CALGARY -- The Canadian Hockey League -- a collection of the major junior hockey leagues in Canada (QMJHL, OHL and WHL) -- staged its Top Prospects game this week, and I was on hand to take in the event, as well as connect with scouts and executives. Going back to my top 30 draft prospects column from the preseason, 21 of those 30 play in the CHL, so this was a good chance to get an update on many of the top players that will be on the board this summer.
I tend to give a slight emphasis to puck possession skill in my evaluations, based on numerous studies that show it is the single best predictive measure of team-level success at higher levels. Performance is taken into account as another factor, adjusted appropriately for team strength, league quality and other contextual elements.
This contest featured a game-winning goal by Sault-Ste. Marie’s Jared McCann, but Kootenay’s Sam Reinhart really jumped off the ice. Here’s a deeper look at the top draft prospects that appeared in this game:
Anthony DeAngelo, D, Sarnia (OHL)
DeAngelo flashes his great offensive tools, which is the strength of his game as evidenced by his OHL scoring totals. He's a very skilled puck mover, who is dangerous on the mad advantage. The reason I may hold back from tagging him as a first-round prospect is his play on the defensive end. DeAngelo is undersized, and regularly on the wrong end of scoring chances. It would be one thing if he was making good plays but being out-muscled, however he's not making the proper defensive reads on some occasions. To be fair, I said the same thing about Derrick Pouliot in his draft year, and he ended up proving me wrong by developing well.
Leon Draisaitl, C, Prince Albert (WHL)
After a less-than-stellar performance at the IIHF World Junior Championship, Draisaitl had a less-than-stellar top prospects game. He remains one of the top prospects in the 2014 NHL Draft, as he's a skilled forward with power qualities, but some concerns remain, particularly with his skating. In this game, he generated a little offense, but not a ton.
Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, Halifax (QMJHL)
Ehlers didn't play a whole lot in this game. The fourth line wasn't used as an actual fourth line, but it wasn't far off. However, when he did see the ice, Ehlers looked dynamic, as his puck skills are outstanding. He made quick, quality reads on his distributions and he seemed to be in on one scoring chance per shift.
Aaron Ekblad, D, Barrie (OHL)
Ekblad was one of the better defenders out there, but this was just a good game for him, not great. He made many defensive stops and moved the puck well, but also had some uncharacteristic giveaways and moments where he seemed to be fumbling the puck instead of calmly moving it. Ekblad has another level, so the fact that a "good" game for him results in his being cited among the top blue-line prospects speaks volumes to what kind of prospect he is.
Haydn Fleury, D, Red Deer (WHL)
A big defenseman who is very mobile, skilled, and also lays the body, Fleury is an intriguing prospect. He made several quality defensive plays here, on top of flashing the pure raw talent. Fleury can make the occasional bad decision or read, such as a time in the game where he could have cycled the puck after joining the rush, but made the wrong call to double back to his defense spot. There were a few other instances of questionable decisions, but Fleury's shifts were generally impressive.
Nikolai Goldobin, RW, Sarnia (OHL)
Goldobin has been one of the top scorers in the OHL this season, and showed why that's the case in this game -- he was all over the place offensively. Goldobin has great puck skills, above-average skating ability and made some really impressive distributions. On one play, he got a great cross-feed pass from DeAngelo and had a lane to shoot from close in, but opted to tap pass to an open Reinhart for the easy goal.
Josh Ho-Sang, C, Windsor (OHL)
Ho-Sang has been one of the hardest players to get a handle on in this year's class, and this game was a prime example of it. On some shifts, he made some very questionable decisions. On others, Ho-Sang was dynamic with his blinding speed and top-end playmaking instincts. He created several scoring chances, including the one that led to the game-winning tally.
Jared McCann, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
The Soo's GM Kyle Dubas noted to the media that McCann was playing against the top quality of competition in OHL games, while also playing the most minutes among his team's forwards. It was evident at this game why he has been deployed in such a manner. McCann showed a good commitment and awareness in his own end, but once he got the puck back, was able to use his high-end skill and instincts to push the play the other way and create scoring chances. That type of two-way play is in high demand for pivots at the higher levels. His shot is also of the high-end variety, and that was on full display on the game-winning goal.
Mason McDonald, G, Charlottetown (QMJHL)
McDonald was the backup goalie at the Ivan Hlinka tournament for Canada and didn't play, and has only played in 14 games this season in the QMJHL. However, during the time he played in this game, he flashed some significant tools between the pipes. At 6-foot-3, he covered the net well, but made a ton of tough stops with his movement. McDonald moves laterally very well, with quick reads that allowed him to stop a couple sure or near-sure goals.
Aaron Irving, D, Edmonton (WHL)
Though he never made plays that stood out in a dynamic way, Irving made so many smart plays throughout the course of the game. He got his stick in lanes, made nice quick tap passes, closed his gaps efficiently, and stepped up to deliver timely hits to maintain possession. Irving's been a riser this season for his two-way play and certainly looked like a prospect that will go in the first three rounds.
Sam Reinhart, C, Kootenay (WHL)
Reinhart got some heat after an average performance at the WJC, but showed flashes of the top-flight player he can be during this contest. Reinhart's hockey sense is off the charts. The kind of passes he made in terms of space, distance and what he had to do to create the lane were plays that very few players can make. Reinhart also showed off some flashy puck-handling, an area that didn't shine through at the WJC, but is a top area of his game.
Nikita Scherbak, RW, Saskatoon (WHL)
Scherbak has been really impressive as a rookie in the CHL. Scherbak's passes are crisp, his decisions are quick, and he's always looking to make a play. He also has a pretty sturdy frame to go along with good anticipation of where the play is going and great vision. Scherbak was always around the puck in this game, either setting up a chance or getting his own through individual work. He's now on the radar as a potential first-round talent.