25. Columbus Blue Jackets –FRANCESCO PINELLI, Kitchener, OHL
Pick by C. Coyne of broadstreetbuzz.com
Pinelli seems destined to be selected in the latter third of the first round. By all accounts he is a very intelligent player who is able to anticipate open space much better than the typical skater. When controlling the puck, he is able to confuse and deceive defenders with superior skating and edge work. His body control and tight turns allows him to shake free from opponents and find open passes.
The offensive toolset and his ability to read the game should make a highly attractive package that would translate to a lofty draft status, but that is not the case. Pinelli has many scouts questioning if his work ethic, especially in the defensive zone, garners too much of a risk. Scouts fall anywhere between simple recognition of inconsistent efforts all the way to great alarm, alarm to the point that makes an NHL future look uncertain.
The truth likely lies in the middle, but it seems to fall squarely on PInelli to determine how good he will be.
26. Minnesota Wild –MATTHEW SAMOSKEVICH, Chicago, USHL
Pick by Branson Quast of gonepuckwild.com
The Wild continue to build their forward prospect depth with the selection of the highly skilled playmaker Samoskevich. The young winger is something of an offensive dynamo when operating in space with the puck on his stick where he can regularly dazzle his way past defenders with superior stickhandling. He is able to bait the defense towards him, creating open spaces for his teammates. He is an NHL quality distributor.
Samoskevich has major deficiencies that are exposed when he is without the puck. Most vexing is his inability to win board battles in either end. He does not seem to have the strength or the strategy to get in position to get the puck. As a defender he is capable when he is interested, but does not see defense as his priority often leaving the zone early, cheating for offense. Even as an offense first playmaker Samoskevich needs to smooth out the rough parts of his defense before he gets an NHL look.
27. Carolina Hurricanes –Simon Robertsson, Skelleftea J20, SuperElit
Pick By C. Durant of Pucksofafeather.com
The Hurricanes continue to build out their forward corps with another pick from over seas, two-way winger Simon Robertsson. The winger was ranked as high as #14 by some scouting services and as low as the second round by other publications, which may actually tell us more about the state of the scouting services than the player.
Even detractors agree that Robertsson is not lacking in physical tools. He is a good skater that can stay on the perimeter or bull his way into the messy areas with his strength. This combination of power and skating makes him extremely effective along the boards and in scrums where he wins the puck often. He is a high effort player who is always working on the ice, applying smart pressure on the forecheck or high in the defensive zone.
Offensively there is a schism between reports. In the best light Robertsson is painted as having a shot catalogue that is a plus NHL tool, and the ability to read the game, finding open spaces to get his shot. They portray a smart player who can make nifty passes to his teammates. The less flattering portrait speaks of a player who is unable to harness his skills because he can’t decode the game as it unfolds, limiting his upside to an NHL grinder.