Call it the Alex Newhook effect.
Four Victoria Grizzlies were named to this weekB次元官网网址檚 mid-season NHL Central Scouting Services rankings for 2019 draft-eligible players.
Newhook, the 17-year-old Victoria GrizzliesB次元官网网址� captain and leading BCHL scorer, tops all BCHL players ranked 16th among North American skaters.
Newhook, of course, was a highly regarded 16-year-old prospect who brought a lot of attention to Victoria when he arrived last year as a Boston College-bound player already pegged for serious consideration in the 2019 NHL Draft. At 16th in the North American rankings, when combined with the European skaters and goalie rankings, some analysts have him out of the first round. However, gauging by the amount of NHL interest at the Q Centre this year, thereB次元官网网址檚 a good chance he goes in the 20s at the 2019 NHL Drafted hosted by the Vancouver Canucks on June 21-22.
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With a player like Newhook on the Grizzlies, which have already clinched a playoff spot, itB次元官网网址檚 no coincidence that another three Grizzlies are on the CSS rankings. Fellow 17-year-old Alex Campbell is 26 spots behind at 42nd (bound for Clarkson University in 2020) followed by defencemen Jeremy Bucheler at 113th and Carter Berger and 181st.
B次元官网网址淭he NHL is definitely around the rink this year, and I donB次元官网网址檛 recall it being day-in and day-out where weB次元官网网址檙e talking to NHL teams,B次元官网网址� said Grizzlies head coach and GM Craig Didmon.
have 4 players ranked in the NHL's central scouting mid-term ranking among North American skaters. Their NCAA play will dictate their futures. Getting their name in here is a win. Newhook 16, Campbell 42, Bucheler 113, Berger, 181.
B次元官网网址� travisApaterson (@TravisAPaterson)
All four Grizzlies have high ceilings, and all four are headed top programs in the NCAA, Bucheler to Northeastern and Berger to Connecticut.
B次元官网网址淲hen we got Newhook we knew he was in the top of his class in the country as a 16 year old,B次元官网网址� Didmon said. B次元官网网址淲e soon learned it didnB次元官网网址檛 matter what line we put him on, or where he was on the line, whichever line he was on was the line that was goingB次元官网网址� he makes people around him better.B次元官网网址�
At the moment, Newhook leads the BCHL in scoring with 25 goals, 70 points, in 40 games.
NewhookB次元官网网址檚 combination of speed, vision and IQ soon brought comparisons to NHL players. And in that regard he should be credited with the way heB次元官网网址檚 dealt with the pressure of being the captain, leading the league in scoring, and knowing there are NHL onlookers in the stands (and online), all as a Grade 12 student finishing high school at Belmont secondary.
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B次元官网网址淭he way he handles himself in all these situations reeks like a first rounder,B次元官网网址� Didmon said.
Fortunately for the other guys, theyB次元官网网址檙e capitalizing by playing well in front of the NHL scouts, Didmon added.
Like Newhook, Campbell has a quick trigger response, gets to full speed fast, and gets his shots off quick while seeing the ice a little better than others in the league.
B次元官网网址淲ith Campbell, we were hopeful heB次元官网网址檇 get a look at the [NHL Draft] coming in and we gave him opportunities to get into that watch,B次元官网网址� Didmon said. B次元官网网址淭he fact heB次元官网网址檚 rated as a second rounder, thatB次元官网网址檚 a compliment to Campbell and also for Newhook, on how heB次元官网网址檚 able to elevate players around him.B次元官网网址�
Campbell is the only of the four likely to return for one more BCHL season before jumping to the NCAA in 2020.
The rise of North VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Carter Berger and his 48 points this season is a key part of the Grizzlies success. The third year BCHLer was always offensively gifted and is now handling opponents top offensive assignments.
Bucheler, from Saint-Laurent, Que., came to the Grizzlies from the Chicago Steel in the USHL last year and blossomed into another high scoring defenceman with 38 points so far.
B次元官网网址淏ucheler just needed confidence,B次元官网网址� Didmon said. B次元官网网址淎s a 17-year-0ld in the USHL he didnB次元官网网址檛 get opportunity he needed. For us, we just let him play, when he made mistakes early on we just took it, there was a risk-reward, and its played out well.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 gone from the bench in Chicago to the BCHL prospects game and is looking to go in the NHL draft.B次元官网网址�
