8 players the Calgary Flames could draft at 12th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft

Corson Ceulemans both perplexes and fascinates me. My opinion on him has changed repeatedly with my viewings. There are a lot of tools that he possesses that an NHL development staff would work with. He’s going to be playing in Wisconsin next year who are more than capable of starting the refinement process his game desperately needs. He’s a great skater, exhibits great passing, can defend the transition using his length and skating ability, owns a strong first pass, possesses the ability to carry the puck up ice, can facilitate the puck throughout the offensive zone and has the capacity to quarterback a power-play. My biggest concern more than anything is the fact that, despite having these abilities, he shows such inconsistency in using them on a regular basis in the AJHL.

Matthew Coronato is arguably the most offensively productive forward in the 2021 Draft Class. His natural ability to score, or find a teammate who scores is simply remarkable. While he won’t stand out in any specific way, he oozes consistency in every aspect of his offensive game. His ability to produce should only become better at the next level, as he’ll be lined up with some impressive talent at Harvard in the ECAC this coming fall.

Lambos is a shoot-first defender who has set plays designed for him, and he can make a goalie earn his paycheck thanks to a heavy, accurate slapper (with little backswing) or an elite wrister that has beaten quality goalies across multiple leagues and levels. As good a shooter as he may be, Lambos is a highly unselfish player who is more than capable of quarterbacking the top power-play unit, which he did with distinction for both JyP U20 and Canada-White at the 2019 World under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Dynamic is an understatement when it comes to Lysell. His combination of hands and speed are breath-taking. It is rare for even an experienced, skilled, NHL player to have the puck control, poise and confidence to make the moves Lysell does with ease in full-stride. Puck-on-a-string comes to mind. His feel make it seems like he was born with a stick in his hands, or simply that it is an extension of his body itself. Even good defensemen at the u-18 international level get a deer-in-headlights look when Lysell picks their side of ice to attack. For good reason. He often makes them look like pee-wee players as they end up a foot-note in an ever expanding highlight reel.

When you are watching McTavish, the zone that you most notice him in is the offensive zone. McTavish constantly is looking for the opposition to pull closer towards the perimeter. He looks for opportunities where his teammates are controlling the puck in low danger. McTavish wants the puck in low danger and the opposition playing tight at the perimeter. He wants that because the opposition is not paying close attention to the slot. So, he picks the moment when the opposition is coming closer to the point as the moment where he skates up to the high slot and gives his team an open man close to the net.

Some have slotted Olausson in the “complimentary winger” category, or questioned his hockey IQ. While he can be guilty of holding onto a puck for too long, and he is certainly a shoot first player who needs a play-making center to be at his best, I think it is unfair to pigeon-hole him like that. His zone entry skill, ability on the cycle, and solid passing mean that he can create space for others. He also has the scorers knack of getting free in dangerous positions, and does it with regularity. That is hard to do that without thinking the game well.

Raty has an excellent shot and release that must be respected, but refinement is needed. There were games when he clearly established a desire to shoot pucks from anywhere on the ice but with varying degrees of accuracy and sensibility. Although some feel like hitting the net is good enough for a teenager in a men’s league, the reality is that Raty — an inside player more than capable of creating his own shot from in between the hashes — tends hit the goalie’s crest or miss the net completely. He has the hands and agility to improve his angle and take it closer to the goal, but one of the bigger criticisms of Raty’s game has to be shot selection. On the positive side is his willingness to release from shooting areas and head straight to the net, where Raty will battle with defenders of any size for positioning.

Like most junior hockey superstars Cole Sillinger is a player who wants to score goals and see that lamp light up. He has the means to do so as well, as he boasts a quick release that generates a ton of velocity with very little sacrifice in accuracy. He exhibits great placement of the puck and can hit small gaps from nearly anywhere on the ice. His shooting arsenal isn’t limited by any means as he can easily beat goalies with a snap shot, a wrist shot or a one timer. He demonstrates deception by combining numerous body fakes, look offs and skill moves to create his ideal shooting lanes. In addition, he hides his shot well, masking his intentions until the very last moment where he can open/close the blade and change the angle with a subtle weight shift, all during his very brief shooting motion.