TSR’s 2011 NHL Mid-Term Top 60 Skaters Rankings (31-60)
2011 Draft Rankings | 30 Jan 2011
Click here for Part One of the Top 60 Skaters (1-30)
31. RD Myles Bell – Regina (WHL)
DOB: Aug. 19/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 6.00 | Weight: 202lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 48GP 11G 21A 31P -6 60PIM ---Bell is a high-risk, high-reward defenseman that is capable of making momentum-changing plays. Although listed as a defenseman, Bell could almost be listed as a fourth forward as he seems to spend as much time joining the rush and the play up ice as he does in his own end. He loves to carry the puck up the ice and will attempt to stickhandle through traffic. He makes a strong first pass out of his end and has a very heavy shot from the point. Bell also loves delivering big hits. He can run around out of position when he locks on to a target. While he loves to rush the puck, his puck handling skills are good, but not elite in the way some other draft-eligible players’ are. His risky tendencies have often led to troubles in his own end and it must be determined whether his abilities are good enough for him to play the same way in the pros or whether he will just become a defensive liability. —————
32. RW Tyler Biggs – US Under 18 Team (USHL)
DOB: Jan. 30/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 6.02 | Weight: 210lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 12GP 5G 2A 7P +5 35PIM ---Biggs has a pro body and uses it well. He also knows when to stand up for his teammates and provides good leadership. Biggs skates well with a powerful stride that takes him from point A to point B with good speed. He’s a little choppy though in tight turns and when he has to change directions. Most of the consensus has him higher, but we think there’s players with more upside ahead of him.
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33. LD Oscar Klefbom – Farjestad (SEL)
DOB: Jul. 20/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.03 | Weight: 201lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 19GP 1G 1A 2P 2PIM ---Big defenseman with good range and mobility. Sees the ice very well and has the ability to make creative up ice passes to generate offense. Has had strong showings in his age class at international events, and will be more of a factor in the SEL as his game continues to mature.
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34. RW Zack Phillips – Saint John (QMJHL)
DOB: Nov. 28/92 | Shoots: R | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 181lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 48GP 29G 40A 69P +33 14PIM ---Phillips has been steadily rising over the past two seasons and could make a case to go in the late first round of the NHL Entry Draft this season along with what could be three other Sea Dogs’ teammates. Phillips is a good offensive player who does a lot of things well, but doesn’t really have a defining quality. He’ll need to improve his skating a bit as well in the future.
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35. RC Colin Jacobs – Seattle (WHL)
DOB: Jan. 20/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 6.02 | Weight: 204lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 45GP 17G 16A 33P -12 49PIM ---Colin Jacobs is a prototypical Western Hockey League center. Big, strong, and tough as nails, Jacobs hails from Coppell, Texas, not exactly a hockey hotbed. Jacobs has already surpassed his goal and point totals from last season, and continues to play his rough and tumble style while playing a much larger role on a young Seattle team. Colin projects as a second or third line center in the NHL, but is still a very raw player that will need a few years of solid development.
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36. LC Daniel Catenacci – Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
DOB: Feb. 09/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 5.10 | Weight: 185lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 46GP 21G 32A 53P -7 86PIM ---Has rebounded well this season after a mediocre rookie season as the 1st Overall Pick in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection. Catenacci is one of the better two-way forwards in the OHL, and has also established himself as one of the most consistent offensive threats in the league. He’s a good skater with a low center of gravity and very good strength for being undersized in stature. Has a heavy stick and wins a lot of battles with his drive. Fairly creative player, but it’s difficult to project just how effective he will be offensively at the next level, and due to his size, he could have a hard time being a checker. He could be a solid 2nd line center or a tweener, but he might struggle to find a role as well. —————
37. RW Nicholas Shore – Denver University (NCAA)
DOB: Sep. 26/92 | Shoots: L | Height: 5.11 | Weight: 185lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 17GP 2G 10A 12P 33PIM ---The younger brother of Panther’s draft pick and college teammate Drew Shore, Nick has been under the radar a bit at Denver this year. He’s a reliable winger who plays a good game at both ends of the ice but also has the offensive talent to be a factor on the score-sheet. Has a high skill level and good creativity which has allowed him to make an immediate impact as a freshman.
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38. LW Stefan Noesen – Plymouth (OHL)
DOB: Feb. 12/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 195lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 49GP 24G 31A 55P +14 56PIM ---Noesen is one of the big surprises out of the OHL this year, as he has really relished the increased role he’s earned himself with Mike Velucci’s team this season. He’s an above average skater who’s a prototypical north/south winger. Plays his off wing, but takes a lot of faceoffs and is very adept in the faceoff circle. Not a very creative player and looks to shoot first often, but has a pretty good shot. Hard nosed player who sacrifices the body and isn’t afraid to dish out his weight either. Offensive potential at the pro level is still questionable, but he competes hard and brings it every game. —————
39. RC Vladislav Namestnikov – London (OHL)
DOB: Nov. 22/92 | Shoots: R | Height: 6.00 | Weight: 170lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 46GP 21G 25A 46P +15 26PIM ---Came into the season with very high expectations but just hasn’t managed to find his groove offensively as the Knights as a whole have struggled to find some cohesion up front. Namestnikov is a smooth skater who can move up and down the ice fairly effortlessly and also is a very good puck mover. He sees the ice well and makes a lot of smart decisions with the puck which makes his linemates a lot better. Really lacks a lot of strength which is a big issue for him as he does get pushed around a bit, and he really needs to find a way to add some weight in the future. —————
40. LW Lucas Lessio – Oshawa (OHL)
DOB: Jan. 23/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 201lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 47GP 21G 22A 43P +13 42PIM ---Came into the year with huge expectations and thus far, his offensive output has to be considered a little disappointing. Despite his limited impact on the scoresheet, Lessio evidently still has a lot of qualities to his game that are attractive to NHL teams. He’s got good size and strength and is very good along the boards and on the cycle. He does a great job of pivoting his feet and changing direction while protecting the puck along the wall and can find a teammate with a quick out pass. Wins a lot of his on ice battles and does a good job of asserting himself in the slot for body presence. The numbers should come in time, but as long as Lessio continues to do the little things well, the rest will take care of itself.
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41. RC Rickard Rakell – Plymouth (OHL)
DOB: May 05/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 185lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 39GP 17G 18A 35P +11 12PIM ---Like Noesen, he came into the year off the chart a bit but has quickly entrenched himself as a legitimate prospect and was rewarded with a nod for the Swedish World Junior squad. He’s an above average skater who just does a lot of things well and is a player that a coach can use in a lot of situations due to his versatility. After playing mostly on the wing, he’s been thrown into a center position and made the transition fairly easily. He competes hard and leaves it all on the ice and also has a bit of grit which is a positive as well. Decent offensive threat and there’s no doubt that his upside isn’t capped with what he’s shown thus far. —————
42. LD Joe Morrow – Portland (WHL)
DOB: Dec. 09/92 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 198lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 39GP 4G 22A 26P +3 41PIM ---After being injured early in the season, Morrow came back into the lineup with a lot of confidence, which led him to post 8 points in his first 7 games of the season. The slick-skating rearguard has since cooled off, posting 12 points in 22 games through November and December, while going -1 during that time span. Morrow has to fight for time on a stacked Portland defense, but has shown that he can hold his own while playing alongside other top prospects. Morrow is a very good skater who makes a solid first pass out of his own zone, and also has an underrated shot from the Portland blue line. Like some of his fellow teammates, Morrow will need to continue to improve in his own end to raise his stock even more, but with his raw skills, the sky is the limit. —————
43. LD Jonas Brodin – Farjestad (SEL)
DOB: Jul. 12/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 165lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 30GP 0G 2A 2P 10PIM ---Brodin is a lanky defender that skates extremely well and has great lateral ability across the ice. Does a great job of buying time for himself and escaping the forecheck to move the puck up ice. Good defensive skills and very methodical in positioning himself.
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44. LD Stuart Percy – Mississauga (OHL)
DOB: May 18/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 186lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 42GP 2G 21A 23P +35 46PIM ---One of the most underrated players in the OHL this season, Percy is a player who thinks the game extremely well. Rarely makes a bad decision or forces a pass, Percy is a very good puck mover who is very effective on the breakout. Delivers tape to tape passes in traffic or down the seam and does a good job of buying time for himself from opposition fore-checks. Can skate the puck when he sees an opportunity and does a good job of advancing the puck that way as well. Offensive instincts are good, and while his shot is weak, he does a great job of getting it on net and creating rebounds. Not an overly physical player, but is good in zone coverage and will rub forwards out. An above average skater who is rarely beaten off the rush. Doesn’t blow you away with any one skill, but does a great job of managing the game. —————
45. RC Michael St. Croix – Edmonton (OHL)
DOB: Apr. 10/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 5.11 | Weight: 179lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 46GP 21G 31A 52P +22 34PIM ---Michael St. Croix is really starting to become a complete player with the Edmonton Oil Kings; something evidenced by his +/- stat going from -21 to being a +22 at the time of this article. St. Croix has also really started to pick up his offensive play, netting 7 goals and 20 points in 11 December games, and is once again starting to show flashes of the player everyone thought he would be. St. Croix might be the second most talented center the WHL has to offer this year, and though he’s not overly big or strong, his playmaking ability is solid, and you would have to wonder what kind of numbers he could put up on a stronger team.
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46. LC Boone Jenner – Oshawa (OHL)
DOB: Jun. 15/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.03 | Weight: 197lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 43GP 14G 29A 43P +3 34PIM ---Jenner has great size and strength for a 17 year old and is very hard to move off the puck. He’s not afraid to get physical and he can handle body contact effectively as well. He has a good release and likes to shoot the puck and wants the puck to be on his stick. Some may view this as a good trait, but with Jenner it borders heavily on immaturity as he is constantly calling for the puck at inopportune times. Jenner’s skating is still pretty choppy, but it’s improving, and aside from that there’s a lot that translates well to the NHL level, but he needs to find some consistency and make better decisions with the puck to be a more effective player. —————
47. RW Maxim Shalunov – Chelyabinsk (MHL)
DOB: Jan. 31/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.03 | Weight: 183lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 28GP 16G 8A 24P 34PIM ---At this point, the top ranked Russian player playing in Russia, Shalunov is a big winger with good speed and a heavy shot. A little predictable in that he generally sticks to the wing and tries to cut in, but his game should evolve as he plays more consistently against a higher level of competition moving forward.
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48. RD Adam Clendening – Boston University (NCAA)
DOB: Nov. 26/92 | Shoots: R | Height: 5.11 | Weight: 190lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 24GP 2G 12A 14P 51P ---Clendening is a very smart defenseman with great hockey sense. Really sees the play develop well and does a great job of anticipating the play. Adept offensively and a very good puck mover who makes good decisions making passes or using the wall. A little bit undersized and not an overly dynamic player, but a very quality pick in this range.
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49. LW Mario Lucia – Wayzata (HS-MN)
DOB: Aug. 25/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.02 | Weight: 183lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 18GP 19G 19A 38P +22 10PIM ---Lucia is the son of University of Minnesota Head Coach Don Lucia, and is the gem of the Minnesota High School hockey system this year. He’s a big guy that is very agile and has great speed. He’s been putting together a strong season this year, and he should rise during the second half.
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50. RW Shane McColgan – Kelowna (WHL)
DOB: Jan. 01/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 5.10 | Weight: 160lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 43GP 18G 31A 49P +3 33PIM ---McColgan is a shifty, skilled player that just hasn’t been meeting the lofty expectations thrust upon him after his excellent rookie campaign last season where he was runner-up to Nugent-Hopkins for WHL rookie of the year. The diminutive California native hasn’t been so much of a disappointment as he has been a victim of his own success. Offensively he hasn’t progressed enough from last year to overcome perceived deficiencies in his game. McColgan seems to have worked on his play away from the puck, and while it isn’t the greatest, it has improved quite a bit from last year. McColgan still needs to work on his strength as he is very easily knocked off the puck and he loses a high majority of physical battles at the WHL level, which will be a concern for NHL scouts. His compete level comes and goes, and when he’s on, he’s feisty, physical, chippy, and engaged.
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51. RC Philippe Hudon – Choate-Rosemary (HS-CT)
DOB: Apr. 15/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 6.00 | Weight: 183lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): n/a ---Hudon is a Quebec native taking the prep school route before heading off to Cornell University next season. He’s a proactive player who is dangerous offensively as well as being all over the ice. Skates hard and competes and really earns a lot of his chances.
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52. LW Adam Lowry – Swift Current (WHL)
DOB: Mar. 29/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.04 | Weight: 184lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 48GP 14G 16A 30P -14 64PIM ---After getting off to a slow start to the season while recuperating from mono, Lowry is quickly becoming one of the fastest risers in the WHL for this year’s upcoming NHL draft. Lowry has been nearly a PPG player for the Broncos since the end of November. Lowry isn’t the best skater and could stand to improve his first step, but he’s a power forward in the making that does a lot of little things that coaches love. The son of former NHLer Dave Lowry works the boards well, wins puck battles, is strong on the puck, throws his weight around, takes his man, and has surprisingly good hands for his size. At 6’4, Lowry already has the ability to overpower his opponents and he doesn’t look he’s finished growing yet. —————
53. LD Xavier Ouellet – Montreal (QMJHL)
DOB: Jul. 29/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 177lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 50GP 5G 27A 32P +18 30PIM ---Ouellet bypassed the NCAA route to stay in the QMJHL and has taken the next step with Montreal this season. He’s been putting up strong numbers which reflects a lot of his poise as he’s not a pure offensive defenseman. Ouellet is very good in his own end and makes a lot of smart decisions which makes him a quality pick in this range.
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54. LD Jesse Forsberg – Prince George (WHL)
DOB: Aug. 13/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 195lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 46GP 2G 11A 13P -1 117PIM ---Forsberg is a player that has polarized the TSR team so far this year. He’s another player that just hasn’t met pre-season expectations, yet brings a nice blend of skill, grit, size, and potential to merit watching as the season progresses. The talent is evident with Forsberg, but he hasn’t yet figured out how to harness it. While Forsberg hasn’t put up the offensive numbers expected of him when he entered the WHL, he does play a useful role for the Cougars as a gritty, physical defensive player. —————
55. LW Max Friberg – Skovde (Swe-D1)
DOB: Nov. 20/92 | Shoots: R | Height: 5.11 | Weight: 185lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 23GP 10G 17A 27P 6PIM ---Friberg hasn’t got much exposure this season playing in the third division of Swedish professional hockey, but he certainly won some people over at the World Juniors. He’s a little undersized, but he competes hard and is a tough player to play against. Has a bit of offensive pop but can also kill penalties. His role might come into question on draft day, however.
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56. LC Philip Danault – Victoriaville (QMJHL)
DOB: Feb. 24/93 | Shoots: l | Height: 6.00 | Weight: 170lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 47GP 20G 32A 52P +19 46PIM ---Lanky forward with a smooth skating stride and pretty good tenacity. Has taken a major step forward offensively this season and will certainly challenge to work his way up into the Top 50 over the next few months.
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57. LW Shane Prince – Ottawa (OHL)
DOB: Nov. 16/92 | Shoots: L | Height: 5.11 | Weight: 185lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 46GP 21G 55A 76P +35 16PIM ---Prince is very quick and has good bursts of speed and is very elusive on the ice. More of a playmaker and makes a lot of good plays in the offensive zone, but has also been willing to shoot the puck more this year. His defensive game needs a lot of work as he’s fairly one dimensional, but his offensive production is more then offsetting that right now, although he will need to prove to critics he’s more then a dominant junior player with little professional upside. —————
58. LC Joseph LaBate – Holy Angels (HS-MN)
DOB: Apr. 16/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.04 | Weight: 180lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 19GP 20G 15A 35P +19 32PIM ---LaBate has a great frame to work with as a forward, but still needs to grow into it as he refines his game. He skates very well for a big guy and has some solid grit to his game as well. Good touch around the net and has a very good shot which he loves to use. Still pretty raw, but has some very good upside.
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59. RD Reece Scarlett – Swift Current (WHL)
DOB: Mar. 31/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 168lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 54GP 4G 13A 17P -28 40PIM ---Scarlett projects as an offensive defenseman at the pro level. He skates well and is quite a creative player that shows good offensive instincts and a strong shot. He is small and plays like it, at times significantly struggling in his own end. He can be a bit of a mess in his own zone as he is not strong enough to take his man and often not positionally good enough to make up for it. Concerns over those two factors mean that he needs to excel more in the offensive part of his game than he has so far if he hopes to become a pro player one day. The potential is there with this kid, but whoever drafts him will have to be patient as he is still a work in progress. —————
60. LD Max Everson – Edina (HS-MN)
DOB: Feb. 22/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.00 | Weight: 184lbs
Season Statistics (Jan 28th): 17GP 4G 13A 17P +4 18PIM ---Everson is a smooth defenseman who really uses his skating ability to his advantage. Pivots well and does a good job of maintaining gap control. Occasionally guilty of losing his man in the defensive zone, which is something he needs to improve.
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Click here for Part One of the Top 60 Skaters (1-30)
Tags: 2011 nhl draft, 2011 nhl draft prospects, 2011 nhl draft rankings, Adam Lowry, Boone Jenner, Colin Jacobs, Daniel Catenacci, Jesse Forsberg, Joe Morrow, Jonas Brodin, Joseph LaBate, Lucas Lessio, Mario Lucia, Max Everson, Max Friberg, Maxim Shalunov, Michael St. Croix, Myles Bell, Nick Shore, Oscar Klefbom, Philip Danault, Philippe Hudon, Reece Scarlett, Rickard Rakell, Shane McColgan, Shane Prince, Stefan Noesen, Stuart Percy, Tyler Biggs, Vladislav Namestnikov, Xavier Ouellet, Zack Phillips
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