With the OHL draft approaching, here’s a look at Michigan’s top ’98 birth-year players

Mitchell Lewandowski is a top prospect out of the Honeybaked AAA program. (Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)

 

By Matt Mackinder –

The annual Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection takes place this Saturday and as what has become the norm, the draft should feature a bevy of Michigan talent.

That being said, the players drafted Saturday may or may not suit up in the OHL – many have NCAA options, but then again, others may have aspirations to play major junior hockey in the OHL.

In past years, the draft has seemingly become a roll of the dice. Saturday will prove to be interesting, to say the least.

OHL Midwest U.S. scout Kevin Hess recently sat down with MiHockey to discuss the high-end players available in the draft this year – all are 1998 birth-year players.

Players are listed in alphabetical order.

The draft starts at 9 a.m. on April 5 and is available on www.ontariohockeyleague.com.

 

Ryan Bederka, D, Honeybaked U16

“Puck-moving defenseman who plays a very good positional game. Defends well in own zone using a combination of solid footwork and an active stick. Makes very good outlets, especially under pressure.”

 

Mitchell Chaffee, F, Michigan Nationals U16

“Good-sized prospect that plays on either wing. He is a good north and south skater for his size and possesses very good hockey sense. He does a nice job of fighting for his ice to get open. He has no problem going into the scoring area, willing to take punishment to make a play. Very unselfish with the puck and does a nice job of putting it into areas where only his teammate can get it. Does a good job of finishing checks and competes at a high level each shift.”

 

Derek Daschke, D, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies U16

“Possesses good physical tools. Seems to possess good hockey sense, reading the play throughout the rink very well. He is physical along his wall doing a good job of hitting and pinning his opponent along the wall.  He wins a good percentage of his battles and then moves the puck quickly and efficiently.”

 

Mitch Eliot, D, Honeybaked U16

“Good skating defenseman with good four-way mobility. Plays very good positional defense and if he has the chance, will join the offense. Plays a good one-stick gap on his one-on-ones. He is not extremely physical along the wall, but keeps his man to the outside with quick feet, an active stick and hockey sense.  Eliot is very intelligent with the puck and makes quick and correct decisions.”

 

Alex Fry, F, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

“Smooth-skating left winger with a very long and efficient stride. Playing versus young men that are up to three years older than him has helped him learn how to play the game the right way. He does a good job of not getting too cute with the puck. Possesses good vision and is a very good playmaker.”

 

Ben Gleason, D, Honeybaked U18

“Smooth-skating, puck-moving defenseman. Good skater with above average speed.  Very offensive-minded and has the ability to go end to end with the puck.”

 

Austin Grezenia, F, Victory Honda U16

“Good north/south skating winger. He plays with a lot of energy and passion and finishes a high percentage of his checks. Crashes the net with a purpose.”

 

Keegan Howdeshell, F, Compuware U16

“Two-way center that brings a high compete level to each and every shift. He is very good in the faceoff circle, winning a majority of his faceoffs cleanly. He does a good job of creating time and space with his puck protection and skill. He sees the ice very well, is very unselfish and makes good tape-to-tape passes.”

 

Andrew Jackson, F, Belle Tire U16

“Solid north and south skating prospect that plays the game with a lot of intensity. He finishes a good portion of his checks and plays with a good amount of energy. He gets the puck to the net and then goes to the tough areas, wins the battle and gets quality scoring chances.”

 

Max Jones, F, Honeybaked U18

“Played as an underage player on a strong Honeybaked U18 team. He sets the tone for his team with his play.  He plays a very physical game, finishing a high percentage of his checks and going into high-traffic areas without hesitation. Very good around the net and may have the hardest shot in the age group.”

 

Jack Kopacka, F, Compuware U16

“Skilled winger who is very good on his edges. He gets up to top speed very quickly, especially from a dead stop. He is good in the scoring area and has a quick release to his shot and is accurate within 15 feet of the net. When he has the puck, he does a good job of moving his feet and finding lanes for passes and/or shots.”

 

Noah LaLonde, F, Honeybaked U16

“Smooth skating left wing whose stride eats up ice.  He gets up to top speed quickly and can create separation from most defenders at his age level.  He goes into high-traffic areas without hesitation. Possesses above-average skill and an accurate shot.”

 

Michael Latorella, G, Honeybaked U18

“Butterfly-style goaltender who is also a tremendous athlete. He is a good skater in his crease both on his feet and in the down phase of his butterfly. He does a good job challenging to the top of his area. He reads the rush well and recognizes when to play a bit deeper on the rush. Controls rebounds well.”

 

Mitchell Lewandowski, F, Honeybaked U16

“Competes for ice, wins battles, goes to the net hard and forechecks with a purpose. He is very good in puck pursuit, forcing the opposing defenseman to make mistakes.  Lewandowski is good inside the scoring area, possesses excellent vision and is very unselfish with the puck. Has a very accurate, heavy snap shot with a pro-like release.”

 

Will Lockwood, F, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies U16

“An effortless, smooth-skating forward whose stride eats up ice. He has that elusive fifth gear that he uses to create separation from defenders quickly and efficiently. Very unselfish with the puck and always has his head up ready to make a play. Has good skill and does most everything with his feet moving and head up. Although he may be undersized, that does not deter him from finishing hits and going into high-traffic areas.  Does a great job of finding quiet areas of the ice and finding the back of the net.”

 

Nick McKeeby, D, Honeybaked U16

“An offensive-style defenseman that can play a shutdown style when his team needs it.  He possesses very good feet and accelerates to top speed quickly. Plays a very tight gap on one-on-ones, probing the puck away from the opponent and then starting the regroup/breakout.”

 

Cam Orchard, F, Michigan Nationals U16

“Plays a very smart two-way game. Has a good wide base to his skating, which makes him difficult to knock off the puck. Possesses above-average skill, distributes the puck well and does a good job finding quiet spots on the ice to gain space to get off quality shots.”

 

Nick Pastujov, F, Honeybaked U16

“Plays a complete 200-foot game. He plays every facet of the game with a high compete level. He is a good skater with deceptive speed and does a nice job of creating time and space for himself with a combination strength and skill.”

 

Paul Washe, F, Victory Honda U16

“Two-way center that is a good setup man in the offensive zone. He protects the puck well and has quick hands, especially in tight spaces. He does a nice job of fighting for his ice and makes everyone on his team a better player.”