HabsWorld.net --
The Habs enter Saturday’s second day of the draft with a total of seven selections. As is tradition, we will provide a rundown of their selections with scouting reports on their newest prospects as picks are made.
Scouting reports are posted as they appeared in their write-ups; typos were not corrected.
57th – RD Timofei Runtso, Victoria (WHL)
Montreal traded up again, this time flipping the 125th pick to move up from 61st to 57th. They used that selection to bring in an area of some need in terms of organizational depth with Runtso. There had been some speculation that he could be an option for them at 28th overall given how high they were on him so it’s not a shocker they moved up to get him. He is college-bound next season at the University of Miami-Ohio. This was his second year of eligibility.
Bio
Defenceman
Shoots: Right
DOB: July 6, 2007 – Marina Del Rey, California
Height: 6’3
Weight: 194 lbs
Scouting Reports
McKeen’s: Runtso is an incredibly peculiar prospect, because his game shows sporadic flashes of supreme skill and huge upside, intertwined with repeating moments that make you want to pull your hair out. He’s tall and lanky, but for a defenceman with his stature his best attribute is actually the ability to create offence. He uses his long limbs to carry the puck out and away from his body, sometimes with a sweeping deke around an opponent first, and he shows initiative when it comes to driving to the net. Both his shots and his passes are good enough to find paydirt when he has the puck in dangerous ice. Where he runs into trouble is in his own end. He’s frustratingly soft in his defending, and he sometimes looks like a baby giraffe with his gangly skating. Improvements in both of these areas will be a must if he ever hopes to play in the NHL. Whichever team drafts Runtso will need to have a ton of faith in their development staff, but the rewards are high if they can pull it off.
Daily Faceoff: He played around 15-17 minutes a night early on in the season but ended up playing north of 20 routinely. Runtso recently had a strong showing at the WHL Prospects Game, which definitely helped his stock. The Royals defender has actually been one of the bigger risers in recent months, to the point where a second-round selection is looking much more likely. Runtso’s offensive game continues to improve, and I think it’s because he’s shown a greater willingness to be aggressive on the attack. He’s fearless, and you notice him (positively) nearly every time he hits the ice.
Corey Pronman, The Athletic: He played around 15-17 minutes a night early on in the season but ended up playing north of 20 routinely. Runtso recently had a strong showing at the WHL Prospects Game, which definitely helped his stock. The Royals defender has actually been one of the bigger risers in recent months, to the point where a second-round selection is looking much more likely. Runtso’s offensive game continues to improve, and I think it’s because he’s shown a greater willingness to be aggressive on the attack. He’s fearless, and you notice him (positively) nearly every time he hits the ice.
Hockey Prospect: He can be characterized as a skilled offensive defenseman who has a lot of raw qualities to his game. Runtso is great at putting pressure on opponents from the blueline in the offensive zone but in his own zone he can struggle under pressure and can have trouble connecting on passes coming out of his own end. He’s at his best when operating from the point with the man advantage, here his plus level skill really jumps out. A fluid skater, Runtso walks the blueline well and can push the pace offensively by creating lanes for himself. He distributes the puck well from the point and was a big asset for his team on the power play. He also likes to shoot from the point and has good power on his heavy wrist shot.
Upside Hockey: His agility and edgework are well above-average, giving him quick pivots, tight turns, maneuverability in traffic, and seamless transitions. His game is a little chaotic and experimental right now, with an extra-high activity rate in his attempts to create offense, but he has come a long way in developing his two-way play and is leveraging his size better to win battles. Runtso isn’t really mean, and doesn’t always finish 100% of his checks, but he can handle the rough stuff, and can play a physical game. He has become quite proficient in closing out the rush, gapping up early, and wielding a smart, well-timed stick, with keen angling to push attackers away from the middle.
Scott Wheeler, The Athletic: A Belarusian-American, Runtso has a pro look to him, with an athletic build and a direct disposition on and off the puck. He makes a good first pass but will also drop a shoulder and drive past the first layer of pressure in the offensive zone into puck protection or a hard wrister from the high slot. He plays with a certainty to his game and decision-making. His feet aren’t quick, but his stride is strong, and he’s sturdy over his feet. He has some pop off his blade and keeps his shots on target. He’s not super physical, but he plays firm defensively. There are some pro attributes and habits there.
Elite Prospects: Runtso’s transition to junior hockey was almost seamless. He racked up 44 points across 68 games and averaged 24:53 time on ice, including a whopping 3:20 of powerplay and 2:06 of penalty kill minutes, according to InStat Hockey. He was a driver, constantly involved in all facets of the game, especially with how he impacted transition. Though not the most mechanically refined skater, Runtso’s knack for knocking down passes on odd- man rushes, timing disruptions across passing lanes, and quiet feet were definitive strengths throughout his game. His quick adjustment to the WHL and overall development trajectory are among the best in the draft; he possesses size, play-driving, and puck-moving ability, all traits of an NHL defender one day, potentially as a No. 4.
Statistics
Rankings
McKeen’s: 73
Elite Prospects: 47
Daily Faceoff: 57
Central Scouting: 48 (NA Skaters)
HPR: 53
Hockey Prospect: 79
93rd – RD Cooper Cleaves, Dartmouth (NCAA)
Montreal’s second pick of the day brings them their second right-shot defender. It’s also their second selection of a player who wasn’t drafted in his first year of eligibility; this is actually Cleaves’ third and final year.
Bio
Defenceman
Shoots: Right
DOB: January 5, 2006 – Riverside, Connecticut
Height: 6’3
Weight: 203 lbs
Scouting Reports
Elite Prospects: Cleaves’ activity level is his No. 1 skill. He defends the rush with a combination of surfs across into poke checks and well-timed heavy hits. He’s constantly moving defensively, winning races for retrievals before bumping them back to an open teammate. Even offensively, he’s active, joining plays, looking across the slot for passing options, and showcasing a heavy shot. Despite Cleaves’ age, he’s a relatively raw player. That’s exciting for his long-term projection, though there’s a lot of work to do. He tends to overcommit and get beat wide, he loses too much speed through his pivots, and his handling breaks down at times, leading to difficulties on the breakout.
Daily Faceoff: Big defenseman, works his tail off. Tries to kill everyone he sees. Skating needs work but he’ll have time to work on that at Dartmouth.
McKeen’s: Cleaves has a very intriguing skill set as a potential shut down defender. His strong mobility allows him to play aggressively; it was routine to see him breaking up plays in the neutral zone or denying entries. It also makes him tough to beat one on one in transition because he also happens to have great length. As he continues to mature, the physical side of things should become even stronger, making him someone who could eventually take on key defensive assignments at higher levels. Offensively, there were flashes this year at Dartmouth, and he can, at the very least, execute a clean breakout and make sound decisions with the puck. Cleaves may just be a real diamond in the rough heading into this year’s draft.
Statistics
Rankings
The Hockey News (Kennedy): 98
McKeen’s: 134
Central Scouting: 166 (NA Skaters)
