DraftBuzz's 2007 Final Ranking with Commentary

The final ranking will be released in sections as they are finished. This last list is slanted towards DraftBuzz's preferences as the draft nears. Here is the top 30:

1. Patrick Kane F (USA)
~An electrifying winger with dance, dazzle, and deadly offensive instincts. He will find every way possible to put the puck in the net and sets his teammates up equally as well. His slight frame and light defense are minor concerns. The winger from Buffalo, NY is a gamebreaker, and is ranked at the top as a result of routinely standing out and exerting offensive dominance in the OHL and WJC stage. There is nothing left for Kane to prove in the OHL, so we may be seeing him at NHL arenas next year ala Phil Kessel.
**
2. Jakub Voracek F (CZE)
~If Kane were not as much of a consistent force as he was, Voracek would be first on our list. Voracek is a strapping winger with sweet hands, vision, and playmaking ability. He is a beautiful sight to see rush the puck up ice and can finesse or power his way to the net. His skating is still a bit rough, and he was somewhat inconsistent during the season. He offers a tremendous package of size and skill, but still needs to iron out some jagged edges and as a result could use one more season in the Q. Realistically, he could be ready as early as the 2008 season.
**
3. Sam Gagner F (CAN)
~Our favorite player of the draft who just needs time to pass to show how good he really is. The most talented, complete player of the draft went about his business in the shadow of his flashy linemate, Kane. Gagner is captain material and is above average in all facets of the game. There is no better combination of shooting, passing, defensive awareness, hockey sense, and skating in the draft. He is not tall, and consequently may be ranked lower by the scouting community who desire size. It is possible that Gagner slips on draft day leaving one GM and team overjoyed with the selection of this Knight.
**
4. Kyle Turris F (CAN)
~Turris is pretty much a BCHL Sam Gagner with less meat on his bones and a little more height. He shows a lot of ingredients in being a star pro as he is an offensive force with patience and confidence, skates well, has a quality shot with precision, and springs his teammates with pinpoint passing. The only real concerns are his slight stature/weight, and the fact that he faced inferior competition - until he performed respectably at the U18. He will need atleast a year at Wisconsin before turning pro, but he has an above average skill set and athletic smarts one team will not mind waiting for.
**
5. Lars Eller F (DEN)
~Going from complete unknown to hot prospect on the rise is the book on Eller. Playing on a heavily scouted J20 team that had three other highly ranked draft eligibles on the roster, Eller distinguished himself and impressed many with his size, vision, pinpoint passing, composed shot, and soft stickhandling. Although he is Danish, he is not as risky a prospect as others from similarly unconventional hockey countries. Coming with all that offensive flair is a guy you can depend on in many situations. You can put the puck on his stick and have confidence in his ability to act under pressure and lead his team. Eller most likely needs two years in the SEL before coming across the pond and testing out professional hockey in North America.
**
6. Karl Alzner D (CAN)
~As steady as they come, Alzner is a defenseman who slows the game down from the backend with great composure. He does not have any single trait that stands out, but is well-rounded in everything he does. If he had an edge and was more physical, he would challenge for one of the top three picks atleast. Although it was not hard distinguishing himself from this crop of defensive prospects, Alzner is an assuring and reliable blueliner who will not need much more time to develop.
**
7. James Van Riemsdyk F (USA)
~The big forward from Middletown, New Jersey has solidified himself as a legitimate top ten pick with his superb performance throughout the year and most recently at the WJC U18 in April. He has one of the deadliest releases in the draft and is a solid skater overall. He knows what he is doing offensively blueline in and really stands out, showing us great instincts with the puck and the poise to carry the play. But was he really just that much better than his competition? There are some concerns that Van Riemsdyk will have a tough transition to NCAA hockey, and no matter what should have atleast two years of seasoning at UNH.
**
8. Alexei Cherepanov F (RUS)
~Cherepanov is a mystifying prospect. It is obvious he has extraordinary scoring ability and can light the lamp as good as anyone else draft eligible. His offensive zone instincts are excellent and he finds shooting lanes/openings with ease. But other non-playing forces and concerns are just too unsettling to rank him higher than some of the safer prospects. (1) Does the transfer agreement pose a future problem? (2) Will Cherepanov’s team be willing to negotiate his release? (3) Will his team also have to deal with the added, almost cliché, Russian drama that someone like Zherdev has shown Columbus? Anyways, an eighth overall ranking is respectable as he has undeniable talent on the ice.
**
9. Zach Hamill F (CAN)
~The Silvertips well-developed center has gotten better with every passing year and is a quietly talented forward. Hamill has great hands, shooting patience, and uncanny playmaking anticipation along with being a steadfast defensive center as well. His strength is still coming around, and he needs to add some quickness to his skating. Hamill could turn pro as early as the 2007-2008 season since he has already completed four years of CHL hockey.
**
10. Max Pacioretty F (USA)
~The USHL star winger from New Canaan, CT has grown tremendously since his days at Taft Prep, both physically and skill wise, and is now a legitimate NHL prospect. Pacioretty is a possible sleeper to take the draft by storm ala Blake Wheeler in 2004 with similar through the roof potential. He is big, strong, owns an NHL stride, has soft hands, and great rink wide awareness. He is an attractive prospect, as he does not have many flaws aside from being unpolished. He will be heading to Michigan next season and should step into one of their top two lines. Already showing to be a fast developer, there is no real time table as to how short/long this Wolverines stay at Michigan will be.
**
11. Logan Couture F (CAN)
~Coming from the school of hard knocks, Couture had a forgettable, injury filled year battling both mononucleosis and a skate cut to his leg. However, this is of no concern to us as we project what he will do in five years or so because we believe those injuries masked Couture’s talents and production. Couture is a phenomenal passer with great vision, who is also a very good shooter as well. His skating is fine although lacking in eye-catching explosiveness and potency. He is a slick centerman who just needs a steady, healthy season or two following his early selection on June 22nd.
**
12. Billy Sweatt F (USA)
~The Illinois product is a speedster who has a solid assortment of skills and, hopefully, a blooming offensive game. Atleast once a game, Sweatt would dazzle fans with an end-to-end rush where he would blow by and undress the opposing team. Along with this ability to separate himself from the pack with unreal speed, come his size, grit, and defensive capabilities. Sweatt needs to gain some more lower body strength to be able to power his way to the net just as well as he finesses his way there. Just in case his offensive talents do not develop as hoped, he can still make it in the NHL as a third line energy checker.
**
13. Ryan McDonagh D (USA)
~Minnesota’s 2007 Mr. Hockey is the next best defender after Karl Alzner as McDonagh’s skills are a bit less polished and pronounced. He was a rock on defense for his Cretin-Derham HS team during the year and stepped onto the USA WJC U18 without missing a beat. He has a strong command of his team from the blueline, and consequently has the potential to become a leader at each level he progresses to in the NCAA, AHL, and then NHL. He must improve his offensive arsenal and sharpen his skating. However, he may only need a year or two at Wisconsin to step his game up to elite prospect level.
**
14. Maxim Mayorov F (RUS)
~Mayorov is a Russian package laced with great size, speed, and intensity. He is a phenomenal skater with an admirable motor, and is a powerful winger who keeps defenders back on their heels. He is a bit inconsistent and needs to develop his puck skills further. Mayorov offers similar tools as Billy Sweatt, but is ranked a few spots after Sweatt because of the lingering concerns with Russian players. Regardless, the skill is alluring and talent prevails in this ranking. If he stays in Russia, he will atleast need two years to develop. But if he is drafted in the CHL import draft, it is feasible that he spends just a year there before turning pro.
**
15. Jonathan Blum D (USA)
~Blum is a well-traveled young man who has been through a lot of unfathomable hardship with family tragedy (sister’s death) and illness (mother’s cancer). Athletically, he has come a long way from playing roller hockey in California. Now, he is a legitimate first day draft talent and a defenseman any NHL team would love to have in their stable. He is such a smooth and controlled skater, who has unbelievable puckhandling ability and passing for a defenseman. Though, he needs to put on weight badly and must remove some brain cramps from his defensive zone play. Developmentally, he will have his chance to lead the Giant’s defense corps and looks like he will gain great experience over the next few years.
**
16. Thomas Hickey D (CAN)
~Seattle’s underrated defenseman has been a workhorse playing in all situations and is a quality defenseman. Hickey has shown a little bit of everything you want to see from a great defenseman: smooth skating, agile, solid passing, slick puckhandling, physicality, and consistently strong defending. He is not the tallest prospect on D, but he has a great hockey body with surprising strength as evidenced on some impressive hits. He needs to learn more of the technical skills to defending, but looks like to be a promising student. The production is there, the skillset is there, so he just needs to continue on his optimistic developmental path.
**
17. Mikael Backlund F (SWE)
~The 2006-2007 seas were rough for this Scandinavian centerman after being touted a top five pick and appointed Sweden’s next challenger to Backstrom last year. This year, Backlund regressed greatly before waking up at the WJC U18 scoring 6 goals in 6 games. We believe this lack of regular season production and subsequent fall was due in part to a knee injury he suffered early in the season. Not putting much stock into draft year injuries, he is still ranked top 20 as he possesses the typical Swedish athleticism and is both a good finisher and passer. He has a boring, yet effective style of play; no one skill stands out above the rest and he is solid overall. Nonetheless, Backlund is a steady prospect who had an unusual year and hopefully rebounds next season.
**
18. Stefan Legein F (CAN)
~Legein is a gritty, old school winger who never stops moving his feet, has economical speed, and possesses good overall offensive talent. He is a complete player who always hustles, yaps, and hits. One of his most impressive traits is he is always active and doing something – he is not afraid to get his nose dirty and in the face of his opposition. One worry is that Legein is not the most natural offensive player and may not translate his production at a higher level of play, as he is small and somewhat rough in his skills. But he has the kind of character and mental makeup to disprove those concerns.
**
19. Nick Petrecki D (USA)
~Growing up, Petrecki used to haul stone and mix concrete for his fathers stone/concrete business in Clifton Park, New York. Now age 17, Petrecki has become a physical specimen in the rink with off the charts athleticism, skating ability, and strength. He is a BC recruit and has earned the reputation of being a heavy hitter and nasty defensive zone presence. He may not have the most natural decision-making and needs to develop his offensive skills some more. Petrecki will perform well as an Eagle and could turn pro early because of his freakish size and maturity.
**
20. Oscar Moller F (SWE)
~The amiable Swede made a wonderful choice in coming over to play WHL hockey this year with the Chilliwack Bruins and played well. Moller is a fine all around player with a sweet trigger – he can unleash shots at will and in any position. He is always in the mix and buzzes around with a grin that is even missing a tooth. Size is a problem for some as he is pretty short. But he has an athletic, stocky build that he carries well and disguises this lack of height. He does have some room to improve his quickness. Moller is a great option for a team who needs a winger with fine hands and goal scoring ability.
**
21. Kevin Shattenkirk D (USA)
~Team USA’s captain and leader at the WJC U18 had a good offensive showing with a goal and four assists and was awarded Media All-Star and Best Defenseman at the tournament. Shattenkirk has made his mark as a premier puck mover, skater, and shooter. He has a natural feel for the game, however, and is a calm skater with the puck on his stick. He may not be the most physical defenseman, is not the greatest one-on-one defender, and is a bit light on his skates. Nevertheless, Shattenkirk is a defenseman with great skill who can log a ton of minutes.
**
22. Simon Hjalmarsson F (SWE)
~This sharp shooting Swede has had a similar climb pre-draft to Lauri Korpikoski and looks like he will be drafted in the same range as well. Hjalmarsson had a fantastic WJC U18 lighting the lamp four times and racking up 9 points in total. He has a great nose for the net and is an active forward in all three zones. It is imperative that he gains more strength and rounds out the rest of his game. Hjalmarsson’s best bet is to be drafted in the CHL import draft to translate his skills ASAP to the North American style of game.
**
23. Kevin Marshall D (CAN)
~The gritty defender has been a one man stopping crew this season for Lewiston. Marshall is definitely a candidate to be one of those players to develop better than expected with his fire, decent skill, and unwavering defending ability. No matter what advantage his opponent has on him, Marshall will find a way to stop him and turn the play up ice. Some of his main flaws keeping him from being considered an elite defense prospect are his unspectacular offensive skills and rough stickhandling. A prospect who has simply just focused on being a good “defenseman,” Kevin Marshall has the desire to compete and can be expected to improve greatly within the next few years.
**
24. Colton Gillies F/D (CAN)
~An absolute thoroughbred who has some nice NHL qualities about him already, Gillies has been a hotly debated prospect around the hockey circles. One quick look at Colton Gillies will make 30 out of 30 NHL GM’s salivate. He’s towering at 6’4’’, has graceful and effortless skating with speed to burn, and loves to be physical. However, his hockey sense and offensive production are issues. He chases the play a lot, and does not look comfortable with his linemates. That said, he has okay hands, makes some nifty passes, and hides a pretty good shot. He is versatile too as he played defense for a little stretch during the season. There is a lot to like about this brute center, but he has to put his talents together and show it consistently on the ice and on the scoreboard.
**
25. Keaton Ellerby D (CAN)
~Another many intriguing tools but still finding the toolbox player. Some people see an elite defenseman and rate him better than Alzner, some just see parts and rate him lower or not at all. Once past the top fifteen or so of the draft, the selection thins out real quickly so it is hard to let a guy with such raw potential slip too far. Ellerby is huge, has a great wingspan and reach, nimble feet, and can pass/shoot the puck well. But he takes unnecessary penalties and finds it hard to consistently show up. He has a lot of development left in him, and some team has to be patient and hope he comes around with time.
**
26. Logan MacMillan F (CAN)
~Logan MacMillan is a big, aware forward who has a complete skillset. Earlier in the year, it was fashionable to say that MacMillan was the shot to Voracek’s passes. But when the two were separated, the two-way centerman showed much more than just a knack for scoring “easy” goals. He elevated his own play as well as his two other linemates not named Jakub Voracek. MacMillan was superb in the playoffs, showcasing great skating, hands, defensive zone play, and scoring. He needs to add weight and add some more flair to his offense, but could be a prospect who ends up making us regret this 26th overall ranking.
**
27. David Perron F (CAN)
~2nd year draft eligible, 1st year QMJHL’er has skyrocketed into 1st round status after displaying supreme stickhandling skills and slick passing this past year. Perron went unnoticed in junior hockey until recently excelling with Lewiston and has been a fast riser on many lists. If he were not a year older, he may even be ranked higher as he is a strong player who does not mind hitting, and backchecking on top of creating offense. He needs to pick up the intensity of his shifts, as he is inconsistent in his efforts. It will be fun tracking Perron’s road to the NHL as it is hard to gauge whether his success this year came from him being a year older and mature.
**
28. Tommy Cross D (USA)
~Say hello to Erik Johnson’s less dynamic clone. Cross is certainly two levels or so talent wise below STL’s cornerstone defenseman, but he strikes a similar resemblance with his size, stride, and understanding of the game. Cross’ game is pretty simple; like Alzner, he does everything well, but does not have one specific trait that stands out. He is not overly physical, but is not soft. Another BC defense recruit from the 2007 draft class (other being Petrecki), he is just a steady defender who a team can rely on. He is an interesting prospect because it is not clear whether Cross will step up his skillset a notch or just blend in and take a backstage role with the talents he has now.
**
29. Brett MacLean F (CAN)
~Brett MacLean is an offensive horse opponent’s blueline in. Combining quick hands with a lightning quick release and a body that is hard to knock off the puck, MacLean is a constant nuisance to OHL defensemen. He has okay speed past the first three strides and has a great will to finish plays that he starts. He does not mind throwing his body around and battles hard. What will make or break MacLean as a prospect is his skating ability: if it comes around, he’s a prospect who potentially has the Getzlaf factor – someone who had skating concerns and triumphed developing beyond expectations. But if it does not, he will be playing with Pavel Brendl overseas.
**
30. Alexander Killorn F (CAN)
~Alexander Killorn is a Quebecois who turned American prep star after he decided he wanted the opportunity to get an education and play hockey in the states. At Deerfield this past year, he established himself as a great hockey athlete with decent skating, great hands, and unmatched strength. On and off the puck, Killorn would have his way with seemingly underdeveloped HS’ers, bulling and hitting his way around the ice. He has a great shot and is good at carrying the puck. However, he is still growing and it shows in his gangly skating stride that lacks an extra gear and awkward mannerisms at times. He is expected to play for Harvard in 2008 and looks to have one more year to show some dominance and gain supreme confidence at the prep level.

One Nifty Bull

PK Subban
*****
Country: Canada
Position: Defense
League: OHL
Team: Belleville Bulls
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 200
Shoots: Right
*****
Strengths: Subban is a phenomenal puckmover, rusher, and shooting threat from the backend with undeniable hands and skating ability. He is a confident player with the puck on his stick and is able to make highly skilled plays. He can be unstoppable at times on the powerplay with a heavy wrister and slap shot. Stunningly, as well as Subban can shoot the puck, he can dish it just as well with quick thinking, surveillance, and ability to hit open teammates most point men cannot. We do see signs of a physical edge as Subban is willing to aid teammates in need and engage opponents.

***
Weaknesses: Although his name is PK, ironically one of his alleged areas needing improvement is his defensive acumen. DraftBuzz thinks concerns over this part of his game, while not terrifically strong, are overblown and not enough to drag down his value as a prospect. We see a marginal difference between PK Subban and player like Bobby Sanguinetti - a 21st overall draft selection in 2006 who also had plenty of offensive gifts but shortcomings defensively. He can become too risky at times leaving his own zone and navigating the neutral zone, relying on his skill rather than choosing safe plays.

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2006-2007 Regular Season Stats

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68 games 15 goals 41 assists 56 points +13 89 PIM
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2007 Playoff Stats

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15 games 5 goals 8 assists 13 points +11 26 PIM
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Draft Day Status/Projection: PK Subban is not talked about much but has intriguing upside as an offensive defenseman in the NHL. He can really be a breathtaking player showcasing speed, agility, hands, and sharp shooting. He appears to be a very coachable player, and should be able to ramp up his defensive efforts within the next few years. DraftBuzz sees him as a top 40 talent, and thinks a team could gamble on him as early as late first round or as late as late third round.

*****

(photo courtesy of www.ontariohockeyleague.com)

Strong Offensive Rep

Michal Repik
*****
Country: Czech Republic
Position: Right Wing
League: WHL
Team: Vancouver Giants
Height: 5'10''
Weight: 180
Shoots: Right
*****
Scouting Report: The Czech import suffered a bit of overexposure as he had an ordinary regular season compared to expectations after having a great rookie year last season .. came alive in the playoffs and Memorial Cup posting more than a point per game and often looked dominant on shifts .. a great skater who has that extra separation gear to blow by defenders .. uses his speed and low center of gravity to throw effective checks .. does not get phased when the game gets physical .. a pk threat with his speed .. a smooth winger who finds ways to get around guys with slick moves, banks, and redirections .. not a powerful player by any means, but can muster up the strength to shield the puck and work his way to the net from time to time .. plays with Rabbit and Lucic and is a nice compliment to a hulking power forward type and a puck possessing dangler .. has good hands but is a bit of a stiff stickhandler .. overzealous at times and loses the puck in situations where he makes poor decisions .. announced on the breakaway as he always uses the pump fake to his backhand .. supports his defenders well but not a standout defensive presence .. his shots are unexpectedly weak for an offensive minded forward, but can confuse goaltenders and leave weird rebounds/bounces .. battles inconsistency and has games where he does not stick out .. Repik is a nice package of skating and skill and turning his playing level up a notch in the playoffs will definately work in his favor on draft day.

*****
2006-2007 Regular Season Stats

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56 games 24 goals 31 assists 55 points +20 56 PIM
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2007 Playoff Stats (Including Memorial Cup)

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27 games 14 goals 19 assists 33 points +14 28 PIM
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Draft Day Status/Projection: Oddly enough, we think what you see is what you get with Repik. His skating, hands, and skill all look to be present and on the table. Naturally, he will also add strength and maturity like every other prospect. The only question we care about is will he be able to play his game at a higher level? DraftBuzz is not convinced that Repik will beat the odds and translate his skills to the NHL, and conservatively ranks him in the 30-45 range. He will most likely be drafted in the 25-40 range for his late surge in the playoffs and solid overall skill level.

*****

(photo courtesy of www.whl.ca)

Fast Attacking Tiger

Billy Sweatt
*****
Country: USA
Position: Left Wing
League: WCHA
Team: Colorado College
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 180
Shoots: Left
*****
Scouting Report: Colorado College's Illinois burner is one of the fastest players in the draft .. has short, choppy strides where he gains a lot of ice and catches guys quickly .. a deadly straight line skater who can outrace many opponents .. possesses okay agility and tends to hop at times to get going .. not the most fluid stickhandler, but makes his mark with his puck protection .. likes to go wide on defenders, hang the puck on the right side using his body as a shield, and then drives to the net with great success .. a heads up player in all three zones and is an aware conscience .. great on the backcheck with persistence and speed/power ratio to quietly body guys off the puck .. became more electric on the rush as the season wore on and displayed some neat end to end dances .... forechecks hard and does not mind going through guys to get to the puck .. a smart checker who knows when to press and hit and when to lay off and focus on his offensive efforts .. a good passer who chooses safe plays for the most part .. can go quite a long time without taking a shot and being noticeable offensively .. needs to gain more lower body strength and mass .. Sweatt is a forward whose skating will only sharpen and impress as he moves up the ladder, but will his offensive talents stagnate in development?

*****
2006-2007 Regular Season Stats

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30 games 9 goals 17 assists 26 points 18 PIM
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2007 WJC - Team USA

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7 games 1 goals 1 assists 2 points -1 0 PIM
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Draft Day Status/Projection: Even though there are legitimate concerns about his offensive capability, Sweatt shows all the parts of being a complete player. He's heads up defensively, is a magnificent skater, and has nice size and grit. Making the USA WJC U20 team and playing well shows his ability to perform at a high level at a pretty young age. Since the draft is all about projection, he is one of our projection picks who we think will come around and make it. As a result, DraftBuzz had him 10th in the last ranking. However, he is definately a candidate to slip a little bit and end up in the 16-24 range with the top 15 teams possibly looking to go in other directions than the American speedster.

*****

(photo courtesy of www.coloradocollege.edu)

One Polarizing Giant

Spencer Machacek
*****
Country: Canada
Position: Right Wing
League: WHL
Team: Vancouver Giants
Height: 6'1'''
Weight: 182
Shoots: Right
*****
Scouting Report: The Alberta native is a big body on the right wing who had a tremendous playoff and Memorial Cup run scoring 9 goals and 20 points .. Machacek’s most admirable attribute is his unmatched determination and ability to stick with a play and ultimately prevail in getting to a loose puck, open shot, or defensive breakup .. he has this uncanny positioning and sense of where to be when his linemates press and find openings .. racks up points from finishing nice plays McArdle and Bliznak start .. at times is able to bull his way to the net and sticks there .. knows how to get to the net and just gets there however he needs to .. owns ordinary hands and has decent shooting skills .. scores a lot of ugly goals from in close .. has signature move of taking the puck from behind the net, skating to the bottom of the circle away from the net, while at the same time spinning around and throwing the puck at the goalie .. a strong body along the boards and takes care of his own end well ..is an awesome passer as he will always find his linemates and put the puck on their tape using willpower, hustle, and some vision .. for the majority of the game is just a decent skater who you wish had that extra jump, quicker acceleration, dynamic agility .. but will have a couple of shifts during the game where he displays an exceptional burst, and top end speed, leaving you to wonder where it was and where it went .. could be a result of subpar conditioning or lower body strength .. nonetheless, is not terribly affected by this and is usually always in the mix .. can impress once in a while in gearing up and carrying the puck up ice with speed and size .. is a devastating hitter at times, and other times he bounces off his checks as if he is 140 pounds and has weird disbursement of strength and power .. when he puts his mind to it can absolutely steam roll his way through defenders .. certainly limited offensively as far as measuring an individual skillset and does not stick out offensively .. Vancouver’s power forward is a great what if prospect as he certainly flashes signs of being a third line power forward but could just as well be an ECHL’er.

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2006-2007 Regular Season Stats

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63 games 21 goals 24 assists 45 points +26 32 PIM
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2007 Playoff Stats

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22 games 9 goals 11 assists 20 points +12 14 PIM
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Draft Day Status/Projection: In our estimation, Spencer Machacek is a harder working, less offensive version of Luca Caputi. Because of this, DraftBuzz rates him 45-60 and can see him being selected anywhere from early second round to late third round on draft day. The census is split on Machacek: some believe his skills are too limited to make it and some believe there is something more to him that we have not seen just yet. He is definately a prospect who needs to show some improved regular season offensive production, and developed skating skills, but his work ethic and tenacity make us believe he has a future as an NHL'er.

*****

(photo courtesy of www.whl.ca)

Stickhandling Maineiac

David Perron
*****
Country: Canada
Position: Left Wing
League: QMJHL
Team: Lewiston Maineiacs
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 180
Shoots: Right
*****
Scouting Report: This second year draft eligible, first year QMJHL'er came out of Quebec's woodwork after playing Junior AAA with the St. Jerome Panthers of the QJAHL last year .. patterns his game after favorite player, Alex Kovalev, and it shows as his controlled skating stride and talented stickhandling strike a resemblance .. has amazing hand eye coordination and reaction that allows him to deflect pucks that most could not .. a stickhandling wizard who is just a notch below Kane .. disregard all the cliché’s there are about offensive Q forwards, as Perron is not a soft player .. a strong hitter who does not go out of his way to be a checker, but will always finish his checks surprisingly hard and loud if its his responsibility/player to follow through on .. does not shy away from board work, albeit he routinely gets knocked off the puck easily .. not a perimeter player at all .. parks himself near the front of the net, and is a bit of a pain as he jams and hacks at the goalie for loose rebounds .. plays with Faubert and Courcelles .. comes back and helps his defenseman almost acting like a centerman at times .. plays the boards and slot in his own zone with confidence .. made a great diving play to stop a glorious offensive chance against that most players with his talent would not bother trying .. a judicious skater who does not skate hard the entire shift .. is not an explosive skater, and does not have great top end speed, but incorporates a lot of stops and starts to throw off defenders .. still, a good skater who doesn’t lose speed when the puck is on his stick, which is important for starting rushes .. a patiently smart player who employs many tricks to control the play in the offensive zone .. his most imminent flaws are his older age and inconsistency .. some games he dominates and some games he is content with blending in .. Perron is a guy who needs to learn how to be an offensive leader every night, but his offensive gifts are interesting to say the least.

*****
2006-2007 Regular Season Stats

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70 games 39 goals 44 assists 83 points +37 75 PIM
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2007 Playoff Stats

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21 games 13 goals 18 assists 31 points +6 22 PIM
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Draft Day Status/Projection: For all the concerns about Perron's older age, he is one of the most raw, and unproven prospects in the draft with this year being his first year in the QMJHL. He took a huge step up from playing Junior AAA to playing in a premier CHL league, and performed magnificently. Because he is still relatively unseasoned and lacking experience at the junior level, there is a great amount of intrigue as to how much better he really can get. DraftBuzz ranks him 18th and projects him to be selected 16th to 30th. He is a great one-on-one player and team's may like the fact that he is a "year" or so more physically developed than his peers.

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(photo courtesy of www.lewistonhockey.com)