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2015 Leafs Draft Classs

Nikita Korostelev

Ranked #53 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #60 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #62 by Future Considerations
Ranked #50 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Ranked #69 by TSN/McKenzie
Picked #185 by the Leafs

How in the world did he drop so far? Just the Russian factor?

Nikita Korostelev is everything you’d expect from a Russian hockey player who plays the wing – all offense and little to no defense. Drafted by the Sarnia Sting 9th overall in the 2013 OHL Priority Draft, Korostelev has been one of Sarnia’s few offensive bright spots since Alex Galchenyuk and Nail Yakupov left the team a few seasons ago.

A nifty set of hands, Korostelev is a master with the puck on his stick and dekes so well in tight spaces. Around the net, the young Russian can embarrass goalies and defenders and he couples his stickhandling with a devastatingly quick shot. Last season he scored 17 goals for the Sting and followed it up with a 24-goal campaign this season. Another part to Korostelev’s game is his skating. Able to reach top speed in a handful of strides has made Korostelev a threat on the wing. He can also turn on a time, making him elusive for defenders to keep up with him.

His biggest hinderance is his play in the defensive zone. It’s almost nonexistent. Korostelev will oftentimes be so focused on breaking out of the zone on a rush that he will not get back into the play in his own zone. He cheats along the boards which causes him to get out of position. He has decent size, but rarely ever uses it and relies mostly on his stickwork instead of his strength. Still, his offensive skill set is tantalizing enough that a team will want to nab him before he falls too far in the draft.
Where Will He End Up In June:

You can’t deny his offensive talents, but his poor defensive skills may cause him to drop to the 3rd round.
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NHL Potential:
Top-six sniper with dangerous hands and can be utilized on the powerplay.

Strengths:
Soft hands
Wristshot
Awareness in offensive zone
Skating
Quick release
Agility
Scoring

Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
Defensive play
Doesn’t play very physical for his size

Fantasy Hockey Potential:
Offensive: 7/10 Defensive: 1/10

NHL Player Comparison:
Phil Kessel
 
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Elite Prospects on Korostelev:

"A deft skater that plays a skill-based, puck-possession game. Very creative with the puck: can let loose an accurate bullet, utilize his stickhandling ability to create chances, or make a seeing-eye pass to an open teammate. Good hands around the net and relentless on the forecheck. Doesn't shy away from the physical game. All-in-all, a very creative sniper that can set up, score, and play physical. (Curtis Joe, EP 2014) "
 
hockeylover said:
Nikita Korostelev

Ranked #53 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #60 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #62 by Future Considerations
Ranked #50 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Ranked #69 by TSN/McKenzie
Picked #185 by the Leafs

How in the world did he drop so far? Just the Russian factor?



NHL Potential:
Top-six sniper with dangerous hands and can be utilized on the powerplay.

Strengths:
Soft hands
Wristshot
Awareness in offensive zone
Skating
Quick release
Agility
Scoring

Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
Defensive play
Doesn’t play very physical for his size

Fantasy Hockey Potential:
Offensive: 7/10 Defensive: 1/10

NHL Player Comparison:
Phil Kessel
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I don't know that I'd say skating is a strength. He's got a little speed but his edges need real work.
 
Our 95th pick, Jesper Lindgren:

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Elite Prospects:

Jesper Lindgren, an impressive blend of skill, speed, determination, and intelligence, is the one player you don't want to see carrying the puck if you are his adversary. The nimble puck-carrying defenseman plays above his age, and is confident enough in his abilites to make creative plays under pressure. He is poised with the puck and possesses a high level of hockey sense; he is always aware of what is unfolding in the play, and never seems to make irrational decisions or bend under adversity. What he lacks in size, he makes up for in spirit and cunning. However, he doesn't shy away from puck battles, and will use his body to barge his way in and swoop out with the puck. All-in-all, a talented offensive blueliner who plays an adaptive, new-age style of hockey.

Is it just me or does the kid look just like Karlsson?
 
Possible first round sleeper who has come out of nowhere with eye-popping skating, skills and swashbuckling offensive skills. An aggressive offensive player you will jump up in pinches and fake defenders to him and place the puck to an opponent or simply freeze the defender and blow on by. Incredibly cool and confident, with legs and moves that sometimes don’t work, but cause defenders to think about what they might encounter on the next touch. He has elusive puck control that isn’t going to ever stay back if he has an inkling he can make a play. His feet let him get back when the puck is turned over in transition. A bold gunslinger who needs to get stronger, bigger and continue to progress. Displays Karlsson-like attributes and seems on a quick developmental track to the first round if there is a team looking willing to take the chance to watch him progress.“
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Bill Placzek – DraftSite.com
 
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Re-ranking every team's prospect pool post draft...

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ms-prospect-pool-after-2015-nhl-draft/page/23

Toronto Maple Leafs, 9th

Existing Talent: William Nylander is obviously at the head of the class after an impressive half-season with the AHL's Toronto Marlies at age 18, but he's far from the only player worth noting. The Marlies got strong performances from both of their young goalies, have some solid defence prospects in Stuart Percy and Petter Granberg and got really impressive scoring from rookie Connor Brown. Winger Andreas Johnson is a guy to keep in mind too; the 20-year-old wing is coming off 22 goals in 55 games in Sweden's top league.

Key New Additions: Toronto seems to have taken a Stanley Cup Finals that saw two smaller teams go head-to-head to heart. Not only did they take the dynamic but undersized Mitchell Marner No. 4 overall, but they displayed a willingness to take chances on undersized players all through the draft. And they didn't just get small talent; in the seventh round the Leafs picked up Nikita Korostelev, a 6'1", 195-pound forward who scored just under a point-per-game in Sarnia (OHL) this year. They made nine picks and on paper got good value for all of them.

Summary: This is suddenly a very deep team in terms of prospects, and the Leafs have Marner and Nylander at the top of the chart. Not all of these guys will turn out, of course, but this is a superb list.
 
We should have a ton of players at the WJC this year...

Bracco for USA. Marner and maybe Dermott for Canada. Dzierkals for Latvia. Korostolev for Russia. Timashov, Lindgren, and Nylander if he's released for Sweden.
 
Hunter's comments on the Draft Class

A look at the Leafs’ selections:

First round
4. Mitch Marner, F, London Knights. 5-11, 160 pounds. Forty-four goals, 82 assists for 126 points in 63 games . . . Finished second in OHL scoring . . . Can play centre or wing . . . Fastest 17-year-old in Knights history to reach 100 points.

The Leafs’ opinion: “No rush for him. It will not be a failure in any way for him if he goes back for another year.” — Brendan Shanahan

Second round
34. Travis Dermott, D, Erie Otters, 5-11, 197 pounds. Eight goals, 37 assists for 45 points in 61 games . . . Led all defencemen with 17 points (5-12-17) in 20 playoff games to help Erie reach the OHL final.

The Leafs’ opinion: “In the playoffs, he brought even more intensity to the games. He thrives in pressure situations.” — Mark Hunter

61. Jeremy Bracco, RW, US U18, 5-9, 173 pounds. Twenty-six goals, 49 assists for 75 points in 56 games . . . Committed to Boston College for next season but can be talked out of it. ... His 122 career assists are the most by any player in NTDP history 34 more than Patrick Kane’s previous mark.

The Leafs’ opinion: “He makes special plays. Sometimes in scouting I think: Would I like to play with that young man? And I would really love to play with him. I know, if I could get open, he’d get the puck on my stick.” —Hunter

Third round
65. Andrew Nielson, D, Lethbridge Hurricanes. 6-2, 207 pounds. Seven goals, 17 assists for 24 points in 59 games . . . Was once waterboy for the Red Deer Rebels when Dion Phaneuf played there. ... Told Yahoo before the draft: “I don’t like the Leafs.”

The Leafs’ opinion: “Good skills for a big man. But he hasn’t played a lot of hockey.” — Hunter

68. Martins Dzierkals, LW, Riga (Russia JR). 5-11, 169 pounds. Ten goals, 18 assists for 28 points in 32 games . . . Played for Latvia in the Under-18s . . . . Thrived in Russia’s junior league.

The Leafs’ opinion: “We hope he’s one of the sleepers in the draft that not many people have seen as much. Some real good upside.”

Fourth round
95. Jesper Lindgren, D, MODO (Sweden JR). 5-11, 161 pounds. Six goals, 27 assists for 33 points in 39 games . . . Small, but he can carry the puck. Patience is the key.

The Leafs’ opinion: “A slight defenceman. He’s got good skills and can get stronger.” — Hunter

Fifth round
125. Dmytro Timashov, LW, Quebec Remparts. 5-9, 192 pounds. Nineteen goals, 71 assists for 90 points in 66 games . . . Ethnically Russian, born in Ukraine and raised in Sweden since he was seven . . . Had a good Memorial Cup with Quebec. Speaks three languages.

The Leafs’ opinion: “A puck possession player who can handle the puck and go east and west. He makes plays.” — Hunter

Sixth round
155. Stephen Desrocher, D, Oshawa Generals. 6-3, 198 pounds. Ten goals, 13 assists for 23 points in 66 games ... A Memorial Cup champion. Having former Oshawa coach D.J. Smith now at the Leafs table helped his cause.

The Leafs’ opinion: “Got a big shot. Will get stronger.” — Hunter

Seventh round
185. Nikita Korostelev, RW, Sarnia Sting. 6-1, 195 pounds. Twenty-four goals, 29 assists for 53 points in 55 games . . . Born in Moscow, Korostelev came to Canada four years ago to pursue hockey.

The Leafs’ opinion: “He’s a player that the draft got to him and didn’t do quite as well the second half. I think he felt the heat.” — Hunter
 
Metalleaf said:
So Timashov is a Ukrainian born Swedish player?
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Yep. He moved there when he was 7 apparently.

Where Will He End Up In June:
Timashov has a polished skill set, but his height might be a factor in him falling a bit in the draft. From a pure offensive point of view, Timashov could be drafted in the 2nd round, but I feel a 3rd round selection is more probable.

Or 5th round apparently.

Future Considerations:
“An offensive catalyst who makes electrifying moves with the puck… can get caught over handling it at times…a very fluid skater and he is always moving his feet…likes the puck on his stick and knows what to do with it…makes things happen whenever he is around the puck…has a good quick wrist shot that is also consistently on target…dangerous in the shootout because of his creative bag of tricks…a goal scorer…has good vision as well and makes skilled passes…not great size but is strong and has the speed and elusive ability to compensate. (December 2014)”
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Bill Placzek – DraftSite.com
“Fireplug winger who arguably is the most dangerous player in the entire Q.A tremendous stickhandler and agile skater who can make any defender look bad. He basically is a perimeter player who can center of the puck and control it in most areas at high speed while patiently reading his options. You are not drafting a strong defensive player but the trade off is a guy who makes odd-man rushes and match-up challenging the entire game. “
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JackBurton said:
What a draft. Best Leafs draft ever.
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I feel like I've been pretty critical in the past when I thought I should be but yeah, I'm equally excited. Maybe these picks won't pan out but I think at least they went high upside on a lot of them so if one or two of the later round guys hit it'll be huge for us.
 
Pretty lengthy article and interview on Mitch Marner, with quotes/stories from former coaches, etc.

http://leafshub.com/mitch-marner-believe/

J: There’s plenty of discussion as to your position. I talked to your coaches about it and others who have an opinion on whether you are an NHL center or a winger. You spent a fair time on the wing this season, while some say your best hockey was played at center. And even when on the wing you drive your line and think like a center. Where do you see yourself?

M: “In London the coaches want you to able to play all over. To be versatile so you can be used in any situation when called upon. I’ve played center my whole life and finished up the year pretty good there. I hope to play center next year and in the future but I can play wing too. Whatever is asked of me I’m willing to do, no questions asked. Center is where I’m used to the most though. I would consider myself a center.”

...

J: Work ethic and off ice attitude are hot button issue in Toronto. If you were to be selected 4th, what can we expect of you in that regard?

M: “Well it’s kind of like going to the office and putting in the hours. If you want to be a big name or big time on the ice, you’d better be big time off the ice. You have to put the work in and I have no problem with that. It’s needed if you want to have success and be a respected player. I love coming to the rink no matter what it’s for though. It doesn’t feel like work, even if it’s not always easy what you are doing. I push myself to be better all the time. As for my attitude, I try and be positive around the guys and still determined when it comes to training and playing the game. I just love being a hockey and all that comes with it.”
 
Dzierkals:

Dzierkals is an incredibly quick and energetic forward who plays the game at an unmatched tempo. He has a dynamic, electric skill-set that makes him incredibly tough to contain as a defender. Never stops moving his feet and can burn most defenders on the rush as he cuts down the wing. Quick stick and slick puckhandler gives him versatility to beat defenders down the middle. Size is a big question mark standing at 5’10, but continue to add lower body strength in order to protect the puck in tough situations at the next level. We was a force this season with Riga in the MHL and representing Latvia at the U18s and U20s.

- ISS
 
Great posting hockeylover. We may as well post Marner info in here and ignore/close/delete the Marner thread I started a couple days ago.
 
Guessing it's already been posted/mentioned elsewhere already.....but Mark Hunter had Jeremy Bracco as the 22nd best prospect on his draft board.
 
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