OHL SET FOR 2020 UNDER-18 PRIORITY SELECTION

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Press Release

Under 18 Priority Selection

Toronto, Ont. – The fourth annual OHL Under-18 Priority Selection is set to commence today at 12:00pm where no fewer than 40 players born in 2002 and 2003 will be chosen from Midget AAA programs from across the province.

The selections can be followed streaming live with audio on the OHL’s YouTube channel or with live results at ontariohockeyleague.com.

Here’s everything you need to know about the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection:

History:

The concept for the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection was developed in 2017 with full support from Hockey Canada’s three Ontario Branches including the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO), and Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO), to assist in the growth of Midget hockey and provide further opportunities for players at different stages of their hockey development.

OHL U18 Draft Picks in the OHL:

Victor Hadfield (Barrie Colts, 1st overall 2017), Emmett Serensits (Sudbury Wolves, 7th overall, 2017), Marko Jakovljevic (Sarnia Sting, 28th overall 2017), Kaleb Pearson (Owen Sound Attack, 29th overall 2017).

Mitchell Weeks (Sudbury Wolves, 1st overall 2018), Dustin Hutton (Kingston Frontenacs, 3rd overall (PBO) 2018), Daniel D’Amato (Erie Otters, 4th overall 2018), Griffin Wilson (Owen Sound Attack, 15th overall 2018), Dakota Betts (Niagara IceDogs, 17th overall (KIT) 2018)

Ryan Thompson (North Bay Battalion, 8th overall 2019), Logan LeSage (Owen Sound Attack, 29th overall 2019), Gavin White (Hamilton Bulldogs, 47th overall 2019)

Players Eligible for Selection:

All Midget players not currently on a CHL Member Team Protected List who were carded with a Midget AAA Hockey Club within the OHF, HNO, or HEO in the 2019-20 playing season are eligible for selection in the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection.

Once selected, players will be added to a separately designated Under-18 Priority Selection protected list, distinct from the 50-man protected list for players selected in the OHL Priority Selection or committing to OHL member teams as free agents.

Selection Procedure:

The Under-18 Priority Selection Process is capped at two rounds with each OHL Member Team required to select two players.

Given the cancellation of the 2019-20 OHL regular season, the order of Selection for the 2020 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection is determined by inverse order of the standings at the 61-game mark of the 2019-20 OHL regular season schedule of games with those teams who would not have qualified for the playoffs at that time selecting ahead of teams in playoff positions.

The North Bay Battalion will select first overall, followed by the Niagara IceDogs, Sarnia Sting, Soo Greyhounds and the Kingston Frontenacs rounding out the top five selections.

Goaltender Policy:

Should a Member Team select a goalie with one of their two selections, the Club has the option to select another player (skater only).  There will be an additional round added to the Under-18 Priority Selection to facilitate the drafting of the additional skater utilizing the same selection order and process.

General Rules of Selection:

OHL Member Teams may utilize a maximum of five minutes to select a player through the duration of the Under-18 Priority Selection.

Each OHL Member Team will have the opportunity for one two minute timeout during the Under-18 Priority Selection.

Follow on social media using #OHLU18Draft

Tucker Tynan – Niagara IceDogs – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 159 Pounds

Date of birth: June 7, 2002

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Position: Goaltender

Catches: Left

OHL Draft: Round 10, 192 overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
N.R. N.R. N.R.

N.R.

During Tucker Tynan’s OHL draft year, he played for the New Jersey Rockets of the National Collegiate Develop Conference. The NCDC is a developmental conference in the northeast United States under the umbrella of the U.S. Premier Hockey League whose mission is to develop players for the NCAA.

Tynan appeared in 24 games for the Rockets posting a 3.31 goals-against-average (11th in the NCDC) and a sparkling .924 save-percentage (5th in the conference).

Prior to joining the Rockets, Tynan played Minor Midget Tier 1 hockey with Little Caesars Under-16 squad during the 2017-2018 season. He appeared in just 5 games but posted incredible numbers with a .80 goals-against-average and .956 save-percentage. The IceDogs were able to select Tynan in the 10th round of the 2018 Priority Selection – 192nd overall.

Tucker Tynan of the Niagara IceDogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Tucker Tynan of the Niagara IceDogs. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images

Much wasn’t known about Tynan coming into the season and NHL Central Scouting didn’t have him on either of their Players to Watch lists, though he soon started garnering attention.

But on December 12, 2019, everything came to a halt. In a game against the London Knights during the second period, one of the Knights players was knocked down on his way to the net, entering Tynan’s crease skate first. His skate caught the young netminder in the leg causing a gruesome and scary injury. (we won’t post the video here.) At the time, the IceDogs said if it weren’t for the immediate actions of the IceDogs and Knights training staff and the immediate medical attention, it could have cost him his life. Tynan required emergency surgery and the game was never completed.

Up until that moment, every bit of attention Tynan was getting was warranted. He was among the league leaders in most goaltending stats, including shots faced. Tynan, quite simply gave the IceDogs a chance to win every game. At that point of the season he was easily their most valuable player.

Let’s look at some of those numbers. Tynan appeared in 23 games and ended with an 11-8-3-1 record. Not Earth shattering without context, right? Tyan faced 50 or more shots on 4 occasion and boasted a .920 save-percentage and a 1-2-1-0 record. He faced 40 or more shots on 12 occasions with a 5-5-2-0 record and .905 save percentage. He finished with a 6-3-1-1 record when facing 39 or fewer shots.

The IceDogs record without Tynan: 7-31-2-0. Despite playing in just 23 games, he finished 24th in shots faced with 916 or 39.8 per game. By comparison, Jacob Ingham of the Kitchener Rangers led the league in shots faced with 1636, or 35.5 per game.

Sure, some of that decline was the fact that the IceDogs traded away star Philip Tomasino at trade deadline. But that should have hurt their goal scoring more then their goals against. The IceDogs goals against went up drastically from the 3.56 with Tynan to 5.80 without.

If the eye test wasn’t enough to tell a story, the numbers should be.

By all accounts, Tynan is doing very well in his recovery and well on his way to returning to the game. But one must ask themselves if they believe the type of injury he received and how it happened will impact his mental part of the game. No way! At least not in my opinion. Tynan was unflappable in his net. Whether it was a bad goal he had given up or his d-men making a bad play in front of him, it was his let’s move on and forget about it attitude that says this kid has a good mental makeup.

Tynan isn’t the big bodied netminder NHL teams drool over. He is an extremely athletic netminder and a superb skater. His post-to-post movement is at an already elite level. His ability to move out to the top of the paint and challenge shooters is top level, however he doesn’t take up as much of the net as the bigger goalies so he is going to require improvement on that to succeed at the next level.

Tynan is very adept in tracking the puck and remaining focused. But the size is once again coming into question here as it impacts him on his ability to see through traffic and to take up as much of the net as possible when players are scrambling in front of him. But he plays the butterfly technique almost to perfection and he stays as big as he can while down so if you’re going to beat him, it has to be down low.

We here at OHLW have a lot of admiration for Tynan, one of the youngest goalies available for the draft. Sure, the injury hurt his draft stock and there will be concerns about his mental makeup going forward. But we believe in him, and think someone should take a late round flier at the draft. But we also believe his potential is better than a late round flier.

OHL COMPLETES 2020 PRIORITY SELECTION PRESENTED BY REAL CANADIAN SUPERSTORE

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Press Release

2020 Priority Selection

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today conducted the 2020 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore for North American players born in 2004.

The annual Priority Selection was held entirely online, adhering to all government and public health COVID-19 physical distancing guidelines at both the League and member team levels. This year’s unique approach to a very special day was conducted in the interest of ensuring the health and safety of prospects, their families as well as OHL member team and League personnel.

A total of 300 players were selected in the 15-round process from 87 different teams across Ontario and parts of the United States. The selected players included 176 forwards, 94 defencemen, and 30 goaltenders. While 290 of the players chosen were 2004-born athletes, also eligible for selection were non-overage players not carded with an Ontario-based Midget AAA team from protected OHL territories. Nine players born in 2003 where chosen under this criteria along with one player born in 2002.

“Congratulations to all 300 players selected in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection and for the commitment that was required to get to where you are today,” said Darrell Woodley, Director of OHL Central Scouting. “There’s a lot of hard work and dedication that goes into this tremendous accomplishment and the excitement extends to families, friends, coaches and teammates of all players involved. Being selected by an OHL team is a big milestone but it’s also just the beginning of your road to the next level. Opportunities for success are available for players with the right attitude and work ethic, including players not selected today, who may find success through next year’s Under-18 Priority Selection. Best of luck to all players in pursuit of your hockey and academic goals.”

The Ontario Minor Hockey Association led the way with 79 players selected from across 18 different organizations. The league champion Quinte Red Devils led OMHA clubs with 10 players selected followed by the Oshawa Generals, Southern Tier Admirals and Whitby Wildcats each with seven. The Greater Toronto Hockey League produced a total of 66 players from across 12 different programs led by the league champion Toronto Jr. Canadiens and Toronto Titans with 11 players each followed by the Toronto Marlboros and Toronto Nationals each with 10. The ALLIANCE featured 50 different players selected from across 12 different teams paced by the league champion Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs with nine trailed by the Hamilton Huskies with seven. Hockey Eastern Ontario produced 20 selections from nine different teams led by the Kanata Lasers and Rockland Nationals with four picks each. The Northern Ontario Hockey Association produced seven selections led by the North Bay Trappers and Soo Jr. Greyhounds with three players apiece while Hockey Northeastern Ontario featured one selection from the Thunder Bay Kings. An additional three players were selected from various other Canadian sources. A strong year from American-based programs saw 74 different players chosen from across 27 different teams. The Detroit Honeybaked U15 program led all Priority Selection teams with 12 players selected while Detroit Compuware produced a collective 12 between their U15 and U16 teams.

This season marked the 20th straight year the Priority Selection was conducted by way of the internet.

Owen Bennett – Guelph Storm – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 202 Pounds

Date of birth: April 11, 2002

Hometown: Georgetown, Ontario

Position: Goaltender

Catches: Left

OHL Draft: Round 4, 67th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
N.R. C Prospect 13 N.A. Goalies

24 N.A. Goalies

Guelph Storm netminder Owen Bennett played his Minor Midget hockey during the 2017-2018 season, strapping on the pads for the Halton Hurricanes. In 19 games, Bennett posted a 2.61 goals-against-average. The Storm would select Bennett with the 67th overall pick at the 2018 Priority Selection, making him the eighth goaltender selected.

During the 2018-2019 season, Bennett would play Tier 2 hockey with the Carlton Place Junior Canadians of the Central Canada Hockey League. Bennett would go on to post a 2.48 goals-against-average and .909 save percentage in 29 games, finishing second and first respectively among rookies, and tenth and fourth respectively overall.

Owen Bennett of the Guelph Strom. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Owen Bennett of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images

Bennett is ranked second among OHL Goaltenders by NHL Central scouting as of their mid-term rankings. The question surrounding Bennett coming into the season was “How much playing time would he get?” considering the top ranked goaltender is teammate Nico Daws, who was passed over at the 2019 NHL draft and is re-entering the draft.

A World Junior Championship appearance and an injury to Daws opened the door for Bennett and he appeared in 27 games for the Storm, fourth most by first time draft eligible goaltenders. He finished ninth in goals-against-average at 3.92 and eighth in save percentage at .881.

Bennett has the size that seems to draw scouts at 6’3” – he pretty much has the same frame as Daws. But he does have some areas that need work. Not a major concern however as with good coaching, those areas can be improved. And pairing with Daws, who went through similar things can only be beneficial for the young netminder.

Working on his positioning is one area Bennett needs to work on. He doesn’t get out to the top of the blue paint as far as he should in some situations. His post-to-post movement isn’t exactly slow, but I think with an adjustment to his technique and “pushing off”, he can improve in that area. Consistency can be an issue as he sometimes looses the net and can be beat by poor coverage of the cage. I don’t think it’s due to a lack of concentration. He seems to never get rattled, even when he gives up a softie.

Bennett fights through traffic to keep his eyes on the puck extremely well. And when things are in tight, he plays the butterfly position well and keeps himself big to take up a lot of the net. His rebound control is actually pretty good. He has an active blocker and his glove is above average for a goaltender of his age.

We like the tools Bennett has and the concerns over areas that need working on don’t scare us away. Bennett is in a good situation in Guelph with coaching and Daws as his partner. And we’re confident in saying that he’s willing to put in the necessary work.

Rory Kerins – Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’10

Weight: 173 Pounds

Date of birth: April 12, 2002

Hometown: Caledon, Ontario

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 4, 71st overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
C Prospect B Prospect 74 N.A.

72 N.A.

Rory Kerins played his Minor Midget AAA during the 2017-2018 season skating down the middle for the Mississauga Rebels where he scored 19 goals and added 19 assists in 26 contests. He would appear in both the OHL Cup and OHL Gold Cup and combined he had 7 helpers in 8 games. He won silver at the Gold Cup with Team GTHL. During the 2016-2017 season, Kerins also appeared in the OHL Cup with Mississauga, registering 3 helpers in 5 games.

The Hounds selected Kerins, a native of Caledon Ontario, with the 71st overall pick at the 2018 Ontario Hockey League’s Priority Selections.

Rory Kerins of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Rory Kerins of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images.

Kerins would appear in 57 games for the Hounds during the 2018-2019 season where he scored 9 goals and added 14 assists. He would be kept off the score sheet in 10 playoff games.

It was a break out season for Kerins during the 2019-2020 season. Among first time draft eligible players, Kerins finished 10th in points (59), 9th in goals (30), 3rd in faceoff percentage (53.8%) and tops in shooting percentage – 4th in the entire league (22.72%). Kerins finished 7th in the entire league in faceoff attempts, an indication that the coaching staff would use him in critical situations.

I asked Twitter friend Peter Florio (@HoundsInsider) for his thoughts on Kerins. Here is what Peter had to say:

Rory Kerins is a natural goal scorer. He makes it look easy, his pressure in the offensive zone is hard to shut down. He is an elevated player, when he has the puck something is going to happen and has an absolute missile of a shot. I fully expect Rory to be in the fight for point championship next year with the jump he made from 2018/2019 season to 2019/2020.

I won’t make as bold of a prediction as Peter did, but I will say this: We’ve all heard the saying that talent alone will only get you so far. You need heart, determination and be willing to put in the effort, and Kerins has that in spades.

Kerins plays the game the right way and is actually an accomplished 200-foot player. He has no fear of getting into the higher danger zone area in the slot area. He can score the dirty goals or as Peter said, beat you with his shot. He’ll battle along the walls, and has surprising strength at 5’10”. He has the ability to be an effective forechecker. If there is an area that I feel he could improve it’s adding an extra gear. That would help him in getting on the forecheck quicker. Despite his willingness to go into battle, he does it the right way, and the Greyhounds recognized that by awarding him the Dr. Bill Kelly Award as the Most Gentlemanly Player.

Kerins also has very good hockey IQ. He has shown he can be a good playmaker. He can slow down and wait for a play to become available and make a good pass, with a very good ability to lead players with a pass by putting it into areas they can skate into. However, judging how his playmaking skills are is difficult. The Greyhounds are a young team that need to gain some experience. And they didn’t muster up a whole lot of offense this season, just 253 goals and that ranks 14th in the OHL.

Defensively, Kerins understands positioning, whether it’s getting his body or stick into lanes, or understanding where he needs to be and is always prepared for the breakout. The coaches have the trust in him to take key defensive zone draws and use him on the penalty kill.

Except for faceoffs and his shooting percentage, Kerins is not exactly a standout at most aspects of the game, but rather one of those guys that just does all the things required to help your team find success. Again, the Greyhounds recognized that by awarding him with the Rock 101 Trophy as the Most Valuable Player on his team.

It’s hard to project what Kerins could bring at the NHL level. Certainly, the work ethic, understanding the 200-foot game and his shot suggest he could be an effective NHL’er. We would like to see him add that extra gear when it comes to his skating. We know he’ll score goals at the OHL level, but it’ll be another year before we truly know how good his abilities to set up teammates for goals is. Right now, he’s a mid-round pick and if everything comes together, a high reward one at that.

BATTALION ANNOUNCES TY NELSON AS FIRST OVERALL PICK IN 2020 OHL PRIORITY SELECTION

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Press Release

Ty Nelson

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League in association with the North Bay Battalion Hockey Club today announced that 16-year-old defenceman Ty Nelson of the GTHL champion Toronto Jr. Canadiens will be the first overall pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore.

The announcement was made over an online news conference hosted by the Battalion Friday afternoon.

“It’s an honour to receive the Jack Ferguson Award as the first overall pick of the OHL Priority Selection,” said Nelson. “I want to thank my mother, father and sister for all of their dedication, love and hard work they’ve put into helping me get here. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my family. I also want to say thank you to all of the coaches, teachers and trainers that I’ve had over the years as they’ve shaped the player that I am today. Lastly I want to thank Mr. Abbott, Mr. Dennis, Coach Oulahen and Coach Winstanley. It’s an honour to be drafted by an outstanding organization like North Bay. To the Battalion fans, I can’t wait to get started.”

Nelson is the first of 15 selections currently held by the Battalion ahead of Saturday’s proceedings and joins a developing young club that features 2019 first round selection Liam Arnsby along with 17-year-old twin brothers Alex and Paul Christopoulos in front of 6-foot-6 netminder Joe Vrbetic.

“Those close to our team have seen the growth in the second half of the season and the promise in our young group,” said Battalion general manager Adam Dennis. “It’s imperative that we add to this momentum, and we feel that in Ty we’re adding a player and a person that can do that. Getting to know Ty and his family, we know that we’re bringing a top class person into our dressing room and somebody that can really add to what we’re building here.”

Nelson led all GTHL defencemen in regular season scoring with 32 points (11-21–32) over 33 games before pacing all rearguards offensively throughout the GTHL Playoffs, putting up 12 points (1-11–12) over 11 contests as the Toronto Jr. Canadiens were crowned league champions. The Toronto native was a member of Canada’s bronze medal-winning team that competed at the 2020 Youth Olympic Winter Games in Lausanne, Switzerland this past January. A swift-skating, puck-moving defenceman that stands 5-foot-8 and 174Ibs., Nelson was born March 30, 2004, making him eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft.

Nelson is the 2020 recipient of the Jack Ferguson Award presented annually to the player selected first overall in the OHL Priority Selection. The ‘Fergie’ recognizes the dedication and contributions made by Jack Ferguson during his 25 year association with the OHL, first as a scout with the Ottawa 67’s and followed by his appointment as head of the OHL’s Central Scouting Bureau in 1981 as its Director of Central Scouting. Nelson is the second member of the Battalion franchise to receive the award following defenceman Jay Harrison, who was the Brampton Battalion’s first-ever draft pick back in 1998. He’s the first defenceman selected first overall since another Jr. Canadiens rearguard in Ryan Merkley was selected first by the Guelph Storm in 2016. Prior to that, Jr. Canadiens blue line standout Jakob Chychrun was selected first overall by the Sarnia Sting in 2014.

“Ty was one of the leaders on his team this year and a big force behind their GTHL championship,” said OHL Director of Central Scouting Darrell Woodley. “He never stops competing and is a bulldog on the ice. He also finishes all his checks which makes him very hard to play against. He is an offensive threat whenever he is on the ice, especially with the puck on his stick, and averaged over a point-per-game this season. He possesses a very good and accurate shot from the point and also finds lanes well to get the puck on net in order to either create rebounds or score. There isn’t much he doesn’t do well and he will be a very impactful player at the next level.”

Nelson will be officially announced as the first overall pick of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection when things get underway on Saturday, April 4 at 9:00am. The first three rounds of the Priority Selection will be streamed live on the OHL’s YouTube channel beginning at 8:45am. Live results and full Priority Selection coverage can be found at ontariohockeyleague.com.

Former winners of the Jack Ferguson Award include:
1981 Dan Quinn, Belleville Bulls
1982 Kirk Muller, Guelph Platers
1983 Trevor Stienburg, Guelph Platers
1984 Dave Moylan, Sudbury Wolves
1985 Bryan Fogarty, Kingston Canadians
1986 Troy Mallette, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
1987 John Uniac, Sudbury Wolves
1988 Drake Berehowsky, Kingston Raiders
1989 Eric Lindros, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
1990 Pat Peake, Detroit Ambassadors
1991 Todd Harvey, Detroit Ambassadors
1992 Jeff O’Neill, Guelph Storm
1993 Alyn McCauley, Ottawa 67’s
1994 Jeff Brown, Sarnia Sting
1995 Daniel Tkaczuk, Barrie Colts
1996 Rico Fata, London Knights
1997 Charlie Stephens, Toronto St. Michael’s Majors
1998 Jay Harrison, Brampton Battalion
1999 Jason Spezza, Mississauga IceDogs
2000 Patrick Jarrett, Mississauga IceDogs
2001 Patrick O’Sullivan,Mississauga IceDogs
2002 Robbie Schremp, Mississauga IceDogs
2003 Patrick McNeill, Saginaw Spirit
2004 John Hughes, Belleville Bulls
2005 John Tavares, Oshawa Generals
2006 Steven Stamkos, Sarnia Sting
2007 Ryan O’Reilly, Erie Otters
2008 John McFarland, Sudbury Wolves
2009  Daniel Catenacci, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
2010  Alex Galchenyuk, Sarnia Sting
2011  Aaron Ekblad, Barrie Colts
2012  Connor McDavid, Erie Otters
2013  Travis Konecny, Ottawa 67’s
2014  Jakob Chychrun, Sarnia Sting
2015 David Levin, Sudbury Wolves
2016 Ryan Merkley, Guelph Storm
2017 Ryan Suzuki, Barrie Colts
2018 Quinton Byfield, Sudbury Wolves
2019 Shane Wright, Kingston Frontenacs

Ruben Rafkin – Windsor Spitfires – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’

Weight: 190 Pounds

Date of birth: January 8, 2002

Hometown: Turku, Finland

Position: Defence

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 14th overall, 2019 CHL Import Draft

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final
C Prospect C Prospect 72 N.A. 84 N.A.

We may as well get this tweet by Ruben Rafkin this morning out of the way first:

 

Rafkin signed a two-year deal to play professional hockey with his hometown team TPS in the Finnish Elite League (Liiga as it is known in Finland). The move follows teammate and goaltender Kari Piiroinen’s decision to leave the Spitfires and play for Tappara in their native Finland.

How does this affect Rafkin for the 2020 National Hockey League Draft? Well, there are two trains of thought here. One, you have to like the fact that he will be playing against men in a very good league for the next two years as opposed to Major Junior. Two, there is always some concern that players who sign European contracts at this stage may not always be willing to jump over to the NHL.

Ruben Rafkin of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images
Ruben Rafkin of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

Also coming into question is whether Rafkin will be considered drafted from the CHL or from a European League. The importance of that is this: Players drafted out of the CHL are not eligible to play in the AHL unless they are 20 years of age. Hence, it’s the CHL or NHL for them, whereas players drafted out of Europe are eligible for the AHL at any age after the draft. This is important should Rafkin have an out-clause to come back to North America at any time under this contract.

Think back to 2012 when Spitfires’ Alexander Khokhlachev returned home to Russia to play in the KHL. Half way through the season, he wanted to return to North America, but there were only two options available to him because he was drafted out of the OHL: return to the Spitfires or play in the NHL with the Boston Bruins. The latter had virtually no chance of happening, so his only option was the OHL.

Jim Parker of the Windsor Star has this quote from Rafkin:

“I just finished four years of high school in the States and I am ready for (the) men’s game,” the 18-year-old Rafkin said. “Also, (it’s) to be closer to see my little brother (eight-year-old Rafael) grow up and it has always been a dream to play pro in my hometown. I have nothing bad to say about Windsor.”

Rafkin played his Midget hockey in the United States. He put on the blades for the Selects Hockey Academy Under-16 squad during the 2017-2018 season and in 47 games scored 10 goals and assisted on 34. During the season, Rafkin received a tender to play for the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League for the 2018-2019 season, which he signed. Rafkin had previously committed to play for the University of Denver for 2019-2020.

Rafkin would play in 38 games for the Storm and score 2 goals and 8 helpers while racking up 90 minutes in penalties.

This season, Rafkin decided to forego his NCAA career and opted to sign with the Spitfires after they selected him 14th overall at the 2019 CHL Import Draft. He appeared in 59 games with the Spitfires scoring 4 goals and assisting on 27.

Rafkin is not a typical Finn that is about skating, passing and scoring goals. He’s a physical defender who, while at 6 feet tall, plays even bigger. In fact, he relishes that type of game and the more physical the game, the better he is. And he’ll be the first player to come to the aid of a teammate.

But he’s not just a physical player as he possesses some intriguing skills. Rafkin is a very smooth skater with excellent agility. He’s not a burner but he’s not slow. He uses his edges very well and he’s quick enough to step up on opponents and deliver a check. He’s strong along the walls, but needs to work on his net front coverage both in terms of positioning and strength.

Rafkin also has some very good vision, and when combined with the superb passing abilities he has, he is a threat at creating offense. He has the ability to quarterback the powerplay with those skills, but we didn’t always see those opportunities granted to him in Windsor.

Rafkin’s defensive abilities suggest he will be an NHL player. And playing against men for two years will further develop those skills. The only real question is whether his offence can improve and how much it translates to the NHL. That’s the million-dollar question for NHL Scouts. And how high do you draft a defensive defenceman.

I’m not suggesting Rafkin is just a defensive defenceman, that’s his strength right now. I’m just not sure how much offence he has for the NHL.

But the risk/reward may just be worth an extra thought.

Jack Thompson – Sudbury Wolves – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 180 Pounds

Date of birth: March 19, 2002

Hometown: Courtice, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 2, 30th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final
B Prospect B Prospect 67 N.A. –

When it comes to the 2020 National Hockey League Draft, the general consensus is that Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters) will be the first blueliner selected when we finally have a draft. Ryan O’Rourke (Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds) is considered a very early second rounder with a chance to move into the first round.

Then there’s the next group that includes Donovan Sebrango and Ville Ottavainen (Kitchener Rangers), Ruben Rafkin (Windsor Spitfires), Kirill Steklov (London Knights), Isaak Phillips (Sudbury Wolves) and today’s profile, Phillips teammate Jack Thompson.

Pull a name out of a hat, stick them in a blender – you can choose your own synonyms – this can literally go in multiple ways.

Jack Thompson of the Sudbury Wolves. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Jack Thompson of the Sudbury Wolves. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Thompson played his Minor Midget AAA with the Toronto Toros during the 2017-2018 season where he scored 17 goals and added 21 assists in 36 games. He followed that up with 5 goals and 4 assists in 10 playoff games.

The 2018-2019 season saw Thompson appear in 52 games for the Wolves. In 52 games, Thompson scored 6 goals and assisted on 10. But it was the 2018 playoffs where it became evident that Thompson’s offence can and will translate to the OHL. In 8 games, he scored once and assisted on 4 others.

During this shortened season, Thompson played in 63 games while scoring 13 goals and adding 19 helpers, finishing first among draft eligible defencemen in goals and third in points.

If there is one concerning stat with Thompson – I know many of you don’t put emphasis on it – it’s Thompson’s plus/minus. Of all the regulars on the Wolves, Thompson was the only player to finish with a negative with a minus-7.

Thompson is still a young, raw defender with a boatload of potential that is going to require patience and a strong development system at the next level. Thompson is a very good skater with excellent mobility with the tools to be able to skate out of trouble in his own zone and run the powerplay from the point. However, he doesn’t always make the right decisions in those situations. Not a big deal though. Experience and development can most importantly, gaining confidence can play a huge role in limiting those errors.

Thompson’s talents show that he can be an effective powerplay quarterback. As mentioned, he can control the powerplay from the blueline. He walks the line with his excellent mobility and he sees the ice so well that he can thread the needle, but again, sometimes he makes the wrong decisions and turns it over. He has a superb shot from the point. Its hard, heavy and accurate and he puts pucks into places that can produce second chance opportunities.

Defensively, Thompson holds his ice well and is usually in position. His skating allows him to recover quickly. He possesses an active stick in the d-zone. He has the ability to skate the puck out of the zone or to make that first good pass, Again, it’s about patience and developing and gaining experience so that he limits the turnovers he is prone too.

There’s been a lot of eyes on the Sudbury Wolves this season because Quinton Byfield is widely considered the number two prospect for the 2020 draft so there’s been a lot of eyes on Thompson. The decision Scouts have to make is whether they believe in the rawness and the potential they see or is he always going to be the offensive defender that is going to cost you on any given night?

We’re betting on the potential.

Zayde Wisdom – Kingston Frontenacs – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’9”

Weight: 195 Pounds

Date of birth: July 7, 2002

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 4, 73rd overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final
N.R. N.R. 90 N.A. 54 N.A.

Perhaps no other player has caught the attention of the scouting world and moved up the rankings as much as Kingston Frontenacs’ Zayde Wisdom has. Wisdom was an after thought on NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch Lists in the preseason and November and jumped all the way to 90th among North American Skaters on their mid-term report.

In fairness to Central Scouting, they weren’t the only ones to “miss the boat”. We here at OHLW didn’t include him on our preseason list, but moved him up to a C prospect on our list (4th, 5th or 6th round prospect) in November. The 90th ranking by Central Scouting sets Wisdom as a late 4th or early 5th round pick when you take into consideration Goaltenders and Europeans.

Zayde Wisdom of the Kingston Frontenacs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Zayde Wisdom of the Kingston Frontenacs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

Wisdom played his Minor Midget AAA hockey during the 2017-2018 season with the Toronto Junior Canadiens where he appeared in 57 games, scoring 15 goals and adding 38 assists. Wisdom had a superb OHL Cup Tournament with 3 goals and 5 helpers in 7 games and helping the Junior Canadiens capture the OHL Cup.

Wisdom played his first Ontario Hockey League game a season ago and played in a total of 60 contests for the Frontenacs. He scored just 3 goals and assisted on 10 others on a team that finished last overall, scored the fewest goals (68 fewer than the next closest) and the second most goals surrendered.

Wisdom wrote a different story this season as a young Frontenacs team improved. He finished the year with 29 goals and 30 assists in 62 games. His 59 points were second only to junior phenom to be Shane Wright on the team. But that is the question many pundits are asking themselves: Just how much was Wisdom the beneficiary of playing with Wright?

That’s not an easy question to answer. To play with a player of Wright’s calibre, you need to be able to think the game at a high level to do so. And you need to put yourself in position when defences are keying in on your best player. Consider this: through the first 10 games while Wright, who was granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada, was getting acclimated to the OHL and going against older players, it was Wisdom who was carrying the offence for the Fronts.

Wisdom is a good skater with good speed and is markedly improved from a year ago. He is able to get on the forecheck quickly and create havoc. He darts into lanes quickly and without hesitation. He’s a small guy at 5’9” but built like a tank. Quite simply he is the little engine that can with a motor and work ethic that never hits pause.

Wisdom is not afraid to go to the dirty areas, in fact, he has a superb net front presence. You’ll find he parks himself in front of the blue paint and yes, he is hard to move. But he’ll also score the majority if his goals from the top of or in the paint. But he also has an excellent shot and release that can beat a goaltender from the high slot or coming down his wing. Frankly, with his ability to find open ice combined with his shot, we are a little bit surprised he doesn’t score more of those goals.

Wisdom has also improved on his puck possession and has learned the importance of maintaining possession in today’s game. He is strong on his feet and hard to separate from the puck. His body is always in a good position to protect the puck. We would like to see his playmaking skills improve. To put it in hockey terms, would like to see his hands catch up to his feet and his head.

We see Wisdom topping out at the NHL level as a third line winger who will provide energy and some offense. He will be able to move up and down the lineup in a pinch.

What we all know for sure is that there have been a lot of eyes on Wright this season. And that bodes well for Wisdom because the more you see him, the more you realize what assets he can bring to the NHL. And all the rankings available are showing just that.

Hayden Fowler – Erie Otters – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 181 Pounds

Date of birth: September 24, 2001

Hometown: Kingston, Ontario

Position: Center/Wing

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 19th overall 2017 Priority Selection (Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds)

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
C Prospect B Prospect 66 N.A.

87 N.A.

Hayden Fowler played his Minor Midget AAA hockey during the 2016-2017 season with the Greater Kingston Frontenacs AAA squad. In 35 games, Fowler scored 22 goals and added 18 helpers. In 10 playoff contests he would contribute 6-4-10 totals. He would also play 3 games with the Kingston Voyageurs of the Ontario Junior Hockey League to end the season and notching one assist.

Here’s what OHL Central Scouting had to say at the time:

Hayden is one of the top prospects in the ETA this year. He is one of the most dynamic skaters and uses his edges better than anyone. He is explosive off the mark and can change gears in mid stride. His one-on-one skills are impressive and help him make many a defender look silly. Hayden is a team-player with great vision and playmaking abilities. He is always looking to set up teammates when the opportunity arises. He has a very high hockey I.Q. and is always in the right spot at the right time.

The Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds selected Fowler with the 19th overall pick at the 2017 Priority Selection.

Fowler would skate for the Greyhounds out of camp during the 2017-2018 season and in 33 games scored twice while assisting on two others. Not quite the start he was hoping for. But on January 6, 2018, the Greyhounds sent Fowler to the Erie Otters along with 9 draft picks for Jordan Sambrook and Taylor Raddysh, and the rest is history.

Hayden Fowler of the Erie Otters. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Hayden Fowler of the Erie Otters. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images

Fowler had a breakout of sorts following the trade, getting more ice time and playing higher on the depth chart that wasn’t going to happen with a Greyhounds squad with championship aspirations. Fowler would go on to skate in 28 games that season for the Otters, scoring 10 goals and 12 assists.

Last season was a down year for Fowler. The major reason was a clavicle injury that cost him 3 months on the shelf. With a September 24, 2001 birthdate, Fowler missed being eligible for the 2019 draft by just 9 days. That may have been a blessing in disguise since missing that much time would have caused him to drop at the draft, and despite scoring 8 goals and 10 assists in 25 games, no one knows just how far he would have dropped.

Fowler took on a larger role this season, including a leadership role as he was named an Alternate Captain in Erie. He appeared in 52 games reaching the 20-goal plateau while also assisting on 22.

There is not much to add to OHL Central Scouting’s scouting report from 3 years ago. Finding consistency has got to be the top priority. When Fowler is on his game skating, taking on defenders one-on-one, setting up teammates for scoring opportunities or unleashing an underrated shot, then it shows he can be a player at the NHL level. But sometimes that consistency is lacking, not just game-to-game, but at times shift-to-shift.

There is no questioning Fowler is an extremely talented hockey player that possesses the tools along with the toolbox. Finding that consistency will be key in how far he can go at the next level.