Thread by @UpsideHockey

Upside Hockey opening up our exclusive Scout's Notebook - thoughts from the World Juniors U18 for the #2024NHLdraft.

🧵 1/x

#NHLdraft #NHL #hockey

LW Cole Eiserman:

His 9 goals were tied for 2nd with teammate James Hagens, and just below the leader, Gavin McKenna- who had 10. Eiserman added an assist for 10 points in 7 games, and broke the all-time record for goals in the NTDP, with 127- beating out Cole Caufield.

2/x

Eiserman has an elite shot, with the ability to find the soft spots in coverage. He displayed some physicality, and an attention to defense as well.

3/x

D Cole Hutson:

Best D in the tournament, with an incredible 13 points in 7 games. He came as advertised, tying Ryan Murphy for the most points all-time by a defenseman in one U-18 tournament. The record for most points in one tournament for a 16 year-old defenseman?

4/x

Cole Hutson in 2023, with 12 points. He's everywhere all at once in the offensive zone, seemingly touching every square inch, every shift. Superb imagination and creativity.

5/x

LW Teddy Stiga:

He's not big, at 5'10", 176lbs, but brings speed and energy, along with a high-octane offensive game. 11 points in 7 games, playing on a line with James Hagens. Good hockey sense, and smarts, with a nose for the net.

6/x

RW Brodie Ziemer:

Captain of USA was incredible, with 12 pts in 7 GP to tie Tij Iginla for 5th in tournament. He gives 100% at all times, and does the dirty work along the walls, and in the corners. Plays a tight 200' game w/ physicality, but obviously has plenty of skill.

7/x

C Max Plante:

He's not big at 5'10", 170lbs, but is a high-end playmaker with the vision and IQ to match. He's one of the best playmakers in the #2024NHLDraft, and works hard in the defensive end.

8/x

LW Trevor Connelly:

He was 10th-overall in scoring with 9 Pts- but cost his team the gold medal, getting 5 and a game in the 3rd period for checking to head in the final game against Canada. Canada used the 5 mi PP to score 3, and go up 5-3, after being down 3-2.

9/x

Connelly is supremely talented, but like the Grinch, he has all the warmth and character of a seasick crocodile. I don't think he left the dressing room after being ejected to collect his medal, or participate in the closing ceremony.

10/x

D EJ Emery:

6 🍏in 7 GP & was tied with a tournament-leading +15. I love this kid, he's huge at 6'3", 185lbs, and he skates incredibly well - makes him very hard to play against, as he's quite mean and physical, but also a defensive stalwart, and elite shut-down dman.

11/x

EJ Emery been building his offensive game all year, and he showed that he can contribute.

12/x

#2024NHLdraft #NHLdraft #NHL

C Petr Sikora:

He's unrelentingly mean and physical, but needs to calm down a bit as he was ejected from the game against Team Canada. He's better offensive performer than his 2 points in 5 games would indicate. Good 200-ft game, & plays the agitator role.

13/x

#2024NHLdraft

RW Adam Jecho:
Some of concerns about Jecho were quelled, namely skating - which looked quite good...Jecho played in all situations, and put up 3 points in 5 games on a weak Czech squad. I get why many scouts have him in the second round.

14/x

D Charlie Elick:

6'3 198lbs, skates v well & plays a heavy physical game w/ emphasis on his tight shutdown game. 3P in 7GP doesn't exactly set the world on fire but demonstrates his ability to contribute at other end of the rink; highly competitive & hard to play against.

15/x

RW Liam Greentree:

I was a bit disappointed in his output, with only 4 points in 7 games, and looking invisible a lot of the time. 90 points in OHL play this season, and led his team in scoring by 24 points, so more was expected.

16/x

Greentree is a top-tier offensive weapon, but his skating stride needs plenty of work for the next level. He's a dual threat, with an arsenal of hard, heavy shots, but he can also make high-end plays. Despite his skating, he can drive play, & displays superb stickhandling.

17/x

LW Tij Iginla:

Craig Button kept calling him, "Teej EYE-ginla", and it was driving me nuts. It seemed like he started a bit slowly, but was one of Canada's best players by the end of the tourney, with 2 pts in the semi-final against Sweden, & 3 pts in final against USA.

18/x

Iginla's true athlete & an alpha-male like his Dad, with a superb arsenal of shots, a goal-scorer's finish around the net. He's a good skater with a physical game, and forechecks like a beast. He's so good down low too- again, just like Dad & no slouch in playmaking dept.

19/x

C Jett Luchanko:

Luch had a great tournament with 7 points in 7 games for team Canada. He's a creator who manufactures chances for his teammates, and he skates as good as anyone in the tournament. His defense is spotty though, and he's not as effective without the puck.

20/x

D Leo Sahlin Wellenius:

He was a workhorse, playing almost half the game in some instances, but he has looked much better in other tournaments in previous years. Most of the time he was playing his usual smooth two-way game, being a calming presence from the backend...

21/x

but too often mistakes were creeping into his game, including bad decisions, and instances of poor puck management. Only 3 points in 7 games. I was a little disappointed. (Leo Sahlin Wellenius)

22/x

#2024NHLdraft #NHLdraft #NHL

D Alfons Freij:

Thought he was one of top D in the tourney. Fun to watch with his high-end skating, stickhandling & his ability to generate dangerous scoring chances. More dynamic rearguard than his partner, Leo Sahlin Wellenius. 6 P in 7 GP for 3rd overall in D scoring.

23/x

D Aron Kiviharju:

Another D-man that I expected a whole lot more of. He hasn't played since he was injured near the start of the season, and he was having trouble keeping up mentally with the speed of the game.

24/x

Finland's Captain Kivijarju moved the puck well, and wasn't bad, but only 3 points in 5 games before the Finns were eliminated. Usually, he's the fastest player out there, with a superhuman brain, and a solid two-way approach.

25/x

D Veeti Vaisanen:

He played all season against men in the Liiga, and was 3rd overall for U-18 aged players, so I expected more of him too. He played very well in the defensive zone, and was able to show off his skating stride with a surprising amount of physicality...

26/x

Vaisanen showed excellent puck-movement, but little impact offensively. He's a lot less exciting and dynamic than Kiviharju. Only 2 points in 5 games.

27/x

D Mitja Jokinen: He and partner Niklas Nykyri stepped up for team Finland, and I thought they were the best tandem on the team, with Jokinen looking like one of the best in the tournament...

28/x

Jokinen is small, standing only 5'11", so he tends to struggle in physical battles, and is largely ineffective in front of his net, but plays an exciting offensive game and moves the puck well. 5 points in 5 games, which was 7th in D scoring.

29/x

D Niklas Nykyri: I was extremely impressed with him, even though he was a bit sloppy. Defense-first, but contributes well with an underrated offensive game, and the ability to ride shotgun with the more talented players, in this case, Mitja Jokinen.

30/x

I think Niklas Mykyri might develop into a good two-way player in the future. 3 points in 5 games.

31/x

RW Ryder Ritchie:

I thought he started out a bit slow & was fading into the background a bit, but he became more noticeable as tourney wore on. It helped he was playing with Tij Iginla. He scored 2P in semi-final against Sweden, and another 2P in final against the USA.

32/x

Ritchie is a much better offensive player than he was able to show in Prince Albert, and his two-way game was on display in this tournament.

33/x

C Tuomas Suoniemi:

This was a pivotal tournament for Suoniemi, as there's been talk he might not be drafted this year, due to his lacklustre league play the last two seasons. He was tied with Konsta Helenius for the lead in scoring for Finland, with 7 points in 5 games.

34/x

Suoniemi has top-tier vision and creativity in his playmaking, but has a spotty defensive game, and is more quick than fast. He's not usually known as a big goal-scorer, but he bagged 3 in this tournament for a disappointing Finnish team.

35/x

C Lucas Petterson/ C Linus Eriksson: 8 pts for LP, 7 pts for Eriksson. These two are so similar that I constantly get them mixed up. Both are swift-skating, two-way centers with offensive touch. Petterson is slightly better offensively & Eriksson gets the nod defensively.

36/x

^Both remind me of St.Louis center Rob Thomas.

37/x

D Gabriel Eliasson:

He's a 6'6" defender who skates very well for a player his size, but he hurt his team with all the unnecessary penalties he took. Eliasson is mean and unrelentingly physical, but his 20 penalty minutes in this tournament were all minors.

38/x

The coaches even benched Eliasson for stretches, but he didn't seem to get the message. For the next level, he will need to rein it in a bit and concentrate on playing a quality shutdown game, which he's capable of doing.

39/x

D Henry Mews: I've been a big advocate of his since watching him in last summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup. 7 points in 7 games, and played an excellent two-way game, with fantastic puck movement, and plenty of PP time.

40/x

There are times that Mew looks sloppy, and other times where he makes poor decisions with the puck, but he's usually a calming presence on the blueline, and an effortless skater.

41/x

C Konsta Helenius: I doubt there's anyone in the hockey world that wasn't disappointed by his performance, with 0 goals and 7 points in 5 games. For most other players, numbers like that would get you positive recognition, but a player like him is expected to dominate.

42/x

Helenius has supreme skill, vision & speed, but everyone who watched him seems to say same thing: he didn't look like he wanted to be there. It might have been too much pressure for the kid, playing in front of his home crowd. He seemed to play too much on the perimeter.

43/x

RW Melvin Fernstrom:

I really like this kid, and I think he's going to make a good NHLer. He's got good hands, and a hard shot, but also has the vision to make plays. 8 points in 7 games, which puts him in a three-way tie for 11th in tournament scoring.

44/x

Fernstrom's 6'1", and uses his size to push his way around, but needs a bit of work on his skating and defensive game.

45/x

RW Liam Greentree:

I was a bit disappointed in his output, with only 4 points in 7 games, and looking invisible a lot of the time. 90 points in OHL play this season, and led his team in scoring by 24 points, so more was expected.

46/x

Greentree is a top-tier offensive weapon, but his skating stride needs plenty of work for the next level. He's a dual threat, with an arsenal of hard, heavy shots, but he can also make high-end plays. Despite his skating, he can drive play, & displays superb stickhandling.

47/x

D Charlie Elick:

I really like Elick, he's big (6'3",198lbs), skates very well, and plays a heavy physical game with an emphasis on his tight shutdown game. 3 points in 7 games doesn't exactly set the world on fire, but...

48/x

it demonstrates Elick's ability to contribute in the other end of the rink. He's highly competitive and hard to play against.

49/x

D Spencer Gill:

Only 2 points in 7 games for Gill, although he wasn't picked for the team to be a points-producer. Gill is big (6'3", 179lbs) and still quite young, with an August birthday. He can play in any situation, but...

50/x

Spencer Gill plays a calm, poised shutdown game with physicality, and quickness. 46 points in 65 games in the Q for Rimouski, which would put him 10th in scoring by defense in that league- showing that Gill can contribute to the offense.

51/x

D Frankie Marrelli:

makes mistakes, but I just love his competitive fire. He's a bit small at 5'11" 185lbs, but he plays like he's 6'3", with his tenacity & relentless physicality. He's extremely competitive and hard to play against, is stronger & tougher than he looks.

52/x

Marrelli can play in any situation, but didn't put up big numbers this year, focusing on playing a smart shutdown game- but he has much more in the tank. Marrelli had 2 points in 7 games in the tournament, with 29 PIM.

53/x

RW Emil Hemming: I like him, but the Finns were not a very good team. Hemming is primarily a shooter, so his 4 goals (and 2 assists) in 5 games show that he was doing his job. He's a lethal shooter, but also has finish around the net.

54/x

Hemming skates well, but could use a better top gear, although he has the 1-on-1 moves to get around in traffic. He uses his size (6'2", 194lbs) well as leverage to bully his way around, and battles in the hard areas, but I wonder about his pace.

55/x

RW Maxim Masse':

Masse' finished with 5 points in 7 games, but had no points in the medal round- which wasn't really his fault, he was creating opportunities, but his linemates couldn't finish.

56/x

Masse' is a power-winger, who can score and make plays, and displays excellent vision and IQ. His mobility needs some work, but he's physical and battles in all the greasy areas.

57/x

C Jack Berglund:

6'2", 207lb Jack Berglund was very noticeable for Sweden, with his physical two-way game, and for his 5 points in 7 games. I thought he looked a lot faster than I've seen him in previous viewings, and he played with a lot of energy.

58/x

Jack Berglund is a power-forward who goes to the front of the net, and will muck and grind for pucks.

59/x

D Harrison Brunicke:

6'3" D who skates well & contributes in all areas of the ice. 4P in 7GP, good numbers for this 2-way defenseman who's a jack-of-all-trades but master of none; believe he has a lot more to show in future; can rush the puck & make some high-end plays.

60/x

D Tomas Galvas:

The Czechs didn't generate much, with only 10 goals-scored in 5 games- and that hurt this diminutive defenseman's game. He's a dynamic skater, who can move the puck and create chances- which he did, to no avail.

61/x

D Jakub Fibigr:

This kid is more of a two-way performer, and isn't elite in any one thing. 1 goal in 5 games, although he was pinching into the play looking for chances.

62/x

C Aatos Koivu:

1 of the biggest disappointments in the tournament, with only 1A in 5GP although he was the best player in the event in faceoffs, at 74% in 50 tries...

63/x

Other than that, he was invisible in every category, except for his feistiness and physicality. Koivu is physically raw, but skates very well, and has a blistering one-timer.

64/x

RW Kasper Pikkarainen:

Only 1G in 5GP but the 6'3" 194lb power-forward impressed with his rambunctious physical game & mobility. He could make it to NHL as a bottom-6 two-way player, as he displays plenty of defensive acumen, with good anticipation, and smart positioning.

65/x

D Viggo Gustafsson:

Gus needs work on his skating, but he was really hard to play against, and was reliable defensively. He's a shutdown D, and is one of the best at his craft in this year's draft crop.

66/x

I like Viggo Gustafsson's high-end awareness, and his nasty disposition combined with his physical presence. He seemed to be in the middle of most scrums in Sweden's games. When he fixes his mobility, he will be a seriously good player. I like him.

67/x

RW Karl Sterner:

Only 1 point in the tournament, but the 6'3", 187lb power-forward displayed his quick feet and his physicality, hitting everything in sight.

68/68

@threadreaderapp please unroll this smooth skating thread, mon ami