2017 NHL Draft
Top-150 Overagers
Older, wiser draft prospects offer shorter path to the NHL
Steve Kournianos | 2/27/2017 | New York | [hupso]
Swift Current center Tyler Steenbergen is a big reason why the Broncos are ready to return to the WHL playoffs
If it is true the crop of first-year eligible prospects for the 2017 NHL Draft is in fact one of the weakest in recent memory, then why not turn back the clock and give another shot to a kid passed over in either 2015 or 2016?
This could very well be the draft day strategy of several NHL general managers, specifically those looking for players who are physically ready to step in and challenge for a roster spot. Upcoming expansion, a seemingly league-wide emphasis on youth and speed, and the desire to stay competitive while operating with salary cap flexibility are just some of the reasons why teams are expected to be less inclined to wait more than three years for a player to develop. Plus, many draft eligibles from the vaunted 2015 pool were passed over simply because of the quality and depth of the players made available, thus allowing scouts to familiarize with players previously left off their respective team’s draft boards. Lastly, high-end European prospects are more inclined to head to North America, to the point where Russians and Finns are willing to play in the USHL or NCAA if the roster of the CHL team that owns their rights is maxed out on the allowable number of imports.
The downside? The bridge between entry level deals and unrestricted free agency once the player turns 27 is anywhere from one to three years shorter, which means cap-strapped teams will have to “buy” UFA years on deals following entry level contracts. Nevertheless, we expect teams to follow the tactics used last year when 48 of the 211 players chosen were overagers.
Russian imports Ivan Kosorenkov (QMJHL) and Igor Shvyryov (MHL) — two former members of Russia’s now-defunct U18 program — are at the top of this talented group of older draft prospects. Both 1998-born forwards are superior puck handlers that can create scoring chances within the confines of a clogged offensive zone. From the blueline, Latvians Kristians Rubins (WHL) and Kristaps Zile (MHL) remain two of our top defenders, both for their mature builds, physicality and leadership ability. And in goal, we remain partial to Niagara (OHL) backstop Stephen Dhillon, who just missed first-year eligibility for 2017 by only two days.
Below is a detailed sortable table of The Draft Analyst’s February rankings of overage draft-eligible prospects for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, to be held in Chicago from 23-24 June. Players born between 01 January 1997 and 15 September 1998 were considered in the zone for overage draft eligibility and were previously eligible for the 2015 or 2016 NHL Entry Drafts.
FEB | OCT | NAME | POS | TEAM | LEAGE | DOB | HT | WT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 | Ivan Kosorenkov | RW | Victoriaville | QMJHL | 1/22/98 | 6’0 | 189 |
2 | 1 | Igor Shvyrev | C/LW | Stalnye Lisy | MHL | 7/10/98 | 6’0 | 205 |
3 | 4 | Kristians Rubins | LHD | Medicine Hat | WHL | 12/11/97 | 6’5 | 219 |
4 | 8 | Tyler Steenbergen | C | Swift Current | WHL | 1/7/98 | 5’10 | 188 |
5 | 41 | Andrey Altybarmakyan | LW | Serebryanye Lvy | MHL | 8/4/98 | 5’10 | 183 |
6 | NR | Denis Smirnov | C/W | Penn State | Big-10 | 8/12/97 | 5’10 | 185 |
7 | 9 | Domenic Commisso | C | Oshawa | OHL | 2/19/98 | 5’11 | 192 |
8 | 36 | Linus Weissbach | LW | Tri-City | USHL | 4/19/98 | 5’8 | 161 |
9 | 2 | Simon Stransky | LW | Prince Albert | WHL | 12/21/97 | 6’0 | 180 |
10 | 57 | Maxime Fortier | RW | Halifax | QMJHL | 12/15/97 | 5’10 | 176 |
11 | 7 | Kristaps Zile | LHD | Dinamo Riga | KHL | 12/24/97 | 6’1 | 185 |
12 | 10 | Stephen Dhillon | G | Niagara | OHL | 9/14/98 | 6’4 | 187 |
13 | 19 | Antoine Samuel | G | Baie Comeau | QMJHL | 9/17/97 | 6’3 | 190 |
14 | NR | Carson Meyer | C | Miami-Ohio | NCAA | 8/18/97 | 5’11 | 185 |
15 | 6 | Yegor Zaitsev | LHD | Dynamo Balashikha | VHL | 5/3/98 | 6’0 | 190 |
16 | NR | Morgan Geekie | C | Tri-City | WHL | 7/20/98 | 6’2 | 167 |
17 | NR | Thomas Grégoire | RHD | Sherbrooke | QMJHL | 7/15/98 | 5’11 | 170 |
18 | 5 | Alexander Polunin | LW | Lokomotiv | KHL | 5/25/97 | 5’9 | 180 |
19 | 13 | Justin Murray | LHD | Barrie | OHL | 8/22/98 | 6’0 | 185 |
20 | 25 | Patrik Bajkov | RW | Everett | WHL | 11/27/97 | 6’0 | 180 |
21 | 11 | Kristian Reichel | C | Litvinov | Extraliga | 6/11/98 | 6’1 | 170 |
22 | 23 | Dominik Lakatos | C/W | Liberec | Extraliga | 4/8/97 | 5’10 | 180 |
23 | 24 | Roman Krikunenko | C/W | Loko Yaroslavl | MHL | 12/27/97 | 5’11 | 170 |
24 | 18 | Matt Fonteyne | LW | Everett | WHL | 11/30/97 | 5’10 | 180 |
25 | NR | Tory Dello | RHD | Notre Dame | Hockey East | 2/14/97 | 6’0 | 190 |
26 | 51 | Maxim Mizyurin | C | Val-d’Or | QMJHL | 3/25/98 | 6’3 | 220 |
27 | 72 | Emil Westerlund | LW | Linkopings J20 | Superelit | 2/16/98 | 6’1 | 190 |
28 | 15 | Zack Osburn | RHD | Michigan State | Big-10 | 2/7/97 | 5’10 | 191 |
29 | 70 | Dylan Coghlan | RHD | Tri-City | WHL | 2/19/98 | 6’2 | 190 |
30 | 22 | Victor Brattstrom | G | Timra IK | Allsvenskan | 3/22/97 | 6’5 | 201 |
31 | 30 | Dmitri Alexeyev | LHD | Chelmet Chelyabinsk | VHL | 2/17/98 | 6’0 | 192 |
32 | 35 | Samuel Harvey | G | Rouyn-Noranda | QMJHL | 2/4/98 | 6’0 | 184 |
33 | NR | Owen Headrick | D | Lake Superior St | WCHA | 8/23/97 | 5’11 | 186 |
34 | 39 | Alex Limoges | C | Tri-City | USHL | 9/16/97 | 6’1 | 197 |
35 | 50 | Grant Cruikshank | LW | Penticton | BCHL | 7/19/98 | 5’10 | 176 |
36 | 55 | Zach Sawchenko | G | Moose Jaw | WHL | 12/30/97 | 6’1 | 175 |
37 | 88 | Ryan Moore | C | Flint | OHL | 4/9/97 | 5’8 | 168 |
38 | NR | Jack Adams | RW | Fargo | USHL | 2/5/97 | 6’5 | 207 |
39 | NR | Andrei Svetlakov | C | CSKA | KHL | 4/6/96 | 6’0 | 203 |
40 | 26 | Gustaf Westlund | C | Lincoln | USHL | 12/12/97 | 6’0 | 171 |
41 | 27 | Ilya Karpukhin | LHD | Chelmet Chelyabinsk | VHL | 7/13/98 | 6’1 | 192 |
42 | 42 | Konstantin Dubin | LW | Stalnye Lisy | MHL | 8/28/98 | 5’8 | 163 |
43 | 54 | Vladimir Kuznetsov | LW | Acadie-Bathurst | QMJHL | 2/18/98 | 6’1 | 214 |
44 | NR | Jack Ahcan | RHD | St. Cloud State | NCHC | 5/18/97 | 5’8 | 184 |
45 | 14 | Mikhail Meshcheryakov | C | Krasnaya Armiya | MHL | 1/18/98 | 5’8 | 170 |
46 | NR | Mark Yanchevsky | LHD | Stalnye Lisy | MHL | 6/30/98 | 6’6 | 200 |
47 | 38 | Juha Jääskä | LW | IFK | Liiga | 2/9/98 | 6’0 | 187 |
48 | NR | Robbie Jackson | C | St. Cloud State | NCHC | 8/22/97 | 5’9 | 174 |
49 | 53 | Daniel Marmenlind | G | Orebro | SHL | 11/14/97 | 6’0 | 180 |
50 | 44 | Matt Brassard | RHD | Oshawa | OHL | 8/8/98 | 6’2 | 201 |
51 | 76 | Mikhail Sidorov | RHD | Ak Bars Kazan | KHL | 6/25/97 | 6’0 | 214 |
52 | NR | Joona Luoto | LW | Tappara | Liiga | 9/26/97 | 6’2 | 185 |
53 | 34 | Ilya Avramenko | C | Stalnye Lisy | MHL | 9/13/98 | 5’9 | 165 |
54 | NR | Nick Swaney | C/RW | Waterloo | USHL | 9/9/97 | 5’10 | 175 |
55 | 28 | Marcus Ersson | LHD | Brynas | SHL | 9/27/99 | 6’2 | 201 |
56 | 48 | Veini Vehvilainen (OA) | G | JyP | Liiga | 2/13/97 | 6’0 | 174 |
57 | 79 | Tomas Havranek | LW | Slavia Trebic | Extraliga Jrs | 5/4/98 | 5’10 | 166 |
58 | 68 | Dmitri Lozebnikov | G | Stalnye Lisy | MHL | 1/15/98 | 6’3 | 194 |
59 | 83 | Kohen Olischefski | RW | Chilliwack | BCHL | 2/1/98 | 6’0 | 163 |
60 | NR | Brennan Menell | RHD | Lethbridge | WHL | 5/24/97 | 5’11 | 172 |
61 | NR | Artur Tyanulin | RW | Ottawa | OHL | 1/20/97 | 5’10 | 178 |
62 | 29 | Luke Coleman | LW | Calgary | WHL | 9/9/98 | 6’2 | 198 |
63 | 37 | Dawson Davidson | LHD | Regina | WHL | 4/7/98 | 5’11 | 181 |
64 | 60 | Jonathan Davidsson | RW | Djugardens | SHL | 3/12/97 | 5’11 | 185 |
65 | 20 | Jamie Armstrong | LW | Penticton | BCHL | 8/7/98 | 6’2 | 190 |
66 | 65 | Anton Krasotkin | G | Loko Yaroslavl | MHL | 5/20/97 | 6’0 | 179 |
67 | 64 | Roman Ivashov | RW | Avto Yekaterinburg | MHL | 4/5/97 | 6’1 | 181 |
68 | 32 | Mitchell Balmas | C | Gatineau | QMJHL | 3/19/98 | 5’11 | 168 |
69 | 33 | Ondrej Najman | C | Spokane | WHL | 1/30/98 | 6’1 | 201 |
70 | NR | Danila Kvartalnov | C | CSKA | KHL | 7/7/97 | 6’1 | 183 |
71 | NR | Kevin Davis | RHD | Everett | WHL | 3/14/97 | 6’0 | 180 |
72 | 45 | Kyle Maksimovich | RW | Erie | OHL | 3/10/98 | 5’9 | 174 |
73 | NR | Jiri Karafiat | C | Zlin | Extraliga | 7/7/98 | 6’2 | 170 |
74 | NR | Otto Leskinen | LHD | Kalpa | Liiga | 2/6/97 | 5’11 | 176 |
75 | NR | Colin Theisen | LW | Dubuque | USHL | 4/24/97 | 5’11 | 181 |
76 | NR | Jordan Kawaguchi | C | Chilliwack | BCHL | 5/4/97 | 5’9 | 181 |
77 | 67 | Kenneth Johnson | LHD | Penticton | BCHL | 5/28/98 | 6’3 | 214 |
78 | 61 | Leonid Lavrinenko | LHD | Belye Medvedi | MHL | 1/15/98 | 6’1 | 190 |
79 | NR | Linus Olund | C/W | Brynas | SHL | 6/5/97 | 5’11 | 185 |
80 | 73 | Ty Amonte | RW/C | Penticton | BCHL | 1/11/98 | 5’11 | 181 |
81 | 49 | Greg Printz | LW | Chicago | USHL | 5/4/98 | 6’2 | 215 |
82 | 56 | Luke McInnis | LHD | Boston Colege | Hockey East | 7/29/98 | 5’10 | 175 |
83 | NR | Jordan Topping | LW | Tri-City | WHL | 7/20/97 | 6’1 | 198 |
84 | 62 | Matthew Boucher | C | Quebec | QMJHL | 12/17/97 | 5’9 | 175 |
85 | 74 | Michael Graham | C | Fargo | USHL | 11/27/97 | 6’2 | 185 |
86 | NR | Jason O’Neill | C | Chicago | USHL | 3/23/97 | 5’11 | 182 |
87 | 31 | Tim Wahlgren | C | MoDo | SHL | 3/8/98 | 6’0 | 176 |
88 | NR | Daniil Yurtaikin | LW/RW | Loko Yaroslavl | MHL | 7/1/97 | 5’9 | 170 |
89 | 43 | Benjamin Gleason | LHD | Hamilton | OHL | 3/25/98 | 6’1 | 180 |
90 | 63 | Nolan Volcan | LW | Seattle | WHL | 7/4/98 | 5’9 | 194 |
91 | NR | Jayden Halbgewachs | C | Moose Jaw | WHL | 3/22/97 | 5’8 | 160 |
92 | 52 | Tobias Eder | RW | EC Salzburg | Alps HL | 3/4/98 | 6’1 | 174 |
93 | NR | Matthew Hellickson | LHD | Sioux City | USHL | 3/21/98 | 6’0 | 184 |
94 | 46 | Roman Golovanov | G | Reaktor | MHL | 5/28/97 | 6’1 | 165 |
95 | NR | Josh Wilkins | RW | Providence | Hockey East | 6/11/97 | 5’11 | 181 |
96 | NR | Kevin Hancock | C/LW | Owen Sound | OHL | 3/20/98 | 5’11 | 180 |
97 | 17 | Otto Makinen | C/LW | Sault Ste Marie | OHL | 5/21/98 | 6’2 | 173 |
98 | 82 | Nicolas Werbik | C | Youngstown | USHL | 10/9/97 | 6’3 | 208 |
99 | 100 | Adam Brizgala | G | Muskegon | USHL | 6/19/98 | 6’0 | 209 |
100 | 40 | Jeff de Wit | C | Regina | WHL | 3/14/98 | 6’3 | 192 |
101 | NR | Skyler McKenzie | LW | Portland | WHL | 1/20/98 | 5’8 | 160 |
102 | NR | David Keefer | LW | Des Moines | USHL | 10/21/97 | 5’10 | 186 |
103 | 78 | Vito Bavaro | RW | Sacred Heart | NCAA | 10/1/97 | 6’2 | 194 |
104 | 81 | Julian Napravnik | RW | Des Moines | USHL | 5/6/97 | 5’11 | 159 |
105 | 66 | Brayden Burke (OA) | LW | Moose Jaw | WHL | 1/1/97 | 5’10 | 170 |
106 | NR | Tomas Soustal | C | Kelowna | WHL | 2/15/97 | 6’3 | 198 |
107 | NR | Alexander Volkov | LW | SKA-1946 | MHL | 8/2/97 | 6’1 | 192 |
108 | 59 | Alexander Yakovenko | LHD | Belye Medvedi | MHL | 2/22/98 | 5’10 | 161 |
109 | 95 | Walker Duehr | RW | Chicago | USHL | 11/2/97 | 6’2 | 205 |
110 | NR | Bo Hanson | LHD | Muskegon | USHL | 11/13/97 | 6’2 | 203 |
111 | NR | Karolus Kaarlehto | G | Tuto | Mestis | 9/1/97 | 6’2 | 165 |
112 | NR | Marian Adamek | RHD | Trinec | Extraliga | 10/2/97 | 6’0 | 180 |
113 | 90 | Alexander Bjurstrom | C/RW | Brynas J20 | Superelit | 4/2/98 | 5’11 | 172 |
114 | 47 | Willie Knierim | RW | Miami-Ohio | NCHC | 1/22/98 | 6’3 | 220 |
115 | NR | Hank Crone | LW | Fargo | USHL | 2/19/98 | 5’9 | 157 |
116 | 80 | Carter Long | RHD | Lincoln | USHL | 2/13/98 | 6’4 | 209 |
117 | NR | Colt Conrad | C/RW | Western Michigan | NCHC | 4/27/97 | 5’10 | 187 |
118 | 58 | Marco Miranda | C/LW | GCK | NLB | 6/2/98 | 6’2 | 196 |
119 | NR | Wyatt Kalynuk | LHD | Bloomington | USHL | 4/14/97 | 6’0 | 168 |
120 | NR | Matthew Galajda | G | Victoria | BCHL | 10/7/97 | 6’1 | 177 |
121 | NR | Lukas Haudum | C | Malmo | SHL | 5/21/97 | 6’0 | 183 |
122 | NR | Roger Karrer | RHD | GCK Lions | NLB | 1/21/97 | 5’11 | 181 |
123 | NR | Cole Hults | LHD | Madison | USHL | 5/22/98 | 6’0 | 189 |
124 | NR | Ryan Larkin | G | Miami-Ohio | NCAA | 6/9/97 | 6’1 | 194 |
125 | 85 | Kody McDonald | RW | Prince George | WHL | 4/7/98 | 6’1 | 194 |
126 | 98 | Troy Timpano | G | Erie | OHL | 11/13/97 | 6’1 | 187 |
127 | 71 | Alex Barre-Boulet | C | Drummondville | QMJHL | 5/21/97 | 5’10 | 165 |
128 | NR | Blake Lizotte | C | Fargo | USHL | 12/13/97 | 5’8 | 173 |
129 | NR | Lukas Zetterberg | LW | Västerås | Allsvenskan | 3/27/97 | 6’1 | 201 |
130 | 91 | Michael O’Leary | C | Notre Dame | Hockey East | 1/1/98 | 6’1 | 195 |
131 | NR | Kyle Betts | C | Powell River | BCHL | 9/17/97 | 6’0 | 165 |
132 | 77 | Cameron Askew | C | Shawinigan | QMJHL | 5/13/97 | 6’4 | 212 |
133 | NR | Evan Bell | LHD | Fargo | USHL | 6/25/97 | 5’10 | 191 |
134 | NR | Ryan Edquist | G | Boston College | Hockey East | 1/28/98 | 6’0 | 172 |
135 | NR | Phillip Knies | LW | Sioux City | USHL | 6/4/98 | 5’9 | 170 |
136 | 84 | Samuel Solensky | RW/C | Youngstown | USHL | 8/25/98 | 5’9 | 170 |
137 | 99 | Artem Maltsev | RHD | Rimouski | QMJHL | 3/27/98 | 6’2 | 181 |
138 | NR | Jack Bandini | LW | Chicago | USHL | 1/19/98 | 6’0 | 203 |
139 | 16 | Alan Lyszczarczyk | LW | Sudbury | OHL | 2/17/98 | 6’0 | 181 |
140 | NR | Anton Danielsson | LHD | HV71 | SHL | 5/16/97 | 6’2 | 187 |
141 | NR | Griffin Outhouse | G | Victoria | WHL | 3/13/98 | 6’0 | 175 |
142 | NR | Joseph Nardi | LW | Whitecourt | AJHL | 6/1/97 | 5’11 | 176 |
143 | NR | Jacob Bryson | D | Providence | Hockey East | 11/18/97 | 5’9 | 175 |
144 | NR | Sami Tavernier | RW | Merrimack | Hockey East | 4/25/97 | 6’0 | 185 |
145 | NR | Derek Hamelin | LHD | Omaha | USHL | 1/21/97 | 5’11 | 166 |
146 | 94 | Scott Perunovich | LHD | Cedar Rapids | USHL | 8/18/98 | 5’9 | 165 |
147 | 97 | Mikael Hakkarainen | C | Chicago | USHL | 1/26/98 | 6’1 | 174 |
148 | NR | Bailey Webster | RHD | Saint John | QMJHL | 9/8/97 | 6’3 | 214 |
149 | NR | Khristian Acosta | RW | Sioux Falls | USHL | 5/5/98 | 5’10 | 170 |
150 | NR | Pontus Jigermark | C | AIK J20 | Superelit | 1/7/97 | 6’3 | 185 |
151 | NR | Johan Lindholm | C/RW | Frolunda | SHL | 1/30/97 | 6’0 | 192 |
152 | NR | Alex Stevens | RHD | Sioux Falls | USHL | 2/27/97 | 6’1 | 199 |
153 | NR | Radek Koblizek | RW | Karpat | Liiga | 10/20/97 | 5’9 | 170 |
154 | NR | Pietrus Palmu | RW | Owen Sound | OHL | 7/16/97 | 5’8 | 180 |