Brendan Guhle – McKeen's Hockey

Anaheim Ducks 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 18:32:11 +0000

I have long been fascinated by the player development system in place in Anaheim. Actually, that isn’t quite fair, as I have long been fascinated by the entirety of hockey operations in Anaheim, what with the Ducks being possibly the last public holdout to the analytics revolution.

It would be easy to attribute their recent fall from grace to their insistence on playing checkers while the rest of the league plays chess, but that isn’t wholly accurate either. You see, if they were so far behind the times, the Ducks would not have been consistent contenders for so long. Not only did last year’s playoff miss signify the first early vacation for the Ducks since 2011-12, but it was just their third playoff miss since winning the Stanley Cup in 2007.

It would be pretty easy to look at last year as not only a result of anti-analytics, but doubling down on the anti-analytics style, what with Randy Carlyle spending the bulk of the season behind the bench before GM Bo Murray finally pulled the plug and installed himself as the interim bench boss over the last few months of the season.

While the above was a contributing factor, the Ducks fell from their regular postseason perch due to a combination of an aging core (with the associated injuries that also come in tandem) with a young next wave that was not quite ready.

One of the things that has most fascinated me about the Ducks player development system (including their scouting/drafting) is how they see to consistently find skilled forwards at the draft, which they had supplemented with just enough of a blueline corps to maintain their edge. Trades and the expansion draft (Sami Vaatanen and Marcus Pettersen for the former and Shea Theodore for the latter) made that blueline weaker than they had hoped and they team simply lacked the horses to replace them.

We can see that below, as the Ducks current top 20 has only four defensemen, two of whom were just brought into the system at this year’s draft. None of those four defenders are ranked higher than ninth in the system. That top defender, Josh Mahura, was given a change last year, in his first professional season, and held his own in a 17 game NHL trial, but did not do enough at either the AHL or NHL levels to indicate that he was ready for a full time NHL role.

The same is not true for the team’s forwards. With the Anaheim forward unit aging, and in some case, excised from the roster, there will be a few chances for one or more of the team’s top prospects to step up. The Ducks are expected to offer extended opportunities to Sam Steel, Troy Terry, and Max Jones to make the NHL roster on a full-time basis, especially now that former AHL San Diego coach Dallas Eakins has been named the Anaheim head coach. All will be given a chance to become part of the new Anaheim core.

-Ryan Wagman

Anaheim Ducks Center Sam Steel (34) . (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire)

1 Trevor Zegras, C (9^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) With all of the hoopla surrounding teammate and occasional linemate Jack Hughes, it was relatively easy to miss the fact that Trevor Zegras was also among the handful of the most dynamic forwards available in the 2019 draft class. Part of his ability to fly under the radar was due to not being a natural goalscorer, preferring, like current Anaheim legend Ryan Getzlaf, to create opportunities for others. The other part of it is the fact that near elite hockey IQ is one of the driving factors in his game, as opposed to say skating ability (although he is a tremendous skater) or puck skills (he has fantastic hands). With Hughes clearly the number one center for the USNTDP last year, Zegras alternated between playing as the second line center, or on either of the two wings. He can do it all and may not need to do it all at Boston University for more than a single season before he is ready for the pro game. - RW

2 Sam Steel, C (30^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 1) Steel’s first pro season was a solid one, as his dependable smarts and diverse offensive skill set were all on display in a season split between Anaheim and AHL San Diego. A playmaker at heart, he possesses incredible patience and natural hockey sense, but can beat you with a wicked wrist shot from the slot as well. He took on some tough defensive matchups in his rookie season in the pro ranks, showing exemplary maturity and discipline at a young age. Though his playmaking traits revolve around slowing the game down, he could stand to play with more pace. The door is wide open for the former first-rounder to secure a full-time spot on the center depth chart in the NHL. Expect him to play a top-six role with the Ducks in the future. - TD

3 Maxime Comtois, C/LW (50^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 4) Comtois secured a taste of the NHL level this season with seven points in 10 games, and later spent another four games at the AHL level. This experience is a sign pointing to how close he is to making the show. Comtois added the captaincy along with six points in five games for Team Canada at the World Juniors while playing through a separated shoulder. He also had an impressive second half of 48 points in 25 games with Drummondville showing great resiliency in returning strong after receiving unwarranted criticism from some fans after his Team Canada performance. Comtois is NHL ready; he has the size, the skills, the smarts and the drive. His skating is not special but it should be enough, and his game evolved from pure offensive power forward to a two-way force at the junior level. His 2018-19 was a big step towards reaching his potential as a responsible and dependable physical top-six winger with offensive upside. -MS

4 Isac Lundestrom, C/LW (23^rd overall, 2018. Last Year: 2) Lundestrom has already seen NHL action as a teenager and will be an NHLer in the long run as well. He has a chance to emerge as a good center for Anaheim as soon as this upcoming season. His potential is not top line elite but as a middle six center he could thrive. He has strong foundations when it comes to his skating, skills, smarts and physicality. He could show more of an attack mentality in the offensive end though. His wrist shot is good, but he doesn’t use it enough. He is a strong puck carrier and excels at zone entries. He can be used in various roles, offensively as well as defensively, and do well at both ends, but isn’t all-in-all good enough to become the best player for your team. Lundestrom plays a balanced game and takes responsibility in all three zones. He can also support the offensive game and has puck skills to become a 40/50-point player in the NHL at his peak. - JH

5 Troy Terry, C (148^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 3) Terry is not the best or most complete prospect in the Anaheim system, but he might be the one with the most raw, unadulterated skill. The center is yet another pro rookie who dazzled in 2018-19, as the former World Junior Championship hero put up a point per game with AHL San Diego and 13 points in 32 games with Anaheim last year. His quick hands, whippy, dangerous wrist shot, offensive vision, and deceptive skating give him a neat package to build on, as long as he can remain confident and start to help out on defense more than he currently does. Has a solid chance to break the Ducks’ Opening Night roster, if his health (broken leg late last season) coincides with his gameplay. - TD

6 Benoit-Olivier Groulx, C (54^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 5) Coaches love smart players, and Groulx is certainly that. He showed a lot of growth on a deep Halifax team this season, with a 25-point improvement from the previous year. He was injured and missed some time in the playoffs, and was not himself until the Memorial Cup, where he contributed at a point-per-game pace. Groulx’s skating is only so-so, and could make him a better winger than center in the pros, but he has the hockey sense and the intelligence to overcome average skating speed and succeed. He can play all situations and has been one of the smartest players in the Q. Pair that with a greatly improved shot, and Groulx has a solid opportunity to move along in the pro ranks. He is shaping up to be a solid middle-six option who can play all situations, and can hang around with his hockey sense above all of his other well-rounded skills. - MS

7 Brayden Tracey, LW (29^th overall, 2019) What will get Tracey to the NHL is his ability to shoot the puck. He has a great wrist shot as well as a lethal one-timer that he can get off in limited space. He has the ability to find soft spaces in the defensive zone coverage that enable him good shooting opportunities. He was fortunate this year to be the fifth player in one of the top 5 man units in the WHL and I remain a bit skeptical about his ability to drive offense without such a dominant supporting cast around him. His skating is above average and he moves around the ice well with and without the puck, including some nice feigns and dekes that allow him to beat guys one on one. He projects as a middle six winger who is a viable offensive option on a second power play unit. - VG

8 Max Jones, LW (24^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 8) Another former first-rounder who made his pro debut last season, Jones boasts a menacing power-forward repertoire and the intense, mature game to grow into it. He struggled to establish himself in limited NHL minutes last season (30-2-3-5), but looked dominant at times with AHL San Diego, using his elite skating, combining balance and stride power to finesse by defenders and make something happen. His skating speed is at a high level for someone of his size and playing style, and his sturdiness with the puck on his stick makes him a difficult player to wrap up. His feisty, angry demeanor on the ice can backfire (penalty minute accumulation, lack of focus on defense), but will be a factor if he can harness it for good. Even if he does not live up to his draft billing, he should establish himself on a bottom six slot in short order. - TD

9 Josh Mahura, D (85^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 6) As part of a long line of high-end defensemen drafted in later rounds and developed by the Ducks, Mahura shows top-four upside and the potential to be a lethal power-play quarterback in the future. A crisp, accurate, and heads-up passer, the 2016 third-rounder is a beast in transitional play, and is never afraid to start -- or join -- an offensive rush. Solid vision of up-ice development is aided by his tight gaps, which can force turnovers at the blue line and spark a chance the other way. An average skater, Mahura needs to work on his technical footwork (pivots, start/stops, acceleration) to command a lot of minutes in his NHL future. He could also be a shooter, but his game is more tailored to his skill at facilitating chances for others. - TD

10 Blake McLaughlin, LW (79^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 7) After a strong performance in his draft year with USHL Chicago, McLaughlin was one of several high end newcomers at the University of Minnesota. In a disappointing season for the Golden Gophers, the former third rounder was part of the general malaise around the program during the first half of the season, but he made the necessary adjustments from the Junior A level and performed at an admirable NCAA level in the second half of his freshman year. By year’s end, he was showcasing a promising two-way game, using his skilled hands to force turnovers in his own end and then to create chances for his linemates in the offensive end. His solid first few steps also help him be a disruptive force throughout the rink. If his trajectory continues, he still has a good chance of fulfilling his middle six NHL upside. - RW

11 Trevor Janicke, C (132^nd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Like Trevor Zegras above, this Trevor is also experienced at being overshadowed by Jack Hughes. A USNTDP member during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, he was never draft eligible as a late birthday, but even so, Hughes helped keep him in the bottom six during his second year with the program. Spending his draft year with lowly, and now defunct Central Illinois of the USHL, Janicke was easy to forget, but he has often the only real offensive driver for the Flying Aces. Heading to Notre Dame next year, Janicke has refined hockey sense and is a strong skater (two endemic traits among USNTDP alums) but his shot is a separator. The wrist shot, in particular, can beat good goalies (at the USHL level) from a distance. While he may not score as often from the blueline, he will still be deadly from the circles on in. With continued development with the Fighting Irish, he has middle six upside, although more likely as a winger than up the middle. -RW

12 Henry Thrun, D (101^st overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Lacking the flair of fellow USNTDP blueliners Cam York and Domenick Fensore, or the size and brawn of teammates like Alex Vlasic or Case McCarthy, Thrun did a little bit of everything for the program. He plays a quiet, hyper-efficient game at both ends. He was a regular on the penalty kill and shows the type of on-ice IQ that you could expect from someone heading to Harvard. He is not a blazer, but has enough mobility to move the puck out of his own zone. His work in the offensive end lacks panache, but he is an excellent passer, particularly with his backhand. He has good size, but he wins battles defensively through positioning instead of brute force. His upside is not likely to be better than a solid number four, but in this system, that makes him one of the best defenders.

13 Antoine Morand, C (60^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 9) A teammate of Groulx’s and a close friend of Comtois, Antoine Morand is well connected with his fellow Anaheim-drafted Q prospect teammates. Much like them, Morand knows where to be on the ice. He is a creator who distributes very well and can run an offence. For the third year in a row, he broke the 70-point barrier, this time with the Halifax Mooseheads, where he was named captain. In his second Memorial Cup appearance, he doubled his point output at the tournament from two to four. He is a solid skater with great agility and strong edgework, but his size is a question mark going forward. Morand will have to bulk up to have extended success at the NHL level, as he is a top-6 offensive player or bust prospect as an undersized forward. - MS

14 Lukas Dostal, G (85^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 12) Although small by modern goaltending standards, Czech netminder Lukas Dostal is blessed with high end athleticism. Along with his glove hand and his ability to track the puck, he can keep his team in games, as he demonstrated time and again at the junior level, and against men at various European stops. In addition to a star turn with the Czech U20 team at the WJC (he was named one of the three best players on the team and led all netminders at the tournament with a stellar .957 save percentage), he also more than held his own at the Czech second division and in Finland’s top level with Ilves. He likes to challenge shooters and shows a plus ability to prevent second chances. His limbs move quickly, and he can cover more of the net than his bulk would suggest. Heading back to Ilves for another year, he profiles as a future backup at the highest level. - RW

15 Brendan Guhle, D (51^st overall, 2015 [Buffalo]. Last Year: 3 [Buffalo]) Packaged in the February trade that sent Brandon Montour to Buffalo, Guhle wasted no time getting acclimated to the Ducks system and showing his NHL potential in the process. The former second-rounder has the size and fundamental defensive smarts to be reliable in his own zone, as well as the speed and playmaking abilities to carry the puck out and make some noise. At the tail end of the 2018-19 campaign, the former second-round pick was quarterbacking the Ducks’ second power-play unit, as his fantastic technical skating ability and shot made for a nifty man-advantage package at the top of the zone. Mature and physical, there are no real, debilitating flaws to his game, and he could be on the Ducks’ blueline come to the start of the 2019-20 season although his true upside is more number four or five than defensive linchpin. - TD

16 Chase De Leo, C (99^th overall, 2014 [Winnipeg]. Last Year: Unranked) An undersized forward, De Leo has absolutely dominated in the AHL over the past few seasons, including a career-best 66-20-35-55 stat line with San Diego last year, adding five playoff goals in the process. His combination of energy, skill, playmaking, and shooting prowess make him one of the most intriguing presences in a prospect system -- one De Leo joined following a trade from Winnipeg in June 2018 -- deep in scoring centers. So why hasn’t he seen an extended shot in the NHL? His 5-9” stature doesn’t help, and his inability to help much on defense -- even in his draft +4 year -- is not a step in the right direction. Jumping into a re-tooling organization like the Ducks could help his case for an NHL spot, however, although he would need to prove he can take on a bottom six role. - TD

17 Jackson Lacombe, D (39^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) As Lacombe spent the overwhelming majority of his draft year playing with the Shattuck St. Mary’s Midget Prep program, kicking butt and taking names, it was fairly clear that he was too good for the level he was at. His outrageous point totals (89 points in 54 games as a defenseman) need to be taken with a few shakers of salt. That said, when he did play in the USHL for a few scattered games with the Chicago Steel, he showed a different side of his game, one seemingly more indicative of what he could develop into. Tall and lanky, with room to gain mass, he is a plus skater and shows the ability to move the ability at a solid level, similar to what he demonstrated in the pre-season at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Most notable to these eyes, he was able to read the play at a higher level than was necessary in the prep ranks. He has higher upside than some ranked above him on this list, but is further from reaching that level. -RW

18 Jack Badini, C/LW (91^st overall, 2017. Last Year: 13) Along with Blake McLaughlin and Jackson Lacombe, Jack Badini is one of three former Chicago Steel players in the Anaheim system. Drafted in his second year of eligibility after leading the Steel to a USHL crown in 2017, his first two years at Harvard have been solid, but not spectacular. He is still fleet of foot and a dangerous penalty killer. Since being drafted, Badini has grown more into his frame over two years at Harvard and can be a tougher player to get past in his own end. He has not been given an extended opportunity playing special teams, but has still managed to contribute at a nice secondary pace. Badini still has the makings of a solid bottom six forward, possibly at center, but it would be good to see him gain additional responsibilities with the Crimson before turning pro. - RW

19 Anthony Stolarz, G (45^th overall, 2012 [Philadelphia]. Last Year: 13 [Philadelphia]) As an injury-prone netminder who has been through multiple NHL systems, you might be asking what Stolarz is even doing on a prospects rundown. Keep in mind that the massive, surprisingly athletic American still has quite a bit of upside and has even showed it in his brief NHL stints to this point. A deep-playing netminder, Stolarz is calm, shuts down the posts well, moves from side to side efficiently, and has a very composed game that limits scrambling. With John Gibson atop the goaltending totem pole, what the Ducks will do with the 25-year-old is an open question, but he projects to be a high-end backup goalie at the NHL level if given the role over an extended trial. - TD

20 Andrew Poturalski, C (UFA: Mar. 8, 2016 [Carolina]. Last Year: 14 [Carolina]) Everywhere he has gone in his career, Poturalski has scored at incredible rates. A star at the USHL and NCAA levels, the undrafted forward has torn up the AHL as well, most recently with a 72-23-47-70 regular season, Calder Cup title, and the Butterfield Trophy (AHL postseason MVP) with Charlotte in 2018-19. A decisive, speedy playmaker with quick hands and high-end vision, the 25-year-old possesses a ceiling of a depth scoring forward with potential to have a ton of success on the power play. The lack of a quick first step has limited his ability to attack on the fly, while his undersized frame makes him nearly non-existent around the boards and might be the primary reason why he only received a two game NHL cameo across his three full season in the Carolina organization. With a rebuilding Anaheim team, he may finally get his chance. - TD

My Swede Lord – Buffalo Sabres 2018-19 Season Preview

Robert Howard — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 20:31:19 +0000

Review/State of Play - The Buffalo Sabres finished last in the NHL, last in their division four out of the last five years and were a dispirited group by seasons end. Ryan O’Reilly professed his frustration with a culture of “being OK with losing”. Jack Eichel also expressed his frustration after three seasons “When I got drafted, if you would’ve said we’d be in this position, I probably would’ve told you to give your head a shake.” This was following a season in which they had overturned their front office firing GM Tim Murray and Head Coach Dan Bylsma after a short time in the saddle and replaced them with GM Jason Botterill and Coach Phil Housley, a Sabres alumni great. This offseason Botterill decided to blow up the support group around his young stars and franchise centerman, Eichel.

Trade winds blow - It started at the trade deadline by trading disgruntled O’Reilly for a package of solid NHL veterans in Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka and former first round pick and promising prospect Tage Thompson along with a first round pick in 2019. Berglund and Sobotka make a solid foundation for the third line. Both are responsible defensively and Sobotka is a face off master. Thompson bring size at 6’5” 200 pounds and a good compete level with good hands.

Jeff Skinner

He made two other trades to add impact roster players acquiring Conor Sheary from Pittsburgh for a conditional fourth round draft pick and then add Jeff Skinner for prospect Cliff Pu and three draft picks (second, third and sixth round picks). Both wingers are 26-years-old, Skinner has scored 30 goals three times and Sheary netted 23 in 2016-17. Both had poor seasons and could be rejuvenated in a revamped Sabres top six. Skinner is a free agent after this season and Sheary is signed at a reasonable $3.0 million AAV for the next two seasons. Botterill added four experienced roster players for O’Reilly along with a first-round draft pick came as a bonus.

Sheary and Skinner should man the left wing on lines one and two. Sheary has experience playing with superstars after being teamed with Sidney Crosby much of the last two seasons and Skinner is a sniper. The Sabres are hoping that another new addition in 19-year-old Casey Mittelstadt, who signed an entry level contract in March and appeared in six games, can be the answer in the middle on the second line. He has very high-end offensive skills and impressed with five points in six NHL games in his debut. He will be supported by an experienced winger, in addition to either Sheary or Skinner on the left side, he will line up with Kyle Okposo or Jason Pominville, who are both on the wrong side of 30, but can snipe when called upon. Okposo faced some serious health concerns and could bounce back to the player he was, but not a given considering age and health, even with the infusion of talent around him.

Dahlin impact - The painful 2017-18 turned to enthusiasm when the ping pong ball fell their way this time and they claimed Rasmus Dahlin. He is a dynamic talent at 6’2”, 185 pounds and is ready to make an impact in the NHL immediately. He projects as a franchise defenseman and this past season was named top defenseman at the World Junior Tournament, played against men in a regular role for Frolunda, leading all SHL defensemen in scoring aged 22-years and under. He has elite level skating, passing and reading the game. He is a natural left defense but can play either side. Buffalo is deep in left defenseman, but he will line up nicely with Rasmus Ristolainen who shoots right on the power play.

Ristolainen has had tremendous pressure placed on him and has been mercilessly overworked on poor Sabre teams. He has played over 25 minutes each of the last season and has been labelled a disappointment after being the eighth over all pick. Dahlin may steal some power play ice time from him, but more importantly removes the pressure. Ristoulainen may flourish on a more talented team and in a lesser role.

Marco Scandella lined up primarily with Ristolainen last year playing over 23 minutes a game, killing penalties but if they make Dahlin and Ristolainen the top pairing, he slides in on a solid second unit with Zach Bogosian. Scandella is 28-years-old and provided a solid season. Bogosian is also 28 and missed all but 18 games last season. Once a highly regarded prospect, he also gets a reset, but there are some concerns about health. They acquired 33-year-old Matt Hunwick for added depth.

In net, they bailed on the Robin Lehner experiment and signed 32-year-old Carter Hutton in the off-season for three years at $2.75 million AAV. It will be his first season as a number one goalie and sustaining a level of play over 60 games can prove a challenge. Linus Ullmark, a highly regarded prospect will back him up and could steal the crease. He has a 0.917 save percentage in 26 NHL games and has been a standout in the AHL.

Outlook - The Sabres will be improved this season and will be an exciting team to watch. They are still rebuilding and have a serious cache of draft picks and prospects in the system. They might surprise as Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart look ready to break out as superstars. Dahlin’s addition to the back end makes them better already. Watch for growing pains but the playoffs will be a reach.

Buffalo Sabres Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 20:28:59 +0000

The road has been dark and long for the Sabres. They have not seen a postseason game in seven seasons, and have only two first round losses since making the Eastern Conference finals in 2007.

Sure, the Carolina Hurricanes have gone longer without experiencing the playoffs, but the team in Raleigh was at least semi-decent. The Sabres have been awful.

Focusing on the seven year dry run, they were a near miss in the first year and then bottomed out quickly. In the lockout shortened 2012-13 season, they finished 12^th in the Eastern Conference. In the five seasons since, they finished seventh in the Atlantic Division once, and eighth the other four times.

What has all this losing brought to Buffalo? While Edmonton had the drop on the lottery, the Sabres were generally relegated to sloppy seconds, or worse. Looking only at their first picks, Buffalo drafted blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen eighth overall in 2013, forward Sam Reinhart was the second pick in 2014, recent face of the franchise Jack Eichel was the second pick after Connor McDavid in 2015 and back-to-back eighth overall picks in 2016 and 2017 yielded Alexander Nylander and Casey Mittelstadt.

Finally, their years of decrepitude won Buffalo the first overall pick this year, with one of the best defensemen to hit a draft class in ages heading up the draft. The Sabres did not hesitate to draft another Rasmus, with Dahlin joining Ristolainen on the Buffalo blueline of the present and future.

There were some pretty talented players named in the previous two paragraphs. Player who, surrounded by the right supporting cast, could feasibly be the core of a playoff team. Unfortunately for the locals, former GM Tim Murray was unable to round out the roster. Eichel is a star and Reinhart has finally shown signs of being a legitimate top six winger, if not quite yet living up to expectations.

As it so often is, the problem with Buffalo was that they failed to draft well after their first pick.

From the 2013 draft class, Ristolainen has been a workhorse, but overextended in a shut down role. They drafted 10 other players in that draft. Nikita Zadorov was taken later in the first round and was traded to Colorado after his rookie season in the Ryan O’Reilly deal. Second rounder J.T. Compher also was moved out in that deal. Of the other eight selected, they received a total of 100 NHL games played, mostly by up and down forwards Justin Bailey and Nicholas Baptiste.

In 2014, Buffalo drafted eight others after Reinhart. Only second rounder Brendan Lemieux has played in the NHL and that was with Winnipeg, as he was moved as part of the Tyler Myers trade.

The Sabres only had six total picks in 2015. Other than Eichel, second rounder Brendan Guhle has appeared in 21 games already and is in line for much more. Fourth rounder Will Borgen could join him as a third pairing defender within a few years.

The above-mentioned Alex Nylander is the only class of 2017 player to reach the show, but he has struggled thus far in his professional career. The Sabres have already neglected to sign three of their final four picks and have traded away their third pick as part of the exchange for Jeff Skinner. If not Nylander, Rasmus Asplund and Casey Fitzgerald are the only potential impact players from that class.

It is far too early to judge Buffalo’s 2017 or 2018 draft classes, but with Mittlestadt and Dahlin ready for immediate insertion into the NHL lineup, Buffalo is finally seeing some light at the end of their long road.

Rasmus Dahlin

1 Rasmus Dahlin, D (1^st overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) There was never any real question but that Rasmus Dahlin would be the first player selected in the 2018 NHL Draft. Both his skating and his puck skills grade out at the elite level. His overall game is incredibly mature and he famously represented Sweden at the WJC (while also playing as a regular in the SHL) as a 16 year old. He has average size for the NHL even considering that he has not yet fully accessed his man strength. Many have compared his game to previous top end Swedish defenders in the NHL, from Nicklas Lidstrom to Victor Hedman, but his game is most reminiscent to that that of Drew Doughty. Dahlin is the rare blueliner that can take over a shift in all zones, shutting things down in his own end and controlling the possession in the offensive end. He has been ready for the NHL for at least 12 months, and is maybe 12 months away from being an All Star.

2 Casey Mittelstadt, C/LW (8^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 1^st) If all you saw of Mittelstadt was his performance for Team USA in the most recent WJC (in Buffalo), you would think that you were looking at a future super star. His late season cameo with Buffalo did not disabuse that notion. But in the past two seasons, first split between Green Bay of the USHL and Eden Prairie HS, and the latter with the University of Minnesota, his production was good, but never great. At his best, he is breathtaking. He is so patient with the puck, defenders look hypnotized. At his worst, he tries to force plays. Perhaps playing with NHL caliber players more often will allow him to feel that he is not the only one who can produce, while the presence of Jack Eichel will ensure that he is not the focal point of the offense. Either way, he is ready to show what he can do in the NHL.

3 Alexander Nylander, LW (8^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 2^nd) Two years into his professional career, and Alex Nylander’s lack of offensive output is jarring. He still dominates against his age peers, with a third productive WJC, but he barely surpassed the point every other game rate and has all too often been a non-factor for Rochester. When seen at his best, he still looks like a future star, with his shot, puck skills and hockey IQ all grading out as high end facets in his game. He also skates well, although his feet are not dynamic. Sources have confirmed that he played through injuries last year, and he did perk up somewhat in the second half, but time has come for Nylander to step up. He still has to earn a full time NHL job.

Mattias Samuelsson

4 Mattias Samuelsson, D (32^nd overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) When you are as big as Mattias Samuelsson, it is OK to note that a player skates well for his size. Were he three inches shorter, or 20 pounds lighter, we would note that he has to overcome his relative lack of mobility, but at 6-4”, 218 and likely still growing, we can watch him play and nod in appreciation of his mobility for his size. Regardless of his size, we can appreciate his destructive presence in back. Overpowering in the USHL, he was masterful at shutting down opposition attacks and was a pure bull in the corners. His offensive tools are not as impressive, but his point shot can generate rebounds, and he can orchestrate a few zone entries. As long as he doesn’t get so bulky that his skating suffers, he could be a true shut-down defender at the highest level.

5 Marcus Davidsson, C/LW (37^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 8^th) Only average as a skater and he will never be known as a high end finisher, but Marcus Davidsson’s playmaking ability will always make him a desirable prospect. He more than doubled his point totals in his second season in the SHL and played a complimentary role for Sweden in the WJC. He plays a mature game, capable of fitting into various special teams’ roles and versatile enough to play either center or on the wing. Although his top speed is nothing special, he does show impressive agility on the ice. He is signed for one more season with Djurgarden, after which we expect the Sabres to try to bring him over.

6 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G (54^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 5^th) The Sabres may not have a goalie of the present, but Luukkonen is doing what he can to be the goalie of the future. The first European goalie selected in the CHL Import Draft since the moratorium on overseas goalies was lifted, he will spend next season with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, another team trying to end a lengthy rebuild. He has above average athleticism, advanced technical ability and high end ability to read the play. Unfortunately, the results have not always been there. For example, in his first taste of men’s hockey in Finland, his save percentage was fourth out of the four netminders who played for LeKi. He also struggled in the WJC, playing a bit out of control. He has time, but he is another that needs to turn ability into production.

7 Victor Olofsson, RW (181^st overall, 2014. Last Year: 18^th) The 2014 seventh rounder was almost an afterthought in the Buffalo system before he exploded in his fourth season in the SHL, his second with Frolunda. By exploded, we of course mean that he led the SHL in both goals and power play goals. Previously viewed with a ceiling as a tweener the uptick in his finishing ability gives the Sabres that he may be a bit more. You want to see better skating ability in a player of his size, but to his credit, he battles hard for loose pucks and has above average puck skills in addition to his propensity for putting the puck in the net. We will all know a lot more after he completes his first season with Rochester.

8 Brendan Guhle, D (51^st overall, 2015. Last Year: 3^rd) A fantastic skater whose offensive game has grown year over year, Guhle now finds himself on the doorstep of breaking through full time into the NHL. His ascent up the ranks has been fairly crisp, as he acclimated to the AHL immediately, and earned his 18 game NHL trial. He is not a terribly physical defender, but has filled out his previously lanky frame nicely, and is very aggressive with is stick when defending. He has enough of a point shot to be usable on the power play and defends well enough to not be sheltered and even contribute on the PK. With Dahlin expected to feature right away, the Sabres may hesitate to roll with two rookies on their blueline, but there is no reason why Guhle shouldn’t entrench himself on the third time in short order, and slowly work his way up the depth chart.

Rasmus Asplund

9 Rasmus Asplund, C (33^rd overall, 2016. Last Year: 4^th) In four seasons spent largely with Farjestad of the SHL, Asplund’s point totals have steadily increased from three, to 12, to 19, and finally, to 28. Small, but very quick, he brings above average puck skills and mature hockey sense to the ice. While the improvement too his output is certainly impressive, he has not taken off to the extent that his original high end projections would have suggested as a possibility. He could still find a home on an NHL third line, but top six is looking less likely. He is also one of several Buffalo prospects who should be receiving their AHL debuts this year, giving us a better understanding of their future projections.

10 Lawrence Pilut, D (UDFA: May 15, 2018. Last Year: IE) Fleet of foot and silky smooth with his hands, Lawrence Pilut, the most recent winner of the Salming Trophy, given to the defenseman of the year in the SHL, signed an entry level deal with the Sabres in May. He is on the smaller side and last season’s offensive outburst was an anomaly as far as his historical record is concerned, more than tripling his previous career high in points in a season. On the other hand, he turned 22 during the season, and the fact that he did not produce much in the SHL from ages 18-21 is not that crazy. The fact that he chose Buffalo is a sign that the Sabres can find ways to acquire true talent outside of the draft.

11 Danny O’Regan, C (Trade: Feb. 26, 2018 [San Jose]. Last Year: 3^rd [San Jose]) A top scorer over four years with Boston University, O’Regan had a hard time breaking into the San Jose roster, a team that has skewed largely towards veteran players, since he has turned pro. As a way out of that log-jam, he was traded to Buffalo last season at the trade deadline as part of the return for front line scoring winger Evander Kane. He is undersized and can play a bit too much on the perimeter, but O’Regan has a fine collection of tools that suggests that the top end scoring he displayed from day one in the AHL can translate to the NHL to an extent as well. Nothing dynamic, per se, but his offensive instincts can play.

12 Will Borgen, D (92^nd overall, 2015. Last Year: 7^th) After three seasons as a steady defensive defenseman for St. Cloud State, Borgen is turning pro. Not dynamic in any way, Borgen is simply steady. He skates well. He is very reliable off the puck. While not especially offensively inclined, he has a solid sense for when to make his presence felt in the offensive zone, whether that is engaging deep to unbalance the defense, or walking the line to get a clear sight of goal. He also has a burgeoning physical game, and will occasionally line up an opponent for a big open ice hit. All of the above aside, when he is at his best, you barely notice that he played.

13 Nicholas Baptiste, RW (69^th overall, 2013. Last Year: 10^th) A strong skater who came two games short of losing prospect eligibility last year, Baptiste plays a solid two way game that gives him a small leg up on the player ranked immediately below. He has good size and while not shy, does not typically go out of his way to physically engage with opponents. Despite his recent record of scoring more than he sets up others, his shot is only so-so, but his puck skills can be fairly fancy. Given a consistent opportunity in the NHL, he can emerge as a solid bottom six energy winger who can pick up some depth minutes on special teams as well.

14 Justin Bailey, RW (52^nd overall, 2013. Last Year: 12^th) Were it not for an unfortunately timed lower body injury, Bailey would probably have played in the eight additional NHL games that he needed to graduate from prospectdom. One might say that he is build like a football player, and it would be appropriate as his father Carlton was a longtime member of the Buffalo Bills. The younger Bailey is a strong skater, who plays a physical brand of hockey. Add in a good shot and he starts to look a lot like a bottom six power forward. He still has to get the new Buffalo regime to believe in him as an asset going forward and he was not able to engender that belief last year.

Brandon Hickey

15 Brandon Hickey, D (Trade: Jun. 14, 2018 [Arizona]. Last Year: 7^th [Arizona]) In a league where most teams hesitate mightily to trade their prospects, Hickey is the rare one that has been traded twice before even signing his ELC. Drafted by Calgary in 2014, he was shipped to Arizona as part of the return for Mike Smith. With all signs pointing to Hickey not signing with the Coyotes after completing four years at BU, he was dealt to Buffalo for Hudson Fasching. A calm and composed blueliner, he is stronger in his own zone than he is when his team has the puck. In the offensive zone, he is more of a supporting character,

16 Casey Fitzgerald, D (86^th overall, 2016. Last Year: not ranked) The other Casey in the Buffalo pipeline, Fitzgerald, whose brother Ryan is in the Boston system, is an energetic, yet undersized, offensive defenseman who is entering his senior season with Boston University with a “C” on his chest. A good puck mover who shows the type of hockey IQ one expects from a player whose father played over 1,000 NHL games, he plays a game that seems suited for the modern NHL. Presuming that Buffalo can sign him to a contract after his final collegiate season, his right hand shot could help him get a leg up on similarly skilled second/third pairing types in the system.

17 Matej Pekar, C/RW (94^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Matej Pekar left his native Czech Republic as a 15 year-old, spending two years playing in U16 hockey in Michigan before making a splash with Muskegon in his draft year. He is very quick, with some creativity to his game. He also plays a responsible defensive game, providing tight man coverage in his own zone and picking up regular shorthanded minutes for the Lumberjacks. He has soft hands and demonstrates plus vision when looking to pass. He is heading to play for Miami University where the Sabres will want to see physical maturity and less of a propensity to cheat out of the zone. He has a good chance to leap up this ranking in the coming years.

18 C.J. Smith, LW (UDFA: Mar. 30, 2017. Last Year: not ranked) By the time Smith got the UMass-Lowell, he had been passed over at the draft twice, first as a member of the Austin Bruins of the NAHL and second with the Chicago Steel in the USHL. The Iowa native came into his own with the River Hawks, honing his wrist shot and puck skills into above average tools, and working on his edges to help hi overcome his middling top speed. In his first year in the AHL, he proved that his game could translate to the pros, but the fact that he lacks any truly dynamic skills leaves some doubt about how well he could perform given an NHL opportunity.

19 Andrew Oglevie, C (UDFA: Apr. 11, 2018. Last Year: IE) In a down season for undrafted NCAA free agents, Oglevie was one of the best forwards to sign an NHL deal. The undersized California native is a good skater who thinks the game quickly and can finish, but prefers to create for his teammates, which he seems like a natural when doing. He knows how to find space in the offensive zone and is responsible in his own end. If he can convert his fast paced game to the AHL, Oglevie should find a way to gain NHL experience. Like Smith above, he lacks the dynamic qualities to be an impact player, but does enough well that he should be able to find a role at some point.

20 Eric Cornel, C/RW (44^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 20^th) When Cornel was first drafted as a mid-second rounder, the thought that he would rank 20^th on the Sabres’ prospect list four years later would have been a grave disappointment. Today, Cornel taking the bottom spot on this list is more of an indictment on the Sabres and their struggles drafting in the later rounds, which is highlighted above. He is a good skater, and can flash a good wrist shot, especially when he times his release right, but on the whole, his game is hesitant and he has shown little to no growth in two years at Rochester. Without taking a big step forward this year, producing in line with his skills, he might find a contract hard to come by.

Buffalo – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:44:40 +0000

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride, the Buffalo Sabres continue to miss the playoffs and continue to come up short in the lottery. Despite fielding some of the worst teams in recent NHL history, the Sabres could pick no higher than second overall. In 2014, that cost them the chance to draft Aaron Ekblad, so they passed over Leon Draisaitl to select Sam Reinhart instead. More famously, after an out-and-out tank job in 2015, they lost the lottery to the Oilers, who drafted Connor McDavid and instead accepted the consolation prize of Jack Eichel.

Not that there is anything wrong with either Reinhart or Eichel, or really with any of their recent first round picks that were not traded to Colorado for Ryan O’Reilly, but there is always the feeling that they should have walked away with more. If one were being cruel, one would compare that feeling to the Sabres disappointing history in the playoffs.

The fact is that the Sabres, as much as they have underwhelmed on the ice over the entirety of the Tim Murray era, that management team actually did a strong job at rebuilding the wreck of a franchise that was left once Darcy Regier was let go. Of course, there are still further steps that need to be taken before the club will find itself back in the postseason, but new GM Jason Botterill takes over a franchise that no longer needs to tear things down. In addition to Reinhart and Eichel, the vast majority of the roster is under 30 years old and many of their most important players are still on the upswing of their respective careers.

The forward group is the most intriguing, a fact that only gets more credence when we consider the players not yet guaranteed a roster spot as their first round picks in each of the past four seasons were all forwards. Unfortunately for the Sabres, it takes more than just forwards to win in the NHL. Teams also need to be able to prevent the opposition from scoring. While smart forwards can go a long way to ensuring that objective is met, good defensive teams must also be strong at the back.

Starting between the pipes, the Sabres have struggled in net since Ryan Miller’s heyday. Robin Lehner has been decent since he was acquired in a controversial trade with Ottawa, but he has yet to prove himself to be a goalie that can carry a team on his back. Buffalo had reasonable hope that 2013 5th rounder Calvin Petersen might be a shining star, but he opted for free agency after leaving college. Future hopes will now be placed on 2017 second round pick Ukka Pekka Luukkonen.

The defensive corps has been even more neglected, as can be seen below, with only two of the top ten listed as blueliners. There is hope that Victor Antipin, a young free agent signing out of Russia, can step right into the rotation, but one of Botterill’s main early goals will be to nail down a number one for now and the future. The sooner that happens, the sooner we can all stop talking about what might have been had the lottery balls fallen just a little bit differently.

Casey Mittelstadt

1 Casey Mittelstadt – One of the most offensively talented players available in this year’s draft, many were surprised that Mittelstadt was still available when it was Buffalo’s turn to pick at #8. He is a magical puck handler with serious possession abilities and good vision. Although there are some murmurs about his agility, he is a strong skater. He will need 1-2 years with the Minnesota Golden Gophers to better hone his team play, but once he does, he should be a first line scoring winger.

Buffalo Sabres Right Wing Alexander Nylander (70) (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire).

2 Alexander Nylander – Ignore his point totals as one of the few teenagers playing regularly in the AHL, and marvel that he was able to play there at all, finishing behind only Jesse Puljujarvi in league scoring among the U19 set. Focus on his 12 points in seven games at the WJC. See his impressive puck moving ability and his strong skating stride. He still needs to add bulk to his frame and tighten up his game away from the puck, but it may be time to let him play in the NHL.

3 Brendan Guhle – Last season, when the Sabres needed a blueliner in a pinch, instead of making the call for someone in Rochester, performed a rare emergency recall, bringing Guhle up from the WHL. He held his own in a brief trial by fire in the NHL before finishing up his WHL career. Tall, with good reach and great skating, he is a very effective defender when he plays with aggression. His offensive game is somewhat limited. He can carry the puck well and begin the transition, but will not be a big point producer.

4 Rasmus Asplund – A teammate of Nylander’s in Sweden’s last two WJC squads, Asplund does not have Nylander’s dynamic offensive abilities, but has nothing to be ashamed about what he does have. A strong skater with silky puck skills and an advanced hockey IQ, he finished tied for second among teenagers in SHL scoring. Although he will be playing in Sweden for another year, once the center does come over, he profiles as a top six playmaking center.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Tournament. Photo by Karel Svec

5 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – The current front-runner for the title of Sabres’ goaltender of the future, Luukkonen is blessed with ideal size for a netminder as well as plus athleticism. He is very active and competitive in the crease, often coming out to challenge shooters, but also able to recover and get back thanks to very quick legs. A solid puckhandler for a goalie he has been among the hardest goalies in Finnish junior hockey to score against in the last two years. He is now ready for the challenge of Liiga.

6 Hudson Fasching – Looking only at his rookie pro season, you might think that Fasching should not be ranked this highly on a solid list such as this. He struggled in close to half a season with a groin injury at Rochester and did nothing of note in a 10 game trial with Buffalo. Going back to his time in NCAA, he impressed greatly as a scoring winger who would grind through shifts, playing a heavy, physical game with smart puck play and patience. If he recovers more of that, he should not be long for the AHL.

7 Will Borgen – Selected with the Sabres next pick in the 2015 draft after drafting Guhle, Borgen also has a similar skillset to Guhle’s, if we could trade some of the higher-raked player’s footspeed with a great emphasis on the physical game. A very smart player who puck skills basically end with a solid first pass in or near his own zone, he plays a much stronger game than his lanky-looking frame would suggest. Heading back to St. Cloud State for a junior season, he needs to work at limiting penalty minutes.

8 Marcus Davidsson – Although his offensive numbers as a teenager with Djurgardens of the SHL do not impress, Davidsson has a lot of qualities to his game that suggest that better things are on the way. From a scouting perspective, his skating, shooting and puck play all project as above average, but his hockey sense – his best attribute – should make the whole equal to something greater than the sum of its parts. Expect a lot more in his second SHL season.

9 Cliff Pu – Another plus skater in the Buffalo system, Pu took on more of an offensive role in his first post draft season with the London Knights and excelled at it. He is a fine passing winger with solid offensive vision. He projects as more of a middle six than top six winger as a pro, as a down postseason recalled questions about his ultimate offensive upside. Thankfully, he is also notable for his 200 foot game, puck seeking instincts and willingness to pressure the puck carrier.

10 Nicholas Baptiste – We are definitely not finished with speedy Sabres’ prospects. Baptiste had a strong showing in his second go-round the AHL, earning a 14 game trial in Buffalo for his efforts, which led to a near 50% increase in scoring. He also has an impressive goal scorer’s touch, along with solid puck skills. Definitely more a shooter than a playmaker, he should be given a chance to win a bottom six winger job in the NHL this season.

11 Viktor Antipin – A five year KHL veteran who has consistently put up strong offensive numbers from the blueline, Antipin was signed as a free agent to a one year entry level contract with the carrot of an NHL job dangled in front of him. Not a flashy player, he produces through effective two-way play, showing a good passing game and an above average point shot. He may need to be sheltered in the NHL at first until he proves that his small stature will not be a hindrance.

12 Justin Bailey – The former second round pick, whose father was also a sports (football) star in Buffalo, Justin Bailey showed considerable gains in his second pro season, and spent a good chunk of the year in the NHL, falling only three games short of losing his prospect status. A strong skater for his size, he has been usable in all situations in the AHL, combining a tricky wrist shot with developing hockey sense. With a touch more aggressiveness, he could have a long NHL career as a power forward.

13 Jonas Johansson – One of the primary candidates for goalie of the future before this season, Johansson once again failed to make any headway at getting an SHL job and once again spent the season on loan with Almtuna of Allsvenskan. Once again, he stopped exactly 91.3% of shots faced, giving him once again a shiny GAA. This time, Johansson signed an ELC with Buffalo at year’s end and will likely play next year with Rochester. He does everything well enough, but has no standout tools.

14 Devante Stephens – Linked with Guhle and Borgen as defensive products of the 2015 Sabres’ draft class, Stephens also has a game which bears passing resemblance to the aforementioned duo. His best traits are skating and physicality. The former is characterized by impressive acceleration and the latter is represented by his lanky frame which he throws around with purpose. Although his offensive numbers last year were very impressive, we should not expect that to continue in the pros.

15 Oskari Laaksonen - A surprise third round pick this year, the largely unheralded junior league Finnish defender is more notable for his plus hockey sense and puck moving abilities than for flashy play. Rail thin, he can run a power play, but struggles in coverage as he is too easily outmuscled. His puck skills project to average or above, but he is still in the early stages of his development and very raw.

16 Brandon Hagel – The eighth of ten players selected by Buffalo in the 2016 daft, Hagel has done more to improve his stock in the organization than anyone after the top three, if not altogether. Previously seen as a meat-and-potatoes WHL grinder, he showed more in the way of puck skills and a grinding style that leads to prolonged possession. He also might have more upside offensively than previously believed, although bottom six is still his likely destination at the next level.

17 Sean Malone – After muddling through three uninspiring seasons at Harvard, Malone finished with a bang, setting career highs in goals (18), and assists (24) for a Frozen Four entrant, while showing off a skillset that will keep him drawing paychecks for his work on the ice for a few years yet. A good north-south skater and play-driver, who sometimes shows more wiggle to his game than is expected. The Buffalo-area native had a single game cameo for the Sabres after his collegiate career ended.

18 Victor Olofsson – A one-way offensive winger whose development seems to have stalled in his third SHL season, Olofsson nevertheless has enough offensive promise to deserve a mention near here, particularly after a strong SHL playoffs and European Champions League with Frolunda. His shot – dangerous from just outside the slot - and puck skills are both reasons for promise. On the down side, if he cannot make it as a top six player, few North American teams would use him in the bottom six.

19 Evan Rodrigues – Signed as a collegiate free agent after a fantastic senior season playing with Jack Eichel at Boston University, Rodrigues spent close to half of last season with the Sabres, falling five games shy of losing prospect eligibility. A good skater with strong puck skills, his impressive hockey IQ and ability to play a 200 foot game may help him overcome his size deficiencies and earn continued bottom six opportunities. A limited prospect, but useful nonetheless.

20 Eric Cornel – A former second round pick who had a solid, if ultimately unfulfilling OHL career, Cornel struggled mightily in his rookie AHL season with Rochester with only 14 points in 67 games. It is too soon to state that he has lost the skill set including both very promising shots and puck skills that made him a top OHL pick as a youth, but he needs to bring his skills out more consistently to remain on the radar.

With the type of players currently in the system, the Sabres seem geared to bring excitement back to Buffalo. With nearly every player on the top 20 earning accolades for their skating prowess, they could wield a fun run-and-gun team over the next few years. Of course, as discussed earlier, they still have significant work to be done on the back end. Even run-and-gun teams need puck carrying blueliners to begin the transition and get the puck moving in the right direction.

2015 Training Camp Round-up – Oct 7th

Ryan Dadoun — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 19:02:03 +0000

The NHL's opening game rosters for this season are officially in and six players from the 2015 NHL Entry Draft have been included. They are Edmonton's Connor McDavid (1st overall), Buffalo's Jack Eichel (2nd), Carolina's Noah Hanifin (5th), Colorado's Mikko Rantanen (10th), Pittsburgh's Daniel Sprong (46th), and the Sabres' Brendan Guhle (51st).

Guhle is a bit of a different case though as he's dealing with an upper-body injury and is currently on the injured reserve. He might get a nine-game trial once he's healthy, but Buffalo hasn't committed to that. If he doesn't, then it will technically be Sprong who was the last player picked to make his team's 2015-16 roster. The Penguins might have gotten a steal with him as he was viewed as a potential first round talent at one point.

While the jury is still out on that, Penguins GM Jim Rutherford was certainly happy with his performance during the preseason.

“He’s strong on his skates, he sees the ice well, he’s got a very good shot,” said Rutherford, per Sportsnet. “He certainly doesn’t play at the level his age is. … We kept watching [in pre-season] to see if something was going to change.

“Right from his first game he was creating scoring chances for himself and for his linemates, and really playing like a guy that’s been around.”

Although Sprong made the final cut, sixth overall pick Pavel Zacha fell just shy in his quest to make the 2015-16 New Jersey Devils. Zacha was limited to just 37 games with OHL Sarnia last season, so it might do him some good to spend another campaign at the junior level working on his game.

Moving away from the rookies, the Buffalo Sabres already have a full sickbay even if you don't include Guhle. Captain Brian Gionta is the latest casualty with a day-to-day lower-body injury, but they're also opened the campaign with more players than any other on the injured reserve list, including Zach Bogosian, Josh Gorges, and Cody McCormick.

While many outside of the Sabres' locker room wrote off the 2014-15 team before that season even started, the expectation is that they'll take a significant step forward in the first season of the Eichel-era. It won't be devastating to the franchise if injuries keep them near the NHL basement for another season, but the last thing the Sabres want is the perception that they're having troubles lifting off following a massive rebuilding effort.

The St. Louis Blues are relatively healthy by comparison, but they are of course entering the campaign with one significant missing piece in Patrik Berglund. The 27-year-old forward underwent back surgery in August and isn't expected to return until January. Of course, we already knew that, but it's worth raising again today because the Blues have placed him on the long-term injured reserve list and used part of the cap savings to sign Scott Gomez to a one-year, two-way contract.

Gomez, 35, was attending the Blues' training camp on a tryout basis, making this the second straight season that he secured a contract after auditioning on a PTO first. The main difference being that when he went the same route with the New Jersey Devils last year, they didn't sign him until December.

He's not a star forward anymore, but his resurgence with the Devils last season (58-7-27-34) suggests that he can still be a valuable secondary scorer. He will also provide the Blues with another veteran leader.

This move comes after the Blues decided to ink fellow tryout veteran Scottie Upshall to a one-year deal as well. They're both relatively low-risk moves that took advantage of last summer's buyer-friendly UFA market.

Meanwhile, Curtis Glencross received the unfortunate distinction of being released from a second tryout in the same year. He's still just 32 years old, but his future has become murky.

"I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Glencross told the Calgary Sun.

“I’m trusting that God’s plan for me and my family is bigger than what I can understand at this point. It’s definitely a setback and heartbreak for me knowing that this could be the end."

He's not sure yet if he'll decide to head to Europe or hold out in the hopes that a team will approach him during the season. The latter certainly can't be ruled out as there will obviously be injuries teams need to adjust to as the campaign drags on.

Dan Cleary, 36, has a contract, but his future is similarly vague. After being limited to 17 games last season, he's been placed on waivers. If he clears, he'll be sent to the minors in what could signal that he's played in his last NHL game.

His $950,000 cap hit for the 2015-16 campaign makes it probable that he will go unclaimed, although you never know. Perhaps, despite his recent struggles, Leafs coach Mike Babcock will be interested in a reunion.

Before we know the outcome of that though, the NHL season will officially get underway. The new-look Toronto Maple Leafs will take on the Montreal Canadiens at 7:00 p.m. ET; the Chicago Blackhawks will begin its defense of the Stanley Cup against the New York Rangers at 8:00 p.m.; the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks will battle in a rematch of their second round series at 10:00 p.m.; finally, the rival Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks will round out the opening night festivities with a game starting at 10:30 p.m.

2015 NHL Draft – McKeen’s Top 120 Rankings

McKeen's Hockey — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 18:17:44 +0000

Ilya Samsonov made the most of his opportunity in front of NHL scouts last month in the Czech Republic.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound native of Magnitogorsk helped lead Russia to victory at the Five Nations Tournament.

Samsonov showcased a full package of skill and smarts while upsetting Team USA in a 5-4 overtime win - being outshot 51-to-16 - and then shutting down Sweden 5-1 in the final game.

He played this season in the MHL with Stalnye Lisy, Magnitogorsk's junior team, and will get another chance to bolster his draft stock at the U18 World Championships next month in Switzerland.

A number of Samsonov's U18 teammates could draw some draft interest with strong showings in Zug and Lucerne, the two host cities for the U18 Worlds.

Big, strong-shooting winger Denis Gurianov of Lada Togliatti is rated in the second round - 40th overall - on the McKeen's Top 120 rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft.

Mikhail Vorobyev (Salavat Ufa) is rated 78th overall and is a smart, well-structured pivot in the classic old Russian style, while diminutive winger Kirill Kaprizov (Novokuznetsk) is listed as a late third-rounder - 89th overall. Just 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, Kaprizov was a creative force throughout the Five Nations and demonstrated that he has the courage and work ethic to help overcome the size factor.

Samsonov is the top-rated goaltender in the McKeen's rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft - debuting in the first round in the 29th spot.

Drafting goalies in the opening round has becoming increasingly less common. In fact, only six goaltenders have been selected in the first round over the past eight drafts (2007 to 2014). That compares to the five-year period from 2002 to 2006 in which a total of 14 goalies were first-round picks.

Samsonov is one of 11 goaltenders to earn spots in the McKeen's Top 120 rankings.

Mackenzie Blackwood of the Barrie Colts is next on the goalie list - ranked as an early second-rounder at 33rd overall - while a pair of QMJHL goalies hold down the next two spots - Callum Booth of Halifax at 61st and Samuel Montembeault of Blainville-Boisbriand in the No. 68 spot.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	Connor McDavid	C	Erie (OHL)	6-1/195	13-Jan-97
2	Jack Eichel	C	Boston University (HE)	6-2/195	28-Oct-96
3	Noah Hanifin	D	Boston College (HE)	6-3/205	25-Jan-97
4	Mitchell Marner	C	London (OHL)	5-11/160	5-May-97
5	Ivan Provorov	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jan-97
6	Lawson Crouse	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-4/210	23-Jun-97
7	Zach Werenski	D	Michigan (B1G)	6-2/205	19-Jul-97
8	Dylan Strome	C	Erie (OHL)	6-3/190	7-May-97
9	Pavel Zacha	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/210	6-Apr-97
10	Mathew Barzal	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/175	26-May-97
11	Travis Konecny	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-10/175	11-Mar-97
12	Mikko Rantanen	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-3/210	29-Oct-96
13	Timo Meier	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/210	8-Oct-96
14	Kyle Connor	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/185	9-Dec-96
15	Thomas Chabot	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-97
16	Jakub Zboril	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	21-Feb-97
17	Nick Merkley	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	23-May-97
18	Joel Ek Eriksson	C	Farjestads (Swe)	6-2/180	29-Jan-97
19	Colin White	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	30-Jan-97
20	Paul Bittner	LW	Portland (WHL)	6-4/210	4-Nov-96
21	Brandon Carlo	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-5/200	26-Nov-96
22	Jeremy Roy	D	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-0/190	14-May-97
23	Evgeni Svechnikov	LW	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-2/200	31-Oct-96
24	Jake DeBrusk	LW	Swift Current (WHL)	5-11/170	17-Oct-96
25	Jacob Larsson	D	Frolunda (Swe)	6-2/190	29-Apr-97
26	Jonas Siegenthaler	D	ZSC Zurich (Sui)	6-2/220	6-May-97
27	Oliver Kylington	D	Farjestads (Swe)	6-0/185	19-May-97
28	Brock Boeser	RW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/195	25-Feb-97
29	Ilya Samsonov	G	Magnitogorsk (Rus)	6-3/200	22-Feb-97
30	Jack Roslovic	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	29-Jan-97

31	Erik Cernak	D	Kosice (Svk)	6-3/200	28-May-97
32	Guillaume Brisebois	D	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-2/170	21-Jul-97
33	Mackenzie Blackwood	G	Barrie (OHL)	6-4/215	9-Dec-96
34	Tom Novak	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/180	28-Apr-97
35	Jansen Harkins	C	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/180	23-May-97
36	Filip Chlapik	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-1/195	3-Jun-97
37	Blake Speers	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/180	2-Jan-97
38	Daniel Sprong	RW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/190	17-Mar-97
39	Matthew Spencer	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/200	24-Mar-97
40	Denis Gurianov	RW	Lada Togliatti (Rus)	6-2/185	7-Jun-97
41	Noah Juulsen	D	Everett (WHL)	6-1/175	2-Apr-97
42	Jordan Greenway	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-5/225	16-Feb-97
43	Alexander Dergachyov	RW	SKA St. Petersburg (Rus)	6-4/200	27-Sep-96
44	Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson	C	Omaha (USHL)	6-1/195	31-Oct-96
45	Jeremy Bracco	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-9/175	17-Mar-97
46	Zachary Senyshyn	RW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/195	30-Mar-97
47	Anthony Beauvillier	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-10/175	8-Jun-97
48	Ryan Gropp	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/185	16-Sep-96
49	Dennis Yan	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-1/180	14-Apr-97
50	Jens Looke	RW	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/180	11-Apr-97
51	Robin Kovacs	RW	AIK (Swe)	6-0/170	16-Nov-96
52	Glenn Gawdin	C	Swift Current (WHL)	6-1/190	25-Mar-97
53	Nikita Korostelev	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-1/195	8-Feb-97
54	Travis Dermott	D	Erie (OHL)	5-11/195	22-Dec-96
55	Gabriel Carlsson	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-4/185	2-Jan-97
56	Adam Musil	RW	Red Deer (WHL)	6-2/200	26-Mar-97
57	Mitchell Vande Sompel	D	Oshawa (OHL)	5-10/180	11-Feb-97
58	Christian Fischer	RW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/215	15-Apr-97
59	Brendan Guhle	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-1/185	29-Jul-97
60	Dennis Gilbert	D	Chicago (USHL)	6-2/200	30-Oct-96

61	Callum Booth	G	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/200	21-May-97
62	Sebastian Aho	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	5-11/175	26-Jul-97
63	Ryan Pilon	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/210	10-Oct-96
64	Nicolas Roy	C	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-4/200	5-Feb-97
65	Austin Wagner	LW	Regina (WHL)	6-1/180	23-Jun-97
66	Graham Knott	LW	Niagara (OHL)	6-3/195	13-Jan-97
67	Michael Spacek	C	Pardubice (Cze)	5-11/190	9-Apr-97
68	Samuel Montembeault	G	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-2/165	30-Oct-96
69	Yakov Trenin	LW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-2/195	13-Jan-97
70	Daniel Vladar	G	Kladno (Cze)	6-5/185	20-Aug-97
71	Kyle Capobianco	D	Sudbury (OHL)	6-1/180	13-Aug-97
72	David Kase	C	Chomutov (Cze)	5-11/170	28-Jan-97
73	Bailey Webster	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-3/210	8-Sep-97
74	Felix Sandstrom	G	Brynas (Swe)	6-2/190	12-Jan-97
75	Jesper Lindgren	D	MoDo (Swe)	6-0/160	19-May-97
76	Keegan Kolesar	RW	Seattle (WHL)	6-1/215	8-Apr-97
77	Kevin Davis	D	Everett (WHL)	6-0/185	14-Mar-97
78	Mikhail Vorobyev	C	Salavat Ufa (Rus)	6-2/195	5-Jan-97
79	Vince Dunn	D	Niagara (OHL)	6-0/185	29-Oct-96
80	Nathan Noel	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/175	21-Jun-97
81	Gustav Bouramman	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/185	24-Jan-97
82	Matej Tomek	G	Topeka (NAHL)	6-2/180	24-May-97
83	Lukas Jasek	RW	Trinec (Cze)	5-11/165	28-Aug-97
84	Nicolas Meloche	D	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-2/200	18-Jul-97
85	Roope Hintz	LW	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	6-2/185	17-Nov-96
86	Mitchell Stephens	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/185	5-Feb-97
87	Jean-Christophe Beaudin	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/185	27-Mar-97
88	Filip Ahl	LW	HV 71 (Swe)	6-3/210	12-Jun-97
89	Kirill Kaprizov	LW	Novokuznetsk (Rus)	5-9/185	26-Apr-97
90	John Marino	D	South Shore (USPHL)	6-0/175	21-May-97

91	Chaz Reddekopp	D	Victoria (WHL)	6-3/220	1-Jan-97
92	Adam Marsh	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/165	22-Aug-97
93	Parker Wotherspoon	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-0/170	24-Aug-97
94	Loik Leveille	D	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	5-11/220	25-Sep-96
95	Adam Gaudette	C	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	6-1/175	3-Oct-96
96	Justin Lemcke	D	Belleville (OHL)	6-2/200	13-Feb-97
97	Gabriel Gagne	RW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-5/190	11-Nov-96
98	Thomas Schemitsch	D	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-3/205	26-Oct-96
99	Jesse Gabrielle	LW	Regina (WHL)	5-11/205	17-Jun-97
100	Jonne Tammela	LW	KalPa (Fin)	5-10/180	5-Aug-97
101	Christian Jaros	D	Lulea (Swe)	6-3/200	2-Apr-96
102	Ales Stezka	G	Liberec (Cze)	6-3/180	6-Jan-97
103	Ethan Bear	D	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/200	26-Jun-97
104	Mathieu Joseph	RW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/165	9-Feb-97
105	Jeremiah Addison	LW	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/185	21-Oct-96
106	Devante Stephens	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/175	2-Jan-97
107	Michael McNiven	G	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-0/205	9-Jul-97
108	Jeremy Lauzon	D	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-2/195	28-Apr-97
109	Luke Opilka	G	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	27-Feb-97
110	Philippe Myers	D	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-5/195	25-Jan-97
111	Adam Werner	G	Farjestads (Swe)	6-5/185	2-May-97
112	Brendan Warren	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/190	7-May-97
113	Julius Nattinen	C	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	6-2/190	14-Jan-97
114	Colton White	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/185	3-May-97
115	Samuel Dove-McFalls	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-2/205	10-Apr-97
116	Veeti Vainio	D	Blues (Fin)	6-2/170	16-Jun-97
117	Matt Bradley	C	Medicine Hat (WHL)	5-11/185	22-Jan-97
118	Tyler Soy	C	Victoria (WHL)	5-11/170	10-Feb-97
119	Dmytro Timashov	LW	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-9/190	1-Oct-96
120	A.J. Greer	LW	Boston University (HE)	6-2/205	14-Dec-96

2015 NHL Draft – Top 20 WHL Prospects

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 04:18:15 +0000

Mathew Barzal unquestionably boasts the wheels to play catch up.

Since returning from a 27-game absence to November knee surgery, Barzal has been making up for lost ground.

The Coquitlam, B.C. native has been turning heads with his speed and playmaking abilities, racking up 30 points in his past 18 games (18-5-25-30) - to move into second in scoring for the Seattle Thunderbirds.

His draft stock is improving steadily as he shows scouts more of an 'inside' game - and helps dispel concerns early on the season that he plays too much on the perimeter.

Barzal moves into the top 10 on the McKeen's rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft - and sits second among WHL players behind Brandon's Ivan Provorov.

Barzal is one of four Seattle Thunderbirds to earn a place in the WHL Top 20 list of draft-eligible prospects.

Winger Ryan Gropp is ranked ninth among WHL players - and 48th overall - with Keegan Kolesar 15th (76 overall) and blueliner Ethan Bear at No. 20 (103rd overall).

WHL	ALL	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	5	Ivan Provorov	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jan-97
2	10	Mathew Barzal	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/175	26-May-97
3	17	Nick Merkley	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	23-May-97
4	20	Paul Bittner	LW	Portland (WHL)	6-4/210	4-Nov-96
5	21	Brandon Carlo	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-5/200	26-Nov-96
6	24	Jake DeBrusk	LW	Swift Current (WHL)	5-11/170	17-Oct-96
7	35	Jansen Harkins	C	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/180	23-May-97
8	41	Noah Juulsen	D	Everett (WHL)	6-1/175	2-Apr-97
9	48	Ryan Gropp	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/185	16-Sep-96
10	52	Glenn Gawdin	C	Swift Current (WHL)	6-1/190	25-Mar-97
11	56	Adam Musil	RW	Red Deer (WHL)	6-2/200	26-Mar-97
12	59	Brendan Guhle	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-1/185	29-Jul-97
13	63	Ryan Pilon	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/210	10-Oct-96
14	65	Austin Wagner	LW	Regina (WHL)	6-1/180	23-Jun-97
15	76	Keegan Kolesar	RW	Seattle (WHL)	6-1/215	8-Apr-97
16	77	Kevin Davis	D	Everett (WHL)	6-0/185	14-Mar-97
17	91	Chaz Reddekopp	D	Victoria (WHL)	6-3/220	1-Jan-97
18	93	Parker Wotherspoon	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-0/170	24-Aug-97
19	99	Jesse Gabrielle	LW	Regina (WHL)	5-11/205	17-Jun-97
20	103	Ethan Bear	D	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/200	26-Jun-97

McKeen’s 2015 NHL Top 75 Draft Rankings (Jan-2015)

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 20:24:53 +0000

A quick demographic breakdown of the McKeen's Top 75 rankings suggests the 2015 NHL Draft is shaping up to have not only good depth but also balance.

The five primary regions are represented fairly equally with the QMJHL leading the way with 17 prospects ranked - followed closely by the OHL (16), Europe/International (16), the WHL (15), and the U.S. (11).

RANK	PREV	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	1	Connor McDavid	C	Erie (OHL)	6-1/195	13-Jan-97
2	2	Jack Eichel	C	Boston University (HE)	6-2/195	28-Oct-96
3	3	Noah Hanifin	D	Boston College (HE)	6-3/205	25-Jan-97
4	6	Mitchell Marner	C	London (OHL)	5-11/160	5-May-97
5	5	Lawson Crouse	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-4/210	23-Jun-97
6	7	Dylan Strome	C	Erie (OHL)	6-3/190	7-May-97
7	11	Zach Werenski	D	Michigan (B1G)	6-2/205	19-Jul-97
8	22	Ivan Provorov	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jan-97
9	4	Pavel Zacha	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/210	6-Apr-97
10	9	Nick Merkley	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	23-May-97
11	18	Mikko Rantanen	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-3/210	29-Oct-96
12	10	Mathew Barzal	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/175	26-May-97
13	17	Jeremy Roy	D	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-0/190	14-May-97
14	8	Kyle Connor	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/185	9-Dec-96
15	26	Evgeni Svechnikov	LW	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-2/200	31-Oct-96
16	13	Travis Konecny	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-10/175	11-Mar-97
17	14	Oliver Kylington	D	Farjestads (Swe)	6-0/185	19-May-97
18	12	Colin White	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	30-Jan-97
19	16	Paul Bittner	LW	Portland (WHL)	6-4/210	4-Nov-96
20	NR	Thomas Chabot	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-97
21	15	Jakub Zboril	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	21-Feb-97
22	20	Matthew Spencer	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/200	24-Mar-97
23	30	Jake DeBrusk	LW	Swift Current (WHL)	5-11/170	17-Oct-96
24	NR	Timo Meier	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/210	8-Oct-96
25	19	Brandon Carlo	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-5/200	26-Nov-96
26	28	Daniel Sprong	RW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/190	17-Mar-97
27	24	Jansen Harkins	C	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/180	23-May-97
28	NR	Guillaume Brisebois	D	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-2/170	21-Jul-97
29	NR	Brock Boeser	RW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/195	25-Feb-97
30	NR	Jens Looke	RW	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/180	11-Apr-97
31	NR	Mackenzie Blackwood	G	Barrie (OHL)	6-4/215	9-Dec-96
32	21	Jacob Larsson	D	Frolunda (Swe)	6-2/190	29-Apr-97
33	25	Dennis Yan	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-1/180	14-Apr-97
34	NR	Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson	C	Omaha (USHL)	6-1/195	31-Oct-96
35	NR	Callum Booth	G	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/200	21-May-97
36	NR	Jonas Siegenthaler	D	ZSC Zurich (Sui)	6-2/220	6-May-97
37	29	Tom Novak	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/180	28-Apr-97
38	NR	Blake Speers	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/180	2-Jan-97
39	NR	Alexander Dergachyov	RW	SKA St. Petersburg (Rus)	6-4/200	27-Sep-96
40	NR	Nikita Korostelev	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-1/195	8-Feb-97
41	NR	Sebastian Aho	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	5-11/175	26-Jul-97
42	23	Nicolas Roy	C	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-4/200	5-Feb-97
43	NR	David Kase	C	Chomutov (Cze)	5-11/170	28-Jan-97
44	NR	Yakov Trenin	LW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-2/195	13-Jan-97
45	NR	Gabriel Carlsson	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-4/185	2-Jan-97
46	NR	Filip Ahl	LW	HV 71 (Swe)	6-3/210	12-Jun-97
47	NR	Glenn Gawdin	C	Swift Current (WHL)	6-1/190	25-Mar-97
48	NR	Adam Musil	RW	Red Deer (WHL)	6-2/200	26-Mar-97
49	NR	Jeremy Bracco	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-9/175	17-Mar-97
50	NR	Ryan Pilon	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/210	10-Oct-96
51	NR	Filip Chlapik	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-1/195	3-Jun-97
52	NR	Nathan Noel	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/175	21-Jun-97
53	NR	Graham Knott	LW	Niagara (OHL)	6-3/195	13-Jan-97
54	NR	Daniel Vladar	G	Kladno (Cze)	6-5/185	20-Aug-97
55	27	Jordan Greenway	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-5/225	16-Feb-97
56	NR	Michael Spacek	C	Pardubice (Cze)	5-11/190	9-Apr-97
57	NR	Anthony Beauvillier	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-10/175	8-Jun-97
58	NR	Ryan Gropp	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/185	16-Sep-96
59	NR	Felix Sandstrom	G	Brynas (Swe)	6-2/190	12-Jan-97
60	NR	Parker Wotherspoon	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-0/170	24-Aug-97
61	NR	Nicolas Meloche	D	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-2/200	18-Jul-97
62	NR	Roope Hintz	LW	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	6-2/185	17-Nov-96
63	NR	Noah Juulsen	D	Everett (WHL)	6-1/175	2-Apr-97
64	NR	Zachary Senyshyn	RW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/195	30-Mar-97
65	NR	Erik Cernak	D	Kosice (Svk)	6-3/200	28-May-97
66	NR	Brendan Guhle	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/180	29-Jul-97
67	NR	Mitchell Stephens	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/185	5-Feb-97
68	NR	Mitchell Vande Sompel	D	Oshawa (OHL)	5-10/180	11-Feb-97
69	NR	Adam Marsh	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/165	22-Aug-97
70	NR	Jesse Gabrielle	LW	Regina (WHL)	5-11/205	17-Jun-97
71	NR	Denis Gurianov	RW	Lada Togliatti (Rus)	6-2/185	7-Jun-97
72	NR	Rasmus Andersson	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/215	27-Oct-96
73	NR	Dmytro Timashov	LW	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-9/190	1-Oct-96
74	NR	Justin Lemcke	D	Belleville (OHL)	6-2/200	13-Feb-97
75	NR	Matej Tomek	G	Topeka (NAHL)	6-2/180	24-May-97