2012 NHL Draft Prospects - Top 50 Defensemen

by Derek Zona on Feb 14, 2012 8:30 PM MST in Prospects

The sources for the consensus list are Bob McKenzie, Redline Report, Future Considerations, ISS, Craig Button, Hockey Prospectus, The Scouting Report, and Win Shares via Nick, A.K.A. Mathletic.

Pos. Rank	OV rank	Name	HT	WT	Team	Nat	League
1	4	Ryan Murray	6'0	182	Everett Silvertips	CAN	WHL
2	5	Mathew Dumba	6'0	172	Red Deer Rebels	CAN	WHL
3	6	Morgan Rielly	6'0	190	Moose Jaw Warriors	CAN	WHL
4	8	Jacob Trouba	6'1	183	USA NTDP U18	USA	USHL
5	9	Griffin Reinhart	6'4	202	Edmonton Oil Kings	CAN	WHL
6	12	Cody Ceci	6'2	203	Ottawa 67's	CAN	OHL
7	16	Matt Finn	6'0	197	Guelph Storm	CAN	OHL
8	17	Slater Koekkoek	6'2	180	Peterborough Petes	CAN	OHL
9	18	Derrick Pouliot	5'11	192	Portland Winterhawks	CAN	WHL
10	19	Olli Määttä	6'2	198	London Knights	FIN	OHL
11	25	Damon Severson	6'1	188	Kelowna Rockets	CAN	WHL
12	26	Michael Matheson	6'1	175	Dubuque Fighting Saints	CAN	USHL
13	27	Brady Skeji	6'1	183	USA NTDP U18	USA	USHL
14	29	Jordan Schmaltz	6'2	175	Green Bay Gamblers	USA	USHL
15	32	Dalton Thrower	6'0	195	Saskatoon Blades	CAN	WHL
16	35	Ludvig Bystrom	6'0	176	Modo	SWE	SEL
17	38	Ville Pokka	6'0	187	Kärpät	FIN	Sm-Liiga
18	45	Nick Ebert	6'0	195	Windsor Spitfires	USA	OHL
19	49	Dillon Fournier	6'1	160	Lewiston MAINEiacs	CAN	QMJHL
20	50	Gianluca Curcuruto	6'1	187	SSM Greyhounds	CAN	OHL
21	54	Adam Pelech	6'2	200	Erie Otters	CAN	OHL
22	57	Hamphus Lindholm	6'2	180	Rogle	SWE	SEL
23	60	Jake McCabe	6'0	195	USA NTDP U18	USA	USHL
24	61	Patrick Sieloff	6'0	173	USA NTDP U18	USA	USHL
25	67	Jaynen Rissling	6'3	215	Calgary Hitmen	CAN	WHL
26	69	Cody Corbett	6'1	209	Edmonton Oil Kings	CAN	WHL
27	77	Valeri Vasiliyev	6'1	183	Spartak Moscow	RUS	KHL
28	78	Jesse Graham	5'11	160	Niagara IceDogs	CAN	OHL
29	79	Marcus McIvor	6'1	204	Brampton Battalion	CAN	OHL
30	86	Alex Gudbranson	6'2	204	Kingston Frontenacs	CAN	OHL
31	91	Brian Cooper	5'9	176	Fargo Force	USA	USHL
32	92	Dylan Blujus	6'3	184	Brampton Battalion	USA	OHL
33	95	Dominic Poulin	6'1	185	Chicoutimi Sagueneens	CAN	QMJHL
34	100	Trevor Carrick	6'2	175	Mississauga St. Mike's Majors	CAN	OHL
35	108	Calle Andersson	6'1	194	Malmö	SWE	SEL
36	109	Travis Brown	6'1	179	Moose Jaw Warriors	CAN	WHL
37	111	Christian Djoos	5'11	150	Brynäs	SWE	SEL
38	114	Reid Gow	5'11	175	Spokane Chiefs	CAN	WHL
39	115	Max Iafrate	6'1	198	Kitchener Rangers	USA	OHL
40	117	Ryan Culkin	6'1	160	Quebec Remparts	CAN	QMJHL
41	118	Brandon Devlin	6'1	185	Windsor Spitfires	CAN	OHL
42	119	Julien Leduc	6'0	180	Val d'Or Foreurs	CAN	QMJHL
43	124	Zach Leslie	6'0	172	Guelph Storm	CAN	OHL
44	138	Dakota Mermis	5'10	170	Green Bay Gamblers	USA	USHL
45	140	Nikita Tryamkin	6'6	225	Avto	MHL	Russia
46	148	Ashton Sautner	5'9	160	Edmonton Oil Kings	CAN	WHL
47	149	Martin Lefebvre	5'10	170	Quebec Remparts	CAN	QMJHL
48	157	Jesper Pettersson	5'9	185	Linkopings	SWE	SEL
49	158	Justin Hache	6'1	190	Shawnigan	CAN	QMJHL
50	160	Mike McKee	6'4	230	Lincoln Stars	USA	USHL

I'm struck by the Canadian dominance at the top of the list. 10 of the top 12 defensemen are Canadian, with 6 of those 10 playing in the WHL.
The breakdown by league:
OHL - 15
WHL - 12
USHL - 9
QMJHL -6
The breakdown by nationality:
Canada - 30
United States - 11
Sweden - 5

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Comments

So, for the 1st round it is Murray (NHL ready) or Dumba (work in progress, but perhaps with bigger upside). I feel that the Oilers will ultimately decide on Dumba (from WHL, RNH’s former teammate, skills+intangibles).

by Roman_Pilgrim on Feb 14, 2012 8:49 PM MST reply actions

Murray’s not NHL ready. Most people I’ve talked to have him behind Larsson from last year.

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by Derek Zona on Feb 14, 2012 8:52 PM MST up reply actions

Agreed Derek

I saw Murray in Vancouver last Friday…great skater and puck distributor despite being on a very weak team and he was often double teamed by the Giants, but I can`t see him stepping in to the bigs without at least another year in junior or the minors.

by Oilerfan-atic on Feb 15, 2012 7:34 AM MST up reply actions

How FAR behind may I ask?

by Roman_Pilgrim on Feb 14, 2012 8:55 PM MST reply actions

I’ll ask a couple of guys and write it up.

Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.

by Derek Zona on Feb 14, 2012 11:03 PM MST up reply actions

No Czechs at all… I’m not surprised as we’ve struggled creating consistent Dmen… it’s weird as we’ve solved our goalie issues for the most part and our forwards are still good but our D is so thin lately. I love these lists… will there be one for goalies coming? Subban number 1?

by Czechboy on Feb 14, 2012 9:14 PM MST reply actions

Since we’re on D men… I think we should trade for Zidlicky (which would be dirt cheap) and do anything to get Johnson (who’ll probably end up in Philly)… it would significantly improve our D next season and long term (with Johnson). Zidlicky and Smid would be a dream pair next season … I don’t care how bad his season is this year. One very easy trade and one very difficult trade but it’d make us a contender much quicker especially if we get another top 2 pick that can contribute quickly. I’d honestly trade our first pick and something else for Johnson (Suter or Weber).

by Czechboy on Feb 14, 2012 9:23 PM MST reply actions

Jack Johnson is a horrible defenseman with an albatross contract.

Zidlicky might be okay. Though, I’d rather get more of a sure thing, rather than hoping for a return to form. But it looks like he’s set on New Jersey.

by godot10 on Feb 15, 2012 5:11 PM MST up reply actions

Bizarre not to see any Swedish D in the first round, though Bystrom could be there.

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by Bruce Peter on Feb 14, 2012 10:15 PM MST reply actions

So you’re saying that even though Arzamatsev was the only Russian D at the WJC that could do much of anything and now has a pretty good track record in Russia over the last two years, he still for some reason will fall undrafted again? Does he simply not want to play in the NHL?

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by red army line on Feb 14, 2012 10:17 PM MST reply actions

Well, he should have been drafted last year for sure. Scouting services won’t have all the overage guys on there, or with any consistency. Pearson and Gusev have buzz this year.

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by Bruce Peter on Feb 14, 2012 10:20 PM MST up reply actions

Bruce is right on this one. I would think Arzamatsev would be a 1st round pick if he wanted to play in the US.

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by Derek Zona on Feb 14, 2012 11:04 PM MST up reply actions

Based on teams I talked to, he has a better shot to go through undrafted than go first round even if he declared interest in transferring.

I don’t necessarily agree with that, but that seems to be the industry feeling.

by Corey Pronman on Feb 15, 2012 10:01 AM MST up reply actions

I’d take Dumba for the upside. I feel like his physical gifts are harder to teach then defensive awareness. That comes with age and good coaching.

by KSnaterse23 on Feb 14, 2012 10:41 PM MST reply actions

Like Cam Barker?

by gangplank on Feb 15, 2012 8:39 AM MST up reply actions

He doesnt even have the size to be effective as a physical D man.
I like Murray. If one of the elite forwards(prospects) aren’t available when it is our turn to draft, I will sad if we pass over Murray

by gangplank on Feb 15, 2012 8:41 AM MST up reply actions

Goodness, I hope this abortion of a season hasn’t been Tambellini’s “Fumble for Dumba”?

by Yeti# on Feb 15, 2012 9:25 AM MST up reply actions

Will Dumba’s game carry over to the NHL?

He’s got a few pounds on RNH. Literally.

by zys on Feb 14, 2012 11:28 PM MST reply actions

There’s a good chance Dumba ends up in the NHL as a forward just like Wendel Clark. His hockey IQ may not be high enough to play defense in the NHL.

by Chopstyx on Feb 15, 2012 2:12 AM MST reply actions

If you are in the top 5, its Murray or a Forward. Dumba has too many question marks.

by gcw_rocks on Feb 15, 2012 10:16 AM MST reply actions

Considering the Oilers’ standing I would also (besides Murray and Dumba) consider Philip Forsberg.

by Roman_Pilgrim on Feb 15, 2012 12:12 PM MST up reply actions

Agreed, I think the Oilers are picking from:
Nail Yakupov,
Mikhail Grigorenko,
Filip Forsberg,
Ryan Murray

Can’t really go wrong with any of them. Given Lowe’s dislike of Russians, it wouldn’t surprise me if they traded down to get Forsberg or Murray.

Adding a winger makes a lot of sense if Hemsky is gone. Man I hope, IF they deal Hemsky, they find a way to send him to Pittsburgh for Despres. Then Yakupov or Forsberg slide into Hemsky’s place and Despres starts a rapid climb into the top 4.

If they draft Grigorenko, the Oilers will have 5 centres and need to deal one. having to make a trade would likely cause tambo’s head to explode.

by gcw_rocks on Feb 15, 2012 1:51 PM MST up reply actions

I like “Russians”: that is, a couple of “White Russians” “on the rocks”. In response to your post, its OK to have as many quality Cs as possible (you just upgrade your roster skill-wise parting with some of your earlier, less-skilled picks). But the “Russian factor” negates much of the upside those players might have (IMO).
Also, I have a feeling that the Oilers will go with: 1) WHL players; and 2) Swedish players with some high-scoring “overagers” being considered as well (Pearson and Griffith).

by Roman_Pilgrim on Feb 16, 2012 10:28 AM MST up reply actions

I don’t think Dumba plays an NHL game. D in the modern NHL is primarily a passing game and a positional game. Dumba is a rusher and is going to get out of position going for big hits.

With the Oilers forwards, you want an elite passer or a big around defender.

Griffin Reinhart or Ryan Murray please.

by godot10 on Feb 15, 2012 5:17 PM MST reply actions

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