Over the course of the 2015/16 season, Paul Berthelot and I will be viewing many Ontario Hockey League prospects, both 2016 NHL Draft eligible and CBJ property. Some of these OHL prospects are likely first round picks, and some will be sprinkled throughout the draft. We hope to provide Buckeye State Hockey readers with a game-by-game glimpse of some of these prospects, including tracking data on certain players for every game viewed. This will give some more information and insight into the next stars of both the Blue Jackets and the NHL as a whole.
Last year’s focus was more on the OHL draft eligible defensemen side of things, as that was the central need of the Blue Jackets’ otherwise well-stocked prospect cupboard. This season, however, is a more broad-ranging approach, with forwards and defenders of all sizes and playing styles targeted.
We will of course be focusing on the highly-ranked prospects, but there are definitely going to be some “hidden gem” players and draft risers, which we will also seek to profile.
The Mississauga Steelheads have a trio of potential first round picks in defenseman Sean Day, and forwards Michael McLeod and Alex Nylander, as well as another potential top 90 pick, forward Nathan Bastian. The Steelheads are my “home base” team this year – the majority of my views will be in Mississauga’s Hershey Centre.
Peterborough Petes forward Jonathan Ang is a Paul favourite. The small, speedy, skilled forward is a potential draft riser, and we’ll be all over him all season. The Petes are also home to a top North American goalie in Dylan Wells. Defenseman Matthew Timms will also get some looks, as he’s undersized but has shown some good two-way play in limited 2014/15 viewings. Peterborough are Paul’s home team, so they will be getting a ton of views.
London’s 2016-eligible talent base is easily the most extensive in the league, including American forwards Max Jones and Matthew Tkachuk. Exciting playmaking defender Victor Mete, Finnish import defender Olli Juoveli, and forwards Drake Rymsha and Cliff Pu will also be interesting to watch. If that wasn’t enough, the Knights are home to Columbus-area product and Blue Jackets prospect Kole Sherwood.
Sarnia are home to a candidate for first over-all pick, defenseman Jakob Chychrun, as well as exciting playmaker Jordan Kyrou, who could put himself into first rounder conversation with a big year for the Sting.
Windsor has two players who could be go in the top 60, in the hulking and massively talented center Logan Brown, who stood out immediately in a couple of Spitfires viewings last year, and his sometimes-linemate Luke Kirwan. Defensemen Logan Stanley and Russian import Mikhail Sergyachov are also intriguing prospects. They’ll be joined by Blue Jackets prospect, over-age Norwegian import Markus Soberg.
Last year’s prospect darling team, the Erie Otters, are likely going to be a bit further down the “must view” list this season, but they’ll still have at least two incredibly entertaining eligibles: undersized but highly-skilled center Alex DeBrincat, and sniper Taylor Raddysh.
Other notable prospects we’ll be viewing:
– Flint F Will Bitten
– Guelph F Givani Smith and D Noah Carroll
– Hamilton F Brandon Saigeon
– Kitchener F Adam Mascherin
– Niagara F Christopher Paquette
– Ottawa F Travis Barron
– Saginaw D Keaton Middleton and F Tye Felhaber
– Sault Ste Marie F Tim Gettinger
– Sudbury F Dmitri Sokolov
Throughout the season, we hope to bring you data that isn’t being tracked publicly anywhere else, as well as game reports and notes from every game we view. We hope to become a Blue Jackets fan’s top choice for prospect coverage, and this season’s expanded OHL coverage is our first step.
– Jeremy
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