5 things learned from CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

RED DEER, Alberta -- Peyton Krebs, No. 8 in NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters for the 2019 NHL Draft, had a goal and an assist for Team Don Cherry in a 5-4 loss against Team Bobby Orr in the 2019 Sherman-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at ENMAX Centrium on Wednesday.

Krebs, who was named player of the game for Team Cherry, also won nine of 15 face-offs.
"Either way, good or bad, scouts aren't going to change their minds, so you just try to work your hardest and have fun and hope it goes the best," Krebs said.
Brett Leason (No. 17) and Graeme Clarke (No. 56) each had a goal and an assist, and Connor McMichael (No. 28), Jakob Pelletier (No. 20) and Nikita Okhotyuk (No. 55) each scored for Team Orr. Hunter Jones (No. 2, North American goalies) made 18 saves on 20 shots and Colten Ellis (No. 7) made 15 saves on 17 shots.

Clarke was named player of the game for Team Orr.

Arthur Kaliyev (No. 11) had two goals and an assist for Team Cherry. Samuel Poulin (No. 27) scored and Nicholas Robertson (No. 30) had three assists. Mads Sogaard (No. 3, North American goalies) made 17 saves on 18 shots and Taylor Gauthier (No. 5) made 12 saves on 16 shots.
Here are 5 things learned from the 2019 Top Prospects Game:

American-made connection

Kaliyev, who plays for Hamilton of the Ontario Hockey League, and Robertson, who skates for Peterborough (OHL) each played in their second top prospects game this season, after playing in the USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Sept. 19.

Kaliyev, born in New York, had two goals in the AAPG. Robertson, born in Pasadena, California, had two assists. They were linemates for the United States at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August, and combined for 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in five games.
"[Kaliyev] is a heck of a shooter and you just have to find guys like that if you want to get on the stat sheet," Robertson said. "If you want to be effective you have to be good in all areas. If it's not working for me scoring I need to feed guys that do score and I always have fun playing with Artie."

Centering on feedback

One of the big questions approaching the 2019 draft, which will be held at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on June 21-22, is who the first center chosen from a Canadian Hockey League team will be.
Three of the top candidates play in the Western Hockey League: Kirby Dach (6-3, 199) of Saskatoon, Dylan Cozens (6-3, 181) of Lethbridge, and Krebs (5-11, 180) of Kootenay. Dach is No. 2 in Central Scouting's midterm rankings and Cozens is No. 3.
"All three can dictate games and are puck-possession type players," said former NHL player and coach Brent Sutter, who coaches Red Deer in the WHL and was an assistant coach for Team Cherry. "They can really shoot and are really smart players. They've got top-end skill and are put in all types of situations and that's really helped their development.
"They're all a little bit different in certain ways, but all three are elite players on their team."

European invasion

Seven skaters in the game were playing outside North America last season.
Forwards Matvey Guskov (No. 63) of London (OHL) and Oleg Zaytsev (No. 38) of Red Deer, and defenseman Artemi Kniazev (No. 40) of Chicoutimi in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League played in Russia; forward Valentin Nussbaumer (No. 60) is with Shawinigan (QMJHL) after playing in his native Switzerland; forward Maxim Cajkovic (No. 59) is with Saint John (QMJHL) after playing in Slovakia; defensemen Lassi Thomson (No. 14) left Finland for Kelowna (WHL); and defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok (No. 22) of Flint (OHL) previously played in Belarus.
View midterm rankings: [NA Skaters | NA Goalies | Int'l Skaters | Int'l Goalies]

Cozens aces testing

Cozens finished first in the on-ice testing of 10 different categories. Leason (6-4, 200), a center with Prince Albert of the WHL and No. 17 in Central Scouting's midterm rankings, finished second.
Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) defenseman Samuel Bolduc (6-3, 210), ranked No. 87, was first in the off-ice testing of seven different areas. Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) right wing Nathan Legare (6-0, 205), ranked No. 64, finished second.
Cozens was first in reaction with puck, second in transition agility with puck, weave agility, reaction, and 30-meter forward skate, and third in weave agility with puck. Leason was first in weave agility, weave agility with puck, and 30-meter forward skate. Bolduc was first in vertical jump and medicine ball toss.
Ellis (6-1, 185), from Rimouski (QMJHL) was first among goalies after a strong showing in reaction, agility and movement tests.

Seattle support

Jake Lee of Seattle (WHL) said he was excited when the NHL announced Dec. 4 that an expansion franchise had been awarded to Seattle, and that would begin play for the start of the 2021-22 season.
The defenseman (6-1, 214), No. 78 in Central Scouting's midterm rankings, is in his second full WHL season. Born in Edmonton and raised in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Lee has 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) and 63 shots on goal in 42 games this season. He had one assist, two shots on goal and was a plus-1 for Team Orr.
"I truly believe we have the best fans in the WHL," Lee said. "They're truly passionate about the sport and it's awesome to play for them. We've been hearing about the rumors of the NHL coming to Seattle ever since I was drafted (No. 18 in 2016 WHL Draft). And now that it's come true it's awesome. Everyone in town is excited for it."
Seattle plays at ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington, about 20 miles south of where Seattle Center Arena is being renovated for the expansion NHL team.