Ben Meyers – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD (March 11th to 17th) – Post-NHL Trade Deadline Impact – Favourable schedules and players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 18:06:59 +0000

_{OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 14: Ottawa Senators Right Wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) after a whistle during second period National Hockey League action between the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators on October 14, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)}

The trade deadline is behind us and it certainly was eventful. Although we didn’t get a lot of trades in the leadup to the final week -- just four deals in all of February -- general managers made up for lost time with six trades on Wednesday, 10 on Thursday and 23 on the final day.

This isn’t a winners and losers column, but if it was, Vegas would naturally be at the top of the winners list. The rest of the league might be annoyed at the Golden Knights’ seemingly unending ability to make blockbusters, but as a fan of one of the other 31 franchises, I suspect a lot of that is just because we collectively wish that our general manager had a bit more of Kelly McCrimmon’s boldness and the ownership for the teams we rooted for were a bit more willing to green-light whatever it takes to win.

Vegas added forwards Anthony Mantha and Tomas Hertl as well as Noah Hanifin on Friday. Clearly, the Golden Knights are gearing up for a defence of their Stanley Cup championships -- despite some lacklustre play of late -- but these aren’t exclusively win-now moves. Hertl is signed through 2029-30 and with the Sharks retaining part of his contract, he comes at a reasonable $6.75 million annually for the Golden Knights over that span. Mantha and Hanifin are on expiring contracts, but it is possible Vegas will be able to retain Hanifin’s services long-term.

Carolina also had a pretty interesting trade season with the additions of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jake Guentzel. Kuznetsov, who has just six goals and 17 points through 43 games this season, is definitely a risk, but it will be interesting to see if a fresh start does him any good. If nothing else, the addition of Guentzel should bolster what was already a pretty solid offense.

Florida also upgraded its forward corps by adding Vladimir Tarasenko. After falling just short of the Cup last year, I’d at the very least say that the Panthers are the team to beat in the East. The only reason why I hesitate to call the Panthers the outright Cup favourites is that I love Vancouver and Colorado in the west.

The Avalanche in particular are looking strong after grabbing Casey Mittelstadt, albeit at the high price of Bowen Byram. Colorado’s offense is the best in the league at 3.70 goals per game, but the Avalanche have been extremely reliant on Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and defenseman Cale Makar to drive that scoring. If you were to have judged the Avalanche from their second line down, then you would have found a team that was wanting. Adding Mittelstadt does a lot to address that shortcoming, though Alexandar Georgiev’s less-than-stellar play is still a concern. The Avalanche might wish they had acquired a veteran backup come playoff time.

Of course, that’s all just scratching the surface of how the trade deadline has changed things. Let’s do a deeper dive while highlighting some of the best teams to utilize this coming week.

Anaheim Ducks - TUE @ CHI, THU @ MIN, FRI @ WPG (BTB), SUN @ STL

The Ducks don’t have much left to play for, but at least their upcoming schedule isn’t too bad. They’ll be on the road next week, playing in Chicago on Tuesday, Minnesota on Thursday, Winnipeg on Friday and St. Louis on Sunday. The Jets are the only of those adversaries in a playoff position.

Anaheim dealt away forwards Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick to Edmonton on Wednesday and acquired Ben Meyers from the Avalanche on Friday.

Meyers was in the minors before the trade, but he’s likely to remain with the Ducks for the remainder of the campaign. Don’t expect too much from him, though. He had six goals in 53 career contests over parts of three seasons with Colorado and is likely to serve primarily on the third line in Anaheim.

The loss of Henrique will be felt, though. He had 18 goals and 42 points in 60 contests with the Ducks this season, which was good for third in the team’s scoring race at the time of his trade. His departure might increase how much Mason McTavish is leaned on. We’ve also started to see a significant spike in Max Jones’ playing time recently -- logging over 15 minutes in each of his past three contests compared to his average of 11:43 over his first 44 outings -- and that’s likely to persist for the remainder of the season.

With the Ducks looking toward the future, Olen Zellweger is likely to stay in the NHL for the rest of the season. Although he has just two assists through his first eight contests with Anaheim, the 20-year-old defenseman has offensive upside and is getting power-play ice time, so he’d be an interesting pickup for the upcoming week given the competition.

Columbus Blue Jackets - TUE @ MTL, THU VS OTT, SAT VS SJS, SUN VS WPG (BTB)

Like Anaheim, Columbus doesn’t have any hope of making the playoffs, but next week’s schedule is still a favourable one for the Blue Jackets. They’ll play in Montreal on Tuesday before hosting the Senators on Thursday, the Sharks on Saturday and the Jets on Sunday. While Winnipeg is having a strong campaign, those other three teams are among the worst in the league.

Columbus was somewhat quiet at the deadline, but the Blue Jackets did part ways with Jack Roslovic and Andrew Peeke.

Their biggest move came earlier when they acquired Alexander Nylander from Pittsburgh on Feb. 22 in exchange for Emil Bemstrom. That wasn’t expected to be a noteworthy move, but Nylander has provided an incredible five goals and seven points in seven contests with the Blue Jackets. Nylander is likely to remain in a top-six role for the remainder of the season, so while he’s unlikely to maintain his point-per-game pace, the 26-year-old should continue to have fantasy relevance.

Roslovic was red hot too with four goals and 13 points in his last 12 games prior to the trade. He was serving primarily on the top line with Boone Jenner and Johnny Gaudreau, but now that he’s gone, Kirill Marchenko might be put in that role. Marchenko has 17 goals and 32 points in 60 contests this season, and the 23-year-old might see his offensive pace increase if he does lockdown that first-line assignment.

One player who didn’t move is goaltender Elvis Merzlikins. There was some suggestion back in January that he would welcome a trade because he was unhappy with his workload. Maybe that issue will get resolved over the summer, but Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov are likely to share the netminding duties fairly evenly for what’s left of the season.

Detroit Red Wings - TUE @ BUF, THU VS ARI, SAT VS BUF, SUN @ PIT (BTB)

Detroit will continue its fight for a wild-card berth next week. The Red Wings will start by playing in Buffalo on Tuesday before returning home to face the Coyotes on Thursday and the Sabres on Saturday. They’ll complete the week with a game in Pittsburgh on Sunday. None of those opponents are in a playoff position, so it’s important that the Red Wings take advantage by picking up at least six points.

The Red Wings were quiet at the deadline, though to be fair, they made their major move back in November when they signed Patrick Kane. The 35-year-old has gone on to provide 13 goals and 31 points through 31 games, so they have to be happy with that addition.

They’ll need to lean on Kane even more in the short term because Dylan Larkin suffered a lower-body injury Monday that’s expected to cost him at least one more week. While Larkin’s unavailable, Joe Veleno might see his workload increase and consequently should have more short-term value in fantasy leagues.

This could also be a good week for David Perron, who is on a roll with a goal and four points over his past four games. He’s up to 13 goals and 32 points in 56 contests in 2023-24. Defenseman Olli Maatta has looked good recently too, supplying two goals and four points across his last four outings. Maatta typically isn’t a significant offensive contributor, though, so he would be at best a short-term pickup option.

Los Angeles Kings - MON VS NYI, WED @ STL, FRI @ CHI, SAT @ DAL (BTB)

The Kings hold a playoff position, but their postseason berth is far from secure. They’ll need to play next week while hosting the Islanders on Monday and then playing on the road against St. Louis, Chicago and Dallas on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, respectively.

LA didn’t add anyone at the deadline, so if the Kings are going to get into the playoffs, it’ll have to be with basically the same group they’ve had for the entire year. However, injuries have made their task even harder. Viktor Arvidsson (lower body) has played just four games in 2023-24 while Mikey Anderson (upper body) and Adrian Kempe (upper body) also might not be available next week.

At least Kevin Fiala has been doing his part. The 27-year-old forward has a superb seven goals and 13 points over his last nine games. With his marker Thursday, Fiala reached the 20-goal milestone for the fifth consecutive campaign, but he’s also exceeded 25 tallies just once in his career (2021-22). In other words, don’t count on him providing goals at his recent rate for much longer, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he still ended up having a strong finish to the season offensively.

Drew Doughty has looked good lately too, providing three goals and 12 points over his last 11 outings. Six of those points came with the man advantage, which is noteworthy because LA’s power play has been middling this season with a 22.6 percent success rate. However, the Kings have converted on 32.0 percent of their power plays over their past 11 games, and if they can keep that up, it will do wonders for Doughty’s fantasy value.

It wouldn’t mean much to Matt Roy -- he isn’t typically used with the man advantage -- but the 29-year-old blueliner has three even-strength assists across his past three games. That has brought Roy up to 20 points (three goals) through 61 contests -- this is his third straight campaign with at least 20 points.

Ottawa Senators - TUE VS PIT, THUS @ CBJ, SAT @ NYI, SUN VS CAR (BTB)

Ottawa has a relatively easy start to the week with a home contest against the Penguins and then a road match versus Columbus on Thursday. Things do pick up after that, though. The Senators will play on the road against the Islanders on Saturday in a contest that matters for the Islanders in their pursuit of a wild-card spot. Ottawa will conclude the week by hosting the Hurricanes on Sunday.

The Senators made just one trade in the leadup to the deadline, shipping Vladimir Tarasenko to Florida in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick and a 2025 third-round selection. That’s a minimal return for a top-six forward, but Tarasenko’s full no-trade clause tied the Senators’ hands.

Either way, Ottawa’s offense is looking a little thinner between the loss of Tarasenko and Josh Norris potentially missing the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. The top two lines going forward will be combinations of Brady Tkachuk, Shane Pinto, Drake Batherson, Mathieu Joseph, Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux. That will work fine, but the bottom six will be a collection of whatever Ottawa can cobble together.

For example, Boris Katchouk, who was claimed off waivers from Chicago on Friday, is likely to be a regular on the third unit going forward. The 25-year-old has five goals and nine points in 38 contests this season, so he’s not exactly expected to be a scoring threat in that role. Dominik Kubalik, who has averaged 12:30 of ice time this season while providing 10 goals and 14 points across 57 contests, might see his playing time increase too. Ridly Greig might round out that third unit despite recording just three goals and four points over his past 21 appearances.

For what it’s worth, Ottawa also has the option of calling up Angus Crookshank, who has 22 goals and 43 points in 47 contests with AHL Belleville this season. He was limited to a goal and an assist during a seven-game stint with Ottawa earlier in the campaign, but the 24-year-old averaged just 8:50 of ice time. He’d almost certainly get a bigger role if Ottawa promoted him now, so keep an eye out for that.

Pittsburgh Penguins - TUE @ OTT, THU VS SJS, SAT VS NYR, SUN VS DET (BTB)

Although the Penguins’ playoff hopes are all but gone, they still have an opportunity to at least make their final weeks of the campaign interesting. Pittsburgh will play in Ottawa on Tuesday before heading home to host the Sharks on Thursday, the Rangers on Saturday and the Red Wings on Sunday.

As already noted, the Penguins traded star forward Jake Guentzel on Thursday. Pittsburgh also shipped away defenseman Chad Ruhwedel, though the club did add Michael Bunting.

Bunting is an interesting option the rest of the way. He had 13 goals and 36 points in 60 games with Carolina before the trade, which is nothing special, but with Guentzel gone, Bunting might play alongside Sidney Crosby going forward. That’s an ideal assignment that should boost Bunting’s fantasy value.

John Ludvig is the other Pittsburgh player who was significantly impacted by the trade deadline. With Ruhwedel gone, there’s an opportunity for Ludvig, who was last in the lineup on Feb. 18, to play regularly for the remainder of the season. Ludvig isn’t much of an offensive threat with just a goal and an assist through 23 games, but he’s a physical force. The 23-year-old has 23 PIM and 51 hits in 2023-24, so he might have some value to certain fantasy managers now that he’s projected to remain in the lineup.

Beyond that, I’m really interested to see how Crosby performs for the remainder of the campaign. He’s been fantastic with 32 goals and 63 points in 61 outings but has supplied only one helper across his past five appearances. It’s probably just a slump that will end soon, but this is also a new position for the 36-year-old. Crosby is used to playing on a contender. Even last year when the Penguins failed to make the playoffs, they missed by just one point.

Personally, I expect Crosby to bounce back shortly and have a solid finish to the season, but we’ll have to wait and see if being out of contention impacts his motivation more than I suspect.

San Jose Sharks - TUE @ PHI, THUS @ PIT, SAT @ CBJ, SUN @ CHI (BTB)

The Sharks will play in Philadelphia on Tuesday, but that will be their only game next week against a team in a playoff position. After that, San Jose will continue its road trip with stops in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Columbus on Saturday and Chicago on Sunday.

San Jose traded away forwards Anthony Duclair and Tomas Hertl, defenseman Nikita Okhotyuk and goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen at the deadline. The Sharks did get Vitek Vanecek from New Jersey, but the goaltender might be done for the season due to a lower-body injury. Keep in mind, the Sharks were 15-40-7 even before those trades, so to say the squad is in a sad state now would be an understatement.

With Vanecek unavailable, Mackenzie Blackwood will likely be leaned on heavily for what’s left of the season…or at least he will be once he’s recovered from a groin injury. In the meantime, San Jose’s goaltending duo are Magnus Chrona and Devin Cooley. When Blackwood is healthy, Cooley might be sent to the minors. Regardless, none of them are good options in fantasy circles given the team in front of them.

Klim Kostin might have a little bit of value, though, to fantasy managers. The Sharks acquired him from the Red Wings on Friday. He was frequently a healthy scratch in Detroit and averaged just 8:43 when he did play, but in San Jose, Kostin might be a mainstay on the third line. That likely won’t lead to him getting much offense, but Kostin could be a good source of PIM and hits -- he has 38 and 60, respectively, through 33 appearances.

William Eklund might also be able to provide a bit of a silver lining. The 21-year-old hasn’t been as productive as hoped this campaign with 10 goals and 29 points through 60 contests, but he does have two goals and four points over his last four games, so perhaps he’ll end the season on a positive note. Certainly, the Sharks will give him plenty of opportunities at both even strength and on the power play.

Winnipeg Jets - MON VS WSH, WED VS NSH, FRI VS ANA, SUN @ CBJ

The Jets will start the week at home, hosting the Capitals on Monday, the Predators on Wednesday and the Ducks on Friday. They’ll conclude the week with a road game versus the lowly Blue Jackets on Sunday.

Winnipeg added Colin Miller and Tyler Toffoli in separate trades with New Jersey on Friday, which compliments the Jets’ addition of Sean Monahan on Feb. 2. The Jets have enjoyed an effective forward trio of Mark Scheifele (19 goals and 56 points in 56 contests), Kyle Connor (26 goals and 44 points in 46 outings) and Nikolaj Ehlers (19 goals and 44 points in 62 appearances), but the team’s scoring depth up front was lacking. With Monahan and Toffoli in the mix, Winnipeg can now roll two dangerous lines with ease.

This isn’t good news for everyone, though. Cole Perfetti has a respectable 14 goals and 31 points in 61 contests this season, but the 22-year-old has been cold for a while, providing just two assists over his last 21 games. With Winnipeg’s recent upgrades, Perfetti is projected to serve strictly in a bottom-six capacity without much, if any, power-play ice time. He might even be a healthy scratch in situations where everyone is healthy.

Vladislav Namestnikov has averaged 15:04 of ice time this season, but he might see work primarily on the third line going forward. He has been effective recently, though, with two goals and five points across his last five contests while seeing time with Connor and Scheifele, so perhaps the 31-year-old will be able to avoid that demotion in the short term.

Mason Appleton has done well lately too, collecting four assists over his last three contests, but the Jets’ additions will likely push him down in the depth charts too. Although he’s averaged 16:05 in 2023-24, he might play mostly in a bottom-six capacity going forward.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #29 – Colorado Avalanche

Derek Neuemeier — Fri, 12 May 2023 17:15:38 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 29^th

A Stanley Cup in the books, with an elite core at the beginning of their prime in MacKinnon, Makar and Rantanen, who all rate among the very best at their position. Their quest to repeat was derailed by injuries and a surprising Seattle team in the first round of the 2023 playoffs. They have graduated three first rounders from 2018 (Martin Kaut, 16th) and 2019 (Bowen Byram, 4^th and Alex Newhook, 16^th) and traded another in Justin Barron for Artturi Lehkonen, who was a useful piece of the Stanley Cup puzzle. They have done a good job of development, but the pipeline is not deep at this point. Surpising Nikolai Kovalenko had a tremendous year but remains in Russia. Jean Luc-Foudy has exceeded expectations nicely as a third-round pick and may be close to the NHL in the next two years.

The Avalanche still retain their first-round picks for the upcoming three seasons, but that is likely to change. Captain Gabriel Landeskog is slated to miss all of next season, along with some other glaring holes that remained unfulfilled by last season departing free agents, most notably Nazem Kadiri. The hope had been that Alex Newhook would be able to step into the second line role, but he struggled to carry that load. It is unlikely the Avalanche will risk that chance again and look for them to be active with the resources they have. By the time they picked in 2022, it was in the sixth round. They only have four picks for 2023, so you can count on a similar scenario.

Sean Behrens

Nikolai Kovalenko

The son of former NHLer Andrei Kovalenko, Nikolai took a massive leap forward this season in the KHL. Joining his third different team in three years, which could have gone poorly, turned out to be exactly what the doctor ordered, as his scoring totals exploded with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. He had the highest point-per-game total among all KHL players under the age of 25 and was the top scorer on his team. With his NHL bloodlines and being a two-time MHL champion, the foundation was always there for him to break out as a pro, but this much success was a surprise. He loves to have the puck on his stick and lead play driving, and repeatedly attacks the opposing net with pace and purpose. He should be ready for a role with Colorado whenever he decides that he wants to cross the pond.

2. Jean-Luc Foudy

Foudy has always had elite speed, and he is a fascinating case study for how far a prospect can go when they have that one defining trait in particular. It took him some time to really understand how to translate that dangerous tool into actual scoring results and not just wasted energy, but he seems to have figured it out now, producing at nearly a point-per-game clip this year. His hands and vision have notably caught up a lot with his feet, which not only help him do more actual damage when he creates separation space for himself, they also allow him to have more of an impact when the play has to slow down, especially on the powerplay. He'll be a full-time NHLer soon enough, and it's scary to think of how well he could mesh with the likes of Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.

3. Sean Behrens

If Behrens were a little bigger he would have gone a lot higher than 61^st overall in the 2021 draft. You'd be hard-pressed to find a single scout who has seen him who wouldn't make time for him and how he plays, but the question has always been around how likely it is that he can become an impact player in the NHL. Defensemen his age don't get much more smart or competitive, he never seems to back down from a challenge, and the brighter the spotlight, the better he plays (see: Denver's 2022 NCAA championship). He competes hard in all three zones and rarely makes any mistakes. The lack of size, the lack of high-end skating, and the lack of true offensive pop make him a little hard to project at the sport's highest level, however, underestimate him at your own peril.

4. Oskar Olausson

There's no denying that Olausson has talent, but the actual results of his play have been quite inconsistent since his draft year. Feed him the puck in the offensive zone and give him enough time and space and there's a good chance he'll make the other team pay, primarily through the hard, accurate release of his wrist shots and one-timers. Unfortunately, he runs into troubles creating scoring opportunities for himself or his teammates, and his-off puck play leaves a lot to be desired. Puck watching and low pace are two bad habits that have persisted for a while and still need to be corrected. In fairness, he has played in six different leagues spread across three different countries over the past three seasons, which surely made it harder to really get his game to the highest level that it could be at right now.

5. Justus Annunen

As much of a built-in advantage that large goalies can have when it comes to naturally taking up a lot of the net, the challenge is supplementing that size with enough corresponding quickness, athleticism, flexibility and reflexes. That's the challenge that Annunen has been trying to overcome ever since his draft year, and while progress has undeniably been made, there is still a lot of work left to do. He relies on a pretty straightforward blocking style of goaltending, keeping focused on what's happening in front of him, trying to stay square to shooters, and letting his butterfly do the work. However, if teams can get him moving around in the crease, they can open him up, and they figure that out quickly. Colorado is thin for prospect goaltending depth, so Annunen will keep getting starts in the AHL to see how much progress he can make.

6. Ben Meyers

The Avalanche signed Meyers straight out of college in 2022, he scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game, and while he wasn't actually eligible to play for Colorado during their Stanley Cup championship run it must have been both a surreal and valuable experience being around that team. Now in his first full year as a pro he is firmly a part of their attempt at a repeat. He is a sharp-minded forward who never takes a shift off and works hard for every inch of his ice. While he doesn't generate a lot of offense or really excel in a defensive role, a coach can send him over the boards with a lot of trust. The hope is that Meyers can elevate his game to the kind of high level it reached at the end of his time in the NCAA.

7. Sampo Ranta

Ranta now has 18 total NHL games under his belt between the regular season and the playoffs but is still searching for his first career point at that level. Colorado probably isn't too concerned about that, though, and will likely keep giving him looks because he has produced offense at lower levels and has a combination of attributes that should lead to further results. He has long, strong skating strides that can create separation moving north or south, he can use his frame and reach to fend off opponents and possesses some finishing touch. That, really, is his game in a nutshell, and he hasn't diversified it much or added layers to it, even going back as far as his draft year. He knows what he is and sticks to what he knows, which can be both a good and a bad thing at times.

8. Ryan Merkley

The enigmatic Merkley struggled to live up to his potential while he was a member of the Sharks organization, and requested a trade just four and a half years after San Jose used a 1st-round pick on him. The good news is that his wish was granted. The bad news is that he is struggling just as much as he did before, if not moreso. He was drafted in the 1^st round in 2018 because of his superb offensive vision, puck skill, playmaking and shot, despite red flags with his discipline and defending. To succeed he always needed his pros to shine enough to outweigh his cons, but ever since turning pro that hasn't happened. His skills aren't translating. The clock is ticking, and Merkley is running out of time to figure these problems out find a way to prove that he belongs in the NHL.

9. Alex Beaucage

Beaucage has been pretty quiet in his two years since turning pro, but there were times in the QMJHL where he was able to really elevate his game and sometimes even looked like one of the best players in the league, so the Avalanche are hoping that he will be able to figure out how to reach those kinds of levels again. He is a toolsy winger with size, though his goal-scoring really stands out as his biggest asset. His shot can be outright terrifying and unstoppable on occasion. The challenge for him now is fully understanding the difference between scoring goals at the two different levels, as he has less time and space to work with now and can't shrug off opposing defenders as easily as before. Utilizing his size better would also be a welcome change. Beaucage is a prospect worth being patient for.

10. Colby Ambrosio

Ambrosio led his USHL team in goals and points in his draft year as a 17-year-old and was a dynamic force, so it's a bit of a mystery as to why he hasn't been able to find a similar level of effectiveness yet after three years at Boston College. He's a quick player, but not necessarily a fast one, and that distinction is important. He can use his quickness to capitalize on small windows of opportunity created by lucky bounces or small mistakes, but he isn't really adept at creating opportunities at this level. And if he can't do it in the NCAA, how will he be able to do it in the NHL? As easy as it is to commend Ambrosio's high pace and work rate, those attributions can only do so much when a player has a natural size disadvantage.

MCKEENS 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – Risers and fallers over the 22-23 season

Brock Otten — Thu, 11 May 2023 23:14:11 +0000

The last time we ranked the NHL’s top prospects was late in the summer when we published our annual Yearbook. A lot can change in a year and as such there were several significant movers and shakers in our latest rankings for this prospect guide. Here are fifteen of the biggest risers and five of the largest fallers.

You can find our most recent ranking here.

Risers

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 27: Minnesota Gophers forward Jimmy Snuggerud (81) celebrates a goal during the college hockey game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Minnesota Gophers on January 27th, 2022, at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

Jimmy Snuggerud (94 to 19) - St. Louis Blues

When Snuggerud was the 23rd overall pick at last year’s draft, many were fans of his game, but there were certainly concerns that his success as part of the NTDP could be attributed to the stars he was playing with. However, early returns on this selection by St. Louis are fantastic as Snuggerud was one of the top performing freshmen in the NCAA this year with Minnesota and starred for Team USA at the WJC’s, where he helped them capture a bronze medal. Snuggerud continues to improve his skating and play with the puck, and it has improved his odds of being a long time top six player in the NHL.

Marco Kasper (79 to 24) - Detroit Red Wings

In our draft guide last year, we ranked Kasper 24th over concerns regarding his offensive upside, but the 8th overall pick has progressed nicely in his second SHL season, improving his offensive production, in addition to dominating physically at times. While there is a chance that Kasper ends up as more of a middle six type, he has deservedly moved up our list because of his unique blend of power and skill.

Alexander Nikishin (130 to 27) - Carolina Hurricanes

It has been quite a development year for Nikishin as the 21-year-old defender has emerged as one of the top defenders in the KHL. He led the KHL in scoring among defensemen with 55 points. Not only was that the highest point total by a U22 defender in the history of the league, but it was also the highest point total of any player period, breaking Kirill Kaprizov’s mark from a few years ago. The bad news? Nikishin’s contract with SKA runs until 2025.

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 18: Boston University Terriers defenseman Lane Hutson (20) carries the puck during the Hockey East Championship game between the Boston University Terriers and the Merrimack College Warriors on March 18, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Lane Hutson (158 to 38) - Montreal Canadiens

Calling a player a “steal” immediately after the conclusion of the draft can be a dangerous proposition. Players often fall for a reason. In the case of Lane Hutson, everyone in the scouting community believed that the Canadiens had obtained great value from selecting him late in the second round. As a freshman for Boston University, Hutson had a historically good year, finishing with 48 points, beating Adam Fox’s total of 40 (along with top prospect Luke Hughes) to be the highest scoring U20 defender in the NCAA this millennium. Sure, he’s still undersized. Sure, there are aspects of his game that worry us slightly. But you have to respect just how impressive this past year was.

Joshus Roy (178 to 44) - Montreal Canadiens

It has been a steady rise for Roy since being drafted in the fifth round by Montreal two years ago. The former highly touted minor hockey player had a disastrous draft year that caused his fall, but his development has been terrific since. He has improved his skating and his off-puck play, allowing him to dominate the QMJHL. However, it was electrifying performance for Canada at this year’s WJC’s that really sold us of his potential.

William Wallinder (225 to 52) - Detroit Red Wings

A strong skating, two-way defender with size, Wallinder has progressed well in Sweden with Rögle, the same team that helped nurture Moritz Seider into the star that he is today. Now he appears ready to take that next step and will play in North America next year, perhaps even with the Red Wings if his training camp performance is strong enough.

Lian Bichsel (163 to 53) - Dallas Stars

While Bichsel’s offensive production failed to improve significantly in the SHL this year, his defensive game and confidence to impose himself physically definitely has. While his true NHL upside remains a slight mystery, he is starting to look the part of a future shutdown defender…at the very least.

Filip Bystedt (239 to 69) - San Jose Sharks

Bystedt was a bit of a surprise first round pick last year, but it appears that San Jose knew exactly what they were doing. Bystedt was a breakout star this year, emerging as one of the highest scoring U20 players in the SHL, in addition to performing extremely well at the WJC’s for Sweden. The big man skates extremely well and his coordination and skill are really catching up, giving him a unique upside.

Nikolai Kovalenko (285 to 76) - Colorado Avalanche

The son of former NHL’er Andrei Kovalenko, Nikolai emerged as an offensive star in the KHL this year as a 23-year-old and now looks like a potential impact player for the Avalanche. His KHL contract expires at the end of next year, so he may be close to crossing the pond. Kovalenko would be a breath of fresh air for an Avalanche team that is facing a bit of a cap crunch.

Connor Zary (266 to 79) - Calgary Flames

Last year, Zary was one of our biggest fallers after a poor showing in the AHL as a rookie, where the increased pace appeared to overwhelm him. Kudos to Zary for making the necessary adjustments because he has been much better as a sophomore and is knocking on the door of a permanent spot on the Flames. Thanks to increased pace and strength, Zary looks like a near lock to be a middle six option for years to come.

Nikita Alexandrov (222 to 81) - St. Louis Blues

The Blues have been very patient with Alexandrov, a former QMJHL standout and WJC star. This year, that patience has paid off as his improved play in the AHL has led to his first NHL action, where he did not look out of place. Alexandrov should claim a permanent spot in the NHL next year and he looks like the versatile, middle six forward we expected he could become a few years ago.

Zach Ostapchuk (218 to 91) - Ottawa Senators

The big forward and former high second round pick’s development took an extremely positive step forward this year. He set new career highs in the WHL (splitting time between Vancouver and Winnipeg) and he played a crucial checking line role for Canada at the WJC’s, capturing consecutive gold medals. Ostapchuk has everything NHL management wants from their third liners these days. He’s big. He’s physical. He has positional versatility. He’s strong in all three zones. He skates well. His skill and finishing ability are developing well. Look for him to make a run at the Senators’ roster as early as next year.

William Dufour (192 to 95) - New York Islanders

Was Dufour’s breakout last year, when he was named the QMJHL’s most valuable player, a result of a prospect truly turning a corner, or was it the result of a large, power forward, dominating younger players physically? That was the million-dollar question coming into this year. Well, the early results in the AHL suggest the former. Dufour has been one of Bridgeport’s best players this year and he has even earned a cup of coffee with New York because of it.

Reid Schaefer (267 to 98) - Nashville Predators

Now a member of the Predators after the Mattias Ekholm trade, Schaefer has progressed well with Seattle this year in the WHL, and he looks ready to start his pro journey in the AHL next season. His true offensive upside still remains a bit of a question mark, but he was the key component of that Edmonton/Nashville blockbuster for a reason. Nashville values his power forward potential.

Carter Mazur (Unranked to 99) - Detroit Red Wings

After winning a National Championship with Denver last year as a freshman, Mazur returned for his sophomore year this year and improved his goal scoring totals, pacing the Pioneers with 22 goals. Mazur is a prototypical third line winger who should be able to become an excellent role player for the Wings over the next decade, however his offensive skills are better than many give him credit for. Mazur recently signed his ELC, has turned pro, and should move quickly up the ladder in Detroit’s system.

Fallers

SAINT PAUL, MN - APRIL 29: Colorado Avalanche Left Wing Ben Meyers (59) lines up for a faceoff during the NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Minnesota Wild on April 29th, 2022, at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

Prokhor Poltapov (75 to 175) - Buffalo Sabres

Poltapov finally emerged as a KHL regular this season, even scoring five goals, which is not terrible for a U20 player. However, the power winger’s offensive potential is starting to look lower than many believed it would be. Playing in a deep Buffalo system, he may soon become an afterthought in Russia.

Grigori Denisenko (105 to 158) - Florida Panthers

Playing in his third North American season, Denisenko has still not become an NHL regular with Florida. In fact, his performance playing in the AHL continues to disappoint too. Denisenko is nearing waivers eligibility and that will put Florida in a difficult position, especially given his lackluster play. Will we find him in a different NHL uniform soon, ala Vitali Kravtsov?

Cayden Primeau (126 to Unranked) - Montreal Canadiens

Primeau has proved to be quite the enigma as a pro, something that has frustrated both Canadiens’ fans and management. The former Mike Richter winner has shown flashes of being one of the top goaltending prospects on the planet, however consistency has remained a major issue, even in his fourth pro year. He may still become a quality NHL goaltender, but other more promising prospects at the position have unquestionably passed him by.

Justin Sourdif (138 to Unranked) - Florida Panthers

A standout in the WHL last year, Sourdif has struggled to be a consistent offensive point producer in his first pro season. It’s way, way too early to give up on him as an NHL prospect and he is still valued within the Florida organization, but other prospects have leap frogged him at this point.

Ben Meyers (146 to Unranked) - Colorado Avalanche

The former Hobey Baker candidate and World Championship standout was a high profile signing by the Avs out of the University of Minnesota. Many expected him to make the immediate jump to the NHL this year, including us. However, Meyers has struggled in the NHL this year and as a 24-year-old, this may point to a limited ceiling, if/when he does crack the Colorado roster full time.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Top 20 Prospects

Contributors – Brock Otten, Chapin Landvogt, Ethan Hetu, Viktor Fomich — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 18:14:17 +0000

NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 27: Florida Panthers left wing Grigori Denisenko (14) and center Aleksander Barkov (16) talk during the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers, held on April 27, 2021, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire)

1 - Mackie Samoskevich RW

As a member of the Chicago Steel in his draft season and as a Michigan Wolverine, it was easy for Samoskevich to get lost among a sea of other highly-drafted, highly-talented NHL prospects. Samoskevich's list of teammates read off as a top prospect list of their own, and Samoskevich's game has definitely benefited from playing alongside such talented players. But that being said, Samoskevich's profile still ultimately stands on its own two feet. Samoskevich is an offensive talent, a quality playmaker and someone who is always looking to drive play and put his teammates in positions to score. Samoskevich wasn't a centerpiece offensive player as a freshman at Michigan, and the night-to-night quality of his contributions fluctuated more than he likely would have liked. But when Samoskevich was at his best, he was driving play and taking over shifts. Like many offense-first prospects around his age, Samoskevich doesn't use the inside of the ice as well as he should. His offensive tendencies are in need of some refinement, and he'll need to get better at learning to accept creating some less-than-ideal offensive chances rather than holding on to the puck too long in order to find the perfect look. If he can introduce some habits in his game that will serve him well at the pro level, his path to the NHL will become much smoother. There's a talent package that should allow Samoskevich to become a capable contributor to an NHL scoring line, and even perhaps a play-driving one, but there's a good deal of development that needs to happen before Samoskevich can get there. – EH

2 - Grigori Denisenko LW

Selected 15^th overall in the 2018 draft, Denisenko’s progress has been much slower than many, ourselves included, who have expected future NHL stardom, could foresee. He has completed his second full, albeit truncated, season of play in North America. He made the jump from Russia after a full KHL season with modest production which was boosted by a strong WJC. His move the North America coincided with Covid and Denisenko found himself in no-man’s land until the NHL and then AHL started up in 20-21. That first season showed promise, but last season cast a bit of a shadow on his prospect status. Only suiting up once for a deep and high-octane Panthers team, Denisenko was left to grow in the AHL, where things were progressing along well enough until a mid-January blocked shot resulted in a broken kneecap, ending his season. Presumably fit to begin the upcoming campaign, Denisenko likely needs further AHL time to determine his ability to help the NHL squad. On the other hand, with multiple regulars having departed the club while Anthony Duclair appears to be out for perhaps the entire season, there seems to be a lower line job for the taking, should Denisenko be ready to take the next step this fall. – CL

3 - Justin Sourdif RW

It was a good final year for Sourdif in the WHL. A midseason trade saw him join the Edmonton Oil Kings where he played a key role in their WHL Championship victory. Unfortunately, a training injury kept Sourdif from suiting up for Canada again at the re-started WJC’s in August, however, he remains a key prospect for the Panthers moving forward. Sourdif has a very well-rounded game. He is extremely versatile. He can impact the game because of his speed, which he uses to be active in puck pursuit in all three zones. He can impact the game with his physicality and tenaciousness. He is skilled and can make plays at high speed. Sourdif loves to take on defenders one on one and will look to work his way into the middle of the ice. An intelligent playmaker, his confidence in his shot also improved this year, especially once he joined Edmonton and became more of a support player on a stronger team. His pro journey will begin this season with Charlotte and Sourdif should be an immediate impact player for the Checkers. Depending on how he deals with the size and strength of pro defenders, he could move quickly through Florida’s system. Sourdif projects as a middle six forward who can play a variety of different roles, likely starting out in a bottom six role before moving up. - BO

4 - Evan Nause D

Nause was an instrumental piece in Quebec’s organization last season. He plays a very effective game in all three zones of the ice and performs extremely well under pressure. Nause might not be the most skilled or flashiest player, but he’s very reliable, makes sound decisions at all times and makes everything seem effortless. The Panthers prospect will be playing once again this season with a scary Quebec Remparts team where they’ll look to make up for last season’s disappointing run by going all in with new acquisitions such as Justin Robidas to their already stacked offensive group. The focus this year for Nause will be to take yet another step forward as an offensive defender. He moves well and Florida will be looking for him to use his skating ability to be more aggressive with the puck to help create offensive opportunities for the Remparts. The former second round selection does look like a potential #4-6 defender for Florida in the future and someone who could be a fairly versatile depth defender. However, if the aforementioned offensive game continues to progress, there is a chance that his projection changes to be a more integral building block. - EB

5 - Michael Benning D

There has been a lot of conversation about the changing face of the “modern” NHL defenseman, and as speed and skill continue to be prioritized in blueliners, the idea of the prototypical defenseman being six-foot-four and ready to smash opposing forwards into the boards have begun to die out. There have been many faces of this new wave of modern NHL defensemen, and Michael Benning could be another name in the ever-expanding list of talented undersized defensemen who have impactful NHL careers. Benning, a longtime teammate of Edmonton Oilers prospect Carter Savoie, had always been a play-controlling, productive offensive defenseman. But when Benning got to the University of Denver, a team with championship aspirations, his old habits weren’t going to get him to where he needed to go. He needed to polish his game and add some more safety to a profile that was all about aggression and chance creation as a junior player. Benning’s sophomore season was a massive step up from his freshman offering, and he helped lead an extremely talented Pioneers team to an NCAA national championship. Benning’s offensive game is well-developed, and he has all the elements to his game that give him NHL upside as an offensive defenseman. He can skate and contribute in transition, he can see the offensive zone quite well and pairs poise and playmaking flair to be a strong offensive zone facilitator. Benning’s game in his own zone isn’t nearly as developed as his offensive game, and that could pose issues for his pro projection. But even if he doesn’t improve in his own zone, he should still have NHL upside as a puck-moving offensive defenseman who will work best when paired with a defense-first partner. - EH

6 - Aleksi Heponiemi C

A 2017 2^nd rounder, Heponiemi is a little engine that could. His 5’10” height has always been suboptimal, but his 155-pound body has only exacerbated the challenge of his sticking in the NHL. Nonetheless, he has continued to put up gaudy numbers. Drafted after putting up over one point per game in the WHL, he proceeded to top two PPG in his D+1 year, before returning to his native Finland as a 19-year-old, where he sported 46 points in 50 regular season outings. The past two seasons have seen Heponiemi find his level, hitting a wall in his production his first time out in the AHL, producing nicely with MoDo of the HockeyAllsvenskan in 20-21 before getting a 9-game debut with the Panthers (two points). Last season with the Charlotte Checkers, Heponiemi established himself as one of the most adept power play actors in the entire AHL. Few players could enter the opposition zone as fluently as the Finn and his puck prowess in all situations was clearly at another level. He is hitting a crossroads heading into this season, the last of his contract, as Florida is built to win and there is no indication that he is even seen as one of the first call-ups, save for a need for a power play specialist. Then again, few clubs have been able to turn players into unexpected offensive weapons in recent years better than the Panthers. – CL

7 - Vladislav Lukashevich D

The season had been pretty uneventful for Vladislav Lukashevich and not in a good way, as after being sidelined for eight months due to an undisclosed injury, he returned to game action midseason and looked rather rusty. Even though he still was able to get in a decent amount of MHL game action, he didn’t look like much of a difference maker there and it might be fair to consider his entire season a wash. 12 months after being drafted, Lukashevich is more or less in the same developmental place he was when the Panthers called his name: he has a great frame that still needs to add a good deal of muscle, solid skating and skill, but the whole is not yet equal to the sum of his parts. All signs are pointing towards another season spent mostly in the MHL junior league this season, which might be a bit disappointing, but is not unexpected after the season he had. Lukashevich will be expected to be one of the leaders of his team, which would be good for his development. It should also be added that it is the final year of his current contract and seeing how the Lokomotiv organization is strong on the blueline, it will be difficult to get opportunities there, possibly making the young player more likely to look favorably at a move to North America. - VF

8 - Max Gildon D

After a strong rookie season in the AHL in 2021, that saw Gildon named a member of the All-Rookie Team, last year was a big step backward for the former Hobey Baker candidate, thanks to a lower body injury that ended his season in December. This year, he will try to recover the momentum he had built previously as he looks to become a top defender for Charlotte. Gildon has a very intriguing athletic make-up. He skates pretty well for his size (6’3), protects the crease and defends with physicality, and shows well as a puck mover with good hands and vision. He may not be a natural powerplay quarterback or a highly creative player, but there is a good chance that he could develop into an all situations top four defender. Without question, Florida has openings in their third pairing and will be looking to promote a prospect or two to that role. Given his recovery from injury, Gildon would appear to be a long shot at one of those spots. However, if he rebounds well and performs like he did in his rookie AHL season, he could easily push his way to the top of a weaker farm system. - BO

9 - Nathan Staios D

An undersized defender, Staois is the son of former NHL defender Steve Staois. Playing for his father in Hamilton, the younger Staois was a standout in his final (overage) year in the OHL, helping the Bulldogs win an OHL Championship. His strong performance led to him being named the recipient of the Max Kaminsky trophy, awarded to the league’s top defenseman. Then following the conclusion of the Memorial Cup, the Panthers inked him to a contract as a free agent. Staois is a tremendous skater, something he relies on to be an impactful offensive defender. He gains the offensive zone with ease on most occasions at the junior level and is terrific at walking the line inside the offensive zone to keep plays alive. While undersized, he also competes hard in the defensive zone to make up for his lack of stature. However, there are some decision-making issues which could become amplified at the pro level. A high risk/high reward type of player, he will need to learn to pick his spots to activate better. Additionally, his defensive zone awareness and ability to win 50/50 battles in high traffic areas will need to improve for him to be effective at even strength in the AHL. Staois has terrific potential to be an impactful defender, but like any free agent signing, he may take time to reach it as a longer shot. - BO

10 - John Ludvig D

It was a tough year for Panthers’ defensive prospects at the AHL level last year. Max Gildon missed most of the year with a lower body injury and John Ludvig missed almost the entire season following hip surgery. He battled back to play in the last few games of Charlotte’s year, which was encouraging, but you can throw his performance in those games out the window. This coming season will be a fresh start for Ludvig to try to re-find the confidence he had as one of the WHL’s best defenders previously. The question is, how will this serious hip injury affect his skating ability and ability to improve it further? Entering the pro ranks, Ludvig’s skating was the area of his game that still needed the most work and now that might be difficult for him. However, the rest of his game is extremely solid. He has a booming point shot, putting his entire 215lbs frame behind it. He is poised with the puck and shows good vision in all three zones. He is an aggressive defender who clears the crease and makes opposing forwards work to gain touches, especially along the wall. This well-rounded game gives him an NHL projection, even if his skating never improves beyond average. Like organization-mate Gildon, Ludvig will be looking to rebound as one of Charlotte’s top defenders this season, helping to re-emerge as a top prospect in the Florida system. – BO

11 - Mack Guzda

A free agent signing by the Panthers this past season out of the OHL, Guzda showed massive growth in a year split between Owen Sound and Barrie. The big netminder has improved his quickness and agility and will get a chance to play in the AHL this year.

12 - Serron Noel

A power winger, Noel struggled to adapt to the pace of the pro game in his first full AHL season. There is some concern that his development has plateaued. However, this year should give Florida a better indication of his potential.

13 - Logan Hutsko

After four good years at Boston College, Hutsko’s first pro season was largely a success for Charlotte. An undersized scoring forward, Hutsko will have to put up numbers to be a valuable pro.

14 - Zach Uens

What Florida has in Uens remains to be seen. The athletic defender shows good potential at both ends, however finding a true role at the pro level may be difficult. More should be known after he turned pro this season.

15 - Matt Kiersted

While an older prospect, Kiersted was once a prize free agent signing out of UND. The competitive two-way defender may have limited upside, but he could be a full time NHL player in a depth role this coming season.

16 - Liam Arnsby

Drafted late in 2022, Arnsby is an aggressive, defensively oriented center. He hits like a truck and can play a variety of roles. Upgrading his skating will be key as he returns to the OHL with North Bay.

17 - Josh Davies

Like Arnsby, Davies was a late round pick in 2022 who projects as a bottom six NHL player because of his tenacity and high energy game. He will look to improve his offensive production with Swift Current this season (WHL).

18 - Marek Alscher

A suffocating defensive defender, Alscher was a solid presence for the Portland Winterhawks in his first WHL season. Is there room for him to grow as a puck carrier or is his ceiling limited?

19 - Henry Bowlby

There is not much in the way of offensive potential for the defensive minded forward out of Harvard, however he could one day play a depth role for the Panthers as a penalty killing fourth liner.

20 - Kasper Puutio

Admittedly, this list was solidified prior to the completion of the WJC’s where Puutio emerged out of nowhere to be named the tournament’s top defender. A former 5th rounder, he will look to carry over that success to the Liiga level this coming season.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – COLORADO AVALANCHE – Top 20 Prospects

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 16:22:39 +0000

1 - Bowen Byram D

Byram barely keeps his eligibility for our list because he was limited this past season due to a very serious concussion that caused him to step away from the Avalanche for an extended period. He recovered in time to play a large part in Colorado’s Stanley Cup victory, playing well over 20 minutes per game in the Championship series against Tampa Bay. Byram can impact the game in so many different ways. He excels as a puck mover because of his high-end skating ability. Byram is not only an effortless mover in all four directions, but he is explosive moving forward, making him a very difficult player to pin down. His decision making with the puck and game management were inconsistent early on in his NHL career, but he has worked hard to improve this. Byram has also worked hard to be a better defensive player and a more imposing physical presence. This was evident in the playoffs, where he really stepped up his physicality to become a suffocating defensive player. Moving forward, the sky is the limit for Byram, so long as he can stay healthy. He has had trouble doing so in his career thus far, but if he can avoid injuries, he should emerge as a top four defender on the Avalanche this coming season (even with their depth) and have his best season to date. - BO

2 - Sean Behrens D

A late second-round pick at the 2021 draft, Sean Behrens quickly silenced any who might have doubted how well his game would work at the college level. Behrens’ five-foot-ten frame didn’t stop him from authoring an excellent freshman campaign, a season that culminated in him winning the NCAA National Championship with the University of Denver. Behrens’ prospect profile shares a lot of similarities with another undersized defenseman, New York Rangers prospect Zac Jones. Like Jones, the two traits of Behrens’ game that stand out the most are his skating and his intelligence. Behrens moves exactly as well as you’d want an undersized defenseman to move, and his mobility gives him upside as a transitional defenseman. Behrens’ stride is extremely smooth and looks almost effortless when he’s picking up the puck in his own zone in order to lead a breakout. Behrens can also be often found reading the play, scanning to see where the best options are and where he can best position himself to help his team. It’s always said that the best players are the ones who go to where the game will be, rather than where it is at any given moment, and Behrens is in the right place at the right time often enough to confidently say he sees the game at a higher level than many of his peers. Will he ever be a dominating two-way force? It’s unlikely, but a future as a top-four, puck-moving defenseman with an offensive bent isn’t out of the question. He’ll just need to get into more high-pressure defensive situations and gain as much confidence and fearlessness in his own end as he has when he’s attacking. - EH

3 - Ben Meyers C

After a highly successful three-year career at the University of Minnesota, center Ben Meyers was the big prize of the 2022 NCAA free agent signing cycle. Meyers, who went undrafted despite two promising seasons as an overager in the USHL, was a centerpiece player at a top NCAA program, even captaining the Gophers as a senior. Meyers’ highly productive senior season earned him caps for the United States men’s teams at the Beijing Olympics and IIHF World Championships. Meyers got into five NHL games with the Avalanche and managed to score his first NHL goal. Meyers has been a past-first center for most of his college career, although he did show off better goal-scoring touch in his final season as a Gopher. As a five-foot-eleven center, Meyers doesn’t offer the prototypical size many in the NHL look for out of their pivots, but he has the offensive flair to make up for it. Meyers’ toolset as a chance creator was on display for all to see last season, and it’s good enough to give him upside as a secondary scorer in the NHL. Meyers’ defense isn’t where he’ll carve out his niche, but that isn’t without trying. Meyers has a solid work ethic, but whether he can stick as a center in the NHL won’t be up to how hard he works, but instead how well he can match up against the high-end scoring centers he’ll face in the NHL. If Meyers spends next season in the NHL, he’ll be a 24-year-old rookie, meaning much of his development has already been completed. If he’s close to a finished product, the package of skills he currently puts forth is likely good enough to give him a chance as a middle-of-the-lineup player who can complement more talented offensive teammates in a pinch. - EH

4 - Oskar Olausson RW

The 28th overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, Oskar Olausson has had quite the journey since being drafted, but has been able to find success and produce wherever he plays. During the 2020-2021 season, Olausson spent time in three different leagues and was able to adapt well and still find a way to produce. Olausson spent 16 games in the J20 league finishing with 27 points (14G,13A), 16 games in the SHL and finishing with 4 points (3G,1A), and also 11 games in the HockeyAllsvenskan where he finished with 6 points (3G,3A). Olausson also got the opportunity to play in the U20 World Junior Championship. During the 2021-2022 season, Olausson spent time split between both the Barrie Colts and Oshawa Generals, finishing with 49 points (26G,23A) in 55 games, which was 4th on the team for points and 3rd on the team for goals. Olausson’s best assets are his shot and hockey sense. Olausson’s shot is a threat from most areas on the ice, but his ability to fire a cannon of a one-timer is where he’s best. He gets a lot of power and control on his shots, and he understands how to get the most out of it. He also has a great understanding of what he’s good at and knowing how to maximize his strengths. He shows a great understanding of awareness in the offensive zone, knowing where and when to get into open space for a shot, reading the play very well. Going into the 2022-2023 season, Olausson will make his return to the AHL and look to take a step forward and become a scoring threat in the league. - DK

5 - Martin Kaut RW

The clock feels like it’s ticking quickly for Colorado’s 2018 1^st round pick. Having gone 16^th overall that year, the Czech-born Kaut seemed to be on the fast track to making an organizational impact when he immediately jumped to North America and put in a solid rookie season in the AHL accompanied by a nice WJC performance in the 18-19 season. This came on the heels of having spent his draft year playing in Czechia’s top men’s league. His development continued in an upward trajectory in the shortened 19-20 season, where he got into nine NHL games, scoring his first two goals while his AHL stats improved slightly. Expectations were that he’d be prime candidate for an NHL spot during the 20-21 season, which ultimately saw him spend time on the taxi squad as well as the AHL, Czech Republic, and Sweden, featuring decent stats in each of the latter three stations. The 21-22 season presented a new challenge as Kaut went down with a shoulder injury in November. Finally, having picked up the pace a bit in the skating department, the injury threw him back a month after he had gotten into six straight games with the Avalanche, something that didn’t happen again for the rest of the season. A healthy playoff contributor for the AHL squad (five points and +7 in nine games), Kaut’s regular season PPG pace dropped from the season before, even if he did put up a career-high 19 goals. The task at hand is to now crack the line-up of a Stanley Cup winner. In this final year of his ELC, he may benefit from the team’s loss of players such as Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky, but any way you put it, he’s staring at a make-or-break-it season. - CL

6 - Nikolai Kovalenko RW

Nikolai Kovalenko seems to be one of the most likable Russian prospects, yet at the same time one of the most unluckiest of them: while the 2020-21 season had gone totally awry because he found himself in the coach’s doghouse and had to change teams in the offseason, last season, after a solid start, practically ended for him in October after a bad collision with an opposing player, which resulted in a major concussion, sideling him for two months. Once he returned, he just wasn’t the same player. As a consequence, this offseason his team decided that he wouldn’t be as helpful to them as they sought and so they traded him away, this time to Torpedo, which is a rather mediocre team coached by a former NHLer Igor Larionov. On the bright side, the move likely means that Kovalenko is expected to be among the leaders for his new team, possibly even wearing the ‘C’. Upon arrival to Torpedo, Kovalenko extended his contract through the 2023/24 season, which might be not something the Avalanche fans would like, but makes sense for the player, as the main goal for the coming season is both modest and important – to prove that the concussion didn’t ruin his potential. If he succeeds in achieving that goal his hard-working, tenacious, yet still creative playing style can result in a middle-six winger role in the NHL, just maybe a bit later than initially expected. - VF

7 - Justus Annunen G

A hulking 6’4”, 210 lbs., Annunen has been Colorado’s heir apparent for several years now and is coming off his most promising overall season since he was drafted. While his 24-13-5 record for the AHL Colorado Eagles couldn’t hide his 3.01 GAA and .893 save percentage, he picked things up in the playoffs with a 2.46 GAA and .923 save percentage, his best numbers since jumping over to North America. Annunen’s AHL performance earned him a two-game audition with the Avalanche, in which he registered a win and an overtime loss despite mediocre performances. The very athletic Annunen showed improvement to some degree in all departments requiring refinement, such as his movement from post-to-post. He also improved on his already strong puck-tracking abilities. Adept at using his incredible size to stay square to shooters, he continues to show a heavy tendency to spend time on his knees once a shot has been fired and until the whistle blows, even when hugging the post, leaving a hole for shots between his helmet and the crossbar. With the Colorado crease looking like a game of musical chairs in recent seasons, this might be the year Annunen gets a real shot with the reigning champion, especially as the team will kick things off this season with two goalies who have primarily been back-ups thus far in their careers. – CL

8 - Jean-Luc Foudy C

Things haven’t been extremely easy for Foudy the last two seasons. The dynamic skating forward was thrust into the AHL earlier than he was ready due to the cancellation of the 2020-21 OHL season, then continued in the AHL this year, even though he was eligible to return to the OHL. Was this best for his development? You could certainly argue that returning to a strong team in Windsor (who would win the OHL’s Western Conference title) would have been better for his development. Instead, he continued to struggle with consistency, posting a similar point per game average to the year prior. Foudy, much like his brother Liam, is a truly electric skater. He is lightning quick and he can drive play with his feet unlike many at any level. However, it is the rest of his game that remains a work in progress. That includes his play away from the puck, his decision making with it, his strength on the puck and his ability to play through the middle of the ice. However, it is easy to forget how young Foudy is. Under normal circumstances he would be entering into his first AHL season next year. Instead, the 20-year-old will be starting his third. In this year’s AHL playoffs, he was one of Colorado’s best players and that bodes well for the coming year, where he hopefully takes that next step forward and puts himself in contention for a call-up to the Avalanche. - BO

9 - Matthew Stienburg C

A bit of a late bloomer physically, Stienburg suffered through osteomyelitis as a teenager. As such, he’s taken a longer route to relevance as an NHL prospect. First it was St. Andrew’s College, then Cornell, then a year off with the Ivy League not playing during the pandemic. Stienburg returned with a vengeance this past season, leading Cornell in scoring. The power center plays a game tailored for a future bottom six role with the Avalanche. He competes physically. He uses his size to drive the net and dominate near the crease. He plays a 200-foot game. The key for him will be the continued development of his skating. Stienburg will return to Cornell again in 2022-23 and he should continue to be one of the better players in the Ivy League. After that, he would be likely to turn pro in a fairly shallow Colorado system, although returning to Cornell again in 2023-24 is absolutely not out of the question. Logan O’Connor, a similar kind of player, moved very quickly through the system to take on a permanent role with the Avalanche and if all goes according to plan, Stienburg could do the same. - BO

10 - Danila Zhuravlyoy D

Drafted in the fifth round in 2018, Colorado has been very patient with Danila Zhuravylov’s development as he has worked his way up to KHL regular. While his offensive development has been limited, he has become a strong defensive presence in Russia and as such, the Avalanche opted to sign him and bring him into the fold this year. Zhuravylov’s best quality is his mobility. He is not a big defender by any means, but he is effective defensively because of how quick he is to close gaps and how effective he is at defending pace. More of a positional, stick on puck defender, Zhuravylov can play that steady defensive first game, perhaps partnering with a more offensively oriented defender. That said, the KHL can sometimes hide the offensive talents of young defenders and if he can gain confidence in his play with the puck and ability to use his skating ability to be a puck carrier, perhaps Zhuravylov does have two-way upside. As is, he looks like a potential third pairing defender who can handle penalty killing assignments and be a steady, yet unspectacular presence. More will be known about his NHL upside and the likelihood of reaching it after his season with Colorado of the AHL this year. - BO

11 -Sampo Ranta

A speedy winger with size, Ranta was a major disappointment in his first full pro season. It is starting to look like his NHL upside might be capped.

12 - Mikhail Maltsev

Acquired from New Jersey in the Ryan Graves deal, Maltsev is a big winger with some skill who is close to being ready to take on a full-time role in the NHL with the Avalanche.

13 - Ivan Zhigalov

The big Belarussian netminder was one of our highest ranked goaltenders for the draft this year. He is athletic, but very raw. Zhigalov will play in Kingston of the OHL this year after spending last year in the QMJHL.

14 - Colby Ambrosio

An undersized, but skilled center, Ambrosio plays for Boston College. He is entering his junior season and will be looking to improve his production by becoming better off the puck and stronger on it.

15 - Tyler Weiss

Is Weiss even still Colorado property? Remains to be seen. He could return to UNO for another year (because of the pandemic), which would extend the Avalanche’s rights to him. Weiss is a skilled forward with an attacking mentality.

16 - Andrei Buyalsky

Buyalsky’s freshman season at Vermont was almost entirely wiped out by injury. The highly skilled forward will look to get his development back on track as a sophomore this year.

17 - Alex Beaucage

Beaucage, a big winger with a big shot, struggled in his first taste of pro hockey last season. Adapting to the increased pace of play was an issue for him. A rebound season in his second year would really help the Colorado system.

18 - Shane Bowers

A former first round selection by Ottawa, Bowers was a key piece in the Matt Duchene deal several moons ago. Thus far he has yet to look like an NHL player at the AHL level and now will need to clear waivers to be sent to the Eagles.

19 - Wyatt Aamodt

A dependable, stay at home defender, Aamodt was signed by the Avalanche this offseason after four years at Minnesota State University.

20 - Callahan Burke

The former University of Notre Dame captain was originally playing in Colorado (AHL) on a minor league deal, but the Avs scooped him up halfway through this year, signing him to an ELC. A solid energy player and penalty killer, Burke could one day become a Logan O’Connor type.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – COLORADO AVALANCHE – NHL Player Profiles

Ryan Dadoun – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 23:04:25 +0000

TAMPA, FL - JUNE 20: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) skates with the puck during the NHL Hockey Stanley Cup Finals Game 3 between Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche on June 20th, 2022 at Amalie Arena in Tampa Florida (Photo by Andrew Bershaw /Icon_Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Nathan MacKinnon

If you are looking for a player to build your team around, MacKinnon would have to be one of your top choices. He’s fast, great at setting up his teammates, and if the situation calls for it, more than willing to take the shot himself, which he does with both frequency and success. He did suffer a smattering of injuries over the 2021-22 campaign that limited him to 65 games, but he still scored 32 goals and 88 points. That made it the third straight season where he averaged 1.35 points-per-game. To put that feat in perspective, only two players have averaged more points over the last three campaigns: Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. That high-level ability to generate offense led to the Avalanche sending him out for an average of 21:04 minutes, which was the seventh most in the league among forwards. It’s worth noting though that despite how much Colorado relied on him, he was almost never deployed when the team was shorthanded. He’s also not great on the draw, winning just 383 of 844 faceoff opportunities (45.4%) last season and he’s only finished with a positive faceoff percentage once in his career. So, he does have his mild shortcomings, but his pros far outweigh them and that was certainly displayed during Colorado’s championship run. He kicked off the playoffs with a seven-game point streak en route to scoring 13 goals and 24 points in 20 games. He’s still in the prime of his career, so it would be no surprise to see another big performance out of him this season. There might be some extra intrigue though given that he’s entering the final season of his team-friendly seven-year, $44.1 million contract and at the time of writing, he hasn’t agreed to an extension.

Mikko Rantanen

Rantanen isn’t quite the team’s best forward nor is he their leader, but it’s hard to envision a scenario where the Avalanche could have won the Cup without him. For years now, whenever Nathan MacKinnon has stepped onto the ice, Rantanen has typically been right there with him, and that one-two punch has been the driving force of Colorado’s offense. Standing at 6-foot-4, 215-pounds, he’s got a size advantage that he knows how to use. A significant chunk of his 5-on-5 goals were shot in front of or near the net. He also complements that size with high-end skill and speed to make him of the league’s best players offensively. Over the last five years he’s averaged more than a point-per-game, but the 2021-22 campaign was his best yet, with him setting career-highs by scoring 36 goals and 92 points in 75 contests. He’s especially dangerous when his teammates can feed him the puck on the power play. He was in a seven-way tie for third place in the NHL with 16 power-play goals last season. He’s also consistent. His longest point drought in 2021-22 was just four games and when it came to the playoffs, he kept powering forward. He only scored five goals in 20 playoff contests, which isn’t a lot by his standards, but he made his presence felt with 20 assists, including 13 where he was the primary helper. He even had an eight-game point streak in the postseason that extended through the entire Western Conference Finals and into the first four games of the Stanley Cup championships. He’s turning just 26 on Oct. 29, making him one of the younger members of Colorado’s core and someone who should play at an elite level for many years to come.

Gabriel Landeskog

Joe Sakic earned a lot of praise for staying the course in spite of past playoff disappointments and finally having that patience validated with the 2022 championship, but we nearly ended up with a very different story. Long-time team captain Landeskog was unsigned and left unprotected ahead of Seattle’s expansion draft. The Kraken ultimately didn’t capitalize on the opportunity and Colorado was able to re-sign Landeskog to an eight-year, $56 million contract the night before the free agent market opened. If things had just played out a little differently, Colorado’s fate might have changed substantially. Landeskog is the heart of the team, but he’s far more than just an important locker room presence. He’s one of the league’s best power forwards, capable of driving the play with the puck and contributing physically without it. He had 30 goals and 59 points in 51 contests last season, making it the best campaign of his career from a points-per-game perspective. To be fair, his career-high 20 shooting percentage will be hard for him to repeat in 2022-23, but then again, he didn’t regress in the playoffs. He found the back of the net with a 19.6% success rate, finishing the postseason with 11 goals and 22 points in 20 contests. His goals came in throughout the playoffs with his longest drought being just three games. That strong postseason play becomes more impressive when you consider that he missed the final 23 games of the regular season due to a knee injury that required surgery, so he was entering the most important games of the year cold and perhaps not quite 100%. He more than earned that new contract and he should continue to play a key role for Colorado this season.

Valeri Nichushkin

Taken with the 10th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, it was a while before Nichushkin began to live up to his potential. His early tenure with the Dallas Stars left plenty to be desired and he even went back to the KHL for two years to hone his game. Eventually though he was able to establish himself as a solid middle-six forward with the Avalanche before truly breaking out in 2021-22. He scored 25 goals and 52 points in 62 contests last season, shattering his previous career-high of 34 points, which was recorded back in his 2013-14 rookie campaign. It helped that Nichushkin averaged 19:02 minutes in 2021-22, up from 14:05 just a year prior, but part of the reason why Colorado could lean on him so heavily was his versatility. Nichushkin can comfortably play up-and-down the lineup, being plugged in wherever needed based on the Avalanche’s changing injury situations. The 6-foot-4 forward is responsible defensively, had a strong takeaway to giveaway ratio of 38 to 24, and was a regular contributor to the Avalanche’s penalty kill. He was also Colorado’s top forward in terms of 5v5 Corsi and Fenwick at 59% and 57% respectively (min. 100 total minutes). Nichushkin continued to be an important all-around contributor for the Avalanche in their Stanley Cup-winning playoff run, finishing with nine goals and 15 points in 20 games. His hard work earned him an eight-year, $49 million contract, highlighting the Avalanche’s belief that he will be able to continue to perform at this level for a long time to come. That’s a gamble given that he only has the one great season under his belt, but when you consider his growth and skill set, it’s not a bad bet to make.

Artturi Lehkonen

With an eye towards the playoffs, the Avalanche sacrificed a good prospect in defenseman Justin Barron and a 2024 second-round pick to get Lehkonen from Montreal in March. What they were hoping for was a hard-working, middle-six forward who would offer a nice mix of grit and secondary scoring to their lineup. He ended up being that and more. With Montreal and Colorado last season, Lehkonen scored 19 goals and 38 points in 74 games while averaging 15:06 minutes. The 6-foot, 178-pound forward isn’t the most imposing presence on the ice, but there is a physical element to his game, and he can be used in shorthanded situations. He’s one of those players who typically won’t make headlines but does a lot of things well. We say typically because the 2022 playoffs were an exception. He wasn’t just a role player like he was for Montreal in their 2021 run to the Stanley Cup Final, Lehkonen was truly a difference maker in 2022, scoring eight goals and 14 points in 20 postseason games. That includes four game-winning goals in the playoffs with the highlights being both the Western Conference Finals overtime series winner and the championship-winning goal netted midway through the third period. Those two goals alone were enough to justify the price of acquiring him and cement his place in Colorado’s history. The fact that he was also a consistent factor overall was the icing on the cake. The Avalanche rewarded their playoff hero with a five-year, $22.5 million contract. Don’t expect him to continue to score at the pace he displayed in the 2022 playoffs. Instead look for him to continue to serve as a solid presence in the middle of the lineup.

J.T. Compher

Elite players are important to drive the play, but the quality of a team’s middle-of-the-lineup players can be the difference between making the playoffs and winning a championship. The 2021-22 Avalanche featured impressive depth and Compher was a part of that. He didn’t have regular linemates during the campaign with the Avalanche instead moving him up-and-down the lineup as needed, and he filled that plug-and-play role well, scoring 18 goals and 33 points in 70 contests. He averaged 16:19 minutes, which might be a bit more than you’d expect from a middle-six forward, but that’s because he was a mainstay on special teams, averaging 1:48 and 1:40 minutes on the power play and penalty kill respectively. He only took 102 shots last season, but he is tactical about when he fired the puck. On both the power-play and 5v5 situations, Compher would often put himself in front of the net, which is how he got most of his goals. The result is he had a 17.6 shooting percentage after finishing at 21.3% in 2020-21. On the draw, he saw improvements last season, posting a 51.4% success rate, compared to his pre-2021-22 career average of 47.1%. His role declined to an average of 13:41 minutes during the playoffs, but he still chipped in five goals and eight points in 20 games. The 27-year-old is set to have another serviceable campaign as he enters the final season of his four-year, $14 million contract.

Logan O'Connor

O'Connor is an example of a late bloomer who was never drafted but managed to slowly carve out a role in the NHL. After getting limited stints with the Colorado Avalanche in the previous three campaigns, the 26-year-old forward cemented was a regular last season, scoring eight goals and 24 points in 81 games. He averaged 13:52 minutes while playing primarily in a bottom-six role, though he was occasionally used on the second and even first line. Despite those opportunities with skilled forwards, O'Connor is more of a defensive presence. He led all Avalanche forwards with an average of 2:06 shorthanded minutes as well as 59 blocks. He also ranked third among Colorado forwards with 100 hits and had an impressive 17 to 38 giveaway-to-takeaway ratio. All of that adds up to a player who helps win games without getting a lot of praise for his efforts. In the playoffs he continued to play that quiet supporting role. He had a goal and four points in 17 postseason games while averaging 11:12 minutes. O'Connor is set to begin a three-year, $3.15 million contract. Over the course of that deal, he’s likely to provide more value to the Avalanche than his cap hit would dictate, but he’s going to firmly remain part of the supporting cast rather than one of their headline attractions.

Alex Newhook

After getting a taste of the NHL in 2020-21, including eight playoff games, Newhook entered the 2021-22 campaign as a prime candidate to earn a regular spot with the team. His path did include a stint in the AHL for much of October and early November, but after scoring four goals and 11 points in 10 games with the Colorado Eagles, he was summoned on Nov. 10 and never looked back. Newhook is a terrific skater with lots of offensive potential, but last season he was deployed primarily in a bottom-six capacity. That allowed him to adjust to the NHL in a lower pressure situation and made his inconsistent play easier to swallow. He had 13 goals and 33 points in 71 contests, including a few strong stretches from Nov. 11-24 (6-3-2-5), Dec. 4-10 (4-3-2-5), and Mar. 31-Apr. 16 (8-2-6-8) and plenty of slumps in between. He also struggled on the draw, winning just 34.7% of his faceoffs. That was by far the worst faceoff record of any player who had at least 250 opportunities last season with Tyson Jost being the next lowest at 39.3%. His puck possession numbers weren’t great either. He had a relative 5v5 Corsi of -4.3 and relative 5v5 Fenwick of -5.5, meaning the Avalanche were better in that regard when he wasn’t on the ice. He was used sparingly in the playoffs, registering four assists in 12 games while averaging 10:43 minutes, but being part of the Cup-winning run was still valuable experience for him. That can summarize his season in general: He wasn’t impressive, but it was valuable experience for the 21-year-old and something he can build off. His flashes of high-level play offered glimpses of what he’s capable of and what the Avalanche should see with more frequency in the future.

DEFENSE

Cale Makar

There aren’t many players out there who can look like a steal with a cap hit of $9 million, but Makar certainly qualifies. Makar started his career in 2019-20 with a bang, recording 50 points in 57 games en route to capturing the Calder Trophy and that was merely a taste of what he was capable of. In 2020-21 he finished second in Norris Trophy voting and last season he captured that prestigious award. When you look at what Makar did last season, the first thing that stands out is his work with the puck. He scored 28 goals and 86 points in 77 contests fueled in large part by his speed and creativity. But while his offensive game deservedly attracts attention, that’s not the only service he provides. He’s not big at 5-foot-11, 187 pounds, but he was credited with 95 hits last season, which was significantly more than two other top offensive defensemen, Roman Josi (66 hits) and Adam Fox (30). Makar also finished second on the Avalanche with 110 blocks and led the team with 49 takeaways. His puck possession numbers were superb too. He posted a 56.3% 5v5 Corsi and 55.7% 5v5 Fenwick, both of which were significantly better than what the team did when he was off the ice. As good as he was in the regular season though, he was even better in the playoffs, scoring eight goals and 29 points while averaging 27:04 minutes in 20 contests. After a showing like that, he was the unanimous pick for the Conn Smythe Trophy. The Calder, a Norris, the Conn Smythe, and the Stanley Cup all before his 24th birthday. We’re witnessing the early days of a very special career.

Devon Toews

Over the last few years, the Avalanche have seen the rise of two elite offensive defensemen. One is Cale Makar, who was always a highly regarded prospect and made an immediate impact when he joined the NHL. The other, Toews, was 24, older than Makar is now, when he made his NHL debut. From there Toews managed to establish himself with the Islanders, but they clearly didn’t appreciate his full potential because rather than re-sign him as a restricted free agent, they dealt him to Colorado in October 2020 for a pair of second-round picks. Colorado then inked him to a four-year, $16.4 million contract that’s proven to be a steal. He set career-highs in 2020-21 with nine goals and 31 points in 53, but he showed that was just a taste of what he could do in 2021-22 when he scored 13 goals and 57 points in 66 contests. What makes those numbers particularly impressive is the fact that the Avalanche lean heavily on Makar on the power play, forcing Toews into a more limited role in that regard. Consequently, Toews had 12 power-play points to Makar’s 34, but in terms of even-strength points, Toews had 45 to Makar’s 52. Toews was more than just another offensive defenseman for them though. He plays a fast, smart game that allows him to shine at both ends of the ice. He led the team with an average of 2:47 shorthanded minutes and was third on the squad with 45 takeaways. His outstanding play carried into the playoffs where he scored five goals and 15 points in 20 games while averaging 25:53 minutes. Makar is deservedly the headline attraction in Colorado, but Toews would qualify as the number one defenseman on most other teams.

Erik Johnson

Johnson isn’t the top pairing defenseman he once was. Age, injuries, and the rise of talented young defenders Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Samuel Girard have combined to push Johnson down into a depth role last season. Still, having a defenseman of Johnson’s caliber in such a position was a nice luxury for the Avalanche to have. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound defenseman embraced his shutdown role, dishing out a career-high 165 hits and leading the Avalanche with 136 blocks. He also was a big part of Colorado’s penalty kill, averaging 2:36 shorthanded minutes. Overall, Johnson averaged 17:53 minutes, including almost no power-play ice time, but he still managed to chip in a bit offensively. He scored eight goals and 25 points in 77 contests. The 34-year-old served as a veteran presence for the Avalanche during their playoff run while continuing to serve in a complementary role. He had a goal and five points while averaging 17:01 minutes in 20 postseason games. He continued to play a physical game, ranking third in the league with 79 hits in the playoffs. His efforts weren’t key to the Avalanche’s postseason success, but he did his part and was rewarded with his first championship. He has one season left on his seven-year, $42 million contract and he’s frankly not going to live up to that cap hit. Unless the Avalanche are forced to deal with significant injuries this season, he’s going to spend almost all the campaign on the third pairing. Still, he’s a solid defensive defenseman who can play a bigger role if the situation calls for it.

Samuel Girard

The Avalanche’s blueline features offensive stars in Cale Makar and Devon Toews, an exciting young blueliner in Bowen Byram, and a pair of physical, shutdown defenseman who can still chip in offensively in Josh Manson and Erik Johnson. Then there’s Girard. At 5-foot-10, 170-pounds, he’s not an imposing force on the ice, but he’s also not allergic to physical play. He’s not going to put up the crazy numbers of Makar or Toews, but he is a great skater, strong with the puck, and adept on the power play. He’s not the star attraction of the Avalanche in any regard. What Girard does provide is an overall solid package and someone who slides into a top-four role even on a team with as deep a blueline as Colorado. Girard had five goals and 28 points in 67 games while averaging 21:39 minutes. Of that, he registered seven assists on the power play while being limited to an average of 1:50 minutes – roughly half of what Makar received. When it came to even strength, he was slotted wherever there happened to be a need instead of getting a consistent defensive partner. Over 10% of his total ice was shared with each of Byram, Toews, Makar, Erik Johnson, and Jack Johnson. Girard had a goal and three points in seven games to start the playoffs, but his run was abruptly halted when he suffered a broken sternum early in Game 3 of the Avalanche’s second round series against St. Louis. Going forward, there’s still a top-four slot available for Girard, but as long as he’s with Colorado, he’s not going to be a mainstay on the top power-play unit and that limits his offensive potential.

Josh Manson

When the Avalanche acquired Manson in March, he knew that he wasn’t coming in to play a starring role. The Avalanche already had a pair of elite defensemen in Cale Makar and Devon Toews who would continue to eat big minutes and power the offense from the blueline. What the Avalanche were instead looking for was a big, physical blueliner and that’s exactly what they got. Through 67 games with Anaheim and Colorado last season, the 6-foot-3, 218-pound defenseman was credited 179 hits and accumulated 65 penalty minutes, including three fighting majors. He does more than just provide grit though. He’s typically been responsible defensively and had okay 5v5 puck possession numbers in Anaheim (50.5% Corsi, 49.6% Fenwick) despite not being a significant offensive contributor. Speaking of, he finished the campaign with six goals and 16 points. That’s a far cry from the 37 points he recorded in 2017-18, but that campaign has been the exception rather than the rule in his career and he shouldn’t be counted on to ever come close to that level again. He did have some special moments in the playoffs though. Manson provided three goals and eight points in 20 playoff games, including the overtime winner in Game 1 of the second round. Although he was only a rental when Colorado acquired him, he was a good enough fit to warrant Colorado signing him to a four-year, $18 million contract. He figures to slot in as the team’s fourth or fifth defenseman and continue to serve as a major physical presence.

GOALTENDING

Alexandar Georgiev

After Colorado found themselves burned by Philipp Grubauer’s abrupt departure in the 2021 off-season, general manager Joe Sakic clearly learned from his mistakes and took a proactive approach to the team’s post-Stanley Cup free agency period. Instead of banking on talks going right with injury-prone veteran Darcy Kuemper, the Avalanche went out and dealt for a newer, younger Grubauer to take the reins for the upcoming year; for just a handful of mid-round draft picks, the team picked up New York Rangers backup Alexandar Georgiev to tandem with already-existing netminder Pavel Francouz this year.

Georgiev didn’t have the best 2021-22 campaign, posting some of the worst numbers of his career and being limited to just 33 games behind the Vezina-winning Igor Shesterkin. But despite a middling save percentage that sat considerably below the league average, Georgiev’s underlying numbers were far more reassuring for Avalanche fans – especially given the fact that he’ll see more regular starts and play behind a far more experienced defense in Colorado in comparison to what he dealt with in New York City. His game, which is far more structured positionally and depth-wise than is typical among Russian-developed goaltenders, should see a resurgence behind Colorado’s roster. And the boost of confidence that he should receive from being given a multi-year deal by Colorado could help as well; without the spectre of a possible trade constantly looming on the horizon, he could find himself feeling more comfortable and confident heading into the new season.

Projected starts: 50-55

Pavel Francouz

The Colorado Avalanche finally won their Stanley Cup – and while their goaltending was far from the most valuable performance exhibited during either the regular season or the playoffs, there’s something to be said for the consistent success that the now-32-year-old Pavel Francouz has displayed during his three years on the roster. The biggest concern for Colorado, once again, won’t be Francouz’s abilities; when he’s healthy, he’s both effective and reliable. But after missing an entire season for injury, Francouz struggled to elevate his game above the average marker last year. He didn’t post many truly poor starts, but neither did he post many truly top-tier ones, either. And as he continues to progress on the wrong side of 30, it’s hard to feel comfortable with how healthy he can stay – especially if Georgiev does need a little extra help in the new year. The Avalanche haven’t made many bad calls with their goaltending at the NHL level in the last handful of years, so there’s less worry than other teams might face with the same tandem. But even so, it’s hard to put this one-two punch down as a clear top-tier tandem for the upcoming season until they’ve proven they’re both able to be exactly what they’ve been before.

Projected starts: 35-40

NCAA 2019-20 Season Preview: Big Ten

Ryan Wagman — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 17:01:14 +0000

With seven schools participating, the Big Ten is inappropriately named. Even if/when the University of Illinois is granted a Division I team and joins the conference to which their other intramural athletics belong, there will only be eight schools in the Big Ten. Once upon a time, there were only ten schools in the historic conference, but it has been 20 years since that was last the case, as Penn State – then without a Division I hockey program – was granted entry to give the conference a round 11 teams.

Until that fateful day arrives when the Fighting Illini grow the sport, the Big Ten will be stuck on seven teams. And they are good teams, with rich histories (except for Penn State, which doesn’t yet have a history). Four different current Big Ten schools have made the Frozen Four championship game in the past decade, but somehow none have walked away with a title. The situation was almost comical in 2018, when the Frozen Four featured three squads from the Big Ten, plus one from the NCHC. The lone NCHC squad naturally ran the table for the title. The most recent Big Ten school to win the National Championship was Michigan State, which won all the marbles in 2007, capping off a run of four titles by three Big Ten schools in six years.

As always though, there is hope in the Midwest that the Big Ten will find a new champion this year. The seven schools have all recruited well and the schools are well coached, with one school in particular bringing in a veritable murderer’s row of high-end talent to supplement an already strong core. But we’ll get to that below. Let’s walk through the schools.

Michigan Wolverines

One the one hand, superstar Quinn Hughes is gone, off to the NHL to quarterback the building Vancouver Canucks’ power play. Fellow blueline stalwarts Joseph Cecconi and Nick Boka have also moved on. The only other significant departure is center Josh Norris, who missed the second half of last season to injury, who turned pro to sign with Ottawa. On the other hand, literally the rest of the team has returned, including captain Will Lockwood, passing on the chance to join Hughes in the Vancouver season to play out his senior year in Ann Arbor.

Besides Lockwood, the star attraction on the Wolverines’ roster this year will be Hughes’ direct replacement, highly touted freshman defender Cam York, like Hughes an alumnus of the USNTDP program, and likewise a first-round pick, having been selected last June by Philadelphia. He is expected to drive the offensive attack from day one. Another USNTDP first rounder joining the team along with York is big center John Beecher, who played a depth role with the UNSTDP last year, but is a fantastic skater and has enough in his hands to expect him to play a two-way top six role with Michigan. After Lockwood and Beecher, the offense features a number of upperclassmen who can contribute to the attack in Jake Slaker, Nick and Michael Pastujov, and Jake Becker. I would also keep an eye on sophomore Nolan Moyle, graduate transfer Jacob Hayhurst, who comes over from RPI, and incoming freshman Eric Ciccolini, who starred in Junior A in Ontario, who all have sleeper potential.

If Michigan is to be a successful team and not just a collection of talented players, they will need one or both of their returning netminders, Strauss Mann, and Hayden Lavigne to step up and stop more than 90% of shots faced, which neither managed last season.

Drafted Players: D Luke Martin (Car, 2^nd round, 2017), D Cam York (Phi, 1^st round, 2019), C Jack Becker (Bos, 7^th round, 2015), C John Beecher (Bos, 1^st round, 2019), RW Eric Ciccolini (NYR, 7^th round, 2019), RW Will Lockwood (Van, 3^rd round, 2016), LW Nick Pastujov (NYI, 7^th round, 2016)

Michigan State Spartans

After three consecutive last place finishes in the conference and having not finished above fifth since 2013-14, the Spartans return with an experienced roster with no lack of skilled players, attempting to turn around the school’s on-ice fortunes. Veteran Head Coach Danton Cole is only his third year in East Lansing, and to his credit, the number of players of interest on the squad has continued to rise, although perhaps not to the extent promised through his years coaching the USNTDP, as precious few of his former charges have followed Cole to MSU.

One who has been able to experience Cole in both location is bis center Patrick Khodorenko, who along with winger Mitchell Lewandowski, is expected to lead the attack, helping supporters move on from, if not outright forget, Taro Hirose, a 2018-19 Hobey Baker Finalist and the Big Ten player of the year, but skipped his senior year to sign with the Detroit Red Wings. At least he will be close by. Candidates to replace Hirose on the first line include seniors Logan Lambdin and Sam Saliba, or star recruit Josh Nodler, although in the latter scenario, either Nodler or Khodorenko would have to move to the wing, as both are natural centers. Nodler at least is a gifted play maker and could fill a similar function on the top line. The other big recruit to the Spartans is Switzerland native Nicolas Muller, who has a long international history for his mother land as well as a history of offensive production in the Swedish junior leagues.

Whichever wingman Cole chooses for his two big returning forwards, the team will not improve in the standings until they tighten up their defensive core. Twin blueliners Cole and Christian Krygier were both passable as freshmen, and Christian looked good in the national colors at the mid-summer World Junior Summer Showcase event. Tommy Miller and Jerad Rosburg round out a reasonable, if unspectacular top four. Similar compliments could be laid upon the returning netminders, Drew DeRidder and John Lethemon. Both stopped a touch better than 90% of the shots they faced last year, although they faced far too many shots for that to be enough. Their brand of high event hockey will be fun to watch, but without a tightening up in the back, they will fall short all too often.

Drafted players: D Christian Krygier (NYI, 7^th round, 2018), D Cole Krygier (Fla, 7^th round, 2018), C Mitchell Mattson (Cgy, 5^th round, 2016), C Josh Nodler (Cgy, 5^th round, 2019)

Minnesota Golden Gophers

When Big Ten Hockey got going, the Golden Gophers were the clear team to beat, winning the regular season title for the first four seasons of the conference’s existence, before a precipitous fall from grace in 2017-18, when they found themselves in the unfamiliar and uncomfortable position of fifth in a seven team conference. Minnesota rebounded to third last year, but it is now clear that their days of homogeneous rule of the roost are over. Hockey in Minnesota still takes on religious fervor and the university team is still an institution, usually getting the pick of local stars, which they have supplemented with the occasional import from another state or nation. But really, this team is, per usual, mostly homegrown, with only eight of 27 roster players with a listed birthplace from out of state.

The top three scorers from last season are all gone, as well as some key blueliners, but the depth of talent in Minneapolis will make the team a threat once again. Speedster Sammy Walker between gifted wingers Blake McLaughlin and Sampo Ranta, all of whom are entering their sophomore seasons, are primed to grow into high end collegiate threats on their way to pro careers. Versatile forward Brannon McMannus took that step forward last year, and an additional step forward on his part could have him firmly in the cross hairs of NHL scouts. Incoming freshmen Ben Meyers, Bryce Brodzinski (the reining Minnesota Mr. Hockey), and Jack Perbix all have a history of offensive production and could challenge for top six roles from the get-go.

The blueline is similarly pro aspiring, with six drafted defenders among them. Tyler Nanne may be the grizzled veteran who will be relied upon to quarterback the power play, but freshmen Ryan Johnson and Jackson LaCombe could both be stars in short order. Both primary goalies from last year are gone, but the two primary incoming tenders are both NHL draft picks in Jack LaFontaine, who previously spent two years at Michigan, and was fantastic in the BCHL last year, and Jared Moe, who was steady, if unspectacular over two seasons with Waterloo of the USHL. If the Golden Gophers can harness the collective talents of the players to play as a cohesive unit under decorated head coach Bob Motzko, they could credibly challenge for the top of the conference once again.

Drafted players: G Jack LaFontaine (Car, 3^rd round, 2016), G Jared Moe (Wpg, 6^th round, 2018), D Ben Brinkman, (Dal, 6^th round, 2019), D Ryan Johnson (Buf, 1^st round, 2019), D Jackson LaCombe (Ana, 2^nd round, 2019), D Tyler Nanne (NYR, 5^th round, 2014), D Robbie Stucker (Clb, 7^th round, 2017), D Ryan Zuhlsdorf (TB, 5^th round, 2015), RW Bryce Brodzinski (Phi, 7^th round, 2019), LW Blake McLaughlin (Ana, 3^rd round, 2018), RW Jack Perbix (Ana, 4^th round, 2018), LW Sampo Ranta (Col, 3^rd round, 2018), C Scott Reedy (SJ, 4^th round, 2017), C Samuel Walker (TB, 7^th round, 2017)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Another program with exceptional coaching, Jeff Jackson enters his 15^th year behind the bench at South Bend, and his 21^st season altogether as a head coach at the NCAA level. The Fighting Irish have a deep veteran roster, augmented by a number of talented recruits. While the squad may not be at the level as the ones which went to the Frozen Four in back to back years, they still will be competitive on a nightly basis and could compete for supremacy in the Big Ten.

The main challenge for the team will be overcoming the graduation of Bobby Nardella, and the early exit of Andrew Peeke, both players going on to NHL contracts. Thankfully, the defensive core still has more than their fair share of pro prospects, with senior Tory Dello hoping a big deal gets him a similar free agent contract as it did for former teammate Nardella. He is joined by four drafted players, with New Jersey pick Matthew Hellickson the likely quarterback. I also expect to see a big jump forward from Nashville pick Spencer Stastney. The blueline will be protecting the net of Cole Morris, whose .930 save percentage last season was actually a letdown after an incredible .944 mark, and accompanying Mike Richter Award, in 2017-18.

Pushing the pace on offense will be a squad that does not look to have one or two central figures, but figures to attack in waves. Captain Cal Burke, a senior, will be looking to earn an NHL contract offer after being among the team’s offensive leaders as a junior. Colorado draft pick Cam Morrison has disappointed since a strong freshman campaign, and he will have ample motivation to finish his collegiate career with a bang. Sophomore Alex Steeves will also want to step forward to put his name back in the crosshairs of NHL scouts, after being overlooked at the draft despite a very strong draft year in the USHL. Trevor Janicke is the most highly touted new recruit, but I wouldn’t sleep on Max Ellis also doing well in his rookie collegiate season.

Drafted players: D Nate Clurman (Col, 6^th round, 2016), D Matthew Hellickson (NJ, 7^th round, 2017), D Nick Leivermann, (Col, 7^th round, 2017), D Spencer Stastney (Nas, 5^th round,, 2018), C Trevor Janicke (Ana, 5^th round, 2019), LW Cam Morrison (Col, 2^nd round, 2016), C Jacob Pivonka (NYI, 4^th round, 2018).

The Ohio State Buckeyes

On the one hand, all of the schools in the Big Ten (with the possible exception of Minnesota) are more known for the exploits on the gridiron than on the ice sheet. That is especially true with THE Ohio State. Between appearances in the Frozen Four in 1997-98 and their triumphant return in 2017-18, the Buckeyes only even reached the year end tournament six times over 20 years, never getting past the first round. In that same time span, the Buckeyes’ football time won 10 Big Ten titles, and two national championships. Now they enter the 2019-20 season coming off three consecutive Tournament appearances, only the second time in school history they have achieved such a run of success. It says here, they could set a new record this year with a fourth consecutive showing, even though their roster has less drafted talent than most others.

With two of the top three scorers last season gone, the offensive drive will be centered on Hobey Baker candidate Tanner Laczynski, whose skills and overall game have improved year over year through three years in Columbus. His skating has gotten more fluid and he has always been an exquisite puck handler and playmaker. He should be ably assisted by Carson Meyer, who acclimatized quickly after transferring from Miami to OSU. I also expect Swedish center Gustaf Westlund to take a big step forward in his sophomore season. As far as newcomers to the squad, look out for Michael Gildon, the only regular skater from last season’s elite USNTDP squad who wasn’t drafted, but capably demonstrated a knack for playing with top end talent and creating space for them. He could grow into a third wheel role on a top six line.

Forwards aside, OSU’s chances for success will once again lie squarely with the defensive half of the team. That include the blueline squad’s ability to keep their own end clean while kick-starting the counterattack with regularity. Matt Miller is the most common defenseman to remain active in the offensive zone, but I expect to see more contributions on the scoresheet from Wyatt Ege this year. Newcomer Layton Ahac could also help give the transition game more of a push. Behind that deep blueline squats one of the more underappreciated netminders in the college game in Tommy Nappier. He has ideal pro size at 6-3”, 194 and took over a regular role as a sophomore last year with sparkling numbers including a 1.86 GAA and a .934 save percentage. A follow up performance that even approaches last year’s will make OSU a tough out no matter how much their offense produces.

Drafted Players: D Layton Ahac (Vgk, 3^rd round, 2019), D Ryan O’Connell (Tor, 7^th round, 2017), LW Miguel Fidler (Fla, 5^th round, 2014), C Tanner Laczynski (Phi, 6^th round, 2016), RW Carson Meyer (Clb, 6^th round, 2017).

Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State’s rise to a legitimately strong hockey school in only seven years as an NCAA accredited program has been nothing short of spectacular. They were close to a .500 team in their debut in 2012-13 and then fell hard in their follow up, finishing with a record of 8-26-2. In the five years since, their cumulative record has been 104-70-17, which included two seasons which finished I the NCAA tournament. On the strength of those finishes, the Nittany Lions have been able to recruit a number of high-end players to further the school’s on-ice exploits, while paving the way for subsequent NCAA entry Arizona State to reach the tournament in a similarly quick period of time. Their quick ascension was also said to be a driving factor in the push for the University of Illinois to seek NCAA status for their Ice Hockey team.

Penn State is well positioned for a strong eighth season, with eight of their top ten-point getters from 2018-19 returning, as well as their starting netminder. And while he wasn’t in their top ten in points last season, Aarne Talvitie would easily have made the cut were he not injured during the 2019 WJC as he had been one of Finland’s best players prior to the injury. Talvitie is also returning. Augmenting the likes of veterans Brandon Biro, Evan Barrett, Liam Fowlkes, and Alex Limoges up front, the Nittany Lions are bringing in a few solid recruits from the USHL in Connor MacEachern and Connor McMenamin, as well as Kevin Wall from the BCHL. If Denis Smirnov can rebound and produce like he did as a freshman, the attack will be exceptionally difficult to contain.

The blueline is similarly deep, led by veterans Cole Hults, Kris Myllari, and Paul DeNaples. Joining them this year are a pair of BCHL recruits in Kenny Johnson (brother of Pittsburgh Penguin, Jack) and Mason Snell, as well as a high-profile transfer from fellow Big Ten program Minnesota in Clayton Phillips. The Penguins draft pick was granted a transfer exemption and will not need to sit out for a season before suiting up, as would almost always be the case with a transferring junior.

Drafted Players: D Cole Hults (LA, 5^th round, 2017), D Clayton Phillips (Pit, 3^rd round, 2017), C Evan Barratt (Chi, 3^rd round, 2017), C Nikita Pavlychev (Pit, 7^th round, 2015), RW Denis Smirnov (Col, 6^th round, 2017), C Aarne Talvitie (NJ, 6^th round, 2017), RW Kevin Wall (Car, 6^th round, 2019)

Wisconsin Badgers

If we look at talent in a vacuum, Wisconsin may be not only the best team in the Big Ten, but in the discussion for the best team in the nation. This is nothing new, and yet the Badgers have not made it to the NCAA tournament since 2013-14, and have only had a record above .500 once in the five subsequent seasons. The lack of team-wide success has been buffluding to the six time nation champions, but head coach Tony Granato has recruited very well and the program continues to add top end players to its ranks on an annual basis, with the most recent freshman class considered by many to be the finest in NCAA hockey. Those players, some of whom we will discuss momentarily, supplement a core which lost only one of its top ten scorers. Despite their previous inconsistency, there was a lot of talent among that holdover bunch as well.

Very little has changed between the goaltending or the defensive crew from last year. Every goalie who appeared in a game is back, and incumbent starter Daniel Lebedeff will be expected to play more steady, reliable brand of hockey between the pipes as the presumptive starter once again. The only regular blueliner to depart was team captain Peter Tischke, who graduated. The five returnees are all NHL drafted and K’Andre Miller still has the look of a future star at the highest levels. If he can stay healthy and in line with team rules, that ascent can begin now. Wyatt Kalynuk and Josh Ess are both smart puck movers, while Tyler Inamoto and Ty Emberson are both more renowned for strong play in their own ends.

With all due respect to holdover forwards like Sean Dhooghe and Linus Weissbach, all eyes this year will be on Wisconsin’s A-rated recruits among the forwards. They include a pair of top half of the first round NHL draft picks from the USNTDP in Alex Turcotte (5^th overall) and Cole Caufield (15^th overall), in addition to their teammate with the USNTDP Owen Lindmark an another mid-round pick in Ryder Donovan. There are also some who think that the true top recruit to Madison is 2020 draft eligible forward Dylan Holloway, who spent last year tearing up the AJHL, and has already represented Canada at last year’s WU18 tournament and this past Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Holloway could be a lottery pick this year if he proves able to produce at the NCAA level as a true freshman. It can be very difficult for so many top talents to gel as a team, but if they can manage it, the Badgers can push for a seventh title. It might be now or never as some of their more prominent drafted players could be turning pro as soon as the 2019-20 comes to a close.

Drafted Players: D Ty Emberson (Ari, 3^rd round, 2018), D Joshua Ess (Chi, 7^th round, 2017), D Tyler Inamoto (Fla, 5^th round, 2017), D Wyatt Kalynuk (Phi, 7^th round, 2017), D K’Andre Miller (NYR, 1^st round, 2018), RW Cole Caufield (Mtl, 1^st round, 2019), C Ryder Donovan (Vgk, 4^th round, 2019), C/LW Jack Gorniak (Mtl, 4^th round, 2018), C Owen Lindmark (Fla, 5^th round, 2019), C Alex Turcotte (LA, 1^st round, 2019), LW Linus Weissbach (Buf, 7^th round, 2017), LW Max Zimmer (Car, 4^th round, 2016).

Big Ten Top Draft Eligible Players

Dylan Holloway, C, Wisconsin
Michael Gildon, LW, Ohio State

Holloway is the only first-time draft prospect of note in the conference, and likely the first collegiate drafted in 2020. I think Gildon should have been selected last season and a solid freshman campaign for the Buckeyes could see him selected in his go-round.

Big Ten Top Free Agents

Brandon Biro, Penn State
Tommy Nappier, Ohio State
Mitchell Lewandowski, Michigan State
Patrick Khodorenko, Michigan State
Cale Morris, Notre Dame

The Big Ten is the conference to be for NCAA free agents this year and I would add names like Alex Limoges (Penn State), Nate Sucese (Penn State), and Brannon McManus (Minnesota) as players to watch.