TOP 100 PROSPECTS

PRIOR TO THIS season, of the 15 times there had been an MVP chosen at the world juniors, only twice had it been won by a draft-eligible player. The first was John Tavares (2009) and the second was Jesse Puljujarvi (2016). So, there’s that. Lafreniere became the third to do it, and in doing so, he turned a two- or three-horse race for No. 1 overall in the draft into a predetermined coronation. What the hockey world saw at the WJC is what scouts have been seeing for years. “He’s basically an NHL player right now playing junior hockey,” said one scout. “He has the size, hockey sense, competitiveness, strength…there’s nothing lacking in his game.” Being a late birthday who has played three seasons in the QMJHL, Lafreniere might be the only player in the draft who’s ready to step into the NHL next season. He averaged more than a point per game in major junior at 16. But expectations must be managed, both in the short and long term. “He’s not going to be a superstar, but he’s going to be a star,” said another scout. “He’s going to be a player who can do so many different things in a game.” WHEN SCOUTS LOOK at the abundance of size, skill and physical gifts, it’s impossible to not be excited about the player taken first overall in the 2018 OHL draft. But there are red flags with Byfield. Not many, but enough to make them a little concerned. “He’s got the most upside of any player in the draft,” said one scout. “But potential doesn’t mean realized potential. I don’t believe Quinton yet knows how good he can be.” Those who have watched Byfield the past two years in junior would like to see him be more assertive on a consistent basis. Will that come as he accepts more responsibility and matures, both emotionally and physically? Probably. But it’s not quite there yet, which is why most observers feel he’s not ready for the NHL next season. “He’s 6-foot-4 and an elite skater,” said another scout, “and you don’t find a size and skating package like that ever.” Byfield’s stock took at hit at the WJC, a tournament he went into neck-and-neck with Lafreniere. While Lafreniere excelled and was the best player in the world juniors, Byfield struggled and was relegated to a minor role by the end. IT’S TOUGH TO find a comparison for what Stutzle did in Germany’s top league this season because Leon Draisaitl was playing against teens in the WHL at the same age. Simply put, Stutzle was a key contributor on one of the best teams in the DEL and the welldeserved rookie of the year. “He’s doing things in a men’s league that very few draft picks have done in recent history,” said one scout. “Every game he’s a go-to guy. He’s got such great hockey sense and IQ, he’s got three-zone awareness, he’s good away from the puck, he’s great with the puck. He not only complements other skill players, he actually makes them better.” Stutzle centered an all-draft line for Germany at the WJC with Lukas Reichel and J.J. Peterka on his flanks. Again, Stutzle was a driver on what was a very competitive German squad. “He has elite hands, plays at a high pace and is very cerebral in the offensive zone,” said another scout. “He’s going to have some adjustments when he comes over in terms of his two-way play and ability to compete for the puck, but his skill is through the roof.” MANY SCOUTS WOULD watch Raymond play in Sweden’s top league and leave the arena shaking their heads, wondering how a player who did so many great things was receiving such little ice time. But that’s how they roll in Sweden when it comes to 17-year-olds. When Raymond played junior at home, he looked bored and frustrated. So that leaves competition against the best young players on the planet, and if the world under-18s and WJC are an indication, Raymond is an elite talent at both ends of the ice. And he has a healthy abundance of deception in his game. “He’s a set-up artist,” said one scout. “He sets you up to beat you. He’s so good at keeping opponents at bay, and by the time you realize he’s beaten you, it’s too late.” Because he’s always played against older players and he’s physically a long way from being able to play in the NHL, projections are difficult. “You know what Byfield is going to be, you know what Lafreniere is going to be, you know what Holtz is going to be,” said another scout. “But (Raymond) is the guy where there’s a little bit of faith-based scouting.”

THE VANGUARD PLAYER on a rebuilding Erie Otters squad, Drysdale hasn’t let stardom go to his head – in fact, talent hawks love his humble, laid-back personality. On the ice, however, there’s no hiding just how advanced the blueliner is for the OHL. “He’s seeing everything quicker than everyone else right now,” said one scout. “We use terms like ‘new-age defenseman’ in the NHL, and he might be the poster child one day, the way he processes the game. If he gets his stick on the puck in the defensive zone, there’s a 90-percent chance it’s getting out and up the ice. His zone exits are off the charts.” Drysdale shocked many by earning his way onto Canada’s loaded blueline for the WJC, but they needed him to play important minutes when Bowen Byram got sick before the semifinal. Even more exciting? The kid’s just finding his groove. “He has another ceiling,” said another scout. “I really do think that. You watch him manage a game and he’s really good, but he can do more. Once he gets a little more confidence…the best is yet to come.” ROSSI, WHO WON the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the OHL’s top scorer, was also one of the most popular players in the league’s annual coaches poll. He was named the smartest player, best playmaker and best shootout shooter in the Eastern Conference, while placing top-three in three more categories. “I love the way he plays,” said one scout. “I compare him with Nico Hischier but with a little more bite in his game. Guys try to get under his skin, and he won’t have any of it. He’s skilled, smart, sees the ice well and plays the game the right way. I’m a big fan.” Playing for coach Andre Tourigny in Ottawa, the Austrian import made it a point to try and dominate in practice in order to get better. Keep in mind, the 67’s were one of the best teams in the entire major junior ranks. “He’s got a ton of skill, has the ability to play the game with pace and to play fast and execute and make decisions,” said another scout. “Physically, he might be the guy closest in the OHL to being NHLready. He’s a physical specimen, he’s a workhorse, and he can think the game at that speed.” IT WAS ALMOST comical how many posts and crossbars Perfetti hit in the first month of the OHL season, but the dynamic winger still ended up with huge numbers for Saginaw. Perfetti had a great showing at the CHL-Russia series, earning a WJC camp invite with Canada. He fell short of the final roster, but look for him to grab a key offensive role next year. “He’s a very smart player, that’s what sets him apart from other guys,” said one scout. “The biggest concern for most scouts is skating. For a guy his size, you probably want him to be more explosive, but he’s able to compensate because of his smarts. For me, it’s not a concern.” Even as an OHL rookie in 2018-19, Perfetti’s talents were so dazzling that NHL prospects Owen Tippett and Ryan McLeod asked to play with him when they were traded to Saginaw last year. He’s not a finished product, but the upside is tantalizing. “He’s an elite passer and playmaker,” said another scout. “The difference between him and Marco Rossi is that Cole needs to round out his defensive game. But you’re not drafting him to be a shutdown guy.” THE UNDISPUTED BEST goal-scorer in the draft, Holtz has a thick, powerful frame and an ability to find open ice and dangerous scoring areas. “He’s a shooter,” said one scout. “He’s a really good, intight goal-scorer. He’s hungry, he’s on the puck, he uses his body to gain and to hold advantages. He has great instincts to get into the right spots offensively and find the puck. He wants to score.” But that doesn’t mean that’s all he’s able to do. Playing in the SHL as a teenager against men (he was 17 for half the season), Holtz was forced to play a sound game in all areas of the ice in order to earn his ice time. And even though he projects as having more goals than assists at the NHL level, he’s also able to make plays when the opportunity presents itself. Where countryman Raymond is more of a wild card because he’s not yet physically developed, what you see is what you get with Holtz. “His game now is going to be his game in five years, it’s going to be his game in 10 years,” said another scout. “He’s going to score at the next level. There’s not as much projection. He’s pretty safe.”