Welcome back to Top Shelf NHL Prospects, the daily column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. Each day I will bring you a new player profile or topical article in the lead-up to the 2015 NHL Draft. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow me on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! Last Word On Sports is your new headquarters for everything “NHL Draft”! For a Complete Listing of all our 2015 Draft Articles Click here.
Its almost here, draft day. With 85 NHL Draft scouting reports in the books, I now make a number of short write-ups to take us to a nice, round 100. This is over three full rounds worth of prospects (at least on my best player available chart). If history is any indication though, some of these players will get taken in the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds, and in my opinion, will be big-time steals at those picks.
2015 NHL DRAFT PROFILES 86-100
#86 Andrew Mangiapane, Left Wing, shoots Left, Height 5.10 — Weight 170, Barrie Colts, OHL
Mangiapane is a draft re-entry who didn’t put up quite enough offence (51 points in 68 games) in his draft year to get a real look. However with 104 points this season, he has opened some eyes and gets a second chance at the NHL Draft. Despite his lack of size, Mangiapane forechecks hard and fights for loose pucks. He has exceptional agility and elusiveness, spinning away from defenders and creating openings to make a pass to a teammate. An excellent playmaker, Mangiapane can put the puck tape to tape through the tightest of openings. He also has the speed necessary to overcome his size, and plays a two-way game.
#87 Michael Spacek, C/RW, shoots Right, Height 5.11 — Weight 187, Pardubice HC, Czech Extraliga
Spaceck is a versatile player who can play both centre and right wing. He is very creative, with excellent stickhandling coupled with good agility giving him the ability to weave through defenders. This can be an issue when he tries to do too much though. He also has fantastic passing skills and great vision which can set up a teammate. His shot has a quick release but could use more power. He is more than willing to play a two way game, and has good hockey sense in the defensive end.
#88 Keegan Kolesar, Right Wing, shoots Right, Height 6.02 — Weight 217, Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL
Kolesar is a potential powerforward who plays a very simple game. He is strong and powerful along the boards, and wins battles for position in front of the net. He does have a hard shot from further out, as well as the quick hands to score goals in close. He also loves to hit, and punishes defenders on the forecheck. The biggest concern here is skating, as he must get quicker, particularly in his first few steps.
#89 Sebastian Aho, LW/RW, shoots Left, Height 6.00 — Weight 172, Karpat, SM-Liiga
The second Sebastian Aho in the draft. Unlike the Swedish defenceman we ranked earlier, now we have a Finnish winger. He spent the season playing against men in the SM-Liiga. At international tournaments Aho has shown plenty of speed, and good stickhandling ability. He also has a powerful shot and a good release. A criticism comes from his lack of attention to detail in the defensive end of the ice.
#90 Jeremy Lauzon, Defence, shoots Left, Height 6.02 — Weight 193, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, QMJHL
A solid two-way defender, Lauzon has great hockey sense and plays a very smart game. He makes crisp passes out of the zone, and on the point in the offensive end. Has a decent but not overpowering slapshot. Lauzon is an excellent defensive defender with very good positioning, and active stick, and the smarts to read the play. He played in all situations for the Huskies this season. Lauzon has very good straight line speed in both directions but must work on his agility, edgework and pivots.
#91 Denis Malgin, Center, shoots Right, Height 5.08 — Weight 163, Zurich, Swiss A League
Malgin is a dimunitive centre who was very impressive at the World Junior Championships. He has tremendous agility and puckhandling ability, giving him the ability to control the play in the offensive zone. He also is a very good playmaker with excellent vision and passing skills. Malgin has good speed, and never stops moving his feet or takes a shift off. His shot has a good release, but more power is needed.
#92 Erik Foley, Left Wing, shoots Left, Height 6.00 — Weight 185, Cedar Rapids Roughriders, USHL
The best way to describe Erik Foley is to saw that he plays the game like an absolute buzzsaw. He forechecks relentlessly, and chases loose pucks all over the ice. He is willing to hit anything that moves. With the puck on his stick, Foley is always working to get it on net, whether it be by driving to the crease, or by unleashing a good wrist shot. He must become a bit more disciplined in his game, and also needs to recognize when he has the time and space to make a play with the puck.
#93 Felix Sandstrom, Goaltender, shoots/catches Left, Height 6.02 — Weight 192, Brynas IF, SHL
Sandstrom plays a more standup/hybrid style than most goalies. He makes full use of his size, getting out to cut down angles and taking away the net from the shooter. He is an athletic goalie who tracks the puck well, and has good side to side movements. His legs are exceptionally quick and he takes away the bottom of the net while showing good rebound control. He does need a bit of work on his glove hand though.
#94 Brad Morrison, Centre, shoots Left, Height 6.00 — Weight 154, Prince George Cougars, WHL
Morrison is a great skater with a long, fluid stride. He motors all over the ice. He controls the play with strong stick handling skills, and is very dangerous off the rush. He is another excellent passer. His shot could be stronger. Overall though at just 154 pounds he must add a lot of bulk to his frame.
#95 Alexandre Carrier, Defence, shoots Right, Height 5.11 — Weight 174, Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL
Carrier finished third amongst all defencemen in the QMJHL scoring race with 55 points. He has great vision and can make outstanding passes on the powerplay. His shot is decent, but not a cannon, as he’s more of a powerplay quarterback than a trigger man. Defensively he reads the play well, and plays his position with good fundamentals, but can be overpowered by bigger forwards.
#96 Jean-Christophe Beaudin, Centre, shoots Right, Height 6.01 — Weight 181, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, QMJHL
Beaudin is a smart playmaker with a good slapshot who also can play the point on the powerplay. He has very good acceleration and can surprise defenders with how quickly he gains speed. He needs to work on the release on his wrist shot. Beaudin is a good stickhandler and can protect the puck in the cycle game. Plays a strong-two way game, and is very conscientious on the back check.
#97 Kevin Stenlund, Center, shoots Right, Height 6.03 — Weight 205, HV 71, SHL
Stenlund is the big bodied two-way centre that every team seems to look for. He is very gritty and physical in both ends of the ice. He uses his size to protect the puck extremely well in the cycle game, and controls the play down low. Has a hard shot, but could work on his release. Is more of a playmaker than a scorer. His skating is good for a big man.
#98 A.J. Greer, Left Wing, shoots Left, Height 6.03 — Weight 204, Boston University NCAA
Greer didn’t get a whole lot of prime minutes as a freshman on a stacked Boston University team that went all the way to the National Championship game and his offensive numbers suffered as a result. With some graduations and teammates leaving early is expected to move way up the depth chart next year. Greer has good speed, a strong shot, along with the size and the willingness to play a physical game.
#99 Chaz Reddekopp, Defence, shoots Left, Height 6.04 — Weight 219, Victoria Royals, WHL
Reddekopp is a big, physical defensive defenceman. He has great size and loves to use it to throw thunderous checks, win battles on the boards, and clears the front of the net. He has very good straight line speed, but must work on his pivots and edgework. Overall the skills are there offensively, a good shot, and passing skills, but he is very raw and will need time to develop those skills into effective weapons.
#100 Simon Bourque, Defence, shoots Left, Height 6.01 — Weight 184, Rimouski Oceanic, QMJHL
An excellent defensive defenceman with excellent positioning, great gap control, and the smarts to funnel opposing forwards to the outside and force them to shoot from bad areas. He has a very active stick and cuts down on passing and shooting lanes. Offensively Bourque is much more of a set up man than a shooter. He has some decent passing skills from the point, but his shot will never make him a big offensive producer.
