McKeen’s Draft Update: May

U-18 Tournament a Must-See for Scouts

The April under-18 event is widely considered to be the scout’s ultimate reference for information on players for the NHL entry draft. It is a time when many pieces of the final puzzle come together, as eligible players solidify their reputation on the world stage.

Last spring it was Andrei Kostitsyn's high-octane performance at the tournament in Yaroslavl that solidified his stock. Ultimately, he wound up as the 10th overall selection, picked up by the Montreal Canadiens. The same year, Swede darkhorse Loui Eriksson amassed five goals and earned himself an early second round birth (33rd by Dallas).

Although it came as a disappointment to learn that no true darkhorses stepped forward in Minsk, the draft picture regardless became much clearer, as contenders thrived and pretenders faded into obscurity. Major headlines were stolen by Russia and the United States, to no one’s surprise, as the two junior powerhouses squared off yet again in the final with Russia ultimately prevailing.

The most potential of the tournament was flashed by Finland’s fantastic first line of Lauri Tukonen, Petteri Nokelainen and Lauri Korpikoski, but Finland’s failure to advance to the medal round killed off what could have been a spectacular showing by the trio - each with a chance go in the opening round of the draft.

Not meeting expectations were Swedes Fredrik Naslund and Emil Axelsson. Naslund, who looked like a poor man’s version of Mats Sundin in earlier viewings, was all tools and no toolbox, while the rearguard Axelsson looked home sick.

Czech goalie Marek Schwarz alleviated all worries over his disappointing showing at the under-20 tournament this winter by winning the top goalie honours and carrying the team on his shoulders. He is assured of a top-15 selection.

Cory Schneider’s shockingly low rating by the Central Scouting (seventh among North American goalies) must not have been based on this tournament, as he was the last line of defense for the United States right up until the bitter end in their 3-2 gold medal game loss. We see him as the year’s third best draft eligible goaltender behind only Schwarz and Al Montoya.

The likely number two selection in the draft - Evgeny Malkin - had a monster medal round, dominating at both ends of the ice with his size and skill, prompting many scouts to question whether the gap between he and Alexander Ovechkin is as great as some claim. But don’t get us wrong - Ovechkin will still go first. You can take that to the bank.

Russia’s Kirill Lyamin was the unsung hero of the tournament and the squad’s top blueliner, providing rock-solid defensive zone coverage and surprising offensive flair.

Danish trio of Morten Madsen, Peter Regin and Jannik Hansen provided the most fireworks among inferior teams, combining for 10 goals and 24 points between them. Watch for them in this year’s draft.

This and That

McKeen’s raves about the play of Tyler Haskins late this season and into the playoffs. The chippy forward scored clutch goals in the series against Sudbury and Brampton and was instrumental defensively in shutting down the likes of Kamil Kreps and Wojtek Wolski. Our scout says: "This guy shows untamed upside. He has all the tools to put up points as a pro - all he needs to do is get stronger. I’d rate him ahead of Ryan Garlock right now."

Shades of brilliance were apparent in the play of Mississauga’s Chad Painchaud who was a key piece of the IceDog’s run to the OHL finals. "He plays like a mix of Darcy Tucker and Joe Sakic," says our scout, "He is quick, chippy and attacks the net with authority. I love his speed and aggressiveness - he’ll get his nose dirty and has the hands to be a goal scorer. Just watch this guy be one of OHL’s top point getters next year."

Our OHL scout is not buying into all the hype surrounding Kitchener’s mammoth (6-foot-6, 220-pound) defenseman Boris Valabik. "The Rangers bowed out in five games of the first round and he didn’t step up as expected. For a hot shot prospect who is supposed to challenge for a top-20 position, he surely did exit with a wimper. Normally he throws his weight around like mad, but I didn’t see that mean streak from him. His size should not dictate his draft stock."

Our Russian scout offers a word of warning to NHL teams regarding the bloated stock of Sergei Ogorodnikov, who showed good upside, but weaknesses aplenty in Minsk. "This guy is not the Timofei Shishkanov of this draft, which is the way some are trying to sell him. Shishkanov similarly did not have a consistent spot on the Russian national team at his age, but it should be acknowledged that Ogorodnikov is smaller and is not at all a proven finisher. I liken him to (last year’s Chicago Blackhawks’ selection) Alexei Ivanov - crafty but small."

Chalk up Moncton’s Martins Karsums as another major wildcard for the draft. Karsums showed tantalizing offensive upside and surprised with his strength on the puck despite a fairly smallish frame (5-foot-10, 180 pounds). Says our scout: "This guy is serpentine. He just slips through defenses."