• PROSPECT-UPDATE ARCHIVE
More 2018 draft picks were on the move Friday.
A three-team deal sent Pittsburgh's first-rounder to Ottawa and Vancouver's fourth to Vegas. For those keeping score, the Golden Knights now have eight picks, the Senators have seven, and Pittsburgh has six. Since the Pens are loading up for a three-peat as Stanley Cup champions, it's possible they could deal more of their picks, including both a second- and third-rounder.
So if you like the Senators, you have to be feeling pretty good right now. Ottawa has two first-rounders, one of which could be Rasmus Dahlin. Even if it isn't Dahlin, it's going to be a super-talented player given the depth of this draft. Get ready for more trades over the next few days, and consider the draft value of the 10 players on Friday's top-performances list below:
CALEN ADDISON -- Addison hadn't been scoring a lot until Friday, when the Spokane defenseman notched his first three-point game since Dec. 3. Addison had three power-play assists in the Hurricanes' 7-2 win over Brandon to claim No. 2 star honors. He started with the primary assist on the opening goal at 10:34 of the first, and got another at 12:39 to make it 2-0. His third primary assist came at 14:22 of the second, helping Lethbridge go up 4-1. Averaging just under a point per game with eight goals and 29 assists in 58 outings, Addison ranks 11th in the WHL assists race. (Note: Fifth appearance on this list in 2017-18)
JACOB BERNARD-DOCKER -- Sometimes you see a player in high school or Tier II and you just know he's going to be great at the college level. Such is the case with North Dakota recruit Bernard-Docker, who continued rolling with a goal and assist Friday in Okotoks' 5-1 AJHL win over Olds. The smooth-skating defenseman earned Star of the Game honors after assisting on a goal to go up 3-1 at 18:59 of the first period and closing out the score with an unassisted goal at 9:02 of the third. It marked his third straight game as a postgame star, as he now has 20 goals and 20 assists in 45 games. That includes a four-game point streak since a recent return from injury. (Note: Seventh appearance on this list in 2017-18)
DREW DeRIDDER -- The U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team goalie built on his Five Nations success on Friday, stopping 25 shots in a 4-1 USHL win over Central Illinois for No. 3 star honors. After making four saves in the first period and 13 in the second, DeRidder lost his shutout with only 1:23 left to play. He is now 10-0 in games against USHL opponents and has won five of his last six starts overall. Michigan State has reason to get excited about this recruit. (Note: Seventh appearance on this list in 2017-18)
MITCHELL HOELSCHER -- Hoelscher, a 6-foot-0 left wing with the Ottawa 67's, is hardly a big-time scorer, but he delivered a goal and assist for his team on Friday and was the No. 2 star of a 4-2 win at London. His assist was the lone helper on a goal at 16:39 of the first period -- tying the game 1-1. In the second, he made it a 2-1 lead for the 67's, scoring at the 12:09 mark. Through 57 OHL games, Hoelscher has eight goals and 24 points. Friday's performance snapped a four-game scoring drought that had followed a season-high six-game scoring streak. (Note: Second appearance on this list in 2017-18)
LOGAN HUTSKO -- One of the hottest freshmen in the NCAA this season, Hutsko continued his high-scoring ways with a goal and two assists in Boston College's 6-3 win over Maine on Friday. He scored his goal just 39 seconds into the middle period, pulling the Eagles into a 1-1 tie. At 8:28 of the third, Hutsko assisted on the 5-2 goal, and his had the primary assist to go up 6-2 on a power play at 11:08 of the third. His current five-game point streak has seen him post seven goals and five assists. Numbers like that will get him drafted despite his smaller size. (Note: Third appearance on this list in 2017-18)
MATTHEW KELLENBERGER -- Defenseman Kellenberger is of the better Princeton recruits in recent years and should be a major factor at the college level. On Friday, he had a goal and two assists to earn No. 2 star honors in Oakville's 4-3 win over the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. Kellenberger helped get the Blades on the board first with the primary assist on a goal just 23 seconds into the second period. At 13:39 of the second, he scored his 11th goal of the season to make it 2-1 before assisting on a power-play goal at 6:34 of the third to make it 3-3. With 50 points in 48 OJHL games, Kellenberger continues to maintain a high scoring average, and he now has goals in back-to-back outings. (Note: Seventh appearance on this list in 2017-18)
BEN KRAWS -- Kraws, the Sioux City Musketeers' backup goaltender, made the most of his rare start on Friday, stopping 29 shots in a 4-1 win at Muskegon. He was a perfect 8-for-8 in first-period saves, 13-for-14 in the second, and another 8-for-8 in the third. The strong night enabled Kraws, a Miami University recruit, to record his first win since Dec. 2.
MERRICK RIPPON -- Rippon, a defenseman, was outstanding on Friday, notching a goal and two assists -- one point per period -- in Ottawa's 4-2 win at London. His goal at 16:39 of the first period pulled the 67's into a 1-1 tie. He later assisted on the game-winner for a 3-1 lead at 17:11 of the second period and helped set up the game-ending empty-netter at 19:11 of the third. The three-point eruption ended a 10-game scoring drought for Rippon, who now has three goals and 21 points in 58 OHL games. It was also his second three-point game of the season. (Note: Second appearance on this list in 2017-18)
TY SMITH -- Smith starred for Spokane in the Chiefs' 9-2 WHL destruction of Prince George on Friday night. The highly-rated prospect tied a 31-year-old franchise record for points by a defenseman with two goals and five assists. He was a no-brainer for No. 1 star. The point parade started with an assist on the opening goal at 6:42 of the first period. Just 12 seconds into the middle period, Smith struck again with the eventual game-winner for a 3-0 lead. He followed that up with another goal just minutes later at 4:02. His third point of the second period came as the primary assist on a goal at 8:23 that made it 5-0. Three more points followed in the third -- an assist at 5:58 for a 7-1 lead, another helper at 6:30 to make it 8-1, and the primary assist on Spokane's final goal to go up 9-1 at 13:04. With 12 goals and 65 points in 58 games, Smith ranks among the top-scoring WHL defensemen. He also has a plus-39 rating -- tied for 10th in the league. The two goals, five assists and seven points were all career-highs for Smith, who has 17 multi-point games this season. (Note: Ninth appearance on this list in 2017-18)
JAKE WISE -- Wise has been a very effective player since missing the first half of the season with an injury. The U.S. NTDP under-18 forward had a goal and assist on Friday in a 4-1 win over Central Illinois to earn No. 1 star honors for the second time in a USHL game this season. Wise set up the first goal of the game with a primary assist at 3:36 of the opening period. Later in the first, he scored the eventual game-winner on a power play, putting Team USA up 2-0 at 14:28. Bound for a college career at Boston University, Wise has 11 points in eight USHL games. Dating back to the Five Nations tournament, he has a three-game scoring streak and points in six of his last 10 appearances. (Note: Second appearance on this list in 2017-18)