Photo Credit: Leksands IF

The name Emil comes from the Latin aemulari, which means “trying to equal or surpass”. That is fitting for the man from Leksand. Hailing from a large hockey family, he has three elder brothers who had hockey careers – including eldest brother Lars Lundin of QMJHL pedigree – his cousin Olle Liss is a senior Swedish international, and his other cousins Arvid and Eric Eljas played alongside him on the Leksands IF J20 team last year.

But it is not only his own blood that he has spent his teenage years trying to equal or surpass on a hockey rink. Despite an impressive 1.41 P/GP in the J20 last year, playing 11 SHL games, and being over P/GP for the Swedish u-19 national team, Heineman’s name has been lost in the mix in a marquee year for Swedish forwards. He is an afterthought for many after Raymond, Holtz, Gunler, Nybeck and Niederbach, and in a strong draft year is slated to go in the third round.

Player Profile

D.O.B – November 16, 2001
Nationality – Sweden
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’1
Weight –185 lbs
Position – Left Wing
Handedness – Left

Heineman’s Style Of Play

As for his game? Like many Swedes, Heineman already plays a North American style. It is one thing that jumps out right away. He relishes getting into the danger areas around the slot and net, and has a real knack for finding space with no defensemen near either on the rush or on the cycle. His two-way game is also well-developed, and his relentless puck pursuit, diligence in his own zone, and ability on the boards are things all NHL scouts love to see.

He is also well developed both athletically and physically. His skating is powerful and refined in all aspects. Not only does he have great edges, but a good burst and fantastic lower-body strength. It is not unusual to see him protect the puck at speed, accelerate away from defensemen, and watch attempted hits bounce of him all in the same shift. Heineman is also not afraid to get involved physically, and will throw a good hit when he sees the need to, as well as get scrappy with defenses when battling for position.

His best purely offensive tool? His shot. Not only does he have high-end awareness in regards to finding space in close, but he has a quick, accurate release that can take advantage of that ability to punish opposition teams. Heineman has one of the best one-timers of any junior aged player in Sweden, and can also get shots off at full speed with aplomb. The result of this combination was 26 goals in 29 games in the J20.

So, with all that said, why is Heineman not up there as a guaranteed top 50 pick? The fact of the matter is that while the man from the shores of Lake Siljan is well-rounded, with all the skills you want for a modern-day NHL winger, there is certainly a limit on his up-side.

He is not an overly skill-full player. Plus, despite a great release he is not going to continue shooting at over 30% at a higher level. His goal-count this season was unquestionably propped up by such an unsustainable shot percentage. Playing alongside Nils Åman, a great play-making pivot who will have a long pro career himself, also helped. Additionally, his play-making and vision are simply “decent”, and as one of the older, more physically mature players in the draft there might not quite be as much room for growth as with other players with a similar skill-set.

But don’t let that put you off Heineman. If he hits he will be a fantastic third line winger who may well be capable of playing up as a third wheel on a second line. His scary shot, two-way game, grit and relentless puck pursuit are attributes that are exactly what any team would want from a future depth winger. He could be a good pick in the back-end of the second round.

Comparison

Michael Grabner, Right Wing, Arizona Coyotes

Heineman does not quite have the skating of the Austrian speedster. He is also not the level of PKer he is either, but their games overall align well. Both are good two-way players who cause havoc with great forechecking. Neither are scared to get to danger areas, and regularly win board battles. The young Swede also has a knack of turning pucks over to create breakaways and 2v1’s like his Austrian counter-part. Like Grabner, Heineman’s shot far eclipses his play-making and hands. However, the Swede is arguably better at getting space for himself in the offensive zone to get shots off.

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Stats from EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.

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Photo Credit: Saint John Sea Dogs | Dan Culberson

Jérémie Poirier hails from the Montréal suburb of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec. He grew up playing youth hockey for AHM Valleyfield. After playing in the Valleyfield youth hockey program, he played bantam hockey for Lac St-Louis Grenadiers Espoir and midget hockey for Châteauguay Grenadiers.

In the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft, the Saint John Sea Dogs netted quite a few solid prospects in round one. The Sea Dogs selected William Villenueve at #2, Poirier at #8 and Josh Lawrence at #15. Following the draft, he was kept with the club for the 2018-2019 season and registered six goals and 15 assists in 61 games played.

This past season, Poirier’s offensive production spiked. The puck moving defensemen tallied 20 goals and 33 assists in 64 games. His production would have been higher if the QMJHL season was not suspended after the COVID-19 breakout in Canada.

Player Profile

D.O.B – June 2, 2002
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’0
Weight –192 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Left

Poirier’s Style Of Play

Poirier is an outstanding offensive defenseman. The Canadian defensive prospect thrives when he is in possession of the puck. When in transition, he swerves and completes tight turns in the neutral zone to open up space and avoid attackers. While there are times where he seems to put in a ton of work in avoiding attackers just to dump the puck in, those dump-ins help pave the way for the Saint John Sea Dogs to complete a dump and chase. In the clip below, you will see at the 4:45 mark in the third period of play, Poirier lean on his outside edges to shift his stride and avoid his attacker. He also shifts control of the puck to his non-dominant hand to make it more of a challenge for the attacker to strip the puck. The one thing that limits Poirier’s ability to go further and complete a controlled zone entry in this sequence is his feet placement. At center ice, he shortens his extension and does not complete a full recovery. When he does not complete a full recovery, his feet are place wide apart and he looses his mobility. If Poirier utilized his crossovers instead at center ice, he could have bolstered his acceleration and avoided a confrontation with the Moncton defenseman.

There are also plenty of instances where Poirier will complete a controlled zone entry. I’ve included an example. In the clip, you will see Poirier receive a pass from Villeneuve and quickly use his hands to escape the Charlottetown Islanders attack. He throws the puck between the legs of his attacker and then pivots when he has two attackers approaching him. Once he completes the pivot, he can alter his direction once more and enter the offensive zone with the puck.

In the offensive zone, there is a lot to talk about with Poirier. He can thread the needle through tight gaps and that makes him a valued asset on the power play. Poirier is an effective tape-to-tape passer and delivers quality feeds across the offensive zone. In the clip below, Poirier delivers a crisp pass from beyond the perimeter to the doorstop on the power play.

Not only will he complete quality passes, but he does the dirty work to open up lanes when he is working the cycle. Poirier knows how explosive his shot is from the blue line and he will use that to his advantage. He will draw the opposition to him and the opposition will get themselves in gear for a shot block. At the point, Poirier suddenly has room along the blue line. In the clip below, you can check out an example of Poirier completing a fake shot, buying himself some room and then firing a lateral tape-to-tape feed.

When you analyze his shot, he has quite the range. He can score from up close in the slot, in the corner, high slot/edge of the perimeter and from the point. But, Poirier is not your average offensive defenseman. If he has open lanes and room to breathe, he will exploit it. In the clip below, Poirier collects a drop pass from fellow 2020 NHL Draft eligible prospect Brady Burns. He then works the boards and pivots at the faceoff hashmarks. With the coast clear to the net, he drives to the net and goes five hole.

While Poirier’s offensive and transition game are quite sound, his defensive play is slowing him down. Earlier on in the season, I had projected Poirier as a top 25 prospect, but over the course of the season his defensive struggles were more pronounced. There are many elements in play here. Some of Poirier’s defensive struggles can be attributed to poor decision making. For instance, there are rushes that he drops back for, but skates forward instead of backwards. Poirier is a solid backwards skater, but for whatever reason on an offensive rush, he tends to second guess himself. When his attackers are on the move and do not have 100% control of the puck, he needs to rely on his backwards skating. If he does not, he looses sight of both lanes. In the clip below, you will see an example of Poirier skating forwards against the rush and is unable to see the right lane. Since he can not see the right lane, he leaves an attacker open and ready for a pass.

Poor defensive decision making is a trend with Poirier. But, one note that NHL teams should make is that deploying Poirier alongside a puck moving defenseman will not work. Saint John explored having Poirier and Villeneuve together throughout the season and it back-fired. Poirier was forced to drop back as Villeneuve was too far up. Since Poirier struggles in the defensive zone, it was not fair to have him all alone. In the clip below, you can see an example of Poirier having to circumvent a two attacker attack, but he has a hard time defending the puck mover and the forward driving down the opposing lane. Poirier is leaning more towards the puck mover and leaves too big of a gap. When he does this, it opens up a scoring chance for his opposition and the opposition burned him in the below clip.

But, it’s not just decision making that slows down Poirier’s defensive play. His mobility hurts his defensive play as well. Poirier deploys a wider glide in the defensive zone and it hurts his ability to limit lanes and gaps. With his wide glide (feet placed wider then his torso), he is ineffective when an attacker passes by him with the puck. Poirier will more than often look to counteract his mobility issues by waving his stick and attempt a pokecheck, but his pokecheck attempt is an unsuccessful one as he waves the stick and misses the target completely.

All-in-all, Poirier can be an effective offensive defenseman as he has showcased that through his QMJHL play, but his defensive zone play needs a jumpstart. Any team who selects Poirier needs to be patient with his defensive game. It can improve with the right defensive-minded coaches. But, it’s not just development that will benefit Poirier. Poirier needs to be paired with a strong defensive defenseman, who will be the one to drop back and defend the rush. Poirier will still need to be apart of the defensive attack on those rushes, but the primary responsibility should not lie on his shoulders otherwise he will struggle.

Comparison

Tyson Barrie, RHD, Toronto Maple Leafs

Like Barrie, Poirier has great range, excellent hands and can be dynamic in transition. The issue that Barrie has is the same one that Poirier has. They both struggle in the defensive zone when defending the rush and eliminating gaps.

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stats from EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

Photo Credit: Andre Emond

Hendrix Lapierre hails from Gatineau, Quebec and played youth hockey (Midget & Bantam in the Gatineau Intrépide system. In his 2017-2018 campaign, he competed in his first and only season in the QMAAA (Ligue de hockey Midget AAA du Québec) and tallied the fifth most points in the league. Lapierre recorded 13 goals and 32 assists in 35 games played. Due to his performance with Gatineau, he won the hearts of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens front office as they took him with the number one overall selection in the 2018 QMJHL Draft.

In his rookie season in the QMJHL, he recorded 13 goals and 32 assists in 48 games. His offensive production paved the way for Lapierre to win the Offensive Rookie Of The Year award.

After the season was complete, he suited up for Team Canada in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup alongside many top 2020 NHL Draft eligible prospects including Alexis Lafrenière, Quinton Byfield, Cole Perfetti, Mavrik Bourque and Seth Jarvis. Lapierre was lights out at the Hlinka Gretzky as he scored three goals and netted eight assists in five games. The Gatineau native recorded the second highest point totals in the tournament and was just one point shy of tying Perfetti as the leader point-getter. Once the Hlinka Gretzky concluded, many draft analysts had Lapierre high up on their draft boards, but his QMJHL season was not as rewarding. Lapierre sustained multiple injuries including a concussion (there are rumors that he had multiple), shoulder injury and a neck injury. At the end of the day, he only played in 19 games for Chicoutimi. During his shortened season, he mustered up two goals and 15 assists.

But, we have more data on Lapierre. My good friend, Will Scouch (@Scouching) of Scouching.ca tracks draft eligible prospects and compiles a plethora of data on each prospect. In the image below, you can check out the data that Scouch has on Lapierre.

From Scouch’s data, we can draw several conclusions about Lapierre. The centerman is consistently accurate with his passes and he creates plenty of scoring chances from his passing (71.43% – PassThreat%). But, his Pass Attempts per 60 and percentage of pass attempts directed at or through high danger areas is quite low. From a shooting perspective, he does not complete a lot of high danger shot attempts nor does he take that many shots either. Lapierre’s iDSAT/60 (Individual Shot Attempt per 60) is on the lower end. While his passing and shooting numbers might seem very low, Lapierre is most effective in transition. He is stronger when controlling the puck and creating zone entries versus completing controlled zone exits, but his 47.83% DCZT% (Defensive Control Zone Transition Percentage) is not half bad.

Player Profile

D.O.B – February 9, 2002
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’0
Weight –181 lbs
Position – Center
Handedness – Left

Lapierre’s Style Of Play

As mentioned earlier on, Lapierre is highly efficient in transition. With his solid stride extension and recovery, Lapierre keeps his skates tight and they do not extend too far out past the torso. Lapierre utilizes crossovers to help accelerate up the ice, but you will notice that he prefers to use his right foot over his left foot when completing crossovers. There are times where Lapierre will shorten his extension, but when he has open ice, he tends to showcase a wide extension to help ignite his speed. His speed is essential when transitioning up the ice.

In addition, Lapierre is a solid stick-handler. He is not flashy, but gets the job done. Quality puck movement is always essential to a strong transitional forward. Lapierre will implement solid stick-handling to weave around defenders in his own zone. So, do not just assume that he uses stick-handling to create magic in the offensive zone. He will use his hands to help navigate around traffic and create a breakout. Yet, there are moments where we see Lapierre struggle with stick-handling. On occasion, you will see Lapierre attempt to swing the puck around a defender, but he does not manage to swing the puck far enough to avoid coughing up possession.

In the offensive zone, Lapierre is a dynamic passer. As we saw in Scouch’s dataset, he is fairly consistent when completing a pass. But, he does not just deliver tape-to-tape feeds, he will complete quality cross ice feeds and centered passes.

Aside from his passing, like Mavrik Bourque of the Shawinigan Cataractes, Lapierre pulls defenders towards him on the cycle. The centerman is well-aware that defenders tend to gravitate to him and because they do it allows Lapierre to show off his stellar playmaking ability. In addition, when defenders are positioning themselves close to the vest, Lapierre finds ways to create room to breathe. He will execute tight turns and pivots along the boards to throw off the defender.

In terms of Lapierre’s shot, he simply is not known for it. As we saw in Scouch’s data, Lapierre prefers to pass versus shoot. So, if you are expecting Lapierre to be more level, he is not your man. But, we have seen the centerman light up the lamp. When shooting, Lapierre prefers to be in the low slot and will more than often use his snap shot.

Given that Lapierre is strong in transition, he can also deliver on the rush/breakaway. At the Hlinka Gretzky, on the penalty kill, Lapierre managed to gain possession of the puck after a challenge in neutral zone, skated into the offensive zone and netted a goal to the left of the Czech net-minder.

Aside from stick-handling and his shot, I would like to see Lapierre improve his defensive play. He is far from aggressive, so you will not often see Lapierre back check. Instead, he has a more laid-back defensive approach. That approach will not mesh well at the NHL level. Lapierre needs to be puck hungry to excel in the NHL. Next season, I would like to Lapierre address his aggressive play and become more involved in the defensive zone. If Lapierre can start working on his boards play and identify lanes to shut down, the sky is the limit.

Comparison

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Center, Edmonton Oilers

Like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Lapierre is a quality playmaker. He will always be a pass first forward and pulls defenders to him, which paves the way for open teammates and plenty of opportunities to thread the needle.

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stats from Scouching.ca and EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

Photo Credit: Terry Wilson/OHL Images, Aaron Bell/CHL Images

There are not too many players in even good draft years that can claim to have been playing top-tier, professional hockey, when they were 16 years old. Jaromír Pytlík can, and those seven games for HC Vítkovice two years ago marked him out as a man to watch. Czech coaches are notorious for being reluctant to “blood” young players. So it speaks magnitudes for the 2020 draft prospects game that he was trusted at that venture. He has always played beyond his years, as well as had the physical ability of a much older man.

From that point forward, he has been a staple on Czech junior team, including captaining them on occasion. While never a “stand-out” on teams where he was often one of the younger players, he played a stabilising role on consecutive WHC-17, WJC-18, and Hlinka teams. However, despite his physical and mental maturity on ice, he could not escape the treatment that the majority of young Czech players get over the course of the 2018-19 season. He spent most of the year on the fourth line, or as a thirteenth forward, for Vítkovice, so jumped ship mid-year to move to a stacked Sault Ste. Marie team in the OHL.

In the eighteen months since crossing the Atlantic, Pytlík has continued to steadily impress, without really forcing himself into a high spot on many draft lists. Partially as, while he picked up 50 points in 56 games, there are questions as to how he did not garner more given his size and skill-set.

Player Profile

D.O.B – September 25, 2001
Nationality – Czech Republic
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’3
Weight –201 lbs
Position – Center
Handedness – Right

Pytlík’s Style Of Play

The hulking Czech forward does not have the “flash” that many of his draft peers who will go in the first two rounds do. However, when you run down a check-list of attributes that NHL teams want in their forwards, the man from the small town of Dačice ticks off almost every single one.

Pytlík skates well, he is versatile, he is good defensively, he is physical, he is strong on the puck, he is good on the cycle, his shot finds corners, he has a high hockey IQ, and he makes crisp tape-to-tape passes. At the World Juniors he showed off all those skills, often being tasked with shutting down the opposition’s best players, and generally doing that job with aplomb despite many being close to two years his senior.

On special teams he is a solid penalty-killer. He can also be dangerous on the power-play, playing either as a net-front presence, or kicking out to the left half-boards.

In terms of what Pytlík has to improve on going forward? Despite having a good all-around skill-set with few glaring holes he has been inconsistent over the season. You can get a different player from game-to-game, and that is not due to effort. He is simply prone to making some mistakes you would not expect. Additionally, while skating is not an issue he could focus on improving his top speed to be a greater threat on the rush. Right now his stride is slightly short and choppy for a man with such long levers.

There is some thought that he might shift to wing at the pro level, but with his skill-set if he can stick at center he has the potential to be a versatile middle-six center who can contribute in all phases of the game. While he might not be BPA in the first round, if he falls past the mid-second second round he could be a great pick-up.

Comparison

Radek Faksa, Center, Dallas Stars

Like his fellow Czech pivot, Pytlík is a big forward who moves well with a responsible two-way game. Both give their all in all three zones, and are good penalty-killers. While Faksa is more physical, both use their size to their advantage well. The two Czech’s also share the ability to move between wing and center. From an offensive perspective both have good shots, solid but unexceptional hands, and a good IQ.

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Stats from EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

Alexander Appleyard, Steven Ellis and Josh Tessler combined their draft rankings and put together the official Smaht Scouting 2020 NHL Draft Rankings.

The rankings are below and our scouting reports are hyperlinked. Just to note, we are still working on some more 2020 NHL Draft scouting reports for public consumption. Stay tuned for those.

Rank	Player	Team	League	Position
1	Alexis Lafrenière	Rimouski Ocenaic	QMJHL	LW
2	Quinton Byfield	Sudbury Wolves	OHL	C
3	Marco Rossi	Ottawa 67’s	OHL	C
4	Tim Stützle	Adler Mannheim	DEL	LW
5	Lucas Raymond	Frölunda HC	SHL	RW
6	Alexander Holtz	Djurgårdens IF	SHL	RW/LW
7	Jamie Drysdale	Erie Otters	OHL	RHD
8	Anton Lundell	HIFK	Liiga	C/LW
9	Cole Perfetti	Sagniaw Spirit	OHL	C
10	Jake Sanderson	USNTDP	USHL	LHD
11	Yaroslav Askarov	SKA-Neva St. Petersburg	VHL	G
12	Seth Jarvis	Portland Winterhawks	WHL	RW
13	Noel Gunler	Luleå HF	SHL	RW/LW
14	Rodion Amirov	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	KHL	LW
15	Dylan Holloway	University of Wisconsin	NCAA	F
16	Mavrik Bourque	Shawinigan Cataractes	QMJHL	C
17	Connor Zary	Kamloops Blazers	WHL	C
18	Dawson Mercer	Chicoutimi Saguenéens	QMJHL	RW
19	Emil Andrae	HV71	SHL	LHD
20	Jan Myšák	Hamilton Bulldogs	OHL	LW
21	Jack Quinn	Ottawa 67’s	OHL	RW
22	Jacob Perreault	Sarnia Sting	OHL	C
23	John-Jason Peterka	EHC Red Bull München	DEL	F
24	Thomas Bordeleau	USNTDP	USHL	C
25	Hendrix Lapierre	Chicoutimi Saguenéens	QMJHL	C
26	Lukas Reichel	Eisbären Berlin	DEL	LW
27	Zion Nybeck	HV71 J20	SuperElit	RW
28	Kaiden Guhle	Prince Albert Raiders	WHL	LHD
29	Marat Khusnutdinov	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg	MHL	C
30	Tyson Foerster	Barrie Colts	OHL	C
31	William Wallinder	MODO Hockey J20	SuperElit	LHD
32	Roni Hirvonen	Ässät	Liiga	C
33	Brendan Brisson	Chicago Steel	USHL	LW
34	Braden Schneider	Brandon Wheat Kings	WHL	RHD
35	Jérémie Poirier	Saint John Sea Dogs	QMJHL	LHD
36	Kasper Simontaival	Tappara	Liiga	C/RW
37	Vasili Ponomaryov	Shawinigan Cataractes	QMJHL	C
38	Topi Niemelä	Kärpät	Liiga	RHD
39	Tyler Tullio	Oshawa Generals	OHL	C
40	Helge Grans	Malmö Redhawks	SHL	RHD
41	Lukas Cormier	Charlottetown Islanders	QMJHL	LHD
42	Sam Colangelo	Chicago Steel	USHL	RW
43	Justin Sourdif	Vancouver Giants	WHL	C
44	Theodor Niederbach	Frölunda HC J20	SuperElit	C
45	Jake Neighbours	Edmonton Oil Kings	WHL	LW
46	Sean Farrell	Chicago Steel	USHL	F
47	Justin Barron	Halifax Mooseheads	QMJHL	RHD
48	Jean-Luc Foudy	Windsor Spitfires	OHL	C
49	Martin Chromiak	Kingston Frontenacs	OHL	LW
50	Ryan O’Rourke	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds	OHL	LHD
51	Daniil Gushchin	Muskegon Lumberjacks	USHL	RW
52	Ozzy Wiesblatt	Prince Albert Raiders	WHL	RW
53	Tristen Robins	Saskatoon Blades	WHL	C
54	Alexander Pashin	Tolfpar Ufa	MHL	RW
55	Jaromír Pytlík	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds	OHL	C
56	Ridly Greig	Brandon Wheat Kings	WHL	LW
57	Roby Järventie	Ilves	Liiga	LW
58	Veeti Miettinen	Kiekko-Espoo U20	Jr. A SM-Liiga	RW
59	Joni Jurmo	Jokerit U20	Jr. A SM-Liiga	LHD
60	Joel Blomqvist	Kärpät	Liiga	G
61	Daniel Torgersson	Frölunda HC J20	SuperElit	RW
62	Eemil Viro	TPS	Liiga	LHD
63	Brock Faber	USNTDP	USHL	RHD
64	Ty Smilanic	USNTDP	USHL	F
65	Luke Evangelista	London Knights	OHL	RW
66	William Villeneuve	Saint John Sea Dogs	QMJHL	RHD
67	Emil Heineman	Leksands IF J20	SuperElit	LW
68	Eamon Powell	USNTDP	USHL	RHD
69	Anton Johannesson	HV71 J20	SuperElit	LHD
70	Brett Berard	USNTDP	USHL	F
71	Tyler Kleven	USNTDP	USHL	LHD
72	Ryan Francis	Cape Breton Eagles	QMJHL	RW
73	Luke Tuch	USNTDP	USHL	RW
74	Pavel Novák	Kelowna Rockets	WHL	RW
75	Will Cuylle	Windsor Spitfires	OHL	LW
76	Ian Moore	St. Mark’s School	USHS-MA	RHD
77	Oliver Suni	Oshawa Generals	OHL	RW
78	Dylan Peterson	USNTDP	USHL	C
79	Oskar Magnusson	Malmö Redhawks J20	SuperElit	C/RW
80	Oscar Tellström	Luleå HF J20	SuperElit	RW
81	Donovan Sebrango	Kitchener Rangers	OHL	LHD
82	Michael Benning	Sherwood Park Crusaders	AJHL	RHD
83	Cross Hanas	Portland Winterhawks	WHL	LW
84	Daemon Hunt	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL	LHD
85	Wyatt Kaiser	Andover High School	USHS-MN	LHD
86	Jack Finley	Spokane Chiefs	WHL	C
87	Blake Biondi	Hermantown High School	USHS-MN	F
88	Connor McClennon	Winnipeg Ice	WHL	RW
89	Colby Ambrosio	Tri-City Storm	USHL	C
90	Yan Kuznetsov	University of Connecticut	NCAA	LHD
91	Ruben Rafkin	Windsor Spitfires	OHL	RHD
92	Yevgeni Oksentyuk	Flint Firebirds	OHL	RW/LW
93	Mitchell Miller	Tri-City Storm	USHL	RHD
94	Juuso Mäenpää	Jokerit U20	Jr. A SM-Liiga	C
95	Alexander Nikishin	Spartak Moskva	KHL	LHD
96	Jacob Dion	Drummondville Voltigeurs	QMJHL	LHD
97	Egor Sokolov	Cape Breton Eagles	QMJHL	RW
98	Simon Kubicek	Seattle Thunderbirds	WHL	RHD
99	Brady Burns	Saint John Sea Dogs	QMJHL	C
100	Thimo Nickl	Drummondville Voltigeurs	QMJHL	RHD

Honorable Mentions:

Benjamin Baumgartner, Nicolas Daws, Drew Commesso, Carter Savoie, Ivan Didkovsky, Samuel Knazko, Luke Reid, Maxim Groshev, Alex Laferriere, Cole Cormier, Landon Slaggert, Ethan Edwards, Elliot Desnoyers

Photo Credit – Nathalie Andersson

Player Profile

D.O.B – July 28, 2002
Nationality – Sweden
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’4
Weight –192 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Left

Wallinder’s Style Of Play

Wallinder is a physical freak. He has a beautiful stride, and is very mobile and agile. The big blue-liner is also a very confident player, who likes to rush the puck up ice, and can dangle when he needs to. His transition play can be a job to behold as he scythes through pressure in the neutral zone. He also has a nice shot, and is good at quarter-backing a power-play once it is set up. However, at 5v5 the creatively he brings in man-up situations is not as noticeable, and at 5v5 he can go completely missing in terms of his offensive game once through the neutral zone, barring a big shot here or there. At times his offensive IQ in EV situations seems to be a question, with poor decision making and not seeing a play developing in front of him.

Defensively Wallinder is very solid, even versus men in the Allsvenskan. He can be physical and deliver big hits, even if he does not look to engage on a regular basis. The big Swede also has an active stick that he uses very well at his own blue-line, and is good at channelling opponents to the areas he wants them to be when he has his gap. He is also, however, prone to inconsistency, and at times gets outsmarted or overwhelmed in all zones playing against men. Some of this may well be due to the fact he is a late-bloomer, who does not have the experience playing at a high level prior to this season many of his peers have, as before this season he had only played two SuperElit games.

Wallinder is a project, who will certainly take time and patience to develop, but it is easy to see him becoming a great middle pairing defenseman with the combo of size, skating and skill.

Comparison

Colton Parayko, Defense, St. Louis Blues

While they differ in handedness, the MODO man has numerous aspects of his game that echo the 2019 cup-winners. Both physical freaks with beautiful skating and pace to burn, they transition the puck up ice with aplomb. Furthermore, they both have fantastic shots that they could maybe look to use even more than they do, and are very dangerous once set-up in the offensive zone as a result. Like Parayko, despite being highly skilled Wallinder is not the most creative player in the offensive zone, and produces at 5v5 in a utilitarian manner. The two are also physical around the net and along the boards, and are great at their own blue-line in terms of breaking up plays with aggressive stick-work. If Wallinder can improve his consistency and have a higher “minimum level” going forward he could have a similar impact at NHL level.

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Stats from EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.

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Photo Credit – Brandon Taylor / ProAm Images

Myšák is somewhat of a wildcard in regards to the NHL draft. It is easy to see him going top 15, but it would not be a major surprise to see him fall to the bottom of the first round.

He started the year in his hometown, Litvinov, despite having the option to cross the pond and play in the OHL from the start of the season. This was mainly due to his coach, triple gold club member Jiří Šlégr, promising him a big role in the Czech Extraliga. The role would have been merited as well. In 2018-19, as a 16-year-old, he saved HC Litvinov from relegation almost single handedly, posting 5 goals and 9 points in 6 “play-out” games. Despite this, he saw his opportunities limited from the very start of the year.

His season took a turn at the World Juniors. The Czech forwards play at the highest level of junior hockey in Ostrava massively boosted his stock. Not only did he flash his great hands and speed, but he played an intelligent two-way game, and showed that his diligence and commitment to defense should not be a concern going forward. Some in both scouting circles and the Czech media had questioned his play in his own zone, as well as his commitment to playing defense, but he made them eat their words at the highest level, alongside in the OHL. In terms 2020 draft wingers, Myšák is amongst the best in his own zone.

After the World Juniors he made the move to Hamilton and the OHL, and impressed on a poor team with 15 goals and 25 points in 22 games. These performances under the watchful eyes of North American scouts elevated his stock even more.

Player Profile

D.O.B – June 24, 2002
Nationality – Czech Republic
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’0
Weight –181 lbs
Position – Left Wing/Center
Handedness – Left

Myšák’s Style Of Play

Some scouts have criticised his skating, but there is no doubting his speed, and alongside his hockey IQ his skating is amongst his best attributes. The concerns though center more around the “process” of his skating than results though. His stride is not close to technically perfect, and insomuch at times it looks like he could generate more power than he currently does. Considering his speed and ability to carve through the neutral zone, as well as beat defensemen wide, if he cleans up his stride he would be hard to contain for any NHL defenseman in a few years.

Myšák is a great goalscorer. Both from wing and when he has played down the middle. His skill and speed allow him to get the advantage through the neutral zone, his hard forechecking style ensure he is rarely far from the puck, and his hockey-IQ allows him to get in great positions to score. Despite this he could still improve his release, despite it being more than adequate going forward.

The Czech forward is also a good, high-octane penalty-killer. He is by no means a physical player, and is somewhat undersized at 5’10, but that does not prevent him winning battles due to his physical attributes and IQ. Going forward Myšák arguably fits best at LW, but it would not be a great surprise if some NHL teams saw him as a potential 2C down the line. If Myšák falls past 20th overall in the upcoming draft whoever takes him will be getting a top ten type talent who in most drafts would be long gone.

Comparison

Dylan Larkin, Center, Detroit Red Wings

Myšák bases his game on the Red Wings pivot, and it is easy to see that when you watch him play. While it is unlikely that the young Czech forward can reach the level that Larkin is at, both rely on great speed and skill, and can handle the puck beautifully in full stride. Furthermore, both are high-end scorers despite neither having amazing releases. Like Larkin, Myšák is a good forechecker who is a real PK threat. Myšák is not as physical as Larkin, and not quite the same level play-maker, but is just as exciting to watch.

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Stats from EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.

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Photo Credit – Billy-Jack Kimmerly / Kingston Frontenacs

The man from the Czech-Slovak border has been a player that European prospect watchers have been keeping their eyes on since he was 15 years old, when he was putting in high-end performances at u-16 international level. He cemented his status as one to watch the next season. In 2018-19 he had the best season in the Slovak u-20 league for a 16-year-old since 2013 1st rounder Marko Dano.

After a cup-of-coffee for Dukla last season, and good performances at the u-18 WJC and Hlinka as the youngest player on his nations roster, there was some excitement to potentially see him raise his stock in the Slovak Extraliga in 2019-20. He certainly flashed his skills versus men. Despite a limited role he managed five goals in 32 games while playing well defensively. He saw some power-play time, but an average of 7:24 a game meant that despite his ability there was no great “buzz” about him for the draft.

He was then cruelly excluded – as final cut – from the Slovak World Juniors team, despite arguably being the u-20 national teams’ best player over the course of the season. This seemed like the final straw for him in Europe, and just over a week later he joined the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL.

The move to Canada seems a wise one in hindsight. Playing with the immensely talented Shane Wright – who will likely go #1 overall in 2022 – Chromiak put up 33 points in 28 games once he crossed the Atlantic. This catapulted him up draft rankings, to the point that some outlets placed him in the first round when he had not been top 100 a few months before.

Player Profile

D.O.B – August 20, 2002
Nationality – Slovakia
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’0
Weight –181 lbs
Position – Left Wing
Handedness – Right

Chromiak’s Style Of Play

So what makes Chromiak an intriguing prospect? When you first watch him, a few things jump out. His wrist-shot might be the first one. He can get off fantastic shots from anywhere, at any speed. A right-handed shot who usually lines up on the left, the puck is often nestled in the top corner of the goal before the goalie even gets in line with the young Slovak. He complements that shot with his indefatigable forechecking. Rarely do defensemen have the time to look over their shoulder before Chromiak is on them, making their lives hell. There have been some criticisms of his “compete” level. But I cannot see where these come from.

As you would imagine for a player who is a fantastic forechecker with a high-end shot, Chromiak is also a good penalty-killer. But on break-aways it is not just his shot goalies have to fear. He has soft hands and a decent bag of tricks that make him a dual-threat in such situations.

Despite not being the biggest player he is very strong on his skates. He also has some inefficiencies in his skating stride. However, he can still hold off far bigger opponents on the cycle to create dangerous chances. Unsurprisingly, given such attributes, he is not scared of going to the slot or net, and can cause trouble in those areas.

On the power-play, with his high-end shot and plus hands, he can be dangerous from the LHB or the slot, and has played both over the last few years.

As for where he needs to improve? His skating is “fine” but he could be more explosive in his first few strides. Furthermore, despite a high-end shot he can puck-hog at times and try to create perfect passing plays instead of making a higher-percentage play. However, his hockey IQ is certainly above average, as shown by his ability to get to high-danger areas consistently. Chromiak works hard defensively but can get caught cheating in an attempt to get up ice, and in turn lose coverages. This will need to improve, but everything indicates that he has the will to play a two-way game.

Chromiak is a player who would be a first-round pick in most years, however, in such a strong draft he likely goes somewhere in the second round. Given that his skill-set could result in him being a good second line winger down the line, whoever takes him may well be getting a steal.

Comparison

Jason Pominville, Right Wing, Played for the Buffalo Sabres and Minnesota Wild

Both Chromiak and Pominville are righties who use their high end shots with aplomb. They even share the quirk of going down on one knee to roof shots with regularity. But shot alone is not the only similarity. The two wingers are relentless forecheckers who are strong on the puck despite not being the biggest players. Effective in the cycle, the Slovakian – like the ex-Sabre – finds seams in the slot and in close. On the power-play especially they mirror each other with their work in the slot and left side. Both also have good hands and above average speed. Pominville was a clearly better defensive player than Chromiak is likely to be though.

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Prospect report written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.

Stats from EliteProspects

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Photo Credit – HV71

Player Profile

D.O.B – March 26, 2002
Nationality – Sweden
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –5’9
Weight –179 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Left

Johanesson’s Style Of Play

Another talented Swede, and another talented Swede, like fellow draft talent Theodor Niederbach, that basically missed a whole year with injuries.

The undersized defenseman is very smart on the puck in both the neutral and offensive zone. He creates space for both himself and his team-mates exceptionally well, and is a natural when it comes to transitioning the play up ice. Once in the offensive zone he has an array of weapons to create chances. He has a nice shot, and rarely misses on a pass. Not only does his tape-to-tape passing mean he is able to set-up chances on a platter for forwards in the offensive zone, it also means that he can create odd-man rushes from his own zone with regularity. He is not as flashy as his team-mate Emil Andrae, but is also very effective in getting past opponents and has real poise.

He is a “fair”, but not a great, skater, and will need to improve there. This might be a question of just getting stronger as he ages and adds muscle mass, as once he is in stride he has nice technique, and is also agile on his feet. Johanesson also has a good understanding of when is the right time to pinch or not.

In his own end through he struggles versus teenagers around the net and on the boards. He also does not like to engage physically, unlike his team-mate Andrae. Additionally, he is prone to switching off, misidentifying plays, and losing men in the defensive zone. His play in his own zone is a real project, even though there is a lot to like in terms of his technical and offensive skills.

Comparison

Marc-André Bergeron, LHD, Retired, Played for the Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, Montréal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes and ZSC Lions (NLA)

Like Bergeron, Johannesson is a talented offensive player who skates well – but not exceptionally – and has a great shot that can find corners. As the now retired Quebecois defenseman did, Johannesson struggles in his own zone, both from a reads perspective as well as matching far bigger players physically.

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Prospect report written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.

Stats from EliteProspects

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Photo Credit: Andre Emond

Dawson Mercer is the top 2020 NHL Draft prospect from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Mercer hails from Carbonear, Newfoundland (also the hometown of former Detroit Red Wings forward, Daniel Cleary). The right winger played bantam hockey with Tri Pen and U16/U18 hockey at Bishop’s College School (the same school that Noah Dobson of the New York Islanders attended).

At the 2017 QMJHL Draft, Mercer was taken eighth overall by the Drummondville Voltigeurs. That fall, he made his QMJHL debut and played in 61 games for the Voltigeurs, in which he recorded 11 goals and 15 assists.

In his 2018-19 campaign, Mercer caught the attention of NHL scouts. He managed to record 30 goals and 34 assists in 68 games played. While it seemed like a tough act to follow, Mercer out-performed his 2018-19 numbers in a shortened 2019-20 season (because of COVID-19). Even though he did not surpass his 2018-19 point total, if Mercer played in a full regular season, he would have passed it with flying colors.

To kick off the season, he played in 26 games with the Voltigeurs and mustered up 18 goals and 24 assists. Mercer and his former teammate Xavier Simoneau (’20) provided Drummondville with a solid one-two punch. In addition, Thimo Nickl (’20) and Jacob Dion (’20) emerged as strong contributors on the backend.

Due to his production in Drummondville, Hockey Canada U20 World Junior Championship head coach, Dale Hunter chose to include Mercer in his 2020 World Junior Roster. Mercer played alongside quite a few 2020 NHL Draft eligible prospects including Alexis Lafrenière, Quinton Byfield, Jamie Drysdale and Nico Daws. The Newfoundland prospect did not record a point in seven World Junior games, but you have to keep in mind that he was not getting a ton of minutes as he spent most of the tournament on the fourth line.

After the World Juniors concluded, the Voltigeurs ended up trading Mercer to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens before the QMJHL Trade Deadline. The Saguenéens were looking to put together a competitive lineup to take on the Rimouski Océanic and the Moncton Wildcats down the stretch. But, COVID-19 made it’s way to Canada and cut the season short. Prior to the pandemic dead-halting the season, Mercer had quickly developed a rapport with his Chicoutimi teammates and tallied six goals and 12 assists in 16 games played.

He is not the only Mercer looking to take his talents to the NHL level. His brother, Riley Mercer (’22) is a 6’1/185 lbs goaltending prospect and was selected in the second round of the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft by the Voltigeurs.

Player Profile

D.O.B – October 27, 2001
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’0
Weight –179 lbs
Position – Right Wing
Handedness – Right

Mercer’s Style Of Play

When you watch Dawson Mercer, you quickly notice that he has explosive speed. At first, Mercer tends to extend his leg further out to help spark his acceleration. Once he has garnered enough speed, he will start to limit how far he goes with his leg extension. In the clip below that Andy Lehoux of Future Considerations Hockey tweeted out, you can see Mercer tends to change his extension length in the neutral zone. Unfortunately, at the 15:19 mark in the first period, we see Mercer use a wide glide at the hash marks, which hurts his mobility and drags down his speed. If Mercer tightened up his stance, he would have a far better chance of capitalizing.

Impressive sequence from Dawson Mercer here, showing his decent speed and outstanding vision on the PK. #2020NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/vxQWZJgtkk

— Andy Lehoux (@Andylehoux1) June 12, 2020

While Mercer’s speed was strong in Drummondville, I noticed that his skating worsened after the trade with Chicoutimi. After arriving in Chicoutimi, his speed was still a big factor in his game, but Mercer developed a heavy foot and appeared to run instead of completing an extension and full recovery. In the below clip, you will notice that while Mercer still managed to pick up a lot of speed on the rush, but he is not completely his stride recovery. His foot never returns underneath the torso.

Dawson Mercer can generate a ton of speed and loves to pounce at the crease. During his time with Chicoutimi this season, he did the most damage right at the crease. While his goals in Drummondville were a bit more diverse. It will be interesting to see how he does in 2020-21. pic.twitter.com/E8jmTegKhE

— Josh Tessler (@JoshTessler_) July 28, 2020

Both, Chicoutimi and Drummondville tested Mercer at center for a few games. Given his speed and the Hendrix Lapierre (’20) health concerns, it made sense for Chicoutimi head coach Yanick Jean to test him out at center, but for Mercer to be more effective at center, his skating needs improvement. In my opinion, Mercer would benefit from power skating instruction. If he can further round out his extension/recovery, his mobility will be robust and will be dominant in all three zones.

Aside from his skating, Mercer has great hands. It does not matter if he is on the rush or trying to circumvent tight defense, he manages to stick-handle around his opponents and keep the play alive. Kevin Papetti from Maple Leafs Hot Stove discussed Mercer’s stick-handling in a tweet back in May and mentioned that Mercer “plays heavy, and can stick handle in a phone booth”. Papetti is right on the nose when it comes to Mercer’s handy work. The Newfoundland native can stick-handle with his non-dominant hand to get around traffic and can manage to maneuver the puck around pressure from multiple opponents. In the clip below from Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects Rinkside and Dobber Prospects, you can check out Mercer on the rush and swerving the puck around his opponent with his left hand.

Dawson Mercer is a lot of fun in transition. pic.twitter.com/Oir7GtNRWV

— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) June 23, 2020

In the defensive zone, Mercer will shift between the slot and the half-wall. Along the half-wall, he plays a tight defensive game and will use his body to apply pressure in an effort to shut down the cycle. Not only does Mercer show decent physical traits along the boards, but he will also play an insurance role when his teammates are completing a back-check. Outside of physical and insurance play along the boards, when he is patrolling in the defensive slot, his mobility becomes his kryptonite. Given his wide glide (that I spoke about earlier), he has difficulty adjusting to new quick developments in the cycle. Once a power skating instructor addresses his wide skating/glide, his mobility will strengthen and his defensive play will improve as a result.

In the offensive zone, Mercer finds the most success when he is high-danger situations. He thrives at the crease and scored plenty of rebound goals in the latter half of the season with Chicoutimi. I had noticed that the majority of the goals that were scored after the trade were not from range and came centimeters away from the opposing net-minder. When Mercer was in Drummondville, he managed to score more goals from beyond the low slot and doorstep. For example, below you can see a goal that Mercer scored from just outside of the hash-marks.

Dawson Mercer scores his 6th of the season and 2nd of the night with a powerful slap shot from the point on the PP. #2020NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/m5UgRiQ8Nd

— Andy Lehoux (@Andylehoux1) October 5, 2019

From a passing perspective, Mercer is a strong tape-to-tape passer, but you should not expect Mavrik Bourque or Seth Jarvis like passing. Mercer is not someone who finds tight gaps to slingshot passes through. In addition, when receiving passes, occasionally Mercer will struggle to connect on one-timer passes. He will collect the pass, but his shot goes far wide instead of on net.

Comparison

Nick Suzuki, Center, Montréal Canadiens

Like Suzuki, Mercer exhibits quality speed and has soft hands. Ultimately, Suzuki is a stronger skater at this point, but if Mercer can work his stride, there is a chance that he could be a slightly bigger Suzuki.

stats from EliteProspects

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Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

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Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!