So the excitement and drama of the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft is over. The Edmonton Oilers chose Connor McDavid, the Buffalo Sabres took Jack Eichel and then the draft properly began.
With that in mind, and after casting an eye over how the final picks of the first round played out, who is still on the board that could still be there for when the Dallas Stars select their second round pick at 49th overall or even beyond?
This isn’t going to be an extensive scouting reporting on each player, instead a list of players that I will be watching for as each pick is announced. There are quite a few of them and some of them could be going quite late.
Oliver Kylington, Defenseman Six-Foot, 185 Pounds, Shoots Left, – Sweden, Farjestad
This is one of the more pronounced falls from draft grace for this year. Projected as a top five pick at the beginning of the season he is now still available in the second round. How far will this talented offensive defenseman fall?
Guilliaume Brisebois, Defenseman, Six-Foot-Two, 175 Pounds, Shoots Left – QMJHL, Acadie-Bathurst
Briseboise is a fast and very smart defenseman. He’s got excellent defensive instincts and positioning. He needs to bulk up a bit but lots of potential as a defensive defenseman who can provide some secondary offence.
Jonas Siegenthaler, Defenseman, Six-Foot-Two, 215 Pounds, Shoots Left – Switzerland, ZSC
Siegenthaler is a fast, physical defensive defenseman. Very calm player but limited offensive game. He’d probably be the Stars best defensive defenseman prospect if he’s picked.
Vince Dunn, Defenseman, Six-Foot, 185 Pounds, Shoots Left – OHL, Niagara
A very fast, offensive defenseman. Constant high energy game and he has excellent vision and hockey sense. Defense could be improved upon.
Yakov Trenin, Left Wing, Six-Foot-Two, 180 Pounds, Shoots Left – QMJHL, Gatineau
Trenin is a big but raw playmaking winger. Not particularly amazing skating but excellent puck skills and is very creative. Defensive game is good as well.
Brandon Carlo, Defenseman, Six-Foot-Five, 185 Pounds, Shoots Right – WHL, Tri City
Carlo is a big, nasty physical defenseman. Developed a reputation as an agitator with his constant chirping but also considered a border line dirty player. Not a lot of offence is to be expected but he could be a solid defensive defenseman.
Jeremy Roy, Defenseman, Six-Foot, 185 Pounds, Shoot Right – QMJHL, Sherbrooke
Roy is one player I was surprised to see drop out of the first round. He’s a pure offensive defenseman who put up 43 points in 46 games this season. Defense needs a lot of work, not unsurprising for a young offensive defenseman. Considered a future powerplay quarterback.
Roope Hintz, Right Wing, Six-Foot-Two, 190 Pounds, Shoots Left – Finland, Ilves
Hintz is an intelligent, two way forward who has a lot of maturity for his age. His skating needs working on but he has lots of pluses. There is some impressive playmaking ability, as well as the willingness to sit infront of the net and cause havoc for the defense. His defensive game is also pretty good.
Robin Kovacs, Left Wing, Six-Foot, 170 Pounds, Shoots Left – Sweden, AIK
Kovacs is an offensive forward with excellent skating and hockey sense. Played in the second division of adult hockey in Sweden and impressed. Defensive needs some work but has potential to be a top six goal scoring winger.
Gustav Bouramman, Defenseman, Six-Foot, 185 Pounds, Shoots Right – OHL, Sault Ste. Marie
Bouramman is a puck moving defenseman who finished with 44 points in 67 games in his first season in the OHL. He’s got a high hockey IQ and could be an excellent addition to the powerplay in the future.
Callum Booth, Goaltender, Six-Foot-Three, 195 Pounds, Catches Left – QMJHL, Quebec
Booth is a big and calm goalie. He has a lot of upside but has some technical issues which need to be addressed. Put up some pretty good numbers with Quebec. Very athletic and has the size that is good for an NHL goalie.
Kyle Capobianco, Defenseman, Six-Foot-One, 170 Pounds, Shoots Left – OHL, Sudbury
Capobianco is the top defenseman for the Sudbury Wolves and put up 40 points in 68 games this season. He’s a smooth skater with good, but not excellent, puck handling skills. He can read the play well and defensively very sound. Lots of potential and I think would be an excellent pick.
Veini Vehvilainen, Goaltender, Six-Foot-One, 185 Pounds, Catches Right – Finland, JYP-Akatemia
Vehvilainen is a strong, positional goalie. He’s got his technique nailed down and has performed very well against adults in the Finnish second division. No glaring weaknesses, just an all around goalie with a lot of potential.
Casey Fitzgerald, Defenseman, Five-Foot-Eleven, 185 Pounds, Shoots Right – USHL, USNTDP U18
Fitzgerald is a very smart player and is extremely speedy. Very good playmaker with elite vision. Defensively some issues, he could be more physical for example, but generally very good. Some inconsistency issues. Committed to Boston College.
John Marino, Defenseman, Six-Foot-Two, 185 Pounds, Shoots Right – USPHL, South Shore
Marino is a mobile and offensively minded defenseman. He has a very impressive shot and generally pretty good defensively. He can get too aggressive and leave his defensive partner to clean up the mess afterwards though. He’s committed to Yale but should head to the USHL next season. He’s clearly too good for the USPHL, and in some cases it showed with his commitment level.
Tyler Soy, Centre, Five-Foot-Eleven, 170 Pounds, Shoots Left – WHL, Victoria
Soy is an extremely talented playmaking forward who has some red flags around his game too. He is very dangerously offensively and is a pass first forward. He had nearly a point per game in the WHL this season. But he has got a reputation as not having a good work ethic. Sometimes he just doesn’t make the effort to help out defensively or is hovering waiting to get the puck to go on the offensive.
Alexander Younan, Defenseman, Six-Foot, 185 Pounds, Shoots Left – Sweden, HV71 J20
A mobile defenseman who is a good all around defenseman. He can be a bit inconsistent and he will need a lot of refining before he’s anywhere near ready for the NHL. The talent level and potential might be worth a flyer late in the draft.