2017 NHL Draft
Mock Draft: Round 4 Picks 94-124 (May)
Speedy sensation Alexandre Texier played in France’s top league right after turning 17.
Steve Kournianos | 5/20/2017 | New York | [hupso]
| Team | Pick | Player | Notes |
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94 | G Ian Scott
Prince Albert Raiders, WHL 6’3, 172 | 01/11/99 |
Scott is another blue chipper within a pretty deep pool of draft-eligible goalies. He’s your standard butterfly goalie, but he’s more on the aggressive side in terms of challenging shots and breakaways. Scott is a good puck handler and can act like a third defenseman on dump-ins, and he’ll even clear the puck himself during the penalty kill. Like most goalies, Scott will gobble up shots as long as he can see them, but his puck tracking and timing off of shot release has been much better in the second half. Keep in mind that Prince Albert was a horrendous offensive team, so rarely did he have the luxury of a lead to protect. |
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95 | C/W Rickard Hugg
Leksand J20, Superelit 5’10, 179 | 01/18/99 |
Two-way Swedish forward who is versatile enough to play in any situation at any time. Hugg is a selfless, responsible player with good puck skills and the ability to make plays on either his forehand or backhand. He’s got quick hands and a very good shot, and any coach will be happy with both his speed and balance. He was one of Sweden’s better forwards at several international tournaments, where he was used on the power play and penalty kill. |
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96* | LW Yaroslav Alexeyev
Sherbrooke Phoenix, WHL 5’9, 146 | 01/17/99 |
Alexeyev is a road runner with superb straight-line speed and the ability to finish or create off the rush. He was a critical piece in Sherbrooke’s lethal power play, using his quickness and strength on the puck to gain the zone and maintain possession. Alexeyev is more of a perimeter player and tries to avoid contact if necessary, but he can play feisty and get under an opponent’s skin. |
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97 | RHD John St. Ivany
Sioux Falls Stampede, USHL 6’2, 197 | 07/22/99 |
Solid, aggressive two-way defender with size who moves very well and keeps himself engaged at all times. A California native, St. Ivany keeps a tight gap and possesses very good backwards mobility. Quick to the puck, he makes crisp, accurate breakout passes, plus he fires off a very hard slap shot. He’s committed to Yale. |
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98 | C Maxim Marushev
Irbis Kazan, MHL 6’0, 176 | 01/01/99 |
High-energy center with strength who at this stage is more of a project with potential to be a top-six forward. He’s a strong skater with excellent anticipation and he consistently takes the right routes to the puck. You rarely see him overhandle the puck, and his zone entries are generally clean and not telegraphed. Marushev didn’t produce as much as you’d like, but he plays with his head up and looks to create off board battles rather than habitually playing it safe. |
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99 | C/W Jacob Tortora
U.S. U18, NTDP 5’10, 178 | 2/18/99 |
Tortora is a quick little playmaker with a ton of offensive flair who with or without the puck is tough to contain. He doesn’t have ideal size, but then again, it’s not 1995. The NHL is embracing the idea of having fans see smaller players with skill rather than plodding brutes with size. Gutsy and strong, the Rochester native is an excellent skater both forward and laterally, and he makes his cut backs look effortless. Tortora is very good on the cycle and will pay a price for working the puck from down low into the slot area. |
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100 | W/C Dominik Lakatos (OA)
Spruce Grove Saints, AJHL 6’0, 178 | 04/08/97 |
Lakatos is a player who competes and looks much bigger than his listed measurements. He doubled his point production the year after being named the top rookie in the Czech Extraliga, and his heavy, physical style is suited for North America. He can play center or wing, and is dangerous from any area inside the hash marks. |
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101 | RHD Filip Westerlund
Frolunda, SHL 5’11, 180 | 04/17/99 |
Poised two-way blueliner with upper-body strength who can be leaned on for top-pairing situations. Westerlund is quick and agile with exceptional edge work, making him one of the better draft eligibles at not only beating pressure, but making a lightning quick transition from defense to offense. He can attack open ice in a variety of ways – with speed, hard stretch passes or methodical puck control. Westerlund can be flashy, at times to a fault, as he is prone to the occasional turnover. |
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102* | LHD Kasper Kotkansalo
Sioux Falls Stampede, USHL 6’2, 198 | 11/16/98 |
Kotkansalo is a poised shutdown defender with size and mobility who isn’t flashy but makes subtle plays to beat a forecheck. He will step up in the neutral zone and take the puck beyond the opposing blue line, and on occasion drops down to keep a play alive rather than create or execute a scoring chance. He doesn’t reveal much in creativity and his shot power is average, but his job at Boston University next fall will center on shutting down top lines. |
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103 | C Tyler Steenbergen (OA)
Swift Current Broncos, WHL 5’10, 188 | 01/07/98 |
Underrated all-around center who last year inexplicably went undrafted in his first look. Steenbergen is a quick, confident skater with a great shot whose 51 goals tied him for the WHL lead. He owns a nice collection of shots to score, and he’s sturdy enough to maintain balance as he takes the puck to the cage with confidence. |
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104 | G Dayton Rasmussen
Chicago Steel, USHL 6’2, 203 | 11/04/98 |
Don’t be too alarmed this athletic netminder is on his third USHL team in three years. A University of Denver recruit with stints on Team USA’s 2015 Hlinka and 2016 WJAC squads, Rasmussen checks a lot of blocks for a teenage goalie — he’s quick, tall and pretty composed when things get crowded. He’s still growing into his comfort level around the crease, and there are times he loses track and overcommits to one side. |
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105 | LW Mick Messner
Madison Capitols, USHL 5’11, 193 | 04/20/99 |
One of the top draft-eligible defensive forwards who understands how and when to attack puck carriers. Messner, a Wisconsin recruit, is relentless on the puck and has quick enough hands to steal it from unassuming defenders with regularity. His two-way play and clutch scoring proved invaluable to Team USA’s successful Hlinka run, and he was their best penalty killer. He was Madison’s second-leading scorer with 31 points — 27 during 5v5 — and fired off a team-best 139 shots in 55 games. |
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106 | RW Kyle Olson
Tri-City Americans, WHL 5’10, 161 | 05/22/99 |
A gritty two-way forward who stepped into the void for Tri-City following Michael Rasmussen’s injury, Olson parlayed a strong second half into a spot on Team Canada’s U18 worlds squad. He recorded 47 points during 5v5, including 23 primary assists in 70 games. Olson can play center or wing and battles hard for the puck. His playmaking ability and vision keep opponents honest, and the fact that he uses both immediately after contact makes him a real value pick in the middle rounds. |
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107* | LHD David Kvasnicka
Plzen, Extraliga 5’9, 172 | 04/14/99 |
Kvasnicka has the physical tools to survive in today’s game — he’s fast, shoots hard and makes crisp, accurate stretch passes. He pivots well in both directions and is quite agile as he speeds around opponents during end-to-end rushes. Kvasnicka, however, can be both sloppy with the puck and with his decision making. He suffered a shoulder injury at the WJC but healed up in time to run the Czech power play at the U18 words. Not bad in his own end in terms of positioning. |
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108* | LW Pavel Koltygin
Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL 6’0, 195 | 02/17/99 |
Powerful goal scorer from the center ice position who makes the most of his opportunities. A native of Moscow, Kolytgin doesn’t possess blinding speed, but his hands are soft enough to corral any kind of pass while he’s in full flight, giving off the appearance that he’s traveling faster than he is. He is strong on his skates and his edgework is fantastic, and he can fire off a quick, accurate shot while extended or fading away. Koltygin is a responsible player who understands the ins and outs of all three zones and is very good on faceoffs. |
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109 | LHD Jacob Paquette
Kingston Frontenacs, OHL 6’3, 200 | 05/26/99 |
Paquette ranks up there among the best one-on-one defenders in the draft. He’s smart with his reads and positioning, and he’s fast enough to quickly cover gaps or make a quick turn to interdict a pass. Paquette plays it safe and is unimaginative with the puck, but his size and above-average speed combine to form a solid foundation to build on. |
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110 | C Nate Schnarr
Guelph Storm, OHL 6’3, 180 | 02/25/99 |
Big-bodied, three-zone center with promise who battled through bouts with inconsistency and often waits for things to happen in the offensive zone. Schnarr has very soft hands, moves fairly well and brandishes a wicked shot, albeit somewhat inaccurate. The concern moving forward, however, is an inability to create chances from lengthy periods with the puck — only 11 assists in 54 games during 5v5. Nevertheless, he is a good penalty killer and take and win big draws. |
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111 | G Stephen Dhillon (OA)
Niagara Ice Dogs, OHL 6’4, 186 | 09/14/98 |
Calling this native Buffalonian a man on an island is a bit of an understatement — no CHL goalie can even fathom the kind of blitzkrieg Dhillon faces on a nightly basis. Want perspective? Not only did Dhillon lead all CHL backstops in shots faced (2312) and saves (2114), but the guy in second is almost 300 shots short of equaling him. Dhillion has faced 40 or more shots in 28 of his 59 appearances, and only three times after playing a full contest has he seen less than 30. |
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112* | RW Lane Zablocki
Red Deer Rebels, WHL 6’0, 190 | 12/27/98 |
Bulldog of a right wing who has very good speed and loves to crash and bang, especially around the net. He was one of Red Deer’s best players following a midseason trade from Regina, averaging almost a point per game and scoring six goals in the Rebels’ crushing opening-round loss to Lethbridge. Zablocki has a world-class wrist shot and can beat goalies from just about anywhere in the offensive zone. He’s no stranger to dropping the gloves, and he even earned time on Red Deer’s top line. |
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113 | LW Arnaud Durandeau
Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL 5’11, 183 | 01/14/99 |
Offensive-minded winger with good speed and a very good shot who likes to agitate and cause mayhem on the forecheck. Durandeau isn’t physically imposing or intimidating, but he seems partial to sticking his hand in the beehive regardless of the score or game situation. A power play specialist whose puck skills are solid, he is adept at stickhandling and making crisp, accurate passes. Rarely would you find him fiddling around with the puck for the sake of being fancy or showy — Durandeau is calm on zone entries and will hold onto the puck while waiting for more options to get involved in the play. |
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114* | LHD Radim Salda
HR Kravlove, Extraliga U20 6’1, 176 | 02/18/99 |
Physical but low-key defender who can play on a top pairing and use strength and physicality to gain control of the puck. Salda ia an excellent penalty killer and does a good job reacting to plays off the cycle. He’s got good speed and a heavy, accurate shot, but his puck skills are pretty much limited outside of the occasional home run or slap pass. He can be used in any situation at either even strength or on special teams thanks to the ability to maintain composure under pressure and anticipate where the puck will end up. |
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115 | RW Nick Henry
Regina Pats, WHL 5’11, 191 | 2/15/99 |
Opportunistic winger with an excellent shot who causes a lot of problems with his forechecking and is physical during loose puck battles. Henry spent parts of the season as the beneficiary of Sam Steel’s playmaking, but hammering the puck the way Henry can should be a good enough explanation. He seemed to have a general idea of what his role was as either a scorer or depth player on Regina’s powerhouse roster that was loaded with skill. |
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116 | LHD Markus Phillips
Owen Sound Attack, OHL 6’0, 202 | 03/21/99 |
A real wild card in this particular draft because the skills he displays on the ice, notably his speed and shot power, reveal a defender who should challenge for a spot in the first round. Phillips played a key role in Owen Sound’s dominance, but his issues with puck management and wandering away from the slot are what keep him in the middle portion of this draft. Still, he’s extremely quick and agile, using exceptional footwork to keep pace with onrushing opponents of any size or speed. |
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117 | LW Kirill Slepets
Loko Yaroslavl, MHL 5’10, 165 | 04/06/99 |
A slippery offensive winger with good speed, solid puck skills and a soft touch around the net, Slepets was a top-six forward on a deep Loko squad that was bounced early in the playoffs. He’s skinny and not much of a physical presence, but he’s very good in close quarters and can stickhandle his way to the net. Slepets is not a gamebreaker but he’ll makes the most of his chances and elevate the puck from in tight. |
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118* | RW Brannon McManus
Chicago Steel, USHL 5’9, 176 | 07/05/99 |
A talented wing with an excellent shot, McManus has been nothing short of amazing since an early season trade to Chicago, picking up 27 points in his last 33 games. He is a very good skater who uses deception and a bag full of moves to lull defenders into a state of confusion. A native of California, he’ll play collegiately at Minnesota next season. |
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119 | LHD Nick Leivermann (OA)
Bloomington Thunder, USHL 5’11, 194 | 09/14/98 |
An overager by only two days, Leivermann was Eden Prairie’s on-ice general during their wire-to-wire dominance of the Minnesota high school circuit. And though they lost a heartbreaker to Grand Rapids in the state semis, it was Leivermann’s take-charge attitude and puck rushing that helped his mates get as far as they did. It certainly helped having the luxury of deferring to a star forward like Casey Mittelstadt, but the two complimented each other perfectly. He’s a fluid skater who is patient with the puck, and he has no problem taking it right up the gut of a zone defense from as far back as his own goal line. |
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120 | C Jakub Lacka
Trinec Ocealari, Extraliga U20 5’11, 176 | 11/20/98 |
Finesse players should be pretty popular in this kind of draft regardless of size, and Lacka is one of the better skill forwards who stand under six feet tall. He is a very good playmaker, especially around the goal. Time and again you’ll find Lacka saucering or banking passes right on the tape, and he’s been involved in several highlight-reel plays. He and Patrik Hrehorcak had chemistry on Trinec’s top line, and the duo were the leading Slovakian-born scorers in the circuit. |
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121* | C Alexandre Texier
Grenoble, France 6’0, 187 | 09/13/99 |
A lightning quick French teen who plays significant minutes in the French senior league, Texier is a dynamic offensive talent who is mature and can handle playing against older competition. You have to go back to the late 1980’s and former St. Louis Blues prospect Philippe Bozon to find a teenager from the French league with this kind of NHL potential. Texier is an excellent skater who can handle the puck and make plays off the rush. |
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122 | C Jordy Bellerive
Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL 5’10, 196 | 05/02/99 |
The second overall pick in the 2014 WHL bantam draft came into his own in 2017, placing third in goals (27) and fourth in points (56) on a strong Hurricanes team. Quick, aggressive and physical, Bellerive is very good at protecting the puck and making plays off of lengthy possessions. Nineteen of his 27 goals came at even strength. |
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123 | LW Patrik Hrehorcak
Trinec Ocealari, Extraliga U20 5’10, 178 | 03/18/99 |
Slippery sniper with a a soft set of hands and excellent instincts in the offensive zone. Hrehorcak has an excellent shot and release and doesn’t hesitate to display them. He was one of the top scorers in the Czech junior circuit despite playing in just his first year of draft eligibility. Far from being classified as a power forward, Hrehorcak gets involved in physical play and doesn’t back down from a challenge. |
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124* | RW Austin Pratt
Red Deer Rebels, WHL 6’2, 226 | 07/30/99 |
Pratt is a big-bodied power forward who loves to mix it up and put pressure on defenders. His skating is average, but he makes up for it with an active stick and sound instincts. Pratt is a reliable two-way player who rarely gets caught wandering. Once the puck enters the opposing zone, he goes right for the low slot, using his lower body strength to gain positioning. Pratt has an underrated wrist shot and he’ll fire it off with quickness. Thirty one of his 34 points were during 5v5. |
