Clocking in at a ridiculous $99 price (far more than any other guide, even for those who pre-ordered and received a 40% discount), what has ISS added to its previous guide to justify the huge increase? A slight expansion of their scouting reports (instead of just a consensus description, they include a few lines from specific scouts), expanded their organisational analysis in a very cheap way–simply added a draft list to their meaningless grade and “best picks” in recent history; and that is that. Are the additions enough for the price? Not even close. Other lists do the same (or more) for less. There is no reason to pay for the guide.
Putting price aside, here’s a look at their top-30 rankings and my thoughts about the publication (for the last two year’s go here and here). In terms of accuracy here are their last three years (compared to Future Considerations, Red Line Report, and Hockey Prospects, all of whom also predict the entire draft): 2013 65% (last), 2012 70% (last), and 2011 60% (2nd). Last year I considered their guide the second worst deal next to McKeen’s.
1 REINHART, Sam C 11/6/1995 R 6.00.75* 185 Kootenay WHL
2 EKBLAD, Aaron RD 2/7/1996 R 6.03.5* 216 Barrie OHL
3 DAL COLLE, Michael C 6/20/1996 L 6.01.5* 182 Oshawa OHL
4 BENNETT, Sam C 6/20/1996 L 6.00.25* 178 Kingston OHL
5 NYLANDER, William RW 5/1/1996 R 5.11 176 Modo SweE
6 DRAISAITL, Leon C 10/27/1995 L 6.01.5* 204 Prince Albert WHL
7 VIRTANEN, Jake RW 8/17/1996 R 6.00.75* 208 Calgary WHL
8 FABBRI, Robby C 1/22/1996 L 5.10.25* 170 Guelph OHL
9 PERLINI, Brendan LW 4/27/1996 L 6.02.75* 205 Niagara OHL
10 RITCHIE, Nicholas LW 12/5/1995 L 6.02.25* 226 Peterborough OHL
11 EHLERS, Nikolaj LW 2/14/1996 L 5.11* 162 Halifax QMJHL
12 FLEURY, Haydn LD 7/8/1996 L 6.02.5* 203 Red Deer WHL
13 KAPANEN, Kasperi RW 7/23/1996 R 6.00 181 Kuopio FinE
14 TUCH, Alex RW 5/10/1996 R 6.03.5* 213 USA Under-18 NTDP
15 LARKIN, Dylan C 7/30/1996 L 6.00.75* 190 USA Under-18 NTDP
16 MILANO, Sonny LW 5/12/1996 L 5.11.5* 183 USA Under-18 NTDP
17 MCCANN, Jared C 5/31/1996 L 6.00.25* 179 S.S. Marie OHL
18 HO-SANG, Joshua RW 1/22/1996 R 5.11* 175 Windsor OHL
19 BARBASHEV, Ivan C 12/14/1995 L 6.00* 180 Moncton QMJHL
20 FIALA, Kevin LW 7/22/1996 L 5.10 180 HV71 SweJE
21 VRANA, Jakub RW 2/28/1996 L 6.00 187 Linkoping SweE
22 KEMPE, Adrian LW 9/13/1996 L 6.01.5 187 Modo SweE
23 MCKEOWN, Roland RD 1/20/1996 R 6.00.75* 195 Kingston OHL
24 SCHMALTZ, Nick RW 2/23/1996 R 5.11.5* 172 Green Bay USHL
25 MACINNIS, Ryan C 2/14/1996 L 6.03.25* 183 Kitchener OHL
26 BLEACKLEY, Conner C 2/7/1996 R 6.00.25* 192 Red Deer WHL
27 SCHERBAK, Nikita RW 12/30/1995 L 6.01* 175 Saskatoon WHL
28 GOLDOBIN, Nikolay RW 10/7/1995 L 5.11.75* 178 Sarnia OHL
29 KAMENEV, Vladislav C 8/12/1996 L 6.02 185 Magnitogorsk Rus Jr
30 SANHEIM, Travis LD 3/29/1996 L 6.03* 181 Calgary WHL
ISS’ mock draft doesn’t extend beyond the first round, so they have nothing to say about Ottawa (although, without any reasons given, they rate the Sens organisation as a B+). Unlike Future Considerations (which I discussed last week), there’s no effort to address the draft class as a whole (although many comments have been made about how weak it is, particularly after the top-ten). Speaking of FC, there are 58 players in ISS’ list of 220 (10 more than the former) that they list which don’t appear in FC–these difference begin late in the third round.
The guide includes profiles of 220 players, although they continue their irritating separation of goaltenders from skaters (something no other guide does, although it echoes Central Scouting’s practice). These profiles are expanded from previous seasons, but that small difference is simply not worth the cost.
This article is written by Peter Levi (@eyeonthesens)
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[…] no mission statement or declaration of criteria in it at all). For previous reviews go here, here and here. Inexplicably they still segregate goaltenders in their own list (despite this […]