Seven players from New England were selected at the 2021 NHL draft that took place over the weekend. Michigan center Matty Beniers of Hingham, Mass., led the local charge, going number two overall to the Seattle Kraken.
Several local players went undrafted who were once pegged as possible draft picks. There isn’t just one reason, but the Coronavirus’ impact on hockey was a contributing factor in a few players falling off draft boards.
With New England prep hockey shutdown for the most part, players were forced to find other avenues to hit the ice. It resulted in some players not being seen as much as a normal year while others were exposed for their faults due to playing junior hockey.
J.P. Turner was a really good high school, prep school, and midget player over the past three seasons. The Falmouth, Mass., native found the score sheet for Falmouth High School, Avon Old Farms and the Neponset Valley River Rats. He’s a good player, who shoots it hard, competes, and brings a lot of leadership intangibles.
However, with Avon Old Farms on hold, he headed to the USHL to play for the Sioux Falls Stampede. In 21 games, he had just four goals. It was a far cry from putting up 19 goals and 16 assists in 27 games for AOF in 2019-20. Turner’s skating was the main reason for his lack of production in the USHL. If it had been a normal year, without Coronavirus ramifications, Turner likely lights up prep school and split season midget hockey. He almost certainly would have been drafted over the weekend.
The point of this isn’t to criticize Turner. He’s a good player from the local area who is committed to play college hockey at New Hampshire. It is more meant as a cautionary tale that NHL teams shouldn’t value prep production as much as they sometimes do. Furthermore, it’s an indication of just how good the USHL is and how difficult it is to score in the top Tier 1 junior league in the United States.
Turner wasn’t the only local player to fall off draft boards. A few other area players with hopes of being selected went undrafted, including St. Sebastian’s center Tim Delay of Hingham, Mass. The Boston College commit can wow scouts with his high end skating and skill. He didn’t opt for junior hockey, but played in limited games for the Boston Junior Eagles 18-U.
While Delay’s physical tools aren’t questioned, his compete and hockey sense were a deterring factor when NHL teams chose to overlook him. After first opting for the BCHL, it appears Delay will spend 2021-22 in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers. From there, he’ll head to Chestnut Hill to play for Jerry York’s Eagles.
Delay and several other local players fell victim to limited viewings in front of NHL scouts, due to Coronavirus protocols put in place during the last hockey season.
The USHL, one of the few leagues in the world that did best by its players in fulfilling a mostly complete regular season, enjoyed a banner year at the draft. Nine players from the league were chosen in the first round and 50 prospects in total heard their names called. It was the fourth year in a row the league boasted 50 or more draft picks.
In conclusion, this year’s draft proved several things that I’ve been saying for quite a while. It is beneficial for NHL clubs to put a high priority on USHL players, as opposed to overvaluing prep and high school statistics. Showing high compete, getting out of your comfort zone, and having a willingness to play at the higher levels are traits that NHL teams value.
Mount Saint Charles sits atop the mountain
No local program came close to enjoying the success at the 2021 NHL draft that Mount Saint Charles experienced. The Woonsocket, R.I., program had five current or former players selected over the weekend.
Forwards Zachary Bolduc and Owen McLaughlin, and defensemen Guillaume Richard, Joaquim Lemay and Nate Benoit (Bow, N.H.) were all drafted on Friday and Saturday. Bolduc, whose stay with the school was short, was a first round pick of the St. Louis Blues.
What co-directors Matt Plante and Devin Rask have built in a short time is remarkable. Their track record of success dates back to their time at South Kent Selects Academy. Kudos also goes out to 14-U coaches Frank O’Connor and John O’Connor, who do a large portion of the school’s recruiting.
