TSN's Top Mid-Season prospects
On June 26, the best young amateur players in the world will be made available when the 2009 NHL Entry Draft takes place in Montreal. Follow TSN's mid-season latest rankings - a compilation based on input from various scouts around the National Hockey League. (Photos: Getty Images)
McKenzie: I must have had a senior moment even before I've become a senior citizen. How else do I explain the omission of Saskatoon Blade defenceman Stefan Elliott in TSN's mid-season Top 30 prospects for the 2009 NHL entry draft. He belongs there. In fact, he should have been No. 23, but as I was putting together the final list Elliott somehow ended up on the cutting room floor. Oops. So our Top 30 just became a Top 31. For the sake of expediency, we're slotting Elliott at No. 22B, right behind Louis Leblanc and just ahead of Landon Ferarro. That's where Elliott currently merits being based on our survey of NHL team scouts. Sorry for the confusion. I will now go to the penalty box and feel shame.
Prospects No. 1 - 15 | Prospects No. 16 - 30
The Top 30
16. ZACK KASSIAN
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Peterborough |
League: OHL |
| Position: Right Wing |
Ht/Wt: 6-3, 205 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 48 GP, 20 G, 49 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| Kassian plays well at both ends of the ice and is utilized in all situations while not being afraid to mix things up physically. - From International Scouting Services |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: No. 15
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 24 (North America) |
17. PETER HOLLAND
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Guelph |
League: OHL |
| Position: Centre |
Ht/Wt: 6-2, 190 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 53 GP, 22 G, 50 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| Holland, ranked 16th overall by ISS in January for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, won a gold medal with Team Ontario at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge and also took part in the ADT Canada Russia Challenge. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: No. 16
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 9 (North America) |
18. JACOB JOSEFSON
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Djurgarden |
League: SweJE |
| Position: Centre |
Ht/Wt: 6-0, 187 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 42 GP, 4 G, 10 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| Josefson, who plays for Djurgarden of the Swedish Elite League, is ranked third among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: No. 10
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 3 (Europe) |
19. CARTER ASHTON
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Lethbridge |
League: WHL |
| Position: Left Wing |
Ht/Wt: 6-4, 212 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 56 GP, 27 G, 42 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| Ashton, the son of former NHLer Brent Ashton, played in the 2008 World U17 Championship in London, Ontario and helped lead the Hurricanes to the WHL final last spring. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: No. 28
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 10 (North America) |
20. CHRIS KREIDER
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Andover |
League: MA-HS |
| Position: Centre |
Ht/Wt: 6-2, 201 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: Not available |
|
| Notes |
| Kreider will be taking his game to the college ranks soon, as he gave Boston College a verbal commitment last summer to join the school for the 2010-11 season. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: 49A
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 14 (North America) |
21. CALVIN DE HAAN
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Oshawa |
League: OHL |
| Position: Left Wing |
Ht/Wt: 6-2, 201 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 53 GP, 5 G, 46 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| De Haan is helping lead a new-look Oshawa club that has parted ways with John Tavares and leads the Generals in assists. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: 37
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 38 (North America) |
22-A. LOUIS LEBLANC
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Omaha |
League: USHL |
| Position: Centre |
Ht/Wt: 6-1, 200 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 40 GP, 18 G, 40 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| Leblanc was a member of Canada's gold medal-winning under-18 squad at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament in the Czech Republic last year and is expected to enroll at Harvard University in the fall. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: No. 20
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 18 (North America) |
22-B. STEFAN ELLIOTT
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Saskatoon |
League: WHL |
| Position: Defence |
Ht/Wt: 6-1, 184 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 58 GP, 14 G, 45 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| Elliott, who plays for the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL, is ranked 22nd among North America skaters by NHL Central Scouting. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: No. 27
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 22 (North America) |
23. LANDON FERRARO
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Red Deer |
League: OHL |
| Position: Right Wing |
Ht/Wt: 6-0, 170 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 52 GP, 29 G, 45 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| Ferraro, the son of former NHLer and NHL on TSN analyst Ray Ferraro, is ranked 13th among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: No. 17
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 13 (North America) |
24. JEREMY MORIN
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: USA-18 |
League: NTDP |
| Position: Centre |
Ht/Wt: 5-10, 160 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: Not available |
|
| Notes |
| Morin, who will play at the Under-18s in April, will either play in the Canadian Hockey League next season or with a U.S. college. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: No. 13
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 21 (North America) |
25. DREW SHORE
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: USA-18 |
League: NTDP |
| Position: Centre |
Ht/Wt: 6-2, 190 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: Not available |
|
| Notes |
| Shore, ranked 32nd among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, will play college hockey at the University of Denver this fall. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: No. 11
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 32 (North America) |
26. MARCUS JOHANSSON
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Farjestad |
League: SweJE |
| Position: Left Wing |
Ht/Wt: 5-11, 189 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 37 GP, 5 G, 8 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| Johansson scored two goals in six games for Team Sweden at the 2009 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: 127
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 6 (Europe) |
27. KYLE PALMIERI
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: USA-18 |
League: NTDP |
| Position: Centre |
Ht/Wt: 5-10, 191 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: Not available |
|
| Notes |
| Palmieri, ranked 19th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, will play college hockey with Notre Dame this fall. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: 33
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 19 (North America) |
28. DAVID RUNDBLAD
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Skelleftea |
League: SweJE |
| Position: Defence |
Ht/Wt: 6-2, 189 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 39 GP, 8 A, 8 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| Rundblad is a skilled puck handler and skater. He can be a risk at times and will often get too fancy with the puck. Rundblad is also a little timid around his net and will often attempt to fish the puck out instead of getting involved physically during scrambles. - From International Scouting Services |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: No. 24
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 4 (Europe) |
29. JORDAN CARON
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Rimouski |
League: QMJHL |
| Position: Centre |
Ht/Wt: 6-2, 200 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 44 GP, 29 G, 48 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| Caron represented the QMJHL at the 2008 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge and will play for the Oceanic at the 2009 Memorial Cup as the host team. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: No. 30
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 20 (North America) |
30. DYLAN OLSEN
| Profile |
| 2008-09 Team: Camrose |
League: AJHL |
| Position: Defence |
Ht/Wt: 6-2, 205 lbs. |
| Stats through 2/11: 47 GP, 8 G, 24 PTS |
|
| Notes |
| Olsen, who plays for the Camrose Kodiaks in Alberta, is ranked 23rd among North American skaters listed by NHL Central Scouting. |
| Scouting Ranking |
International Scouting Services: 31
Central Scouting Bureau: No. 23 (North America) |
