The 2022-23 Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League were a team I watched play a lot last season. Although the on-ice product wasn’t always pretty last season for the Frontenacs, this trio of 2023 NHL Entry-Draft eligibles certainly kept me engaged. With this year’s draft being so strong, I’m expecting some quality talent to get selected a little later than where they should’ve been, making some players great value options.
In my eyes, the Kingston Frontenacs have three of those players. After watching numerous games this season, I couldn’t help but speculate more and more on where the following players would land. Each ranking I’ve seen has had them in fairly different categories, but I’m higher on this trio than most. Especially the upside in a player like Matthew Soto, who is one of my favorite prospects in the draft. Below is a quick analysis of each prospect, with height and weight measurements courtesy of Eliteprospects.com.
1. Quinton Burns / Defenseman / Height: 6’1″ Weight: 179 Ibs
Starting us off first from the group is a left-handed defenseman, Quinton Burns. Quinton is a versatile player that’s really jumped up my rankings to end the season, even more so after his performance at the U-18 World Championships last May for Team Canada. Although it wasn’t a perfect tournament for the Smith Falls, Ontario native, Burns did a lot of the little things well that I think will translate to the next level. Quinton’s strength has always been a noticeable quality of his game, but as the season went along, he started to develop more and more attributes. One thing I liked was his stick usage and how Quinton was able to disrupt opposing attacks on the rush. For a defenseman with size, he moves quite well and surely could end up being a very nice selection in the middle rounds of the draft.
2. Ethan Miedema / Forward / Height: 6’3″ Weight: 181 Ibs
Kingston forward Ethan Miedema is another player from the Frontenacs that really intrigues me. As the season went along and I spoke to scouts, one of the most common names I heard praise for was Ethan Miedema. For a player of his size, the 6’3” left-winger is quite fast and surely doesn’t lack strength. After being traded from the Windsor Spitfires to the Kingston Frontenacs as part of the Shane Wright trade, Miedema went on to finish a good 2022-23 season which saw him score fifty-two points in sixty-eight games. Although there is room for improvement, Miedema has the tools to excel at the next level. An attribute I really like about Ethan Miedema is his shot which blends beautifully with his strength. I currently have the Cobourg, Ontario native ranked 94th on my “Top 100 Rankings” for Inside The Rink.
3. Matthew Soto / Forward / Height: 5’11” Weight: 168 Ibs
The final player of the three is arguably my favourite of the trio, right-winger Matthew Soto. For a player who plays with so much speed and creativity, Soto also has extremely strong puck-handling ability. The former Oakville Ranger is entertaining to watch. Although he could improve upon a few things to round out his overall game, Soto’s unique abilities in the offensive zone make him so dangerous. After scoring forty-two points in fifty-four games last season with Kingston, Matthew Soto’s draft ranking has quite the range. The Oakville, Ontario native just nearly missed my “Top 100 Rankings” but could easily be one of the best value picks in the draft. Matthew Soto has a ton of upside, making him a name I’m certainly keeping an eye out for in the middle rounds.
With the Kingston Frontenacs not being as competitive this season and missing the playoffs, these kinds of prospects can slip under the radar. Whether your team selects a Quinton Burns or Ethan Miedema, the floor is quite high, making them potential solid picks, and if your team takes the high upside on Matthew Soto, you should also be very excited. Each of these three players play very different games which made them such a fun group to watch this season. After drafting Taylor Hopkins fourth overall last April in the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection, the Kingston Frontenacs are shaping up nicely for the 2023-24 season.
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