2023 NHL draft prospects 70-61: Alex Ciernik, Lenni Hämeenaho, Denver Barkey, Coulston Pitre, Jakub Dvorak, and more

A 5’10, 179 lb. left-shot, left-winger, Ciernik — a native of Slovakia — played last season in Sweden for three teams: one in the J20 league, and two in the Swedish second league, HockeyAllsvenskan.

In J20, he scored nine goals and 21 points in 18 games. In his 25 games in HockeyAllsvenskan, he scored three goals and 12 points.

Scouting Report: “This season, one of his biggest areas of growth was gaining comfort playing at the level of HockeyAllsvenskan. Ciernik plays a smart game and shows maturity through his IQ. He has deceptive hands, which he uses paired with his skating ability. In transition, he often moves laterally, sometimes fully covering the width of the ice. He’s no longer the fastest player on the ice as he was in many junior leagues, but his feet do provide an advantage.” – Alexa Potack, Dobber Prospects

Standing at 6’0, 174 lbs., Hämeenaho, a right-shot forward, scored nine goals and 21 points in 51 games with in Finnish pro league, Liiga.

Scouting Report: “Hämeenaho is a player who makes small details look effortless and easy. He is not a flashy player by any means, but he finds ways to add value throughout a lineup by being a solid jack-of-many-trades. You want a winger with decent shooting ability? Check. You want a winger who forechecks well and wins puck battles? You got him. You want a smart player, who can find open space and attack it? Look no further.” – Anton Rasegard, Habs Eyes on The Prize

Barkey, a 5’8, 174 lb. left-shot centre, scored 22 goals and 59 points in 61 games with the OHL’s London Knights last season.

Scouting Report: “Barkey has a lot of things to like about his game. He has good skill and vision and he competes his butt off. He plays without fear and gets to the inside which is what you like to see from a smaller player. He’s a good skater, with strong speed and edgework and has shown in junior he can be a reliable two-way player. Whether the toolkit is dynamic enough at his size to be an NHL player, though, is up for debate but you love the way he plays.” – Corey Pornman, The Athletic

The right-shot centre who stands at 6’1, 172 lbs. played last season with the OHL’s Flint Firebirds. He scored 25 goals and 60 points in 59 games with them last season.

Scouting Report: “Pitre is a highly intelligent player who responds well on both sides of the puck. He plays in all situations including the PK but it’s his effectiveness 5-on-5 that draws interest in him. He’s an above-average skater but doesn’t possess any after-burners. Instead, he uses his high IQ along with the skating skills he does have to be in the right places.” –Dominic Tiano, OHL Writers

Dvorak, a left-shot defenceman, played last season Bílí Tygři Liberec in the Czechia league. Standing at 6’5, 209 lbs., he scored two assists in 24 games last season.

Scouting Report: “Dvorak is a huge defenseman who gives his best effort in all three zones. Dvorak, considering his size, is a decent skater with ability to control the puck at speed. He showed in this game that he is able to skate past defenders outside of the dotted line, protecting the puck to entry the offensive zone. He is active on and off the puck.”- Miroslav Simurka, FC Hockey.

Gajan, a 6’3, 176 lb. goaltender, is the first netminder to make the top 100 list. He spent last season playing for two teams in North America. He played six games for the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers posting a 5-1 record, a .906 save percentage and a 2.48 goals against average. He spent another 34 games with the NAHL’s Chippewa Steel posting a 19-12-1 record, a .917 save percentage and a 2.57 GAA. He’s committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth for next season.

Scouting Report: “He is a big, athletic goalie with long legs and excellent reflexes who never gives up on the play. He keeps his positioning tight and square to the shooter. His rebound control is good, and the same can be said of his glove hand. His poise is solid, as seen at the World Juniors.” – Marc-Antoine Levis, Habs Eyes on The Prize

Minnetian, a 6’0, 170 lb. right-shot defenceman, spent last season in the U18 US National Development Team program and with the USNTDP Juniors team in the USHL. With the team, he scored seven goals and 31 points in 62 National Team games. He appeared in 22 USHL games scoring six assists in 22 games.

Scouting Report: “On the blueline, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. But the one defender receiving a ton of praise recently is Aram Minnetian. The offensive blueliner had an excellent Five Nations tournament with eight points and is really starting to look comfortable. He spent a lot of time as a forward as a youth, and you can notice that in the way he pinches in and helps drive plays. Minnetian does an excellent job of rushing the puck down the ice and his high offensive IQ allows him to find teammates through his peripheral vision, which can be highly deceptive. Minnetian should have no issue finding a role in the NHL one day once he finishes at Boston College.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

Like Minnetian, Nelson spent his season with the US National Development Team. The 6’3, 203 lb. left-shot forward scored 21 goals and 47 points in 62 National Team games, and eight goals and 17 points in 23 USHL games.

Scouting Report: “A former defenseman who has transitioned very nicely to a winger, who moves really well for a big man and also has soft mitts. He is a powerful skater with excellent balance who is tough to move off the puck. He is more of a complementary attacker – a huge horse who eagerly does a lot of dirty work down low and creates more time and space for his more highly skilled linemates. He wins plenty of puck battles along the wall and behind the net. He will move out of them with power moves towards the net, and funnels pucks to the middle.” – Bill Placzek, Lines

Last season saw Rehkopf score 30 goals and 59 points in 68 OHL games. The 6’1, 194 lb. forward can play both centre and left-wing.

Scouting Report: “He has one of the most explosive wrist shots in the draft. Combining his quickness, size, and finishing ability, Rehkopf could be a consistent 30 goal scorer at the NHL level. He also offers positional versatility, with the current ability to play center and the wing. Given his length, range, and physical potential, there would likely be a desire to keep him as a pivot in hopes that he can be an elite two-way center.” – Brock Otten, McKeen’s Hockey

Pinelli, a 5’9, 161 lb. left-shot centre, scored 29 goals and 63 points in 67 OHL games last season with the Ottawa 67’s.

Scouting Report: “The younger Pinelli is a good skater who uses his edges efficiently to weave through traffic while stickhandling, showcasing an entertaining brand of hockey. His passing ability is what his game is built on as he scans the ice and spots teammates in opportune positions.” – Tony Ferrari, The Hockey News

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.