A Look Ahead at the ’13 Draft

The next NHL draft is 326 days away, but hey – it’s never too early to start preparing for it, as you can bet the New Jersey Devils (who will host the draft) are, as well as the other 29 NHL teams already scouting young players for their future.

Further proof that it’s never too early? The NHL has already released its initial Futures List of North American and international players, and for fans of junior hockey, some of the names might just ring a bell.

The list was divided into two sections: the ‘A List’ and ‘B List.’ (Is this a scouting list or a popularity contest?!) ‘A’ list players are considered to be potential top-30 draft picks, while ‘B’ listers are candidates for second or third-round selections.

Players listed in an article on NHL.com regarding the scouting were categorized based on the league they played in last season.

Just one A-lister comes from high school: Ross Olsson, of North Billerica, Massachusetts. Olsson just graduated from Williston Northampton and has committed to Northeastern University for this coming fall. The right winger is one of just five American players on the list, and he was recently selected 73rd overall by the Lincoln Stars in the USHL draft.

Six players on the list spent last season with the Ontario Hockey League, including the Windsor Spitfires’ Kerby Rychel. Others include Guelph center Jason Dickinson, who had 13 goals and 22 assists in 63 regular season games last year, and London Knights center Max Domi (yes, Tie’s son), who scored 49 points in 62 games.

Rounding out the OHL forwards are center Sean Monahan (Ottawa 67s, 33 goals and 45 assists in 62 games) and right winger Ryan Hartman, of the Plymouth Whalers. One OHL goaltender also made the A list: Spencer Martin, who was just invited to attend Team Canada’s U-18 camp.

Seven players each from the Western Hockey League and QMJHL also made scouting’s “A list.” Quebec and Halifax both had two players named: left wingers Anthony Duclair and Adam Erne (Quebec), right winger Nathan MacKinnon and goaltender Zachary Fucale (Halifax).

Center William Carrier of Cape Breton and Val-D’Or left winger Anthony Mantha also made the list, along with defenseman Samuel Morin of the Rimouski Oceanic.

From the WHL, seven teams are represented on the list. Four defensemen were added: Seth Jones (Portland), Joshua Morrissey (Prince Albert), Ryan Pulock (Brandon), and Shea Theodore (Seattle). Centers Curtis Lazar (Edmonton) and Hunter Shinkaruk (Medicine Hat) as well as left winger Morgan Klimchuk of Regina were the other WHLers.

Four USHL players round out the final North American players on the A-list. J.T. Compher, a left-winger on the USA U-18 team, has committed to Michigan for this coming fall. The Northbrook, IL native had 13 goals and 14 assists in 32 games last season.

Another Michigan 2013 commit, defenseman Michael Downing, is also on that scouting list. The Dubuque alum was the youngest player on his team this past season, at the tender age of just 16, and had five goals and 11 assists in 59 games.

Lincoln center Luke Johnson and Waterloo defenseman Ian McCoshen are the other two USHL players.

The remaining 11 players represent Finland (four), Russia (two) and Sweden (five).

Finnish center Aleksander Barkov Jr. split last season between Tappara of SM-liiga and Tappara Jr. The 16-year-old also holds Russian citizenship, as he is the son of former Russian hockey player Aleksander Barkov. On January 2, he became the youngest player to score a goal at the IIHF World Junior Championships. Other Finns on the list are defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, goaltender Ville Husso and 17-year-old left wing Juuso Ikonen.

Russia is represented by 17-year-old Chelyabinsk native Valeri Nichushkin, who played 38 games with Belie Medvedi Chelyabinsk last season. He also played for the nation’s U-17, U-18, and U-19 teams. Also representing Russia is Bogdan Yakimov, of Nizhnekamsk. Yakimov had 25 points in 46 games with Reaktor Nizhnekamsk last season and, like Nichushkin, played for Russia’s U-18 and U-19 teams.

Finally, rounding out the A-list are five players from Swedish leagues. First up is 17-year-old Andre Burakowsky, of Austria, whose family has a storied hockey history. Burakowsky, a left winger, had 42 points in 42 games with Malmö J20. Lucas Wallmark, 16, and 17-year-old Elias Lindholm, both Sweden natives, are also on the scouting list. Finally, center Jacob DeLaRose and defenseman Robert Hagg round out the list.