NHL Draft Prospect Roundup I DRAFT

On Tuesday, 10 of the top-rated NHL Draft prospects spoke to the media, which included the Top-8 ranked North American skaters and Top-2 ranked International skaters per NHL Central Scouting.
Here is a quick glimpse at each prospect with a scouting report and comments below…

NAME:Owen Power
POSITION: Defense
TEAM:Michigan, NCAA
RANK:1st Ranked North American Skater (Central Scouting)
SCOUTING:The consensus No. 1-overall pick has everything you'd want in a defenseman: size (6-foot-5), skating, strength and smarts. His performance at the 2021 IIHF World Championship for gold medal-winning Canada solidified his positioning at the top of the draft class, and he's a unanimous choice for experts to be the first name called.
QUOTE 'EM:"I think the World Championships was good for me to see where I was at playing with pros and playing against pros. I think it gave me a bit of a better idea of how ready I was to play pro hockey."
NAME:William Eklund
POSITION: Forward
TEAM:Djurgarden, Sweden
RANK:1st Ranked International Skater (Central Scouting)
SCOUTING:Ekland appeared in 40 games with Sweden's pro league with Djurgarden, scoring an impressive 11 goals and 23 points. Ekland, who was a teammate of Devils' prospect Alexander Holtz in Sweden, is a well-rounded player at both ends of the ice. His hockey sense and speed allow him to be a threat offensively and responsible defensively.
QUOTE 'EM:"I want to be a top-6 forward on a team. Maybe not the first year, but I will work myself into that spot. I think I'm a player who brings energy to a team. I'm going to be an offensive threat every time I touch the puck. I want to be a guy you can count on in different situations."
NAME:Mason McTavish
POSITION: Forward
TEAM:Peterborough, OHL/Olten, Switzerland
RANK:2nd Ranked North American Skater (Central Scouting)
SCOUTING:Big, tough, strong, nasty, physical center. McTavish has an incredible work ethic, will out hustle his opposition and will hit anything that moves. He also has a lot of skill with a strong release and a goal-scorer's touch. McTavish doesn't have a ton of speed, but he'll drive to the net, play a gritty, heavy game and is fearless.
QUOTE 'EM:"I really enjoyed my time over there (in Switzerland). I learned a lot from the older guys, and obviously the coaching staff."
NAME:Simon Edvinsson
POSITION: Defense
TEAM:Frolunda Jr., Sweden Jr.
RANK:2nd Ranked International Skater (Central Scouting)
SCOUTING:A big (6-foot-5) Swedish defenseman that has garnered comparisons to Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman. Scouts rave about Edvinsson's puck skills, skating and two-way play. Though he had a tough showing at the IIHF World U-18 Championship, scouts aren't deterred by his potential.
QUOTE 'EM:"I try to be as good as possible at both ends. I try to play really good defense and really good offense, too. I'll try to build up as much as I can before I go over (to North America). Of course, when I feel ready and I've done that I will go over and play over there, if the team gives me a chance."
NAME:Kent Johnson
POSITION: Center
TEAM:Michigan, NCAA
RANK:3rd Ranked North American Skater (Central Scouting)
SCOUTING:When it comes to pure skill, Johnson may be the clear-cut favorite in the 2021 draft class. He has incredible hands, can stick handle through heavy traffic and create plays where none seem to exist. Johnson put his creativity and flash on display in his freshman season with Michigan. While the skill is nice, scouts question his toughness, grit and decision making.
QUOTE 'EM:"I definitely learned some areas (in college) that I can try to improve in that I didn't see as much playing in the BCHL because I was dominating every night. I think just for me getting a bit more explosive will help. Definitely it was good to see as well a lot of my offensive instincts, a lot of my plays translating to create offense in college."
NAME:Luke Hughes
POSITION: Defense
TEAM:USA U-18, NTDP
RANK:4th Ranked North American Skater (Central Scouting)
SCOUTING:The youngest of the Hughes brothers, Luke has better size (6-foot-2) than both of his
NHL brothers Jack and Quinn
. Luke doesn't possess the offensive flair of his brothers, playing more of a defensive-type role. But that doesn't mean he can't contribute offensively, as scouts believe his skating and skill make him a dual threat.
QUOTE 'EM:"I've been to the (
Prudential Center
). I know the franchise pretty well. I know Jack loves it in New Jersey. It's a really cool rink, a really cool fanbase. That would certainly be exciting."
Read more about Luke Hughes
.
NAME:Dylan Guenther
POSITION: Forward
TEAM:Edmonton, WHL
RANK:5th Ranked North American Skater (Central Scouting)
SCOUTING:The most gifted goal scorer in the 2021 draft class, Guenther posted 12 goals in 12 games for Edmonton in the Western Hockey League. He's always had the hands and finish, but this year he improved his all-around game, whether it was his play away from the puck or his willingness to setup teammates in the offensive zone.
QUOTE 'EM:"I think hockey IQ and scoring really go hand-in-hand. I feel like I'm able to time the plays and read them ahead of time so I kind of know the position I need to be in to get my shot off and be in a scoring area. Being able to read what's going to happen and knowing your teammates are going to do their job really helps with that."
Read more about Dylan Guenther
.
NAME:Matthew Beniers
POSITION: Center
TEAM:Michigan, NCAA
RANK:6th Ranked North American Skater (Central Scouting)
SCOUTING:Arguably the best 200-foot player in the 2021 draft class, Beniers is a ferocious worker at both ends of the ice. His smarts, speed and defensive acumen helped the United States win gold in the IIHF World Junior Championship, despite him being the youngest player on the team. Beniers also excelled during his freshman campaign at Michigan, finishing third on the team in scoring (10G-14A-24PTS).
QUOTE 'EM:"I take pride in (playing defense). I think that comes along with my hockey IQ, kind of how I played growing up. My dad coached me really young and he instilled the importance of playing the game the right way, playing defensel, making sure you're behind the puck and playing the right way."
Read more about Matty Beniers
.
NAME:Brandt Clarke
POSITION: Defense
TEAM:Barrie, OHL/Nove Zamky, Slovakia
RANK:7th Ranked North American Skater (Central Scouting)
SCOUTING:Arguably the most offensively gifted of the defensemen pool, Clarke spent last season playing against adults in the Slovakian league. And
Clarke, the younger brother of Devils' prospect Graeme
, fit right in after a period of adjustment. Clarke's hockey IQ, playmaking, vision and right-handed shot
would be a good fit for the Devils
, and he's projected as an NHL power-play quarterback. If there is one red flag, it would be Clarke's skating, though it did improve during his time in Europe.
QUOTE 'EM:"It's flattering when I speak to these NHL teams and they speak of me very highly. They really like how I developed. To see the praise that I get for being a hot commodity, being a right-shot defenseman is a commodity in the NHL and hockey in general. To be praised so highly and in a position that's coveted is very flattering and I'm very honored and proud of what I've accomplished. But I still have a long way to go. I'm still not where I want to be. I'm not a perfect hockey player and that motivates me to get better every single day."
Read more about Brandt Clarke
.
NAME:Brennan Othmann
POSITION: Forward
TEAM:Flint, OHL/Olten, Switzerland
RANK:8th Ranked North American Skater (Central Scouting)
SCOUTING:Othmann is very similar to fellow prospect and Swiss teammate Mason McTavish. Othmann is a hitter and agitator, willing to drop the gloves and get dirty. Scouts seem to disagree about his skill level, some arguing that it's underrated while praising his shot with others struggling to project him at the next level. Though they all agree that his work ethic is outstanding.
QUOTE 'EM:"That hasn't been talked about at all, actually. I think that my offensive ability, my shot and my IQ seem to take that over a little bit, but I like to say that I'm a good defensive player. I'm still trying to learn a 200-foot game and the D zone a little bit, but I am a two-way forward."
Read more about Brennan Othmann
.