MiHockey’s 2015 NHL Draft Preview

By @MichaelCaples and @StefanKubus –

With the NHL Draft less than a week away, here are all the names that we expect fans will need to know when teams start making selections on Friday evening. The draft, taking place this year in Sunrise, Fla., will be on NHL Network Friday and Saturday.

Here are the Michigan names to know for the 2015 NHL Draft, based on the rankings by NHL Central Scouting for North-American born players.

Players

Zach Werenski – No. 9 – University of Michigan Wolverines

Werenski, who left the U.S. NTDP a year early to enroll at the University of Michigan as a 17-year-old, impressed in his first NCAA season. Draft projections have the Grosse Pointe native between No. 5-15 across the board, and the only Michigan native who might be able to pass him could end up being his future teammate (see below). Despite being the youngest player on the Wolverines’ roster, Werenski recorded 25 points in 35 games and finished with a +9 rating.

More on Werenski:

NHL.com mock drafts: Connor and Werenski in top 13 in both | Video: Zach Werenski at the All-American Prospects Game | Berenson on Werenski: “This is an exceptional player who is coming in a little younger than most players”

Kyle Connor – No. 13 – Youngstown Phantoms

The reigning USA Hockey and USHL player of the year is the only other Michigan native projected to go in the first round of the NHL Draft, and he could end up passing Werenski. Connor, a Shelby Township native, recorded 80 points in 56 games for the Youngstown Phantoms this year, leading them to a regular-season title. Much like Werenski, Connor’s mock draft projections have him bouncing around the top 15 spots, as well. Connor is a University of Michigan commit, and depending on how the draft goes for both he and Werenski, they could both be huge contributors for the Wolverines in the fall.

More on Connor:

Kyle Connor named USA Hockey’s Junior Player of the Year | Kyle Connor becomes third player in USHL history to reach 50 career goals before 18th birthday | MiHockey’s ‘The Shift’ with Kyle Connor

Cooper Marody – No. 53 – Sioux Falls Stampede

Marody, a Brighton native, was traded from the Muskegon Lumberjacks to the Sioux Falls Stampede during the 2014-15 season, and he played a crucial role in his new team’s USHL title. The Wolverines commit racked up 49 points in 38 games with the Stampede.

More on Marody:

MiHockey’s ‘The Shift’ with Cooper Marody | Lumberjacks forward Marody commits to Michigan

Brendan Warren – No. 66 – U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team

The first NTDP alum hailing from Michigan on our list is Warren, a power forward from Carleton. The University of Michigan commit racked up 38 points in 61 games with the NTDP program this past season. Like the three players above him and the one player below him, he’s expected to be joining the Wolverines in the fall, and they’re going to like having him around.

More on Warren:

VIDEO: Talking hockey with Brendan Warren | Playing up: NTDP’s Warren, Gabriele talk about playing against NCAA competition a year early

Joe Cecconi – No. 88 – Muskegon Lumberjacks

The first Michigan ‘resident’ on our list, Cecconi has been in the Mitten State and he’s not going anywhere any time soon. The Youngstown, N.Y., native just wrapped up his second season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, racking up 17 points and a +10 rating in 60 games. He’s yet another University of Michigan commit on this list.

Grant Gabriele – No. 90 – U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team

Gabriele, a Brighton native, just completed his second season with the NTDP. The defenseman recorded 16 points in 50 games with the Ann Arbor-based program this year, and along the way, he voiced his commitment to Western Michigan University. He’s an Omaha Lancers USHL draft pick, as well, in case he doesn’t make the jump right to the NCAA.

More on Gabriele:

MiHockey’s ‘The Shift’ with Grant Gabriele | Playing up: NTDP’s Warren, Gabriele talk about playing against NCAA competition a year early

Brent Gates – No. 105 – Green Bay Gamblers

Gates, a Grand Rapids native, is about to do something that perhaps no other Michigan player ever has – go play for the Gophers. The Green Bay Gamblers product – he posted 27 points in 33 games this year – has committed to the University of Minnesota. He’s a bit of a legacy recruit, though, since his dad played baseball for the Gophers.

Mitchell Stephens – No. 112 – Saginaw Spirit

Stephens, a forward with the Saginaw Spirit, should hear his name called by an NHL club, as well. This past season, Stephens, a native of Peterborough, Ont., recorded 48 points in 62 games for the Spirit.

Nick Boka – No. 117 – U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team

Another NTDP product on the list, Boka will bring toughness and grit to the depth chart of whichever NHL club that selects him. A Plymouth, Mich., native, Boka is yet another University of Michigan commit appearing on this list. He racked up 96 penalty minutes (along with 11 points) in 54 games with the NTDP U18 team this past season.

Artem Artemov – No. 150 – Saginaw Spirit

The Moscow native spent one season with the Chicago Steel before joining the Saginaw Spirit for the 2014-15 season. Artemov, a native of Moscow, recorded 32 points in 68 games during his first OHL season.

Nick Azar – No. 173 – Honeybaked Midget Major

The lone Michigan midget hockey player to appear in the NHL Central Scouting rankings, Azar played for Honeybaked’s midget major squad last season. Azar, a native of Grosse Pointe Park, is verbally committed to Harvard University.

Marcus Crawford – No. 207 – Saginaw Spirit

The Saginaw defenseman – a native of Ajax, Ont. – racked up 23 points and 45 penalty minutes in 58 games with the Spirit last season.

 

Goalies

Ryan Larkin – No. 6 – Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

After being originally drafted by the Muskegon Lumberjacks, Larkin ended up with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders this year, and impressed in his first USHL season. The Clarkston native and Miami RedHawks commit recorded a 15-10-0 record with the RoughRiders, along with a 2.43 goals-against average and .919 save percentage.

Ryan Bednard – No. 22 – Johnstown Tomahawks

Bednard, a native of Macomb, Mich., posted a 16-15-5 record, a 2.66 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage with the Johnstown Tomahawks of the NAHL last season. He’s committed to Bowling Green for the next step in his hockey career.

 

Other names to know

2015 wouldn’t be the first time the crystal-ball gazers were wrong about a professional sports league draft. Here are some other names that previously appeared on draft lists, or players that may eventually come to Michigan, that you might just hear called on Friday or Saturday.

Nick Betz – Erie Otters

The Mount Clemens native recorded 54 points in 60 games with the Erie Otters this past season.

Sam Miletic – Green Bay Gamblers

A native of Bloomfield Hills, Miletic recorded 27 points with Green Bay, and recently announced that he’s heading to London for 2015-16.

Zach Bowman – Plymouth Whalers

The Plymouth Whalers/Flint Firebirds netminder appeared on earlier scouting lists – he could be a late-round steal.

Edwin Minney – Michigan State Spartans

Like Bowman, Minney appeared on earlier lists. The NTDP product might still grab some interest.

Darby Llewellyn – Kitchener Rangers

The Ann Arbor native wrapped up his third season with the Kitchener Rangers this spring, and he finished with 41 points in 68 games.

Doug Blaisdell – Kitchener Rangers

Blaisdell, a Dearborn Heights native, was a All-American Prospects Game invitee. He recorded eight points in 66 games with Kitchener.

Tom Marchin – Muskegon Lumberjacks

A native of Algonac, Marchin is heading to Brown after his junior career. Last year, he racked up 46 points in 56 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks.

Eric Schierhorn – Muskegon Lumberjacks

After carrying the Muskegon Lumberjacks to the Clark Cup Final, we expect scouts to take a bit of a longer look at Schierhorn, a native of Anchorage, Alaska.

Dennis Yan – No. 30 – Belle Tire, NTDP alum

Ranked as a first-round prospect, Yan, who lived in Troy for a year to play for Belle Tire before a year with the NTDP, has been impressing in the QMJHL with Shawinigan.

Mason Appleton – Tri-City Storm, Michigan State commit

A 19-year-old native of Wisconsin, Appleton potted 12 goals and 40 points in 54 games this past season with the Storm in the USHL. He is currently committed to Michigan State.

Collin Peters – No. 133 – Sioux Falls Stampede, Northern Michigan commit

A center from Wisconsin with sights set on NMU, Peters tallied 11 points in 28 games last season for Sioux Falls in the USHL.

Jacob Olson – Hill-Murray High School (Minn.), Michigan Tech commit

Olson checks in at 6-foot-3, 209 pounds; not bad for an 18-year-old defenseman. The Woodbury, Minn. native is currently committed to Michigan Tech. He posted 28 points in 28 games last season and was ranked 157 in the midterm rankings.

Ryan Moore – Plymouth Whalers

Moore, a Troy native, finished this past season with Plymouth – posting nine points in 24 games – after coming over from Windsor.

Lucas Jaycox – No. 158 – Northern Michigan commit

The 17-year-old defenseman from Warroad, Minn. suited up in 15 games with Lincoln of the USHL last season. Jaycox also scored his first USHL goal in the process.

James Vermuelen – No. 203 – Northern Michigan commit

Vermuelen checks in at No. 203 in the final Central Scouting rankings. The defenseman from Alberta potted seven points in 54 games last season with the Whitecourt Wolverines of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

Zach Jordan – Michigan Tech commit

An Illinois native, Jordan potted six goals and 12 points in 49 games split between Omaha and Des Moines of the USHL.

Cullen Mercer – Plymouth Whalers

In 68 games this past season with the Whalers, the forward Mercer recorded 15 points.

Tristan Rostagno – Michigan Tech commit

Rostagno recorded 17 points in 55 games last season from the blue line with the NAHL’s Amarillo Bulls. In 2013-14, he skated in nine games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks before finishing the season with the Lincoln Stars.

Zac Tierney – Ferris State commit

Tierney, a winger, potted 35 points in 52 games for the Cornwall Colts of the Central Canada Hockey League last season.

 

NTDP names

Colin White – No. 29

White enters the draft coming off a brilliant point-per-game season with the U.S. U-18 team and nine points in seven games at the World Junior Championship. He is committed to Boston College.

Christian Fischer – No. 37

A native of Illinois, Fischer potted 15 goals and 15 assists in 25 games with the U.S. U-18 team this past season.

Jack Roslovic – No. 39

After potting just 14 points in 34 games in 2013-14 with the U-17 team, Roslovic took a gigantic step forward in 2014-15, amassing 38 points in 25 games with the U-18 club.

Jordan Greenway – No. 47

Greenway has all the makings of a power forward at 6-foot-5, 223 pounds. In 2014-15, Greenway posted a 9-35-44 line in 53 games while also contributing seven points in seven WJC games.

Jeremy Bracco – No. 60

A winger from New York, Bracco has racked up 69 points in 58 games over the past two seasons with the NTDP.

Troy Terry – No. 107

Committed to the University of Denver, Terry had a solid showing at the WJC with five points in seven games and a plus-three rating.

Caleb Jones – No. 115

A Texas native, Jones recorded eight points in 25 games from the blue line this past season, adding five assists in seven WJC contests.

Casey Fitzgerald – No. 148

Son of former NHL’er Tom Fitzgerald and cousin of USA great Keith Tkachuk, the Massachusetts-born defenseman was an impressive plus-12 in seven games at the WJC.

Steven Ruggiero

Ruggiero was a teammate of Shelby Township native Kyle Connor with the Youngstown Phantoms prior to joining the NTDP. the 6-foot-3 defenseman potted seven assists last season.

Luke Opilka

A goaltender committed to the University of Wisconsin, Opilka posted a 2.48 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in 15 USHL contests with the NTDP.

Christian Evers

Evers, an Iowa native, recorded five points from the blue line in a season split between the U-17 and U-18 squads. He was ranked 204 in the Central Scouting midterm rankings.

Joseph Masonius

Masonius did appear in Central Scouting’s midterm rankings at 201. This past season, the New Jersey native potted ten helpers in 24 games with the U-18 team.

Michael Lackey

A 6-foot-3 goaltender committed to Harvard, Lackey recorded a 3.18 goals-against average and .877 save percentage in 13 games with the NTDP in the USHL.