#TrackingTheDraft with @CraigJButton

In The Next Wave on Tracking the Draft, former GM and current Director of Scouting for TSN, Craig Button and I discuss players who are projected to go after the first round, where great players, superstars and Hall of Fame players have been taken. Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, aside from having an all world name, has a lot of skill and Craig thinks if all 31 teams pass on him again, they'll be paying for it later on, literally when he's a coveted college free agent. The former member of the Chicago Steel of the USHL is off to Northeastern where Craig feels he will have plenty of time to develop even more skill. Carter Savoie had 53 goals in 54 games this year for Sherwood Park in the AJHL is bound for the mountains in Denver as he'll try and fill the net for the Pioneers. Craig thinks he's one of the best in the draft at doing that and admits he doesn't have him high enough on the Craig's List at 48. Craig joins us each week courtesy of the UFFS Hotline, become a scout and track the same players Craig and other scouts do, join up at www.UFFSports.com and get paid for your eagle eye when it comes to future stars.

You can find full episodes and more at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca. 

In Top Shelf Talent on Tracking the Draft, former GM and current Director of Scouting for TSN, Craig Button and I discuss players who are projected to go in the first round, choosing from the Top 40 on Craig's List. Yaroslav Askarov is the best goalie prospect since Carey Price according to Craig, will be follow Price and also be a top 5 pick? His international resume is awfully good, and like most young players he did struggle at the WJC, but it was how he rebounded from the outing that has Craig excited for his franchise potential. Craig joins us each week courtesy of the UFFS Hotline, become a scout and track the same players Craig and other scouts do, join up at www.UFFSports.com and get paid for your eagle eye when it comes to future stars.

You can find full episodes and more at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca.

Craig Button is the Director of Scouting for TSN and joins Dean Millard each week for Tracking the Draft. Episode 2 features Yaroslav Askarov in Top Shelf Talent the best goalie since Carey Price according to Craig who has the goaltender ranked 7th on the Craig's List. The Southpaw has a sparkling international resume for the most part and like a lot of young players stumbled a little at the WJC, but it was what he did after that tournament, much like how a goalie reacts after giving up a goal, that impressed Craig the most. Gunnarwolfe Fontaine and Carter Savoie are in  The Next Wave and both destined to play in the NCAA next season. Fontaine - who easily has the best first name in the draft and maybe all of sports??? - is off to Northeastern where Craig thinks he is going to develop so well that if he's not drafted will be a coveted free agent in years to come. He passed through the draft last year and Craig thinks that was a mistake by all 31 teams, so don't expect him to be a free agent after this season. Savoie is planning on being a Pioneer in Denver, another school with a reputation for developing good players and the Sherwood Park Crusader does the hardest thing in the game very well. He scores goals, in fact Craig called him one of the best scorers in the draft and admitted he doesn't have him high enough at 48.  A former Wolverine and current Maple Leaf compares to a member of the Prince Albert Raiders in Time Machine where Craig takes a look at a player drafted years ago to someone in this year's crop. This week it's a couple of players who give their teammates and coaches confidence no matter when or why they tap them for a shift. Our trivia question was about goalies drafted in the first round. Craig Button joins us on the UFFS Hotline, find out how to become a scout and provide players to the UFSL while making some money. Now is your chance to prove yourself!!!! Check out more info at www.UFFSports.com. You can find the Craig's List here.

You can find past episodes and individual segments at www.TrackingtheDraft.ca. 

Here's a sneak peak at what to expect on episode two of Tracking the Draft with Craig Button. Yaroslav Askarov, Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, Carter Savoie and more. 

In Time Machine on Tracking the Draft, former GM and current Director of Scouting for TSN Craig Button tells a story regarding a past player and the NHL Draft while relating it to a player in this year's draft prospect pool. Craig took us back to the 1994 NHL Draft. There were some pretty big swings and misses in the first round (Edmonton Oilers I'm looking in your direction) but the Dallas Stars hit a home run in the 5th round taking goaltender Marty Turco. He won 275 games and twice led the league in GAA and save percentage while with the Stars. Turco's confidence had Craig thinking about Guelph Storm goaltender Nico Daws.

Catch full episodes and individual player segments at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca. 

In The Next Wave on Tracking the Draft, former GM and current Director of Scouting for TSN, Craig Button and I discuss players who are projected to go after the first round, where great players, superstars and Hall of Fame players have been taken. Jake Neighbours of the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings is ranked 43 on Craig's List and does a lot things well and thinks the game well enough to play with guys above his talent level. What's holding him back and who Craig thinks of when watching him play are some of things we chatted about with Neighbours. Egor Sokolov is a big right shot left winger who plays for Cape Breton of the QMJHL and has terrific hands. He has been passed over in the draft once but that seems to have motivated him quite a big. He was hunting 50 goals this year when the season was cancelled and finished with 46 in 52 games while adding 46 helpers.

You can catch full episodes and individual player segments at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca. 

In Top Shelf Talent on Tracking the Draft, former NHL GM and current Director of Scouting for TSN, Craig Button and I discuss players ranked on Craig's List in the top 40. Jake Sanderson, ranked 12th on Craig's List, is considered by most to be the second defenceman off the the board, but when will that be? We discuss his most talked about asset, his skating and what he might look like at the NHL, especially with some added offence. A HOF Dean came up in comparison IF the offensive production comes through.

Catch full episodes and more at www.TrackingtheDraft.ca 

Craig Button is a former GM in the NHL, a Stanley Cup Champion and the Director of Scouting with TSN and joins me each week to discuss prospects for the NHL Draft. This week we explored Jake Sanderson a defenceman from the USNDT who is committed to play for the University of North Dakota. His father Geoff played over 1100 games in the NHL and put up 700 points and while Jake is a great skater like his dad, he's a different kind of skater. Craig Button has a lofty comparison for Jake if he produces offence at the NHL level.  Jake Neighbours of the Edmonton Oil Kings is a player that is strong, smart and plays with a little bit of an edge. His ability to play well with skilled players gives him the opportunity to play high up in the line up. Egor Sokolov is a big Russian right handed left winger who plays for Cape Breton. He has terrific hands and was approaching 50 goals before the season was cancelled. He's also improved his game quite a bit after being passed over in the draft last year.  Nico Daws was also passed by once and rebounded by earning a spot on Canada's World Junior team. You can find the complete Craig's List here. 

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Tracking the Draft with Craig Button is uploaded on Thursdays. Every Wednesday we will try and put out a Sneak Peak of the coming episode. Here's a preview of who and what we will discuss on episode one that comes out Thursday July 2nd.

12. Jake Sanderson - USNDT - Defence
43. Jake Neighbours - Edmonton Oil Kings - Left Wing
66. Egor Sokolov - Cape Breton Screaming Eagles - Left Wing
65. Nico Daws - Guelph Storm - Goalie

The numbers beside the players represent where Craig has them ranked on his TSN Craig's List which can be found here. 

Welcome to Tracking the Draft with Craig Button. Hosted by Dean Millard featuring former NHL GM Craig Button, now Director of Scouting for TSN, we will get you ready for the NHL draft in a unique way. One segment, titled Top Shelf Talent will featurea projected 1st round pick. Another segment will focus on players projected to go after the first round, titled The Next Wave. Time Machine will be a segment where we look at past drafts with stories from Craig and comparisons to a current draft prospects. A short Prospect News segment and a trivia contest will wrap around the draft discussion between Craig and Dean. Enjoy this conversation with Craig and Dean to get you set for the first episode!!!

Episodes will come out every Thursday with the first one starting July 2nd.