Future Watch: the highest 2020 draft prospects on the CIBC Canada Russia Sequence

It could be unbelievable if we might simply skip forward to December and name it a day. Everybody’s joyful, the NHL season is nearing the midway level and Spengler Cup mania hits ranges solely beforehand achieved by the Beatles. Or, perhaps that’s the World Junior Championship as an alternative.
With the second worldwide break of the 2019-20 season, the CIBC Canada Russia Sequence serves as a marquee occasion among the many numerous under-20 tournaments round North America. The six-game tourney, performed in six Canadian cities from Nov. Four-14,  serves because the final true showcase to judge gamers for Canada and Russia previous to heading to the Czech Republic for the world juniors in December.
The Canada-Russia collection, which is modeled after the well-known Summit Sequence in 1972, is the second under-20 event for each international locations this season, even when Canada technically doesn’t have a nationwide crew within the event, however as an alternative is cut up into three squads primarily based on the three CHL leagues. However for Russia, the crew isn’t at full power, both. Russia’s ‘B’ crew will play in a 4 Nations occasion in Helsinki later this week, splitting the general expertise pool. A lot of the key gamers can be in Canada, however forwards Pavel Dorofeyev and Grigori Denisenko and defenseman Alexander Romanov are among the many stars staying in Europe.
With 96 video games performed between the CHL and Russia since 2003, the CHL has received 60 particular person video games and 12 of the 16 collection. Russia took the collection final yr when goaltender Pyotr Kochetov went on a roll and allowed simply two objectives in three video games. This yr, the QMJHL received’t have the additional advantage of projected No. 1 prospect Alexis Lafreniere, who’ll miss the 2 video games out east with an undisclosed damage. However, fortuitously, followers of the NHL draft can have quite a lot of names to observe over the following two weeks. Listed below are a dozen 2020 NHL draft prospects it’s essential to find out about, sorted by crew:
Russia
Rodion Amirov, LWThe solely participant that would go toe-to-toe with Vasili Podkolzin in worldwide under-20 play final season, Amirov had 22 factors in 27 video games as considered one of Russia’s prime scoring threats from the age group. Amirov might have the quickest palms within the 2020 NHL draft and makes essentially the most of his alternatives in shut. Amirov was born in October 2001, so he’s really not a lot youthful than somebody like Podkolzin, regardless of lacking the cutoff for the 2019 draft by half a month. Amirov ought to be capable to make Russia’s WJC crew, albeit in a minor position.
Maxim Groshev, RWAs a full-time KHLer with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, Groshev has the best output of any under-19 participant within the KHL this season with 4 assists via 21 video games and is the one skater to play in over 20 video games in that span. Groshev isn’t a dominant participant, however he’s obtained a lot vitality and he can shock individuals with flashy particular person efforts on a nightly foundation. A powerful under-18 event in April might assist his case to make Russia’s WJC crew, however cracking the bottom-six might be a problem. Let’s see how Groshev fares on the smaller North American ice.
Yegor Sokolov, RWPassed over twice on the draft, this is likely to be the yr a crew takes an extended take a look at the 6-foot-Four, 240-pound monster of a ahead. Sitting fourth in QMJHL scoring with 14 objectives and 34 factors, Sokolov is the most effective participant on the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles for a second consecutive season and will crack the 100-point mark for the primary time in his junior profession. So why has he been handed over twice? Among the many top-scoring gamers within the QMJHL, few skate as poorly as Sokolov does, in order that’s one thing he’ll want to enhance if he has a shot on the NHL.
QMJHL
Justin Barron, DBarron’s recreation has actually taken to new heights over the previous year-and-a-half, going from merely a great QMJHL defenseman to a star prospect. Born in November 2001, Barron does have age to his credit score in comparison with different defensive prospects, however the WJC candidate is a robust two-way defenseman who can play nearly any position requested of him. Hockey Canada will use this showcase as an opportunity to see if he matches in as Canada’s seventh defenseman after a robust exhibiting on the World Junior Summer time Showcase in August.
Mavrik Bourque, CWith Lafreniere on the sidelines, Bourque has an ideal alternative to assist enhance his personal draft inventory. Bourque had a quiet Hlinka Gretzky Cup exhibiting in August with only one help in 5 video games, nevertheless it’s been easy crusing ever since: he enters the collection on a six-game level streak with 11 factors in that span. His 23 factors via 17 video games offers him a 10-point benefit over Vasili Ponomaryov for the Shawinigan Cataractes’ crew lead in scoring after exhibiting he can deal with top-line responsibility on a full-time foundation. Bourque is a great participant with a flashy ability set, however it will serve him properly so as to add some extra power to his recreation.
Ryan Francis, RWCurrently sitting sixth in league scoring and a lone level behind Cape Breton teammate Sokolov, Francis has rapidly develop into one of the vital improved gamers within the QMJHL with 33 factors in simply 18 video games. Compared, his earlier excessive was 34 factors in 58 video games, however a promotion to the highest line has clearly carried out wonders for his manufacturing. The plain knock towards him proper now could be the truth that he’s simply 5-foot-Eight and 176 kilos and he’s vulnerable to be pushed round, however he’s obtained a unbelievable launch on his wrist shot and is likely to be one of many hardest-working forwards within the QMJHL with an explosive first stride to win most puck races. It is a excellent alternative to assist enhance his draft standing as he tasks to be extra of a late-round choose at this level.
OHL
Quinton Byfield, CByfield has been one of many hottest offensive performers heading into the draft this yr, failing to document some extent in simply considered one of his 18 video games this season after exploding for 3 objectives and 5 factors for Canada on the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. In truth, with 33 factors in 18 video games, he’s rapidly closed the hole between him and Lafreniere for the No. 1 spot on draft boards, even when Lafreniere merely has the sting for being the higher offensive expertise, amongst different causes. For a giant 6-foot-Four ahead, Byfield has great prime velocity and he can overpower nearly anybody he comes throughout. Byfield isn’t a assure to make Canada’s world-junior crew, however a robust efficiency right here will make it robust for the teaching workers to go away him off.
Cole Perfetti, CByfield stands out as the ahead with all of the hype within the OHL this season, however Perfetti is nearly actually going to have a few 50-goal seasons throughout his NHL profession. In comparison with Chicago sniper Patrick Kane, Perfetti led all OHL rookies with 34 objectives and 74 factors in 2018-19 and is as soon as once more main the Saginaw Spirit offensively with 29 factors via 17 video games. Perfetti can play with nearly anybody as a result of he reads the sport so properly, placing himself ready to succeed and make one thing out of nothing with the puck. Perfetti has one of the vital harmful shot releases within the OHL, and if he can work out find out how to enhance his top-end velocity, he’d be even larger in draft boards. Nonetheless, he’s a surefire top-10 choose in June.
Jamie Drysdale, DDrysdale is essentially the most coveted protection prospect for the 2020 draft and it’s not even shut at this level. Drysdale’s 19 factors in 14 video games is the most effective amongst all under-18 defensemen within the OHL and his 1.12 points-per-game common as a draft-eligible prospect is the third-best over the previous 20 years (Ryan Ellis’ 1.56 in 2008-09 and Ryan Murphy’s 1.25 in 2010-11 take the highest spots). Drysdale may be very assured with the puck, exhibiting a robust willingness to hurry the puck down the ice himself if he believes it’s the best choice, which it recurrently is. By way of pure two-way capability, it doesn’t get higher than Drysdale this season, who has an actual shot at cracking an NHL roster in 2020-21.
WHL
Connor Zary, CBorn precisely 10 days after the draft cutoff of Sept. 15, the 2001-born ahead is ripping up the WHL as the highest undrafted prospect with 22 factors in 15 video games. Zary couldn’t have requested for a a lot better 2018-19: he noticed his offensive manufacturing explode in Kamloops from 29 factors as a rookie to 67 as a sophomore, and he was considered one of Canada’s greatest gamers on the under-18 World Championship with 4 objectives and 7 factors in seven video games. Canada’s depth down the center implies that Zary’s odds of creating the world-junior crew are low, even with the recent begin to the WHL season – he received the league’s participant of the month in September and October – however he’ll be an important member of the crew’s 2021 efforts. In truth, Zary has the general ability with the puck, primarily as a playmaker, to be a 50-point heart within the NHL sometime.
Braden Schneider, DSchneider entered the World Junior Summer time Showcase just a few months again as considered one of Canada’s lengthy shot defenders, nevertheless it looks like he excels in nearly each showcase occasion he performs in. Schneider was Canada’s greatest defenseman in the course of the under-18s on most nights final April and he thrived in most conditions he was thrown into with the under-20 crew over the summer time. Born late in 2001, Schneider has the benefit of being older than different first-year eligible defensemen, and his mixture of top-end velocity, dimension and offensive mindset make him a well-rounded prospect for his age.
Nolan Maier, GThe Saskatoon Blades have an opportunity to win all of it within the WHL this season and Maier is the person tasked with serving to to make that occur. Handed over on the draft desk final June, Maier has a historical past of representing Canada at worldwide tournaments at each degree to date, most notably as Canada’s beginning goaltender on the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup which noticed the nation strike gold in Alberta. Maier appears to play higher the extra photographs he faces throughout an evening, and with the scouting world placing its concentrate on the event, a busy efficiency might actually enhance Maier’s inventory earlier than coming into the draft for the second time.
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Tags: prospects, worldwide hockey, nhl draftConnect: Concerning the AuthorSteven EllisSteven Ellis is a Digital Content material Producer for The Hockey Information. He spends his free time listening to music you would not like and watches obnoxiously-long motor races.