Position: Center
Age: 18
Date of Birth: March 15, 1993
Place of Birth: Kitchener, Ontario
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 175
Shoots: Right
Mark Sheifele finished his first season in the OHL this year with the Barrie Colts, and though his +/- looks awful it’s important to note that this Colts team was pretty horrible (34 points in 68 games). Scheifele was a bright spot on this team, finishing fourth in OHL rookie scoring and second on the Colts with 75 points. He led all OHL rookies in assists with 53. Central Scouting has him ranked as the 16th North American skater heading into the draft. Scheifele played defense up through the minors all the way to minor bantam, and that defensive mentality shows as he’s a great two-way center. He sees the ice well, is responsible on defense, and is willing to work through contact to get the to net on offense.
2010/2011 Regular Season Stats:
| GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM |
| 66 | 22 | 53 |
75 |
-22 | 35 |
Scouting Report (NHL.com):
“Mark protects the puck very well and will take it to the net while fighting through checks. He’s got a great work ethic. His Barrie Colts have struggled this season and he has been relied upon to provide offense. He sees the ice very well and his playmaking ability is very good. He gets back quickly and works hard defensively.”
Why he’d be a good fit in Columbus:
Scheifele has the height that, should he grow into that frame, he could be a great addition to the second or third lines. His defensive responsibility would allow him to step in on the third line, play great defense, and add some scoring to that line. One thing the Jackets have lacked over the years is a main defense forward line that can generate scoring consistently, and Scheifele would bring that addition to the fold. He has the size (and potential to fill out) to allow him to match up against top line centers, and has the vision and ability to handle contact to allow him to counter those lines and generate offense. The main issue is that it will probably take him at least two and probably three years to develop into his body, and this past year was his first year in the CHL. Any prospects for Scheifele would be after at least one more year in Barrie, and at least one or probably two years in the AHL, before he could be counted on in Columbus.Mark Scheifele Draft Preview: