2020 NHL Draft: 3 Stars Of Week 20

1. Cole Perfetti

The Saginaw Spirit are engaged in a three-way battle for the top spot in the West Division of the Ontario Hockey League. In three hard-fought contests this past week, Cole Perfetti, a projected top-ten pick for the 2020 NHL draft, led the way. Perfetti earned the first star of the game honours in each of those games, recording ten points to move to within two points of Marco Rossi for the OHL scoring lead.

Perfetti
began the week by scoring the overtime game-winning goal in a 3-2 victory over
the Guelph Storm. His earlier powerplay assist helped tie the game at 2-2.

The
next match, a 7-5 decision over the Soo Greyhounds, featured a five assists
effort from Perfetti. His elite vision and tremendous playmaking ability
dominated the game, with each of his helpers being primary assists.

The
Spirit fell victim to the red-hot Flint Firebirds on Friday night, dropping a
5-4 decision. However, Perfetti turned in another exceptional performance,
notching three goals to round out his remarkable week.

2. Pavel Novak

The Kelowna Rockets of the WHL drafted Pavel Novak with the 13th overall selection in the 2019 Canadian Hockey League’s import draft. In two games this week Novak demonstrated his dazzling offensive creativity and playmaking capability posting one goal and six assists. Novak leads the Rockets in scoring with 44 points in 44 games played.

He assisted on both
goals in a 4-2 loss to the Portland Winterhawks and followed that with a
five-point display in a 8-3 drubbing of the Tri-City Americans.

The effort marked
the 12th multi-point game recorded by Novak this season.

Novak is currently ranked #76 by Future Considerations for the 2020 NHL draft.

3. Kasper Simontaival

Diminutive winger Kasper Simontaival possesses a tremendous wrist shot and terrific vision to go along with a high-end hockey IQ. His top-end speed is also above average. However, there are concerns with his overall game. Simontaival tends to get hit frequently and is often injured, and his work ethic defensively comes into question. Once considered a probable first-round selection for the 2020 NHL draft, Simontaival’s draft ranking has slipped considerably. He is currently ranked #37 by Future Considerations.

This
past week Simontaival displayed his offensive attributes in a pair of
victories. He scored twice in leading Team Finland U18 to a 3-1 win over the
United States. Both goals came in the third period, notching both the
game-winning goal and the insurance marker. Simontaival led the U18 Five
Nations tournament in goals with four and tied for the lead in points with
seven. Finland finished the event with a perfect 4-0 record.

He followed that effort with a four-point performance for his club team Tappara U20 in an 8-1 triumph over TPS U20 in the winner’s stage of the Nourten SM-Liiga playoffs. Simontaival added three primary assists before closing out the scoring with a third-period tally.

Honourable Mentions

In the WHL, Justin Sourdif registered eight points in four games, sparking the Vancouver Giants to four victories, including a four-point effort versus their division rival the Victoria Cougars. While Seth Jarvis notched four goals and an assist in two games for the Winterhawks.

In the OHL, Jack Quinn recorded seven points in three contests, including a six-point effort for the Ottawa 67’s in a 9-1 drubbing of the North Bay Battalion.

Carter Savoie posted nine points in four games for the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

These are just a few of the remarkable performances from first time eligible prospects for the 2020 NHL draft. Please come back again next week to see which prospects make the list.

Related Articles: 2020 NHL Draft: 3 Stars of Week 18 and 2020 NHL Draft: 3 Stars of Week 19.

Rick Warman is a Vancouver Canucks and prospects contributor for Overtime Heroics. Follow him @statman1956 on Twitter

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