Holmes, Malik Included on NHL Central Scouting ‘Players to Watch’ List for January
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is proud to announce that 52 players with OHL ties have been included on NHL Central Scouting’s January ‘Players to Watch’ List for the 2021 NHL Draft.
A total of four skaters received ‘A’ ratings indicating a potential first round NHL Draft selection. Guelph Storm defenceman Daniil Chayka, Barrie Colts blueliner Brandt Clarke, Peterborough Petes forward Mason McTavish and Kitchener Rangers centreman Francesco Pinelli all maintained the ‘A’ rank assigned to them back on October’s Players to Watch List.
A total of four skaters climbed from ‘C’ ratings back in October to ‘B’ in January including Owen Sound Attack forward Deni Goure, Hamilton Bulldogs forward Ryan Winterton, first overall CHL Import Draft Selection Matvei Petrov of the North Bay Battalion as well as London Knights defenceman Logan Mailloux. Other ‘B’ rated skaters include Brett Harrison (Oshawa Generals), Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires), Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds), Chase Stillman (Sudbury Wolves), Nick DeGrazia (Sudbury Wolves) and 2020 CHL Import Draft Selections Artyom Grushnikov (Hamilton Bulldogs) and Daniil Sobolev (Windsor Spitfires). Goaltenders Benjamin Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting), Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit), Joe Vrbetic (North Bay Battalion) and CHL Import Draft Selection Alexei Kolosov (Erie Otters) were assigned ‘B’ ratings.
An additional 30 skaters and three netminders received ‘C’ ratings indicating a potential fourth, fifth or sixth round candidate.
All 20 OHL member teams were represented on the list led by the London Knights and Ottawa 67’s with five each. The Erie Otters, Hamilton Bulldogs and Sarnia Sting each trailed with four players assigned rankings.
The list includes 26 OHL forwards, 19 defencemen and seven goaltenders. Eleven of the players listed (denoted by an asterisk) have yet to play a game in the Ontario Hockey League but have committed to their respective member team for the 2020-21 season.
2021 NHL Central Scouting January ‘Players to Watch List – OHL Skaters
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM | POSITION |
| A | Daniil Chayka | Guelph Storm | D |
| A | Brandt Clarke | Barrie Colts | D |
| A | Mason McTavish | Peterborough Petes | C |
| A | Francesco Pinelli | Kitchener Rangers | C |
| B | Nick DeGrazia | Sudbury Wolves | C |
| B | Deni Goure | Owen Sound Attack | C |
| B | Artyom Grushnikov* | Hamilton Bulldogs | D |
| B | Brett Harrison | Oshawa Generals | C |
| B | Wyatt Johnston | Windsor Spitfires | C |
| B | Logan Mailloux | London Knights | D |
| B | Brennan Othmann | Flint Firebirds | LW |
| B | Matvei Petrov* | North Bay Battalion | RW |
| B | Daniil Sobolev* | Windsor Spitfires | D |
| B | Chase Stillman | Sudbury Wolves | C |
| B | Ryan Winterton | Hamilton Bulldogs | RW |
| C | Francesco Arcuri | Kingston Frontenacs | C |
| C | Jack Beck | Ottawa 67’s | RW |
| C | Josh Bloom | Saginaw Spirit | LW |
| C | Ethan Burroughs | Owen Sound Attack | RW |
| C | Ethan Cardwell | Barrie Colts | RW |
| C | Nolan Dann | Sarnia Sting | RW |
| C | Ethan Del Mastro | Mississauga Steelheads | D |
| C | Isaac Enright | Niagara IceDogs | D |
| C | Vsevolod Gaidamak* | Ottawa 67’s | C |
| C | Ranvir Gill-Shane | Ottawa 67’s | D |
| C | Avery Hayes | Hamilton Bulldogs | RW |
| C | Jacob Holmes | Soo Greyhounds | D |
| C | Braeden Kressler | Flint Firebirds | C |
| C | Artyom Kulakov* | Erie Otters | D |
| C | Dmitry Kuzmin* | Flint Firebirds | D |
| C | Kasper Larsen* | Mississauga Steelheads | D |
| C | Connor Lockhart | Erie Otters | C |
| C | Ryan Mast | Sarnia Sting | D |
| C | Jack Matier | Ottawa 67’s | D |
| C | Bryce Montgomery | London Knights | D |
| C | Connor Punnett | Barrie Colts | D |
| C | Ben Roger | London Knights | D |
| C | Colby Saganiuk* | Erie Otters | RW |
| C | Lawson Sherk | Hamilton Bulldogs | C |
| C | Brenden Sirizzotti | Ottawa 67’s | RW |
| C | Matthew Sop | Kitchener Rangers | LW |
| C | Kirill Steklov | London Knights | D |
| C | Oliver Suni | Oshawa Generals | LW |
| C | Ty Voit | Sarnia Sting | RW |
| C | Brian Zanetti* | Peterborough Petes | D |
2021 NHL Central Scouting January ‘Players to Watch List – OHL Goalies
| RANK | GOALTENDER | TEAM |
| B | Benjamin Gaudreau | Sarnia Sting |
| B | Alexei Kolosov* | Erie Otters |
| B | Tristan Lennox | Saginaw Spirit |
| B | Joe Vrbetic | North Bay Battalion |
| C | Brett Brochu | London Knights |
| C | Pavel Cajan* | Kitchener Rangers |
| C | Nick Malik | Soo Greyhounds |
*– indicates player committed to OHL for 2020-21
Players have been identified using the following criteria:
• A Rating – Indicates a first round candidate
• B Rating – Indicates a second or third round candidate
• C Rating – Indicates a fourth/fifth/sixth round candidate
For the complete list, visit NHL.com.
