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As the CHL season begins to wind down and the memorial cup begins to get closer and closer, for an aficionado such as I, the only thing on my mind game in and game out is June 24th – the NHL Entry draft in St. Paul, Minnesota. For the last two years, for anyone who has had an ear to the wall in upcoming draft classes, all you’ve heard is how weak this class is compared to other years in recent memory. There’s no Taylor Hall, there’s no Steve Stamkos, and that may be the case, but the parity in this class through the first 50 picks makes for one of the most interesting draft weekends that I can recall. The OHL will be heavily represented in the Minny, and the top ten holds a few names that fans of the Ontario Hockey League have heard plenty over the last two years. So without further delay, what I’d like to do is outline the overall top ten in my humble opinion, and then profile the best 10 young men playing in Ontario.

Overall Rankings:
1. Gabriel Landeskog
2. Sean Couturier
3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
4. Ryan Murphy
5. Adam Larsson
6. Dougie Hamilton
7. Tyler Biggs
8. Jonathan Huberdeau
9. Sven Baertschi
10. Ryan Strome

As far as the non OHLers are concerned, there’s been quite a bit of movement in the rankings since the season began. Sean Couturier, thought to easily be the consensus number one, has played well this year, and had a strong showing at the World Junior Championships, but has not been able to fend off the strong play from Swedish forward Gabriel Landeskog. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has impressed in the western league, as has Swiss forward from Portland Sven Baertschi. One of the highest soaring stocks has been that of Jonathan Huberdeau, and he has managed to find himself even higher on some lists than I have him here. Adam Larsson, the big Swedish defenseman had a disappointing showing at the World Junior Championships and has seen his stock drop dramatically over the course of the season. Still expected to go high, it’s a wonder if he’s even the highest ranked defenceman in the draft anymore.

OHL Rankings:
1. Gabriel Landeskog
2. Ryan Murphy
3. Dougie Hamilton
4. Ryan Strome
5. Vladislav Namestnikov
6. Brandon Saad
7. Boone Jenner
8. Mark Scheifele
9. Lucas Lessio
10. Matthew Puempel

Gabriel Landeskog – Kitchener Rangers

Gabriel Landeskog was a strong offensive player last year for the Rangers with Jeff Skinner, Jeremy Morin and company. With the departure of last year’s stars, the Rangers’ captain has stepped up in a big way. Rangers’ fans would gladly liken him to former Ranger Mike Richards, and the comparisons can’t be far off. Landeskog excels in practically every aspect of the game. He skates as well as anyone in the draft, he has top end play making abilities, he has a nose for the net, solid defensive play, he hits, he fights, he scores, he does everything for the Rangers, and he’ll be a welcome addition to any NHL team. Widely regarded as the most NHL ready player in the draft, it’s very doubtful that Landeskog ends up back in the OHL next year.

Ryan Murphy – Kitchener Rangers

I’ll be the first to admit that before I saw this kid, the comparisons to Windsor’s Ryan Ellis gave me the wrong impression. While Murphy has very strong offensive instincts, and is a tad undersized, the comparisons basically end there. His skating is very strong, and his vision is second to none. He sifts through traffic with ease, and can beat teams with his shot, or with a slick pass through the offensive zone. He doesn’t shy away from physicality, and his defensive zone coverage, while not near the level of his offensive zone abilities, isn’t as much of a hindrance as one would imagine. While Murphy isn’t expected to be as NHL ready as other defenders in the draft, his ceiling is likely higher than anyone elses.

Dougie Hamilton – Niagara Ice Dogs

The youngest of the Hamilton brothers; Dougie, a defenceman for the surging Niagara Ice Dogs is an interesting player to watch. He has the solid positioning, and ferocious physicality of a Chris Pronger, but shows flashes of Jay Bouwmeester like offensive abilities. While his speed isn’t quite on the same level as some defencemen in the top ten, his long powerful strides expect to get significantly better as he matures physically. Hamilton’s worst case is that of a shutdown defender, but has the potential to develop into an all around threat once he reaches the highest of levels.

Ryan Strome – Niagara Ice Dogs

Ryan Strome is a smooth skating forward for those same Niagara Ice Dogs. He has dynamic, game breaking skill, but he shows a strong commitment to defence. He has explosive skating, slick hands and a decent shot. He sees the ice and passes the puck at an extremely high level, and makes players around him better. He’s especially good at retrieving the puck in his own zone, and transitioning to offense. He has a great off ice work ethic, and it should go along way helping him get to the next level.

Vladislav Namestnikov – London Knights

Though slightly undersized, the offensively gifted London Knight forward has jumped onto the big stage in the Ontario Hockey League this year in a big way. He excels in all aspects of the game in the offensive zone. He’s a great skater, a creative playmaker, and a tremendous finishing ability. The Russian factor may play a role in how high he is taken in the NHL entry draft, but after being selected in the first round of the KHL draft, and opting to play for the London Knights instead, it’s a safe bet that Namestnikov has made his decision.
 

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