OHL Writers’ Draft Eligible Player of the Year

Well, another Ontario Hockey League season has come to a close and the 2019 National Hockey League Draft begins to have more focus, it’s time for our Draft Eligible Player of the Year at OHL Writers. We tend to focus our attention on players eligible for the NHL draft and we’ve compiled notes on all of them. But this time of year, we pick one who has stood out the most.

And this year it’s Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Each month we select a Draft Eligible Player of the Month and we gave the nod to Kaliyev in January and February. 

Statistically speaking, you will find Kaliyev’s name all over the page. He led draft eligible players with 51 goals (4^th best in the OHL), assists with 51 (17^th in the OHL), points with 102 (6^th in the OHL), shots on goal by a wide margin with 320 (2^nd in the OHL), powerplay goals with 20 (2^nd in the OHL), and 2^nd in powerplay assists (20^th in the OHL).

In the 2018-2019 Coaches Poll, Kaliyev was voted the second most dangerous in the goal area from the Eastern conference, the best shot in the Eastern Conference, and the hardest shot in the Eastern Conference.

Kaliyev is ranked 11^th among North American Skaters (3^rd from the OHL) by NHL Central Scouting, and 13^th overall by TSN’s Bob McKenzie on their respective mid-term rankings.