Hello everyone, I often read this forum and consult different sources on my own, I'm a draft junky and I discuss it almost daily with a friend. For this list, I looked more at the evaluations and matches of the players in tier4 since the chances are that the Canadian will draft one of these players unless they win the lottery. There will be more explanations for these players.
Here is my list of attackers which is intended to be as objective as possible.
1- Celebrini (Tier 1)
It's a no brainer to me and pretty much everyone else in the community, so I won't waste much time here. Will make the jump next year.
----------
2- Demidov (Tier 2)
Best foward available after Celebrini by a significant margin. I don't think he's going to wait much compared to Michkov last year given his style of play which is more transferable to the NHL. Tendency to slow down the game like Kucherov.
----------
3- Lindstrom (Tier 3)
Assuming the injury rumors aren't too serious, he should be the 3rd forward called up. The combo of size, speed and grit will mean that he will go very high. I have questions about his hockey IQ, but even if he becomes a winger (might have difficulty feeding his wingers), he will have a guaranteed spot in the top 6 given his attributes.
----------
4- Sennecke (Tier 4)
Probably one of my hot takes who hasn't been one for a few days, but he has everything you need in a 1st line winger: Speed, good size, excellent hands & good hockey IQ. The combination of these attributes is superior to the rest of Tier 4, with other players having more red flags. Stylistically I see a mix of Bobby Ryan / T.J. Oshie with better skating/better vision.
5- Helenius (Tier 4)
One of the most underrated players in the draft since he's not flashy, but he does all the little things very well. Probably the best hockey IQ in the draft, often an overlooked aspect in evaluating a player. The player has the same criticism as Suzuki in his draft, that's my comparison.
6- Eiserman (Tier 4)
Along with Catton, he is one of the most polarizing players in the draft in my opinion. He has an elite attribute and it is easy to determine that he will be at least a power play specialist. Good skating, he will never be a defensive ace. I see a Kyle Connor in this player. I see him being drafted by a team further along in its rebuilding process (Ottawa, New Jersey, Calgary), since the risk is high and he will need to be well surrounded offensively.
7- Iginla (Tier 4)
He disappointed me slightly at U18, I expected him to stand out more and be more dominant, especially for a player projected as high as him. This tells me that he will not be a ''Play Driver'' at the next level, but more of a complementary player in a top 6 that you can change lines according to affinities. I see him as a Sam Bennett with less grit and more skills.
8- Catton (Tier 4)
Ranking him that high won't be popular here, since many fans want a player who produces a lot of points. However, he counts the majority of his goals/points on the rush in junior. With a better defensive structure of the teams when he turns pro, I think he will have difficulty making the pro transition. Furthermore, I don't see him reaching his full potential in a team like the Canadiens because we already have several small players (under 6 feet). I compare him to Terevainen in terms of style.
----------
Tier 5
9- Brandsegg-Nygard
10- Greentree
11-Connelly
12- Hage
13- Basha
14- Chernyshov
15- Hemming
