2020 has been a weird year all around, and that includes the ramifications from the coronavirus pertaining to the NHL draft.
The 2020 NHL Entry Draft originally was slated for June 26-27, but it has been moved back to Oct. 6-7. Instead of taking place in Montreal, it will now be held virtually over Zoom, although the exact details are still up in the air.
While many NHL amateur scouts in the region have moved on to scouting prospects eligible for 2021, organizations still have to focus on this year’s draft that is now less than a month away. Many 2020 eligible prospects are now playing for or scheduled to play for a different team this season.
Below is an update on the 2020 eligible prospects from New England and where they are now:
Sam Colangelo
Colangelo, from Stoneham, Mass., will play college hockey for Northeastern when the 2020-21 Hockey East starts in November. The Lawrence Academy and Chicago Steel product will wear No. 16 for the Huskies. The right wing is best known for his goal-scoring ability, but his vision and offensive instincts are underrated. He’s likely to be taken in the early part of the second round, but there has been some talk of him squeaking into the first round.
Brett Berard
Berard comes to Providence College after playing two seasons with USA Hockey’s NTDP. The East Greenwich, R.I., native is on the smaller side, but he proved the naysayers wrong with his play over the last two seasons. He’s a hockey player who goes to the dirty areas, sees the ice well and does what it takes to win. Berard will wear No. 21 for the Friars. I could see Berard going anywhere in the third round.
Drew Commesso
Commesso joins Boston University after playing two seasons with the NTDP. Formerly of St. Sebastian’s, the Norwell, Mass., native is the most well-regarded American goaltending prospect ahead of the 2020 draft. He’ll wear No. 29 for the Terriers. I’d tend to think he’ll be a late second- or third-round pick.
Ian Moore
Moore, hailing from Concord, Mass., is a smooth-skating, offensive defenseman with a good stick. His shot, ability to quarterback a power play and sidestep oncoming forecheckers are all positive attributes. The St. Mark’s product has some work to do to prove he can defend at a higher level than prep and split season. He’ll get a chance to do that this season with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. Perhaps the biggest negative facing Moore’s draft prospects is his college commitment. As a Harvard recruit, many NHL teams will question whether or not he’ll end up as a free agent due to the NHL collective bargaining agreement that allows for players to go that route if they play four seasons after being drafted. He’s probably a second-round talent, but I’d predict the third or fourth round.
Riley Duran
Duran will play the 2020-21 season for the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL after playing the past two years for Robbie Barker at Lawrence Academy. The Woburn, Mass., native is a good-sized winger who also has shown the ability to play center. He’s a north-south player who can be tenacious on the forecheck. As I’ve said many times, his best hockey is ahead of him, especially once he plays for a structured team in the USHL. The Providence commit should be a third- or fourth-round pick.
Sean Farrell
Farrell’s 2020-21 destination is up in the air, but he’s currently listed on Harvard’s roster. The Hopkinton, Mass., native certainly will play for the Crimson at some point, but he might take another year in the USHL with the Steel, due to the coronavirus putting a halt to Ivy League athletics. Farrell is an undersized playmaker who had a successful USHL season in 2019-20 after two with the NTDP. I haven’t seen Farrell play except for three or four times a year since he left St. Mark’s, and his size makes him more of a wild card. I could see him going anywhere from the third to the final round.
Alex Jefferies
Jefferies will make the move straight from prep school to join Merrimack, where he’ll wear No. 19. The Lunenburg, Mass., native was a sharpshooter who saw the ice well at the prep level. There are still concerns regarding his skating and versatility at the next level. The Gunnery alum likely will fall somewhere in the fourth through sixth rounds.
Ben Meehan
Meehan will wear No. 14 this season for UMass Lowell after a solid first half of the 2019-20 season in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. An injury derailed his one and only season of junior hockey. The Walpole, Mass., native saw his stock rise exponentially prior to the injury. Meehan, a Dexter Southfield alum, has a good stick, competes hard and showed more offensive prowess in the USHL than he did at the prep level. He’s in his second year of eligibility and the injury throws a monkey wrench into the equation, but I could see Meehan being drafted late or not at all. If he does go unselected, I’d keep a close eye on him in his third year in 2021.
Gunnarwolfe Fontaine
Fontaine, from East Greenwich, R.I., will wear No. 11 for Northeastern after playing the past two years with the Chicago Steel. He’s in his third year of eligibility and is undersized, but some scouts will have a hard time looking past his incredible production in the USHL. His size and complete game can be questioned, but he’s proven he can score at a higher level than many other prospects who are slated to go higher. I could see a team taking a flier on him in any of the final two rounds.
Timothy Lovell
Lovell hails from Hingham, Mass., and played youth hockey for the Boston Advantage. He moved to the USHL for 2019-20, playing for the Des Moines Buccaneers. Lovell checks boxes for skating, skill and offensive instincts and vision. He’s undersized, which certainly hurts his pro projections. He’ll wear No. 6 for Boston College this upcoming season. His size is such a huge talking point. I could see an NHL team taking a gamble on him in the middle rounds, due to his skill and skating. I also think it’s possible he slips completely out of the draft due to his size.
Ryan McGuire
McGuire had a couple of nice prep seasons at Belmont Hill. He’ll play the 2020-21 season in the BCHL with the Penticton Vees. The New Canaan, Conn., native sees the ice well and did a good job as a 200-foot center at the prep level. The Colgate commit should be a solid college player, but I question his pro potential. With his father being NBC Sports analyst Pierre McGuire, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a team pick him in the final round.
