Solid first round - size and potential down the middle with Kulemin, and what sounds like a steady defenseman in Henderson.
A couple scouting reports I was able to find on both - first from
Brock Otten's mock draft, and second from the OHL media guide.
Aleks Kulemin
Otten (HM) - Kulemin is one of the most intriguing wild cards in this class. At 6'3" with a powerful stride and a growing physical presence, he’s a big, raw forward who shows flashes of high-end tools but remains a project. His game lacks polish and consistency, but the physical traits and flashes of offensive instinct give him long-term upside. As the son of former NHLer Nikolai Kulemin, there’s added intrigue, and some teams may bet on the bloodlines and ceiling, especially late in the first. He’s not a complete player yet, but someone could take the swing early.
Media Guide - Aleks is a big-bodied winger that is at his best when he is going up and down the wing and playing physical. He has a good skill set and understands where he needs to go to be successful on the ice. He plays a solid 200-foot game and does the little things well during the course of the game.
Matthew Henderson
Otten (mocked 14 to BRAM) - For a franchise looking to build around stability and high-end hockey sense, Henderson is the ideal foundational piece. The top defenseman in this class, he brings elite-level skating, poise, and two-way polish. He can quarterback a power play, kill penalties, and log big minutes against top competition. His mature game and ability to control pace fit seamlessly with Brampton’s need for a reliable cornerstone on the back end. Henderson’s IQ, physical edge, and ability to move the puck cleanly make him a potential captain-type prospect for a franchise building from the ground up.
Media Guide - Matthew is a smooth skating defender that is calm under pressure and plays a ton of big minutes for his team. He uses his feet well to defend, closes gaps quickly and is always on the right side of the puck. His skill set is above average and it allows him to move the puck efficiently in all three zones. He is a strong competitor and rarely gets beat one on one, takes the body when he has to and has a good active stick. He is one of only five defencemen on his team so he plays a ton and never really seems too fatigued, as he is an effortless skater. Simple yet effective is the best way to describe Matthew.
There are still quite a few names available from the Media Guide (Only 47 players with detailed write-ups) - Carter Beauschene, Lyndon Cabral, Lincoln Edwards, Gensen Geldart, Kingston Harris, Lachlan Larmand, Tyler Lee, Hayden Martin, Rocco Pelosi (USNTDP) and Cannon Thibodeau (USNTDP).
From what I've read elsewhere - Geldart seems like a safe two-way C with decent size, Cabral seems like a high end goal scorer, and Harris seems like a solid offensive center with potential. Since these guys were fairly consistently highly rated I do wonder if there's some reporting concerns.
I don't know how successful they'd be, but I wonder if Kingston looks at an older player that can step in right away with the amount of turnover that'll happen over the summer. There's been a couple '08s and even an '07 picked - but Kingston isn't exactly a dream destination so who knows.
