The Rest
This was a draft pick that didn’t make much sense to me at the time and makes even less sense now. Granted, Cade Webber is a fascinating player because he’s 6’7″ and can skate fairly well, but he had little to no offense to speak of. That didn’t change this season. I still think he could be a serviceable depth defenseman, but unless he makes big strides on offense, he’s not going to stick.
Tuuka Tieksola had a nice season in Finland, putting up 61 points in 43 games with Karpat’s under-20 team. He should make the full-time jump to Liiga next season. Tieksola is very impressive in transition and can be dangerous with the puck on his stick. But I’d like to see how he does against bigger, faster competition.
Kirill Slepets is all over the place. He’s a 200 foot player who seems to always be around the puck. Unfortunately, this hasn’t translated into results. He can get a bit selfish at times with the puck, which isn’t good to see from someone who will soon to 21 years old. Slepets is also going to have to fill out his frame, as he’s just 154 pounds. But as far as late fourth-round picks go, you’re not going to find many players there like him.
Kevin Wall had a unimpressive first season with Penn State, posting seven points in 26 games. I haven’t seen much of him, so I don’t think I’m qualified to give an opinion of him. But those who I asked who saw him more regularly said they like his hockey IQ, so there’s that.
Blake Murray had a surprisingly strong season, posting over a point per game in the OHL. That said, he needs to be more consistent. I like how he uses his size and I love how fearless he is when he drives to the net. That could take him far. However, his skating is unimpressive, which limits his upside quite a bit. He could be a diamond in the rough if his skating improves.
Massimo Rizzo posted over a point per game in the BCHL and will be making the jump to the NCAA next season. He’s a bit behind in his development though, as he’ll be 19 in June.