The Baghdad Bombers are proud to select the largest draft class in history, with 11 selections and 2 first round draft picks, after having no first round pick last year. The Bombers restocked with 3 defensemen, 1 goalie, and 7 forwards. The team managed to select two offensive defensemen – nicely replenishing the defensemen cupboard with the pending graduation of Oliver Ekman Larsson and Brendan Smith.
Mathew Dumba (7th overall, 8.0C) is an explosive dynamic defensemen with an elite level of competitiveness. He’s athletic and a very good skater and has been compared to Dion Phaneuf. He was captain of Team Canada in the 2012 U18 Championship where the led the tournament in points and was named the Best Defenseman of the competition. He’s won the gold medal for Team Canada’s Ivan Hlinka squad last summer and was key in shutting down Mikhail Grigorenko and Filip Forsberg. Dumba can potentially be a franchise blueliner in the BFHL.
Jacob Trouba (14th overall, 7.5C) is a right handed defensemen who projects to be a top pairing two-way defensemen. He plays with a physical edge but shows strong decision making. He is an agile and adept puck-mover with a heavy shot from the blueline. His offensive game is still evolving, but he shows good upside. He has been compared to Jack Johnson and needs to fill out his frame to be more successful in the BFHL. He is anticipated to eventually be a top pairing defenseman in the BFHL.
Andrey Vasilevskiy (27th overall, 8.0C) is a 6’3” goaltender from Russia that plays using the butterfly style, but prefers to stand upright and protect the post until he is forced to get low. He will need to work on his stick handling, but his size, skills and sharp mind should allow him to succeed in the BFHL. He has been compared to Nikolai Khabibulin and Carey Price. He is signed overseas for another couple seasons and can be a potential future #1 goalie in the BFHL.
Ville Pokka (47th overall, 7.0C) is a defensemen playing in the men’s league in Finland, SM-liiga. While his stats were not impressive against the top league, once he was competing against his own age group in the World U18 Championship, he was 3rd in scoring for defensemen, and 6th in defensemen scoring in the WJC U20s – an impressive feat for the 18 year old. He will need to work on his speed and skating, as faster BFHL players can easily take advantage of his skating. His BFHL potential is that of a top 4 two-way blueliner.
Mike Winther (54th overall, 7.0D) is a top talent forward playing in the league’s basement. He is an excellent two way player with solid hockey sense. He has all the tools to be a strong player at the next level offensively and defensively. He has been compared to both Todd Marchant and Mike Modano. Scouts have noted that he could develop into a true power forward with a growth spurt.
Scott Kosmachuk (65th overall, 6.5C) is a gritty winger that plays with heart and intensity. He has a strong rifle shot and top-notch skating. He will need to work on his consistency and is likely going to be a second line winger in the future.
Troy Bourke (67th overall) has very misleading stats. Although noted as only 150-160 lbs in most reports, he is actually 180 lbs as of this point. Second, his stats show he has regressed, but that has been due to the significant lack of talent around him in his team. When playing with decent talent, he excelled at the WJC U18’s, tied for fourth in Team Canada scoring. He has been compared to both Tyler Ennis and Zach Parise, and should develop into a top 6 forward.
Charles Hudon (74th overall, 7.5D) is another player from Team Canada’s U18 WJC, although he had limited ice time. At the Ivan Hlinka Tournament last year, he produced 9 points in 5 games. Like most other players that the Bombers acquire, he has an excellent hockey sense. However, he will need to work on his foot speed, skating, and defensive game. He has been compared to Derek Roy and could potentially be a 2nd line scoring winger.
Gemel Smith (87th overall, 6.0C) follows his teammate Daniel Catenacci’s footsteps; first, by being drafted by the Bombers, and second, by winning a fastest skating award. Gemel Smith was on the Bomber’s radar as early as December 2011, as he was as strong as Catenacci (despite being younger) and even lead the team in scoring at various points of the season. He has been compared to Scott Gomez, Nathan Gerbe and Brian Gionta. He will most likely be a speedy second/third-line center with the upside to be a shifty top-line forward.
With the Bomber’s next pick, the team selected center/winger Nikolay Prokhorkin (94th overall, 7.0D). Prokhorkin is another potential top-six forward with skill, grit and good hockey sense. Unlike the typical Russian, he is a big-bodied forward with only average skating. His rating was negatively impacted this year due to injuries, but various scouts notes that he has the talent to warrant a Top 50 pick. Other scouts do note his skating may keep him as only a bottom 6 forward.
The final pick of the draft was Tomas Hyka (100th overall, 7.0D). Draft eligible in 2011, he was passed up, but was invited to training camp with the Flyers. The Flyers intended to sign Hyka, but realized that the CBA prohibited the signing. Hyka is a skilled speedster with dynamic offensive talent, but has had injury issues. He is another large risk/reward player with a high upside depth scorer.