One of probably the most notable occasions on the hockey calendar is just some days away.
The 2021 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship is ready to drop the puck in Frisco and Plano, Texas, gathering among the high prospects for the upcoming 2021 NHL Draft into one event from April 26 to May 6.
In phrases of the draft, this event might maintain extra weight than ever. The 2020-21 season has been a wrestle globally, with seasons delayed, disrupted, and cancelled throughout. On high of that, this draft has no clear-cut No. 1 prospect, which means the highest spot remains to be very a lot up for grabs and might be received on the again of a powerful efficiency Texas.
U18 WC: Time, TV channel, live stream, where, when, schedule
Its significance rises much more so with the official cancellation of the Ontario Hockey League season. Because of this cancellation, quite a few prospects have but to hit the ice this season. Some discovered houses abroad, akin to Brandt Clarke and Mason McTavish, however others, like Benjamin Gaudreau, have been left stranded up till now.
The U18s would be the first alternative for Gaudreau, Ethan Del Mastro, Wyatt Johnson, Jack Matier, and Ryan Winterton to showcase themselves this season. These must-see OHL gamers haven’t hit the ice in a sport setting in greater than 14 months, and any steps taken (or not taken) in their improvement might have large draft implications.
FCHOCKEY: Luke Hughes retains top spot in NHL Draft prospect rankings
It’s not simply these gamers which are combating for the draft highlight although.
This 12 months’s draft is broad open, from the top-10 to your complete first spherical. A star efficiency on the event might see names soar up draft boards in an enormous method.
Here are FCHockey’s 10 gamers to watch on the Under-18s, alphabetically listed.
10 NHL draft-eligibles to watch at 2021 U18s
Corson Ceulemans, D, Team Canada
A divisive prospect in the 2021 NHL Draft, Ceulemans is dedicated to the University of Wisconsin for the 2021-22 season. NCAA guidelines don’t enable athletes to play in the CHL, so the 6-2 defender has been plying his craft in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) for the Brooks Bandits.
Ceulemans, No. 11 in FCHockey’s spring rating for the 2021 draft, has performed in eight video games this season, amassing 11 factors (4 targets, seven assists). He’s been ranked everywhere in the first spherical in inner and exterior rankings, and with a number one function on Team Canada, he might cement his spot as a high prospect in this class.
“He’s a dynamic, deceptive skater who has the ability and creativity to manufacture all sorts of advantageous scenarios with speed and angle changes via pivots or living on his edges,” FCHockey’s Western Canada head scout Justin Froese wrote in a recent scouting report. “He can make so many subtle adjustments in motion to catch and contain or deliver pucks via the pass to teammates.
“He can make elite-level plays while shifting his weight and when he’s carrying the puck, even though he’s not a small guy or the fastest player on the ice, he feeds false information consistently with his head, hands and feet which creates hesitation that allows for a new opening to be created.”
MORE: Josh Mallory breaks down Ceulemans game
Nikita Chibrikov, RW, Team Russia
FCHockey draft rating: 21
Chibrikov, who will captain Russia’s entry, has appeared to be one other divisive prospect in the general public sphere, discovering himself everywhere in the first spherical. He could be very a lot in the dialog as the highest Russian prospect in this class and can look to solidify that honour with a powerful Under-18 efficiency.
The proper winger, No. 21 at FCHockey, has spent his season throughout Russia’s high leagues, from the highest two males’s leagues the KHL and VHL, to the highest junior league, the MHL, for SKA St. Petersburg. He collected two factors (one aim, one help) in 16 KHL video games, eight factors (three targets, 5 assists) in 20 VHL video games, and 9 factors (three targets, six assists) in 11 MHL video games, including three assists in 5 playoff video games.
“In terms of pure pull-you-out-of-your-seat skill, Chibrikov is among the elite of this draft class,” famous FCHockey’s head crossover scout Derek Neumeier. “With lightning acceleration and sublime hands, he is a real threat in transition. Give him a little too much time and space to work with in open ice and you’ve got a huge problem on your hands.
“He has the wheels to beat opponents wide and gain that all-important separation. He is also quite an elusive player, as he is able to slow the pace down, shift his weight seamlessly from side to side, and deceive defenders with his hands, feet or head movement. Shows poise with the puck on his stick and calmness under pressure.”
Brandt Clarke, D, Team Canada
FCHockey draft rating: 5
If there’s one 2021 draft-eligible prospect to watch in the event, it is likely to be Clarke. In the dialog to go No. 1 on July 23, a star efficiency in Texas might be all FCHockey’s No. 5 prospect wants to separate himself from the pack.
With no OHL season this 12 months, the Barrie Colts defender discovered a house with HC Nove Zamky in the highest males’s league in Slovakia. In 26 video games, the offensively dynamic defenseman collected 15 factors (5 targets, 10 assists). He improved because the season went on, setting himself up for a grand finale for 2020-21 on the Under-18s.
“Clarke is a strong skater with excellent edgework and power through his strides” FCHockey scout Joseph Aleong reported after watching Clarke in Slovakia. (*10*)
FCHOCKEY SPOTLIGHT: Brandt Clarke
Simon Edvinsson, D, Team Sweden
FCHockey Draft Ranking: 2
Sweden has its personal defenseman in the hunt for first total in Edvinsson. The 6-5 defender frolicked in Sweden’s high leagues this season, taking part in 10 SHL video games and 14 J20 Nationell video games with Frolunda, amassing a complete of seven factors (one aim, six assists). He ended his season with 14 HockeyAllsvenskan video games, notching 5 assists and including three factors (one aim, two assists) in six playoff video games.
Edvinsson, FCHockey’s No. 2 skater, has been ranked everywhere in the top-10 of this draft. He ought to be a frontrunner on the blue line for Sweden and identical to Clarke, an enormous efficiency might catapult him to the highest of the listing.
“There’s no doubt Edvinsson has the ability to skate the puck up ice and displays excellent transition speed,” FCHockey head scout Dylan Galloway famous in a recent scouting report. “His skating and vision immediately stand out on the offensive side of the puck. His constant and quick movements combined with good four-way mobility are hard to miss with a frame like that.
“Edvinsson owns quite a smooth and powerful shot from the perimeter though and is capable of creating scoring chances in the slot with this shot. When he’s at his best he can be excellent at closing the gap on the break-in and box opponents out from the middle ice with his long stick and good physicality.”
DEEP DIVE: A look into Simon Edvinsson’s game
Dylan Guenther, LW, Team Canada
FCHockey Draft Ranking: 8
After a protracted watch for the beginning of the Western Hockey League season, Guenther has shot out of the gate like a cannon. In simply 12 video games, he’s racked up 24 factors (12 targets, 12 assists), main the league in factors per sport. He additionally noticed some AJHL motion in the beginning of the season, including 5 factors (three targets, two assists) in 4 video games.
Guenther is one other a type of prospects sitting in the top-10 of this class that would make an enormous push up draft boards after this event. FCHockey’s No. 8 prospect is in the dialog as the highest ahead in the category and now has an opportunity to attempt to show it on American soil as one in all Canada’s high gamers.
“Guenther is lethal with time and space and is especially potent on the power play where he is an equal threat to pick a corner or find a teammate backdoor,” FCHockey scout Donesh Mazloum recently reported. “He has a knack for playing to his linemates strengths and really maximizes offensive opportunities.
“He has supreme confidence in his game reading abilities and always has a sense of his next move or next pass without telegraphing his intentions to the opponent. While his offense steals the show, I think he is a sound defender as well.”
MORE: Who is Dylan Guenther?
Fabian Lysell, RW, Team Sweden
FCHockey Draft Ranking: 10
Lysell is a prospect that many scouts can’t seem to agree on, from being ranked high in the top-five to outside the top-10. FCHockey’s No. 10 prospect, the Swede is expected to be a top player for his country and will look to solidify his ranking with an impressive performance at the World U18s.
He started the season with Frolunda in the J20 Nationell, collecting 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 11 games. Lysell transferred to Lulea to see some time in the SHL, playing in 26 games and recording three points (two goals, one assist) despite minimal ice time. With the potential for big minutes at the Under-18s, expect him to show why he’s a top player in this draft.
“Lysell uses his high speed to tear apart the opponent’s defense,” FCHockey’s scout Viktor Bergham reported earlier this season. “His quick strides and high acceleration help him to reach a high top speed, and he can also control and transport the puck at that top speed. This skill combined with his lateral movement and agility makes him really hard to catch.
“Lysell really likes to get involved in the situations where the puck is. He is not afraid to get into crowded areas to fight for the puck. He has a tremendous amount of potential when it comes to skill and vision.”
Mason McTavish, C, Team Canada
FCHockey Draft Ranking: 15
Like Clarke, McTavish took his talents overseas this season while waiting for a decision on OHL action. He joined EHC Olten, along with Canadian teammate Brennan Othmann, in Switzerland’s second-tier men’s league. While there, McTavish impressed with 11 points (nine goals, two assists) in 13 games, adding seven points (two goals, five assists) in four playoff games.
McTavish, No. 15 at FCHockey, is in a similar boat as Lucius where he’s on the outside of the top-10 entering the tournament. However, as one of Canada’s top prospects, he’s a player that could find himself rapidly rising with a deserving performance in Texas.
“McTavish is a quick-step skater and is often good with carrying the gameplay tempo,” FCHockey scouts Oliva McArtur reported on the OHL’s Peterborough Petes forward. “He is able to have a really good cruising speed with acceleration bursts to try and pick the puck off his opponents and get it back into either his possession or his linemates.
“McTavish has a hard, accurate shot which I’d say is probably his best asset. He is able to find his teammates for a safe tape-to-tape passing which usually helped complete a play and he’s really good at finding holes to get open.”
MORE: Build your own NHL Mock Draft
Sasha Pastujov, C, Team USA
FCHockey Draft Ranking: 42
With top player Chaz Lucius out of the World U18s, look for his US-NTDP teammate Pastujov to really step as a leader on the team. The University of Notre Dame commit and BioSteel All-American Game MVP should be the top offensive player on the team and the leader of the group. Expect a big tournament from Pastujov as he looks to fill in the goal-scoring hole left by Lucius.
The left winger has racked up 52 points (23 goals, 29 assists) with the development program this season, in 34 games. That point total leads the U18 team on the year, eight points ahead of Team USA teammate Dylan Duke.
“Pastujov has great offensive awareness, staying above the puck most times and showing an ability to draw pressure towards him before making a play to a nearby teammate,” Aleong wrote in a scouting report. “He has a knack for flashy passing and can thread small lanes through the slot when he’s given time to curl off the boards into open ice.
“He has a quick release on his wrister and is a threat on his off-wing, showing an accurate one-timer that makes him a threat on the rush or on the power play.”
Stanislav Svozil, D, Team Czech Republic
FCHockey Draft Ranking: 33
Svozil, one other polarizing prospect, got here into the season with excessive expectations. Spending most of his season in the highest males’s league in the Czech Republic with HC Kometa Brno, he performed minimal minutes and earned three factors (one aim, two assists) in 30 video games. He additionally appeared in eight playoff video games with out a level.
Just falling out of the primary spherical in FCHockey’s newest rating, the No. 33 prospect has an opportunity to lead the Czech Republic staff and exhibit his skills in opposition to his personal age group. He had a good showing at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship and ought to be a high defender in the upcoming World U18s.
“An agile skater, Svozil does an excellent job utilizing his edges and timing to shut down the attack, keep a good gap, and completely take away space from oncoming attackers,” Galloway reported following the World Juniors. “He was able to slow the attack by the top of the circles and utilize his active stick to separate the opponent from the puck.
“Excellent skater that showed off some good speed and an ability to find skating lanes while moving from outside lanes to the inside lane and entering the zone with control.”
Samu Tuomaala, RW, Team Finland
FCHockey Draft Ranking: 46
Tuomaala looks to be the top forward for Finland and should be an offensive leader for the group. Ranked No. 46 by FCHockey, the right winger is seen as a fringe first-rounder but has slid down some boards this season. With a big tournament, he could secure and raise his ranking.
Spending most of the year in the U20 SM-sarja with Karpat, Tuomaala collected 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) in 30 games and added four points (one goal, three assists) in five playoff contests. He also appeared in five Liiga games without a point.
“He’s a graceful and gifted skater, who glides around the ice quickly and gets up to his top speed almost instantly,” Neumeier wrote in a latest scouting report. “He can obtain and deal with the puck in full flight and has the ability to undress defenders or shoot from the push.
“Advanced playmaker who sees lanes open up and can be deceptive with his intentions. Can make hard, accurate one-touch passes. Has his moments where he anticipates the play and causes turnovers.”
Honourable Mentions: Sean Behrens (USA), Brett Harrison (CAN), Oliver Kapanen (FIN), Brennan Othmann (CAN), Francesco Pinelli (CAN), Prokhor Poltapov (RUS), Simon Robertsson (SWE), Isak Rosen (SWE), Samu Salminen (FIN), Logan Stankoven (CAN), Fyodor Svechkov(RUS).
Josh Bell is a scout and the director of content material for FCHockey.
Source Link – www.sportingnews.com
source https://infomagzine.com/iihf-u18-mens-world-championship-10-nhl-draft-eligibles-to-watch-in-2021/
No comments:
Post a Comment