When there was some concern over when or if the WHL season would get underway, there were several players looking across the globe for opportunities to play hockey. Especially those who are NHL Draft eligible this season.
While the Portland Winterhawks took the extraordinary step of making an announcement, allowing several players the opportunity to play in the United States Hockey League, other teams kept the movement of their players quiet. Of course, it is difficult to keep moves like this quiet in the digital age.
Ultimately 14 players took their chances and headed to teams in the 14-team USHL. One, defenseman Jake Johnson, has already returned to his team, the Regina Pats, to play this season. He had one goal and one assist in 14 games with the Omaha Lancers. He last played with the Lancers on January 2nd. With the Pats this season Johnson has one assist in five games.
The Draft Eligibles
Cole Sillinger – Medicine Hat Tigers / Sioux Falls Stampede
As dynamic as they come, the 2003-born Sillinger lit up the WHL at a better than point-per-game pace in his rookie season. Among his age group in the WHL, Sillinger was second overall with 22 goals and 31 assists in 48 games. Joining Sioux Falls partway into their season, Sillinger has amassed 21 goals and 19 assists through 26 games. His 30 points are good for 13th overall in the USHL. He was also named to the 2021 BioSteel All-American Game USHL team that faces off against the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) Under-18 Team on April 7th, 2021. Sillinger is an ‘A’ rated prospect through the NHL’s Central Scouting Service’s most recent rankings.
Sillinger has a 14-game point streak currently (12G, 11A) and has hit the score sheet in all but three of his 26 games.
“Make no mistake, Cole Sillinger is too good for the USHL. His 1.54 P/PG pace is enough to ensure every fan, player, and coach has his undivided attention when he’s on the ice. Sillinger’s monstrous shot arsenal, his trademark weapon, has led to him lighting the lamp 21 times in 26 games with numerous wrist shots, one-timers, snap shots, and drag shots. There are improvements to be made with both his skating and his passing but make no mistake, Cole Sillinger is undeniably one of the most talented players of the 2021 draft.” – Sam McGilligan, Smaht Scouting
Cole Sillinger has the Herd on the board first!#BeHerd pic.twitter.com/3I4QtzNM6B
— Sioux Falls Stampede (@sfstampede) March 27, 2021
Jack O’Brien – Portland Winterhawks / Lincoln Stars
On January 12, 2021, the Portland Winterhawks announced that O’Brien was one of four players to head to the USHL until the completion of their season. All four players headed to the Lincoln Stars.
While with the Winterhawks in 2019-20, O’Brien appeared in 55 games, scoring 14 goals and adding 16 assists. This season in Lincoln, NE with the Stars, O’Brien has five assists through 20 games.
Jack O’Brien did not get the start he wanted in the USHL as the 21’ draft eligible has really struggled to follow up his strong rookie campaign with the Winterhawks. Sporting a mere 0.25 P/PG in the USHL, after scoring 0.55 P/PG pace a year prior in the WHL, has had a lot of scouts start to sour on the intelligent, two-way pivot. That being said, points aren’t everything and O’Brien still shows regular flashes of playmaking and defensive talent that can be improved on. It’s important to note that while this has been a difficult year for all, some have taken it harder than others. It’s not a guarantee, but I wouldn’t be surprised if O’Brien takes a huge step forward once this nightmare is over for us all.” – Sam McGilligan, Smaht Scouting
James Stefan – Portland Winterhawks / Lincoln Stars
Of the group that was loaned to the Lincoln Stars, Stefan has accumulated the most points. Through 29 games, Stefan has nine goals and eight assists. This is an improvement on his 2019-20 season, where he had five goals and four assists with the Winterhawks through 49 games.
His best game came on March 10, when he scored a goal and added two assists in a 9-4 win over Sioux Falls.
“The son of former NHL’er and #1 overall pick Patrik Stefan has certainly taken advantage of his time with the Lincoln Stars. Stefan defines himself as a goal scorer, and he’s done just that for the Stars, tallying 9 goals and 8 assists for 17 points in 28 games this season, in a predominantly top-six role”. – Paul Zuk, Smaht Scouting
2022 Draft Eligibles
Matthew Savoie – Winnipeg ICE / Dubuque Fighting Saints
Denied exceptional status, Savoie still managed 22 games in the WHL as a 15-year-old, before he was injured on an unfortunate play where he had his head down in a vulnerable area. Savoie managed seven assists with the ICE while playing mostly sheltered minutes. Before the AJHL season was shut down, Savoie played in four games with the Sherwood Park Crusaders, scoring three times and adding three assists.
This season in 23 contests with the Dubuque Fighting Saints, Savoie has 16 goals and 12 assists. He had two goals and an assist in his debut with the team and has since added a hat trick to his resume, courtesy of an 8-2 drubbing of Team USA. His first goal of the night also turned out to be the game-winner. Currently riding an eight-game point streak (7G, 7A).
“Short on experience but certainly not on speed and talent, Savoie is making heads turn with his incredible start for Dubuque. The St. Albert, AB product (is) scoring at over a point per game (28pts in 23 games) and at only 17, the Winnipeg Ice must be hopeful they can get him back in the WHL asap.” – Paul Zuk, Smaht Scouting
Hudson Thornton – Prince George Cougars / Fargo Force
Thornton had not played in the WHL prior to this season but did sign with the Cougars on February 26th. Last season he played with the Chilliwack Chiefs in the BCHL and registered six goals and 11 assists in 54 games.
On February 20th, Thornton played his last game with the Fargo Force, having played 23 games with the USHL club and contributed two goals and two assists. He has yet to make his debut with the Cougars.
The rest
Cross Hanas – Portland Winterhawks / Lincoln Stars
One of four members of the Winterhawks on the Stars, Hanas has scored four goals and 11 assists in 21 games. The 2002-born forward is a 2020 second-round pick of the Detriot Red Wings (Unsigned). Last season as a member of the Winterhawks, Hanas scored 22 goals and added 27 assists through 60 games, having more than doubled his output from the 2018-19 season (8G, 14A).
Luke Toporowski – Spokane Chiefs / Sioux Falls Stampede
The 2001-born forward had a productive 2019-20 season with the Spokane Chiefs, scoring 29 goals and collecting 31 assists in 60 games. As a member of the Stampede, Toporowski has played in 25 games and has scored 13 times, and added 14 assists. He is the sixth-highest point-getter on the team, and has the second-highest points per game on the club, behind Sillinger.
Bear Hughes – Spokane Chiefs / Fargo Force
Hughes had a good rookie season in Spokane as the eighth-highest scorer on his team. Hughes had 16 goals and 31 assists, his 47 points were good enough for seventh among rookies. A 2020 fifth-round pick of the Washington Capitals (Unsigned), Hughes headed to the Fargo Force and has posted very respectable numbers in his 27 games. Hughes has eight goals and 12 assists on the USHL’s Western Conference top team.
Clay Hanus – Portland Winterhawks / Lincoln Stars
2001-born Defenseman Hanus had a very good season with the Winterhawks in 2019-20. His 10 goals and 17 assists, had him as the second-highest scoring defenseman on the team. With the Stars this season Hanus has played in 24 games and has four goals and 11 assists, giving him the edge as the top-scoring defenseman on the team.
Nick Perna – Medicine Hat Tigers / Omaha Lancers
2001-born defenseman Perna was an eighth-round pick of the Lancers at the 2020 USHL Entry Draft. Perna made a decision early in the season to head to Omaha and has appeared in 45 of the team’s 46 games. In that time Perna has scored four goals and added eight assists. Last season in 16 WHL games between the Tigers and Portland Winterhawks, Perna scored one goal and added two assists.
Garrett Wright – Moose Jaw Warriors / Omaha Lancers
Has played in 37 of Omaha’s 44 games this season after being drafted by the Lancers in the eighth-round of the 2020 USHL Entry Draft. Through 39 games Wright has one goal and nine assists. Last season in 60 games split between the Warriors and Regina Pats, Wright had four goals and 16 assists.
Nikita Krivokrasov – Prince George Cougars / Sioux City Musketeers
Krivokrasov is not on the Cougars roster for this season. The overage forward has eight assists through 35 games with the Musketeers this season.
Lukáš Pařík – Spokane Chiefs / Dubuque Fighting Saints
2019 third-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings (Unsigned) has played 17 games this season with Dubuque. Parik has a 9-4-2-1 record and a 3.18 goals-against average. His save percentage is .866.
Last season as a member of the Spokane Chiefs, Parik appeared in 32 games and had a 22-7-2 record. He also had a 2.73 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. Parik does not need to sign with the Kings until 2023.
Thank you to Smaht scouting for their analysis on several prospects for the upcoming 2021 and 2022 NHL Drafts.
