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*Note: The Central
Scouting Rankings are based purely on the interpretation of statistics
in the NJFHL, interpretation of real life history, and personal
opinion. In no way has the writer seen the ratings of the players or
should the comments be interpreted to necessarily be accurate
interpretations of the ratings the junior players have or will have. |
|
Pre-Season Rank |
Player |
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1 |
Mats Sundin - Forward - Ottawa 67's |
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The lanky Swede is the class of the class. He isn't
the swiftest of skaters, but he has a a big body and can protect the
puck well. But give him a little space and he will make you pay. He
can see the ice better than anyone in this draft. He is a gifted
distributor of the puck, almost registering an assist per game during
his 16 year old season. But he has a terrific shot, too. He scored 29
goals last season, just 3 off the lead for this draft class, but he may
still have more to give. Sundin is a franchise player and going into
this season, he is the clear cut number one draft pick. |
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2 |
Mike Craig - Forward - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |
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Mike Craig had a terrific 16-year old season, leading
the draft class with 32 goals, a full half of them coming on the power
play, where he also led the class. Craig is not a flashy player by any
measure, but he knows the game and is able to be in the position where
pucks will go. More of a peropheral player, Craig relies on his ability
to make himself almost disappear on the ice before appearing in scoring
position. He does need to get stronger to be able to play with men, but
that is normal with any teen. Craig didn't have a lot of talk about him
before this season, so another strong performance in his draft year will
certainly help quiet his detractors. |
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3 |
Niklas Lidstrom - Defense - Medicine Hat Tigers |
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Realistically, it could be a 1-2 Swedish draft as
Lidstrom presents a tantalizing opportunity for a team to build from the
blue line. Lidstrom is as smooth as they come. He isn't big, but he
has a high hockey IQ and is able to use his body and stick effectively
to knock players off the puck. He is always in the right position.
Offensively, he led all defensemen in this draft class with 33 assists
and 43 points, and was one of just 3 blue liners with double digits in
goals. He controls the play, regardless of which part of the ice he is
on. He may need a coule seasons of conditioning to get ready to play
against men, but there is no reason Lidstrom can't come to the NFHL and
impact it for the next decade and more. This is the type of blue liner
you build a franchise around. |
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4 |
Wes Walz - Forward - Medicine Hat Tigers |
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Walz was a beneficiary of many gifts from Lidstrom,
but you still have to have the skill to do something with the puck once
you get it. And Walz showed scouts that he had that skill last year.
He doesn't project to be a prolific goal scorer, but he did manage 24
goals in 60 games playing against 17 and 18 year olds. Walz shows a
keen eye for the net and the ability to almost disappear and reappear
where the puck is. Of his 24 goals, a full half were on special teams,
11 on the power play where he was often found sneaking in the back
side. That being said, he is better with the puck on his stick, where
he dished out 47 assists, just 3 back of Sundin. He is tenacious and
throws his body around almost carelessly, but still manages to play
disciplined. Walz looks to be a good complementary player. One who can
play with top players, though maybe doesn't drive the play. Is he a top
5 player? This season will really be the test. |
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5 |
Greg Johnson - Forward - Chicoutimi Saguineens |
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When you lead your draft class in goals, you are going
to get noticed. When you score more than 30 of them before your draft
year, you are getting noticed. Johnson had 31 goals to lead his class,
with 11 coming on the power play. And that is why he comes in at #5 in
the rankings. Otherwise, Johnson plays a game that may not draw a lot
of attention. He isn't big. He isn't fast. He doesn't drive the play
or play spectacular defense. But he shoots the puck well and that is
something valuable to have in the NFHL. He has a lot of work to do to
be a regular top line player, but he will always be given a chance if he
continues to fill the net. |
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6 |
Stu Barnes - Forward - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |
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No one questions Barnes' compete level. Barnes is a
blood hound with the puck in a similar vein to Walz. He will simply not
stop during his shift. He will skate you into the ground and hit you
whenever he can, just to get the puck. And when he has the puck, he has
decent skill. He potted 24 goals and finished with 66 points, better
than a point per game. And even in the NJFHL, that isn't something you
can look past. However, there are 2 areas of concern. First, his
defensive play isn't up to par with Walz or other top forwards. And
then there is his size. He isn't short, but he is slight and the way he
flings his body around gets scouts concerned about his long-term
durability. He won't be a top line player, either, though he could
quite easily slip into a top 6 role or at the very worst as a 3rd liner
with some offensive pop. |
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7 |
Derek Plante - Forward - Ottawa 67's |
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Plante plays a similar game to Barnes and has similar
issues. He is a smaller player, but finds ways to get involved in the
play. He managed 26 goals and 40 assists last year, which puts him tied
for 3rd in scoring in this draft class. The one thing that separates
him from Barnes is his physical play. Plante is much more of a
perimeter player, not one to really get physically involved in the
play. However, where he lacks in physical play, he almost makes up for
with much more solid play away from the puck. He has a deft stick and
is able to use his speed on the back check to break up plays. He is
especially dangerous while short handed where his 3 goals while killing
a penalty was tops in the draft class. As with Barnes and even Walz,
there is doubt as to the high end ability of Plante. He looks to be a
solid top six forward, but his draft year production will confirm, or
deny, that. |
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8 |
Niklas Andersson - Forward - Kamloops Blazers |
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Yet another Swedish entry into the top ten, Andersson
looks to be a sniper in the making. In most drafts, Andersson likely
wouldn't be in the top ten, but in a fairly weak draft, a shooter of his
calibre should go relatively high. His 28 goals is 4th in the class,
though his 18 even strength goals puts him 3rd. Andersson has shown the
ability to play well in any situation. He had 8 power play goal and 2
shorties. As with most Swedish players, he isn't a physical type
player, preferrign to use his skating, stick, and smarts. Again, not a
high-end prospect, but if he can score close to, or exceed, 30 goals
again in his draft season, he will go in the top ten and have a
productive career in the NFHL. |
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9 |
Pavel Bure - Forward - Shawinigan Cataractes |
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There is no player in this draft faster than Bure. He
is pure speed and puts defenses on their heels, and in a state of chaos,
each time he enters the offensive zone with any sort of speed. He can
make blue liners look like pylons. And goalies, too. Because he has
the hands to go along with that speed. In fact, the only thing that can
really stop the young Russian may be himself. He may simply go too fast
for his body and his durability, as a result, has suffered. This past
season, he missed 11 games. If he had played those games, he would
certainly be in the top five, and likely in the top 3 in this class.
His 27 goals was 5th in this class, but no one scored at a higher rate.
Of any player, Bure could see the biggest swing in his draft ranking. A
good first half of the season could see him fly to the top, while
another injury-plagued season could see him fall out of the top ten. |
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10 |
Travis Green - Forward - Hull Olympiques |
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Another gamble, Green plays and almost opposite game
to Bure, but shares the inability to stay healthy. Green also like to
have the puck on his stick, but whereas Bure is a get up and go type
player, Green is more cerebral and like to take his time to set up his
teammates. Green registered 33 assists last season, which already puts
him in 8th in this class. But he also missed 15 games, a rate that
would have put him in the top 3 or 4 in assists and points. Green has
also shown tremendous promise as a checker, meaning he could be a pretty
valuable player that could play and down any team's lineup. The
question is if he can stay healthy, though. As with Bure, this first
half of the season will tell a lot about Green's future. |
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11 |
Kris Draper - Forward - London Knights |
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Draper is a hard worker and has shown a lot of promise
as a set-up man. He was one of just 5 players with at least 40 assists
last season, but otherwise his offense is limited. Looks to be more of
a bottom six centre without some offensive improvement. Defensive
acumen is top notch. |
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12 |
Scott Thornton - Forward - Shawinigan Cataractes |
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Thornton had almost a point per game in 52 games and
combines it with a very aggressive game. It can also be too aggressive
as he takes more than his fair share of penalties. But when he is on
the ice, he is constantly in the face of the opposition. Not a lot of
offense to be had, though he does have some soft hands. Similar to
Draper, looks to be a bottom six forward but with a little pop. |
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13 |
Adam Foote - Defense - Peterborough Petes |
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With offense starting to take over the NFHL, more and
more teams are going to start looking for big, tough, blue liners to
help stem the tide. Foote is that type of blue liners. Not a lot of
offense, though capable enough, his real strength is his….strength.
Smart and mean. Could surprise and jump into the top ten if there are
some disappointing results from those above. |
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14 |
Danny Felsner - Forward - Sudbury Wolves |
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It is hard to really predict much about Felsner as he
hasn't shown any real strength or weakness to his game. Which isn't
necessarily bad, it just makes scouting difficult. Felsner managed 21
goals, but most were with the man advantage, second in the draft class
with 15 power play goals. So, OK, one strength. Otherwise, Felsner
could end up being a top six or a bottom six. Maybe he doesn't even
make the show. He will be carefully watched during his draft season. |
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15 |
Jason Woolley - Defense - Ottawa 67's |
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Woolley plays like a lighter version of Foote, but
perhaps also with a little more offense to his game. Woolley isn't shy
on the ice and is willing to lay the body, or his stick, on anyone
getting close to his net. He has a decent shot, but he tends to default
to the pass. If he can develop his shot and add somore power play time,
his value will only go up. |
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16 |
Patrick Juhlin - Forward - London Knights |
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Juhlin is a a bit of an enigma and we at Central
Scouting will certainly be watching his draft year closely. You can't
ignore his 23 goals, though. There is some talent there, but he plays
such a perimeter game that there are certainly questions whether he can
really play with men. He has some good chemistry with Draper, though,
so if he can put up close to 30 goals, he should go in the first round. |
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17 |
Bobby Holik - Forward - Sudbury Wolves |
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Holik plays a hard game and seems to love going into
the corners and banging bodies or causing havoc in front of the crease.
He isn't just a banger, though, he is a solid offensive prospect. He
had 21 goals this past season, but we think he has more in him. He is
ranked to go in the second half of the first round, but he has the
ability to produce more and a good first half of this draft season could
see him leap into the top ten. |
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18 |
Patrick Lebeau - Forward - Medicine Hat Tigers |
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NFHL Scouting has an affinity for players who will
give it their all, injury be damned, to make a play. Regardless of
actual skill, work ethic is king to us and Lebeau has that in spades.
No one laid the body out more than Lebeau and his 112 hits. But he
still has enough pop in him to be useful. He had 20 goals, including 2
while short handed. He's a big body who can play and there is going to
be a team happy to take him in the first round. |
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19 |
Robert Reichel - Forward - Peterborough Petes |
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Reichel may have the most natural talent outside the
top ten, but there are enough deficiencies in his game that prevent him
from being ranked much higher at this point. Defensively, he is lacking
in almost all aspects of the game. Despite his talent, he does tend to
go invisible for shift after shift and even game after game. Like Holik,
a solid start to his draft season could change his ranking drastically,
but without some more consistency and improvements on defense, he
remains a question mark. |
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20 |
Mike Sillinger - Forward - Kamloops Blazers |
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Sillinger has shown the ability to be a one-shot
threat, especially deadly on the power play. He scored 10 of his 19
goals with the man advantage. He isn't afraid to mix it up, but plays a
very clean game, registering just 10 penalty minutes last season. We
aren't sure if Sillinger has enough of anything else to be much more
than a power play specialist, though. He is trending to be a solid 3rd
liner who can help with the man advantage and move up the line up when
required. |
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21 |
Aaron Miller - Defense - Chicoutimi Saguineens |
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Miller is a bit of a leap for the first round, but
there is something to be said for a tough, stay at home defenseman.
Miller proved to be one of the best last season, finishing at +12, best
rating among all draft eligible blue liners, and 86 hits, which was 4th
best among blue liners. Miller, though, has no offense, which is why he
is down this far in the rankings. 60 games and he did not score a single
goal. Only 5 other blue liners failed to score a goal and none were
regulars. Could be a big red flag to teams unless he can do something
about it in his draft season. |
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22 |
Bill Guerin - Forward - Chicoutimi Saguineens |
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Guerin is an intriguing prospect. He hasn't put up big
numbers, failing to even crack 20 goals last season, but he has so much
tantalizing potential. He has decent size, a good shot, and very good
speed. He has played and scored on the man advantage and short handed,
and likes to throw his weight around. Really, his numbers should be
better with these skills. But some team is still going to take a flyer
in him based on potential only. |
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23 |
Stephane Morin - Forward - Peterborough Petes |
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The only other player to hit the 20-goal plateau last
season who isn't yet in the rankings, Morin will have to repear, if not
improve, on his performance during his draft year to maintain his status
as a potential 1st round selection. Morin plaus an undisciplined game
and doesn't offer much to off set his discipline issues outside of his
shot. But still, scoring 20 goals as an underager can't be ignored,
even in this bad draft year. |
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24 |
James Black - Defense - London Knights |
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o Lidstrom. Black rounds out the first round. He is
a no-nonsense defender, which means he plays a solid, unspectacular
game. To his credit, he does have a good shot and he manages to get it
through crowds fairly well. And he shoots a lot, blastign 139 of them
last season, second only to Lidstrom among blue liners. There is some
chaos in his defensive game, though, which may hurt his draft ranking if
he can't maintain his offense in his draft season. |
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25 |
Rob Pearson - Forward - Edmonton Oil Kings |
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26 |
Peter Kasowski - Forward - Saskatoon Blades |
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27 |
Jamie Heward - Defense - Shawinigan Cataractes |
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28 |
Mike Needham - Forward - London Knights |
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29 |
Rob Zamuner - Forward - Shawinigan Cataractes |
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30 |
Greg Andrusak - Defense - Peterborough Petes |
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31 |
Dan Lambert - Defense - Saskatoon Blades |
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32 |
Igor Korolev - Forward - Saskatoon Blades |
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33 |
Blair Atcheynum - Forward - Peterborough Petes |
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34 |
Jim McKenzie - Forward - Sudbury Wolves |
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35 |
Steve Larouche - Forward - Saskatoon Blades |
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36 |
Janne Laukkanen - Defense - Saskatoon Blades |
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37 |
Alexander Karpovtsev - Defense - Saskatoon Blades |
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38 |
Dan Bylsma - Forward - Hull Olympiques |
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39 |
Pat Murray - Forward - Ottawa 67's |
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40 |
Josef Beranek - Forward - Shawinigan Cataractes |
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41 |
Shawn Antoski - Forward - Chicoutimi Saguineens |
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42 |
Craig Fisher - Forward - London Knights |
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43 |
Jeff Marshall - Defense - Kamloops Blazers |
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44 |
Doug Zmolek - Forward - Hull Olympiques |
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45 |
Scott Pellerin - Forward - Medicine Hat Tigers |
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46 |
Trent Klatt - Forward - Hull Olympiques |
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47 |
Scott Daniels - Forward - Edmonton Oil Kings |
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48 |
Jeff Robinson - Defense - Chicoutimi Saguineens |
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49 |
Mike Rosati - Goalie - Peterborough Petes |
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50 |
Peter White - Forward - Sudbury Wolves |
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51 |
Kevin Haller - Defense - Hull Olympiques |
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52 |
Patrice Brisebois - Defense - Edmonton Oil Kings |
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53 |
Pat MacLeod - Defense - Kamloops Blazers |
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54 |
Tomas Forslund - Forward - Saskatoon Blades |
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55 |
Michel Picard - Forwards - Kamloops Blazers |
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56 |
Phil Von Stefenelli - Defense - Kamloops Blazers |
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57 |
Mark Astley - Defense - Shawinigan Cataractes |
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58 |
Claudio Scremin - Defense - Ottawa 67's |
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59 |
Kent Manderville - Forward - Chicoutimi Saguineens |
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60 |
David Emma - Forwards - Edmonton Oil Kings |
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61 |
Brent Thompson - Defense - Chicoutimi Saguineens |
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62 |
Brad Schlegel - Defense - Kamloops Blazers |
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63 |
Brett Harkins - Forwards - Shawinigan Cataractes |
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64 |
Ted Drury - Forward - Kamloops Blazers |
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65 |
Reid Simpson - Forward - Peterborough Petes |
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66 |
Sandy Moger - Forward - Saskatoon Blades |
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67 |
David Sacco - Forward - Medicine Hat Tigers |
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68 |
Daniel Dore - Forward - Shawinigan Cataractes |
|
69 |
David Roberts - Forward - Edmonton Oil Kings |
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70 |
Dave Chyzowski - Forward - Ottawa 67's |
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71 |
Matt Martin - Defense - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |
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72 |
Bob Boughner - Defense - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |
