Max from @TPEHockey is back with an article on three of the most underrated and underreported 2019 NHL draft prospects. These three players are all candidates that I could see the Edmonton Oilers taking a long look at depending on where their selections are but there’s outstanding skill, elite hockey IQ, and absurd athleticism in all of the players you’re going to read about here.
You can read Max’s latest draft rankings below:
TPE Hockey’s Mid-Season NHL Draft Rankings
Connor McMichael London Knights | C | Canada
Connor McMichael is another top prospect coming out of the London Knights system. London is constantly been producing 1st round nearly every year talent and the 2019 draft is no different. At the beginning of the season, it seemed that there was no top London Knight making themselves known. Although it wasn’t long before McMichael made it clear that he was a can’t miss prospect. By November it was clear that the talented draft-eligible was the best forward on the Knights. With top picks in previous drafts like Liam Foudy (#18 CBJ) and Alex Formenton (#47 OTT) that didn’t seem possible in October. McMichael has already surpassed the 30 goal mark which other Knights who went in the 1st round, like Foudy and Robert Thomas, didn’t do in their draft years. He’s has been a standout in the OHL this season and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon.
He’s a center, which already boosts his stock like we saw last year with Barrett Hayton. A centerman who went far higher than projected because of his position. McMichael has shown competence in all three zones due to his high IQ play. He might not have any particular defensive skills, but he’s a smart enough player to be quite good defensively. Even with a focus on 200ft play McMichael has been dynamite offensively. His stellar vision of the ice and his ability to read the play makes him a hard player to defend against. On top of that, he has some nasty hands and has a history of undressing defenders. This is a player defenders can’t afford to lose track of. He can also use lightning fast speed to catch defensemen sleeping. His combination of nifty skill, smart play, and speed allow him to dominate at the OHL level as a draft-eligible player.
Right now McMichael slots into the 10-15 range when it comes to the draft. He currently sits at 12 behind Bobby Brink in my 2019 rankings. Although it’s quite possible we could see him make a huge jump on draft day.
This young London Knight is a stellar center with all the qualities to become a top 6 NHL center. It wouldn’t surprise me if he snuck into the top 10 come June.
Ville Heinola Lukko | LHD | Finland
Early this year Heinola was expected to be a big time player in the Finnish U20 team, but not necessarily one to hit the pros in his draft year. Although after a hot start going a point per game for Lukko U20 in his first nine games. He then got a well deserved promotion to the Liiga. Since then, Heinola has shown offensive prowess and unmatched skating skills against pro competition. We can often see Heinola skate literal circles around the opposing team in the offensive zone. He likes to walk the puck down the boards and tries to create offense from the outside hash marks. He plays an offensive game that I have no doubt will be effective at a higher level.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioJhVVzA2xo
Heinola also attended the World Juniors with the gold medal-winning Finnish squad. Heinola had a stellar tournament playing a huge role in the Finnish defense. He spent much of his time alongside Blackhawks prospect Henri Jokiharju who served as Finland’s #1 defensemen due to his extended time in the NHL this season. With this opportunity, Heinola capitalized big time. He flashed more offensive skill and talent than we saw in his Liiga time. We saw him loosen up a bit against lesser competition and was able to be more effective. Heinola also displayed his defensive capabilities and physical aspect in the tournament. He did a great job of clearing the center of the ice and shutting down the players he covered. Even at (5’11”) he is physically capable and not one to be pushed around. He’s strong on his skates and able to withstand physical pressure. This helps on the defensive side of the game for Heinola and is one of the reasons he was so successful at the World Juniors.
In terms of his draft position I currently label him as my second defensemen off the board. Bowen Byram remains as the clear number one, but after him, I don’t see any major impact defensemen available. Heinola slots in around the 15th pick for me, but expect him to go around the 20-25 range.
Hunter Jones Peterborough | G | Canada
This draft has shown to be a deep one for goaltenders. With top round prospects like Spencer Knight, Dustin Wolf, Isaiah Saville, and overager Ilya Konovalov, Hunter Jones is no exception.
The 6’4” self-described “bigger lad” plays big in the net. He uses body position and angles to take away net from shooters. His slides and short butterfly movements are crisp and precise. He can follow a puck in tight with his toe pushes and that precision on his knees is crucial. Post to post he can’t be beat due to his size and power, even on the butterfly. Jones is also a phenomenal puck tracker. He can track pucks through screens and follow passes without losing his angle. His big stature makes it very hard to screen him which contributes to his tracking ability.
Jones might not possess all the statistical attributes to wow scouts, but he has every quality that scouts want to see in a goalie. His size is obvious, but what a lot of scouts are looking for now is puck tracking. Jones is one of the best in the class when it comes to that category. I’d say only Dustin Wolf and Spencer Knight are better. Jones will likely slide in somewhere in the second round. Although I wouldn’t put it past a team in need of a goalie to take him in the late 1st.
