Undrafted Players to Look for in the Super Series

Super Series Rosters came out last week. Scrolling through them it’s hard not to notice all the elite level talent each team has. They are loaded with first round picks, with emerging late round talent and some of the best upcoming players for the draft. However there are a few players who don’t fit into those categories, having never been drafted, and on no one’s radar as a top prospect. The Super Series is going to give these players a chance to make a name for themselves as the hockey world watches.

The players I'm taking about are Tyson Baillie of the Kelowna Rockets, Hunter Garlent of the Peterborough Petes and that Anthony Deluca of the Rimouski Oceanic.

All three players have been passed over in the draft at least once, with Garlent and Deluca being passed over twice. The reason they were passed over? Size, Garlent and Deluca are both 5’9 while Baillie is 5’10.

I've covered Baillie in the past as he was one of players I targeted for “my system” of undrafted talent. I was quite surprised to see him go undrafted after he put up almost a point per game last season with the Rockets (55 points in 56 games). It’s not like this is first time showing offensive flashes either. In the 2012-13 season he had 56 points in 67 games.

His scoring ways have continued this season, as he ranks 10^th in WHL scoring with 17 points in 12 games to start the year. If he can continue his strong start coupled with a good performance in the Super Series games he could put himself into a position to be drafted next summer.      

Garlent is a player who early on in his career looked to be on the fast track to becoming an elite prospect. In AAA he was the best player in the South-Central Triple A Hockey League putting up 98 points in 57 games for the Welland Tigers. His 98 points were 18 more than the second place finisher Jacob Harris. That outstanding season led to Garlent being selected 10^th overall in the OHL priority selection by the Guelph Storm. He had a fantastic rookie season with the Storm putting up 42 points in 60 games. He finished second among under 17 players in points sandwiched between Max Domi and Nick Ritchie.

The following season, his draft season, is where Garlent’s prospect status falls off the rails. He suffered an ankle injury early in the season causing him to miss a month. After that he never seemed to get going finishing the season with 31 points in 50 games.

He got back on track last season playing very well for a very good Guelph team. He was a point per game player putting up 39 points in 37 games, before he was traded to Peterborough. Garlent found instant chemistry with the Petes’ Ritchie, forming a dynamic top line. Garlent’s 30 points in 25 games helped Peterborough down the stretch as the Petes made the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. Garlent was a big factor in the playoffs as well, helping lead the team in their upset of the Kingston Frontenacs.

This season he's back centering the Petes top line with Ritchie and Eric Cornel, forming what should be one of the best lines in the OHL. The Petes are off to a rocky start having just 2 wins on the season. Garlent’s had a slow start finding the net with just the one goal thus far. Although he does have six assists giving him a respectable seven points in nine games. Once the puck starts going in for Garlent I expect the Petes to start racking up the wins.  

Anthony DeLuca is no stranger to be undrafted. He was not drafted the first time he was eligible for the QMJHL draft as he made an NCAA commitment and was planning to go play in the USHL. I'm not sure what changed his mind but the following season he was drafted in the second round by Rimouski. Since he spent the extra season in AAA, his rookie QMJHL season was also his draft season. He didn’t blow anyone away in that season but he had a respectable 40 points in 67 games. That ranked 15^th among under 18 players in the Q.

The following season he exploded playing in the same number of games, his output essentially doubled from 40 to 78 points. He ranked just outside of the top 10 in QMJHL scoring finishing 11^th in the league. Had that season been his draft season you would not be reading this as he would have easily been drafted. He wouldn’t have been a first rounder due to his size but rather a third or fourth round guy.

This season DeLuca has been off to a blistering start with 26 points in 17 games to begin the season. That currently has him in a tie for third place in the Q. He's not likely to be drafted this season even with a big year, but he does make for an intriguing undrafted free agent who should receive an invite to an NHL rookie camp.