Bob McKenzie just release his final draft rankings you can link to here:
Here is a profile done for our McKeen's 2017 NHL Draft Guide. Following is a full scouting profile from Kevin Olexson. Available to subscribers. Check out the details here
Last year, one of the stories of the draft was the selection of three
players from the BCHL in the first round, a league that sometimes will
go the full draft without seeing three players selected. None of the
Canadian Tier I leagues are quite so stacked this year, but there will
once again be a Tier I Canadian player selected in the top ten in AJHL
superstar Cale Makar, a potentially near-elite offensive defenseman.
The amazing thing is that the Calgary native has additional strikes
against his profile beyond his questionable level of competition. He
is pretty small, at 5-11”, and around 180 pounds. He has a late ’98
birthdate, meaning he should be further along his development path
than others in this draft class and that there is likely less physical
development remaining in his journey. Despite all of that, we have no
hesitation at all in placing him among the top ten prospects in the 2017
draft class.
For one thing, there is not a single defender who graded better as a
skater. He is remarkably mobile, has great agility and edgework and his
change of direction allows his speed to work on both sides of the puck.
His ability to motor is something that can both mask his stature and
cannot be hidden by his level of competition. Fast is as fast does. His
shot is not a howitzer, but he has all of them in his toolkit; slap shot,
wrist shot, snap shot, and one-timer. All are strong and accurate.
Befitting his type, he is skilled with the puck, smooth and deceptive. He
will have to learn to do less on his own as he advances up the ladder, but
his ability to move and distribute the puck are obvious. This is what you
want in a power play quarterback.
His hockey sense is more notable for his play with the puck than
without, but he is no slouch in his own end. He plays with a sense of
urgency and uses an active stick to supplement the physical pressure he
can deploy.
Finally, he plays a relatively physical game for his size, alleviating
concerns that he would be a perimeter player. Makar will be playing for
UMass-Ancaster for the foreseeable future, but will eventually (two years?
Three?), be quarterbacking an NHL power play.
Skating: Makar is a great skater, in fact his biggest strength is his skating ability, moving effortlessly. He is always in motion and can cover a lot of ice with his legs. He has plenty of speed, and a good top speed as well. He has a strong, powerful first step, and takes quick strides to accelerate quickly. He has good lateral movements and sharp edgework and can walk the line to open shooting lanes and passing lanes. He likes to skate with the puck, and can find open ice and skate the puck out of danger and through the neutral zone and up the ice with ease. He is shifty and elusive, using stutter steps and quick movements and can start and stop and change direction on a dime. Grade: 65
Shot: Possesses a good shot and he likes to use it. He has a quick release on his point shot and gets it away instantly. He has a strong wrist shot that snaps off his stick that hits the net and can catch goaltenders off guard. He has a great one timer that flies off his stick with great velocity and height. He has a good snap shot and hard slap pass. In other words, he has a full arsenal of shots, they are accurate and he shoots with regularity. Grade: 55
Skills: Makar is a highly skilled player that impresses with every shift. He has great puck skills and is a dynamic offensive player. He is always moving and in motion and runs a lot of give-and-go plays as he likes to carry the puck up ice. He has really smooth hands, is deceptive with the puck and can stickhandle and dangle through opponents on his way up the ice. He is very confident with the puck and controls the play when he has the puck on his stick, whether it is stutter steps, fakes, dekes, or dips. As much he likes to carry the puck, he also makes good strong first passes out of his zone stretching the defenders up ice in a quick transition game. He makes crisp accurate passes and moves the puck with ease. He is great at quarterbacking the power play, moving and distributing the puck, and does an exceptional job of handling the puck at top speed. Grade: 60
Smarts: Makar is a smart player who possesses great hockey sense and instincts. He processes the game very quickly, is very aware to what is happening on the ice as he understands how plays develop and can read and anticipate them very well. He likes to join the rush and pinch, and makes good decisions on when to do so, but also has the speed to be able to get back when caught out of position. He has impressive gap control, and uses his speed and positioning to pressure opponents and corner forwards. He has a quick, active and lively stick, always jumping on loose pucks or passes. He is good at intercepting and knocking pucks off of attacking players sticks. He is always thinking the game and striving to improve, but being primarily known for his offense, Makar needs to be more effective in the defensive zone. Grade: 60
Physicality: Considered a smaller defenseman, Makar has decent size and is solid on his skates. He is not afraid to throw hits and take the body, and is very involved physically in the game. He will certainly stand his ground or stand up opponents to knock them off balance and create space for himself or a teammate. He could stand to become more physical, but that will come when he adds additional strength. Grade: 55
Summary: Cale Makar is an elite level defenseman who has not received his full dues because his journey through the AJHL implies that the competition he has faced has been weaker. However, he has shown well and performed strongly on every level that he has played. He has dominated and impressed with every game, no matter where he is playing, and competes hard every shift. Considered to be a smaller defenseman, even at 5’11” the NHL is finding many “smaller defenseman” that are successfully starting to transition the game to a faster pace, and Makar is no exception. Being a right handed shot, and a fast skating, outstanding puck moving defenseman with offensive instincts, he will be highly coveted come the draft. He is very competitive, is very confident, and has worked hard to improve his game. He is sure to be a top four pairing defenseman in the NHL, will quarterback a powerplay and can certainly drive the offense.