Each week, this column will highlight news for NHL prospects and 2019 draft-eligible players, and share some thoughts from recent prospect viewings as we look ahead to June's 2019 NHL draft.
I spent the last week in Ontario getting a closer look at some of the top OHL prospects, along with many of the top U16 players at the OHL Cup -- including Shane Wright, who just became the sixth player to be granted exceptional status to join the CHL early.
Here's a quick look at the prospects I saw during the five-day OHL scouting trip.
Prospect notes | Game to watch
Scouting notebook
Nick Suzuki, LW, Guelph Storm
Every time I see Suzuki play, it seems he shows another element of his game. This time it was his compete level for pucks and defensive responsibility. He's a gifted offensive player and dynamic playmaker, but he kills penalties and battles for pucks as well as anybody.
Nate Schnarr, C, Guelph Storm
It has been a remarkable year for Schnarr, who crested the 100-point mark this season after a career-high 39 last season. Schnarr has size and a good second gear to break past defenders. His puck skills don't jump out, but he can make plays and uses power to give himself better chances.
Liam Foudy, LW, London Knights
Explosiveness is the name of the game with Foudy. He gives defenders such a hard time with his spectacular skating ability, but I think I'd like to see him finish plays better. He had a handful of breakaways in the game I saw, but didn't test the goalie enough. I think another year of junior is going to do him a lot of good because he has the tools to be a dominant player at this level next season.
Evan Bouchard, D, London Knights
Calculating and deliberate, Bouchard plays the game at his own pace. I have some concern about his ability to make the right reads under pressure and at higher speeds, but there's no doubting his offensive sense. The London captain waits for plays to come to him. He still needs rounding out defensively, but I think he's going to be a fine player at the next level.
Joey Keane, D, London Knights
My appreciation for Keane's game has grown a lot over the past year. He's not the biggest guy, but his footwork is excellent, he keeps good tight gaps and closes on forwards quickly. I think his offensive game is flourishing a bit more this season too.
Jason Robertson, LW, Niagara IceDogs
During a four-point night, Robertson showcased why he's been a top scorer in the OHL all season. The 19-year-old has quick hands and a great release. Robertson also sees the ice well and has a good sense of timing in the offensive zone. His point production is notable, but his skating still needs to improve if those numbers are going to translate at the next level. Following another big game Sunday, Robertson won the OHL scoring title with 117 points, 79 of which have come since being traded to the IceDogs earlier in the season.
Jack Studnicka, C, Niagara IceDogs
A player who plays the game at a fast pace and makes those around him better, Studnicka is a shift-by-shift threat because of his skating. He gets behind defenders well and can gain the zone while putting defenders on their heels. Studnicka had an assist in the game I saw.
Ben Jones, C, Niagara IceDogs
A seventh-round pick on the cusp of a 100-point season in the OHL, Jones is a do-everything kind of player who can play in all situations thanks to solid hockey sense. He just keeps getting better.
Akil Thomas, C, Niagara IceDogs
In the midst of a huge draft-plus-one season, the second-round pick has above-average speed with a good second gear. He's sure-handed with the puck and has good vision to make plays. Thomas is also involved on both sides of special teams and wears a letter. He's getting more aggressive in fighting for ice, especially down the middle and in front of the net. There's not as much floating in his game. He finished the season with 102 points in 63 games.
Jonathan Yantsis, LW, Kitchener Rangers (2019 draft eligible)
Yantsis had a four-goal night for Kitchener, and it's looking more and more likely he's going to get drafted. The 19-year-old has registered 50 goals on the season. Coming into 2018-19, Yantsis had eight career OHL goals. He's big, strong and has good hands in tight. The reason he is unlikely to be a high-round pick is his skating, but that size and production is coveted.
Riley Damiani, C, Kitchener Rangers
One of Kitchener's top offensive performers, Damiani has good skills and quickness. He made a lot of nice reads and passes over the course of the game. He isn't under contract in the NHL yet, but I would not be surprised to see Dallas get him locked up soon. Damiani needs more time in junior, but he's going to be a prospect to watch for Dallas fans.
Quinton Byfield, C, Sudbury Wolves (2020 draft eligible)
One of the few players who could threaten Alexis Lafreniere for No. 1 in the 2020 draft, Byfield is powerful, skilled, smart and an excellent skater. He's only 16 but is often the best player on the ice. It's going to be fun to watch his growth next season.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G, Sudbury Wolves
UPL has been the best goalie in the OHL this season based on save percentage. He's so confident between the pipes, takes up a ton of net and could be one of the most promising young netminders outside of the NHL right now. As one NHL scout told me, "He's the best goalie in the CHL, by far." He had 33 saves on 34 shots when I saw him play Peterborough.
Nicholas Robertson, RW, Peterborough Petes (2019 draft eligible)
Robertson is one of the most entertaining players in the 2019 draft class, thanks to his fast pace of place, creativity and desire to shoot as much as he can. Despite Peterborough losing the game I watched, Robertson was a scoring-chance generator. It wasn't a perfect game from him, but he's a no-doubt first-rounder for me. We'll see if NHL teams agree.
Ryan Suzuki, C, Barrie Colts (2019 draft eligible)
Suzuki made some really excellent plays, scored a goal and added an assist, but this Barrie team just didn't have a lot of weapons this season. They ended up losing this game 5-4 after holding a 4-1 lead over Mississauga late in the third. Suzuki's defensive game needs a lot of work, but he's a high-end playmaker who creates chances.
Thomas Harley, D, Mississauga Steelheads (2019 draft eligible)
The Steelheads' top prospect on the roster after the team dealt away multiple star players ahead of the trade deadline, Harley seemingly plays half the game. He is very offensive-minded, sometimes leading the rush up the ice. He skates well, has good footwork defensively and has a good long reach. It's easy to see why he'll likely be a first-round pick.
Quick hitters
Kaapo Kakko (2019 draft eligibles) scored his 22nd goal of the Liiga season Thursday, giving him the record for most goals scored in a single season by a U18 player. The record was previously held by Aleksander Barkov, who had 21 in 2012-13. Kakko also is now the owner of the third-most productive season by a U18 player in Liiga's history with 38 points in 45 games. Only Barkov and Mikael Granlund had more points as 17-year-olds.
Jack Hughes and Cole Caufield (2019 draft eligibles) also achieved pretty significant milestones over the weekend, and they did it on the same play. Hughes became the U.S. National Team Development Program's all-time leading point scorer amid a five-assist night, while Caufield became the program's all-time leading goal-scorer in scoring six in one game. Hughes passed Clayton Keller and now has 194 career points after his nine points over two games against the Green Bay Gamblers. Caufield surpassed Phil Kessel for the career goal mark and now has 106. He's just four goals from surpassing Kessel's single-season goal record of 55. Since the record-breaking point and goal were registered on the same play, the players had the record-breaking puck sawed in half.
The Columbus Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate is about to get a big boost from a pair of prospects. Alexandre Texier, fresh off a career season in Finland's Liiga, has joined the Cleveland Monsters for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, the team is also expected to get top goalie prospect Elvis Merzlikins, who has been lights out over the past four seasons while playing in Switzerland's top pro league.
The Detroit Red Wings sent Filip Zadina back down to the AHL after a nine-game run with the team. Zadina's contract is eligible to slide a year, and by sending him down, Zadina will not be eligible for the forthcoming expansion draft in 2021. He had a goal and two assists in his run with the Wings.
In Ontario I got my first live look at Shane Wright (2020 draft eligible), who joined John Tavares, Connor McDavid and others by gaining "exceptional status" to enter the OHL early. It's clear this 15-year-old is an immense talent. His skating is high-end and he makes plays all over the ice. Wright didn't have his best game when I watched him, but heading into Monday's OHL Cup championship game, Wright leads all players in the tournament with 15 points. He needs four more points in the final to match Connor McDavid's epic OHL Cup performance in 2012.
Prospect game of the week
ECAC Championship Game
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET
ESPN+
The ECAC tournament should be pretty intense with three Ivies -- Cornell, Brown and Harvard -- and a determined Clarkson squad that's been pretty good all season.
Among the prospects to keep a close eye on this weekend is Cornell sophomore and New York Rangers pick Morgan Baron, who has been on fire this season with 32 points in 32 games. Big power forward Beau Starrett, a senior at Cornell and Chicago Blackhawks draft pick, is another prospect to track in the semifinal on Friday against Brown (4 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
In the Friday night Clarkson-Harvard semifinal (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+), top college free agent Nico Sturm of Clarkson and Harvard junior defenseman Adam Fox are superstar college players. Fox's Crimson teammate and fellow Carolina Hurricanes prospect Jack Drury could also be a key factor for Harvard as a versatile freshman forward.
The two winning teams will duel on Saturday night in the championship game.