Grant's Slant

Scouts Ce Dar Rapid Development in Smith

Dobson a QMJHL Titan on Defence

This was not without a lot of thought and consideration, and it’s still very early so things could change…but so far this draft year Acadie-Bathurst defenceman Noah Dobson has impressed me more than any defence prospect from the QMJHL since Ray Bourque was a top ten pick by Boston in 1979.

Russian Rookie Rocking in Rimouski

It look like Rimouski Oceanic winger Dmitry Zavgorodniy is not going to slow down any time soon. The talented 5-9 Russian led the Ivan Hlinka in scoring, netting five goals and five assists in five games, and his predilection for fives continued last night as he scored…you guessed it…five goals in a 9-2 Rimouski victory […]

Kravtsov Finding a Regular Role in KHL

I had a look at 2018 draft-eligible prospect Vitaly Kravtsov today in the KHL playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk in his seventh game of the season. He has a regular role on the third line and does not look out of place despite being just 17 years of age. Looks to have decent mobility for […]

Drouin it Right in the Center of Town

There is a strong debate right now among Habs fans about whether Jonathan Drouin or Alex Galchenyuk should be the club’s number-one center. Recrutes put up its second poll on the subject in the past three weeks, and the overwhelming majority are still banking on the Habs starting the season with Galchenyuk centering the […]

Dahlin Has Swedish Competition for Number One

I was a little surprised to receive a text halfway through the Ivan Hlinka tournament from an NHL scout that suggested that Rasmus Dahlin may not even be the best defence prospect from his country, let alone the first overall pick in the draft. The more I studied Adam Boqvist, however, the more I realized […]

Mete Has Been a Plymouth Rock

Ryan Poehling wasn’t the only Habs prospect who has impressed at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, MI. Victor Mete has been one of the more solid blueliners for Canada at the event and Joni Ikonen has been solid in a second-line center role for Finland in three contests. One western conference scout has […]

Marky Embarks on a New Venture

I got some interesting views on the departure of Andrei Markov after 17 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens from an NHL executive this morning who doesn’t necessarily buy that his leaving is all on Bergevin’s shoulders. “Does anyone put any of the onus on Marky?” he asked. “His ex-wife died and left him with two […]

The One Musketeer

I watched Eeli Tolvanen play last night versus the Waterloo Black Hawks in Game 3 of the USHL semi-finals in a match Sioux City won 3-0. Tolvanen went pointless, and apart from one nice dangle in close that almost resulted in a goal he didn’t create much in the way of offensive chances. Tolvanen […]

No Doubting Thomas

A lot of parallels can be drawn between former London Knights center Bo Horvat and 2017 draft eligible center Robert Thomas. Both were considered to be mid teen prospects going into the OHL playoffs on most NHL draft lists…but as scouts saw more and more of what they could do in big games they climbed […]