ottawa 67's
There is a lot to like about Mayich and I know he has his fans in the NHL scouting community because of his high IQ and projection as a dependable stay at home type. Mayich has a high panic threshold in the defensive end and starts the breakout well, even without high end escapability or quick feet. His scanning habits are good and he always has his head up, looking to find an outlet or teammate. As a defender, Mayich's zone coverage is fantastic. He is physical. He has a great stick. He is just flat out tough to play against. His rush defense can be a little erratic because of some footwork issues, but he generally defends well in transition because of how aggressive he is. What it comes down to is how much can Mayich continue to improve his mobility and quickness? I would consider him a near lock to be drafted (likely one of the few ranked in this range by myself).
34. Valentin Zhugin - Wing - Guelph Storm
From a production standpoint, Zhugin does not deserve to be drafted. This is especially true when you factor in that he's a late born 2004 playing in his second OHL season. Yet, I find myself ranking him fairly high still because his offensive upside is pretty significant. When you are talking about drafting players late, you want to highlight and find guys who can be difference makers if everything goes according to plan...even if that's unlikely. Zhugin oozes skill and he is an electric skater. He blends the two well too, making him a difficult cover when he gets time and space to skate with the puck. The problem is the application of said speed and skill. For one, he lacks the strength to consistently play through traffic and can be easily angled off to or kept to the perimeter. For two, his decision making with the puck leaves a lot to be desired. He, quite frankly, skates himself into trouble way too often. This is why the production does not match the skill. If he is able to add strength and become more middle of the ice focused, do we see him show more poise and patience knowing that he can fight through checks or take contact to make a play? It's a risky gamble, but the upside may be worth the risk for an NHL team.
35. Nathaniel Day - Goaltender - Flint Firebirds
The Firebirds brought veteran Will Cranley in this year to be the starter and Day ended up stealing the job away by the time the OHL playoffs rolled around. Day is only 6'3, but he actually looks even bigger than that in the crease because of his upright posture. He's an imposing presence in the crease. Day is really tough to beat in tight. He's got quick pads and a good glove hand and his body control is actually quite good for a young netminder. Composed is a word that I would use. Where Day can struggle is on outside shots because his positioning and angles are inconsistent. He is obviously a lot more comfortable playing deeper in his crease. Additionally, his agility needs work. He's OK post to post, but he gets himself in trouble when he goes down too early and is forced to scramble. Improving his quickness up/down and his quickness moving North/South would really help Day with his consistency and his coverage of perimeter shots.
36. Bronson Ride - Defense - Niagara IceDogs
Massive defender (6'6, 201lbs) who is actually a pretty decent skater. Given his length, more than adequate mobility, and physical approach, there is a future for him at the pro level if other areas of his game can develop. The main concern is puck management. He can be turnover prone in the defensive end and at times the speed of the OHL looks to give him trouble from a decision making standpoint. Improving his small area skill, his scanning habits, and his routes to retrievals would help to alleviate these concerns. Luckily, all three of these areas can be improved with the right coaching and dedication. In Niagara, we already saw some improvement as his confidence improved with more playing time. I was pretty shocked to see NHL Central Scouting drop him completely from their final rankings. I think that there's a chance he gets drafted.
37. Konnor Smith - Defense - Peterborough Petes
Smith is big (6'5, 206lbs) and he is mean. His potential as a stay at home defender is through the roof. Smith just consistently makes his presence felt. He makes you compete for every inch of ice against him. I actually think he's more than just brawn too. His defensive zone awareness is high. He is a great shot blocker. By the time he becomes an OA in the OHL, he'll likely be one of the better defensive defenders in the league. My concerns are related to how he projects to the NHL level. The first concern is over his mobility. His footwork is not great and his lateral quickness, backwards stride, and the fluidity of his transitions are going to need to improve a ton to be an NHL defender. The second concern surrounds puck management. Anytime I watch the Petes, Smith has a bad giveaway or two from simply not scanning or checking. He's just not the most skilled with the puck. I see him getting drafted probably, but I'm just not sure about his projectability.
38. Anthony Romani - Wing - North Bay Battalion
Romani was excellent for the Battalion in the second half and through their playoff run. He's just a really sound, well rounded player. He excels away from the puck thanks to his high IQ and he always seems to be around the puck. He's a dangerous complementary piece. While he's not overtly physical, he's far from a perimeter player or one dimensional. His positioning and commitment to playing in all three zones is sound. As I said at midseason, I feel very confident that Romani will develop into a very good OHL player. But, even through elevated play in the second half, I'm still unsure of what kind of role he'd play at the NHL level. If he were a better skater, I'd be more confident that he could find a place. But, as is, he probably profiles best as a tweener. However, improvement in his athletic tools could mean a significant projection upgrade.
39. Zach Bowen - Goaltender - London Knights
Kudoes to Bowen. He was a great and dependable backup for the Knights this year and came into a tough position in this year's playoffs after Brochu's injury. He's both athletic and competitive, a good combination because it means that he never quits on a play and is able to make a lot of saves on second/third chance opportunities during a scramble. However, a lot of those second/third chance opportunities are created because his rebound control needs work. Hyper aggressive (he loves to be come way out of the blue paint), his positioning also needs work as he has a tendency to overcommit. The technical components will need to be fine tuned to improve his consistency, however an NHL team may very well be impressed by how he performed in the OHL playoffs under the circumstances.
40. Lucas Moore - Defense - Hamilton Bulldogs
Undersized, but competitive puck moving defender. Moore is going to be a five year OHL defender IMO and someone near the top of the OHL defender scoring race by the time he graduates. A bit like Lleyton Moore (no relation). He makes a great first pass out of the zone. He is a pretty strong four-way mover, especially on his edges. He improved a lot from the start of the year to the end (he was especially strong in the first round for Hamilton). However, I wish his linear quickness was a little better to help him profile as a dominant puck mover in the future. Additionally, his defensive zone play is pretty erratic. He likes to play aggressively, but his footwork can be sloppy because of it. He can get burned defending the rush and he chases play too often. As mentioned, I see some upside, but I'd want to see how his game comes together a bit first.
41. Calem Mangone - Wing - Saginaw Spirit
Mangone is a really fun player to watch. Oozes skill and has very quick feet. He's a determined player too who competes hard to offset some size and strength deficits. However, those same deficits hold him back from being a more consistent offensive player. You just don't see 5'9 forwards getting drafted without elite production....especially if they're late born first time draft eligible players. At this point, I'd just need to see Mangone prove that he can be an elite offensive player in the OHL before drafting him. Yet, I'm ranking him because I do respect his upside and enjoy watching him play.
42. James Petrovski - Defense - Owen Sound Attack
Defender with some interesting tools. His length can be disruptive, especially when he's defending aggressively in the neutral zone and up near the blueline. Shows potential as a puck mover too and protects the puck well through movement with his size. I guess the question I have is...what is Petrovski, both currently and in the future? He's kind of one of those jack of all trades, average at everything kind of players right now. I'd want to see how his game progresses moving forward before committing a draft selection to him.
43. Alexis Daviault - Defense - Erie Otters
Came into the year thinking that Daviault would be an NHL draft pick, but I'm exiting the year believing the opposite. The offensive side of things just never really came together for Daviault this year and I thought his defensive game actually took a step back from his U17 year with Sarnia. For much of the year, he looked like a player who was confused as to the best way for him to make an impact at this level. That said, I thought he finished the year on a real high note for Erie and I think that bodes well for the future. He CAN be a strong defensive presence who has a strong competitive nature, but the key for him is unlocking his offensive potential. Improving his carrying ability. Improving his confidence running the point and holding the offensive blueline. The potential is still there.
44. Luke McNamara - Center - Saginaw Spirit
Had much higher expectations for McNamara this year. Was drafted as a high end goal scoring center, but the scoring ability just hasn't translated yet. McNamara has that good shot, but he's not putting himself in a position to use it consistently. For a big center, I'd want to see him driving the net more. Additionally, he's just not finding those soft spots in coverage and maybe that points to some IQ/awareness deficits. McNamara certainly flashes that package of size, skill, and quickness and his athletic tools could still get him drafted. However, I just didn't see enough progression from last year to make that leap.
45. Matthew Andonovski - Defense - Kitchener Rangers
I would imagine that Andonovski gets drafted. And I would totally understand why. Good size. Strong defensive awareness. Extremely physical. Opposing forwards rarely win puck battles against Andonovski along the wall if he's able to pin/seal them. I guess my concerns stem from his mobility. He can struggle against quicker players and if I'm taking a big, physical guy with stay at home potential, I have other preferences from the OHL this year.
46. Marco Mignosa - Wing - Soo Greyhounds
Mignosa is just a really smart player. His positioning in the offensive zone is a real standout quality of his. He puts himself in good positions to earn scoring chances or to support his linemates to help retain possession. His vision coming off the wall is high end. The problem is that the physical tools are all lagging behind significantly and that's not allowing him to get the best out of his high IQ. He isn't able to consistently fight through contact. He isn't able to get shots off quick enough. His three zone play is inconsistent. As the Greyhounds improve as a young team and Mignosa matures physically, I'm really intrigued to see how his game develops. He's the kind of guy that two years from now, we could be looking at the same way we look at Tye Kartye now.
47. Adam Zidlicky - Wing - Mississauga Steelheads
High energy winger who can struggle with consistency. Some games he looks like he's capable of playing higher in the lineup, flashing strong transitional offensive skills. Other games plays consistently die on his stick in the offensive zone and he has trouble carrying/receiving. In reality, I think that this points to some limitations from a skill perspective. I would imagine that he eventually develops into a quality middle six option at the OHL level as part of a strong Mississauga team, but the reality is that I'm not sure I see more than that.
48. Declan Waddick - Wing - Niagara IceDogs
Waddick is similar to Marco Mignosa in the Soo. He's a high end processor but he needs to get quicker/stronger to be a more consistent offensive contributor. As an undersized forward, the lack of quickness is going to be a major concern for NHL scouts. It's no fluke that he scored 28 goals this year though. Great scoring instincts and a quick release. I'd take a wait and see approach here to see how everything develops moving forward.
49. Joey Costanzo - Goaltender - Windsor Spitfires
I mean, it's tough to evaluate Costanzo's play this year without accounting for his poor performance in the first round against Kitchener. He was largely solid for Windsor this year, but a lot of the inefficiencies in his game were highlighted in that playoff loss. Costanzo is a good athlete and he never gives up on a play, but his scrambling style can lead to issues. This is especially true given that he doesn't have elite size. "Smaller" goalies with positioning and rebound control issues just rarely get drafted.
50. Blake Smith - Defense - Flint Firebirds
Smith is a tough as nails, throwback defender. He is one of the better open ice hitters in the OHL and is also one of the better fighters in the league. At 6'4, 202lbs, the late born 2004 born defender is extremely physically imposing. Puck skill is limited. Skating will need to improve. Basically, it's the same as the other stay at home types that I've listed in the back portion of my top 50.
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