• PROSPECT-UPDATE ARCHIVE
How about those WHL playoffs? Only four or five games into each of the second-round series, and all but one is already over. As mentioned throughout the season, the WHL is the last place to go looking for draft talent this season, as the only
obvious first-round pick is defenseman Ty Smith.
Unfortunately, Smith's Spokane team is out, leaving only a handful of players to watch -- most notably Riley Sutter (Everett), Calen Addison (Lethbridge), and Jett Woo (Moose Jaw). Those remaining players aren't clear first-rounders.
Other top prospects such as Andrei Svechnikov, Akil Thomas, Filip Zadina, and Jared McIsaac are also out of the major-junior postseason, so we won't see the best of the best again until the World Under-18's start on Thursday. Until then, have a look at Friday's top three performances:
SEAN COMRIE -- The Spruce Grove Saints defenseman played a huge role in his team's 4-3 OT win at Okotoks to open the AJHL's Gas Drive Cup finals. Comrie picked up a goal and an assist to earn Away Star of the Game honors. His assist at 9:29 of the second period helped the Saints go up 2-1. He then scored through traffic at 13:37 of the third to force OT. It's good news for University of Denver fans, who will get to watch Comrie when he joins the Pioneers program in 2019.
JEREMY DAVIDSON -- Perhaps the best story to come out of the last days of the USHL regular season is Davidson's play. The Massachusetts-Amherst recruit was hardly a big scorer for his team up until the past three game, where he has utterly dominated. Cedar Rapids' 7-5 loss at Chicago was no exception, as Davidson finished with two goals and a primary assist on a power-play goal at 4:38 of the first period to get his team on the board at 1-1. Davidson scored at 16:45 of the second to cut the Steel lead to 3-2 and then trimmed it to 5-4 with his second goal at 2:46 of the third. This was his third straight two-goal game, and he has averaged three points per game over the span.. (Note: Third appearance on this list in 2017-18)
BARRETT HAYTON -- A likely first-round pick and one of the last top OHL prospects left in the playoffs, Hayton scored twice on five shots in Sault Ste. Marie's 4-1 win over Owen Sound. The game's No. 1 star got the eventual winner for a 2-1 lead on a power play at 16:32 of the first period. He followed with another goal to make it 3-1 at 4:27 of the second. With three goals and eight points in nine playoff games, Hayton is riding back-to-back two-point games. He also snapped a six-game goal-scoring drought as the Greyhounds took a 3-2 series lead. (Note: Ninth appearance on this list in 2017-18)