#TrackingTheDraft with @CraigJButton

In Time Machine on Tracking the Draft, former NHL 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. They could be Top 40 or beyond on the Craig's List. 

 
Brandon Wheat King forward Ridly Greig isn't always the biggest dog in the fight, but he never backs down from one. Craig says while he has plenty of smarts and will, don't underestimate his skill level and we discussed a few other former Brandon Wheat Kings Ridly compares too. We jumped ahead to 2021 where Craig told a terrific story about how Zachary Bolduc ended up in Rimouski, it's really cool. Will there be a drop off next year when Alexis Lafreniere is a New York Ranger?

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. Catch past episodes and individual players at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca. 

The Stars of tomorrow are discovered here, Every Thursday former NHL GM, Stanley Cup Champion and Director of Scouting with TSN, Craig Button and I explore prospects for the NHL Draft. From Top Shelf Talent to The Next Wave to Time Machine and more.

Noel Gunler has a wicked release that seems to fool goalies quite a bit as the puck is there on his stick one second and gone the next. However Gunler himself has a knack for disappearing just as much as the puck does off his stick. Some see him as a first round pick, but Craig isn't sold because of how inconsistent he has been. Tyler Kleven meanwhile is a big, mobile shut down defenceman, something every team wants. He's not going to be a big point producer or a top pairing guy, but skates well and could be a penalty killer at the NHL level. He's also going to the University of North Dakota where he's have plenty of time and access to the latest technology to put muscle on his frame.

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. Catch past episodes and individual players at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca. 

The Stars of tomorrow are discovered here, Every Thursday former NHL GM, Stanley Cup Champion and Director of Scouting with TSN, Craig Button and I explore prospects for the NHL Draft. From Top Shelf Talent to The Next Wave to Time Machine and more

Jack Quinn of the Ottawa 67s is the top goal scorer in the draft according to Craig and when you get a look at his game it's not hard to see why. His anticipation skills are off the charts, whether it's getting in behind the defence or following up on a play and getting a tap in. He scored more than 50 goals this year in Ottawa and also had almost 40 assists so don't overlook his play making abilities. I asked Craig about any problem areas in his game and the answer makes you wonder why other scouting platforms don't have him rated as high as Craig. 

 
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. Catch past episodes and individual players at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca. 

The Stars of tomorrow are discovered here, Every Thursday former NHL GM, Stanley Cup Champion and Director of Scouting with TSN, Craig Button and I explore prospects for the NHL Draft. From Top Shelf Talent to The Next Wave to Time Machine and more.

Craig calls Jack Quinn the best goal scorer in the draft but warns not to forget about his creative side when it comes to setting up teammates. His anticipation is off the charts and Button can't find any deficiencies in his game. That can't said the same of Noel Gunler who has been called "polarizing" and "wildly inconsistent" so Craig told us his reasons why. Gunler has a terrific shot, but won't be able to use it in the NHL until he starts putting forward more consistent play. Tyler Kleven on the other hand gives you all he has, which is a lot when it comes to shutting down opponents. He isn't going to provide offence, but will will a back end roll on the blue line and could help out killing penalties. These guys are valuable, especially when they skate as well as Tyler does. He's also off to UND where he will get plenty of time and space to add muscle to his tall frame. In Time Machine Craig compared a current Brandon Wheat King with a one time Leaf and current Avalanche member, and some former Wheat King names came up in conversation as well. For 2021 we looked ahead at Zachary Bolduc who is ranked 14th by Craig right now for 2021 and Craig told a terrific story about how he ended up there and what he will do after Alexis Lafreniere moves to Broadway. Our trivia question involves UND and our poll question @DuckMillard is about the best pure goal scorer in the draft.

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. Catch past episodes and individual players at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca. 

The Stars of tomorrow are discovered here, Every Thursday former NHL GM, Stanley Cup Champion and Director of Scouting with TSN, Craig Button and I explore prospects for the NHL Draft. From Top Shelf Talent to The Next Wave to Time Machine and more.

This week it's the 'best scorer in the draft' according to Craig, a 'wildly inconsistent prospect, a back end of the roster shut down defenceman, and a smaller guy who the opponent always knows when he's on the ice. For our look at 2021 we discussed a tope end player looking to blaze his own trail outside of the Lafreniere shadow. 

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. Catch past episodes and individual players at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca. 

In Time Machine on Tracking the Draft, former NHL 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. They could be Top 40 or beyond on the Craig's List. 

 
Tyson Foerster is a sniper from the Barrie Colts and while he gets a lot of hype for his left side face off dot set up on the PP set up, he can score from just about anywhere. In the slot, with a deke or on the rush. He can also pass the puck really well and set up teammates, but doesn't get enough credit for that. For Craig that sounds a lot like Corey Perry who Anaheim took 28th overall in the 2003 draft - for some the best ever. Craig has Tyson ranked 15th, but who knows on draft day, he might slip and some team will get a gift fall in their lap they weren't expecting. FYI, the Ducks also picked up Getzlaf in the 03 draft. Perry by the way is a member of the Triple Gold Club - Olympics, World Championship and World Junior Championship. 

As for the 2021 draft, we jumped ahead in time to chat about Swedish rearguard Simon Edvinsson who is one of many back end prospects in his draft class. He's big and skates really well which brings to mind Victor Hedman for Craig. 

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. Catch past episodes and individual players at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca. 

In The Next Wave on Tracking the Draft, former NHL GM and current Director of Scouting for TSN, Craig Button and Dean Millard discuss players ranked outside of the top 40 on Craig's List, who are projected to go after the first round, where great players, superstars and Hall of Fame players have been taken.

JJ Peterka could make it three German born players taken in the first round of the NHL Draft. Tim Stutzle could go second overall and Lukas Reichel who is ranked 33rd on the Craig's List. Peterka is 42 and if teams value a Rickard Rakell type player he might hear his name called on day one. He's a smart hard working player that could find his way onto some top lines in the NHL like the way Chris Kunitz and his 4 Stanley Cups did.

Charlie Desroches is at the very end of the Craig's list ranked 103, but don't mistake that for a lack of potential. In fact the more I learn about this player the more I think he's going to be a late round player that develops at the CHL and AHL level and turns into a valuable defender. These are the types of players who never stop working on their game and thus never stop developing their whole career and these are guys you win with. 

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. Catch past episodes and individual players 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 Dean Millard discuss players who are projected to go in the first round, choosing from the Top 40 on the Craig's List.

It's hard to nail down exactly what Jamie Drysdale does best because the Erie defenceman does everything so well. He's one of the best skaters in the draft, he's dangerous with and without the puck and if you forget about him in the offensive zone you can expect to be fishing the puck out of your net. He has top pairing #1 dman potential, so that means he has to produce offensively and Craig explains how he will do that using a Hall of Fame former Dallas Star as a reference.

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. Catch past episodes and individual players at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca. 

The Stars of tomorrow are discovered here, Every Thursday former NHL GM, Stanley Cup Champion and Director of Scouting with TSN, Craig Button and I explore prospects for the NHL Draft. From Top Shelf Talent to The Next Wave to Time Machine and more.

This week on Top Shelf Talent Craig and I discussed the top ranked defenceman on the Craig's List Jamie Drysdale. He's a player that's hard to describe what he does best because he does everything well. Craig has projected him as a #1 blue liner which is different than a Top 2 blue liner and we gave our opinions what separates them. Drysdale is a danger with and without the puck and Craig pulled out a Hall of Fame when describing him.

The Next Wave brought us a German forward who isn't flashy but can make those around him better. John Jason Peterka could make it 3 Germans taken in the first round and while his stats in the DEL this past year don't show a lot, his play does. A current Anaheim Duck came to mind for Craig when thinking about JJ. Charlie Desroches is a small defenceman who plays in Saint John and he's the type of player Craig would want in his system if he was drafting. Give him a few years and he could become a very valuable part of a blue line, maybe even better than scouts are thinking right now.

In Time Machine Craig made the comparison of Tyler Foerster a sniper with the Barrie Colts to a former London Knight drafted in the 2003 NHL Draft who once scored 50 in the NHL. We also went ahead in time to scout Simon Edvinsson, one of the many talented rearguards available in the 2021 draft. This youngster is a smooth skating Swede.

Also some Erie Otter trivia and news about Mason McTavish training in Switzerland, the WCJ without fans and NCAA letting players suit up in junior leagues.

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. Catch past episodes and individual players at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca. 

Every Thursday former NHL GM, Stanley Cup Champion and Director of Scouting with TSN, Craig Button and I explore prospects for the NHL Draft. From Top Shelf Talent to The Next Wave to Time Machine and more, the stars of tomorrow are discovered here.

Here's a preview of episode nine coming out Thursday where we will discuss blue liner Jamie Drysdale in Top Shelf Talent, John Jason Peterka and Charlie Desroches in The Next Wave as well as Tyson Foerster and Simon Endvinsson in Time Machine.

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. Catch past episodes and individual players at www.TrackingTheDraft.ca.