Kyle Woodlief

Special for USA TODAY Sports

As we move into the Canadian Hockey League playoffs, and high school/college playoffs kick into high gear across the U.S., we’re looking forward to the final push. A few of the top-end talents have begun their kick to the finish line.

We had some concerns mid-year that Casey Mittelstadt was getting complacent and perhaps developing some bad habits after moving back to his Eden Prairie (Minn.) High School team from the United States Hockey League. Wrong!

Mittelstadt instead has ramped up his game and may be looking to displace someone in the top 10. We love his hockey sense and the way he plays such an up-tempo game at all times. The Minnesota state tournament, followed by a late-season return to the USHL, could set the stage for his ascension.

Secondly, off his performance at the Five Nations U-18 tourney last month, we’re anxious to see if Erik Brännström can elevate himself another level to Cale Makar-type status as an elite offensive defenseman whose skating and puck skills dispel any fears about his size on the back end.

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Before you mentally dismiss that notion, remember that Brännström is nearly a full year younger (still six months from his 18th birthday) than Makar, and playing at a higher competition level.

And finally, as we’ve mentioned elsewhere in this issue, we absolutely cannot understand why NHL clubs aren’t falling all over themselves to grab Jason Robertson. In a draft year as bad as this one, his combination of size, hands, and skill sticks out.

Robertson is literally the only player on that Kingston club with any shred of offensive talent. The team is so offensively challenged that it ranks last in the Ontario Hockey League in goals scored; the next worst club has 20 goals more than the Frontenacs. Robertson is keyed on every night by opposing coaches and checkers, yet his point totals (42 goals-39 assists-81 points, including a league-leading 11 game-winning goals) are behind only Nick Suzuki among first-year draft eligibles in the OHL. Yet it seems as though he could drop out of the first round entirely come draft day.

Color Red Line Report baffled.

Here is Red Line’s identification list of the top draft-eligible prospects for the NHL’s 2017 Entry Draft in Chicago on June 23-24.

Rising:

Erik Brännström (HV 71) — Every NHL club has gone gaga over Cale Makar this season. Our question: this kid is the exact same size, and just as dynamic, so why no love for him?

Filip Chytil (Zlin) — Big center was flying at last month’s U-18 tournament. First time we’ve seen him fully healthy and the size/speed/skill ratio was an eye opener.

Logan Cockerill (U.S. NTDP U-18) — Speed, speed, and more speed. His tremendous skating, vision, and creativity easily make up for his smallish stature.

Mario Ferraro (Des Moines)— Took this smooth, offensive blueliner a while to settle in to a new level of competition, but he has been dynamite since Christmas.

Nick Henry (Regina) — Deserves loads of credit for Regina’s success; does a ton of heavy lifting in traffic for their top line away from the puck. He’s a positive asset in every facet of the game.

Falling:

Timothy Liljegren (Rögle) — Still a world-class, phenomenal skater, but too often has played like a world-class bonehead this year.

Nikita Popugaev (Prince George) — Was insulated properly in Moose Jaw, but has been struggling mightily in Prince George playing in less defined system. First-round talent doesn’t always bring his “A” game every night.

(At the end of the regular season in the three major junior leagues in Canada, Red Line compiles an annual end-of-season list of what we feel are some the most underrated and overrated draft-eligible players in each league. Here we feature a few of the names from our lists out of the three CHL leagues.)

Québec Major Junior Hockey League

UNDERRATED:

Maxime Fortier/RW — Halifax. Can you be underrated if you’re not even rated? Fortier was the highest ranked player on Red Line’s list last year to be completely overlooked in the 2016 NHL Draft, and he’s once again drawing no buzz in the scouting community despite being one of the deadliest forces in the Q League this year.

Pavel Koltygin/LW — Drummondville. The Russian import was in a tough situation with a bad team that couldn’t support him. Could really have used a talented center to help him at the offensive end, but nonetheless did well pretty much on his own. Has a wicked shot and makes some imaginative passes (that often go to waste). Continues to play hard despite the team being non-competitive most nights.

Ontario Hockey League

UNDERRATED:

Michael DiPietro/G — Windsor. Without question the most underrated player in the draft at any position, and in any league. Likely will not be taken in the first two rounds strictly due to his size (“only” 6-feet), despite being one of the 20 best players in this class. We long ago tired of having this argument with NHL teams/scouts. Whoever has the guts to take him will be getting a steal.

Jason Robertson/LW — Kingston. The kid scored 42 goals in Kingston with nobody around to help him. et he wasn't good enough to be one of the 24 forwards invited to the CHL Top Prospects Game? Are you joking? How did they screw up the vote on that one? We hear complaints about his skating, but he always gets where he needs to be. We're not even sure he'll get drafted in the first round, but he’s in Red Line's top 10.

OVERRATED:

Matthew Strome/LW — Hamilton. We know, we know … because of the size, the scoring totals, and the bloodlines, we’re supposed to love him. But it’s really hard to get past the heavy boots. His older brothers, Ryan and Dylan, were both top-six overall selections due to their offensive skills, and at the time of their drafts, everyone assumed they would add leg strength and improve their clunky strides. But that hasn’t really happened with either of them. Now there’s Matthew, who has the ugliest stride of all and isn’t quite as skilled. He’ll go in the top 20, but we’d be very leery.

Adam Ruzicka/RW — Sarnia. Our complaint here is that this kid has a body like Adonis, but a brain like Elmer Fudd. We don’t see any hockey sense, and he doesn’t seem to take his craft seriously. We get no sense of commitment to the game, or to improving. He floats, lacks intensity, and doesn’t use his physical advantage to hit or win battles.

Western Hockey League

UNDERRATED:

Morgan Geekie/RC – Tri-City. Second-year eligible is Red Line’s best sleeper pick this season, showing the confidence and grit he lacked last season. Finished the regular season with 35 goals and 55 assists after just 25 points last year. Shows tremendous strength in the faceoff circle and is also a smart defensive center. Keys Tri-City’s potent power play and is an effective two-way player. Has shown tremendous growth in every aspect of his game from a year ago. Skates to open ice and gets himself in position to unleash his wicked shot. Plays a full 60-minute game.

Josh Brook/RD — Moose Jaw. He’s just so projectable as a pro. His fluid skating with light edging allows him to play effectively in all three zones. As his head continues to catch up to his feet, we feel he has all the tools to become a top two-way, elite skating defender. Even if his full upside doesn’t materialize, we still see a serviceable No. 4-5 defender for the next 10 years.

OVERRATED:

Lane Zablocki/RC — Regina. We wouldn’t mind taking a flyer on Zablocki in the later rounds, but he is going to go way too high for our liking. Highly inconsistent; some nights he looks like an absolute sniper in the making, but others you can’t get a positive note. We’ve seen him score eight goals this season, all off the same generic backdoor, weak side tap-in. Often resorts to letting linemates do all the heavy lifting in the corners, stagnating out front waiting for a pass. Quick release with decent speed for his size, but we just can’t get over all the red flags.