2007 Born for the 2023 Draft

[GermanSpitfire]

With the Moore and Mooney U17 inclusion...can anyone take a fresh stab at a first round mock?

Mine still stands from yesterday, should be a page back.

 

[Torts]

Mine still stands from yesterday, should be a page back.

Found it! Thanks. I'm cool with Brzustewicz and Obrien for Kitcheners back to back picks.

 

[OHLTG]

Mine still stands from yesterday, should be a page back.

Any info on Thanasi Marentette? I was asked to find out and you're one of the best sources on here. Thanks.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

mcfadden is a good example of being over valued by online scouts vs maybe being under valued by traditional scouts. i find that the online guys go crazy over small skill but rarely do they ever go as high as the online guys propose they go.

I never really understood having a draft bias against smaller players in the CHL.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Any info on Thanasi Marentette? I was asked to find out and you're one of the best sources on here. Thanks.

I have a few notes on Marentette, yes.

I felt he was one of the Nationals best players at the OHL cup to be honest, right after Riley and Mainville who really had stellar tournaments. He was physically imposing the entire tournament.

He’s a kid that loves to play the body, he is not afraid to stand you up anywhere on the ice. Whether or not he picks his spots well enough is up for debate but he’s a player that when he is on the ice, kids are aware he is there and have their heads up because of it.

Needs some work on his offensive game, and may not make the best decisions on the ice but he is a kid that I can definitely see some scouts drooling over and may get picked relatively high because of it.

 

[HolyRoller]

Wasnt Musty listed here 364 days ago?

 

[OHLTG]

I have a few notes on Marentette, yes.

I felt he was one of the Nationals best players at the OHL cup to be honest, right after Riley and Mainville who really had stellar tournaments. He was physically imposing the entire tournament.

He’s a kid that loves to play the body, he is not afraid to stand you up anywhere on the ice. Whether or not he picks his spots well enough is up for debate but he’s a player that when he is on the ice, kids are aware he is there and have their heads up because of it.

Needs some work on his offensive game, and may not make the best decisions on the ice but he is a kid that I can definitely see some scouts drooling over and may get picked relatively high because of it.

I appreciate it. Thanks!

 

[yessir29292]

Top 2 have to be Roobroeck and Schaefer. Roobroeck is being thrown shade because of one tournament. At this point I think number 1 is his to lose.

Roobroeck could go 1 but won’t go 2 as he will not report to Niagara who needs reports.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Wasnt Musty listed here 364 days ago?

Nope - he was never apart of the NTDP, he attended the selection camp, however he turned down the NTDP offer to play OHL.

 

[digicamo]

Top 2 have to be Roobroeck and Schaefer. Roobroeck is being thrown shade because of one tournament. At this point I think number 1 is his to lose.

I totally get it's tough to see all of the shade being thrown at Roobreck from the OHL Cup but I think it's fair. I watched him play three games and he wasn't even the best player on London in a single one of them, let alone the best player in this draft class. I had a similar thought at the Marlies tournament as well but thought I was either missing something or he was having a bad game. The performances by some of these players last week will definitely make for an interesting draft

 

[EvenSteven]

OHL Cup is over. Jr. Canadiens take it 3-0. I guess their 53-0-4 record last season wasn’t a fluke, eh?

Anyway - I said I’d post my draft rankings tomorrow but I decided to finish it tonight instead. I only did a top-60, I’m sorry.

I also only did some write ups for the top-22 on my list. I would really only do a top-20 but with the 2 compensatory picks in the first round, I decided to do more work haha.

I didn’t include Lev Katzin on this ranking, although looking back on it I should have Since I included Moore. Anyway, he would have been 13th on my list if I did include him, if you’re interested.

I only included one American on the list because of his expressed interest of coming to the OHL. I did a ranking or two earlier in the year with most Americans included if you want to view that you can.

Here are some of the more notable Americans Eligible for this years OHL draft:

LJ Mooney
Asher Barrett
Charton Trethewey
Cole McKinney
Cooper Dennis
William Horcoff
Jack Murtaugh
Evan Jardine
Nicolas Kosiba
Blake Arrowsmith
Gavin Lock
Jesse Orlowsky
Matthew Grimes
Joey Slavick
Bjorn Boras
Drew Schock
Nicolas Whitehead* Not 100% he falls under OHL entrapment
Richard Gallant* Not 100% he falls under OHL entrapment

One thing I’d like to note is how my 2023 OHL draft ranking is probably the most viewed OHL ranking on the internet. I created it in on Elite Prospects in November and it has accumulated 45,000 clicks lmao. If you have searched up a 2023 OHL draft ranking, you have probably seen mine at some point.

Here it is if you’re interested:

2023 OHL Draft Ranking - Elite Prospects

User submitted ranking at Eliteprospects.com - 2023 OHL Draft Ranking

www.eliteprospects.com

I’ll name this my “final“ ranking although, it likely and isn’t my final ranking. I’ll still be watching film on a lot of these players over the next several months and further developing opinions on these kids.

Hope you all enjoy.

1	Matthew Schaefer (D)	Halton Hurricanes U16 AAA	It was a difficult decision to decide who to put #1 on my list. For most of the year I thought Roobroeck was all but guaranteed to go first. Schaefer comes out #1 in my final ranking however. He is as complete of a defender as you’re going to find at this age. He has most everything you want in a modern day defender, skating is elite, has great offensive and defensive instincts, he has the ability to control the game from the blueline and he is a great kid.
2	William Moore (F)	Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA	There has been points in the year where I have come away disappointed in his game. But in the end, I think that was a pre-conceived bias because I was unreasonable with my expectations after his exceptional status application. That’s on me, not Moore. I included him on this list because his inclusion to the NTDP hasn’t been formally announced yet, but I fully expect him to accept the invite to play on the team. Moore plays a very responsible two-way game. He is able to anticipate plays very well and is able intercept passes frequently because of it. He has very good vision and is quite the good playmaker, he frequently makes very difficult passes look easy. Also has a shot that I feel doesn’t get enough credit.
3	Brady Martin (F)	Waterloo Wolves U16 AAA	A kid that has been highly regarded for a while now but we really didn’t know how well he stacked up to the completion until his hat-trick against the GTHL champions Toronto Marlboros. He is an elite skater who moves very well laterally and in a straight line. He competes hard for every puck and isn’t afraid of being physical. His hockey IQ is very high, he has great vision and has a great shot. All and all probably the highest offensive upside out of all the forwards in this class. He is going to be a fantastic OHLer
4	Ryan Roobroeck (F)	London Jr. Knights U16 AAA	At one point in the year I thought it was a sure thing. But doubts started to creep in at the Canada Winter Games where I felt he wasn’t as dominant as he should have been. He was a passenger for much of that tournament and didn’t create much himself. These problems only showed them self more in the OHL cup. Roobroeck has a fantastic frame and with his brother standing at 6’7” - Ryan still has time left to grow. He is quite the fast skater, he can blow past defenders with speed regularly and is able to get up to speed quite quick. However he doesn’t have much lateral mobility, he tends to skate in a straight line and if he gets pushed too far to the outside, will just throw the puck across the ice hoping for a one timer. He does have great vision when he slows his game down and has a very dangerous shot with a quick release. A lot of question marks to his game but as a whole he is still one of the best players in this years class.
5	Tyler Hopkins (F)	Hamilton Kilty B's	Responsible kid that plays the game the right way. Hopkins is a very smart player; He anticipates plays very well in the offensive zone. He seems to always be in good positions to set himself up for scoring opportunities. He is also a very good skater, one of the best in the class, he is easily able to gain separation from back checkers and defenders at times have a difficult time of keeping him in front of them. Because of it he is one of the best transitional players in the class. He isn’t afraid of cutting to the middle of the ice, or to the net either - Kid has zero fear, it is something I love about his game.
6	Owen Griffin (F)	York Simcoe Express U16 AAA	Fantastic skater that is great in the offensive zone. He is a very deceptive forward that is able to make everyone in the building think he is doing one thing, only to do something completely different, catching everyone off guard as to what had happened - testament to his high hockey IQ. He has great puck skills that are able to keep up with his brain and feet, something that can be difficult for a lot of prospects to pull off. He likes to play the game fast but is also able to slow it down and make more calculated decisions with the puck. Off puck game needs work like most kids his age but he is a very entertaining kid to watch.
7	Luca Romano (F)	Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA	Romano is one of my personal favourites for this class. He is such a consistent player that is able to impact the game in all 3 zones. He has been excellent through transition in most every one of my viewings this year. He is so calm and collected through every stage of the game, everything is methodical and calculated. He is a fantastic skater, able to maneuver the ice in any which way. He can use it to attack the middle of the ice or beat a defender wide. He really keeps you guessing. He positions himself very well on the ice for scoring opportunities and is quite good in front of the net in general.
8	Jack Nesbitt (F)	Lambton Jr. Sting U16 AAA	Big body centreman that is very good at controlling and maintaining possession of the puck because of his size and body positioning. Nesbitt is a good skater for his size and isn’t afraid of heading to the front of the net where he is simply dominate at this age because of his physical gifts.
9	Caden Taylor (F)	Mississauga Senators U16 AAA	Polarizing player. On one hand, Taylor is one of the more gifted offensive players in this draft class. He possesses a laser of a shot, fantastic vision and good hockey IQ. On the other hand, he is one of the laziest off-puck players you’ll ever see at this level. Skating also isn’t the greatest.
10	Henry Brzustewicz (D)	North Jersey Avalanche 16U AAA	The only American I have on this list, since he is the only one confirmed to be exploring OHL opportunities. Similar player to his brother, moves the puck well, has great vision from the blueline and is a good skater. Two-way game needs some work but he has great potential at this level.
11	Carson Cameron (D)	Central Ontario Wolves U16 AAA	At 15, already possesses good size, doesn’t really use it to his advantage, yet. Very fluid skater, good at changing directions, and stopping on a dime. Possesses good vision in the offensive end, is able to make some astute passes and is good at facilitating an offence. Also has a very good shot that he uses to great effect because of how good he is as getting the puck to the net. Has a quick release. Because of his mobility - he is able to get back on defence quick, even after a pinch. Would like him to be more physical against attackers, and has potential to be a very good shutdown defender in the future but still needs word in this area. Very promising kid.
12	Matheas Stark (F)	Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA	Very smart kid, he is able to read and anticipate plays very well in both the offensive and defensive end. Great hockeh IQ, Skates well, has a good shot, plays a 200’ game. However I question how well he is able to create scoring chances on his own. Definitely something I’m interested to see once he reaches the OHL.
13	Jake O'Brien (F)	Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA	High energy kid. Buzz saw. He is consistently moving his feet and trying to create scoring opportunities because of it. Really talented offensive player, vision is great and is able to make some real astute plays with the puck at times. Great skater, and can be an all around player. There is a reason he is wearing the ‘C’
14	William McFadden (F)	Peterborough Petes U16 AAA	Great offensive player who is able to drive his teams offence. He is a great skater who uses his 4 way mobility well through transition and into the offensive zone. He has speed to burn and is quite elusive with the puck. Great vision on this kid, who often looks off shots to make a pass to one of his teammates. He may not be the biggest kid in the world but he is going to be a great player in the OHL.
15	Quinn Beauchesne (D)	Nepean Raiders U18 AAA	Your modern day defender that uses mobility, stick work and offensive prowess to at times take control of games. Quinn is great a facilitating a break out and is very good at being a 4th forward through transition. He can control a power play and isn’t afraid to jump into the play. He can be a very dangerous player at times in the offensive zone. High upside kidZ
16	Jack Ivankovic (G)	Mississauga Senators U16 AAA	Clear cut best goalie in this class. Poised goalie with ice in his veins. He was phenomenal for Ontario in the gold medal game at the Canada winter games. He is active in his crease and is a very athletic kid that tracks the puck well. Big game goalie.
17	Aiden Young (F)	Strathroy Rockets	Elusive skater that isn’t afraid of the middle of the ice. Young is a smart player that is very effective in the role he plays.He plays the game with a lot of heart and is always giving it his all. One of the bigger risers this year for me.
18	Carter Kostuch (F)	Markham Royals	A kid that really had a coming out party to at the OHL cup. Plays the game with pace and is very good at creating offence through transition. Good size and is able to create offence for himself with his vision and great shot creation skills. Very impressive OHL cup showing.
19	Shamar Moses (F)	Don Mills Flyers U16 AAA	Kid that plays the game with a lot of heart. He really gets into the game and wants to see his team win. He loves to battle in front of the net where he uses his size well to win body positioning to bang in rebounds and cause commotion. Good vision with great playmaking skills also. At times gets overzealous in the offensive zone.
20	Kieran Riley (D)	Toronto Nationals U16 AAA	good sized defender that moves really well. He isn’t afraid to join the rush and help his team create offence. He is going to be a problem at the next level if he is able to learn how to properly defend against the rush and use physicality to his advantage.
21	Luka Graziano (D)	Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA	Very good skater - excellent North to south acceleration and speed. Looked real good in transition. Was able to make a seamless retrieval, and transition the puck up the ice for a zone entry on multiple occasions. Scored a goal that was taken away due to a delayed penalty, but he was able to walk up from the right point and placed the puck just between the goalies pad and glove for a goal. Was able to move the puck with ease and would usually make a great pass when facilitating the offence from the point. Impressive effort, kid to watch.
22	Ethan Weir (F)	London Jr. Knights U16 AAA	Bit of a disappointing year for Weir who I believe at one point was contemplating whether to apply for ES or not. I still think he is one of the more talented kids in the class, but there hasn’t been enough improvement over last year in my opinion. He is a very dangerous offensive player with a great shot and impressive puck skills. He can be a confident player but at times I find he can make one too many passes, over complicating a scoring chance. All in all a talented kid who could be more successful in the OHL.
23	Aidan Lane (F)	St. Michael's Buzzers
24	Nolan Jackson (D)	Barrie Colts U18 AAA
25	Brendan Gerber (F)	Waterloo Wolves U16 AAA
26	Cameron Reid (D)	Bishop Kearney Selects 15U AAA
27	Callum Mainville (F)	Toronto Nationals U16 AAA
28	Parker Snelgrove (F)	London Jr. Knights U16 AAA
29	Casey Bridgewater (D)	Halton Hurricanes U16 AAA
30	Chase Yanni (F)	Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA
31	Drew McLennan (D)	Whitby Wildcats U16 AAA
32	Jayden Connors (D)	Georgetown Raiders
33	Vasily Serov (F)	Vaughan Kings U16 AAA
34	Jacob Cloutier (F)	Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 15U
35	Chase Hull (F)	Renfrew Wolves U18 AAA
36	Xander Velliaris (D)	Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA
37	Luke Dragusica (D)	Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA
38	Rylan Singh (D)	York Simcoe Express U16 AAA
39	Ethan Czata (F)	Mississauga Rebels U16 AAA
40	Nicolas Addy (F)	Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA
41	Ryan Brown (F)	Aurora Tigers
42	Michael Lavigne (D)	Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA
43	Dryden Allen (D)	Southern Tier Admirals U16 AAA
44	Evan Malkhassian (F)	Toronto Jr. Canadiens
45	Isaac Oldenhof (D)	York Simcoe Express U16 AAA
46	Sebastian Dell'Elce (D)	St. Andrew's College
47	Tanner Lam (F)	Halton Hurricanes U16 AAA
48	Joshua Avery (F)	Peterborough Petes U16 AAA
49	Brady Smith (F)	Halton Hurricanes U16 AAA
50	Lucas Manikis (D)	York Simcoe Express U16 AAA
51	Carson Harmer (F)	Huron Perth Lakers U16 AAA
52	Jeremy Martin (F)	Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA
53	Evan Elliott (F)	Whitby Wildcats U16 AAA
54	Adrian Manzo (D)	Vaughan Kings U16 AAA
55	Sam Ratcliffe (F)	Waterloo Wolves U16 AAA
56	Matthew Manza (F)	Mississauga Senators U16 AAA
57	Johnathan Cirone (F)	Barrie Colts U16 AAA
58	Briir Long (F)	Mississauga Senators U16 AAA
59	Wesley Royston (F)	Aurora Tigers
60	Peter Legostaev (F)	Smiths Falls Bears U18 AAA

I find it odd that the Rangers would use both 1sts on d men when their forward group will be heavily decimated by graduation.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

I find it odd that the Rangers would use both 1sts on d men when their forward group will be heavily decimated by graduation.

This isn’t a mock draft. These are my draft rankings.

THIS is my mock draft, and I’m sure you’ll be happier with the results

Okay, i forget who asked for me to do a mock draft but here you go. I know the OHL cup isn‘t over yet but I feel like not much can happen in that game that could sway my opinion too much. Here is the first round mock draft with a bit of an explanation as to why I thought the team would select a player there.


I‘ll post my updated top-40 tomorrow.

Erie	1	Matthew Schaefer (D)	Halton Hurricanes U16 AAA	Going to be an interesting selection. Not clear cut as I once thought it’d be. I think Erie benefits most from adding a high end defender to their lineup.
Niagara	2	Owen Griffin (F)	York Simcoe Express U16 AAA	I think Niagara is going to have trouble bringing in some of the top selections. I think one will commit and I predict it will be Griffin.
Soo	3	Brady Martin (F)	Waterloo Wolves U16 AAA	Picking BPA, Martin seems a perfect fit in the Soo. Enjoyed a great OHL cup that cemented his stock.
Kingston	4	Tyler Hopkins (F)	Hamilton Kilty B's	High end talent that plays the game the right way. I think Kingston simply goes BPA here.
Niagara	5	Carson Cameron (D)	Central Ontario Wolves U16 AAA	Niagara could use a high end defender and with me predicting them having trouble recruiting, Cameron seems like a good fit here.
Oshawa	6	Ryan Roobroeck (F)	London Jr. Knights U16 AAA	Roobroeck I think ends up with his brother in Oshawa. They have treated Dylan good there and I think it’s the best place for him to find success.
Mississauga	7	Quinn Beauchesne (D)	Nepean Raiders U18 AAA	I think that Missy could use a defender here to fit in with their cup window. Class isn’t great for defenders but I could still see teams reaching a bit to draft by position. Missy is one of those teams.
Brantford/Hamilton	8	Jack Nesbitt (F)	Lambton Jr. Sting U16 AAA	I think that Hamilton could use a higher upside kid with size. Nesbitt is that and doesn’t come with some questionable character traits as others do.
Sudbury	9	Jack Ivankovic (G)	Mississauga Senators U16 AAA	Sudbury nabs the best goaltending prospect to enter the OHL since Benjamin Gaudreau. They’ll solve their goaltending issues for the next 4 years with this pick.
Kitchener	10	Henry Brzustewicz (D)	North Jersey Avalanche 16U AAA	With his vocal desire to come to the OHL, paired with his brother playing on the team and having 2 straight picks, this one is a no brainer.
Kitchener	11	Jake O'Brien (F)	Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA	I think they may want a more offensive oriented kid with the amount of graduations happening this year. I think O’Brien makes sense here.
Owen Sound	12	Matheas Stark (F)	Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA	They go BPA here. It also helps I feel Stark would be a perfect fit here. He seems like an Owen Sound selection of previous years.
Peterborough	13	William McFadden (F)	Peterborough Petes U16 AAA	This is a no brainer here also. Petes go with go with the hometown kid that brings a good deal of offensive to his game. With the amount of graduations on offence this year, I think this is a match made in heaven.
Guelph	14	Nicolas Addy (F)	Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA	Character issues, yes but one can’t deny his talent and potential. I think some team will take a chance on upside here, Guelph seems like a good enough spot.
Flint	15	Shamar Moses (F)	Don Mills Flyers U16 AAA	I didn’t really know what do do with Flint. So I just went off of gut instinct and they go with one of the BPA.
Saginaw	16	Aidan Lane (F)	St. Michael's Buzzers	Great performance at the OHL cup boosted his stock. I think some team is going to take him in the first, Saginaw was my choice.
Sarnia	17	Caden Taylor (F)	Mississauga Senators U16 AAA	I feel like this will be a good place for Taylor to succeed. Should get good ice time next season with many offensive graduations. Taylor is a polarizing player but in the right circumstances he could thrive. I think Sarnia provides potential for him.
London	18	William Moore (F)	Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA	I think if he is going NTDP, someone in the first round still takes a chance at him at some point. London is always a threat with players like these. Lev Katzin could be another.
Barrie	19	Cameron Reid (D)	Bishop Kearney Selects 15U AAA	With Brandt Clarke’s graduation, I think Barrie could select a defender. Cameron Reid is an offensive kid that could thrive in Barrie.
Windsor	20	Chase Hull (F)	Renfrew Wolves U18 AAA	Windsor will need scoring going forward and Hull provides that. An element that will be missing if their next window is built around their ‘06’s and ‘07’s.
North Bay	21	Aiden Young (F)	Strathroy Rockets	BPA. Aiden Young was London’s best player at the OHL cup and has consistently gotten better as the season has progressed.
Ottawa	22	Ethan Weir (F)	London Jr. Knights U16 AA	I think Ottawa goes with a kid that was fairly regarded at one point. I think Weir provides good upside at this spot. BPA.

 

[Generalsupdates]

I find it odd that the Rangers would use both 1sts on d men when their forward group will be heavily decimated by graduation.

That's a ranking not a mock draft

 

[OMG67]

It is important to note that the players Niagara picks don’t need to report. They just can’t declare them defected.

There is nothing stopping them from retaining their rights and trading them at the deadline. They just wouldn’t also get the comp 1st.

This would not be ideal but if the players they draft definitely want to play OHL then Niagara may take a stab at signing them knowing they will play for a selection of other teams. For high first round picks, they’d get a solid picks package, just nothing that replaces a top 5.

They may feel it is a worth while gamble with a soft landing if it doesn’t work.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

It is important to note that the players Niagara picks don’t need to report. They just can’t declare them defected.

There is nothing stopping them from retaining their rights and trading them at the deadline. They just wouldn’t also get the comp 1st.

This would not be ideal but if the players they draft definitely want to play OHL then Niagara may take a stab at signing them knowing they will play for a selection of other teams. For high first round picks, they’d get a solid picks package, just nothing that replaces a top 5.

They may feel it is a worth while gamble with a soft landing if it doesn’t work.

There are rumours out there that the OHL is pushing them hard to pick players thay will report.

 

[OMG67]

There are rumours out there that the OHL is pushing them hard to pick players thay will report.

If they have to pick the 18th ranked player (at #5) vs picking the 5th ranked player and trading that player for three 2nds, three 3rds and two 4ths at the deadline, I know I will take the picks over the 18th best player. It is more than worth trying to negotiate the player to sign than have to dig super deep into the rankings.

It will be a pretty hard sell for Niagara if the issue is as bad as thought.

Sounds like Schaefer will go there so hopefully for Niagara, he doesn’t go first.

I think it would suit them better to draw a line in the sand and try to convince a player to report than to dig deep into the rankings. The team also needs to set the tone and let players know they can’t just push them over either.

 

[OMG67]

If Niagara owner is on the top…

 

[dirty12]

There are rumours out there that the OHL is pushing them hard to pick players thay will report.

What could the OHL possibly offer Niagara to not draft and trade if necessary the BPA?

 

[GermanSpitfire]

If they have to pick the 18th ranked player (at #5) vs picking the 5th ranked player and trading that player for three 2nds, three 3rds and two 4ths at the deadline, I know I will take the picks over the 18th best player. It is more than worth trying to negotiate the player to sign than have to dig super deep into the rankings.

It will be a pretty hard sell for Niagara if the issue is as bad as thought.

Sounds like Schaefer will go there so hopefully for Niagara, he doesn’t go first.

I think it would suit them better to draw a line in the sand and try to convince a player to report than to dig deep into the rankings. The team also needs to set the tone and let players know they can’t just push them over either.

What could the OHL possibly offer Niagara to not draft and trade if necessary the BPA?

don’t kill the messenger...

 

[OMG67]

don’t kill the messenger...

Don’t take it the wrong way. I understand you are the messenger. I’m only suggesting I doubt Niagara would comply under extreme circumstances, nor should they.

If it is a 7th or 8th ranked player, then I could see them take that player for the guaranteed commit, but not super deep.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Don’t take it the wrong way. I understand you are the messenger. I’m only suggesting I doubt Niagara would comply under extreme circumstances, nor should they.

If it is a 7th or 8th ranked player, then I could see them take that player for the guaranteed commit, but not super deep.

From what I understand, they don’t want teams to take advantage of a system that could be exploited.

 

[dirty12]

From what I understand, they don’t want teams to take advantage of a system that could be exploited.

They being the OHL? Don’t want teams being able to acquire a top 5 picked 16 yr old in January for 6-8 picks; or, don’t want Niagara to be able to posses 35-40 (2-4) picks over four years?
Or more likely the OHL does not want one of their franchises that could have the 1st pick if not for their decision have two no-shows in the top 5 because that would be a league problem to address

 

[OMG67]

From what I understand, they don’t want teams to take advantage of a system that could be exploited.

I think that would be a cop out by the League if that is true to be honest. The whole reason for it is to encourage teams to pick players that won’t report.

 

[OHL4Life]

I never really understood having a draft bias against smaller players in the CHL.

having been in the league and drafting for a team, you need to be careful, the soo drafted the most small kids in history and they didnt win. they traded for bigger guys like ritchie when it was go time. look at the trades at the deadline, teams are loading up on playoff types. do you want to ignore them at draft day and then trade 6 picks for them a year later, or do you draft them and have them and not give up the picks.

 

[OMG67]

having been in the league and drafting for a team, you need to be careful, the soo drafted the most small kids in history and they didnt win. they traded for bigger guys like ritchie when it was go time. look at the trades at the deadline, teams are loading up on playoff types. do you want to ignore them at draft day and then trade 6 picks for them a year later, or do you draft them and have them and not give up the picks.

I guess the challenge is the game is changing. It seems like the better bet for more certain production are the smaller skilled players. They tend to work out at the high level than the big players with less skill and holes in their skating. The problem is when the big kid with less skill and holes in skating actually work out, they are far superior to the small skilled players.

Roobroeck clearly has a hole in his game right now and the risk is whether he can fill in those gaps. IF he does, he’s a monster. If he doesn’t, he’s not impactful. He’s Charlie Stephens. The smaller kid with crazy skill will typically translate that skill in the OHL by 17 years old. But that player has a lower impact ceiling. If you want to win a Championship, you gotta have the bigger bodies in the playoffs or at least it helps tremendously.

We see someone like Stan Butler drafting big and rarely competing at a high level Because those big guys don’t have the same development curve. Too many of them don’t develop as hoped.

The key, to me, is to pick and choose your spots. But, I’m not getting paid to make decisions so what the hell would I know? I can only speculate with the rest of us.