With two months of the prep school hockey season in the books, it’s time to relook at the 2020 NHL Draft prospects in the circuit.
While NHL Central Scouting listed 11 players in its Mid-Season Rankings released January 13, I believe there are only four prep school hockey players worthy of draft consideration at the moment.
Three of my four selections made the cut with NHL Central Scouting while I’m increasingly intrigued by an off-the-board prospect.
It’s important to note that all of the 11 players listed by NHL Central Scouting are good prep school hockey players. My choice to not include eight of them doesn’t mean I think poorly of them as players at this level. I just feel they are lacking one or more qualities that will keep them from getting selected this June in Montreal. I reserve the right to change my opinion with further viewings, but this is where I stand currently.
The following four prospects have stood out to me as meriting discussion for the 2020 NHL Draft:
New England prep school hockey's 2020 NHL Draft prospects
Ian Moore
St. Mark’s, 1/4/02, D, right shot, 6-3/165
NCAA commit: Harvard
The Concord, Mass., native has missed the past few games with an upper body injury, but when he’s been healthy, he’s been lights out. Moore has four goals and 17 assists in 10 games played. While much of the Lions’ competition has been subpar, he had a goal and an assist against Dexter, one of the top teams in the prep circuit. Furthermore, he proved himself all fall with the Little Bruins 18-U.
Here’s why I’d suggest drafting Moore in the third or fourth round. He’s a big, mobile, right-shot defenseman with offensive instincts. Moore skates well, has a good stick, can shoot the puck, and he can quarterback a power play. While he’s certainly better with the puck than without, he has the capability to control possession and his length and mobility help him recover when he’s caught out of position.
Moore was always a good player in this age group. He even played up with the ‘01s for a few years, but his development has really taken off over the last 18 months. I like knowing a prospect is trending in the right direction.
The one word of caution I have for teams thinking of drafting Moore is the fact he’s a junior in school and won’t be going to Harvard until 2021-22. Players don’t typically leave Harvard early so there’s a strong likelihood that Moore becomes a free agent after his time is up with the Crimson.
Riley Duran
Lawrence, 1/25/02, RW, right shot, 6-2/179
NCAA commit: Providence
Duran has four multi-point games in his last six times on the ice for the Spartans. The Woburn, Mass., native brings a lot of intangibles and qualities organizations should be looking for in a prospect.
Duran checks the boxes for size, skating, grit, and athleticism. He’s a north-south power forward who hunts pucks, can bring it physically, and can play in all situations. I believe his game will take off once he’s out of prep school and with Youngstown in the USHL and then onto Providence in Hockey East.
His strengths and overall skill set should flourish under Nate Leaman’s structured system. Like with Moore, Duran is a junior, which muddies the waters some when discussing whether or not to select him. Still, I think there’s significant upside here and teams will regret passing him up in the fifth or sixth rounds.
Alex Jefferies
Gunnery, 11/8/01, RW, right shot, 5-11/185
NCAA commit: Merrimack
Jefferies is the only senior among the four players I’ve mentioned, which bodes in his favor. The Lunenburg, Mass., native is going straight to college in the fall where he’ll don the Merrimack sweater.
Jefferies was terrific all fall with the Rochester Selects 18-U. I think there are a couple of mitigating factors at play, but his game hasn’t been as stellar this winter as I’d expected heading into the season.
Still, there have been games that he’s absolutely taken over with his shot. When Jefferies is at his best, he’s hunting pucks, making plays along the wall, and getting to the scoring areas to unleash his hard shot. An underrated part of his game is his vision, his ability to read opposing defenses, and exploit seams.
Jefferies has had a lot of weight on his shoulders, having to carry his Gunnery team offensively. However, I’d like to see him take shorter shifts and go all out like he’s capable of at times.
Jefferies ranks third in prep hockey in points per game. Remarkably, he has 21 points over his last six games. He didn’t fare as well on the score sheet at the True Hockey Prep Cup in front of a lot of NHL scouts earlier this month at his future college home rink.
He’s not overly big, but he plays a little bit bigger than he is when he’s on his ‘A’ game. I think Jefferies is worth drafting in the fifth or sixth round. The reason I have Duran ahead of him is I believe Duran has a little more versatility when it comes to projecting what role the player will be at the pro level.
Doug Grimes
Dexter, 4/18/02, RW, right shot, 6-2/175
NCAA commit: Boston University
Grimes is a big power forward who plays the wing. After showing some improvement this fall with the Cape Cod Whalers 18-U, the Brookline, Mass., native has continued to elevate his game during the prep season.
It took me a couple of viewings to truly believe, but he was very good against both New Hampton and Thayer in the past week or so. His size, strength and length allow him to protect pucks and fend off opposing defenders while he drives to the scoring areas or finds an open teammate. He did just that coming off the left wing wall against Thayer. He threw his hip out, protecting the puck, before unleashing a cannon of a wrist shot right under the bar.
While Grimes is occupying a top six role right now, I see his future in pro hockey as more of a third line wing who can bring it physically. He has that aspect of his game down as he’s not afraid to throw his weight around.
Like I mentioned with Moore, the upward trajectory of Grimes’ development is a huge positive working in his favor. If you had asked me a year ago if Grimes would even play Division I college hockey, the answer probably would have been, ‘no.’ I think he still has room to grow and improve further.
With Grimes being a junior in school, I’d be weary of drafting him higher than the seventh round. To me, I’d rather select a kid who has proven himself in college or at the USHL while knowing he’s less likely to go the free agency route. Still, if I’m a team with multiple picks towards the bottom of the draft, I’m jumping on Grimes.
