It's
certainly not a normal year for draft coverage with the abrupt end to
many 2020 seasons and the question marks surrounding next year's
start-up. With that in mind, I teamed up with some familiar
collaborators and asked them some pressing questions in regards to
the OHL talent available for the 2020 NHL Draft. Naturally, I also
took part in the questionnaire. Whenever the draft happens to be, my
aim is to make you as informed as possible.
Here
were the participants in the poll:
Dominic Tiano - Writer for The OHL Writers (@dominictiano)
Dylan Galloway - OHL Scout for Future Considerations (@dylangalloway_)
Tony
Ferrari – OHL Scout for Future
Considerations
and
NHL Draft Writer for Dobber
Prospects
(@theTonyFerrari)
Steven
Ellis – Former Digital Content Creator for The Hockey News,
Provides OHL Related Content at http://stevenpellis.com/
(@StevenEllisNHL)
Raine
Hernandez - OHL coverage for OHLNetwork
& social media/scout for the Oakville Blades (OJHL)
(@BringerofRaine)
Here
was the Questionnaire:
Brock
Otten - I think that this could go down as one of the strongest draft
classes from the OHL in recent memory. 2003 is always going to be the
pinnacle, but then again it probably is for almost every league. 2008
and 2010 are other years that come to mind for the OHL with the first
four selections, and seven of the top 10 in 2008 and the top three
selections in 2010. This group has the potential to be mentioned in
the same breath. Not inconceivable to see the league having five of
the first eight selections and many other quality players in the top
100.
Tony
Ferrari - I think this year’s OHL crop is very good. Probably one
of the better groups we’ve seen in a while with four guys almost
locked into the top-10 and another 1 or 2 with a chance to sneak in
if teams really like them and decide to reach a bit.
Grant
McCagg - Any time you have five players from one league that could go
in the top ten, it is a banner year. One could argue that it's the
best OHL draft class since 2010 when Hall, Seguin and Gudbranson went
one, two, three and six went in the top 12. The only class of the
past decade in the discussion is the McDavid one because...it had
McDavid. Marner is no slouch either, and Strome/Zacha have had their
moments. All in all, I'm comfortable saying it is one of the best two
OHL draft crops of the past decade...with both quality and depth.
Dominic
Tiano - After
the embarrassment of last season, the worst ever for the OHL, 2020 is
a breath of fresh air. I think it’s the best draft class from the O
since 2003 and it is strong in top end talent and depth. If there is
an area of weakness it’s in the crease after Nico Daws.
Mark
Scheig - Outside of the obvious names, I think this is a strong class
overall. Having a 50-goal scorer as most expert's fifth ranked player
says everything you need to know. And that doesn't even get to names
like Jacob Perreault. I also think that there will be a strong
showing in middle rounds. After a couple of down years, the OHL is
back in full force in 2020.
Dylan
Galloway - This draft class is one of the best I’ve been able to
cover. The top end talent is ridiculous with 5 players that could be
considered for the top 10. Even past the top end talent, there’s a
ton of OHL talent to be had throughout this draft.
Steven
Ellis - This is a big step up from 2018-19, and it’s nice to see an
OHLer in contention for first overall. The league has the best power
forward, the top defenseman and the North American goaltender with
the most intrigue. When you take into the fact that scouts are in
love with this draft, and that there could be as many as four players
taken in the top 10, that’s a strong year – and one we expected
when these players were selected in the OHL draft.
Raine
Hernandez - I
believe that this class of OHL players entering the NHL Entry Draft
is the deepest that we have seen in quite some time. At the top of
the heat, there are names that have the potential of changing a
franchise. While there are four or five names can become faces of
their future NHL teams, there are also numerous players that will
find themselves within the first 60 picks. With such a saturated
group of OHL players in this class with little wiggle room between
one another, many teams will have the opportunity to pick OHL players
that may not have been available in the later round’s years prior.
How
many OHL players do you see going in the first round this year?
Brock
Otten - I would put the over/under at 7.5. I think we need to look at
Byfield, Drysdale, Perfetti, Rossi, and Quinn as locks. After that,
this draft is pretty wide open so nothing would surprise me. But
there is a group of 7-8 guys after that who have a legitimate shot of
being drafted on day one.
Tony
Ferrari - I think we could be looking at anywhere from 6-8 in the
first round. There is a real chance that the OHL dominates the top
and bottom of the first round with the 14-23 range possibly featuring
a lull in the OHL selections.
Grant
McCagg - Anywhere between six and ten. I figure
it will be seven or eight.
Dominic
Tiano - Quinton
Byfield, Jamie Drysdale, Marco Rossi and Cole Perfetti are top 10
talents. Jack Quinn is bordering on top 10. After those five, there’s
Jan Mysak, Martin Chromiak, Jacob Perreault, Ryan O’Rourke and
Tyson Foerster looking to see their names called in the first round.
So, there could be as many as ten, but I see eight as definite first
round picks.
Mark
Scheig - I have seven in my first round. Byfield, Drysdale, Rossi,
Perfetti, Quinn, Perreault and O'Rourke.
Dylan
Galloway – 10
Steven
Ellis - I'm going to go with six – Byfield, Rossi, Perfetti,
Drysdale, Quinn and Mysak. It's more of a front-heavy draft in terms
of OHL players going early, but that's better than having a bunch of
late first-round picks instead.
Raine
Hernandez - The big four (Byfield, Drysdale, Perfetti, Rossi) are
guaranteed first round picks and most likely will be selected within
the top-10. With this in mind, later in the first round we could see
Sarnia’s Jacob Perreault, Barrie’s Tyson Foerster and Ottawa’s
Jack Quinn and Hamilton’s Jan Mysak. Many mock drafts have been
very different in regards to where Ryan O’Rourke finds himself, but
he does carry an upside that’s big enough where he sees himself
going in the first round (and personally I do), meaning if the right
pieces fall into place, we could see a total of nine players selected
in the first round.
Who
is the most NHL ready player in this draft class from the OHL?
Brock
Otten - I would say that despite him being on the smaller side, that
Marco Rossi is the most NHL ready player from this OHL class. He may
be small in stature, but his lower body strength is terrific and he
is certainly the most polished two-way player in the group.
Additionally, his later birthday has given him more experience to
draw from than the others. With the improvements that he made to his
skating this year, Rossi wouldn’t look out of place as someone’s
third line center next year. Although I will also say that I don’t
see the reason to rush him either. Let him play back home or in the
AHL against men for a year to ensure that his size does not make him
an injury risk, considering how hard he plays.
Tony
Ferrari - The most NHL ready guy is probably Rossi because of his
two-way game. His size doesn’t concern me because of his strength
and the fact that he has those “Crosby thighs” that allow him to
motor around the ice and stay upright. Byfield could also make the
jump but I think he could benefit from another year of development,
possibly overseas in Europe.
Grant
McCagg - That is an excellent question. I think
they could all probably use another year of hockey outside of the
NHL, but if Byfield goes two or three, the recent tendency has been
to keep players selected in the top three on your NHL roster. If
Detroit ends up with Byfield he will play right away for sure because
they don't have much quality depth at center. A team like Ottawa or
New Jersey, though, has a little more young depth down the middle.
Byfield is ready physcially in terms of his size and skating ability,
but the team that drafts him may want to see him make the next step
in terms of dominating physically at the OHL level before playing him
for 82 games. Perfetti, Drysdale and Quinn need to get stronger.
Rossi? He may stand as good a chance as any of them if the team that
drafts him lacks depth at forward. I know his coach thinks he'll play
in the NHL next season; we'll see. You don't see many 5-8 teenagers
crack the NHL.
Dominic
Tiano - I’m going to go with Jamie Drysdale here for two reasons:
1) his elite level skating and hockey IQ and 2) because he fills a
spot on right defence that seems like every NHL team is looking for
all too often.
Mark
Scheig - It's Quinton Byfield
and it's not close. I think Drysdale is one year away while everyone
else is two or more years. Byfield has the size and the skill to make
the immediate jump if he were to have a great camp. I don't think the
others could handle the immediate jump.I could see Drysdale get up to
nine games though.
Dylan
Galloway - While
I have my hesitations that the NHL is the best place for him next
season, Byfield is the most NHL ready. He’s got the size speed and
smarts to play with the big boys. He just needs to work on being able
to play on the defensive side of the puck at a higher level so that
NHL coaches can trust him on the ice and allow him to have the ice
time to develop properly.
Steven
Ellis - It’s easy to say Quinton Byfield, but I think you have to
go with the player who can physically compete with the best players
and can score at a high rate. Don’t let his slow World Junior
Championship performance tell you otherwise – he can hang with the
best (he was Canada’s best forward during training camp when he was
playing with better players and given opportunities).
Raine
Hernandez - There have been many that have been saying that he could
play another year in junior, and while that may be true, Quinton
Byfield still is the most NHL-ready prospect coming out of the
Ontario Hockey League. Since being selected as the first overall pick
in the 2018 Priority Selection, Byfield has had to go up against the
opposing team’s top competition and has excelled immensely despite
the talent around him. With his excellent blend of size, speed, and
skill, Byfield’s game will translate instantly at the next level,
with an opportunity to build on it under an NHL franchise 24/7.
Among
the “big four,” (Byfield, Drysdale, Perfetti, Rossi), who are you
the most confident in? In other words, who is the sure thing to
become an elite NHL player?
Brock
Otten - For me, that would be Jamie Drysdale. If I had to place a bet
on one of them, it would be him. I just think that the combination of
his mobility and hockey sense makes him the ideal NHL defender in
today’s game. I also think that he has shown the ability to adapt
and improve and that we have not yet seen the best from him. I think
back to how he played at the World Juniors this year. At the start of
the tournament, he looked timid. But by the end, he was one of
Canada’s better defenders as a draft eligible. Not many 18 year old
defenders have been able to play as well for Canada at that event as
Drysdale did.
Tony
Ferrari - My answer here is easy: Byfield. I could make the argument
that he is the best of the bunch today but the reality is that he is
in that discussion with Rossi at the moment. The difference between
the two is that while I think Rossi has a chance to be a top-20
center in the NHL in his career, Byfield has a chance to be a top-10
player in the NHL. Byfield is the only player in this class, OHL or
not, that rivals Alexis Lafreniere’s ceiling. Even if he doesn’t
hit his insanely high ceiling, where ever he does ultimately land
could be a top-15 center in the NHL.
Grant
McCagg - I see at as a big five to be honest;
there will be several NHL teams that have Quinn ranked ahead of
Rossi, and don't be surprised if he is picked first. I don't think
any of them are sure things to become elite players...for me it is
Perfetti with the best chance of being an 80-point scorer, but in
terms of confidence on who will likely be a first-liner...I will give
the nod to Drysdale. The odds of him being a first-line defenceman on
Detroit, Ottawa or New Jersey are higher than the others being
first-line players where they are picked.
Dominic
Tiano - That’s a tough one because all of them have the potential
to become elite in the NHL but I will have to go with Byfield simply
because he is the youngest and has the highest upside and if they all
fulfill that upside; he will be the most talented.
Mark
Scheig - Drysdale. He has the
skating and can impact the game in so many ways. The others have
legitimate questions in my mind for the next level. I'm not 100% sold
that Byfield will become elite.
Dylan
Galloway - While
I feel all will have long and illustrious NHL careers, I’ve got to
go with Rossi. He’s so well rounded and his senses are next level.
He plays a pro game basically already and I think any coach is going
to love tossing him over the boards in basically any situation and
feeling comfortable.
Steven
Ellis - I almost feel like there’s less pressure on Jamie Drysdale
to perform at a high level, as you typically see from defensemen.
There are opportunities for whoever drafts him to take their time and
wait until he’s ready. Drysdale is a mature young man that can play
heavy minutes and plays a better two-way game than any other
defenseman in the draft. There’s a lot of Bowen Byram in Drysdale,
and that’s a great thing.
Raine
Hernandez - Despite the sub-par roster that has been around him in
his two seasons in the OHL, Jamie Drysdale is my safest bet to become
an elite NHL defenceman in the near future. Much like Byfield in
Sudbury, Drysdale has managed to shine with a roster that is not
among the OHL’s elites. Typically, with a player of that calibre
that plays on a ‘weaker’ team, they’ll tend to create bad
habits due to forcing to make something out of nothing to help
generate plays for their team. It was rarely seen from Drysdale, who
carries the complete package to be a complete top-pairing defenceman.
Conversely,
among the “big four,” who are you the most wary of?
Brock
Otten - Honestly, it’s probably Byfield. I know the conventional
answer would probably be Perfetti because of his lack of extra gear,
but his hockey sense and skill level should play well at the NHL
level because of how he deconstructs defenses. Byfield is the least
consistent of the four. And while his package of size, skill, and
skating ability is impressive, there are times where I am left
wondering if everything will come together the way that we hope it
will. I'm also concerned that an NHL team will rush him and stunt his
development. I don't think he is NHL ready right now. All that said,
I would still take him and rank him first among the four because his
ceiling is the highest. It’s just too much to pass up because even
if his skills don’t quite come together, he’s still going to be
an NHL player.
Tony
Ferrari - While I am very confident in all of these guys, I think the
one I tap the breaks on a bit is Drysdale. He is far and away the
best defenseman in this draft class and I think that he will be a
top-pair guy when he establishes himself. My worry with Drysdale
would be someone rushing him into the NHL next year. He is the least
ready of the four for the NHL and if he is forced in early, the
chances that he stagnates or falters in his development becomes a bit
higher.
Grant
McCagg - NHL scouts keep telling me Byfield is most likely going to
be a second or third-line center...so if you are asking which guy
would I be most leery of becoming a first-line player out of the Big
5..it would be Byfield. I also think he may be the safest of the
group too; if that makes sense. Byfield is going to help the team
that drafts him in a lot of ways, especially if he adds more grit to
his game. He's still just 17....twenty more pounds and he will be
formidable if he uses it properly.
Dominic
Tiano - You could probably throw Jack Quinn into this as well. But I
am not leery of any of them to be honest. That said, I will throw it
in a different direction and say Marco Rossi. I know there are
concerns out there on whether he can handle the center position at
the NHL level, so if you’re drafting him to play the middle and
those concerns come to fruition, at least he could probably make it
as a winger. So, Rossi would be the one I would be most leery of –
at least at playing the position he’s most accustomed to playing.
Mark
Scheig - I hate to say this but
it's Marco Rossi. I think he will have a long and successful career
but I do wonder if he can play center at the next level. I love his
game and what he brings. But there aren't many 5-9 top centers in the
league. If he's set on becoming a top center, I am leary. Otherwise
I'm all in.
Dylan
Galloway - You’re
really not making these easy.. Out of the top 4, I’ll have to go
with Perfetti but only because the others have potential to be super
stars where Perfetti may just be a star. His skating needs
improvement and could cause him some trouble transitioning to the
next level over the other 3.
Steven
Ellis – Perfetti. Obviously, scoring goals is huge, but it’s not
uncommon for players with a natural goal-scoring ability to struggle
once they crack the NHL. He doesn't have the explosive skating you'd
hope for out for him, and I feel like he'd struggle in a third-line
setting early in his career. I think whoever drafts him will want to
get him into the top six as soon as he's ready. But having said that,
you can't ignore how dominant offensively he is and how he took his
two-way game to a whole new level this year, so my level of doubt is
still quite low.
Raine Hernandez - I’ve been watching Cole Perfetti since his days when he was starring for a Whitby Wildcats team despite being a year younger than the rest of the competition. Now with Saginaw, Perfetti has exceeded expectations and has become one of the best offensive players in the CHL. At the next level, Perfetti won’t have the same situation that he has had in the past, not being in a position where he decides where to go like in minor hockey or the OHL draft where he committed to Michigan in order to go to an OHL franchise that he preferred. Perfetti will have to learn to adapt to becoming better defensively, and not with the best first step from a skating perspective, his development will be crucial to learning to use his high hockey-IQ playing at the next level.
Who
is the OHL draft prospect who really swayed your opinion this year;
the player who you were originally unsure of, but by the end of the
year you were sold on?
Brock
Otten - That has to be Zayde Wisdom. If you recall, I was a fan of
his last year too and had him listed as an HM in my annual favourite
OHL rookies piece. That said, I just didn’t expect this sort of
offensive production from him. Sure, he plays with Shane Wright (and
Chromiak later in the year). But he’s a driving force on that line
too who consistently stands out for the right reasons. With every
viewing of Kingston that I had this year, I came away impressed with
his offensive skill set and I think his confidence really grew as the
season progressed. Can we even say that his potential tops out as
third or fourth liner anymore? It seems like every time Wisdom is
sold short, he steps up and proves us wrong.
Tony
Ferrari - Jacob Perreault is a player who I came into the year
thinking was just a really good triggerman who has some skating
issues and a lack of footspeed to make a difference. He has proved me
wrong and he did it on a team that didn’t provide much help for him
most of the year. His footspeed and skating improved by miles and the
shot stayed high-end. What really impressed me was his ability to
read the play in the offensive zone and become a bit more of a
dual-threat. I still think his goal-scoring will be his bread and
butter at the next level but his playmaking showed signs of growth.
His teammates often left him out to dry and missed on good chances
around the net.
Grant
McCagg - I wouldn't say I am completely sold on
him, but my opinion on Evangelista evolved as the season went on. He
just kept making plays and earned time on London's top line;
draft-eligible guys don't often get such a luxury in London..so if
Dale Hunter likes what he sees...there is more there than originally
met the eye. He's a very smart player, and you like what he does with
the puck. If he can improve his game away from the puck, and where
better to learn that than in London; he could be a pretty solid
NHLer.
Dominic
Tiano - I’m going to go with Luke Evangelista here. Teammate
Antonio Stranges was the London Knight that got all the early
attention between the two, but I always felt Evangelista had more to
give and had the higher upside – at least he showed flashes last
season. As this season progressed, it became more and more evident
and NHL Central Scouting finally rewarded him ranking him ahead of
his teammate.
Mark
Scheig - Tyson Forester. I
needed to see him before coming to any conclusions. He showed very
well. I expect him to be one of the top goal scorers in the OHL the
next year or two.
Dylan
Galloway - Tyson
Foerster. Wasn’t convinced of him at the start of the season. I
still don’t love his skating, but I felt he did take steps at
improving it through the season. His shot is fantastic, and he has
excellent offensive instincts with an ability to use his wingspan for
puck protection well.
Steven
Ellis - Jack Quinn, easy. He had a strong year in the CCHL before
going to major junior but didn't hit it off last year like I Was
hoping. But a great start early in the campaign, followed by a Arthur
Kaliyev-style goal-scoring campaign made me believe in his game. He
scored in every live performance I saw him in, too. He has some minor
deficiencies in his overall game, but Quinn has a tremendous skillset
and should have no issue being a top-six winger.
Raine
Hernandez - For
some reason, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Ottawa 67’s Marco Rossi,
but after the show he put on display this season, no doubt it’s
him. I had thought that since Rossi produced behind the likes of
Sasha Chmelevski, Tye Felhaber, and Austen Keating, I needed to see
another season in which he would be the main guy. Once he got the
keys to the top line, he did not disappoint.
Who
was the OHL player that you were most disappointed in this year?
Someone that you had really high expectations for coming into the
year, but they failed to meet those expectations.
Brock
Otten - That has to be Antonio Stranges. Coming into the year, I was
a huge fan based on his skill level and offensive potential. And he
certainly still possesses that. He just didn’t have a great year.
Some of the issues that plagued his game last year (decision making
with the puck, play through traffic, engagement level without the
puck, defensive abilities) just didn’t improve. He has gone from a
potential first round selection to a fourth-fifth round pick in my
eyes.
Tony
Ferrari - I think the obvious answers for me are Will Cuylle and
Jean-Luc Foudy. The Windsor duo under produced expectations and while
I think Foudy may have been a victim of questionable deployment and
his teammates not pulling their weight on chances he generated,
Cuylle underwhelmed for much of the year. He increased his
physicality but his goal-scoring that came into the year as one of
the more dangerous weapons on Windsor’s team became ineffective and
inconsistent. He was never a razzle-dazzle player but he really
seemed to hit a wall this year.
Grant
McCagg - Take your pick of Pytlik or Foudy - I
guess I'll say Foudy. Is he the next Rico Fata? Skates like the
wind..unfortunately he also has to play hockey while he's flying. I
kept waiting for the second-half breakout like Liam had in his draft
year, but it never came. I question his grit and his hockey sense.
Dominic
Tiano - I actually have a pair of Windsor Spitfires here in Jean-Luc
Foudy and Will Cuylle. Both came into the season as potential first
round picks and didn’t meet expectations or take the next step.
That’s something a player can’t afford in their draft year. That
said, they both have high potential, more so in Foudy’s case, so
all is not lost. But their season was a disappointment to me.
Mark
Scheig - Antonio Stranges. I
came in thinking first round. I wouldn't take him in the first three
rounds. There is talent. There is intrigue. But he is someone who
couldn't consistently go up in the London lineup and left so much to
be desired. He has time to fix things but he was a major
disappointment for me.
Dylan
Galloway - Lleyton
Moore. I was excited from my viewings last year, especially when he
was in Niagara. I was hoping to see more of the offensive upside I
came to expect from him. While he still shows some decent offensive
upside, his defensive game is questionable at best.
Steven
Ellis - I've been a believer in Will Cuylle since his minor bantam
season and was hoping he'd take a big step in his game this year.
Instead, he improved by just one point and didn't show his dominant
offensive edge he had with the Toronto Marlboros. Most scouts I
talked to around the OHL draft two years ago said he was as major
junior-ready as they came. He had a good rookie year, but his lack of
improvement wasn’t lost on me.
Raine
Hernandez - Dealing with the off-ice distractions to get to Windsor,
Will Cuylle showed tremendous upside in his rookie season with the
Spitfires, and on multiple occasions, showcasing one of the greatest
release’s that I had seen at the Minor Midget level. In his second
season, I was hoping to see a massive jump in improvement from him,
and it seemed that he just couldn’t get over that hump.
Who
is the most underrated OHL player in this draft class; the player
that you have ranked higher than others?
Brock
Otten - I would give that moniker to Ryan O’Rourke. Because he
doesn’t possess the raw athletic package of other projected stay at
home defenders in this class (Guhle, Schneider, Barron, etc), he just
doesn’t seem to get mentioned as much. IMO, he deserves to be right
there with them because of how well he thinks the game and because
his offensive skill set is undervalued. I believe that he has more to
offer as a two-way defender and when you combine that with his
leadership capabilities and physically intense style, you have
someone who could be a solid top four defender for years to come.
IMO, he deserves to be mentioned as a potential first round selection
more than he has.
Tony
Ferrari - Martin
Chromiak is a guy that I don’t think gets the respect he deserves
because he played with Shane Wright since he arrived around the
mid-point of the season. He may not be a line driver on his own but
he is a player who can play with elite talent, keep up to their pace
of play and create chances for his teammates and himself. He can
finish the plays the Wright generates and he can help set up Wright
for good chances as well. Not every player can play with a star,
Chromiak can.
Grant
McCagg - I honestly don't look at a lot of public lists, so I'm not
sure I can properly answer that question. I guess if you think there
is a Big 4 and I have a guy ranked higher than one of those four...it
must be him. :-) Jack Quinn is still underrated in some circles. An
NHL scout told me he saw him after 15 on a couple of lists; I can't
agree with that, Quinn has no real faults to his game. Speed, size,
sense, shot, puck skills, defence and competitiveness are all above
average - he is as safe a pick as any in this draft after Lafreniere.
You know at the very least he will play third line, PP and penalty
kill and score 20+ goals...that's a 17-18 -minute per night forward
as your downside. On the other hand - he may be a 40-goal scorer on
your top line, PP and PK. So that's pretty valuable.
Dominic
Tiano - I’m
going to go with a draft re-entry here and say Billy Constantinou. He
was ranked 58th
by Central Scouting a year ago and went undrafted and has not been on
any of their lists this season. I think he was in a bad situation in
Kingston a year ago and when he was traded early in the season to
Sault Ste Marie, I think it suited him better and he showed his
worth. I could also throw James Hardie of Mississauga or Logan
Morrison of Hamilton on here as well.
Mark
Scheig - Ryan O'Rourke. He is my 20th ranked player overall. You get
so many things with him that won't crack the scoresheet. He's a
natural leader. He leads by example. He's an in your face defenseman
who gives you everything he's got. While he has things to work on,
he's proven this season that nothing is too big for him. Being a
captain at 17 proves that. He has that intangible of making everyone
around him better by leading them through adverse situations.
O'Rourke is by far my favorite player outside of the lottery.
Dylan
Galloway - Evan Vierling fits the bill I think. The gap in the season
didn’t help his case at all, as well as his slow start. But once he
got to Barrie, he just looked so much more comfortable and back to
the player I watched a year ago. I’d look to take a chance on him
in the late second, early third.
Steven
Ellis - Jean-Luc Foudy was a favorite of mine in 2018 and felt like
he'd be a steal for Windsor. He didn't put up big numbers, but I
think he's got significant value outside of putting pucks in the net.
At the very least, he's a good energy guy with a good playmaking
skillset.
Raine
Hernandez - With the likes of Jaromir Pytlik and Ryan O’Rourke
being the focus of scouts when watching the Soo Greyhounds this
season, Rory Kerins would be the player that would catch their eyes
by the end of it. Kerins enjoyed a great sophomore campaign with the
Greyhounds, notching 30 goals and 29 assists. What Kerins may be
lacking in foot speed, offensively, Kerins has a great playmaking
touch and nose for the net, with a great mind for the game for a
200-foot player.
Who
is the most overrated OHL player in this draft class; the player that
you have ranked lower than others?
Brock
Otten - Tough, but I would probably say that Jaromir Pytlik is that
player for me. I still see him ranked in the upper part of the second
round on some lists, but for me he is more of a third or fourth round
selection. He plays a pro style game. One hundred percent, I do see
him as a potential NHL player. However, I do wonder if he has enough
dynamic qualities to his game. He’s an intelligent two-way player,
but is his skating good enough to play that role in the NHL today? I
would rate the majority of his skills as average which really puts
him in danger of being that tweener type.
Tony
Ferrari - Jack Thompson from the Sudbury Wolves. I think he is above
average in the offensive zone but his defensive zone play is a bit of
a mess at times. His offensive game didn’t take a real step this
year as some had hoped and because of that, his defensive flaws can’t
be ignored like other skilled offensive defensemen. I’ve said it
since about the halfway point in the year, I don’t even think he’s
the best draft-eligible defender on his team. I think Isaak Phillips
holds that mark.
Grant
McCagg - I would have to say Stranges. I don't like the way he plays,
and I don't see pro coaches liking it either. This year's Ho-Sang
without the production? I wouldn't consider him before the middle of
the third round.
Dominic
Tiano - I’m not sure this is going to
be a popular choice but I will go with Pavel Gogolev of the Guelph
Storm. I am always leery of ranking third time draft eligible players
too high. Sure, injuries derailed him a year ago. And he did put up
fantastic numbers for the Storm this season. But this is his draft
plus 2 year and that is to be expected. He’ll be in my top 50, but
not as high as some others have him ranked.
Dylan
Galloway - Antonio
Stranges. He’s got the skating and some good offensive instincts
but I haven’t been convinced he’s going to translate those skills
well enough to the next level to justify taking him with a top 40 or
50 pick.
Steven
Ellis - I honestly have little faith in Antonio Stranges becoming an
NHLer. Stranges was
invisible
in my live viewings and if he wasn't using his electric speed to blow
past defenders, he wasn't doing much else. He's more of a
one-dimensional player, in my opinion.
Raine
Hernandez - Jean-Luc
Foudy – Windsor Spitfires: Elite playmaking ability but lacked the
confidence to create for himself and size to bang with the best in
the Ontario Hockey League. Foudy still has a long way to go but can
still become a great offensive player at the next level.
Alright,
give me your two favourite “sleepers.” One player that you really
like for the middle rounds and one for the later rounds that have the
potential to be quality NHL players.
Brock
Otten - Evan Vierling comes to mind, but I actually expect him to be
a top 75 selection, so I’m not really sure he qualifies. So the two
names that I’m going to provide are Mitchell Smith and Cameron
Tolnai. Smith is a mobile defender who played a variety of roles for
the Spirit this year. Early on, it was as a puck mover. Later on, it
was as Bode Wilde’s stable defensive partner. I think he possesses
a lot of potential that we haven’t quite seen yet. Where as Tolnai,
he was supposed to be one of the better players from this Ontario age
group. Later in the year, we started to finally see what he was
capable of. If the OHL playoffs had actually occurred, I think he
could have had a chance to be a point per game player during an OHL
Championship run. Given his size and power game down the middle, that
could have made him a MUCH more coveted player.
Tony
Ferrari - A
player who I like in the mid-rounds that could out-perform his draft
stock is Ty Tullio. I’ve been on this bandwagon all year but I
think he has a real shot to be a middle-six scorer who can play on a
top-powerplay and penalty kill. He has shown effectiveness in all
three zones and his offensive creativity and raw skill is impressive.
His shot is good but can stand to get a bit stronger but his
playmaking is smooth and crisp. He sees the ice really well and if he
can get on a line with a skilled center, he can make some magic at
even strength. As for a later round player that I think could make a
jump, I’ll go back to the Sudbury Wolves best draft-eligible
defender, Isaak Phillips. He won’t blow you away but his defensive
play is sturdy and stable, his shot is heavy from the blueline, and
he makes a good first pass and can transition with his feet. He is an
excellent skater, especially for his size. Die to the fact that he
doesn’t put up a ton of counting stats, he doesn’t get the love
of some other guys but I think he is a safe, NHL-upside pick in the
later rounds.
Grant
McCagg - I don't have any guys ranked in the later rounds that I
think will be NHL players; I can't predict where these guys will
go...so I'm not going to give you the name of a player I think will
both go late..and be an NHL player...the odds of that are likely
below 10 percent. Zayde Wisdom may go in the middle rounds, and he
may end up playing. He has the strength, character and desire to play
an NHL energy role if he keeps improving his skills. I like him more
than Chromiak as a potential NHLer, which I realize isn't a popular
opinion. I think his game will translate better.
Dominic
Tiano - My
first choice here is Zayde Wisdom of the Kingston Frontenacs. He
plays the game the right way, can score, make plays and has a motor
that never quits and bring a lot of energy. I think by the time his
career is over, he could be one of those players we’ll be saying he
should have been picked earlier. My second choice is a goaltender
that is not even ranked and probably won’t get drafted in 2020 but
will re-enter the draft in 2021 and turn some heads, Tucker Tynan of
the Niagara IceDogs. What he did in Niagara before suffering a
devastating injury that ended his season and could have ended his
life – well we haven’t seen in quite some time. Was it enough?
Probably not. I am hugely disappointed that Central Scouting didn’t
at least tag him as a limited viewing.
Mark
Scheig - Middle rounds, I like Donovan Sebrango in Kitchener. He's a
great skater and has shown a nice growth in his defensive game. In
the later rounds, Erie goalie Aidan Campbell is going to surprise a
lot of people. He's 6-5 and a great athlete plus he's expected to be
the number one for the Otters in 20-21. After a bit of a rough rookie
year, I expect him to show why there was a lot of promise about him
when he first came over.
Dylan
Galloway - Yevgeni Oksentyuk. Overager who I really like for the
middle rounds. Late 3rd or 4th. He’s slick and skilled and was
simply under covered in Belrus last season. Lots and lots of upside
in his game. Ethan
Cardwell. Can really let his shot go when he gets the chance. Decent
speed through transition and incredibly aggressive and competitive on
the forecheck.
Steven
Ellis – James Hardie and Jake Murray. Through minor midget and
major junior, Hardie has found ways of taking his linemates to a
whole new level and upped his own scoring output in a big way this
season. There was enough overall improvement from year one to year
two to suggest he has the potential to take his game to a higher
level than anyone expected prior to joining Mississauga. For a
late-round sleeper, Jake Murray didn't have a great transition to
major junior after being a dominant force of the Oakville Rangers
organization for many years. That shows how important those two years
of major junior can be, but he's got the size to compete for an NHL
spot and if given more opportunities on the power play, Murray would
have better numbers to show for. Being stuck on a bad Kingston team
didn't help, but there's still potential there.
Raine
Hernandez - Evan Vierling, Barrie Colts – After a strong start with
Flint, Vierling spent some time away from the team for personal
reasons, and was then traded to the Barrie Colts where he was able to
regain his confidence in Barrie, showing why he was the second
overall pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.
James
Hardie, Mississauga Steelheads – When Hardie had the puck on his
stick, he was absolutely electric, tallying 34 goals and 29 assists
for a Steelheads team that resurrected themselves following a rough
start to the regular season.
With
eyes on next year’s NHL Draft. What does your top 5 look like right
now from the OHL? Give us one sentence to describe each player.
Brock
Otten
2.
Mason McTavish - Dynamic goal scorer who will be given more room to
be creative next year.
3.
Franceso Pinelli - Skilled transitional forward who plays with
intensity and can score.
4.
Daniil Chayka - Raw physical package from the back-end who improved a
ton this year.
5.
Brennan Othmann - Pro ready winger who is extremely well rounded.
Tony
Ferrari
1
- D Brandt Clarke, Barrie Colts: A skilled defender who played better
in his own end as the year went on. Had the season not been
cancelled, he likely would have reached the 40-point marker as a
16-year-old in the OHL, a mark that top defensive prospects hit. His
production really took off after the coaching change as he was given
more powerplay time and his leash at even strength was lengthened,
allowing him to make mistakes and grow.
2
- C Mason McTavish, Peterborough Petes: One of the best shooters in
the 2021 draft class, McTavish scored 30 goals in his age-16 season
and was fourth across the CHL among 2021 draft-eligibles in primary
points per 60, leading the OHL. His ability to put up points is
impressive and the shot is special.
3
- LW Brennan Othmann, Flint Firebirds: A silky smooth winger who
creates plays on a regular basis. Everyone that played with him this
year seemed to benefit from his offensive prowess. Othmann routinely
pushes the puck to the middle of the ice and when he gets his shot
off, it’s dangerous from anywhere.
4
- C Francesco Pinelli, Kitchener Rangers: A true dual-threat, Pinelli
is the player I expect to rise on this list the most because of his
improvement as the season went on. His ability to play a strong game
in all three zones and dominate at times when the puck is on his
stick as he weaves through the neutral zone and gets creative in the
offensive zone.
5
- C Brett Harrison, Oshawa Generals: Between Harrison and Wyatt
Johnston (Windsor Spitfires), this spot was tough as both players
were among the top 16-year-old producers post January 1st. Harrison
has a bit more finish and flash in his game though which gives him
the edge.
Grant
McCagg - I honstly
don't watch underagers very much; I more than have my hands full
scouting draft eligible guys each year, and that is always my focus.
Because of their Ottawa-area connections..the only guys I paid any
attention to this season were McTavish, Enright and Clarke. I like
McTavish and Clarke a lot. McTavish is a goal scorer, and he plays
with some jam too...pretty smart, pretty tenacious. Clarke could be a
stud defenceman....he has the whole package.
Dominic
Tiano
I
don’t usually rank players this far out and take a page out of
Central Scouting with a player to watch list. These are the players
who are most intriguing and should keep eyes on during the 2020-2021
season. In no particular order:
Brandt
Clarke – Barrie Colts: Fantastic skater who has shown he can
control a game. Superb passer with a high-level hockey IQ. Is in the
mold of a Jamie Drysdale.
Mason
McTavish – Peterborough Petes: McTavish seems to score goals at
will. Got off to a tremendous start to the season but found himself
being bounced around the lineup as the Petes gathered depth to make a
run. It’ll be his team next year.
Francesco
Pinelli – Kitchener Rangers: Pinelli already saw some time on the
top line with the Rangers and he is expected to take on a bigger role
for next season. Already plays a solid 200-foot game at a young age.
Daniil
Chayka – Guelph Storm: A defender who plays in every situation and
eats up huge minutes and takes on a leadership role is hard to find,
and Chayka is just that. Possesses and excellent shot and is an agile
skater for his size. Has played a ton of hockey this season.
Brennan
Othmann – Flint Firebirds: Possesses an absolutely lethal shot. Has
good vision and soft hands. Playmaking skills were much better than I
anticipated. Skating is excellent and even at his young age showed
the confidence to take on defenders one-on-one.
Mark
Scheig
1.
Brandt Clarke: He's the best defenseman by a mile and should pace the
top of the rankings all of next season.
2.
Mason McTavish: McTavish does so many things well and will be a
terror to play against.
3.
Francisco Pinelli: Enjoyed an excellent rookie season for the Rangers
and could give McTavish a run for his money as the best forward
available for the '21 draft.
4.
Chase Stillman: While Byfield got all of the attention, Stillman
quietly enjoyed a good rookie season and is ready to take the next
step.
5.
Brennan Othmann: He had a hand in
helping Flint to its best season ever and is primed to help continue
that trend.
Dylan Galloway
1
- Brandt Clarke - the offensive defenceman is absolutely lethal on
the rush. He’s smart, fast and incredibly skilled. Can’t see
anyone taking over top spot in the 2021 draft from the OHL.
2
- Brennan Othmann - Don’t get in the way of his shot because he’ll
put it right through you.
3
- Mason MacTavish - The skilled power forward has an excellent shot
and while he had a successful rookie season in the OHL with 29 goals
in 57 games, I think there’s even more to give offensively.
4
- Francesco Pinelli - He’s flashy and skilled and just getting
started, needs to work on his consistency and defensive game but that
should come with maturity.
5
- Danill Chayka - Good sized defender who’s a fluid skater and is
already playing big minutes in Guelph. He loves to jump up on the
rush and possesses a good and smart puck moving game.
Steven
Ellis
1
- Brandt Clarke, D (Barrie) The top competitor to Owen Power
to be the first defenseman chosen in 2021 – but I have faith
Clarke will be the best prospect from the class when it's all said
and done.
2
- Mason McTavish, C (Peterborough)One of the best pure
goal-scorers available, McTavish is a smart kid with many pro-level
qualities. Putting it all together consistently will help him push
up a whole new level.
3
- Francesco Pinelli, C (Kitchener)
Pinelli will have no issue putting pucks in the net at the next level. He has everything you want out of a skilled, two-way centre.
Pinelli will have no issue putting pucks in the net at the next level. He has everything you want out of a skilled, two-way centre.
4
- Brennan Othmann, LW (Flint)Othmann's rookie season left a
lot to be desired, but when he plays against the best, he's among
the best. He's ready for a breakout.
5
- Daniil Chayka, D (Guelph) A big Russian defender who was
once a dominating force in minor midget. As an older player, Chayka
needs a big third season to boost his stock.
Raine
Hernandez
1
- Brandt Clarke (Barrie): Want to know what a
game-breaker looks like from the backend? That’s Clarke every time
he steps onto the ice.
2
- Mason McTavish (Peterborough): 29 goals as a rookie in the OHL as a
rookie? A gifted offensive center with the ability to play a 200-foot
game.
3
- Brennan Othmann (Flint): High-octane winger with an excellent
ability to put the puck in the net.
4
- Francesco Pinelli (Kitchener): After a productive season in his
first year, Pinelli will be taking the reins from Riley Damiani,
poised for a huge season in 2020-2021.
5
- Chase Stillman (Sudbury): Reminds me a lot of his father Cory
Stillman, has a high level of skill and smarts from the wing, and if
Byfield comes back, get ready for Stillman’s sophomore season.
Tell
us where people can find your work and what sort of upcoming projects
they can expect from you and your crew.
Brock
Otten - Obviously
you can find my work here and on twitter (@BrockOtten).
I’ll be releasing my final top 50 rankings in the near future. I’ll
also be doing my annual media/scout poll to close the year. I’m
also part of the team at McKeen’s
Hockey
and
we’re gearing up for the draft. We are working on our Draft Guide
as we speak.Tony Ferrari - You can find me on Twitter at @theTonyFerrari and at Dobber Prospects! The majority of my work is at Dobber Prospects where you can find my weekly Ramblings every Monday where I take a look at different prospects around hockey and my monthly Draft Report where I deep dive a number of topics, profiles players and put together a “Team of the Month” like the All-Defensive team or All-Shorty team!
Dominic
Tiano - Founder of ohlwriters.me I mostly stick to covering draft
eligible players. With the cancelation of the season, I am going back
and watching a lot of tape and currently working on profiles of
players eligible for the draft. Will have my final ranking in early
June.
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