Jun 15 Rick Springhetti's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 60 picks Part 4 (1-15)

With the NHL entry draft just a few short weeks away, Mckeen’s hockey scout and reporter Rick Springhetti has put together his personal rankings of the top 60 prospects that he has seen in action. Today, he lists his top 15 players.

15- Jonas Brodin (Defense) Farajestad Swe-1-

As one of the better skating draft-eligible defensemen Brodin plays a smart positional game. On the defensive size, he angles his opponent well and has good gap-control. Offensively, he is not one to skate up the ice with the puck preferring to play a more conservative style but his passes are usually right on target. He has to get a lot stronger though as he can easily be pushed around if cornered by opponents.

14- Boone Jenner (Centre) Oshawa

At 6’2”, 204 lbs, Jenner is the kind of centre that most teams look for. He’s a tireless worker who can do a lot of good things on the ice, from producing his fair share of points, to playing good defense, to being trusted in important face-off situations. His skating is very labored and he has trouble in his first few steps but his ability to anticipate plays somewhat helps him compensate for his skating issues. While not an aggressive physical player he does use his frame correctly to create space for himself.

13- James Oleksiak (Defense) Northeastern

At times, teams will draft a big defenseman hoping that in the long-term, they will be able to play a shutdown role in the NHL but very rarely will there be a 6’7”, 244 lbs defenseman who will have the mobility of a James Oleksiak at such a young age. An impressive skater for such a big man, Oleksiak makes it nearly impossible for opponents to get by him. He doesn’t have great vision or creativity with the puck so it’s hard to predict what kind of impact he will have offensively in the NHL.

12- Mika Zibanejad (Centre/RW) Djugarden Swe-1-

It seems like there is always something positive going on for his team when Zibanejad is on the ice. A complete player, he is able to attack the opposing puck-carrier quickly and effectively leading to opportunities on the rush. He’s a good skater with a powerful stride that is willing to go to the crease. His shot is hard but a little erratic and his passing ability is fine as long as he keeps them short. Most scouts would like to see him bury more of his scoring opportunities but admit that has a lot of tools.

11- Sven Baertschi (LW) Portland

Another Swiss players making a name for himself, Baertschi is a dynamic forward who can create offense in many ways. He’s an excellent skater with the ability to control the puck at high speeds and his passing ability is used at its full capacity due to his superior peripheral vision. Although only 5’10”, he is not intimated the least bit by opponents. Dangerous on the penalty kill, he can get to the puck quickly and move up the ice in no time.

10- Nathan Beaulieu (Defense) Saint John

A lot was expected from him this season and Beaulieu delivered. He’s a real good puck-moving defenseman who, knows when to pinch-in or back-off and is a good skater although he could improve his pivots. While he had a tendency to simply use his natural abilities last season, he’s learned to think the game a lot better this season. He’s also been able to better control his emotions while still playing with a bit of an edge.

9- Duncan Siemens (Defense) Saskatoon

As one of the more physical prospects, Siemans is a hard open-ice hitter who is learning to not take himself out of position to do so.  Skating-wise, he does well, especially laterally. Offensively, he makes simple but effective passes and his shot on net is very adequate. Still has to reel in his temper at times but his overall game has some upside if an organization is willing to be patient. One thing to remember, he’s one of the youngest draft eligible players this year.

8- Ryan Murphy (Defense) Kitchener

When it comes to creating offense from the back end, there is no prospect who does it better than Murphy. A small defenseman at 5’10”, he has very good skating ability and vision, his shot from the point is nasty and he can find openings and takes advantage of them like few can. Defensively, he is underrated, stronger than most people realize and logs a lot of minutes without breaking down.

7- Sean Couturier (Centre) Drummondville

A lot of people in the hockey world expected a lot out of Couturier and some were left disappointed but to his defense, Couturier has had to face a lot of challenges this year; A battle with Mono as the start of the season, the difficulty of having to carry a rather average Drummondville team and the pressure of being the only draft eligible player on Canada’s world junior team. Couturier is a smart, complete player who thinks the game well. He’s able to make good tape-to-tape passes and has an underrated shot. Defensively, he makes good decisions and gives an honest effort in his own zone.  He has average speed but that can improve as he grows into his body.

6- Gabriel Landeskog (LW) Kitchener

Everyone who has seen Landeskog play seems to agree on one thing: He’s ready for the NHL. A physical specimen at 6’5”, 207 lbs, Landeskog does so many things well. He’s smart, he’s a fairly good skater for someone his size, his shot is hard and precise and he is tough as nails. Defensively, he’s as solid as they come. Named team captain at 17 years old, this Swedish-born player is by all accounts an incredibly mature and wise young man. Not sure what his offensive upside in the NHL will be though as he’s not exceptionally imaginative with the puck or with his passing game.

5- Ryan Strome (Centre) Niagara

Strome has the potential to be a real point producer in the NHL and a player who cannot only create offensive opportunities for himself but for his teammates as well. Blessed with very quick hands, he’s able to control the puck at will and his wrist shot is not only hard but he get’s it off without warning. His puck distribution abilities are also very good and his line mates have to be ready for a pass at all times. He is fearless in the crease area without hesitation after loose pucks. Defensively, he can lose interest and his overall effort level is not always 100% but what he does do, few can.

4- Dougie Hamilton (Defense) Niagara

Second Niagara Ice Dog in the top 5, Hamilton is a complete package; He has a solid frame at 6’4”, 187 lbs, his skating is very fluid, he makes the right decisions at both ends of the ice and he’s not afraid to play a physical game. Off ice, he’s demonstrated that he’s a serious young man having received the Student-athlete of the year award in the CHL. A safe bet to make it to the NHL and be a go-to guy for his team.

3- Adam Larsson (Defense) Skelleftea Swe -1-

A mature player for his age, which is especially impressive for a defenseman, Larsson is able to process the play in front of him like few can. Defensively, his judgment is sound, his gap control very good and he makes the right decision very quickly. He is also able to create scoring opportunity due to his impressive passing ability. On top of that, he plays with a little bit of an edge.

2- Jonathan Huberdeau (LW) Saint John

Had a solid but rather quiet season as a rookie last year with Saint John until he exploded offensively during the playoffs and hasn’t looked back since. A extremely smart player, his ability to see the ice is second to none, he has great hands near the opposing net, is not afraid to go in difficult areas where he can take punishment as well as dish it out. An opportunistic player, he can both score or set-up plays and relishes big games situations where he wants to be the difference maker. Defensively, he’s very reliable and won’t leave his team high and dry for the sake of trying to put up points. While he’s a rather average skater in terms of speed that doesn’t hold him back at all.

1- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Centre) Red Deer

The most dynamic overall prospect for this NHL entry draft, it’s not only about all that Nugent-Hopkins can do, it’s also about how fast he can do it. An excellent skater with great first-step quickness, he creates a lot of space and scoring opportunity for his line mates. While he was guilty of passing the puck a little too much earlier in the year, he started using his shot a lot more as the season progressed making it harder for opponents to guess his next move. Defensively, he works very hard and wins most battles for the puck even if at 6’0”, 164 lbs, he is usually facing bigger players. Most scouts agree that he’s the player with the most upside at this year’s draft.

 Rick Springhetti has been QJMHL scout for Mckeen’s hockey for the last 3 seasons and has also contributed scouting reports for prospects all over the world. For more information on Mckeen’s hockey visit http://mckeenshockey.rivals.com/. Rick can be reached at rick1042@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter : @rick1042