Fansided

FanSided’s 2019 NHL Entry Draft Rankings: April Edition

By Simon Vacca

VICTORIA , BC - JANUARY 2: Jack Hughes #6 of the United States stands on the blue line as the American flag is raised following a 3-1 quarter-final game victory versus the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Junior Championships at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre on January 2, 2019 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Light/Getty Images)
VICTORIA , BC - JANUARY 2: Jack Hughes #6 of the United States stands on the blue line as the American flag is raised following a 3-1 quarter-final game victory versus the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Junior Championships at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre on January 2, 2019 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Light/Getty Images) /
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PETERBOROUGH, ON – NOVEMBER 10: Arthur Kaliyev #34 of the Hamilton Bulldogs skates against the Peterborough Petes in an OHL game at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on November 10, 2018 in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
PETERBOROUGH, ON – NOVEMBER 10: Arthur Kaliyev #34 of the Hamilton Bulldogs skates against the Peterborough Petes in an OHL game at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on November 10, 2018 in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

The Hit-Or-Miss Crew (No. 18-21)

21. Raphael Lavoie, C/RW, Halifax Mooseheads — QMJHL (6-foot-4, 198 pounds)

A contested prospect among scouts. The pro-Lavoie side will point to the fact that he is, at times, one of the most dominant forces on the market. The anti-Lavoie crew shall point to inconsistency as a highly significant drawback. It’ll be interesting to see who rolls the dice on the forward.

20. Arthur Kaliyev, LW, Hamilton Bulldogs — OHL (6-foot-2, 190 pounds)

Far and away the most divisive prospect of the current class, Kaliyev has scouts split, with some calling the 17-year-old the real deal and others declaring a pass — and a hard one at that — at the thought of picking him. The selection of the Bulldogs’ winger will surely serve as a swing for the books, as opposing views envelop opinions on the forward. Supporters shall declare his hockey IQ elite, drawing upon his recent productivity in formulating their arguments. Critics will be quick to scrutinize his compete level, which ultimately raises questions about how his skill set will translate in the NHL. In any case, expect to find him in the upper to middle tier of the 2019 draft.

19. Cam York, D, USNTDP — USHL (5-foot-11, 172 pounds)

Difficult to make a solid determination on where he’ll end up when he reaches the big league. That said, his offensive capacities and defensive smarts are underrated, and his hockey sense is particularly noteworthy. Rumblings persist that he is comparable to the likes of Morgan Rielly and Charlie McAvoy.

18. Spencer Knight, G, USNTDP — USHL (6-foot-3, 198 pounds)

Let’s be clear: it’s unlikely that Knight will be a miss at the professional level. The issue, nonetheless, is whether selecting the 17-year-old shall be a knock out of the park for a daring GM — especially if he is to be drafted in the upper portion of the first round, as some have speculated. Knight is undoubtedly the best goaltender available in 2019, and various scouts have gone so far as to compare him to some of the NHL’s finest talent, so it’ll be fascinating to see where he winds up.

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