From HockeyProspect.com | Press Release
February 28th, 2014 – Earlier this week HockeyProspect.com released its February Top 10 rankings as a preview to its full Top 60 2014 NHL Draft Prospects Rankings released today. The top 30 NHL prospects are viewable for the general public, while the full top 60 is only viewable for NHL Draft and All Access subscribers.
HP’s Mark Edwards commented about this month’s list. ”Our previous rankings were posted on January 10th, so we’ve had several viewings of players leading up to our February list. While we have had some movement in the first round, the most significant changes affect players we had grouped on our internal lists in subsequent rounds.”
After the change at the top of the list, one player making a big jump in the first round is Nikita Scherbak, from the Saskatoon Blades. Nikita is posting big numbers despite the fact that he is a rookie in the WHL. Scherbak currently leads the rookie scoring race in the WHL by 22 points. Nikita measured in at 6’1” 178 lbs at the Top Prospects Game back in January. Much like his play during the regular season, he impressed NHL scouts in Calgary that night.
There are new entrants in our top 30 this month. Goaltender Thatcher Demko sat just outside our top 30 all season but he has played his way into our first round. HockeyProspect.com’s Rochester based scout, Russ Bitely, scouted him recently, “He is very technically sound and uses his size to his advantage. He makes the big saves to always give his team a chance to win.” Demko plays for Boston College where he has posted a 1.74 GAA and a .937 save percentage this season.
Also moving into our top 30 is the Barrie Colts Brendan Lemieux. HP’s Mark Edwards weighed in on the former Toronto Red Wing, “One reason Brendan has moved up a few spots into our top 30 is because his skating has improved, especially if you go all the way back and compare it now to his AAA days in the GTHL.” Edwards continued “You can’t teach a player to play the way he plays, he’s the guy you love when he’s a teammate and absolutely hate if he’s not.” Lemieux has 21 goals and 23 assists in 56 games.
With new entrants into the top 30 there are obviously players who slipped out of the first round. Robert Fabbri and Brycen Martin have 2nd round grades this month.
Subscribers can log in to view the full Top 60 2014 NHL Draft Rankings. Our next prospect rankings will be with the release of our 2014 NHL Draft Black Book in late May.
NHL Draft Rankings Players 1-30 – February 28th, 2014
|
HP
|
PLAYER
|
TEAM
|
LEAGUE
|
POS
|
HEIGHT
|
WEIGHT
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | REINHART, SAM | KOOTENAY | WHL | C | 6′ 0.75″ | 185 |
| 2 | EKBLAD, AARON | BARRIE | OHL | D | 6′ 3.5″ | 216 |
| 3 | EHLERS, NIKOLAJ | HALIFAX | QMJHL | LW | 5′ 11.5″ | 162 |
| 4 | BENNETT, SAMUEL | KINGSTON | OHL | C | 6′ 0.25″ | 178 |
| 5 | RITCHIE, NICHOLAS | PETERBOROUGH | OHL | LW | 6′ 2.25″ | 231 |
| 6 | DAL COLLE, MICHAEL | OSHAWA | OHL | C/LW | 6′ 1.5″ | 179 |
| 7 | DRAISAITL, LEON | PRINCE ALBERT | WHL | C | 6′ 1.75″ | 208 |
| 8 | PERLINI, BRENDAN | NIAGARA | OHL | LW | 6′ 2.5″ | 205 |
| 9 | NYLANDER, WILLIAM | SODERTALJE | SWEDEN-2 | C/RW | 5′ 11.0″ | 169 |
| 10 | SCHERBAK, NIKITA | SASKATOON | WHL | RW | 6′ 2.0″ | 174 |
| 11 | KAPANEN, KASPERI | KALPA | FINLAND | RW | 6′ 0.0″ | 180 |
| 12 | TUCH, ALEX | USA U-18 | USHL | C/RW | 6′ 3.5″ | 213 |
| 13 | FLEURY, HAYDN | RED DEER | WHL | D | 6′ 2.5″ | 198 |
| 14 | KEMPE, ADRIAN | MODO JR. | SWEDEN-JR. | LW | 6′ 1.5″ | 187 |
| 15 | VIRTANEN, JAKE | CALGARY | WHL | RW | 6′ 0.75″ | 208 |
| 16 | BARBASHEV, IVAN | MONCTON | QMJHL | C/LW | 6′ 1.0″ | 185 |
| 17 | LARKIN, DYLAN | USA U-18 | USHL | C | 6′ 0.75″ | 190 |
| 18 | BLEACKLEY, CONNER | RED DEER | WHL | C | 6′ 0.5″ | 192 |
| 19 | MCCANN, JARED | SAULT STE. MARIE | OHL | C | 6′ 0.25″ | 179 |
| 20 | HONKA, JULIUS | SWIFT CURRENT | WHL | D | 5′ 10.5″ | 178 |
| 21 | GOLDOBIN, NIKOLAY | SARNIA | OHL | RW | 5′ 11.5″ | 178 |
| 22 | PASTRNAK, DAVID | SODERTALJE | SWEDEN-2 | RW | 6′ 0.0″ | 167 |
| 23 | VRANA, JAKUB | LINKOPING | SWEDEN | LW/RW | 5′ 11.0″ | 185 |
| 24 | DEMKO, THATCHER | BOSTON COLLEGE | H-EAST | G | 6′ 3.75″ | 192 |
| 25 | SCHMALTZ, NICK | GREEN BAY | USHL | C | 5′ 11.5″ | 172 |
| 26 | LEMIEUX, BRENDAN | BARRIE | OHL | LW | 6′ 0.0″ | 206 |
| 27 | MILANO, SONNY | USA U-18 | USHL | LW | 5′ 11.5″ | 183 |
| 28 | DEANGELO, ANTHONY | SARNIA | OHL | D | 5′ 10.75″ | 175 |
| 29 | KARLSSON, ANTON | FROLUNDA JR. | SWEDEN-JR. | RW | 6′ 1.25″ | 187 |
| 30 | HAWRYLUK, JAYCE | BRANDON | WHL | C | 5′ 10.25″ | 190 |
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