Riley Sheahan: 2010 NHL Draft Profile and Scouting Report

Riley Sheahan, Notre Dame (CCHA)

Position: Center | Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight 200 lbs
FanHouse Ranking: No. 26 | Age: 18 | Hometown: St. Catharine's, Ontario

More: Top 35 Prospects | Full 2010 NHL Draft Coverage

Riley Sheahan 2009-10 Stats
	GP	Goals	Assists	Points
Regular Season	37	6	11	17

Sheahan was ranked quite high in the mid-term Central Scouting survey, and he fell a bit after a disappointing freshman season at Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish, expected to contend for the CCHA title, finished in the bottom half of the league standings, and were never a serious contender for the NCAA Tournament. Sheahan spent the season struggling to produce offense, netting only six goals in 37 games.

However, it wasn't a complete wash for one of college hockey's youngest players (he turned 18 in December). Sheahan got better as a two-way player, developing as a better guy without the puck. That will serve him well heading into the draft.

What hurts -- along with the unexpected lack of production -- is an April arrest for public intoxication. It's the kind of red flag that no young prospect needs, but in Sheahan's case, it could be really damaging. Combine that with the fact he didn't have good numbers as a college freshman, and you have plenty of reasons to avoid him like the plague when the draft begins.

Sheahan has good size, great hands, and really got better defensively under coach Jeff Jackson last year. He could easily slip into the top 20 of the draft because of his athletic potential, especially if teams see the April incident as simply a mistake made by a teenager.