Talent abounds in Maritimes as NHL Draft approaches
By Josh Sweetland/CHL
Thursday June 25, 2015
With a strong pool of talent in the Maritimes this past season, the QMJHL’s east coast looks poised to send a number of high picks to the stage in the upcoming 2015 NHL Draft this weekend in Sunrise, Florida.
Much like the 2011 NHL Draft that saw MasterCard Memorial Cup champion Saint John Sea Dogs Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida), Nathan Beaulieu (Montreal), Zack Phillips (Minnesota) and Tomas Jurco (Detroit) don NHL sweaters inside the top 40 picks, the 2015 draft class features a strong contingent of talent coming out of the Maritimes.
Dynamic Swiss winger Timo Meier (Halifax), Czech blueliner Jakub Zboril (Saint John), smooth-skating rearguard Thomas Chabot (Saint John), Russian sniper Evgeny Svechnikov (Cape Breton) and the Charlottetown duo of Filip Chlapik and Daniel Sprong were all rated inside the NHL Central Scouting Services top 20 North American skaters on the final pre-draft rankings.
The Sea Dogs in particular are one team that has peaked scouting interests throughout the year. Zboril and Chabot top a list of 10 different players that made their way onto the final draft rankings for North American skaters.
“We have a great team moving forward and we’re proud of what happened this year; it’s great that a lot of guys have a chance to get drafted into the NHL,” Sea Dogs centreman Nathan Noel, the 54th ranked North American skater, told NHL.com’s Mike Morreale. “Everyone looks back at that team that had Huberdeau, Phillips and all those guys who were high picks in the NHL. They won a Memorial Cup [in 2011] and that’s what we’re striving to do.”
Joining Zboril, Chabot and Noel on the list are forwards Adam Marsh (55), Samuel Dove-McFalls (70), Mathieu Joseph (125) and Spencer Smallman (170) along with defencemen Bailey Webster (122), Jack Van Boekel (180) and Jason Bell (187).
Take the drive east around the Bay of Fundy and the QMJHL’s top draft eligible talent, winger Timo Meier has recently wrapped up a memorable season with the Halifax Mooseheads. The well-rounded right-winger was second in Mooseheads scoring behind flashy Danish linemate Nikolaj Ehlers with 44 goals, 46 assists and 90 points in 61 games. The two offensive weapons strung together a 27-game point streak stretching from November 22 to February 26 where the pair combined for a collective 124 points.
Meier says the decision to come to Canada after being the 12th overall pick in the 2013 CHL Import Draft has greatly enhanced his development and skills as a player.
“I’m really happy I made the decision to come over to Canada,” Meier told the Halifax Chronicle-Herald’s Willy Palov. “I’ve been able to improve and work with unbelievable coaches and a great organization in Halifax. The whole staff helped me a lot. It’s a great opportunity to play in North America. You’re closer to more scouts and if you’re playing in the CHL, it feels like you’re closer to the NHL.”
Meier, who also registered two goals, four assists and six points in as many contests for Switzerland at the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championship, says he felt he took big strides this past season.
“I had (average) numbers the first season but after that year I knew what was possible,” he continued. “I went back to Switzerland for the summer and I knew what I had to work on. I came back for my second year and I felt really good and I think I did a pretty good job. Now I just have to wait and see what happens at the draft.”
Russian winger Evgeny Svechnikov and Charlottetown Islanders forwards Filip Chlapik and Daniel Sprong, all players who performed in the 2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, offer prospective NHL clubs some other offensive variety in the early portions of the draft.
A total of 46 QMJHL skaters and two goaltenders were included on the NHL Central Scouting Service’s Final Draft Rankings, with 23 of those players (approximately 48%), including the top six coming from teams in the Maritimes Division.
Last year, the QMJHL had 17 players selected by NHL clubs, including the aforementioned Nikolaj Ehlers of the Halifax Mooseheads who went ninth overall to the Winnipeg Jets.
The 2015 NHL Draft gets underway on Friday at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. Sportsnet has full coverage of the first round on Friday night beginning at 6:30pm ET.
2015 NHL Central Scouting Service Final Draft Rankings
NORTH AMERICAN SKATERS – QMJHL
Rank |
Name |
Team |
10 |
MEIER, TIMO |
HALIFAX |
12 |
ZBORIL, JAKUB |
SAINT JOHN |
16 |
CHABOT, THOMAS |
SAINT JOHN |
17 |
SVECHNIKOV, EVGENY |
CAPE BRETON |
18 |
CHLAPIK, FILIP |
CHARLOTTETOWN |
20 |
SPRONG, DANIEL |
CHARLOTTETOWN |
21 |
ROY, JEREMY |
SHERBROOKE |
30 |
YAN, DENNIS |
SHAWINIGAN |
33 |
BEAUVILLIER, ANTHONY |
SHAWINIGAN |
36 |
GAGNE, GABRIEL |
VICTORIAVILLE |
40 |
MELOCHE, NICOLAS |
BAIE-COMEAU |
41 |
BRISEBOIS, GUILLAUME |
ACADIE-BATHURST |
42 |
LAUZON, JEREMY |
ROUYN-NORANDA |
45 |
ROY, NICOLAS |
CHICOUTIMI |
48 |
TRENIN, YAKOV |
GATINEAU |
54 |
NOEL, NATHAN |
SAINT JOHN |
55 |
MARSH, ADAM |
SAINT JOHN |
64 |
BEAUDIN, JEAN-CHRISTOPHE |
ROUYN-NORANDA |
70 |
DOVE-MCFALLS, SAMUEL |
SAINT JOHN |
76 |
BOURQUE, SIMON |
RIMOUSKI |
77 |
RICHARD, ANTHONY |
VAL-D’OR |
83 |
KIELLY, KAMERON |
CHARLOTTETOWN |
86 |
GARLAND, CONOR |
MONCTON |
89 |
CARRIER, ALEXANDRE |
GATINEAU |
92 |
TIMASHOV, DMYTRO |
QUEBEC |
95 |
HENLEY, DAVID |
CHARLOTTETOWN |
98 |
FORTIN, ALEXANDRE |
ROUYN-NORANDA |
119 |
LABERGE, SAMUEL |
RIMOUSKI |
121 |
LEVEILLE, LOIK |
CAPE BRETON |
122 |
WEBSTER, BAILEY |
SAINT JOHN |
125 |
JOSEPH, MATHIEU |
SAINT JOHN |
130 |
ALAIN, ALEXANDRE |
GATINEAU |
141 |
BARRE BOULET, ALEX |
DRUMMONDVILLE |
142 |
GALIPEAU, OLIVIER |
VAL-D’OR |
154 |
ASKEW, CAMERON |
MONCTON |
156 |
MOYNIHAN, CONNOR |
HALIFAX |
157 |
MYERS, PHILIPPE |
ROUYN-NORANDA |
159 |
TKACHEV, VLADIMIR |
QUEBEC |
160 |
SIMPSON, MARK |
ACADIE-BATHURST |
166 |
GOULET, ALEXANDRE |
CHARLOTTETOWN |
170 |
SMALLMAN, SPENCER |
SAINT JOHN |
179 |
FONTAINE, GABRIEL |
SHERBROOKE |
180 |
VAN BOEKEL, JACK |
SAINT JOHN |
187 |
BELL, JASON |
SAINT JOHN |
193 |
MARCOUX, ANTOINE |
VICTORIAVILLE |
206 |
FOURNIER, JORDAN |
VICTORIAVILLE |
NORTH AMERICAN GOALTENDERS – QMJHL
Rank |
Name |
Team |
2 |
BOOTH, CALLUM |
QUEBEC |
3 |
MONTEMBEAULT, SAMUEL |
BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND |
Written with files from Mike Morreale at NHL.com, Willy Palov at the Halifax Chronicle-Herald.