Up-and-coming prospects from non-traditional hockey countries

[Gianpaolo]

While getting lost down the rabbit hole of Elite Prospects I found some interesting Italian players.

These players are 04 and 05 so way too early to draw conclusions. Take a look yourself

Alessandro Segafredo

Well, it looks like this guy can score. He has 42 points in 32 games so far with the U17 team of Zurich. Just for comparison, Marco Rossi had at the same age with the same team 51 points in 29 games. Obviously Segafredo is not going to be a first round pick in some NHL draft, but he could make his way into professional hockey. Anyone knows this player a little bit more than me?

 

[Garl]

Well, it looks like this guy can score. He has 42 points in 32 games so far with the U17 team of Zurich. Just for comparison, Marco Rossi had at the same age with the same team 51 points in 29 games. Obviously Segafredo is not going to be a first round pick in some NHL draft, but he could make his way into professional hockey. Anyone knows this player a little bit more than me?

The cnahnces are not that great, but, his numbers are actually very close to Kevin Fiala or Timo Meier, who ended up in TOP 15. So, why oviously?

 

[Gianpaolo]

The cnahnces are not that great, but, his numbers are actually very close to Kevin Fiala or Timo Meier, who ended up in TOP 15. So, why oviously?

Because not every player with great numbers in the Swiss U-17 league automatically becomes a candidate for the first NHL draft round. Look at the score list: Elite Prospects - U17-Elit Stats 2019-2020 you will see about 6 guys who played the same amount of games but with more points in average per game. I do not think that they will all end up in the NHL.

 

[Garl]

Because not every player with great numbers in the Swiss U-17 league automatically becomes a candidate for the first NHL draft round. Look at the score list: Elite Prospects - U17-Elit Stats 2019-2020 you will see about 6 guys who played the same amount of games but with more points in average per game. I do not think that they will all end up in the NHL.

Yeah, but they are all 1 year older than Segafredo except for Greuter. In this age it is a HUGE difference

 

[blair3]

Alex Graham was mentioned above and I found it interesting that at this juncture Jack Hopkins has the same stat line in the U-20 league as Graham last year (36p in 10 gp). If Graham has an opportunity to be drafted in '21, maybe Hopkins isn't too far off himself the year after? Bear in mind, I am not an expert on British hockey.

Jack Hopkins at eliteprospects.com

Extra thing about Graham. Only one player aged 16 in the same under 18 group as Graham has scored as many points in one tournament, Marco Rossi, ranked to be a top 10 pick overall this year.

Also one to keep an eye on is Liam Stenton. Already playing in the EIHL as a top 6 defenceman, and not looking out of place against former NHL and AHL players. A shame that he was not signed as a regular player at the end of the season, his affiliate team may not have wanted to lose him full time while they are in a championship battle. However, if he is given a full season as a top six defenceman in the EIHL and continues to develop he could be one to keep an eye on.

 

[S E P H]

So who are we expecting to be drafted tonight and tomorrow from smaller nations?

 

[kabidjan18]

So who are we expecting to be drafted tonight and tomorrow from smaller nations?

How small are we talking?

Kabore Dunn would be a really cool selection if ever there were to be a Ghanaian national team.

 

[NoMessi]

There should be a thread for the "kind of small nations" which would include Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, France, Austria and Slovakia.

 

[JabbaJabba]

Does Austria count as a non-traditional hockey nation? They have a chance to make history this year if more than two Austrians get drafted. Previously only max 2 Austrians have been drafted per year. Rossi and Nickl should get picked so we'll see if some team takes Senna Peeters or Benjamin Baumgartner who are the likeliest Austrian players to be drafted. Also, Vanek is the earliest Austrian ever drafted at 5th, so Rossi has a slight chance to beat that.

 

[kabidjan18]

Wow. Norway and Latvia on the board. Did not expect that at all.

 

[kabidjan18]

We were shooting for 4 and hit 3, which is actually very sad for me because I'm big on all the guys, felt they all deserved it.

Late enough the draft becomes unpredictable but I was really confused by the Bjorgvik-Holm pick. Two Belorussians taken...I still have no faith in their development system so that's that. Solovyov got 22 minutes today against Sochi, so now he is averaging 12:58 per game. Ansons from Latvia...he is a physical freak but he hasn't put it all together yet. It definitely makes sense that he got picked. He scored 0 points in the WJC but that is hard to comprehend because it felt like every time he was on the ice against us he was about to score and we couldn't stop him.

Top mid-major players not getting their names called. Jonas Brondberg. Vitali Pinchuk. Ilya Usov. Brants Harijs. Senna Peeters. Calle Spaberg Olsen.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Extra thing about Graham. Only one player aged 16 in the same under 18 group as Graham has scored as many points in one tournament, Marco Rossi, ranked to be a top 10 pick overall this year.

Also one to keep an eye on is Liam Stenton. Already playing in the EIHL as a top 6 defenceman, and not looking out of place against former NHL and AHL players. A shame that he was not signed as a regular player at the end of the season, his affiliate team may not have wanted to lose him full time while they are in a championship battle. However, if he is given a full season as a top six defenceman in the EIHL and continues to develop he could be one to keep an eye on.

Jack Hopkins is in Germany U17 now

Liam Stenton isn't anything special, even by GB standards.

Liam Steele ('04) at Stanstead College on the other hand could be something

 

[NJ Fan 12]

Any NLA fans can give insight on Deniss Smirnovs who is making a serious mark on the scoresheet in his first two pro games of his career? He is smallish, but can he overcome that and have a potential cup of coffee in NHL down the road?

Smirnovs back for his second season in Geneva. Any comments on his progress?

 

[czech]

GIFs:
Alessandro Segafredo (2004, Italy)
Anton Astashevich (2004, Belarus)
Nino Tomov (2004, Bulgaria)
Kieran Chung (2004, Great Britain)
Sandis Vilmanis (2004, Latvia)
Mai Crnkic (2005, Slovenia)
Nikita Zozulia (2005, Ukraine)
Maxim Burkov (2006, Estonia)
Elias S. Vatne (2006, Norway)
Anton Linde (2006, Denmark)
Daniel Zimanyi (2006, Hungary)
Gordejs Radionovs (2007, Latvia)
Simas Ignatavicius (2007, Lithuania)
Thomasz Marsden (2008, Great Britain (Poland??))
...and talents born in 2009: Marcus J. Myre (Norway) and Konstantin Hutzinger (Austria).

 

[Malmo79]

GIFs:
Alessandro Segafredo (2004, Italy)
Anton Astashevich (2004, Belarus)
Nino Tomov (2004, Bulgaria)
Kieran Chung (2004, Great Britain)
Sandis Vilmanis (2004, Latvia)
Mai Crnkic (2005, Slovenia)
Nikita Zozulia (2005, Ukraine)
Maxim Burkov (2006, Estonia)
Elias S. Vatne (2006, Norway)
Anton Linde (2006, Denmark)
Daniel Zimanyi (2006, Hungary)
Gordejs Radionovs (2007, Latvia)
Simas Ignatavicius (2007, Lithuania)
Thomasz Marsden (2008, Great Britain (Poland??))
...and talents born in 2009: Marcus J. Myre (Norway) and Konstantin Hutzinger (Austria).

there is a much better 2005 procpect from Slovenia - Borna Kopac. He won Folke Filbyter Cup last year with Täby and was really good. He plays J18 Region this year. Very good hockey sense and skills.

 

[KohoPai66]

there is a much better 2005 procpect from Slovenia - Borna Kopac. He won Folke Filbyter Cup last year with Täby and was really good. He plays J18 Region this year. Very good hockey sense and skills.

 

[KohoPai66]

there is a much better 2005 procpect from Slovenia - Borna Kopac. He won Folke Filbyter Cup last year with Täby and was really good. He plays J18 Region this year. Very good hockey sense and skills.

I agree, he is one of best 2005 wingers in Sweden. Saw few of his games and I was impressed.

 

[Killerjas]

For next years draft there are several interesting players that might be drafted:

Belgium: (C) Robin van Calster Robin van Calster at eliteprospects.com
Japan: (F) Yusaku Ando Yusaku Ando at eliteprospects.com

 

[3 Minute Minor]

For next years draft there are several interesting players that might be drafted:

Belgium: (C) Robin van Calster Robin van Calster at eliteprospects.com
Japan: (F) Yusaku Ando Yusaku Ando at eliteprospects.com

I want to add GBs Alex Graham to that list but he's had a terrible time trying to get meaningful ice time this year.

EIHL obviously cancelled their season, he tried to go to Czech Republic for a trial right before they shut everything down. Now he's back home planning to play NIHL but England has gone into lockdown again. It looks like he may have waited too long to find a place abroad, hoping for the EIHL season to start. Now he can't find ice time in his draft year from a non-traditional hockey country, not the best way to open NHL draft doors.

 

[Gianpaolo]

I recently discovered another Italian boy, Tommaso De Luca at eliteprospects.com He will turn 16 years old at December, 29 and he plays with the U20 of Ambri Piotta in Switzerland (has 6 goals and 1 assist in 14 games as a rookie). Does anyone know something interesting about him?

 

[wetcoast]

I'm also wondering on Csongor Ambrus know nothing about him but came across him while looking at some other guys.

Csongor Ambrus at eliteprospects.com

 

[Killerjas]

Liekit Reichle is half Thai and half Swiss. He is doing quite well

Liekit Reichle at eliteprospects.com

 

[Speyer]

Liekit Reichle is half Thai and half Swiss. He is doing quite well

Liekit Reichle at eliteprospects.com

Not sure if he counts though. Thats like arguing that John Tavares ist the best portugese hockey player of all time.

 

[ozo]

Not sure if he counts though. Thats like arguing that John Tavares ist the best portugese hockey player of all time.

Even though he is Swiss, he still sort of qualifies for this thread.

 

[Speyer]

Even though he is Swiss, he still sort of qualifies for this thread.

I always thought this thread was for prospects who actually played for national teams of non traditional hockey countries. I dont really see the point of discussing every prospect with some sort of multicultural background here, when there is next no chance that this player will ever play for the other countrys NT.