2020 NHL Draft: WHL Top Prospects

Overtime Heroics Editorial

1984 days ago

The 2020 NHL draft isn’t comparable to the previous year’s draft when it comes to top-end talent from the Western Hockey League. Last year seven WHL players heard their names called in the first round. That number will be significantly lower this year. Here is a look at some of the prospects expected to go in the first few rounds.

Connor Zary

Kamloops Blazers’ center Connor Zary possesses terrific speed. He offers a complete overall game and plays in all situations. Whenever Zary is on the ice, he commands the puck and frequently, it’s on his stick. His puck possession skills, along with his patience and vision, making him a constant threat in the offensive zone. Both his shot and his playmaker ability are exceptional, and each time that I’ve seen him play, I have come away very impressed. Zary finished fifth in WHL scoring with 38 goals and 86 points in 57 games. He is a likely top-twenty selection for the upcoming draft.

Kaiden Guhle

Prince Albert Raider’s defenceman Kaiden Guhle is a hybrid defender. He has the skating ability and transition game of the new modern age defenceman while having the size, physicality and ability to throw open ice hits of a rearguard from years past. Guhle has a terrific shot from the point. His overall offensive game has upside and will improve with better decision making, as will his defensive game. All the tools are there to make him a very intriguing prospect and a probable first-round selection.

Seth Jarvis

Portland Winterhawks’ forward Seth Jarvis is one of the premier snipers available for the 2020 NHL draft. He is a tremendous skater with explosive starts. Jarvis is adept at finding open ice in the offensive zone allowing him time and space to use his quick release and deadly accurate shot. His draft stock continued to rise as the season progressed. Jarvis finished the season with 34 points in his last 15 contests to give him 42 goals and 98 points. Both his goals and points totals were second in the WHL.

Braden Schneider

All teams are looking for a right-handed puck-moving defenceman that is responsible in the defensive zone. Braden Schneider is all of that, plus he skates extremely well and has decent size, at 6’2″ and 209 lbs. The Brandon Wheat Kings’ rearguard can run a powerplay, but his greatest asset is his ability to defend. Most rankings project Schneider as a late first-round selection.

Ridly Greig

Brandon Wheat Kings’ center Ridly Greig is the son of former NHL player Mark Grieg. He is a good skater that offers a solid two-way game. Greig possesses decent puck skills with excellent offensive instincts. However, I wouldn’t call any of his skills elite, but he is efficient in all areas. Greig keeps his feet moving while in possession of the puck, and draws numerous penalties. He needs to work on quicker starts, but that should come as he adds strength, something he will also need to acquire to have success at the next level. Somewhere in the second round, he is likely to hear his name called.

Jake Neighbours

An aggressive forecheck and strong work ethic are characteristics that stand out in watching Edmonton Oil Kings’ left-winger Jake Neighbours play. His puck possession skills are exceptional as is his battle level along the boards. The rugged winger uses his 201 pound body effectively in both those areas. Neighbours uses a powerful skating stride and is capable of taking the puck hard to the net. He plays a 200-ft game and doesn’t need to play in the top six to be effective. Neighbours should hear his name called early in the second round.

Justin Sourdif

Having a share in Vancouver Giants season tickets has allowed me to see Justin Sourdif play on numerous occasions. Sourdif is a highly intelligent player with terrific offensive instincts. He plays well in traffic and isn`t afraid to go to the dirty areas to make a play. When Sourdif is on his game, he is a dynamic force. Unfortunately, inconsistent play, along with average skating ability, justifies the decline in draft rankings as the season progressed. Early in the second round is now the range of his probable selection.

Ozzy Wiesblatt

Another prospect from the Raiders slated for selection in the opening few rounds of the 2020 NHL draft is forward Ozzy Wiesblatt. High-end hockey intelligence, along with the ability to play an up-tempo style, are exceptional qualities that Wiesblatt brings to the table. His creativity is very evident, particularly on the powerplay. Wiesblatt’s skating and agility are better than average, and his penalty-killing prowess, which will allow him to be effective in a middle-six role as a professional.

Pavel Novak

When the Kelowna Rockets visited the Giants quite early in the season, I focused on the play of Pavel Novak. I came away from the game unimpressed. However, watching him play several times via WHL live changed my opinion. His creativity and offensive skills were captivating. Novak appeared to have found his confidence, and on each shift, he made his presence felt. Novak is a skilled playmaker with exceptional vision. However, he needs to show more willingness to play in traffic to have success beyond junior hockey.

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

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