A majority of the top prospects for the 2019 NHL Draft will gather at the HarborCenter in Buffalo, N.Y. this week for the 2019 NHL Scouting Combine.
New England will be well represented with five natives and several other players who are committed to colleges within the region. In total, 104 prospects will be in Buffalo for the six-day long event.
Beginning Monday, NHL teams are allowed to have one-on-one interviews with the prospects. The majority of the physical testing is Saturday after players are cleared through a medical screening.
Standing height, wingspan, standing long jump, bench press, pro agility test, pull ups, and Wingate Cycle Ergometer are seven of the 11 tests that prospects will go through, mostly on Saturday.
The two headliners of the NHL Scouting Combine are Jack Hughes, a center with USA Hockey’s NTDP U-18 team. The Orlando, Fla., native is expected to be the first overall selection at June’s NHL Draft in Vancouver. Challenging Hughes for the top spot is Kaapo Kakko, a Finnish-born winger who plays for TPS in Liiga, the country’s top league.
The most notable player from the New England region is Millis, Mass., native Matthew Boldy. A left wing for USA Hockey’s NTDP U-18 team, he’s committed to Boston College. The former Dexter star put up 33 goals and 48 assists in 64 games this season.
Another projected first round pick, goaltender Spencer Knight, is also slated to participate in the combine. The Darien, Conn., native is also committed to Boston College after starring for the USA Hockey NTDP.
Another NTDP teammate, defenseman Henry Thrun of Southborough, Mass., will join Boldy and Knight in Buffalo. The Harvard commit is likely to be selected anywhere from the second to fourth rounds.
The most controversial local selected to participate at the NHL Scouting Combine is Cumberland, R.I., native Jayden Struble. The high-flying defenseman for St. Sebastian’s has been discussed in great length due to the emotion he plays with. He’ll likely be greatly scrutinized by the teams who interview him this week.
Rivers defenseman Cade Webber of Wrentham, Mass. will also be at the NHL Scouting Combine. The 6-foot-6 defender is committed to Boston University, but is expected to play the 2019-20 season in the BCHL.
In addition to the three locals on the NTDP, Five defensemen who are committed to playing college hockey in the region will also be at the combine. Boston University commits Dom Fensore, Case McCarthy and Alex Vlasic and Boston College commits Drew Helleson and Marshall Warren will be in Buffalo. Center Trevor Zegras, a NTDP teammate and former Avon Old Farms star, is another BU commit at the combine.
Dexter center John Farinacci, a Harvard commit, Chicago Steel left wing Robert Mastrosimone, a Boston University commit, Victoria Grizzlies center Alex Newhook, committed to Boston College, and Sioux Falls Stampede right wing Ethan Phillips, slated to play for Boston University, are all scheduled to be at the combine.
