2018 NHL Entry Draft

Kevin Mandolese:



Player Analysis:
Mandolese clocks in at 6’4, and 181 pounds, and all of that is used to guard the net of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the QMJHL, and boy did they need it this year, as Cape Breton’s defense almost didn’t exist, and that’s a weird place to be if you’re a junior team that can score. They stayed above .500, but couldn’t backcheck to save their lives. In a famously not-great-defensively league.

As such when you play on a team getting regularly turnstiled, Mandolese’ SV% isn’t going to blow anybody’s mind. He’s been around .880 as a career average, so what makes him so valuable according to the NHL scouting staff?

Well, he big, for one thing.

Mandolese stands out as one of the largest lads in the draft right now at the position of goalie. It also helps that Mandolese has his positioning down, recovers very well from saves of any kind, and reads plays very well to deny opposing teams opportunities to score (and again he had to do that a lot). His sheer athleticism alone in such a frame makes him a dynamite player when the team is clicking, pitching a 45 shots saved game against Sherbooke last year where he only let one shot past him. 45 shots!

It helps that his attitude is usually pretty good and passionate for the game, and this has not gone unnoticed by his head coach, Marc-Andre Dupont. (Page is in french)

“I have always said that actions are a reflection of the attitude. Always, without exception. When you want to know someone’s attitude, you look at his actions and in this case, it’s clear that Kevin is doing everything he can to become the best goalkeeper possible. ” - Marc-Andre Dupont, GM/Head Coach of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

Where he needs improvement, is like many prospects at this level; Consistency, muscle, and more accurately for him; rebound control. Right now he can happily get in front of most shots and turn a good portion of them away, but his rebounds open up second chance opportunities that, quite frankly, his team is not, nor does it seem like is ever, prepared to deal with. His aggressive tactics in dealing with shooters also sometimes can be his downfall, as he can leave wide open nets in places on the ice you really don’t want. As for the muscle, he is actually on the lighter side of goalies in this draft who are 6’4, and so putting some muscle on that frame will definitely help him in the long run. That’s just an “age and coaching” thing, so keeping that up will be part of the deal.

Currently, Mandolese is scheduled for somebody to take him in the late 2nd round or 3rd round. If fans are willing to be patient and coaches (and GMs from the looks of it) are willing to ice a defense that can support what this kid can bring? We might have the makings of a strong, aggressive, fun goaltending option to have around.

Player Rankings:
#2 by NHL Central Scouting among North American Goaltenders

#3 among goaltenders at the 2018 NHL Draft by TheDraftAnalyst.com

Jakov Novak

http://nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=19874



The Janesville Jets, proud members of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), are pleased to announce that forward Jakov Novak has committed to play NCAA Division I hockey for the Bentley Falcons of Atlantic Hockey.

Novak, a 6’3”, 200-pound power forward from Windsor, Ontario, has scored 15 points in 28 games for Janesville, and has the world’s top clubs scouting him on a regular basis as a prospect on NHL Central Scouting.

Jets head coach and general manager Joe Dibble, who drafted the Canadian winger with the Jets’ second of three first round picks last June, saw a bright future in Novak if he worked for it.

“I think every day he’s learning and getting better,” Dibble said. “At times in the beginning of the season I don’t know if he knew how to best use his size to his advantage, but he’s come into it and has realized his strength, and what he can do with his frame, his body, and his positioning. He’s getting better with the tools in his toolbox, and there are lots of them. The pieces have really come together for this young man, and when he’s done with juniors and college, I really do think this is a kid you’re going to watch on TV one day.”

The Falcons, coached by their all-time scoring leader Ryan Soderquist, commit to excellence both on the ice and in the classroom. Their 2015-16 team posted a 3.45 grade point average, and the school boasts one of the top business schools in the country. Last April, Bloomberg BusinessWeek ranked Bentley #10 in the United States, ahead of Cornell and Penn.

“Bentley has such a great business school, and as one of the top in the country, that definitely attracted me there,” said Novak. “I was definitely interested in schools that could help me academically as much as they do athletically.”

Novak was selected eighth overall by the Jets in last year’s NAHL Entry Draft. After finishing his midget career with the Windsor Jr. Spitfires, he scored 37 goals in 40 games for New Hampshire’s New Hampton School. In his rookie season of junior hockey, he’s taken a more complementary role within the Jets’ high octane offense, currently pacing the NAHL at 4.12 goals per game. Novak, like the successful Jets before him, understands the value of playing your role for your teammates.

“My main goal here is to win a championship,” he said. “Everything else follows if you play your role and do your job. There’s no reason why, if you make a team goal the big goal, the individual goals won’t come, too. You aren’t changing anything about your game by trying to win, and that’s what we’re trying to do. My main goal is to win a Robertson Cup for the Jets and for my brothers on this team.”

Novak becomes the seventh player of the 2016-17 Janesville Jets to commit to a Division I program, joining Chris Dodero (American International), Cole Paskus (UMass Lowell), Colin Felix (UMass Amherst), Jack Gates (Colorado College), Michael Maloney (Brown University), and Joey Abate (Wisconsin).

Luke Loheit

https://btssports.net/2018/01/21/luke-loheit-finds-a-haven-in-hockey/




Leadership is vital for a team to be successful, and Luke Loheit is providing just that for a Minnetonka team whose season is off to a strong start.

“It’s awesome for me as a senior,” Loheit said. “I just know I need to be a leader by example–being vocal and communicative with the guys, helping the younger guys adjust. It’s been nice knowing my role as well as helping the other guys learn their roles.”

Heading to Minnesota Duluth (UMD) next year, Loheit stated that he’s focused on making the changes necessary to be successful next year.

“I’m making a lot of simple adjustments in my game,” Loheit said, “learning how to deal with the speed and the physicality of older players and making decisions quicker than I used to. My coaches are helping me to learn how to do that as well as are my teammates.”

Unlike many other high school sports, hockey players are known for committing on the earlier side of the timeline. Loheit recalls that he enjoyed getting the decision over sooner rather than later.

“I think it takes a lot of pressure off,” Loheit said. “The whole process is stressful for sure. It’s a good stress though. I also think that some guys feel that pressure of performing after they commit. People on the outside have expectations for how they should play, which could be some added stress. I’ve personally found it less stressful though. It’s nice to have it off your shoulders so you can focus on high school hockey.”

Loheit expressed how his wanting to play close to home factored into his commitment to UMD.

“My decision was very hard,” Loheit said. “I had offers from Denver and Wisconsin. I went to Denver the weekend before I committed, and the visit was really nice. But I came home thinking about my family, and how important they are to me. Having an opportunity to play 2-3 hours from home, that really came into play. I can come home and see my family, see my friends. It was a big deciding factor for me. I’m really happy with my decision.”

Sports can create a getaway for athletes through difficult times, and the game of hockey is a special haven for Loheit for a multitude of reasons.

“It’s an unbelievable sport,” Loheit explained. “It makes me realize how fortunate I am. After a tough day, whether it’s because of a hard day at school, or anything like that, you’re able to go to the rink and take all of it all off your shoulders. It’s what your coaches tell you to do when you were growing up, which is to have fun, be with your buddies and build relationships. It’s my escape every day.”

Loheit currently has 11 goals and 12 assists through 16 games with a +21 rating for the Skippers, and is a C Rated prospect in the NHL Central Scouting’s “Preliminary Players to Watch” for the NHL Draft this coming spring.

Love the Mandolese pick.

I mean....seems like a pretty good draft for the Sens?

I guess, yeah. Really like the picks when I read about them, but any of the picks can be made to sound good.

Drafting by DNA. Two picks whose fathers played in the NHL, to join Brown and Wolanin. An I missing any others? Probably others if you expand the field to pro.

Thanks for all the Intel on the picks, PT.

Oh, I just got it. The PT part.

Thanks for the info PTFlea.

Im not sure what to really expect past mandolese but whatever. It’s all about those 5-6 first picks, the other guys are pretty much roll of the dices. Even some of the other guys too.

Interesting draft. A handful of quality guys that could be in there.