Real Prospect Gossip: Don't Sleep on Brady Stonehouse

Passed over in the NHL draft last year, the 67's sparkplug is a hot commodity now. Plus notes on Nick Lardis, Matthew Wood and more.

Many a joke has been made about a team trading a seventh-round pick in a deal, and while it is true that the odds of a player making the NHL aren't great on the back end, we've seen countless examples of gems - and even Hall of Famers - selected late in the draft. 

What you don't hear about as often are the players that teams did not take in the seventh round - and sometimes those players end up getting picked up the next year with a much higher selection.

One player in that situation is Ottawa 67's right winger Brady Stonehouse. He had draft interest last year, but at least one team to my knowledge went in a different direction in the seventh round, leaving Stonehouse unclaimed. This year, Stonehouse is getting a lot more attention and is looking like a top-100 pick at worst.

Last year's 67's struggled in the OHL, and Stonehouse's numbers reflected that (35 points in 68 games). But the right winger is more than just points; he's an agitator par excellence - by all accounts a super-nice kid in real life who just drives opponents nuts as soon as he hits the ice. Not only does the 5-foot-9, 183-pound Stonehouse have the same build as NHL superstar pest Brad Marchand, he actually has a couple of pounds on the Bruins mainstay. And this year, Stonehouse has exhibited an excellent goal-scoring touch that has resulted in 31 goals in his first 60 games with Ottawa. The team is one of the best in the OHL and is slated for a long playoff run. No doubt NHL teams will be watching - and then fighting for his draft rights this summer.

Sticking with the OHL for a second, one player making noise in his first year of draft eligibility is right winger Nick Lardis of the Hamilton Bulldogs. 

After winning the OHL championship last year, the Bulldogs have gone into re-tool mode and acquired Lardis mid-season in a deal that sent veterans Avery Hayes and Gavin White to Peterborough. Since joining the Bulldogs, Lardis has been on fire with 21 goals and 39 points in just 26 games.

"He was reborn in his move to Hamilton," said one NHL scout. "It's been night and day. He's playing with confidence, showing his offense and he has a bigger role. He has embraced his opportunities, using his speed and given himself a chance to climb up the rankings."

Funny enough, the Bulldogs are super-hot right now and are actually tied in the standings with Peterborough.

Heading out to the NCAA, we're starting to get a sense of what the field for the Frozen Four will look like, and most bids for the round of 16 are sewn up already. But there is drama in Hockey East, where only Boston University is guaranteed a slot in the national tournament right now. If anyone else wants a bid, they'll need to win the conference tourney, which is going on right now. If UConn can make a run, it means more games for scouts to watch big right winger Matthew Wood, the 2023 draft prospect who has taken over the Huskies' scoring lead thanks to 12 points in his past 10 games (he has 33 in 34 games overall).

Regardless of how (and when) UConn's season ends, I expect Wood to join Team Canada for the world under-18s in Switzerland, which would be a great stage for him.

Finally, one of my favorite events of the year is on now. The Minnesota State High School tournament is filled with packed crowds, wild enthusiasm and yes, great hair. But there are always some intriguing prospects mixed in. This year's field (and apologies if anyone has been eliminated by the time you read this) includes big two-way center Jake Fisher of Cretin-Derham Hall, playmaking wunderkind Jayson Shaugabay of Warroad and the dynamic duo of Cooper Conway and Gavyn Thoreson of defending champs Andover, among others. Fisher is a hot NCAA commodity after re-opening his commitment (he had been affiliated with Northern Michigan), while Shaugabay is famous for breaking his school's all-time points record this season. The previous title holder was T.J. Oshie.