2016 NHL Draft

RW Taylor Raddysh

Erie Otters (OHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/16/2016 |  New York  |  

Position:Right Wing
Shoots: Right
Height/Weight: 6’2, 203 lbs
Born: February 18th, 1998 Caledon, ON
The Draft Analyst Ranking:

Goal-scoring power forward with an NHL-ready build who may be a bit undervalued playing alongside Erie’s notable talent the last two seasons. He was able to rack up assists playing on the Otters’ top line with Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat, but keep in mind that his speed and tenacity on the forecheck created scoring opportunities without the benefit of getting his name of the scoresheet. Raddysh is a good skater with good closing speed once he gets the wheels churning, and he uses a long reach to force turnovers. His first step isn’t that quick, but his body positioning and wide silhouette allow him to maintain puck control on the rush despite a general lack of breakaway speed.

One of the more cerebral power forwards in the draft in terms of reading plays and slipping behind coverage, Raddysh is more of an enabler than a difference maker, but one who will help on the power play. He’s big, tough and physical enough to groom for additional duties beyond filling the scoresheet.

2016 NHL Draft

LW Adam Mascherin

Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/16/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 5’10, 206 lbs
Born: June 6th, 1998 Maple, ON

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

This power forward’s overall numbers are impressive — only Matt Tkachuk (107) and Alex DeBrincat (101) had more points than Mascherin (81) among OHL first-year eligibles. Short but solid, he’s an excellent playmaker and elite stickhandler who makes up for a lack of overall foot speed with patience and grown-man strength. The poor kid has issues accelerating, but again, his lethal shot (and it is lethal) and vision make him too good a prospect to pass on. Mascherin is the hockey equivalent of an elite quarterback who can carve up a zone or man-to-man defense without impunity, and he uses a long stick and quick thinking to steal passes and exploit a numerical advantage or create one himself. Mascherin, a former top pick in the OHL Priority Selection, plays a clean, disciplined game and has legitimate top-line potential.

2016 NHL Draft

RW Givani Smith

Guelph Storm (OHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/17/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Right Wing
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 6’2, 204 lbs
Born: February 28th, 1998 Thornhill, ON

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

A freight train of goal scorer who like most budding power forwards can dominate through lengthy periods of invincibility. Smith is the perfect feast or famine player – he’ll dictate the terms or not have a say at all. Still, he’s the kind of goal scorer who can fill the net with impunity as long as he has anything resembling a competitive lineup to augment his power. Smith had the misfortune of playing for a doormat, but he was the team’s second-leading goal scorer and led the OHL with 146 penalty minutes. An intimidating force with the power of a bulldozer, the chiseled winger is a menace around the net and has good enough hands to bury the gimme chances. He loves to use every ounce of his muscular build to either pulverize opponents in open ice or crunch them along the boards on the forecheck. Smith can play out of control, however, but nobody likes passive linebackers. Once he gets going, there’s very little stopping him. Smith is a very good skater with a hard, quick snap snot, and his ability to control the puck with force towards the net is helped by taking the shortest routes possible.

2016 NHL Draft

C Cliff Pu

London Knights (OHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/17/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Height/Weight: 6’2, 192 lbs
Born: June 3rd, 1998 Richmond Hill, ON

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

*2016 Includes Memorial Cup

If you’ve been following our rankings, you might be saying “Cliff Who” when noticing a meteoric rise. Take our word for it when he say he’s deserved every bit of the recent hype, delivering clutch play and two-way dominance for a London team almost anyone would have to scratch and claw their way to ice time. Why is he special? Pu’s big, fast and can fire off a very good shot. But the biggest eye opener was how he was able to produce with limited minutes and next to nothing in offensive zone starts and/or power play time.

When London’s big names (Tkachuk, Dvorak, Marner etc.) were at the WJC, it was Pu and Max Jones who ran the offense. Pu doesn’t have high-end hockey sense, but he busts his tail on every shift and learned how to use his length and quickness to cause problems for opposing defenders. There’s a good chance he blossoms with more responsibility, but his upside is somewhat of a mystery since he was buried behind several of junior hockey’s top players.

2016 NHL Draft

LW/RW Boris Katchouk

Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/17/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Left Wing/Right Wing
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 6’1, 192 lbs
Born: June 18th, 1998 Waterloo, ON

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

Katchouk has the reputation as being one of this draft’s hardest workers, and it doesn’t take long into a game to realize it. His instant energy from shift to shift can be both infectious and momentum-swinging, and it’s rare to see a prospect seemingly enjoy working hard all the time. But make no mistake — this kid is no grinder. Katchouk was tasked with top-six minutes in all situations, and delivered with 24 goals in 63 games and a spot on Team Canada’s U18 squad in April. He has very good speed and a quick wrist shot to tangle the twine upstairs, requiring little backswing to generate velocity. Katchouk has exceptional balance and will maintain control of the puck despite multiple shoves and swipes, using his quick feet and edges to evade danger and create enough room to identify an option or two.

2016 NHL Draft

LHD Victor Mete

London Knights (OHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  05/04/2016 |  New York  |  

Position:Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 5’10, 174 lbs
Born: June 7th, 1998 Woodbridge, ON

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

*Includes Memorial Cup

Easily one of the toughest draft-eligible prospects to gauge because he does so many things at a high level, yet is an undersized defenseman on a loaded, powerhouse of a team. His biggest asset is speed — he is lightning-quick and doesn’t have to tool with his quickness in order to blow the doors off an opponent. This kid made very sound checkers looked novice in their approach, and can cap off an end-to-end rush with a smart play towards the net, or a cut back in order to open up the ice around him. Mete relies on push-and-shove tactics to deny bigger forwards the opportunity to take the puck inside, but he needs to get stronger if he wants to be counted on at higher levels. He is a very good passer on the power play who doesn’t like to force things, and looks for offense when he’s killing penalties.

2016 NHL Draft

LHD Cam Dineen

North Bay Battalion (OHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/17/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 5’11, 183 lbs
Born: June 19th, 1998 Toms River, NJ

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

The talk around draft circles is the first three defensemen picked in 2016 will not only come out of the OHL, but could all be top-10 picks. But history’s shown us that being a high-profile pick doesn’t guarantee a thing, which is why drafting a sound puck mover like Dineen after Day One’s fireworks could end up as one shrewd move regardless of whether a two-way blueliner is a team need or not. The Toms River, NJ native bested all his OHL peers in scoring with 59 points in 68 games while being used in all situations. Dineen is not big or overly physical, but he’s silky-smooth with the puck and maintained his consistency even after opposing coaches realized how big of a three-zone threat he was. He’s an exceptional passer with eyes in the back of his head, and he has soft hands to where he can deaden the puck and lay it flat to make a cleaner follow-on play. Dineen has an above-average shot, and he can fire both his wrister and slapper with authority and accuracy. He routinely makes high-percentage decisions and has all the makings of a solid top-four NHL defenseman.

2016 NHL Draft

RW Dmitry Sokolov

Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/17/2016 |  New York  |  

Position:Right Wing
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 6’0, 208 lbs
Born: April 14thth, 1998 Omsk, Russia

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

If you judge a player solely on production, then Sokolov’s rookie season was nothing short of outstanding – he led OHL rookies with 30 goals, including 15 over his last 23 games. But digging deeper in the power winger’s season reveals disconcerting traits, to include accusations of laziness and poor off-ice work ethic. A shoulder injury may have had something to do with that, and the fact that he played the entire season should help his case. Remember, he’s just a kid, and one who left Russia to play in North America no less.

His size/shot combo is lethal, and he has a soft set of hands to bury the roughest of goal-mouth feeds. Sokolov on occasion is deceptively quick, but his straight-line skating is average. He can make sharp cuts and change speeds, but he’s simply not fast enough to win many footraces. Still, he has an exceptional understanding of the lower half of the offensive zone, and he has a strong grasp of play development. Sokolov is clearly in the top 10 percent of all draft-eligible goal scorers, and it’s scary to think what he could have done with a healthy shoulder.

2016 NHL Draft

RW/C Jordan Kyrou

Sarnia Sting (OHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/16/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Right Wing/Center
Shoots: Right
Height/Weight: 6’0, 175 lbs
Born: May 5th, 1998 Toronto, ON

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

A prodigious playmaker with breakaway speed and finishing abilities, Kyrou bounced between Sarnia’s top two lines and has the potential to be an impact forward. He’s battled through inconsistent play and is prone to turning the puck over at inopportune times, but he’s too tantalizing a prospect to pass over in a draft thin in pure skill. Kyrou’s what we’d call a “Spotlight Ranger” who beefed up his stock with solid all-around play at high-profile events like the U18 Hlinka, the CHL Top Prospects Game and the U18 worlds. You can say almost any skill forward in this year’s draft leaked defensive prowess from start to finish, but in Kyrou’s case, it’s a serious concern. Nevertheless, he’s a dangerous player at even strength – more so than on the power play, as only five of his 51 points came with the man-advantage. He can play either center or wing, and won close to 50 percent of his 301 faceoffs (72 percent in the postseason).

2016 NHL Draft

LW Alan Lysczarczyk

Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/17/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 5’10, 185 lbs
Born: February 17th, 1998 Nowy Targ, Poland

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

A super-skilled winger with good speed who can also fill in at center, Lyszczarczyk had a fine season in Sudbury, finishing sixth in OHL rookie scoring with 50 points in 67 games. At 6’0, 185, he’s got the kind of size an NHL team can work with, as he’s already a very good playmaker and owns an excellent shot that he needs to use more. Born in Poland and raised in North America, Lyszczarczyk tore up the Czech junior circuit before signing with Sudbury as a free agent, then performed as one of the top players for Poland at this year’s Division I U18’s. He can play in the trenches and shows interest in fighting tooth and nail for loose pucks, but building upper-body strength and learning the intricacies of three-zone play will make him tougher to deal with beyond the puck artistry and hard shot. Lyszczarczyk is at this point a one-dimensional point producer who can be entrusted with power play duties but nothing during penalty kills and late-game lead holds.

2016 NHL Draft

C/W Nathan Bastian

Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/17/2016 |  New York  |  

Position:Right Wing/Center
Shoots: Right
Height/Weight: 6’4, 205 lbs
Born: December 6th, 1997 Kitchener, ON

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

If your team has an abundance of skill players, chances are they’re going to require somebody to get deep into trenches for chest-to-chest warfare, which is why a hard-charging, two-way forward like Bastian is so highly regarded. A versatile big man who can play any of the three forward positions, Bastian played alongside Mike McLeod and Alex Nylander for large chunks of the regular season, using physicality, net presence and constant hustle to make life easier for his linemates and allow them to do what they do best. He stands a whopping 6’4 and weighs in at 205, which is scary to think when assessing 18 year olds. Bastian won’t wow you with any particular skill, but he’s great to have both in the room and on the ice. He is a patient player who pounces on mistakes, and can fire off a heavy shot that will beat goalies from distances beyond the tops of the circles. Bastian isn’t fast but will win his share of 50/50 battles and on occasion can barrel past a defender in a one-on-one scenario. When he played the pivot, he won 46 percent of his draws and was used on both the power play and on the penalty kill with some success.

2016 NHL Draft

C/LW Noah Gregor

Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/18/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Center/Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 5’11 175 lbs
Born: July 28, 1998, Beaumont, AB

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

Gregor is a three-zone roadrunner who screams sleeper, as he bounced back from an injury-plagued rookie season to distinguish himself among Moose Jaw’s forest of elite forwards. He is easily at or near the top of a very talented group of draft-eligible penalty killers, but what makes him worthy of a significant leap-frog are his speed and versatility. Gregor is ridiculously skilled, making plays at high speed and taking advantage of his linemates’ strengths. He’s a disciplined player who makes smart decisions and rarely do you see him fumbling with the puck if the game is close. Gregor has a very good wrist shot — he can pick corners or pump one inside the far post on his off wing. But he can also dish the puck as well — His 30 primary assists tied for the most among the WHL’s first-year draft eligibles. And while he’s listed at only 5’11, he plays fearless and will take the shortest route to the net even if there is an opponent or two blocking his path.

2016 NHL Draft

C Cam Morrison

Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/18/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Left Wing/Center
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 6’2.5 209 lbs
Born: August 27th, 1998, Aurora, ON

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

You might as well start calling him Mr. Touchdown, because watching this South Bend-bound monster on the ice is reminiscent of a bruising tight end who always finds the end zone. Morrison was named the USHL’s 2016 top rookie after winning the OJHL Rookie of the Year in 2015. He’s a classic power forward with a strong desire to get to the net and position himself to receive the puck in optimal scoring areas. Morrison, who boasts a heavy, accurate shot, plays like a bull in a china shop, but it’s generally done while under control and with his head up at all times. He can play either wing or center, but did the most damage on the flank of the Phantoms’ top line. While he’s known for collecting garbage goals from time to time, his vision and understanding of play development make him a legitimate playmaking threat as well. Morrison doesn’t have good separation speed, but he protects the puck well and makes sharp cuts to buy himself an extra second or two. Only 17 on Draft Day, Morrison will continue to bulk up as he utilizes the NCAA schedule while playing against older opponents.

2016 NHL Draft

LW Riley Tufte

Fargo Force (USHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/18/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 6’5 211 lbs
Born: April 10th, 1998, Coon Rapids, MN

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

Tufte is tremendous prospect worthy of significant praise for a variety of reasons, namely for obliterating Minnesota’s high school circuit to a tune of over three points per game. He’s a freakish combination of size and skill. Tufte was the top pick in the 2014 USHL Futures Draft, then won the state of Minnesota’s famed “Mr. Hockey” award after starring for Blaine High School this season. He didn’t have the best season for Fargo, but you can see how big of a home run he’d be if all things pan out. Tufte is an excellent skater for a big man and his goal-scoring acumen is reminiscent of a young John Leclair from his Vermont days. His decision to quit the USHL and head back to high school still doesn’t sit well with us, but who are we to stop the young man from making life choices.

Tufte has excellent hands and securely controls the puck while on the move, and he uses his massive reach to keep ownership even as he moves laterally. His shot is heavy enough to keep goalies honest, even if he’s wiring one from a bad angle or from just inside the blue line. Tufte killed penalties for Blaine but was relegated to limited role once he returned to Fargo. There are times when he plays out of control and takes undisciplined penalties, but he’s a power forward so they are more palatable than if he was a finesse player.

2016 NHL Draft

LW Jonathan Dahlen

Timra (Allsvenskan)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/18/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 5’11 176 lbs
Born: December 20th, 1997, Ostersund, Sweden

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

Predatory winger with an excellent touch around the net, much like his father Ulf who played over a dozen NHL seasons as a grind-it-out power foward. Jonathan’s game differs from his father’s in that he’s a bit quicker and more flashy but not nearly as physical. He had an outstanding season for Timra, with solid showings at both the U18 Hlinka and U19 Five Nations.He’s a natural on the flank, moving up Timra’s depth chart as the season progressed before landing a slot on the top line around mid-January. Dahlen is an exciting performer who moves the puck with confidence and flair, often dekeing his way around two or three opponents before setting his sights on the cage. He could stand to work on his balance, as the rigors of North American play will limit the amount of open routes he’s accustomed to in the Allsvenskan. But the fact the hustling Dahlen can not only beat you in several ways, but involve his teammates with regularity shows he’s not a one-dimensional scorer.

2016 NHL Draft

RW/C Tage Thompson

UConn Huskies (Hockey East)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/18/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Right Wing/Center
Shoots: Right
Height/Weight: 6’6, 195 lbs
Born: October 30th, 1997, Oyster Bay, NY

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

A former member of the NTDP who starred as a freshman for UConn, Thompson is a big-bodied sniper with an excellent shot whose development in terms of NHL readiness has a handful of years remaining. He’s pretty one-dimensional at this point — all but one of his 14 goals were scored on the power play. But 5-on-5 production will come in time, as will his ability to continue battling well after initial contact with an opponent. He’s got the kind of size you’d love to see on your flank, but there’s some work left to do, especially in the defensive zone where he tends to get lost and wander. Thompson, the son of former NHLer Brent Thompson, is an above-average stickhandler who wisely uses his long reach when he’s bombing down the wing or keep the puck close by as he tries to maneuver through traffic. He knows he’s got a size advantage and he exploits it. His skating is decent but his balance and wingspan are what drive his ability to avoid giveaways.

2016 NHL Draft

LHD Lucas Johansen

Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/18/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 6’2 175 lbs
Born: November 16th, 1997, Vancouver, BC

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

Kelowna’s top defender who has excellent instincts and makes very good reads. What makes him stand out is that he understands the nuances of becoming a consistent three-zone player. Johansen is a very good skater who loves to jump into the attack and even outskated his forwards in order to lend puck support. He can run a power play with efficiency, but he needs to fill into his 6’2 frame in order to be more consistent during chest-to-chest battles. Johansen has a very good shot and makes clean plays in tight spaces in the offensive zone.

2016 NHL Draft

C Aapeli Räsänen

Tappara U20 (Liiga Jrs)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/18/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Height/Weight: 6’0, 196 lbs
Born: June 1st, 1998, Tampere, Finland

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

All signs point towards this special teams dynamo becoming one of the better two-way players this draft produces. Not only does he do it all on the ice — playmaking, speed, escapability, tenacity, versatility — but he’s a student of the game who spends time honing his craft away from the rink. Rasanen clubbed the international circuit to a tune of almost a point per game, and he’s close to 200 pounds before turning 18 in June. He won’t disappoint teams in search of skill players, but the fact that he forechecks and backchecks better than most of his draft peers makes him even more desirable. In a draft thin on two-way types with a strong understanding of both sides of the red line, there’s a strong possibility Rasanen gets gobbled up earlier than anticipated. He’s strong at the dot and can be leaned on for tough checking assignments, yet he has a hunter’s mindset in that he is always looking to make opponents pay for the slightest mistake. Rasanen is a very good skater with a variety of moves to get inside the offensive zone, and he immediately identifies multiple pass options and greets them with a clean, crisp set-up. Rasanen has excellent work habits and should be groomed for positions of significant responsibility.

2016 NHL Draft

W/C Janne Kuokkanen

Karpat U20 (Liiga Jrs)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/18/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Wing/Center
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 6’1, 175 lbs
Born: May 25th, 1998, Oulunsalo, Finland

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

Tall, lean puck distributor who we expect to beef up when it’s time to make the jump to North America. Kuokkanen is a highly-cerebral player, using patience and precision passing to carve up any defensive scheme. He’s been a star for Finland in the international circuit, culminating with a superb performance and a gold medal at the U18 World championship. His instant chemistry with Jesse Puljujarvi is something to keep an eye on — both should play for Karpat if Puljujarvi decides to stay in Europe. Kuokkanen is an average skater who uses his reach and a wide stance to protect the puck as he moves towards the net. His sense of awareness is extraordinary, so catching up to him won’t always nip an opportunity in the bud. Kuokkanen makes good use of time and space, and even though he has a good shot with a quick release, he is most certainly a pass-first winger, albeit one you should keep an eye on near the low slot. Get used to the fact that he maintains the same demeanor start to finish — Kuokkanen stays within himself but rarely engages in physical play when the situation necessitates it.

2016 NHL Draft

RHD Andrew Peeke

Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  06/18/2016 |  New York  |  

Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
Height/Weight: 6’3, 205 lbs
Born: March 17th, 1997, Parkland, FL

The Draft Analyst Ranking:

Labeling a defenseman as the “shut down” variety is not only cliche, but extremely subjective. Peeke, however, is in our view the draft’s best one-on-one defender, and it means something when you can impact a game’s complexion with this ability. He is big and mobile, using an active stick and mammoth wingspan to fix onrushing opponents into a failed decision. Peeke can also play the power play thanks to his wicked shot and ability to thread the needle. He coulod stand to increase the intensity from a physical standpoint, especially when he has the size and strength to do so. But he plays a clean, disciplined game and served as a fireman for most of Green Bay’s late-game lead holds. Add Peeke to the list of the growing number of Florida-born prospects with serious NHL upside.