Storm players ranked by central scouting
By Tony Saxon – Guelph Mercury There was a reason the scout and media room at the Sleeman Centre was filled to capacity prior to Guelph Storm games this season.
A total of eight Storm players have been ranked by the NHL’s Central Scouting Service for this year’s draft, which takes place in Pittsburgh June 22 and 23.
They are: Matt Finn (ranked 15th amongst North American skaters), Scott Kosmachuk (24) Tanner Richard (41, Brock McGinn (49), Justin Auger (107), Zack Mitchell (151), Patrick Watling (155), and Zach Leslie (204).
It is expected that four or five of the eight will get drafted.
“I’d be surprised if only three players get drafted, but I’d be surprised if six got drafted,” said coach Scott Walker, putting the likely number at four or five.
General manager Mike Kelly said he thinks four will go.
“I have tonnes of people asking about our guys,” Walker said. “When I go in the soucts room before games I know half the guys in there. I can get a good gauge on how they feel about our players,” Walker said.
Matt Finn is expected to go highest. NHL Central scouting has him going late in the first round or early in the second round. Scott Kosmachuk isn’t far behind, likely a mid-to-late second round pick.
Brock McGinn is the wild card. Injuries limited him to 33 regular season games, but the Storm coaching staff raves about his hockey sense and work ethic.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go in the top three or four rounds, ” Walker said of McGinn.
Tanner Richard, who was injured and playing in Switzerland his draft year, would seem to have a good shot at being taken in the seventh round draft.
“I’ve been doing a few interviews,” Finn said of the draft. “Now that the season is over we can focus on it a bit more. It is going to be an interesting time for me and the other guys.”
Finn said at this point it’s hard to see which teams are most interested in you.
“We have individual goals as well as team goals, so to have four of five guys drafted was a great goal to have this year,” Finn said.
