Draft Confidential

Jonas Ahnelov-Pihl - D (Frolunda)

"Close to sticking with Frolunda's senior club right now. Solid, strong kid who knows how to hit. Doesn't have great hands but I like his poise. Nothing fancy but is rising fast." (Rank: 72)

Phil Axtell - LW (Cedar Rapids)

"A 6-foot-6, 250-pound truck. Has been impossible to ignore, even though he is 19. What is especially impressive is that he moves well for his size. Has a powerful stride and goes out of his way to finish hits. Heavy, accurate shot. Has a mean streak, improving top-end speed and is much more coordinated than before. Someone should take a flyer on him." (Rank: NA)

Matt Corrente - D (Saginaw)

"His size is a problem - if he were two or three inches taller he would be a stud. Plays a big game with meanness. Nobody in the league wants to fight him because he kicks some serious ass. Average defensively and sometimes tries to force plays too much for my liking." (Rank: 96)

Jonathan Harty and Graham Potuer - D (Everett)

"These two anchor Everett's second pairing and I have liked what I have seen from both of them. Harty is smallish, but aggressive offensively and lays the body well. Pouter is a rock-solid stay-at-home D with toughness and decent skating skills. Has a big heart - I saw him get smoked blocking a shot in the head. He was staggered but there were still about 30 seconds left in the period and he stayed out there and blocked another slapper on that shift." (Rank: NA)

Ilkka Heikkila - RW (JYP)

"Smaller dangler in the Juhamatti Aaltonen-Pasi Salonen mold. Speedy and loves to deke and shoot. Productive so far in junior and should be on the radar in upcoming tournament action." (Rank: NA)

Jakub Kratzer - LW (Sparta Praha)

"Went undrafted last year but he might be a bit of a late bloomer. Love his fluid stride which helps him generate offense. Added muscle mass, balance and is playing in traffic quite well. Could find himself on the radar closer to draft time." (Rank: NA)

Brendon Nash - D (Salmon Arm)

"I drooled at his size and strong skating skills. A leader with great work habits playing on a team that is one of the top producers of talent at the Junior A level for College ranks. His name will be heard later this season." (Rank: NA)

Vladimir Nikiforov - RW (Barrie)

"What a great little player. Saw him work the powerplay and he made it jell about as much as teammate Bryan Little. In recent viewings he looked head-and-tails above everyone on the ice in terms of playmaking. Lack of size holds him back." (Rank: NA)

Andreas Nodl - F (Sioux Falls)

"Standout Austrian isn't the next Thomas Vanek but has made tremendous strides. He's an older kid but has soft hands and a great eye for the developing play. Everything has been falling into place so far." (Rank: NA)

Rafael Rotter - C (Guelph)

"Tiny little guy caught my eye because he uses about half a stick. It's like his stick broke in half and he still carried it around. Pretty skilled, surprisingly still won faceoffs with that thing and got to loose pucks." (Rank: NA)

Billy Sauer - G (Michigan)

"I got a look at him recently and was amazed by his progress. He looks bigger compared to last year in the USHL - some considerable physical growth. His dexterity and lateral mobility, on top of his competitiveness, leads to some highlight-reel saves. I also love his poise and demeanour. Lanky limbs are extremely nimble. Best draft-eligible goalie I've seen this season." (Rank: 9)

Shane Sims - D (Des Moines)

"Mature in both zones. Never turns the puck over on the outlet and is cool under pressure. Big point shot, tough, competes on every shift. Sturdy skater though won't lead a rush. Nothing flashy but he competes and throws his body around at open ice." (Rank: 91)