The Countdown Continues!
Welcome to part three of DubNetwork Scouting’s ‘WHL Bantam Draft: December Top 22’, where we reveal ranked prospects #16 through to #11.
As we sneak toward revealing #1, we feel that this would be ‘third tier’ is a group that is closing the skill and ceiling gap to those ranked within the top five. It’s a group with a unique blend of skill, compete and most importantly, we believe in the upside and translatable skill-set these individuals possess.
16. Gabriel Guilbault – Burnaby Winter Club Prep
Kaden says: “Guilbault is a high IQ defender who reads the game at a high level. He’s got a strong two-way game but excels on the defensive side more as he’s got a smart stick; taking away passing lanes and disrupting plays. Gabriel’s positioning is very good, he’s got good gap control and uses his body to take away shooting lanes.”
“Guilbault’s skating is good, he’s got very good backwards skating and good separation speed. Working on his top speed and lateral movements is key moving forward, but for now, it doesn’t hinder his game by any means. Guilbault has a calm demeanor to his game he doesn’t panic and makes smart passes. He’s got great transitional passing as his breakouts are clean and accurate. Guilbault’s offensive side to his game is good, as mentioned before, his IQ is very high. He makes incredibly smart pinches, holds the line well, makes good passes from the point to generate a cycle, and create offense.”
“Guilbault’s shot has weight, from the point he is able to get it through traffic but he just needs to work on hitting the net to improve his offensive efficiency. Gabriel’s calm high IQ game makes him a rock on the back end for BWC. They rely on him in a lot of situations and he steps up. Guilbault’s skating has room for improvement to become a high-end transitional defender to complement his already stellar defensive game and good offensive instincts.”
15. Jacob Goudreau – St. Albert Sabres U15 AAA
Zach says: “A unique prospect in any draft class, Jacob Goudreau plays a mature and intense game. A strong skater with great balance and good acceleration. What really separates Jacob from his peers is his tireless work ethic and motor as he plays a straight line two-way game. He simply wins races and space in all areas of the ice, even at the tail end of long shifts.”
“Good on the walls and strong puck protection allow him the ability to drive off the wall after winning a battle and protect the puck through traffic. His relentless approach forces the opposition to consistently be on their toes or face the consequences.”
“A human bulldozer at times, Jacob uses his strong base effectively to punish the opposition without taking a bad penalty. Whether he separates his man from the puck or delivers a momentum-changing hit, Jacob does things with a purpose. Notice how he explodes towards the wall and then glides in and establishes his firm base to avoid a charging call.”
“While his offensive skill set isn’t as dynamic as some of his peers in this area of the draft, his nose for the net and his release make him a fantastic finisher. He thinks the game effectively and utilizes his legs and strength to get generate scoring chances that he frequently capitalizes on.”
“Most players in the first round boast an elite attribute or high-end ceiling. Jacob’s motor and compete are presently at an elite level and should translate to effective development over the next couple of years. He won’t often dazzle you on the TSN Top 10, but more often than not he will be involved in the TSN Turning Point of the game. Combine that with his above-average hockey IQ and ability to finish and you could find yourself a very solid and versatile forward at the next level.”
14. William McIsaac – St. George’s Hockey Academy U15 Prep
Ash says: “McIsaac is a big mobile defender who displays a solid 200-foot game. McIsaac is the Saint’s Mr. Reliable and sees heavy deployment in all situations. McIsaac’s vision and awareness are his biggest assets both offensively and defensively. Defensively he has sound positioning, suffocating attacks by way of closing his gaps, good stick discipline and using his 6’2” frame to separate the puck and create turnovers. His lateral mobility and speed blended with his size makes him very difficult to gain the zone against. He seals the walls regularly and stands player’s up at the blue-line, forcing poor angle changes constantly. When on the puck in the defensive zone he’s able to make smart yet quick reads and delivers crisp exit passes with regularity. McIsaac is proficient in supporting the rush and provides a fantastic secondary option for the first wave of attack, creeping into attacking areas looking to find shooting lanes and pinching down to support his attackers. McIsaac has also shown in spurts that he’s capable of playing an aggressive style in the cycle and he has the overall capacity to grow into a powerplay quarterback at higher levels.”
“McIsaac plays a very professional style game for his age. He plays with a pronounced physical edge, great three-zone awareness and vision. He also boasts as the necessary skills and skating ability needed to excel as he develops.”
13. Spencer Claerhout – Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA
Ash says: “One of the better yet undervalued defensemen in the class, Claerhout is a kid you can throw into any situation and see great results. Defensively he reads the play superbly and has a very cool, calm approach to his play. He isn’t afraid to jump pucks and often forces pressure on oncoming attackers with his angles and superb defensive stick. He is a puck hound who works relentlessly, he simply doesn’t quit.”
“He plays above his size and sets a physical tempo for his team, often getting into the corners and to the net-front against much bigger opponents. Claerhout simply excels in one-on-one battles, works well below his own goal-line and his vision and puck skills allow him to find clean exits either by pass or foot from the defensive zone. Claerhout offensively has shown an ability to be damaging in transition but he’s much more at home running the cycle from the point, a focal point in the Rebels’ offense and how they set-up.”
“He has a good accurate shot from the point, although not overly powerful, his hand extension and timing on the puck suggest with some added strength it’ll become a weapon over time. Claerhout shows flashes of good north/south speed when in possession and his stride is well balanced and technically sound. As he continues to add some muscle to his frame, he’ll get more explosive and that will only aid his ability to stretch the ice offensively.”
12. Dryden Kuramoto – Burnaby Winter Club U15 Prep
Kaden says: “Kuramoto is an elite four-way skater with elite agility and edges as well as very good top speed. He can skate around opponents in the blink of an eye if they are caught flat-footed. His hands are very good as he is able to deceive and go through defenders with his stickhandling, mix that with his ability to use his body feints to throw off defenders then go the other way makes him a big threat with the puck. One example of this is coming down on a defender he’ll fake outside with his head then cut inside on a dime tossing the defender up and breaking loose. Dryden has very good vision mixed with his skating and hands makes him a phenomenal playmaker, he always knows where guys are on the ice and he does a tremendous job creating time and space with the puck on his stick.”
“Dryden’s shot is good, it’s a threat as it’s accurate but could have more of a punch. This will come with time as Kuramoto is still a small player with room to grow and put muscle on. Despite this, he is a feisty player with high compete as he wins puck battles and is reliable on both sides of the puck. Kuramoto is a flexible player, playing center and winger, he kills penalties, runs a powerplay off the half wall, and does more when called upon for his team. Kuramoto screams Brayden Point in his draft year, a small shifty player with high-end offensive upside, elite skating, and an edge to his game.”
11. Keith McInnis – Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep
Zach says: “An extremely effective, two-way defenceman that has a penchant for the physical play. Plays both sides quite effectively, though a left shot. Strong four-way mobility that allows him to act as a safety net of sorts through the neutral zone, not letting pucks get past him, and keeps him on the right side of the attackers. Plays a very steady and efficient game, prioritizing puck possession and facilitating offense through breakouts, transition, and even from the point at times. Poise and patience with the puck, making difficult passes through traffic at times because he is confident in his ability.”
“Heavy shot at times, though inconsistent in that regard. He likes to step up and eliminate the opposition when the opportunity arises and he is capable of getting a little nasty defending his net. He demonstrates solid gap control and uses his stick effectively to dispossess attackers and take away lanes. Supports the play really well and demonstrates high-end hockey IQ and spatial awareness. Overall, a very well-rounded defenceman that projects as a top-pair guy at the next level, similar to a Quinn Schmiemann.”
That’s All Folks.. For This Week!
DUBNetwork Scouting thanks you for reading part three of our December Top 22 countdown, prospects #16 – #11. As always, please discuss and share as we’d love your feedback.
Part four, prospects #10 – #6 will be live on the page Monday the 28th December, so mark that down.
Thank you to:
Zach Moffat (@MoffatZach)
Kaden Moore (@kmoore910)
Ash Glover (myself) (@AshGloverHockey)
For contributing toward this #16 – #11 segment.
We will see you after Christmas! Happy holidays and stay safe!