Looking at the fantasy impact of combine testing results in this week's Sunday Ramblings…
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The 2016 NHL Draft Combine was hosted in Buffalo, NY, where top prospects participated in a number of activities to show off their physical capabilities. Everyone assigns different weights to these results, and scouts look for more than just numerical results when watching the event. A number of excellent articles and scouting notes have been published over the last day or two as a result, and I'd like to share both the testing results and what I feel are some of the most notable fantasy-relevant points I've taken away:
– Patrick Laine did not participate in most activities after spraining his knee in the VO2 test. This wont affect him being the second overall selection, but this is the same knee that Corry Perry targeted in a dirty fashion just weeks ago, so hopefully this doesn't become a weak point of the star prospect
– Jesse Puljujari also did not participate, as he is recovering from knee surgery he had after his season ended. Again, this wont affect his top-5 draft position, and there is no reason he shouldn't be ready to make an immediate NHL push in the fall
– Alex Nylander crushed the aerobic tests, and will have the power to play his game in the NHL. Whether his IQ and size translate right away is a different issue, but his skills are already there
– Jakob Chychrun was a top performer in multiple tests, proving that his 2014-15 shoulder injury is no longer an issue to worry about
– Jonathan Ang is an excellent athlete, and finished in high standingl in several tests; he likely helped his draft stock
– Julien Gauthier is an absolute beast; absolutely physically ready for the next level
{source}<a class="embedly-card" data-card-via="http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/10-takeaways-2016-nhl-scouting-combine/" href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/739139639697543172">Sportsnet on Twitter</a><script async src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js" charset="UTF-8"></script>{/source}
– Matthew Tkachuk was another absentee, resting a sprained ankle. Scouts are familiar enough with him that this wont hurt his top-7 draft spot, as he is of high interest given his intense competitive game
– Sounds like Logan Brown's 6'7" frame might take a while to fill out, so dont expect an impact from the pivot anything too soon
– Not that it would've changed anything, but Auston Matthews absolutely lived up to expectations in every way
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Auston Matthews is big. And fast. And strong. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLCombine?src=hash">#NHLCombine</a> <a href="https://t.co/f7FLQuUEmh">https://t.co/f7FLQuUEmh</a></p>— #StanleyCup Final (@NHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL/status/739098332610613248">June 4, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}
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Select Test Results
(for full, check out this link to the Bleacher Report)
Windgate Cycle Ergonometer – Peak Power Output
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Alex Nylander |
| 2 | William Lockwood |
| 3 | Jonathan Ang |
| 4 | Rasmus Asplund |
| 5 | Pierre-Luc Dubois |
| 6 | Ty Ronning |
| 7 | Kale Clague |
| 8 | Henrik Borgstrom |
| 9 | Auston Matthews |
| 10 | Jakob Chychrun |
VO2 Max Test Duration
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Logan Stanley |
| 2 | Tanner Kaspick |
| 3 | Tyson Jost |
| 4 | Taylor Raddysh |
| 5 | William Knierim |
| 6 | Charles McAvoy |
| 7 | Julien Gauthier |
| 8 | Connor Bunnaman |
| 9 | Andrew Peeke |
| 10 | Logan Brown |
Standing Long Jump
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Julien Gauthier |
| 2 | Jakob Chychrun |
| 3 | Trent Frederic |
| 4 | Pierre Luc Dubois |
| 5 | Jonathan Ang |
| 6 | Givani Smith |
| 7 | Luke Kunin |
| 8 | Boris Katchouk |
| 9 | Vojtech Budik |
| 10 | Michael Mcleod |
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To see further assessment of these top players, check out the ongoing mock draft happening via other Ramblings Columns. This is not just a numbered list, this is a thorough look at every spot in the draft, analyzing player strengths and team needs. Excellent reads.
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As always, thank you for reading and best of luck in all your summer drafts!
Hayden Soboleski
@soboleskih