Welcome back to Top Shelf 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 2018 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 Hockey Prospects is your new headquarters for everything “NHL Draft”! We have a complete listing of our draft articles here.
Its almost here, draft day. With 80 NHL Draft scouting reports in the books, I now make a number of shorter write-ups over the next few days to take us to 100 prospects ranked and reviewed. If history is any indication, some of these players will get taken in the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds. In my opinion, they will be big time steals at those picks. Yesterday, I looked at 81-90 and today we bring the total to 100.
2018 NHL Draft Scouting Reports: 91-100
#91 Martin Fehervary, Left Defence, IK Oskarshamn, Allsvenskan, 6’1″, 190 lbs
The Slovakian born defenceman is playing his hockey in Sweden, spending last season in the Allsvenskan, but transferring to HV71 to play in the SHL next year. Fehervary is a very good skater. He uses this to play a strong defensive game, with good positioning and the ability to keep his man in front of him. Fehervary doesn’t throw huge hits, but he is not afraid to use his size to be physical in the corners and in front of the net. Fehervary can skate the puck out of danger but needs to work on his passing in order to bring offence.
#92 Brandon Saigeon, Centre/Left Wing, Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL, 6’2″, 196 lbs
Undrafted in the last two NHL Drafts, the third time may be the charm for the Hamilton Bulldogs power forward. Saigeon led all OHL players with 18 playoff goals in just 21 games, as the Bulldogs took home the OHL Championship. This came on the heels of a 35 goal, 70 point regular season. Saigeon is a big forward who has improved his skating over the years. He is not afraid to play a physical game and get to the front of the net. Saigeon battles hard in the corners and is strong in the cycle game. He also has a good wrist shot and release.
#93 Alexander Romanov, Left Defence, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva, MHL, 5’11”, 183 lbs
The top defenceman on the Russian team at the recent IIHF Under-18s, Romanov is a very good skating. He can rush the puck up the ice and still get back in his own zone defensively. He is also a very good passer, starting the transition game or setting up in the zone on the power play. Romanov has a good shot. Defensively, he is tough to beat off the rush. However, once the other team gains the zone, he needs some work on his positioning and instincts.
#94 Tyler Madden, Centre, Tri-City Storm, USHL, 5’10”, 152 lbs
The son of former NHLer John Madden, Tyler is an undersized centre who is committed to attend Northeastern University next season. He could certainly use a year or two in the NCAA with its less intense schedule and the opportunity to bulk up in the weight room. Madden plays the game a lot like his father. He is a very good skater who gets involved on the forecheck and on the backcheck. He plays a straightforward, north-south style of game. Madden is gritty and always around the puck. He gets under opponent’s skin with his tenacious play.
#95 Ivan Morozov, Centre, Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk, KHL, 6’1″, 179 lbs
The Russian centre spent most of the season in the MHL, but did get in one KHL game. He is moving on to SKA St. Petersburg next season. Morozov is another player with strong work-ethic at both ends of the ice. He is a good skater, who can take a defenceman wide and accelerate to the net on the rush. Once he gets there he has the soft hands to finish in tight. He also has a good wrist shot, and can play the role of playmaker on the rush. He needs to add lower body strength to be stronger on his skates.
#96 Filip Kral, Left Defence, Spokane Chiefs, WHL, 6’0″, 168 lbs
Kral put up 35 points in 54 games as a WHL Rookie. The Czech defenceman is an excellent skater who loves to rush the puck up the ice. He is a good passer with excellent vision. Kral can start the transition game with his first pass, as well as control the play in the offensive zone on the power play. He needs to add muscle. This would help his defensive game. Right now he is beaten too often in the corners and in front of the net.
#97 Axel Andersson, Right Defence, Djurgårdens IF, J20, 6’0″, 181 lbs
Another talented Swedish defenceman in a draft that seems to be full of them. Andersson is another mobile, puck-moving defender. He has good stickhandling skills and uses them to retrieve loose pucks, skate them out of danger, and even to lead the rush through the neutral zone. He loves to use his agility to walk the line in the offensive zone, opening up passing and shooting lanes in the offensive zone. Andersson has a good shot and gets it through traffic and on the net. He needs to get stronger, as he can be overpowered in the corners and in front of the net in the defensive zone.
#98 Kody Clark, Right Wing, Ottawa 67s, OHL, 6’1″, 176 lbs
The son of former NHLer Wendel Clark, Kody works extremely well down low. He is strong on the puck and controls it below the face-off dots. He extends plays in the cycle game, waiting for teammates to get open or an opportunity to get a step on a defenceman and take it to the net himself. Clark, like his father, has a good wrist shot and release. He is also strong on the defensive end of the ice and has been an effective penalty killer for the 67s.
#99 Curtis Hall, Centre, Youngstown Phantoms, USHL, 6’2″, 194 lbs
Committed to Yale University for next season, Hall is a tremendous skater. He has great speed and acceleration. This makes him a threat off the rush, where defenders need to back off and respect his skating. He has a powerful stride and can fight through checks. Hall gets to the front of the net where he causes havoc and can score on tip-ins and rebounds. He is also good in his own-zone, and his speed makes him a threat to score short handed goals.
#100 Luka Burzan, Centre, Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL, 6’1″, 181 lbs
The 6th overall pick in the 2015 WHL Draft, Burzan has good size and marries it with strong skating and good work ethic to play a strong two-way game. He has an strong wrist shot and a quick release. Burzan has also shown good vision and passing skills. A hard worker, Burzan gets in quickly on the forecheck, creating turnovers. He also goes to the net without the puck. Burzan has also shown a strong defensive game for a 17-year-old, but like most youngsters should improve with time and coaching.
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