Claimed: S57 Draft Analysis Part 4: Centers

[Corco 1,267]

S57 Draft Talent Rankings: Centers

 

Chase Keller looks to be the most sought-after prospect in this draft

 

Part 1: Goaltenders

Part 2: Left Wingers

Part 3: Right Wingers

 

Rating System

Spoiler

VHL Player System Rating Rules

Traditional Realistic Potential Rating (1-10)
(a player’s realistic potential ability):

10. Generational Talent – a player for the ages, one who can do things with a puck that no other player would even contemplate doing. Very, very few players will be deserving of this rating, probably one per decade.

Defense: Conner Low
Forward: Scotty Campbell
Goaltender: Greg Clegane

 

9. Elite Talent – possesses the potential for greatness, a perennial All-Star throughout his career.

Defense: Daniel Braxton, Mitch Higgins, Alexander Valiq
Forward: Lord Karnage, Phil Rafter, Kameron Taylor
Goaltender: CAL G, Skylar Rift, Sandro Clegane

 

8. First-Line Forward/ No. 2 Defenseman / No. 1 Goaltender – players with definite skill that might be just a cut below elite status, but still possessing All-Star potential.

Defense: Elijah Incognito, Malcom Spud, Vladimir Boomchenko
Forward: Tukka Reikkinen, Shawn Muller, Anatoli Zhumbayev
Goaltender: Jakab Holik, Brick Wahl, Benjamin Glover

 

7. Second-Line Forward/ No. 3-4 Defenseman / Journeyman No. 1 Goaltender – players not quite good enough to play on the top line or pairing on a regular basis, but still possessing enough talent to contribute offensively, defend with some authority, or competently play the goaltender’s position for long stretches.

Defense: Till Lindemann, Ron World Peace, Jack Kowalski
Forward: Rami Jakobssen, Cody Inko, Reggie Dunlop
Goaltender: Artom Zhumbayev, Blaine Olynick, Kimmo Salo

 

6. Third-Line Forward/ No. 5-6 Defenseman / Backup Goaltender – generally speaking, players whose game is defensively-oriented, or whose abilities aren’t quite good enough to land full-time duty on the second line, top two defensive pairings, or the No. 1 goaltending position.

Defense: Blake Knight, Gregory Glass, Mattis Trumbauer
Forward: Azmet Ali, Kendrick Cole, Pete Stockton
Goaltender: Rock Star, Vincent Vega, Joanna Akerfeldt

 

5. Fourth line forward / No. 7 defenseman / depth goaltender – players that populate the 4th line, will fill in for injured defensemen, or have some ability to play goal in the VHL but are mostly very good minor league goaltenders. Think of any enforcer you care to name, or any energy player you care to name, or any unlucky defensemen or goaltenders that don’t quite have enough talent to crack an VHL lineup full time.

 

4. Top minor league forward / defenseman / goaltender – players unlikely to have long careers in the VHL, but they’ll be recalled when injuries or other circumstances arise.

 

3. Average minor league forward / defenseman / goaltender – players who will in all likelihood spend their entire careers in the minor leagues.

 

2. Minor league role-player – players who populate minor league rosters for the purpose of populating minor league rosters. Mostly VHLM players.

 

1. Borderline minor league player – players one step away from the beer leagues.
 

 

Realistic Probability Rating (A-F)
(the player’s realistic chances of achieving their potential):

A – All but guaranteed to reach potential – 100 percent metaphysical certitude that the player will play up to his abilities as noted by his potential rating. In this case, the potential rating is multiplied by 100 percent for depth chart purposes, signaling that the player is a lock to reach his given potential.

B – Should reach potential, could drop 1 rating – likely to reach potential, but may have a hole or two in his game that will keep him from reaching his full potential. The potential rating is multiplied by 90 percent for depth chart purposes, which indicates slightly less certainty about a player’s future performance.

C – May reach potential, could drop 2 ratings – has shown some flashes, but may ultimately not have what it takes to reach his potential. The potential rating is multiplied by 80 percent for depth chart purposes to show the uncertainty of a player reaching his potential.

D – Unlikely to reach potential, could drop 3 ratings – a player who has a chance to reach his potential but is unlikely to do so. The potential rating is multiplied by 70 percent for depth chart purposes, indicating that the player’s potential is extremely fluid.

F – A player possessing little potential who has a mountain to climb just to reach the outermost boundary of that potential. The potential rating is multiplied by 50 percent depth chart purposes.

 

Spoiler

@Karen@Kendrick@Sullvino@KGR@tetsuya@33henrik@TheTruth@Blahblahblah@Mike@FBR@DeathOnReddit@Marko

 

 

 

Karen Mak

Nationality: 

Grade: 1.0F

VHL Comparable: Ugot Change

Analysis: Not making the VHL.

 

Calder O'Callahan

 

Nationality: 

Grade: 7.5C

VHL Comparable: Shawn Gretzky

Analysis: O'Callahan's agency is new to the VHL, but the fact remains that he looks like a very intriguing offensive prospect. The American-born center has good hockey sense and a high compete-level. Should this continue throughout his career, expect O'Callahan to make some noise in the VHL as a possible 1st line, first-generation player.

 

 

Arbin Asipi

Nationality: 

Grade: 6.0C

VHL Comparable: Luigi De Rossi

Analysis: Asipi may not have the flair or notoriety that some of his fellow S57 draftees have, but he still definitely has potential to make it to the VHL one day, I'm just not sure that he'll be a gamebreaking player at the pro level. Arbin's ceiling is mostly as a #2C who can put up around 0.5PPG; whichever team selects him in the draft needs to know they're getting a project player who may take some extra time to develop.

 

 

Chase Keller 

Nationality: 

Grade: 9.0A

VHL Comparable: Kameron Taylor

Analysis: Keller is without a doubt, the consensus-top forward in this draft, and most likely the very best player overall as well. Keller comes from one of the most prestigious player agencies in VHL history, so Clayton becoming a superstar is practically a given already. He has elite-tier hockey sense, and has all the tools to be a dynamic offensive cornerstone in the VHL. The only remote concern of scouts is his defensive game, but that should come in time with experience.

 

 

Rudy Tabootie

Nationality: n/a

Grade: 5.5C

VHL Comparable: Viet Trieu

Analysis: The ChalkZone resident has decided to try hockey - we aren't sure if that's going to work out for him though. If he does ever make it to the VHL, he very likely won't be a star, and rather a depth scorer.

 

 

Mike Szatkowski III

 

Nationality: 

Grade: 7.5D

VHL Comparable: Conrad Jenkins

Analysis: A rare 3rd generation VHL player, Szatkowski III's agency has had a few stud players in the past, but it doesn't look like this one will be the same. He has all the skill of his father and grandfather, but Szatkowski III doesn't have the love for the game that they had, which explains his lackadaisical effort shown during practice and training. If he applied himself, Szatkowski could definitely be one of the top players in this draft.

 

 

Longrod Von Danglecoch 

Nationality: 

Grade: 6.5C

VHL Comparable: Jake Scheel

Analysis: Von Danglecoch is a newcomer to this draft class, only joining a few days ago, but he looks to have potential. When driven, his agency looks like it could definitely produce a VHL level player, but will that happen this time around? If it does, expect Danglecoch to become a solid complimentary scorer in the VHL.

 

 

John Forrester

Nationality: 

Grade: 5.0D

VHL Comparable: JJ Dynamite

Analysis: Forrester's draft stock is plummeting with each passing day; he hasn't shown up to practice once and has no notable strengths as a hockey player. He has practically no chance to make the VHL.

 

 

Launchpad McQuack

Nationality: 

Grade: 7.5D

VHL Comparable: Ted Doughty

Analysis: McQuack has all the potential in the world to turn out to be a very effective VHL player, but one big thing detracts from his rating being higher: his agency's penchant for retiring on players early. Since S40, McQuack's agency has had seven players [including McQuack], and only two of them have surpassed 500 TPE. Further not helping McQuack's case, both of those 500+ TPE players were goaltenders; you need to go all the way back to the S34 draft to find his agency's last successful forward, Davey Jones. Recent history is split down the middle for the agency though, as Astrid Moon is currently one of the best goalies in the VHL and looks to be around for the long haul, although VHLM Forever, the player before McQuack, retired after only one season. Should McQuack stick out his career, he will certainly be an impact player at the VHL level, but that's the kicker, will he stick around?

 

 

Sakamoto Tetsuya

Nationality: 

Grade: 2.0D

VHL Comparable:

Analysis: Sakamoto doesn't look like he's going to have 1/10th the career some of his fellow countrymen, such as Koji Yamazaki, have had. Decent skater though.

 

 

Ulyanin Namestnikov

Nationality: 

Grade: 6.5C

VHL Comparable: Evgeny Namestnikov

Analysis: The Canadian player with the Russian last name is a bit of an enigma, as some nights he looks dominant on the rink, while other nights he's invisible. His work ethic appears to match this, as some times he's the hardest worker in the gym, and other nights he doesn't even show up. His agency has a bit of a similar pedigree, producing two solid players in Joshua Rubin and Evgeny Namestnikov, but two duds in KYLO and Nick Nemeth. If Ulyanin can put it all together and apply himself night in and night out, he will surely be a serviceable #2C for any VHL team.

 

 

Barry Szeto

Nationality: 

Grade: 1.0D

VHL Comparable: TOR C1

Analysis: Neither he, nor his twin, Alan, are making it to the VHL.

 

For Schmeckeldorf

 

 

Edited August 19, 2017 by Corco

[Spade18 1,308]

These are great dude. But did you really have to do defense last!?  I've been waiting on that one for a bit lol

[Beaviss 4,958]

3 hours ago, Spade18 said:

These are great dude. But did you really have to do defense last!?  I've been waiting on that one for a bit lol

 

So am I!

Edited August 19, 2017 by Beaviss

[solas 1,952]

That's a very favorable comparison to VHL legend Ugot Change.

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

Calder O'Callahan is going to turn out great if hes compared to me  

[Da Trifecta 1,902]

Eww @Corco. Did you really compare my center to a defenseman?

[Corco 1,267]

2 hours ago, KGR said:

Eww @Corco. Did you really compare my center to a defenseman?

 

[Da Trifecta 1,902]

30 minutes ago, Corco said:

 

 

Still very different positions and no way I get compared to an inactive dude who left for a few seasons. I rightfully deserve at least a C in the potential department (not getting greedy) and my comparison should not be some trash player. Not a fan of this anymore. 2 thumbs down.

[Kendrick 4,741]

Clayton. I knew I should've changed his name

[Gudnason 607]

Review: Wonderful piece and wonderful series, as always. After your IIHF rankings, you now come up with this; brilliant! O'Callahan and Szatkowski are definitely two of the more interesting centres this year.