2021 NHL Draft Rankings: Final 33-64 (May)

Steve Kournianos  |  5/24/2021  |  [hupso] 

Xavier Bourgault - DobberProspects

Rank Name Pos DOB Team League Ht Wt S/C NAT
33 Aleksi Heimosalmi RHD 8-May-03 Assat U20 NTDP 5’11 170 R FIN
A tough two-way rearguard who can go coast-to-coast with the best of them, Heimosalmi was Assat U20’s clear-cut No. 1 defender and also was named the top blue liner at the recent under-18 world championship. He plays with bite and will make his presence felt in the corners and in front of the net.
34 Sasha Pastujov RW 15-Jul-03 U.S. U18 NTDP 6’0 183 L USA
It’s hard to ding one of the draft’s best shooters, but Pastujov became too reliant on his cannon while his linemates did most of the grunt work. Still, the native Floridian can absolutely hammer the puck and also score in critical moments but he’ll need to increase his foot speed and effort level off the puck.
35 Liam Dower-Nilsson C 14-Apr-03 Frolunda J20 Nationell 6’0 172 L SWE
Dower-Nilsson was a prolific scorer for Frolunda J20 this past season, although any points earned in this year’s shortened J20 Sodra scehdule have to be taken with a grain of salt (7.44 goals-per-game average). He remains as pure a playmaker as you’ll find and he’s also effective off the puck while revealing a solid three-zone effort and occasional physicality.
36 Dylan Duke LW 4-Mar-03 U.S. U18 NTDP 5’10 181 L USA
A quick and rambunctious goal scorer who buzzes the offensive zone from start to finish, Duke considers any opponent to be a target of opportunity. He’s one of the more physical snipers available in this draft and Duke also contributes on the penatly kill. He’ll suit up for the Michigan Wolverines next season.
37 Alexander Kisakov LW 1-Nov-02 Dinamo MSK MHL 5’9 159 L RUS
The runner-up for the MHL’s scoring crown, Kisakov wasted little time establishing himself as a top-line talent of a loaded Dinamo MSK club which captured the postseason crown. Not only is he gifted with the puck, but Kisakov also hustles on the forecheck and gets under opponents’ skin. He can beat you in so many ways.
38 Mackie Samoskevich RW 15-Nov-02 Chicago USHL 5’11 176 R USA
A slick scoring forward who was the yin to Matthew Coronato’s yang on Chicago’s top six, Samoskevich is an excellent skater capable of pulling off highlight-reel moves at top speed. He also was one of the leading playoff scorers to help the Steel claim the Clark Cup title. Although there was a sizable disparity in production between Coronato and Samoskevich, one must consider the latter’s unselfish play and hard work to get his linemate clean looks. The Connecticut native is headed to the University of Michigan.
39 William Stromgren LW 7-Jun-03 MODO J20 Nationell 6’3 175 L SWE
An elite skater for such a strong winger, Stromgren validated his speed by keeping pace with linemate Isak Rosen’s quickness throughout the under-18 world championship. Agile and elusive in every direction, the 6-foot-3 Stromgren can make highlight-reel passes and also show a soft touch from in tight. He tied for the J20 Norra goal-scoring crown with 10 in 14 games and was second to Simon Robertsson in overall scoring with 18 points.
40 Logan Stankoven C 26-Feb-03 Kamloops WHL 5’8 170 R CAN
Think Brad Marchand styllistically except Stankoven lets his game do all the talking while staying within the letter of the rule book. He’s an incredibly deceptive skater whose hunched style makes you think he’s incapable of quick acceleration into any area of open ice, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Stankoven boasts a quick release and bullet for a shot, plus soft hands to quickly settle the puck onto his blade.
41 Scott Morrow RHD 1-Nov-02 Fargo USHL 6’2 198 R USA
A specimen to say the leaset, Morrow left the vaunted Shattuck program to help Fargo march to the USHL’s Clark Cup Final. He’s a big, strong kid with a hard shot, but Morrow’s elite skating is what seperates from most of this year’s defense prospects. He’s committed to UMass-Amherst.
42 Conner Roulette LW 13-May-03 Seattle WHL 5’11 180 L CAN
Roulette is a gritty winger who is a nuisance to opposing defenders either in the low slot or on the forecheck. He’s plays a quick-thinking game for someone with a visable willingness to lay it all on the line, and Roulette’s decisions are far more calculated than reckless. He’ll probably score most of his goals in those dirty areas near the net but his enthusiasm and sacrifice should not be overlooked.
43 Oliver Kapanen C 29-Jul-03 Kalpa U20 SM-Sarja 6’1 179 R FIN
The top-line center and all-around everything for KalPa U20, Kapanen is a highly-versatile pivot who has excelled in every role he’s been given. From running the lead power-play unit to killing penalties, Kapanan produced as a top-10 scorer in the SM-Sarja and earned a strong enough repuation to anchor Finland’s first line at the under-18 world championship.
44 Stanislav Svozil LHD 17-Jan-03 Brno Extraliga 6’1 179 L CZE
Once pegged as a first-round lock, reality is starting to reveal Svozil as a cerebral but a somewhat unspectacular defense prospect. Although he was so impressive for the Czechs at the under-20 world juniuor hockey championship, Svozil’s season with Brno in the adult-age Extraliga was more cold than hot and even saw his minites reduced in key moments. Still, few blueliners blanket the neutral zone as well as this mobile two-way defender.
45 Sebastian Cossa G 21-Nov-02 Edmonton WHL 6’6 207 L CAN
The No. 1 goalie for a loaded Edmonton Oil Kings’ squad that was expected to contend for the WHL regular-season crown, Cossa is impressively quick for a goalie of any size, let alone one who stands around 6-foot-7. His post-to-post movements are both explosive and clean, and it isn’t often that he pushes himself well out of position.
46 Xavier Bourgault C 22-Oct-02 Shawinigan QMJHL 6’0 172 R CAN
A exceptional stickhandler with buttery-soft hands and a quick-strike mentality, Bourgault (pictured) has to be in the running for the flashiest wingers available in the draft. He’s a low-maintenance threat who proved he can be just as dangerous without top center Mavrik Bourque running possessions.
47 Zachary L’Heureux LW 15-May-03 Halifax QMJHL 5’11 196 L CAN
Another enigmatic prospect who once was on our preseason top-32. There’s a lot of chatter about L’Heureux’s on-ice discipline issues following multiple suspensions, but we care a lot more about his complete insignificance against a strong Charlottetown squad (6 points in 15 games) versus his total domination of lowly Cape Breton (28 points in 13 games). Fiery and talented with the puck, L’Heureux’s inconsistencies need to be rectified.
48 Tristan Broz LW 10-Oct-02 Fargo USHL 6’0 179 L USA
Easily one of the top USHL prospects for 2021, the Minnesota-bound Broz checks several blocks that make him a well-rounded player beyond scoring. He was one of the league’s top point producers this season and added some muscle for more confidence to not only throw his weight around but also greet opponents with some nasty woodwork. Broz has an excellent shot and quick release than will beat a goalie from any angle.
49 Jakub Brabanec C 11-Sep-03 Kometa Brno Extraliga 6’2 176 L CZE
Brabanec is a stud center with an athletic build and multi-purpose puck skills. He was selected by Charlottetown in the 2020 CHL Import Draft but spent this entire season in the Czech Republic, where he caught some time in the elite Extraliga. It’s easy to get excited over a 6-foot-2 center with agility and smarts, as Brabanec delivers impact shifts both on and off the puck and in all three zones.
50 Samu Salminen C 9-Apr-03 Jokerit U20 SM-Sarja 6’2 186 L FIN
Salminen was a big-time point producer as a top-line center for Jokerit’s U20 team but the first few impressions make you wonder how he did it. Although he has ideal size, a plus shot, and is willing to battle below the hashes, Salminen is not the most energetic forward on the ice and comes across as more of a shoot-first center than a hard-working possession driver.
51 Corson Ceulemans RHD 5-May-03 Brooks AJHL 6’2 192 R CAN
A plus skater with a hard shot who also plays physical, Ceulemans has all the tools to be one of the best defensemen to come out of this draft class. Marrying all his positives into shift-to-shift consistency has been a battle, however, and even a decent offensive showing at the under-18 world championship also revealed positional issues on the defensive side. Ceulemans is committed to Wisconsin.
52 Wyatt Johnston C 14-May-03 Windsor OHL 6’1 178 R CAN
Johnston is a quick and shifty in-your-face two-way forward who uses speed and hustle to neuralize opposing breakouts. Not only is Johnston fast, but he also doesn’t tire out after going full throttle in the beginning of shifts. He’s one of the few top OHL prospects who opted not to play at all this season but he more than made up for it with a strong 200-foot performance for the Canadians at the under-18 world championship.
53 Tyler Boucher RW 16-Jan-03 U.S. U18 NTDP 6’1 200 R USA
Big, strong, skilled, and highly physical, Boucher was one of several U18 NTDP’ers who missed benchmark events because of injury. He was sorely missed by Team USA at the recent under-18 world championship because he can be a real difference maker both on or off the puck, and also make plays in tight spaces. Boucher will attend Boston University in the fall.
54 Topias Vilen LHD 1-Apr-03 Pelicans SM-Liiga 6’1 194 L FIN
A poised and clean defender with good skating mechanics who spent the entire season in the Finnish elite league, Vilen’s strengths are his stick use and breakout passes, with the latter being so critical towards his team’s ability to quickly transition from defense to offense. He probably won’t be a huge point producer but Vilen looks to be on track for a long NHL career.
55 Oliver Moberg LW 23-Feb-03 AIK J20 Nationell 6’3 190 L SWE
A horse along the boards who also uses deceptive quickness and heads-up play to execute effective odd-man rushes, Moberg found himself middling with a struggling AIK J20 squad in Sweden but it was enough to earn a promotion to the Division II Allsvenskan for the second straight year. He is a legitimate threat in the close-quarter game and uses shifty directional changes before powering in a straight line to the net.
56 Sean Behrens LHD 31-Mar-03 U.S. U18 NTDP 5’10 176 L USA
Behrens is a playmaking two-way defender with elite escapability who also doesn’t let his size dictate who he should and shouldn’t get physical with– he’s an equal-opportunity hitter. He was one of he NTDP’s better defenders and played some his best hockey of the season after Luke Hughes went down with an injury. The Chicago-area native is headed to the University of Denver.
57 Ryder Korczak C 23-Sep-02 Moose Jaw WHL 5’10 164 R CAN
It was a tough rebuilding year for Moose Jaw, even in a shortened season in the Regina bubble. Korczak helped keep the young Warriors in most games with gritty two-way play and selfless playmaking in the offensive zone. He was one of the WHL’s leading rookie scorers a season ago but saw his production take a bit of a hit in the pandemic-shortened season.
58 Daniil Chayka LHD 22-Oct-02 CSKA KHL 6’3 187 L RUS
A big, mobile defender with a hard shot, Chayka is seen by many as a first-round talent but he appears to be growing into the position at a longer rate than expected. The good news is that it hasn’t stopped coaches at multiple levels from using him in big moments.
59 Zach Dean C 4-Jan-03 Gatineau QMJHL 6’0 176 L CAN
Slippery, quick, and skilled are just three of the many traits inherent in Dean’s overall game, and he can play with a edge to boot. He was a key contributor for an Olympiques squad with a lot of young talent, and Dean showed his versatility by playing all three forward positions. There’s a lot to like about this player.
60 Justin Robidas C 13-Mar-03 Val-D’or QMJHL 5’7 173 R CAN
A tough and aggressive two-way pivot, Justin is the talented and creative son of former Stars’ defenseman Stephane Robidas. Styllistically, the younger Robidas plays more like Mats Zuccarello, albeit from the center-ice position. He may be listed at only 5-foot-7, but Robidas is an effective penalty killer with a quick stick who also provides all the intangibles for easy coachability.
61 Roman Schmidt RHD 27-Feb-03 U.S. U18 NTDP 6’5 206 R USA
Seeing the 6-foot-5 Schmidt caress the puck with incredible care under pressure on one shift, only to mash a puck carrier at the line the next might might make you wonder why he isn’t ranked higher. We’ve thought the same but will remain cautious with his projection as a solid middle-pairing anchor rather than a pure No. 1. The native New Yorker will play for the Boston University Terriers.
62 Matthew Knies LW 17-Oct-02 Tri-City USHL 6’3 206 L USA
Knies is a tough power forward with a ton of skill that can sometimes be too flashy for his own good. Consistency and maturity are two of several reasons why he’s fallen outside of first-round consideration but that shouldn’t stop a team from taking a chance on a prospect with enough tools to be a star. He’s committed to the University of Minnesota.
63 Kirill Kirsanov LHD 19-Sep-02 SKA KHL 6’1 194 L RUS
Kirsanov outgrew the junior hockey ranks two seasons ago and established himself as a steady defender for SKA in the KHL. He won’t wow you with any particular skill and his skating screams average, but he delivers results and continues to earn the trust of coaching staffs at multiple levels.
64 Jack Bar RHD 7-Oct-02 Chicago USHL 6’3 192 R CAN
Not only is Bar one of the angriest defensemen available in this draft, but he’s also a good skater who can breakout on his own and contribute in the offensive end. Playing behind Chicago’s vaunted forward attack usually required him to limit his puck control to his side of the red line, but Bar still contributed with timely reads and bombs from the right point. He’s off to Cambridge to play for the Harvard Crimson.
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