By Samuel Dummer

Martin Luther King Jr once said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

This holds true in the North American Jr hockey world today. Canadian fans watched the Hlinka Gretzky Cup tournament and grumbled at the fact that Canada did not participate. And we were left with little consolation by the showing of our American friends.

This year, with America being the only representative from this side of the pond, many Canadians were cheering for a successful trip for our neighbors south of the border.

So, how did it go? Well, as far as the American entry was concerned, the tournament didn’t go as planned.

As a fellow North American, my heart goes out to those kids. As it was with high hopes that Team USA entered the Hlinka Gretzky tournament.

Although It would be difficult to find a team entering the tournament that did not truly believe they had the chance to win it. And I can assume the Americans were high on themselves with those same expectations.

However, when it came down to it, their play was up and down throughout the tournament. I am not sure if it was the extended lockdowns or the canceled/shortened seasons compared to the European teams. But, for large stretches of almost every game, the Americans seemed worn out, out of gas.

Players were left chasing the puck in a disorganized mess, many were outskated, or simply outworked at the end of a foot race. While the team did have flashes of great potential and were able to produce a few beautiful shots for the highlight reels, the fans of the USA were left as disappointed as Leaf fans tend to be, year after year.

Jackson Dorrington was easily the most consistent defenseman on the American team. While he may have been on the ice for a goal against or two, his smooth play and general awareness usually lead to the right decisions. When a goal was coughed up on his watch, it was not usually because of an error on his part.

6’2” tall and 192lbs, Dorrington has the size to be a capable NHL rearguard. Remembering that he is only 17 years old, makes you think that he could probably pass as his friend’s cool older brother. The kind they could ring up whenever they needed to sneak into the latest R-rated flick at the local theatre. His stature and general on-ice demeanor will get him looks from the NHL, his play may get him a few calls.

While his stats are limited on his short career thus far, he has steadily been forming into an almost-point-per-game defenceman.

He is a steady and balanced player in his own end. He keeps an active stick to interfere with the passing lanes and he is already beginning to use his larger frame to his advantage. He doesn’t shy away from the dirty areas of the ice and even looks for engagement.

Watching this player develop should be a blessing and pleasure for the United States.

If he continues to commit himself to getting better every day and he learns from the downfalls of disappointing games, Dorrington should find himself one day playing with the big boys of the NHL.

Brennan Ali appeared to be one of the players worth keeping an eye on as the tournament progressed.

The center’s speed and tenacity oftentimes led to turnovers or chances for his team. It was unfortunate that so many of his line-mates had such a hard time burying their opportunities.

His dynamic footwork and agility allow him to create space for himself and cause separation between himself and the defense.

When done well, the Americans were able to capitalize on this with dump and chase opportunities that allowed Ali to switch into high gear.

Ali can use a little work on his scoring touch if he’s looking to really make a name for himself.

While his hard work and quick feet style of play is desirable, without the high goal-scoring pedigree, it can often be looked over for a more “skilled” prospect.

If Ali can get his scoring touch together, lookout for a dynamic player with just a little bit of everything.

Jimmy Clark started the tournament slower than he may have liked. At 6’0” and 174lbs, you would expect to see a tall body with lean speed and decent reach. Clark shows all of this and a little more, even though it may have taken him a little longer to get there.

In the first two games, Clark was almost invisible. He seemed to struggle to get involved or really make anything happen. It was hard to tell if this was simply because of the quality of the competition, or if the American team still needed to knock off the rust of the recent pandemic season. Whatever the reason, it didn’t appear to be a good look for Jimmy or the rest of the American team.

Clark entered his third game of the tournament after losing two straight with his fellow countrymen. After those losses, Clark’s competitive nature seemed to come alive. He came out deciding to play like an early 2000’s racing game; full speed and without a care of who he cut off or hit.

Pressuring the German team relentlessly, he tossed opposing players off their feet behind the net in his own defensive zone and generally made himself a presence felt around the ice. Clarke made it his mission to be involved in what seemed like everything.

While he may not have led the team in goals, assists, or total points, he will do well to continue playing with the same determination and focus in his game. If he can do so, it won’t be long before the VIPs of the hockey world start knocking on his door.

Winger Michael DeAngelo was a pleasant surprise. While he may not yet be seen as a high-end prospect, the potential for a growing flame in his future may still be burning. At 5’11” and 174lbs, he is not the most physically intimidating of players. With a slim build and nearing the age of adulthood, it is difficult to judge whether a player is done growing. This can be a question mark for many developing prospects. At the very least, DeAngelo does well to make you, look past his thin frame and think about what he can do with his feet instead.

DeAngelo appeared to be a player that didn’t mind being in the dirty areas, Despite his relatively slim size and light feet. I wouldn’t count on him quite yet to be a team’s main source of offense, but he could make a beautiful compliment to a high-end skilled forward.

While it is still too early to determine if he is the kind of player that will consistently put points on the board, it was apparent throughout the tournament that he was able to use his slim build and quick feet to generate breakouts and create pressure against the opposition. He was regularly seen jumping the blue line on the forecheck and, much like Ali, the Americans were able to use his speed to their advantage during times they were at their best.

Center Cameron Lund is another player who made the decision to pop off against Germany and make them the victim of a break-out game.

Lund entered the tournament at a reported 6’2” and 181lbs, this made him one of the taller players in the tournament. He could do well to put a few extra pounds onto his tall build, but he was able to use his long limbs and frame effectively in the defensive zone. He also used his long reach to block passing lanes during the forecheck.

After making just a little noise in the first two losses for the American team, Lund put the offense on his back and followed those performances with a four-goal game against the much weaker German team. You could write this off as a fluke of a game. You could believe that he is nothing more than his recorded stats have shown up until now – just shy of a point per game player. But you would be doing the player’s mental toughness and his effort a great disservice.

His patience with the puck and his complete confidence to shoot when he had his chances should just go to show his all-around game is developing as a young playmaker. He is not usually a go-to goal scorer but seems to have a creative knack for finding an open linemate.

Against Germany, he showcased his ability to shoot the puck. Lund showed his abilities to pass with confidence and accuracy. He took this opportunity to quite possibly open the eyes of a few new scouts. They’ll be scribbling notes by his number as they comb over the latest batch of young talent entering eligibility.

It isn’t often that a player can leave an international tournament with a hat-trick under his belt. It is even less likely to have it with a fourth goal to top it off, just for good measure.

The sample size is still small with Lund, as it is with all the new draft-eligible prospects, and the jury may still be out on the ceiling of his potential. But, in the Hlinka tournament, he may have pushed the door open a little further to a bright future.

Lucas Szyszka had to be one of the most aggravating goaltenders to watch in quite some time. He seemed to be technically sound. His butterfly appeared clean, for the most part, and his instincts were there. His ability to track the puck was on display as he made some massive saves when he needed to.

The issues with Szyszka were not whether he had the athleticism or ability to stop the puck. But rather, the question was how to get him to hold out strong in a game that appears to be slipping away.

There are times when an opportunity for greatness can knock on your door. Times when you get the choice of opening one of two doors. Through one door, you rise to the occasion. Through the other, you allow it to slip away and move on to the next name on the list. This time, the American goaltender fell into the latter of these choices.

While he turned in a valiant effort by the end of the tournament, Szyszka’s shutout in his game against Germany was, unfortunately, a little too late. He had already cracked to the pressure when it mattered most.

There is still plenty of promise for the young goaltender and he should not allow a disappointing showing by his team to keep him down for long.

In terms of Szyszka’s technical game, there really wasn’t much that could’ve been a big contributing factor to the losses. Keeping a stick down here, a bad rebound there was all that really led to his goals-against-average. It seemed to be a mix of defensive mistakes within the team, a couple of almost-perfect plays, and just a little down-right awful luck that ultimately led to his GAA. If pressed, Szyszka could work on staying up a little longer, as he seemed to drop a little early for the circumstances.

At 6’2” and 187lbs, Szyszka has the size and technical ability to make it all the way. If he can mentally focus his mind to block out the noise when it is all on the line, he will find improvement in his game. If he can move on from the heavy emotions of a disappointing finish, Szyszka can pave himself the right path to one day playing with the pros.

All in all, the Americans could have come to Slovakia with a little more fight in their game. With the history of America’s accomplishments in the Hlinka tournament fading further in the rear-view, the hopes of their fans may fade with it.

Photos: Jan Beneš

By Samuel Dummer

“I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve.”

That quote was lifted from the film 1970 film ‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’ and believed to have been said at one time by the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy, Isoroku Yamamoto regarding the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. But last week teams might have felt the same way at the Hlinka Wayne Gretzky Cup in Slovakia when facing off against the host nation, a once easy win for most in the eight team best on best U18 event.

While you may be hard-pressed to name all the NHL players with Slovakian roots, they are there.

While the nation went through a dry spell during the past 21 years since Y2K. The past couple seasons that trend has started a change.

Over the past couple of seasons, the numbers of high-end Slovakian draftees have begun to creep up once again. And if the most recent 2021 Hlinka Wayne Gretzky Cup tournament has anything to say about it, it should continue, and the tiny nation could be in for a breakout over the next couple seasons.

Going into the tournament, it would be expected to keep an eye on the usual suspects – Russia, USA, Sweden and normally Canada who this season decided to not participate due to the COVID19 pandemic.

While those teams held impressive talent as expected – for the most part – one teams became a “pleasant surprise.” Slovakia had scouts and other Hlinka followers fixated on what they could do from puck drop.

From the first game against Russia (exhibition), they left fans of the game both surprised and impressed. Their ability to maintain possession of the puck and hold the offensive zone was on full display.

While the Russians won the game by capitalizing on more scoring chances. The Slovakians controlled the play and kept the puck out of their own zone for long stretches of the game.

Top 2022 prospects like defenseman Simon Nemec, winger Juraj Slafkovsky, and winger Filip Mesar all looked like the top talents they are, but it was the depth of this team that really stood out.

The game drew attention to three particular players; Samuel Honzek, Adam Sykora and goaltender Ratislav Elias. These names quickly became the Slovakian shortlist as the tournament progressed. I only became more impressed as the games and tournament wore on.

The calm nature and dominating force residing in the small package of Adam Sykora was a pleasure to see. Due to his play, I raced to Google to look further into the background of the player looking so patient with the puck. I was even more astounded by what I uncovered.

While standing at a height of only 5’9” and carrying a weight of less than 170lbs, Sykora has consistently dominated against players his own age.

In the 2 seasons pre-pandemic, Sykora had put up 51 points in 38 games and 63 points in 31 games. His size may make it difficult for this young man to really make a demanding case for a high-ranked draft position. This shouldn’t be a surprise, as it is a known fact that the NHL tends to gravitate towards bigger, meaner players. If you can look past his size though, you will be both excited and giddy over his ability to play with the puck. Watching him skate around defenders and carry the puck with confidence was jaw-dropping.

Sykora’s ability to remain calm while doing the ol’ shimmy-and-shake with the puck – like it was his partner in a tango – had you searching for his number whenever his line touched the ice.

His elite vision of the ice and his ability to find line-mates for passes was showcased effectively. As was his desire to shoot the puck when the opportunity presented itself. He wasn’t afraid to make the pass on an odd-man rush, but he knew when the shot was more attractive.

He showed he was not afraid to have the puck on his stick and showed the patience of maturity past his years. His greatest downside, as is often the case with smaller snipers, is that he seemed to disappear when the puck went towards his own zone.

He is quick and should have no issues keeping up with the pace of the play. He is small, however, and can be pushed around when trying to engage the body. It can become clear that his desire to play the defensive game may not always be there. This is something he should work on if he wants to truly make a push to join the long list of Slovakian picks.

Another player on my hastily prepared shortlist, was that of Samuel Honzek (and not just because we share a first name).

He caught my attention early in the game. While he wasn’t the driving force of their offense, he loved to create zone pressure. The board play that Honzek brought to the table was effective and often worked out for him. He was hard on the puck and would chase down pucks like a hound released in the fall duck hunt. I seldom saw him lose a board battle, and on many occasions watched him come out of them with the puck. He was great at puck retrieval and always looked to feed a pass to a fellow teammate.

Pulling from the NHL, made me think strongly of Zach Hyman digging out pucks for his fellow teammates. Except, with his scoring history, he could be shaping up to be more like the outcome of mixing Hyman and Auston Matthews together.

In 2017-18, his first season for the U-16s, he finished with only three points in 17 games, his lowest totals on record. Coming back the following year, he would show the league what his style of play can do.

The season of 2018-2019 saw Honzek put up 45 points in only 33 games, enough to draw the attention of an older crowd.

At over a point per game, Honzek was quickly becoming a dominating name in Slovakian hockey.

In 2019-2020, while playing for the U16’s, Honzek followed his impressive sophomore campaign with an even one. Honzek put up 26 points in 13 games that season, before getting the call-up to the next level.

Honzek would finish the season with U18’s. He would put up 34 points in 36 games as a 16-year-old, and cement himself as a rostered player for the following year.

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is just another continuation of this player’s stellar career. As the world becomes introduced to his abilities, a commitment to improving his overall game should be his main goal. He could also look to increase his tenacity on the puck to really put him over the edge of a draft pool.

The next one was a surprise player. Not originally making the list, and left as a surprise for you too. At only 16, he is not even eligible for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. But watch out, he could be one to keep a close eye on for 2023. Call it my ignorance of the Slovakian Jr Hockey pool, but Dalibor Dvorsky, No.15, hit me like a sack of bricks. He took this tournament as his means to show the hockey world that he is here, and he means business.

While in the first game against Russia he didn’t seem to be very noticeable, Dvorksy opened the tournament with a game that demanded respect. Dvorsky scored a hat-trick in the opening game and made it look easy. Slovakia saw this as an opportunity and took it. They were going to take every advantage of his early developed shot and body.

Dvorsky is only 16, but he stands at 6’0” and weighs almost 190lbs. At his size, Dvorsky is already in the body of an NHLer and we aren’t even sure if he’s done growing yet.

He appears to love scoring and has a knack for it. The goals of the Hat-Trick weren’t the only goals he scored during the tournament. I would expect him to continue to fill the net as he only ages and develops more. I would expect to see his name called in the first half of the 2023 NHL Draft. His physical stature, offensive abilities, and nose for the net should make him hard to pass up for most teams looking to solidify their young depth.

Another noteworthy name to mention on the Slovakian team is that of Ratislav Elias. As a former goalie myself, I always tend to gravitate towards the position. I have a love of breaking it down. I love pausing the video and trying to imagine how the puck would look from the goalie’s position, or what they could have done differently.

His early showing was less than spectacular.

Partially because of this writers own goaltending experience, partially because he shares the name “Elias” with my own brother (pronounced differently but spelled the same), partially because I was a fan of “Patrick Elias,” and in no way because of any actual prior hockey knowledge of his play; I went in with high hopes.

I was a little disappointed and my high hopes were quickly reduced early on, but he showed his worth by the end.

I found Elias to be a bit of a rollercoaster to watch. On one hand, his athleticism is there, and he can come up with some spectacular saves. His glove hand was strong when he was given the chance to see the puck. His side-to-side movements were respectable, and his butterflies were consistently clean. His rebound control and aggression are where Elias’ game began to unravel.

Watching Elias in the tournament, one could often be left wondering “How did that one make it through?” or, “What happened there?” Elias seemed to go from making incredible stops, to letting out a plethora of juicy rebounds.

Let’s get real, a goalie making big save after big save is always an exciting game for the fan. But, the lack of rebound control only makes it more difficult than it needs to be for the goaltender. This was capitalized abundantly by Russia in the exhibition game. It was even seen in Slovakia’s own 12-2 demolition of the German team.

Their 5-2 win against the USA, showcased Elias’ other apparent major flaw; his lack of aggression for his own space. It would appear that the young Slovakian has a little more to learn when it comes to the value of “Real Estate” on the ice. It can be a flaw found in a lot of young goalies. It can be adjusted, and that small adjustment can bring surprisingly good results. It seems basic and fundamental in a sport like hockey, yet so many goalies fall prey to the lack of its use.

Aggression. Fight for space.

Players are always actively trying to take space away. A goalie should be just as aggressive – if not more so – than the players in front of them. Elias often found himself behind the traffic and left pining for his own space. He succumbed to hanging back further in his blue paint than he should have been. In doing so, he allowed the net behind him to open up for the shooter. He was beaten too many times from the blue line throughout the tournament due to this “small” play.

As the tournament progressed, Elias seemed to find his groove. He continued to play better each game and though Russia seemed to have his number, he can leave with his head high. Elias played a heck of series, and it would be expected that he may have garnered himself a few extra looks.

If Elias can improve on just a few parts of his game, I think there may be a diamond in the rough, looking for a good polish. Otherwise, he may fall to his local leagues and his NHL aspirations may become too far gone to grasp.

Like the players that came before them, it is only with the right combination of skill, determination, hard work, and a love of the game, that prospects find themselves on the path to the NHL.

All in all, Slovakia had a great showing; there is a lot of young promise seeming to make its way through their system. It may only be a matter of time before we see a new wave of Slovakian superstars. New faces to be plastered across the billboards of North America or finding their way into the latest video game.

Slovakia as a country has seen enough adversity to ensure their players are battle-tested and mentally prepared for the nuances of the game. The question becomes whether they really have the impenetrable DNA.

Do they have that first-round DNA of so many great Slovakians in recent memory and beyond?

Maybe these players will continue to carry the torch of their predecessors, maybe they continue to add to the long list of fellow countrymen, jumping onto a plane and joining the best hockey league in the world or, maybe they fall to the wayside, left battling for ice-time on their own local teams.

It is only a matter of time before all our questions are answered.

I, for one, will be excited to see where their names fall on the board in the coming year(s).

While they may have recently taken a light nap, you can no longer sleep on Slovakia.

They might just surprise you.

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For more check this video on Slovakia’s talent created by DraftPro contributor Kai Farenholtz.

Photos: Jakub Homola / Sportnet.sk / Lukas Grinaj / Hockey Slovakia

By Samuel Dummer

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is a best-on-best U18 hockey tournament that runs every year in August. The Hlinka Gretzky Cup, although known by various other names over the years, has been a medium for young developing players since 1991. Most times, scouts already have plenty of information or past views to go off regarding the players in the tournament. This year has been a little different than most. With the Covid-19 pandemic still strong in some areas, it was difficult to get eyes on international or even local, players. Because of this, the Hlinka Gretzky Cup of 2021 was the very first time many evaluators and media personnel had a chance to really see what the current generation of players can bring.

The draft class of 2022 appears to be shaping up nicely. Even with the altered development of players during the unknown days of the pandemic, early returns suggest it is going to be a deep draft. After the showings at the Hlinka, it is proving that it should be just that.

A few players came out of the woodwork or the relative unknown and showcased what they could do. A few players that most scouts had not seen in action before, and even others that were completely unheard of. Most of these players are young enough to still worry about a fresh pimple, or who they are going to ask to this year’s Spring sock-hop. “Underager” is the term commonly coined for a player younger than most and not yet eligible for the upcoming draft. As the Hlinka is a U18 tournament, the majority of the players are 17 and just entering their NHL draft.

While there are still plenty of 2022 fish to fry, the 2023 class is looking even tastier at the top.

Russia, being the dominating force with Canada staying home and sitting this one due to Covid-19, easily won the 2021 tournament. With what seemed to be a blow-out score almost every game, Russia showed the world that they used their pandemic time effectively. Unsurprisingly, Russia came into the tournament with only one thing in mind, winning. The Russian team is almost always a competitive one, dating back as far as I know. They have regularly been a force to be reckoned with in the hockey world. For the tournament, their training was effective, and their finish was off-the-charts. The same could be said of the play of a player who would barely be old enough to drive a car in Canada.

At 16 years of age, Matvei Michkov stands at only 5’10 and weighs 159lbs. He wouldn’t appear to be the kind of body you would expect to be breaking records in a full-contact sport, but here we are. Michkov came to the tournament to play and did so. “He does not let his size bring him down, as he uses his intelligence to quickly adapt and attack,” spoken by DraftPro scout Joseph Peters, is just one of the many things that can be said about this young player.

Watching him play in the tournament was like watching a pro fill in for your Sunday night beer league team; you were often left wondering if it could even be fun for him. Scoring 13pts in only 5 games, Michkov has unseated Canadian Cole Perfetti’s 12pts and taken the thrown for most points in the tournament’s history.

“He sees everything miles ahead of when they happen. But the height of his game lies in his professional-level shot…” Kai Farenholtz, another DraftPro scout, could hardly contain his excitement for the player.

“There’s no other player I can name that can put away the puck like he does, he literally can score from anywhere on the ice, any angle, any situation.” Accolades not given to just any player, especially not one playing in an older age bracket.

2023 eligible defender Mikhail Gulyayev and 2024 eligible forward Ivan Demidov also had impressive showing for the eventual tournament Champs.

The Slovakians shocked the Hockey world with a second-place finish and gained a whole lot of attention in the process. Largely due to the play of some upcoming draft-eligible, but when they needed the push to go over the top, it was another underager stepping up to the plate.

Dalibor Dvorsky, 6’0 and 187lbs, “He can play in all situations. A powerful, smooth skater, with an accurate shooting selection in his arsenal…” states Peters in a quick email exchange, “He is a competitive battler for the puck.”

When speaking about the player around scouts, his projectable frame and defensive play are quickly pointed out to go along with his ability to fill the net. Farenholtz had this to say when asked about the player, “What makes Dvorsky so dangerous is his elite IQ and spontaneous edge work. His heads-up vision and accurate wrister make him a threat from nearly anywhere in the offensive end.”

When drawing the attention of scouts like that, it is fair to say that Dvorsky has a strong eye on the bright lights of his future hockey career.

The Slovakian team not only shocked the hockey world this week but did so with multiple young pups running in the pack. While Dvorsky was the biggest standout, names like Ondrej Molnar and Maxim Strbak cannot be left out. Both played very impressive tournaments, even more so when considering their young ages in comparison to the competition.

Molnar was a firecracker all tournament. “The way he picks up speed in the neutral zone with his long powerful stride makes him an immediate threat the moment he crosses the blue line. His creative stick handling and lateral movement and lateral movement and you got a prospect that screams top-6 scoring potential” says Farenholt.

Throw in the big, young defensive body of Maxim Strbak and it became disappointing to see the team falter to the mighty Russians. Fans always love the underdog.

“His large frame still has room to grow, and his skating is only a fraction of what it could be, showcasing promising edgework and agility in tight situations” Farenholtz responds when asked about the player. “His offensive IQ is there, but as of now has some trouble executing his plays.”

While the Slovakians fell short in their quest for the full Cinderella finish, they can look back at the tournament with pride. Their young team gained invaluable experience and they did nothing but show the world that they will be a force to be reckoned with. The next few years should be an interesting resurgence of interest in Eastern Europe.

Others such as Czechia winger Dominik Petr and Finnish winger Emil Jarventie, both eligible in 2023, also looked solid but did not have the impact of some of their other underage peers.

Looking to next summer, Russia will be looking to go back-to-back, and Slovakia could have a handful of experienced returning players. The 2022 tournament is already garnering interest and we’re barely a day out of this one. As a fellow colleague said while chatting European teams, and after witnessing this event I am starting to agree with his sentiments, “I think this may potentially shape up to be the deepest European draft in NHL history.”

Photo: Hockey Slovakia

By Kai Farenholtz, Alex Taxman, and Willem Dezwaan.

A few of our scouts from this season were asked to give us what they think are some good ‘comparables’ in the 2021 NHL draft. That is comparing current NHL players to some of the prospects available in this draft class in terms of playing style. These are not to say we are comparing the trajectory of careers just similarities in playing styles.

Matthew Beniers – Ryan Kesler
Versatile two-way forward with tremendous vision across the whole playing surface. Can pick apart defense with top-end speed and strong puck control all while maintaining a strong net front presence too.

Olen Zellweger – Samuel Girard
A new age defenseman with a game circulated around edgework and puck distribution. It can seem as if the puck is glued to his stick at times with an otherworldly level of puck control.

Fabian Lysell – Brayden Point
Dangerous right-hand shot with an even more lethal set of wheels combined with a beyond average offensive IQ. Will completely obliterate you in transition if you offer the slightest bit of empty space.

Mason McTavish – Bo Horvat
Strong body, strong willed center with the ability to polish off pucks and checks. A real leader in all situations and can be relied upon anywhere on the ice from being the extra man to the lone centre on the 5-on-3 kill.

Sean Tschigerl – Ondrej Palat
Stickhandling maestro with a pin-point accurate wrister that can stay strong on their feet while being festered along the boards. 110% every shift and has a knack to connect off of odd-man rushes.

Brennan Othmann – Max Pacioretty
A goalie’s worst nightmare… pure goal scorer with the ability to shoot from anywhere and leave a damaging shot. Full of strength and is an absolute hound on the forecheck, all while keeping some creativity in his arsenal.

Logan Stankoven – Cam Atkinson
Small statured with an immeasurable work ethic, along with a shot that will make you throw any size argument out the window. Admirable acceleration and solid top-end speed with a great two-way understanding and aggressive forecheck.

Dylan Duke – Zach Hyman
Nose to the net scorer, digs around the boards for loose pucks like a dog looking for it’s bone, and can be a beast in any given situation. Can be the grimy finisher on the powerplay, or the relentless penalty killer out there on a double-shift. Hard-skating as the cherry on top.

William Eklund – Jake Guentzel
Able to play anywhere up and down the lineup. Sees the ice extremely well, with high awareness and execution in all situations. With the versatility to play center and wing, and a very high skill level, Eklunds got a high floor, and a high ceiling as well.

Oskar Olausson – Denis Gurianov
He’s got a sick wrist shot, a heavy and accurate one timer, and is able to beat defensemen and goaltenders one on one. His skating is strong and he has breakaway speed. A bit of a one dimensional player, but that one dimension is scoring, and he’s damn good at it.

Xavier Bourgault – Claude Giroux
One of the best playmakers in the draft, with a strong and accurate shot as well. The one thing he lacks is high end speed, but he’s not slow. He’ll likely be a big point producer at the next level.

Manix Landry – Phillip Danault
He’s a centerman who does absolutely everything, and gives full effort on every shift. When watching him, you’ll notice that he’s a huge pest on the forecheck. He’s super reliable defensively, and he’s somebody that a coach can send over the boards for a must-win faceoff, or a big defensive zone matchup. He projects as an effective shutdown center at the next level, who can contribute offensively as well.

Aatu Raty – Mika Zibanejad
He’s a strong, fast skater who can handle the puck at top speed, and he uses his size to his advantage in holding defenders off with his body. Raty’s also an elite shooter, with a quick, whip-like release. He feasts around the front of the net and slot area, but he can score from long range as well. He’s got all the tools to be a productive NHL forward, but the only question right now is consistency.

Brandt Clarke – Drew Doughty
Clarke will be an offensive defenseman, could reach 60 plus points in a season but more realistically is a 35-50 point guy in my opinion. Both look to move the puck up ice and sustain the offensive attack.

Thanks for reading.

We would love to hear both your thoughts on our hot takes as well as any you might have by posting them on twitter using the hashtag #DraftPro.

By Jonah Fleisher

Halifax Mooseheads Forward Zachary L’Heureux

It was April 13th, and the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL were on the wrong side of a blowout to the Charlottetown Islanders. The Mooseheads wound up losing the game 8-1, but their losses didn’t end there. Midway through the third period, Mooseheads goalie Alexis Gravel slashed Islanders forward Zach Beauregard in the inner thigh and Beauregard took exception, inciting a line brawl.

When all was said and done, a total of 76 penalty minutes had been handed out and six players were ejected from the game. Those six players were also each given a suspension, all but one of them sitting out for just one game. The other player? 2021 draft-eligible forward Zachary L’Heureux, suspended four games for “fighting after the original altercation [and] accumulation of codes.”

For L’Heureux and the Halifax Mooseheads, this was nothing new; in fact, this was L’Heureux’s fourth suspension of the season, having already sat out four games for unsportsmanlike conduct and taking off his helmet in a fight in November and three games for high sticking in February. The hot-headed prospect was also fresh off a two-game ban for unsportsmanlike conduct earlier in April.

“You want [him] to reign it in a little bit,” said Mooseheads coach Sylvain Favreau. “It’s our job as coaches — these kids are growing and there’s a bit of maturity that needs to happen. I think better handling emotions goes with it, but part of it is that you don’t want to take away from the player’s perspective and fieriness. You can’t teach a player to play that way. You want to make sure that you hone some of it in, but for the most part, it’s an intangible and a valuable asset for a player to have. It’s sort of guiding him on the right track and making sure that discipline is still there.”

While L’Heureux has struggled to remain on the ice at times, he still does bring a special compete level and competitive fire, a valuable attribute for a team to have.

“I’m an extremely emotional player,” said L’Heureux. “I thrive off of emotion and you’ve got to try to keep that mindset of ‘never too high, never too low.’ A lot of things — both good and bad — happen in a hockey game, and you just need to flip the page sometimes and not worry about it too much. It’s one of those things that I’ve had to deal with since I was a kid, even at the playground.

“You just want to be able to control it instead of taking yourself out of the game and doing something that will weigh your team down. You want to be the best version of yourself every game and the best player you can be, so you don’t negatively affect the team too much. But at the end of the day, I’m an emotional player and a fiery guy that is going to play the game on the edge. Occasionally, you’re going to control the line, but you need to control it and make sure it doesn’t happen too much and the consequences are not too damaging.”

General manager Cam Russell, for one, is quite unfazed by L’Heureux’s repeated suspensions and has a past experience to draw on which makes him think that, with just age and added maturity, the discipline will come.

“You’ve got to be careful because it’s what makes them the special players that they are,” said Russell. “There is a fine line there, but you have to be careful not to hold them back. I remember when Nathan MacKinnon was here, he played a similar way. At times he got frustrated, at times he’d take penalties, but they’re just such competitive guys and they want to win so badly that it kind of happens before the maturity sets in. You have to remember that him and MacKinnon were 16-, 17-year-old kids playing top minutes against the other teams’ best and oldest players. So, at times, it does get frustrating and with a little bit of experience and age, it usually falls into place.”

L’Heureux’s fiery nature stems from an immense passion for hockey that began as a young boy and holds stronger than ever to this day.

“Once I was 3 or 4 years old, my parents put me on skates,” said L’Heureux of his start in hockey. “My dad grew up playing and it was one of those passions. Born in Canada, it’s just one of those things that a lot of kids get into at an early age, and I fell in love with the sport right away.

“Up until Midget Junior you start realizing that you may have a shot at making it. Now with the draft coming up and all the excitement around it, it’s definitely fun for me. It’s fun to be a hockey player, and I think it’s just exciting for me and my family. Ever since day one it’s been a passion of mine and it hasn’t gone away; the spark is still there. It’s something that I enjoy doing.”

Of course, born in Montreal and in love with the game of hockey, L’Heureux has always been a Canadiens fan.

I always enjoyed being a [Canadiens] fan and I like to follow them,” he said. “Of course, my idol is Sidney Crosby, so there are definitely times where I enjoy watching Pittsburgh — and Washington, too — but in general I was a big Montreal fan.”

L’Heureux was selected 3rd overall by the Moncton Wildcats in the 2019 QMJHL Entry Draft and immediately saw success, racking up 53 points (20-33-53) in 55 games.

“It was definitely fun,” said L’Heureux. “It was a fun day, definitely exciting going to such a great place. I didn’t know too much about Moncton but as soon as I got picked it was definitely fun being able to enjoy that. The way the ‘Q’ does the draft and that whole setup, it was fun to be on the rink in front of everybody. At the end of the day, I wasn’t too worried about it. I didn’t think it meant very much at all. Until I showed up to training camp, I was just a pick — nothing else. I still had to prove myself and show everybody that I can play hockey. It was definitely fun and exciting, but it was just the beginning to a long summer before I showed up to training camp.”

L’Heureux’s efforts in his rookie season had him atop the rookie scoring leaderboard and at the end of the season, he was named to the QMJHL All-Rookie Team.

“It’s definitely good,” he said. “I had a great start which maybe took a little pressure off my shoulders. I was just trying to take it one game at a time — one day at a time — not worried too much. As a 16-year-old, I didn’t have a crazy amount of pressure with the team we had and the experience in front of me. I didn’t have to necessarily bring my A-game every night even though I wanted to. We had a lot of leaders — guys I can lean on and look up to and who can mold my game into being a pro-style player with all the pro guys that we had on the team. Little things like that really made the transition [to the Q] easier for me.”

In May 2019, the Mooseheads made it to the President’s Cup Finals in the QMJHL, ultimately falling to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies four games to two. However, as hosts for that year’s Memorial Cup, they still got to enter into the tournament and, with strong play in the round-robin, earned a bye to the championship game. Unfortunately, Halifax would meet a similar fate in the championship game as they did in the President’s Cup Finals, being dispatched by their QMJHL counterparts, the Huskies. The final score of that game: once again, four to two.

The following season, Halifax would miss the playoffs, and with an aging roster, they began to sell off their older players as part of a youth movement. And one of the top young guys they brought in was none other than Zachary L’Heureux.

“It was definitely exciting,” said the young forward. “It was definitely a change at first and any time you get traded it’s scary but exciting at the same time. I was just getting settled in out in Moncton when I learned I was getting shipped to Halifax. I’ve played in the building. I knew how amazing the city was and I had only heard great things about it. So, showing up [in Halifax] was definitely exciting. When I showed up, my role was completely different than the year before. We had the youngest team in the CHL this year, so I had more of a leadership role. I took more time than I wanted to sink into that role and adapt to it, but it went well in the end.”

“We were in a situation where we had just played the Memorial Cup the year before and we still had some very good 19- and 20-year-old players left on our team,” Russell added on his reasoning for the trade. “Not enough to really compete, though, so the decision was made to trade those guys, unload some players, and get younger and build for the future. You can’t always do that just through the draft. We wanted to pick up a couple of established players as well as some really good draft picks, so that’s why the decision was made to trade for [Zach] and Elliott Desnoyers from Moncton. We just felt that both of those guys would be such important pieces of our team moving forward so the plan was to target them and go after them and we were fortunate that it worked out.”

With Halifax, L’Heureux was given the reins and he excelled, scoring 39 points (19-20-39) in 33 games in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. That pace would have netted him 65 points over the 55 games played in his rookie season, an increase of 12 points.

“As the year went on, my progression just got better and better,” said L’Heureux of his increased production in Halifax. “I didn’t want to worry too much about stats and stuff. I think my game’s a lot more than that. At the same time, it’s nice to see and compare it [to my previous output] and see that I did get better from the year before. At the end of the day, I just want to go out there, play my game, help make the team better, and be a good teammate.”

“These elite hockey players, they play for that exact reason: they want to be ‘the guy,’” said Favreau. “Now he has an opportunity to be just that. With being ‘the guy’ comes responsibilities, and it’s just a matter of him having a good grasp of those responsibilities and making sure there’s consistency game-in and game-out. If Zach L’Heureux has success, then usually our team has success too.

“At the end of the day, the goal is to put the puck in the net. It’s important to have those guys that can finish. He’s that guy: he has a knack for the net; he likes to be the difference maker. He’s good in tight and we’ve used him as a net-front guy on the powerplay because he can make plays on the goal line. He can handle the puck in tight spaces. He’s good with redirects and puck pursuit on the powerplay. But then he’s also got a devastating shot so coming down the wing, whether it’s an odd-man rush, a three-on-two or a two-on-one, any shot he puts on net is dangerous shot and a scoring opportunity. When you’re able to mix those two [styles of play], it certainly bodes well for your hockey club.”

Because of his fiery demeanor on the ice, L’Heureux draws a lot of comparisons to Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand. The Halifax forward also likens his play to that of Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk, all three players using a gritty and competitive, but also skilled, style of play.

“I like to look at guys like Matthew Tkachuk or Brad Marchand,” said L’Heureux. “Those guys can bring a bit of everything to the table. They’re skilled players, but they’re also very gritty, very hard to play against, and they play in-your-face hockey. At the end of the day, they’re also great teammates; they do what’s best for the team, they stick up to anybody and aren’t afraid of anybody. They’re the first guys in a scrum to protect a teammate and the first ones to protect themselves.

“I think my competitiveness is number one. It’s what pushes me to be better every day and to be the best version of myself. I think I have good vision and good hockey sense: when I’m on the ice, I’m not just a north-south type of guy. I can get pucks in deep and bring them to the net, but there’s also times I’ll try to make a move and create some time and space and hopefully a scoring chance. Just having that good hockey sense, that vision, is big. The competitiveness kind of seeps into that — to always want to win my one-on-one battles and to be the first to enter one of those 50-50 battles along the boards.”

“Zach plays an old-style game where he takes pucks hard to the net, he takes pucks in dirty, tough areas that a lot of other players may be not willing to do,” added Russell. “He’s not the fastest guy but he finds a way to beat players one-on-one. It’s his size, skill, strength, and willingness to pay the price around the net.”

However, as with any prospect, L’Heureux has areas of his game that could use some work.

“I think his skating will need to improve,” Favreau noted. “It’s not that he’s not fast or quick, but there’s some technical work on his stride that we’re hopeful that he can work on this summer and that we’ll be working on with him. Besides that, it’s just maturing as a player, working on his feet, and making sure he puts all of it together on his way to a strong hockey career.”

Russell also mentioned his skating, noting too that L’Heureux’s discipline is still very much an area where they are hoping for and expecting improvement.

“His skating is good, not great,” he said. “He still finds a way to beat guys but like a lot of other kids, he can continue to work on that. Also, just the maturity of not getting frustrated at times. It was a tough year for him where he was only 17 [years old] but we leaned on him very heavily to be the guy to help us win every night, which is difficult to put a 17-year-old into that position. So at times he would get frustrated and took some penalties and was suspended a few times. That’ll come with age — the maturity — but also with some help. Like I said, he was in a tough situation. But those are the things that he has to improve on and I think you’ll see a big improvement in those areas next season.”

For L’Heureux, there is one key component of his skating that he has tried to hone in on: his acceleration.

“[My] number one [area for improvement] is definitely my acceleration,” said the young forward. “The game is leaning more towards having time and space and there are lots of speedy guys now — especially looking at guys like McDavid. Creating that time and space if extremely hard so I think that if I can improve my acceleration and get that extra 0.2 or 0.3 seconds, that can be huge, opening both the passing lanes and shooting lanes. So I think just getting faster as the years and months go by is my number one focus in getting ready for the NHL.”

Despite a large amount of adversity this year, L’Heureux has kept his head held high and continued working towards his goal of playing in the NHL. As the draft inched ever closer, he made a concerted effort to not get caught up in the pressure.

“You try not to think about it too much,” said L’Heureux. “There’s obviously pressure. You hear it everywhere — whenever you open your phone or talk to people, that’s the number one thing that comes up — so that’s something that, now that the season’s over, I can sit down and think about it and enjoy it more.

“When the season’s going, you try not to think about it. You just try to play your game and show the scouts what you’ve got. You worry about the other stuff later. But the draft’s getting closer and closer now and teams are reaching out so it’s getting a lot more exciting. At the same time, I just want to get my summer training going so wherever I show up to training camp in August, I’m ready.”

One thing that’s made his draft year easier is having teammates who have already been through the process. In fact, three of his teammates have been drafted by NHL teams: goalie Alexis Gravel, to Chigaco; defenseman Justin Barron, to Colorado; and forward Elliot Desnoyers, to Philadelphia.

“It’s key,” said L’Heureux on being able to rely on his teammates. “Their draft was later during the season this year, so I was able to experience that with them. I was with Elliot when he got drafted and it was definitely exciting for him. I was obviously excited for him, too. It was cool to see and experience, and those guys are such high-level, pro guys that being able to lean on them and talk to them and see the little things that they do — they may be only a few years than me but I can still learn a lot from them and they’re still role models that I can look up to every day at the rink. It’s definitely great to have guys like that around.”

While Zach has had to count on those players this year, he will ultimately have to play that role in the future for his younger teammates. And that role fits L’Heureux like a glove, the leader that he is.

“Zach is an outgoing individual and he’s a kid that everyone likes in the dressing room,” said Favreau. “He likes to be the gatherer, at times the funny guy and at times the serious guy — a true competitor when the time comes. He does a pretty good job of juggling both and being a team guy first and foremost.

“He’s a player that is growing in maturity. He’s more of a guy that will lead by example on the ice with his work ethic. With that being said, he’s a kid that’s maturing so he just needs to be consistent in that facet of his game.”

“I’m not in the room as much as the players or the coaching staff, but Zach is an outgoing, energetic guy,” added Russell. “He’s a guy that’s always telling jokes, laughing, and having a good time, but when the puck drops, he’s a guy that’s out there competing and wanting to be the best every shift he’s out there. He’s a 17-year-old kid and it’s difficult for those guys to actually be the leaders on the team when they’re playing with guys that are 19 and 20 [years old]. But I think more than anything he leads by example on the ice.”

In L’Heureux, a team gets a lot more than just his on-ice skills. They get his intangibles. A player who is fearless. A leader. Someone who will stick up for himself and his teammates. A player who, for better or for worse, would do anything to win.

All that’s left to do is for L’Heureux to put it all together.

A few of our scouts from this season have been asked to give us what they think are some ‘hot takes’ on the 2021 NHL draft as we are mere hours away from the first round. That is views or opinions that might be a bit of a shock to the public consensus but that they believe could or will happen. Educated thoughts from our evaluators after two years watching these prospects develop and seeing the NHL talent hounds following their every move. This 2021 season has been a little more difficult than previous to pick up on

First up is Dan Stewart, DraftPro Editor and Director of Scouting.

“Wolverine defenseman Owen Power, the projected top selection in the draft, is surprisingly not selected by Buffalo in the top spot as they instead grab Michigan teammate Matthew Beniers at No. 1 overall. – DS

“New Jersey flips the script as many expect the Devils to select either Luke Hughes or Brandt Clarke at No.4 overall, instead they reveal they have had Djurgardens IF winger William Eklund tops on their list and are ecstatic to add a game changing talent.” – DS

“One of these later round wingers Dodge County Wildcats Brody Lamb or Des Moines Buccaneers Paul Davey will end up scoring more NHL goals in their career than any first rounder this season. Both have a real upside to their scoring ability and raw shot tools to build upon.” – DS

Here is DraftPro’s Head Scout Jared Brown and his hot takes.

“Simon Edvinsson may go top five but will end up a bust due to his aggressive and dangerous decision making with the puck. He will be the most disappointing top end first round pick and will struggle in a teams’ structure due to his play style.” – JB

“US NTDP’s Justin Janicke goes on to have one of the longer NHL careers in his draft class due to his versatility. He’s the type of player whose play leads by example and elevates other players to perform at a higher level and play with more intensity. I can definitely see him wearing a letter on his jersey in the NHL one day.” – JB

Here are DraftPro’s regional scout Murray Caldwell’s hot takes.

“NHL Scouts will be left scratching their heads how they missed Brandon Wheat Kings winger Brett Hyland. Exceptional arm strength, scores from distance and acute angles. Brings to the game right character, extremely hard worker, that is noticeably improving with every game in the WHL. A creative playmaker with vision away from the puck. I can see this speedy winger on a third or fourth line in the NHL creating energy.” – MC

“Many players will be picked ahead of Kelowna Rockets Trevor Wong. But Trevor will become one of the most dynamic centers in the NHL playing on any line, in any situation, due to his elite IQ, anticipation, relentless checking, transitioning with speed in a 200-foot-game.” – MC

Here are DraftPro’s regional scout Matt Morrison hot takes.

“With no clear-cut franchise player, I think Seattle could take the player I think is most likely to become a star in goaltender Jesper Wallstedt. Assuming Power is gone #1, the franchise is likely not selecting a player that will play right away out of this class and I do think Eklund could step into a line up but would benefit from another year of development. Grabbing a franchise goalie with your first ever pick ensures you won’t have to worry about that position going forward. I also think Jesper is only a year or two out from being a NHL starting goalie.” – MM

Last, we have regional scout Willem Dezwaan’s take.

“I feel that if Buffalo takes anyone other than Owen Power the fans of this organization will be in an uproar, this is because the team needs defenseman contrary to perception as they only really have one top four defender on the roster on Dahlin. You need a solid top four, even top six in my opinion to have a team that can compete for a cup, and if they were to draft a forward it would have to be after they move Eichel or Reinhart. They seem to have good pieces up front as long as they pull their weight.” – WD

We would love to hear your hot takes so send them to us at twitter @DraftProHockey.

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For all your 2021 draft information be sure to pick up a copy of our Guide and Yearbook.