NHL central Scouting just released their preliminary lists for this year.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=84930
2 Tigers made the list.
Hunter Shinkaruk is rated #2
Spenser Jensen is rated #25
This list is basically a top 25 preliminary list for each league. During the midterm rankings they usually expand into 1 big list and include more players.
(When the list expands I think Tyler Lewington, Trevor Cox, and Jayden Hart will have good shots at making the mid-term lists however all players can use this as motivation for not being preliminary listed. I think Hart would have made the preliminary list if he had remained healthy)
Other shots
Edit: I missed Gavin Broadhead as being draft eligible
Ty Stanton, Chad Labelle, Matt Staples, Cole Sanford are all 1st year eligilble for the upcoming NHL draft as well. They are probably not on the radar as of yet
With the Injuries at forward I'd like to see Sanford with an increased role. I think Sanford has potential to suprise given more icetime. He is on my list as an underutlized player to watch for.
Staples is too raw at this point. I see Labelle as more of a Bretton Cameron style grinder who may be able to score some goals in the whl as he gains more experience.
Stanton had a couple injuries but could be given consideration if he can stay healthy and show consistent improvement. Pre-season Stanton was seen as a physical guy, but now that a few games has passed I see him as more of a 2 way Dman with some offensive potential, a little raw but not as raw as Staples.
Gavin Broadhead I see as more of a grinder/late bloomer. I dont think he will garner consideration this year but the road is long and if he keeps up that work ethic could be a player who gets a contract at 20 but it is waay to early.
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Spensen Jensen
I am not suprised that Spenser Jensen made the list.
Their is a poll on the Tigers website about most improved player. IMO the "most improved player" is not on that list which is Spenser Jensen by a mile.
Spenser was a forward last year. I found myself wondering pre-season where exactly he fit on the defensive depth charts. Jensen's ice time the last month has increased, as you'll notice he has been starting the game with Busenius on the back-end.
Jensen is listed as 6'4 191 lbs. For a bigger guy he has incredible acceleration and speed to match the speed of opponent forwards who try and beat him wide. Jensen has shown that he brings a physical presence along the boards, and more often that not wins the small battles.
If Jensen can bring a bit more offense to his game and maintain his strong defensive play he will shoot up the rankings.
Hunter Shinkaruk
I've seen him listed as anywhere from 3rd-15th on overall scouting lists. One interesting note about his 2nd position on the CSS prelim rankings is that he is 6 spots above Curtis Lazar who has been neck and neck with him on other preliminary lists. I think Hunter dropped a bit early in the season but has made a slow incline the past month.
With Hunter being injured for 2 weeks it should give extra opportunities on the powerplay and more icetime to the 16/17 year old rookies. I hope a couple of them can take off with this opportunity.
I remember when Shinkaruk was 16 it was an early season injury which gave shinkaruk more icetime. He has ran with it and never looked back.
10 comments:
What about Kyle Becker? Shouldn't he be on the list?
Only 94's born between Sept 15th, and December 31st are 1st year eligibles.
He had a great start to the year. I think he still has areas of this game that he needs to work on.
At this point I don't see him getting picked his 2nd time through but I think if he improves by the time he is 20 he has a chance to earn a contract.
Early in the season I said I would put money on Becker that he earns a contract by 20.
I would still do that but he needs to work on his mobility and work on that first pass out of the zone. I think he has been either fighting the puck or getting slightly complacent.
When he is able to get te puck and make a solid first pass out of the zone he looks like a defensive stud, but their are games where it's not all their.
Becker, a first year player, has been paired with either Stanton or Staples, also rookies, since Jensen has moved up to play first line duties with Busenius. Lewington is also paired with an experienced D man in Ryckman. Becker hasn't got the benefit of playing with a veteran to build his confidence and cover for his inexperience. He has been given the responsibility of covering other rookie's inconsistent play. He looks pretty good when you put his assigned role into perspective.
I agree. I just think he has more to give.
A yellow flag on becker would be his mobility, and their were a few games where he looked slow.
Inside Scoop: Although this does not pertain to our Tigers. Ryan Murray of the Everett Silvertips could be lost for the season, with a torn labrum in his shoulder.
There were a few games where the entire team looked slow. I like Becker's offensive contribution. He sure looks mobile walking the line and you can't argue the fact that he is one of the top two scoring rookie defenseman in the entire league. His reduced point production and minus games directly correspond to the change in d pairings mentioned by an earlier poster. I'd like to see Becker be given the opportunity to play once again with a veteran instead of having to play with the other rookie of Stanton/ Staples. Let the Veteran D men take some of the grooming responsibility.
I still like Becker just his inexperience is showing.
The Tigers have often rotated their guys quite often during the game they don't really have 1 set partner.
Many of the players listed above are 95's and will only be 17 at the time of the draft. Why would they be eligible?
The draft eligibility compared with hockey age is slightly different.
Hockey age goes from Jan 1st to Dec 31st.
Draft Eligiblity goes from All players who will be 18 years old before September 14 and not older than 20 years old before December 31 are eligible.
Even though these guys are in their 17year old seasons this year they will turn 18 before September 14.
Shinkaruk is a 94 but since he turns 18 after the september cutoff date he falls back a year. (same with Hart and Lewington) and not with becker or Koules
(Just think of it as September 15- Dec 31 players fall back a year.)
Its why some players are drafted during their 17 year old seasons, and some players are drafted in their 18 year old seasons.
Also Becker and Koules are still eligible for the draft but players not picked the first time around are usually written off unless exceptional play takes over. Teams don't want to waste a draft pick on a player with a tougher road and will instead invite them to training camp and if they play well they might sign them when they are 20.
Also I completely forgot Gavin Broadhead on the list
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