When the NHL Central Scouting final rankings came out Wednesday afternoon, there was little surprise at the top.
Rimouski Oceanic left wing Alexis Lafreniere was the top ranked North American skater, followed by Sudbury Wolves center Quinton Byfield and Erie Otters defenseman Jamie Drysdale.
However, later in the rankings, there are some questionable decisions by NHL Central Scouting, as well as some other notable trends and players who are projecting upward or downward.
Prep prospects: Too high, too low?
As I’ve stated numerous times this year, the top two 2020 NHL Draft prospects in prep school hockey are St. Mark’s defenseman Ian Moore and Lawrence Academy right wing Riley Duran. I thought Moore was ranked about right at 47th while Duran should be pegged a little higher than 95th.
I think Belmont Hill center Ryan McGuire was ranked a little too high at No. 105. While a good second line winger, I would have left off Kimball Union senior Paul Dore. I question his skating in terms of pro (and college) potential.
I wouldn’t have rated either too high, but Dexter Southfield right wing Doug Grimes, a Boston University commit from Brookline, Mass., and Proctor right wing James Tepper of Shrewsbury, Mass., both belonged on the list ahead of Dore. Also, Hotchkiss goaltender and Boston College Henry Wilder and Berkshire goaltender and New Hampshire recruit Jed Baliotti were deserving of mention.
I’m not saying any of the four players I mentioned are sure things to be drafted, but they are better prospects than some other players who made the list.
Stock falling for Biondi, Stranges
Two intriguing players to look at in terms of draft stock falling are Antonio Stranges and Blake Biondi. Both were considered top five American ’02 forwards at one point. Although they’re still highly regarded, both prospects are lower than expected on NHL Central Scouting.
Stranges was an A-rated player to start the season, but now projects to be a third-round pick based on where NHL Central Scouting has him slotted. Ranked 56th, the organization slots him into the third round when you factor in goaltenders and European skaters. Stranges had 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points in 61 OHL games while playing for the London Knights. The legitimate concern is his play away from the puck and whether his high skill level will translate to the pro game when there is far less time and space. His hockey sense is another question mark.
Biondi, who played for Hermantown High School, is ranked 64th. While he’ll still likely go in the third round, it’s somewhat of a drop, considering how highly he was thought of during his first couple seasons of high school hockey.
Hanas, Shlaine snubbed
A couple of American players who I could see going higher than projected by NHL Central Scouting include Cross Hanas and Artem Shlaine.
Hanas, ranked 58th among North American skaters, is a complete hockey player who influences the game in all three zones. He had 22 goals and 27 assists in 60 WHL games this winter. Something tells me he’ll be off the board by the end of the second round.
Shlaine, a Boston University commit who was Shattuck-St. Mary’s top-line center, is a smart, 200-foot center. His vision is good and he’s always on the right side of the puck. His stride is a little bow-legged, but he gets to where he needs to be. He had 26 goals and and 52 assists in 46 games for one of the top 18-U teams in the country. I’d expect Shlaine to be a third-round pick.
Riley undeservingly falls
Boston College commit Grant Riley dropped 10 spots to No. 21 in the NHL Central Scouting final rankings. Riley had a good first year of junior hockey, posting a .911 save percentage with the Janesville Jets.
A native of Rochester, N.Y., Riley has the size and potential to be a NHL goaltender someday. He’ll certainly be selected before many of the other goaltenders ranked above him by NHL Central Scouting.
Nepotism rules
It shouldn’t matter who your father is, but it is continually apparent that NHL Central Scouting puts a huge emphasis on it. Four to five players with famous fathers received a boost in the rankings.
It’s mind boggling to me how the NHL doesn’t put a better product together when it comes to Central Scouting. Many NHL scouts I talked to today had similar feelings. I don’t expect NHL Central Scouting to just go with the status quo. Every scout has a different eye and viewpoints can vary. However, some of the players on NHL Central Scouting make you really scratch your head.
It’s mind boggling that the NHL wouldn’t want their organizations to take Central Scouting seriously. As it stands now, the final rankings for the most part aren’t good for anything other than a chuckle, outside of the obvious players at the top.
