E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Matthew Nieto #48

By Eldon MacDonald

48. Matthew Nieto - “Mr. Game Breaker” - LW - USA

Vitals: Size - 5’11”, 183 lb.; Shoots left; Born 5-Nov-92 - Long Beach, CA
Team: Boston University, Hockey East
2010-11: Stats: 39-10-13-23-16-(-1)

Rankings:
42 - The Hockey News per TSN
43 - The Scouting Report's Top 100 Skaters
44 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
44 - Kirk Luedeke's Top 50
48 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
53 - Bob MacKenzie's June Poll of Scouts
53 - hfboards Readers’ Poll
53 - Future Considerations Final Rankings
54 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (43rd North American skater)
54 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
56 - ISS per TSN
Draft result:
47 - San Jose Sharks

Sure Matthew Nieto was a rookie (freshman) at Boston University this year but his resume is already longer than most seniors. Starting with a plastic hockey stick at age 3 (thanks, Gramps), this southern California kid has done it all. He has already toured the world with the USA NDP program and won two U18 gold medals in the process (2009 and 2010). He was a point a game man with the U17’s in 2008-09 and again with the U18’s in 2009-10. So it may have been a little shock to the system when he struggled a bit early in the year. However, by the end of the year Matthew had made the necessary adjustments to his game and helped take Boston University to the Hockey East quarterfinals against Northeastern.

What type of player is Matthew Nieto??? The first phrase that comes to mind is “game breaker”. He has an explosion in his skating like a quarter horse out of the starting gate. And he has a passing gear that you only find in cars you can’t afford. He also has the vision, the agility and the hands to make those moves that make defenders look silly. In addition, he competes hard for the puck and is money around the net.

What are the downsides to Matthew Nieto??? First, he is only of modest size and showed some of the effects of that in adjusting to College Hockey. Second, he has consistency and compete issues away from the puck so he either makes it as top 6 or not at all - game breaker or heart breaker, that is the question.

Where will Matthew Nieto go in the draft??? I am betting that more than one team will agree with me and take this guy as a game breaker - early to mid second.

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E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Joel Edmundson #49

By Eldon MacDonald

49. Joel Edmundson - “McWarrior” - D - Canada

Vitals: Size - 6’4”, 200 lb.; Shoots left; born 28-Jun-93 - Winnipeg, MB
Team: Moose Jaw, WHL
2010-11 Stats: 71-2-18-20-95-(+3) + WHL playoffs 6-0-0-0-2-(-3)

Rankings:
38 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (33rd North American skater)
43 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
47 - Bob MacKenzie's June Poll of Scouts
47 - ISS per TSN
49 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
49 - The Scouting Report's Top 100 Skaters
55 - hfboards Readers’ Poll
56 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
56 - Future Considerations Final Rankings
Draft result:
46 - St. Louis Blues

A lot of people haven’t heard of Joel Edmundson; a lot of people who have heard of Joel Edmundson are wondering how he could be rated by NHL Central Scouting as 38th best overall player. After all Joel is not a guy that is at all flashy, he doesn’t get a lot of buzz, there doesn’t seem to be many reporters dropping of his every word. So what were the scouts thinking? Well, I think they came to Moose Jaw to see the Warriors with a capital “W” and they came away seeing a warrior with a small “w”. As evidence, I will submit the following and then I will rest my case:
1. A lawyer will tell you the best evidence in any case is always video where the jury (in this case, you) gets to see the actions that led to the indictment , in this case, the indictment that Joel Edmundson is a small “w” warrior. Watch the YouTube video below and then tell me with a straight face that Joel Edmundson is not a warrior. You have to feel for poor Duncan Siemens - he may go in the first round in the draft but he sure didn’t look like he could go any more rounds with Joel Edmundson.
2. A law enforcement officer will tell you that an accused is more likely to be guilty of an act if he associates with a known offender who has committed similar crimes. In this case, Joel Edmundson’s mentor and defense partner (a true aider and abettor) is Duncan McIlrath, the most feared warrior of all.
3. A wildlife enforcement officer will tell you that if it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck and quacks like a duck, chances are it is a duck. In this case, Joel Edmundson is currently listed at 6’4 200 lb. although a number of sites have him listed at 6’5. Chances are Joel will play at 6’5 - 215-220 and if that doesn’t look like the size of a warrior I don’t know what does.
4. A judge will tell you that he is more likely to convict someone if they were carrying an offensive weapon. Joel Edmundson’s slap shot was clocked at 98 miles an hour at the Warriors skills competition, the exact same rate that Alexander Ovechkin’s was clocked at during the NHL All-star Game Skills Competition. A shot like that can be very offensive weapon against a poor goalie.
5. In summary, Joel Edmundson is a warrior because he has the size, the skills and the desire to be a warrior. And it has been demonstrated beyond a shadow of a reasonable doubt, that Joel Edmundson has gone into battle as a warrior under the tutelage of that most feared warrior of all, Duncan McIlrath and most importantly won the battle.

As for other hockey items of less importance, Joel Edmundson is no PMD (puck moving defenseman) but he does move pretty well for a big guy and does display the physicality expected of a big man. He is also pretty good defensively but is still learning the trade. However, if his defensive progression next year even approaches that of this year his coaches and the scouts are going to be pretty happy.

What is the price for a warrior-like stay-at-home defenseman these days? I would be very surprised if Joel’s name is not called before the second round is over, I have him at 49.

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E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Robbie Russo #50

By Eldon MacDonald

50. Robbie Russo - “Captain America” - D - USA

Vitals: Size - 5’11”, 191 lb.; Shoots right; Born 15-Feb-93 - Westmint, Il
Team: USA U18, USHL
2010-11 Stats: 52-3-19-22-23 + U18 6-1-7-8-4-(+5)

Rankings:
25 - The Scouting Report's Top 100
36 - ISS per TSN
36 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
47 - Kirk Luedeke's Top 50
50 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
50 - The Hockey News per TSN
55 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
58 - Future Considerations Final Rankings
69 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (55th North American skater)
HM - Bob MacKenzie's June Poll of Scouts (HM’s = 61 to 85)
Draft result:
95 - New York Islanders

Captain America (USA NDP U18 Team Captain, Robbie Russo) led his team to the gold medal at the U18’s. He did it by leading the power play and controlling the pace of the game when five on five and was named of Team USA’s three best players along with JT Miller and John Gibson. These feats will not look too shabby on his resume when he presents it to potential employers at the combine in June.

What type of player is Robbie Russo??? Well, he is a PMD (puck moving defenseman) in the vein of Brian Rafalski or Tomas Kaberle. While he is not particularly fast and does not have a booming shot, he does have the vision to read the plays that enable him to control the pace of the game and the elite puck distribution skills and mobility to make things happen.

Where will Robbie Russo go in the draft??? In my view, he will fight it out with Adam Clendening for the first average-sized PMD taken in the second round. NHL Central Scouting has him at about 69, Future Considerations has him at 58 in their final rankings and I have him at 50. Next year, you can follow him at the University of Notre Dame.

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E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Reid Boucher #51

Eldon MacDonald

51. Reid Boucher - “Killer Mean” - LW - USA

Vitals: 5’9” - 192 lb.; Shoots left; Born: 8-Sep-93 - Grand Ledge, MI
Team: USA NDP U18, USHL
Stats: 49-24-19-43-25 + U18 6-8-2-10-8-(+9)

Rankings:
36 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
41 - Kirk Luedeke's Top 50
51 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
52 - The Scouting Report's Top 100
60 - Future Considerations Final Rankings
73 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
149 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (113th North American skater)
Draft result:
99 - New Jersey Devils

He's “Killer Mean”.
He’s just a scoring machine.

Dynamite, nitro-glycerin, kerosene.
He’ll liable to bring a goalie to scream!!!

An a killer he is - just ask the players on the other U18 teams - Switzerland - winning goal with 4:51 to play, Slovakia - one goal, Germany - two goals including the winning goal, Russia - winning goal with 21 seconds left in the game, Canada - two goals including the tying goal, Sweden - tying goal with 1:29 to play in the game. All told, eight goals, tops on the gold medal winning USA U18 squad and second in the tourney. And he is not just a one-tournament killer either, he led the US in scoring at the Five Nations tournament as well, I guess that makes him a serial killer too.

There are four things you need to know about Reid Boucher:

1. He is an alien. Gotta be, how else can you explain it when he appears out of nowhere at warp speed all the time and then unleashes a missile to the back of the net a nano-second later. Think about it, OK, not that looong!!!
2. He will be successful in the NHL if he has a feed-me type center - think, Henrik to Daniel, Backstrom to Ovie and Grimaldi to “Killer Mean” (could happen).
3. He is not small. Sure, he is only 5’9 but he weighs 192 lb. so he is more like a fire hydrant and has a relatively low center of gravity. So, do not fret the size thing when you are thinking about drafting him.
4. He is likely to be a finalist along with Matt Puempel for the 2011 Jeff Skinner Award given annually to the skater with the most ridiculous rating by NHL Central Scouting for the upcoming draft. OK, so I made that award up, however, the fact remains that this premium goal scorer is not going in the fifth round, second is much more likely, could first be possible???

Yes, I am a Reid Boucher fan!!! Yes, I love elite goal scorers!!! Yes, I acknowledge that Reid Boucher has no other elite qualities that would qualify him as an NHLer to be. I don’t care, I still think that has enough of the right stuff to make it.

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E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Shane McColgan #52

By Eldon MacDonald

52. Shane McColgan - “Rocket Man” - RW - USA

Vitals: Size - 5’10”, 160 lb.; shoots right; Born: 1-Jan-93 - Manhattan Beach, CA
Team: Kelowna, WHL
2010-11 Stats: 67-21-45-66-62-(+3) + WHL playoffs 10-8-11-19-8-(+5)

Rankings:
52 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
52 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
HM - Kirk Luedeke's Top 50 (HM = 51 to 58)
57 - hfboards Readers’ Poll
65 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
65 - The Scouting Report's Top 100
167 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (125th North American skater)
Draft result:
134 - New York Rangers

Yes, Shane McColgan definitely is a rocket man in every sense of the word. He can explode up the ice, use his hands and agility to weave through defenders, use his rapid-release shot to catch goalies unawares and he has the hockey sense to make the most of his skills. He can also play well defensively and has the drive and intensity of a little guy who will not back down.

Last year, Shane McColgan was the runner-up to WHL rookie of the year - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a player projected by many as the first pick overall in this year’s draft. This year Shane was projected to go very high in the draft as well, some even had him top 10. What happened??? Well, he had a rough start to the season as he had tonsillitis and had to have his tonsils removed. Whether that had lingering effects, I don’t know. What I do know is that his season never took off and he actually finished with three less points than last year. But then the playoffs came and the player we expected to emerge at the start of the year finally appeared and Shane had an excellent playoff, leading the team with 18 points in 10 games, 8 more than second-place Tyson Barrie.

So where does this Southern California beach kid, product of the Wayne Gretzky era phenomena, go in the draft. Do we draft the kid with the first round talents, do we draft based on his short-comings - lack of a decent-sized frame and corresponding lack of strength, do we draft based on his not-so-good regular season or his phenomenal playoffs? These are questions that will be answered in June. With a ranking completed before the playoffs, NHL Central Scouting had him sixth round. With the playoffs, I have him second round although there are arguments that his deficiencies could drop him all the way to fourth. I would like to think I am right but we will have to wait till June to know for sure.

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E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Daniel Catenacci #53

By Eldon MacDonald

53. Daniel Catenacci - “McSpeedster” - C - Canada

Vitals: 5’10” - 179 lb.; Shoots left; Born: 9-Mar-93 - Newmarket, ON
Team: Sault Ste. Marie, OHL
2010-11 Stats: 67-26-45-71-117-(+5) + U18 7-0-2-2-22-(+1)

Rankings:
25 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
35 - Future Considerations Final Rankings
35 - The Hockey News per TSN
37 - hfboards Readers’ Poll
42 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (37th North American skater)
45 - Kirk Luedeke's Top 50
50 - Bob Mac Kenzie's June Poll of Scouts
51 - ISS per TSN
53 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
53 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
59 - The Scouting Report's Top 100
Draft result:
77 - Buffalo Sabres

Former Canadian and world figure skating champion Paul Martini said it best at TheStar.com, “"He (Daniel Catenacci) has that sixth gear that others don't have. It's genetic, a God-given, innate sense." So it isn’t much a surprise that Daniel won the fastest skater competition at the 2011 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Skills Competition. So besides, the wheels, Daniel also possesses the dangle, the shot, the gameliness and drive that one expects in a top prospect. However, Daniel is not without his problems as was abundantly evident at the U18’s where he ended up being the 13th skater or odd man out. Daniel sometimes tries to do it all himself and when that happens good things tend not to follow. Also, sometimes he has trouble keeping himself under control as 117 minutes in penalties suggest.

How does Daniel project at the next level? Good question but there is a growing tendency to believe that Daniel needs to re-invent himself from a scoring forward to an energy player with the ability to pot a few goals and kill penalties. Daniel is already a decent two-way forward so such a reincarnation is not out of the question. In any case, most believe Daniel Catenacci has a future in the NHL.

Where does Daniel Catenacci go in the draft? Bob MacKenzie’s poll of NHL scouts had him 30th in January but I suspect his U18 performance will drag him down somewhat. Second is a likelihood but where in the second is anybody’s guess.

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