5 draft-eligible players to watch at the 2014 Memorial Cup
The 96th Memorial Cup will commence Friday, pitting the champions from Canada's three major junior hockey leagues - along with a host team - against one another in a round-robin elimination tournament.
The Guelph Storm, Edmonton Oil Kings, and Val-d'Or Foreurs will be hosted by the London Knights in this year's iteration of what is widely considered the crown jewel of Canadian junior hockey, the primary development pipeline for the NHL.
Plenty of the 19 and 20-year-olds participating in the tournament are already members of NHL organizations, making the Memorial Cup an opportunity to end their junior careers on the highest note possible. For a few younger players, it is an opportunity to showcase their talents on a big stage one last time before the 2014 entry draft.
Here are five draft-eligible players to watch at the 2014 Memorial Cup:
Robby Fabbri, C, Guelph
- CSS final ranking (North American skaters): 21
Fabbri is an undersized but highly skilled center who vaulted into first-round consideration thanks to an excellent season with the OHL-champion Guelph Storm. Fabbri scored more even-strength goals (31) during the regular season than any other draft-eligible player in the Canadian major junior leagues and added 28 points in 16 postseason contests.
Fabbri's main assets are his quick hands and shifty skating, which allows him to slip past defenders and create chances in the offensive zone. He is also a fearless player willing to take a hit to make a play, which is important considering his size is lacking (5'10", 166 pounds).
Playing a competitive, on-the-edge style earned Fabbri a 10-game suspension early in the season and he suffered an injury scare in the playoffs after being the recipient of a high hit, but his emergence as one of the Storm's offensive leaders - along with his resiliency - should help him on draft day.
Brett Pollock, LW, Edmonton
- CSS final ranking (North American skaters): 34
Pollock's game came together in his second season with Edmonton with 45 points in his last 40 regular season games and another 19 in 21 playoff contests. At 6'2" and 183 pounds, Pollock has NHL size and he uses it - along with his smooth stickhandling - to maintain possession and generate chances in the offensive end.
Pollock lacks a physical game and his defensive awareness leaves room for improvement, which is a big reason he is not considered a first-round prospect. He also disappeared in the WHL final with two points in seven games after recording 17 points over the first three rounds.
A great Memorial Cup performance could solidify Pollock as a second-round sleeper to watch in June.
Nicolas Aube-Kubel, RW, Val-d'Or
- CSS final ranking (North American skaters): 40
Aube-Kubel is one of the more intriguing prospects who should be available after the first round of this June's draft. He was selected seventh overall by Val-d'Or in 2012 and his junior career is filled with flashes of brilliance and glimpses of what his true potential might be.
Aube-Kubel is amazing with the puck, creating chances out of nothing with his stickhandling and seldom hesitating to make a play when it's there. He finished the regular season with 53 points and added 13 in the playoffs.
The concern surrounding Aube-Kubel relates to his play when the puck is off his stick. He is still learning proper defensive positioning and his general inconsistency makes him more of a long-term project, but it's easy to imagine an NHL team or two becoming very interested in his talents after seeing a few Memorial Cup contests.
Christian Dvorak, LW, London
- CSS final ranking (North American skaters): 71
Dvorak was listed as a player to watch by NHL Central Scouting after forfeiting his college eligibility to play in the OHL and his draft year was off to a solid start before an ACL injury ended his season in December. Luckily for Dvorak, London secured an automatic Memorial Cup berth as the host team, giving him five months to rehabilitate his knee following surgery.
Dvorak was medically cleared to play on Tuesday and appears anxious to get back on the ice, calling the Memorial Cup opportunity "once-in-a-lifetime."
"He's worked his tail off," Knights coach Dale Hunter told the London Free Press. "He stays out after practice and he wanted to come back and play. It was a freak accident, a rut, and he's a determined kid."
That determination should be on full display during the tournament, which is Dvorak's best opportunity to remove any doubts about his health going forward.
Dysin Mayo, D, Edmonton
- CSS final ranking (North American skaters): 82
Mayo's offensive game took a major step forward in his sophomore campaign with Edmonton, totaling 35 regular-season points and adding 15 as part of the Oil Kings' WHL championship run. He plays key minutes on Edmonton's power play and uses his speed to move the puck up ice effectively.
Mayo will not usually dazzle the crowd or fill highlight reels, but his complete game and general awareness and reliability are good signs he can eventually develop into a solid NHL defenseman. His late birth date (August 17, 1996) only adds to that perception, suggesting he has more room to grow and become a dominant major junior player.
Edmonton would like to erase the memories of its 2012 Memorial Cup showing, when it finished in last place. Any success for the Oil Kings will depend heavily on how well Mayo can adapt to a big-game situation, which will give scouts an indication of where his ceiling lies.