Central Scouting Checks In… (Part 1)

Prospect watchers eagerly await and analyze each list that comes out. It’s the nature of the beast. They wanna know who’s up and who’s down. They want to know why NACS is hot on a prospect that ISS won’t give a second look to. Or maybe why Redline and McKeen’s can’t agree on some member of the USNTDP. But everyone waits for Central Scouting. Even guys who get paid to stand along the rails of the junior circuit for NHL teams, use CSB’s list as a guide for players to watch or players they might have missed or players that deserve a second look.  Make no mistake, most of these kids have been garnering pro attention for long before the beginning of this season.  Scouts knew who John Tavares was at 13 years old, Matt Duchene at 14.  Jon Merrill, a defenseman for the USNTDP and a prospect eligible for the Draft this season has had a verbal commitment to the University of Michigan since 2006, just after he entered Grade 9! Central Scouting’s list never fails, for better or worse, always generates controversy when it’s released. So, let’s get to this year’s prelims shall we?

Risers

Ryan Martindale (6’3″ – 195lbs) – Ottawa 67s OHL

An expected riser. Martindale has had a great start to the season. When Logan Couture graduated from the OHL last season, the 67s expected to lose their offensive catalyst. Many expected sophomore Tyler Toffoli to step into the void. Martindale actually has.  The big centre is developing a reputation as a solid playmaker.  But at his size, scouts would like to see him assert himself more and get his hands dirty. (CSB Rank: 7th among OHL skaters)

Cameron Wind (6’1″ – 200lbs) - Brampton Battalion OHL

To say that Cameron Wind was under the radar coming into the season is an incredible understatement.  This is a defenseman that managed only three assists in twenty-eight games last season with the Eastern Conference Champion Brampton Battalion.  But on a team that lost its entire leadership core last off-season, Wind has stepped up.  Thress goals and two assists in twenty games is a statistical improvement but more impressive is Wind’s positional play, his skating and his physicality have earned him a reputation as a defensive presence on a Brampton team where there hasn’t been much to get excited about this season (CSB Rank: 18th among OHL skaters)

Jakub Culek (6’3″ – 175lbs) – Rimouski Oceanic QMJHL

Rimouski’s big import acquisition this year was supposed to be Petr Straka. And it has been, Straka has asserted himself as a dangerous sniper for the Oceanic.  But Culek has become Rimouski’s reliable big body playmaker down the middle. His offensive game has translated well to the North American ice and he’s starting to utilize his frame in traffic areas which has likely contributed to his rising status with Central Scouting and other agencies. (CSB Rank: 4th among QMJHL skaters)

Konrad Abelthauser (6’5″ – 190lbs) – Halifax Mooseheads QMJHL

It’s not often that six-foot-five defensemen take people by surprise at anything. But this does seem to be a year for imports in the Q.  Abelthauser’s team in Halifax is at that level one step beyond awful but the German import is providing a defensive rock for the Mooseheads, he’s also contributing on offense. He’s still got to develop a physical game but adding 30 pounds of muscle as he develops will aid in that particular enterprise. A strong performance in the next 10-15 games might even earn him an invite to the CHL Top Prospects Game (CSB Rank: 13th among QMJHL skaters)

Nino Niederreiter (6’1″ – 205lbs) – Portland Winterhawks WHL

Switzerland’s biggest issue on the international stage has been an inability to produce scoring threats outside of expat Canadians like Paul DiPietro. The quality of Swiss defensive products like Yannick Weber, Luca Sbisa and Roman Josi, meant it was only a matter of time before homegrown Swiss forwards started upping their game. Niederreiter was explosive at the Under-18s last year and is bringing his burgeoning power forward game to the WHL with great results (CSB Rank: 6th among WHL skaters)

Emerson Etem (5’11.75″ – 190lbs) – Medicine Hat Tigers WHL

In the tradition of Jon Blum and Mitch Wahl, another Wayne Gretzky product has staked his claim in the Dub. Etem played last year from the USNTDP and the season before for Shattuck-St. Mary’s.  In his first season in the Dub, he’s a point per game player and a dangerous sniper with velvet hands and speed to burn. He was expected to be good when he made the jump to Willie Desjardins’ squad this season. No one expected him to be THIS good (CSB Rank:  4th among WHL skaters)

Tumblers

Tyler Toffoli (6’0″ – 183lbs) – Ottawa 67s OHL

Toffoli joined forces with John McFarland and Tyler Seguin at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament to bring a world of hurt on Canadian opponents. The three of them were expected to continue their hot play right into the opening of the OHL season this year. Seguin has and finds himself widely regarded as a Top Two prospect. McFarland has had some trouble changing gears and finds himself much where he left off last season. Toffoli has been ice cold. Expected to be Ottawa’s feared sniper with his world class stickhandling and snap release, he finds himself riding shotgun to Ryan Martindale. He’s started to step it up but still finds himself as a bubble first rounder. (CSB Rank:  14th among OHL skaters)

Maxime Clermont (6’0″ – 189) – Gatineau Olympiques QMJHL

Clermont came into the Q surrounded by some serious hype. He was supposed to be the next great Q goaltending prospect. Another Hockey Canada hero.  He held his own as a 16 year-old and helped Gatineau into the Memorial Cup in his rookie year behind overager Ryan Mior.  He fell off, hard, last year ad failed to get a spot for either Under-18 team for which he was eligible. His numbers are respectable this year, but he’s not what he was once expected to be. (CSB Rank: 3rd among QMJHL goaltenders)

Mark Stone (6’2.25″ – 188lbs) – Brandon Wheat Kings WHL

This is supposed to be the rock star year for the Brandon Wheat Kings.  Last year they got to be Cinderella, even up until the Calgary Hitmen turned them back into a pumpkin.  Stone was expected to be this year’s Scott Glennie, a big power forward capable of putting up the points while playing Little John to Brayden Schenn’s Robin Hood. Stone appeared in three games before being sidelined with a broken thumb. He should make his return later this month but he’ll have to hit the ground running. (CSB Rank: 11th among WHL Skaters)

Glaring Omissions

Joey Hishon (5’10.5″ – 190) – Owen Sound Attack OHL

For one of Canada’s leading scorers from the spring Under-18 Tournament to be left off the list is one hell of a feat. Hishon was a slow starter this year. But so was his entire team. He was getting more concentrated defensive coverage and it was getting tougher for him to skate through it.  Hishon’s hockey sense still rates of the charts and he succeeds as a playmaker and in the face-off circle. An injury has sidelined him recently but with his team’s rejuvenated play of late, there’ll be no doubt that we’ll see him on CSB’s midterms. (CSB Rank: unranked)

Guillaume Asselin (5’10″ – 170) – Montreal Junior QMJHL

There was talk that Asselin could be that best Canadian born forward draft eligible in the Q this season. As with Devon McAusland before him, it seems the skill has yet to match the hype to this point in Asselin’s major junior career.  Montreal’s not a good team, which contributes to Asselin’s performance no doubt, but star players have carried mediocre junior teams in the past. Rumours that star goaltender Jake Allen might be shipped out of town are likely taking their toll on the dressing room. Still it might just be that Asselin like Hishon is considered another undersized forward with an upside that’s really tough to project. (CSB Rank: unranked)

Stay Tuned for Part 2 for European and USHL rankings…