Cal Petersen – McKeen's Hockey

FANTASY: The Week Ahead – October 30th – November 6th

Ryan Dadoun — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 19:58:30 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 13: Arizona Coyotes defenseman Sean Durzi (50) skates with the puck during a game between the Arizona Coyotes and New Jersey Devils on October 13, 2023 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey.(Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

By NHL standards, the San Jose Sharks are very bad at playing hockey. That’s among the least controversial takes I could possibly have, and had I made the same statement back in September, I wouldn’t have gotten much pushback. They were 22-44-16 last year even with Norris Trophy-winner Erik Karlsson, so unsurprisingly, they’re even worse after trading him.

So, of course, they’re bad, but is it possible this is the worst NHL team ever? The fact that they’re 0-8-1 is dreadful, but that alone isn’t unprecedented. The 1993-94 Sharks also had just one point through nine contests before salvaging the campaign with a so-so 33-35-16 record.

Still, it’s not just that they’re winless, it’s that their offense is non-existent with nine goals in nine games. At least in 1993-94, the Sharks had some ability to find the back of the net even during their opening struggles, managing 13 goals.

Let’s give some context for how bad San Jose’s woes are: The all-time worst offense was the 1928-29 Chicago Blackhawks, which finished with an average of 0.75 goals per game. The second worst is the 2023-24 Sharks -- at least so far, and that is the silver lining because there is reason to believe the Sharks might improve.

Logan Couture (lower body) hasn’t played yet this season, but he has been skating, and once he returns, he should play a big role in guiding the offense. The Sharks also got Mikael Granlund (lower body) back Sunday after a seven-game absence, so that helps too.

Plus, San Jose has arguably been suffering from bad puck luck. Going into Sunday’s contest, its Expected Goals For stood at 17.43, per Moneypuck, which isn’t good (it was 31st in the league), but it’s far better than the eight markers the Sharks had to that point. In fact, their Goals For Above Expected of -9.43 was the worst in the league, so an argument could be made that they are due for a break and might see improvement even if they just continue playing as they have been.

The Sharks have also finished their grueling five-game road trip, so now they can rest and practice until Thursday’s contest versus Vancouver.

Anaheim Ducks

Many teams have light schedules this week, which made it a bit hard to find squads to highlight. Because of that, Anaheim made the cut despite playing in Pittsburgh on Monday and hosting the Golden Knights on Sunday. At least the Ducks get a home game versus Arizona on Wednesday. Additionally, the Penguins are off to a 3-5-0 start, so Karlsson’s new team isn’t faring especially well either.

The Ducks are also on a roll, having won three straight games to improve to 4-4-0. Frank Vatrano had a hat trick Saturday, giving him an incredible eight goals and nine points in eight contests. The 29-year-old has never recorded over 24 goals in a single season, and his 27.6 shooting percentage in 2023-24 seems unsustainable, especially when measured against his career average of 10.6. Still, there might be more left in this hot streak.

If you want someone with staying power though, Mason McTavish is the real deal. While he might not maintain his current point-per-game pace (three goals and eight points in eight appearances), the 20-year-old does have tremendous offensive upside and is logging big minutes, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him finish with 60-plus points.

Speaking of Anaheim’s young core, I wouldn’t worry too much about Trevor Zegras, who has just two points through eight contests. He’s averaging 3.00 shots per game, which is above his career average of 2.35, and it’s just a matter of time before he starts to heat up. He did score a goal Saturday, so perhaps that’s the start of his turnaround.

Arizona Coyotes

Wednesday’s game against Anaheim is the Coyotes’ only road contest of the week. Outside of that, Arizona will host Chicago, Montreal and Winnipeg on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, respectively. None of those teams entered the campaign with high expectations, though it is worth noting that the Canadiens have started hot with a 5-2-1 record.

Defenseman Sean Durzi will be one to watch this week. He has three goals and two assists through seven contests, including four points over his last four outings. This could be a big campaign for him. He had nine goals and 38 points in 72 outings with Los Angeles while averaging 19:47 of ice time last season. Now with Arizona, he’s averaging 23:23, including 4:41 with the man advantage.

Matias Maccelli is another young player looking to take a step up this year. He had 11 goals and 49 points in 64 appearances in 2022-23, which was good for fourth place in Calder Trophy voting. After a quiet start to the campaign, he’s entering Monday’s contest on a four-game point streak, during which he’s contributed a goal and four assists.

If you want a higher-risk play, there’s a good chance you could scoop up Alex Kerfoot for this week, especially after he went scoreless over the first seven games of the campaign. The reason why Kerfoot is worthy of consideration is because since Jason Zucker sustained a lower-body injury, Kerfoot has gained a spot on Arizona’s second power-play unit. It hasn’t led to production yet, but the 29-year-old forward did have 51 points in 82 contests with Toronto in 2021-22, and he’s surpassed the 40-point mark on three separate occasions, so he can contribute offensively.

Dallas Stars

The Stars have a full schedule this week. They’ll host Columbus on Monday, before starting a road trip that will take them to Calgary on Wednesday, Edmonton on Thursday and Vancouver on Saturday. The Oilers (2-5-1) and Flames (2-6-1) have gotten off to dreadful starts this season, so perhaps Dallas will be able to take advantage. In terms of goals allowed per game, Calgary ranks 28th (3.67) and Edmonton’s 31st (4.00), so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Stars’ forwards shine during those outings.

Keep an eye on Matt Duchene this week. The 32-year-old was held off the scoresheet over his first two contests with the Predators, but he’s starting to heat up, having registered an assist in each of his last two contests. Duchene should be plenty motivated while playing on a one-year, $3 million contract after being bought out by Nashville, and the Stars are putting him in a position to succeed by giving him an average of 17:52 of ice per game.

I’m less optimistic about Evgenii Dadonov -- at least in the short term. He did find the back of the net Tuesday, ending his season-opening four-game point drought, but it wasn’t enough to impress coach Peter DeBoer, who deployed him for just 13:37 versus Toronto on Thursday. Dadonov also hasn’t seen any power-play ice time over the last two contests, and until that changes, I don’t recommend using him.

Instead, Mason Marchment might surprise this week. He inherited Dadonov’s spot on the second power-play unit, and Marchment scored his first goal of the season while firing seven shots Thursday.

Nashville Predators

The Predators are on the road this week with games against Vancouver on Tuesday, Seattle on Thursday and Edmonton on Saturday. While a set of road contests is never ideal, there is an opportunity here for Nashville given struggles plaguing the Oilers and Kraken.

Luke Evangelista in particular might take advantage of Nashville’s cold competition. The 21-year-old forward has a goal and five points over his last four contests. He’s averaged just 14:57 of ice time this season, but that’s ballooned to 17:47 over his last three outings.

Evangelista’s linemate, Thomas Novak, is also clicking, with three goals and five points over his last five games. Novak recorded 17 goals and 43 points in 51 outings last year and might be able to flirt with the 60-point mark in 2023-24 if he stays healthy.

In net, it wouldn’t be surprising if Kevin Lankinen gets into a game. Sure, the schedule is spread out enough that it isn’t strictly necessary, but Juuse Saros has already started in eight straight contests, so it might be time to give him a breather. Lankinen has made one relief appearance, stopping just 17 of 19 shots, but he was solid when called upon last year with a 9-8-1 record, 2.75 GAA and .916 save percentage in 19 outings.

New Jersey Devils

Like Nashville, New Jersey is on the road this week with games in Minnesota on Thursday, St. Louis on Friday and Chicago on Sunday. None of those adversaries have won a majority of their games, though the Blues at least have an even points percentage at 3-3-1.

Jack Hughes saw his season-opening seven-game point streak come to an end Sunday, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he bounces right back. He’s been dominant thus far with five goals and 18 points through eight appearances. Meanwhile, his teammate and brother Luke Hughes is starting to get comfortable in the NHL, collecting five assists over his last three outings to bring him up to six points overall. Luke’s role on the power play is a huge part of his value -- four of his points have come with the man advantage.

Tyler Toffoli had an amazing week, scoring a hat trick versus Montreal and totaling six goals and seven points over his last four contests. The Flames dealt him to New Jersey over the summer because he was entering the final year of his contract, but given their offensive woes this year, you’d have to think there is a wish there that things could have ended differently.

One Devils forward who isn’t hot, but worth keeping an eye on is Dawson Mercer. He has no points and just six shots through eight outings, but the 22-year-old forward should bounce back. With Nico Hischier (upper body) day-to-day, Mercer is getting a big role, logging a season-high 21:03 of ice time Sunday.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers have a busy week, hosting Carolina and Buffalo on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, before visiting the Sabres on Friday and promptly returning home to host the Kings on Saturday. None of those figure to be easy games, though the Flyers have defied expectations with their 4-3-1 record.

Bobby Brink is part of the reason why Philadelphia has done alright. He has two goals and four points over his last two contests, bringing him up to six points through seven outings. That offensive outburst has propelled him into a tie with Luke Hughes for second place on the rookie scoring list (Ottawa’s Ridly Greig leads the chart with seven points in eight games). Like a lot of young players, it wouldn’t be surprising if Brink is streaky this season, but he’s worth grabbing while he’s hot.

Another youngster, Owen Tippett, is also worth taking if available. After setting career highs in 2022-23 with 27 goals and 49 points in 77 outings, Tippett was held off the scoresheet for his first three contests this season before scoring a goal and five points over his last five outings. The 24-year-old has a top-six role and is seeing time on the power play.

Philadelphia’s busy schedule likely means Carter Hart will need a breather at some point this week, but it might not be Samuel Ersson who gets the start. Ersson’s been dreadful, stopping just 38 of 50 shots (.760 save percentage) over his first two appearances. Instead, it might be time to let Felix Sandstrom make his season debut. Sandstrom didn’t exactly wow in 2022-23 with a 3.72 GAA and an .880 save percentage in 20 outings, but at this point, he deserves a chance.

The Flyers also have Cal Petersen waiting in the AHL. However, the former Kings goaltender, who fell from grace last year with a 3.75 GAA and an .868 save percentage in 10 NHL appearances, hasn’t done well with AHL Lehigh Valley, recording a 3.76 GAA and an .884 save percentage in four contests, so he hasn’t put himself in a position to take advantage of Ersson’s struggles.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning will host the struggling Kraken on Monday before going on the road to face Columbus on Thursday and Ottawa on Saturday. All of those are winnable games for Tampa Bay.

The Lightning did struggle early on, in no small part because Jonas Johansson struggled early as Andrei Vasilevskiy’s (back) temporary replacement. Recently though, a switch has been flipped. Johansson has posted back-to-back shutouts while saving 55 shots over that stretch. It won’t last, but Seattle has averaged just 2.22 goals per game this year, so Johansson’s hot streak might extend at least one more game.

Nick Paul might be enjoying more than just a hot streak after contributing five goals and seven points through eight games. The 28-year-old’s career highs are 17 goals and 32 points, so some caution is needed when evaluating Paul, but this campaign does have the potential to be different. He’s carved out a spot on the top power-play unit, which has accounted for three of his goals as well as an assist thus far. Before this season, Paul had never averaged more than 1:12 per game with the man advantage, so keeping his current special team role would be a huge boost for him.

Vegas Golden Knights

At 8-0-1, Vegas still hasn’t lost in regulation. The Golden Knights will seek to keep the good times rolling as they host Montreal, Winnipeg and Colorado on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Vegas will conclude the week with a road contest versus Anaheim on Sunday.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Adin Hill and Logan Thompson each take two of those starts. They’ve combined for a 2.18 GAA and a .923 save percentage through nine contests, so coach Bruce Cassidy has no reason to disrupt the goalie rotation. It’s worth noting that Vegas ranks 31st in 5v5 expected goals against with 20.43, ahead of only the horrific Sharks, so if not for some stunning play from the netminders, the Golden Knights wouldn’t look nearly as good.

Then again, they’d still have William Karlsson, who is on a six-game point streak, providing three goals and five assists in that span. They’d also have Jack Eichel, who is having another strong campaign with three goals and nine points through nine outings.

One lower-profile player who is quietly doing his part is Michael Amadio. The 27-year-old has never recorded more than 27 points in a single season and is serving in a bottom-six capacity, so he’s not expected to have a big offensive season. That said, he might be worth a short-term pickup after scoring a goal and four points over his last four outings.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Players who started slowly but are starting to bust out. That includes Jeff Petry, Cole Caufield, Kyle Palmieri, Tyler Seguin, Mason Marchment and more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 15:43:07 +0000

Each week I dive into the numbers and offer some insights that should help when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

In this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points, the theme appears to be players who started slowly but are starting to bust out. That includes Jeff Petry, Cole Caufield, Kyle Palmieri, Tyler Seguin, Mason Marchment and more.

#1 After a great season in 2021, when he had 12 goals and 42 points in 55 games, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry got off to a terrible start this season, managing just two assists and 38 shots on goal through 28 games. While the 34-year-old may not be in the long-term plans for the Canadiens, he is starting to show signs of coming around, putting up five points (2 G, 3 A) and 11 shots on goal in the past five games.

#2 The Calder Trophy favorite at the start of the season, Canadiens right winger Cole Caufield struggled to just eight points (1 G, 7 A) in his first 30 games and was demoted to the American Hockey League. Just when it looked like it might be a lost season, the Canadiens hired Martin St. Louis as the new head coach and Caufield suddenly can’t miss. In seven games since St. Louis arrived in Montreal, Caufield has 10 points (6 G, 4 A) and 20 shots on goal. Increased production has led to more ice time as Caufield is averaging 18:32 time on ice per game in the past five games.

TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 02: St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (18) looks to shoot the puck during the NHL Hockey match between the Tampa Bay Lightning and St Louis Blues on December 2nd, 2021 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire)

#3 St. Louis Blues playmaker Robert Thomas has rebounded from an awful 2021 season during which he managed 12 points (3 G, 9 A) in 33 games. Thomas has eight points (2 G, 6 A) and 15 shots on goal during a five-game point streak and is up to 40 points in 43 games. That increased shot rate is appealing, and Thomas is available in more leagues than you might expect of a nearly point-per-game center.

#4 A five-time 20-goal scorer, New York Islanders right winger Kyle Palmieri had one goal and seven points in 25 games before getting injured in December. He did not produce anything in his first four games back in the lineup but has broken through with four goals and 14 shots on goal in the past five games. Palmieri is still only a deep league option but that counts as progress after his awful start.

#5 It should not have come as a big surprise that Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin might experience some difficulty this season as he made his return from two hip surgeries. Through mid-January, Seguin had 13 points (9 G, 4 A) and 83 shots on goal in 35 games and he was simply not as dangerous as he had been for most of his career. In his past 16 games, though, Seguin has 16 points (8 G, 8 A) along with 51 shots on goal. That’s more like the Tyler Seguin we have become accustomed to seeing and he is helping the Stars mount a push for a playoff spot.

#6 Los Angeles Kings left winger Adrian Kempe has taken a leap offensively this season, with his shots on goal per game going from 2.27 per game last season to 2.94 per game this season, a jump of nearly 30%, and he has roared to a career high 23 goals in 48 games. Since the start of last season, Kempe has scored 26 even-strength goals, the same number as William Nylander, Sebastian Aho, Andre Burakovsky, and Logan Couture, among others.

#7 He is not hitting nearly as much as he has in previous seasons, but Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner has become more of a scorer. After Jenner scored 30 goals in 2015-2016, he did not record more than 18 goals in any of the next five seasons. Jenner buried a goal in Thursday’s 6-3 win at Florida and it was his 22^nd of the season in his 51^st game. In Jenner’s past 19 games, he has produced 21 points (10 G, 11 A).

#8 Nashville Predators left winger Tanner Jeannot is tied for the rookie goal-scoring lead with 17 goals, the same as Maple Leafs left winger Michael Bunting. Jeannot also brings a serious physical presence to the game. He ranks fourth among forwards with 176 hits. Senators left winger Brady Tkachuk is the only other player in the league with at least 15 goals and 150 hits.

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 13: Edmonton Oilers Defenceman Evan Bouchard (75) is pictured prior to the National Hockey League preseason game between the Edmonton Oilers and the New York Rangers on October 13, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire)

#9 When the Edmonton Oilers made a coaching change, bringing Jay Woodcroft in to replace Dave Tippett behind the bench, the thought was that Woodcroft would give defenseman Evan Bouchard more of an opportunity since Woodcroft was familiar with Bouchard from their time together in the American Hockey League. The early returns are not great on that front, as Bouchard has averaged 14:27 of ice time per game since Woodcroft arrived after averaging 21:42 per game previously. For fantasy managers, it’s not worth dropping Bouchard just yet but if the situation doesn’t get corrected soon that will be the eventual path.

#10 Islanders blueliner Noah Dobson has been generating more offense, producing eight points (2 G, 6 A) and 32 shots on goal in his past 11 games. His eight power play points this season is tied for second on the team with right winger Oliver Wahlstrom, behind Mathew Barzal’s team-leading 10 power play points.

#11 When the Buffalo Sabres shifted Tage Thompson to center early in this season there were not great expectations throughout the hockey world for Thompson to bust out in a new position. The 6-foot-7 24-year-old had shown potential but had battled injuries and had just 18 goals and 35 points in 145 career games. Fast forward to this point of the season and since returning from the December schedule pause Thompson has put up 20 points (10 G, 10 A) with 55 shots on goal in 18 games, forming a potent top line with wingers Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch.

#12 In the past 10 games, Florida Panthers left winger Mason Marchment has put up 17 points (9 G, 8 A) with 27 shots on goal. The only player with more points in their team’s past 10 games is Columbus’ Patrik Laine (13 G, 6 A). Marchment adds to his fantasy appeal with 60 hits in 26 games.

#13 Florida’s third line of Mason Marchment, Anton Lundell, and Sam Reinhart is one of the league’s best. In fact, that trio has generated 9.71 goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play this season, which is miles better than any line that has played at least 100 minutes together. How big is the gap? The line with the second-best rate of scoring is Carolina’s group of Andrei Svechnikov, Vincent Trocheck, and Martin Necas, which has produced 6.88 goals per 60 minutes. The Marchment, Lundell, Reinhart line is controlling 64.2% of shot attempts and 67.6% of expected goals, which is dominant for any line but ridiculous for a team’s third line.

#14 For all the hype that has followed Anaheim Ducks rookie center Trevor Zegras, he is available in a surprising percentage of leagues (like, more than half). You don’t get bonus points for lacrosse-style goals, but he has 34 points (11 G, 23 A) and 76 shots on goal in his past 34 games. Zegras and the Red Wings’ Lucas Raymond are tied for the rookie scoring lead with 39 points, though Zegras has played in five fewer games.

#15 Colorado Avalanche left winger Valeri Nichushkin has established his reputation as a defensive stalwart, but he is delivering secondary offense, too. In his past 13 games, Nichushkin has 10 points (4 G, 6 A) and 40 shots on goal.

#16 It’s easy for production to get overlooked in Arizona, considering the team is at the bottom of the standings, but Nick Schmaltz is offering value for managers that are paying attention. Schmaltz has 16 points (8 G, 8 A) and 26 shots on goal in the past 15 games. He has a good thing going now with linemates Tyler Boyd and Clayton Keller, but Schmaltz had scored one goal and seven points in his previous 17 games.

#17 After producing a career high 23 points in 56 games last season, Los Angeles Kings right winger Trevor Moore had a brutal start to this season, scoring two points in 22 games. He has found a home alongside Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson and Moore has gone from that slow start to scoring 26 points (7 G, 19 A) with 66 shots on goal in 29 games.

#18 A surprising source of goaltending value might be in Ottawa, where Senators netminders have combined for a .924 save percentage since Matt Murray was recalled from the AHL for January 1. That is the third-best save percentage in the league in the new year, behind the Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers. Murray is playing like he did in his best years with Pittsburgh, posting a .942 save percentage in his past 10 starts and Anton Forsberg has a .933 save percentage in his past nine games.

#19 On the other hand, the Los Angeles Kings are in a playoff spot and still looking for a goaltending answer. Neither Jonathan Quick nor Cal Petersen has been able to establish that they can carry the team. Quick had a strong start to the season but has a .873 save percentage in 11 games since returning from the December schedule pause and Petersen has a .882 save percentage in his past seven games.

#20 Looking for value in peripheral categories? Consider Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary, who is partnered with John Carlson on the Capitals’ top pair and has put up 32 hits and 18 blocked shots in his past nine games. Along those lines, here are the defensemen averaging at least two hits and two blocks per game over the past month (minimum five games played): Connor Murphy, Dysin Mayo, Ryan Lindgren, Mikhail Sergachev, Luke Schenn, Mikey Anderson, Kyle Burroughs, Radko Gudas and Niko Mikkola.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Mason Marchment, Alex Tuch, Jared McCann, Valeri Nichushkin, Michael Bunting, and more players with increasing fantasy value.

Scott Cullen — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 18:59:06 +0000

Each week I will dive into the numbers and offer some insights that should help when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

In this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points, the Florida Panthers are a rising tide that lifts all ships, including Mason Marchment. Alex Tuch, Jared McCann, Valeri Nichushkin, Michael Bunting, and more players with increasing fantasy value.

TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 19: Florida Panthers left wing Mason Marchment (17) skates in the third period of the NHL game between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning on October 19, 2021 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire)

#1 Florida Panthers left winger Mason Marchment exploded into the fantasy consciousness this week with a six-point game at Columbus, lifting him to 23 points (8 G, 15 A) in 22 games this season. For added value, Marchment also has 51 hits in those 22 games, and has a good thing going with rookie center Anton Lundell and right winger Sam Reinhart. While there is reason to be optimistic about Marchment as a legitimate contributor in fantasy, note that his on-ice shooting percentage of 14.7% is very high and not likely to sustain at that level. Given his physical contributions, though, Marchment still has fantasy appeal even if he isn’t likely to continue scoring at a point-per-game pace.

#2 Aside from Marchment, forwards that are likely to see some regression in their numbers based on inflated 5-on-5 on-ice shooting percentages: Ryan Hartman (14.4%), Kirill Kaprizov (13.7%), Mark Stone (13.6%), Mats Zuccarello (13.4%), Rem Pitlick (13.3%), Max Pacioretty (13.2%), Anton Lundell (13.1%), Nazem Kadri (13.0%), and Tom Wilson (12.9%). Keep your eyes on the top lines in Minnesota and Vegas because, as skilled as they are, it can be difficult to maintain such lofty percentages.

#3 On the other hand, some skilled forwards that could be looking at better results because, so far, they have had a low on-ice shooting percentage: Brock Boeser (4.4%), Kevin Hayes (4.8%), Filip Zadina (4.8%), James van Riemsdyk (5.1%), Kyle Palmieri (5.2%), Sean Monahan (5.3%), Nils Hoglander (5.4%), Mike Hoffman (5.4%), William Karlsson (5.5%), and Elias Pettersson (5.5%). Players with a low on-ice shooting percentage tend to make good trade targets because the perception of their value is diminished.

#4 Since the NHL schedule pause in December, the Florida Panthers have been a high-octane attack, averaging 4.88 goals/60 in all situations in 18 games played during that span. The team with the second-highest goal-scoring rate in that time is the Toronto Maple Leafs (4.35 G/60), more than a half-goal per 60 minutes behind the Panthers. The Minnesota Wild (4.27), Carolina Hurricanes (3.87), and Pittsburgh Penguins (3.81) round out the top five teams.

#5 A big piece of the trade that sent Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights, Alex Tuch has really responded to his increased role with the Buffalo Sabres. A native of Syracuse, New York, Tuch has produced 13 points (5 G, 8 A) along with 37 shots on goal while averaging 19:46 time on ice in 13 games for the Sabres. He has combined with Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner to give the Sabres a legitimately dangerous top line.

SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 25: Seattle Kraken left wing Jared McCann (16) handles the puck during an NHL game between the Nashville Predators and the Seattle Kraken on January 25, 2022 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire)

#6 One of the best selections by the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, Jared McCann has tied a career high with 19 goals in just 41 games. He is scoring on 18.1% of his shots, which is a tad high, but McCann could also play more than the 16:04 average time on ice per game he has been getting with Seattle.

#7 After signing a big free agent deal in Calgary in the summer, Blake Coleman struggled to produce offensively, but he was starting to round into form heading into the All-Star break, putting up nine points (5 G, 4 A) and 30 shots on goal in his last 10 games. From the time he arrived in the league, Coleman has increased his fantasy value with his hit totals and 89 hits in 41 games this season gives him some of that added appeal now that his scoring numbers have picked up.

#8 In the past couple of seasons, Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin has established that he is an elite checking winger, with outstanding impact during 5-on-5 play, but he has not been a big scorer. That has changed somewhat this season. He has missed time, playing in just 28 games, but Nichushkin has 23 points (12 G, 11 A) and 75 shots on goal while playing a career high 18:14 per game. That shot rate is climbing, too – 52 in his past 16 games works out to 3.25 per game.

#9 The Toronto Maple Leafs have tried other combinations of forwards, but it turns out that their best option to skate on the left side with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on the top line is Michael Bunting, the 26-year-old who is still a rookie. In his past 23 games, Bunting has chipped in 21 points (9 G, 12 A) and 20 of those points have at even strength. His ability to do things that his linemates can’t makes him a strong fit in that spot.

#10 When Toronto Maple Leafs winger Ilya Mikheyev asked for a trade in the offseason, the Maple Leafs declined to take him up on that request and had high hopes for him for the 2021-2022 season, but that was stalled when he suffered a broken thumb in the preseason. Mikheyev played one game in mid-December before the schedule pause but in the dozen games since, he has 10 points (7 G, 3 A) and 37 shots on goal. For a player who was a notoriously poor finisher in his previous two seasons, Mikheyev is starting to find the net and raising the price of his value on the upcoming free agent market.

#11 The Vegas Golden Knights just signed defenseman Brayden McNabb to a three-year contract extension and while McNabb is not a typical fantasy darling because he does not register a lot of points – he has finished with more than 16 points once in his career – McNabb does have some deep league appeal because he is a consistent source of hits and blocked shots. McNabb has averaged a combined 4.72 hits plus blocked shots per game this season, which ranks 10^th among defensemen that have appeared in at least 20 games.

#12 The nine defensemen ahead of McNabb in combined hits plus blocked shots per game: Radko Gudas (5.89), Alexander Romanov (5.32), Luke Schenn (5.30), Rasmus Ristolainen (5.17), Jacob Trouba (5.11), Connor Murphy (4.93), Darnell Nurse (4.91), Mario Ferraro (4.90), and Erik Cernak (4.76).

#13 After scoring 65 points in 2017-2018, Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller has stumbled along for the past three seasons, well behind that rate of production. It seems that he might have turned the corner this season, even as the Coyotes languish near the bottom of the league. In his past 29 games, Keller has 32 points (14 G, 18 A) and 90 shots on goal.

#14 Veteran Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner scored 30 goals during the 2015-2016 season but has not scored more than 18 goals in any other season. This season, Jenner is up to 18 goals after producing 10 points (6 G, 4 A) and 35 shots on goal in the last 11 games before the All-Star break. He is not recording hits at the same level as he did earlier in his career, when he had four 200-hit seasons, but Jenner’s improved goal-scoring and shot rate still makes him a valuable contributor.

#15 The Los Angeles Kings have tried to focus on improving their team speed and it is starting to pay off. Winger Viktor Arvidsson, who they acquired from Nashville in the offseason, has really picked up his play in 2022. In his past 15 games, Arvidsson has delivered 15 points (7 G, 8 A) along with 59 shots on goal. Alex Iafallo is another speedy winger who has had an impact on the Kings’ improving playoff fortunes. Averaging a career-high 2.87 shots on goal per game, Iafallo has 28 points (14 G, 14 A) in 45 games, which puts him well within striking distance of his career high of 17 goals, set in 2019-2020.

#16 As the New York Islanders are the only team in the league that has yet to play 40 games, they do offer more potential value for the rest of the NHL season. One player to consider for the Isles is center Brock Nelson, who has been heating up with nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 20 shots on goal in the past nine games. The five-time 20-goal scorer has 14 goals in 30 games this season.

#17 A left winger that looked like good value on the free agent market last summer (as compared to big-ticket signing Zach Hyman, for example), Brandon Saad has been quietly effective with the St. Louis Blues. Saad has nine points (3 G, 6 A) in his past eight games and is up to 25 points (15 G, 10 A) in 40 games.

#18 There have been lots of rumors about the Arizona Coyotes dealing defenseman Jakob Chychrun, who has not been terribly productive this season, managing 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in 34 games. This after finishing with a career high 18 goals and 41 points in 56 games last season. Presumably, the opportunity to play for a more competitive team would work in Chychrun’s favor but it is noteworthy that Shayne Gostisbehere has been putting up numbers for the Coyotes this season, accumulating 28 points (8 G, 20 A) in 45 games, which is tied for 16^th among defensemen.

#19 Another defenseman who has term left on his contract but could be available on the trade market is Montreal Canadiens veteran Jeff Petry, who may have had the best season of his career in 2020-2021, producing 42 points (12 G, 30 A) in 55 games. This season has been an entirely different story for Petry, as he shockingly has just six points (1 G, 5 A) in 37 games. As a player that tends to contribute to peripheral fantasy hockey categories like hits and blocked shots, too, Petry had plenty of fantasy value when he was scoring but right now, not so much.

#20 The hunt for goaltending at this stage of the season does not offer a lot of options. I wrote last week about Ville Husso, Pavel Francouz, and Matt Murray, and their varying degrees of fantasy value, but also consider Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cal Petersen, who has not seized the starting job in the way that might have been expected, in part because Jonathan Quick played so well early in the season. However, Quick has slumped lately, posting a .873 save percentage in 10 games since the schedule pause, and Petersen is 6-1 with a .914 save percentage in his past seven appearances.

#21 While Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Petr Mrazek is not exactly pushing for the starting job, he will have an opportunity to play more as starter Jack Campbell has lost some measure of his early season excellence. Mrazek does have a .921 save percentage in four games since returning from the schedule pause while Campbell has a .891 save percentage in nine games since returning from the December schedule pause.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Top 300 Prospect Rankings

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 17:09:56 +0000

These are our final prospect ranking prior to the start of the season. As a subscriber you can download the list in an excel chart and can link to the player pages in the chart found here. As always, the rankings you see below are based on our 20-80 scouting system looking at five categories for skaters (Skating, Shot, Puck Skills, Hockey Smarts, Physicality) and six for netminders (Athleticism/Quickness/Speed, Compete/Temperament, Vision/Play Reading, Technique/Style, Rebound Control, Puck Handling). Our prospect team spent large portions of their last few months pre-COVID in the rinks, watching the players below and many others, and further work on video (Instat Hockey has been a terrific resource in recent days) before passing judgement on their future projections.

The 20-80 scouting system is meant to allow players from different leagues in different parts of the world to be compared to one another, such that grades on a player in the OHL can be directly compared to grades from an AHL player, and to grades of someone playing in the MHL.

PROSPECT CRITERIA

Players under 26 years of age as of the September 15th prior (Sep. 15, 1994) to the season in question who have appeared in less than 60 NHL games (30 for goalies) and less than 35 in any one season – or 25 last year (20 for goalies, 15 last season) are considered prospects

RANK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	ACQUIRED
1	Alexis Lafreniere	NYR	LW	19	6-1/195	`20(1st)
2	Tim Stutzle	Ott	C	18	6-1/185	`20(3rd)
3	Quinton Byfield	LA	C	18	6-4/215	`20(2nd)
4	Trevor Zegras	Ana	C	19	6-0/170	`19(9th)
5	Kirill Kaprizov	Min	LW	23	5-10/200	`15(135th)
6	Lucas Raymond	Det	LW	18	5-11/170	`20(4th)
7	Dylan Cozens	Buf	C	19	6-3/185	`19(7th)
8	Bowen Byram	Col	D	19	6-0/195	`19(4th)
9	Peyton Krebs	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`19(17th)
10	Jake Sanderson	Ott	D	18	6-1/185	`20(5th)
11	Moritz Seider	Det	D	19	6-3/185	`19(6th)
12	Jamie Drysdale	Ana	D	18	5-11/175	`20(6th)
13	Igor Shesterkin	NYR	G	25	6-1/190	`14(118th)
14	Alexander Holtz	NJ	RW	18	6-0/190	`20(7th)
15	Cole Perfetti	Wpg	LW	19	5-10/180	`20(10th)
16	Marco Rossi	Min	C	19	5-9/185	`20(9th)
17	Vasili Podkolzin	Van	RW	19	6-1/190	`19(10th)
18	Victor Soderstrom	Ari	D	19	5-11/180	`19(11th)
19	Nick Robertson	Tor	LW	19	5-9/160	`19(53rd)
20	Cole Caufield	Mtl	RW	19	5-7/165	`19(15th)
21	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	18	6-3/175	`20(11th)
22	Spencer Knight	Fla	G	19	6-3/195	`19(13th)
23	Philip Broberg	Edm	D	19	6-3/200	`19(8th)
24	Jack Quinn	Buf	RW	19	6-0/180	`20(8th)
25	Matthew Boldy	Min	LW	19	6-1/190	`19(12th)
26	Nils Lundkvist	NYR	D	20	5-11/180	`18(28th)
27	Seth Jarvis	Car	RW	18	5-10/175	`20(13th)
28	Ty Smith	NJ	D	20	5-10/180	`18(17th)
29	Grigori Denisenko	Fla	LW	20	5-11/185	`18(15th)
30	Barrett Hayton	Ari	C	20	6-1/190	`18(5th)
31	Alex Newhook	Col	C	19	5-10/195	`19(16th)
32	Thomas Harley	Dal	D	19	6-3/190	`19(18th)
33	Alex Turcotte	LA	C	19	5-11/185	`19(5th)
34	Vitali Kravtsov	NYR	RW	21	6-3/185	`18(9th)
35	Philip Tomasino	Nsh	C	19	5-11/180	`19(24th)
36	Connor McMichael	Wsh	C	19	5-11/175	`19(25th)
37	Dawson Mercer	NJ	C	19	6-0/180	`20(18th)
38	Ilya Sorokin	NYI	G	25	6-2/180	`14(78th)
39	Gabriel Vilardi	LA	RW	21	6-3/200	`17(11th)
40	Ryan Merkley	SJ	D	20	5-11/170	`18(21st)
41	Alexander Romanov	Mtl	D	20	5-11/185	`18(38th)
42	Kaiden Guhle	Mtl	D	18	6-2/190	`20(16th)
43	Samuel Poulin	Pit	LW	19	6-1/205	`19(21st)
44	K'Andre Miller	NYR	D	20	6-3/205	`18(22nd)
45	Scott Perunovich	StL	D	22	5-10/175	`18(45th)
46	Evan Bouchard	Edm	D	21	6-2/195	`18(10th)
47	Braden Schneider	NYR	D	19	6-2/200	`20(19th)
48	Juuso Valimaki	Cgy	D	22	6-2/205	`17(16th)
49	Cam York	Phi	D	19	5-11/175	`19(14th)
50	Anton Lundell	Fla	C	19	6-1/185	`20(12th)
51	Morgan Frost	Phi	C	21	5-11/180	`17(27th)
52	Owen Tippett	Fla	RW	21	6-1/200	`17(10th)
53	Albert Johansson	Det	D	19	5-11/165	`19(60th)
54	Liam Foudy	CBJ	C	20	6-0/175	`18(18th)
55	Kieffer Bellows	NYI	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(19th)
56	Arthur Kaliyev	LA	RW	19	6-2/190	`19(33rd)
57	Oliver Wahlstrom	NYI	RW	20	6-1/205	`18(11th)
58	Nils Hoglander	Van	RW	20	5-9/185	`19(40th)
59	Matias Maccelli	Ari	LW	20	5-11/170	`19(98th)
60	Tobias Bjornfot	LA	D	19	6-0/200	`19(22nd)
61	Jacob Bernard-Docker	Ott	D	20	6-0/180	`18(26th)
62	Connor Zary	Cgy	C	19	6-0/180	`20(24th)
63	Dominik Bokk	Car	RW	20	6-1/180	T(StL-9/19)
64	Ryan Suzuki	Car	C	19	6-0/180	`19(28th)
65	Dylan Samberg	Wpg	D	21	6-3/190	`17(43rd)
66	Jake Bean	Car	D	22	6-1/175	`16(13th)
67	Josh Norris	Ott	C	21	6-1/195	T(SJ-9/18)
68	Rasmus Kupari	LA	C	20	6-1/185	`18(20th)
69	Jakob Pelletier	Cgy	LW	19	5-9/165	`19(26th)
70	Drake Batherson	Ott	RW	22	6-1/190	`17(121st)
71	Jan Jenik	Ari	RW	20	6-1/180	`18(65th)
72	John-Jason Peterka	Buf	LW	18	5-11/190	`20(34th)
73	Kirill Marchenko	CBJ	LW	20	6-3/190	`18(49th)
74	Bode Wilde	NYI	D	20	6-2/195	`18(41st)
75	John Beecher	Bos	C	19	6-3/210	`19(30th)
76	Tyler Madden	LA	C	21	5-10/155	T(Van-2/20)
77	Jack Studnicka	Bos	C	21	6-1/170	`17(53rd)
78	Jake Oettinger	Dal	G	22	6-4/210	`17(26th)
79	Alex Formenton	Ott	LW	21	6-2/165	`17(47th)
80	Matthew Robertson	NYR	D	19	6-3/200	`19(49th)
81	Calen Addison	Min	D	20	5-10/180	T(Pit-2/20)
82	Ty Dellandrea	Dal	C	20	6-0/185	`18(13th)
83	Akil Thomas	LA	C	20	5-11/170	`18(51st)
84	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	18	5-10/180	`20(30th)
85	Ian Mitchell	Chi	D	21	5-11/175	`17(57th)
86	Jason Robertson	Dal	LW	21	6-2/195	`17(39th)
87	Hendrix Lapierre	Wsh	C	18	5-11/180	`20(22nd)
88	Brendan Brisson	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`20(29th)
89	Theodor Niederbach	Det	C	18	5-11/175	`20(51st)
90	Zac Jones	NYR	D	20	5-10/175	`19(68th)
91	Robert Mastrosimone	Det	LW	19	5-10/160	`19(54th)
92	Joe Veleno	Det	C	20	6-1/195	`18(30th)
93	Rodion Amirov	Tor	LW	19	6-0/170	`20(15th)
94	Jake Neighbours	StL	LW	18	5-11/195	`20(26th)
95	Julien Gauthier	NYR	RW	23	6-4/225	T(Car-2/20)
96	Justus Annunen	Col	G	20	6-4/215	`18(64th)
97	Egor Zamula	Phi	D	20	6-4/175	FA(9/18)
98	Shane Pinto	Ott	C	20	6-2/190	`19(32nd)
99	Noel Gunler	Car	RW	19	6-2/175	`20(41st)
100	Ridly Greig	Ott	C	18	5-11/165	`20(28th)
101	Jesse Ylonen	Mtl	RW	21	6-1/185	`18(35th)
102	Samuel Fagemo	LA	RW	20	6-0/195	`19(50th)
103	Mattias Norlinder	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`19(64th)
104	Olli Juolevi	Van	D	22	6-3/200	`16(5th)
105	Kristian Vesalainen	Wpg	LW	21	6-3/205	`17(24th)
106	Raphael Lavoie	Edm	RW	20	6-4/195	`19(38th)
107	Jan Mysak	Mtl	C	18	5-11/180	`20(49th)
108	Cayden Primeau	Mtl	G	21	6-3/180	`17(199th)
109	Pavel Dorofeyev	VGK	LW	20	6-1/170	`19(79th)
110	Morgan Barron	NYR	C	22	6-2/200	`17(174th)
111	Ville Heinola	Wpg	D	19	5-11/180	`19(20th)
112	Dylan Holloway	Edm	C	19	6-0/205	`20(14th)
113	Jack Dugan	VGK	RW	22	6-2/185	`17(142nd)
114	Alexander Khovanov	Min	C	20	5-11/195	`18(86th)
115	Jacob Perreault	Ana	RW	18	5-11/195	`20(27th)
116	Jake Evans	Mtl	C	24	6-0/185	`14(207th)
117	Adam Beckman	Min	LW	19	6-1/170	`19(75th)
118	Jett Woo	Van	D	20	6-0/205	`18(37th)
119	Nolan Foote	NJ	LW	20	6-3/190	T(TB-2/20)
120	Logan Brown	Ott	C	22	6-6/220	`16(11th)
121	Martin Kaut	Col	RW	21	6-1/175	`18(16th)
122	Jack Rathbone	Van	D	21	5-10/175	`17(95th)
123	Ozzy Wiesblatt	SJ	RW	18	5-10/185	`20(31st)
124	Ryan O'Rourke	Min	D	18	6-0/180	`20(39th)
125	Lukas Reichel	Chi	LW	18	6-0/170	`20(17th)
126	Jordan Harris	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`18(71st)
127	Lukas Dostal	Ana	G	20	6-1/170	`18(85th)
128	Egor Afanasyev	Nsh	RW	19	6-3/205	`19(45th)
129	Conor Timmins	Col	D	22	6-1/185	`17(32nd)
130	Lassi Thomson	Ott	D	20	6-0/190	`19(19th)
131	Eeli Tolvanen	Nsh	RW	21	5-10/175	`17(30th)
132	Kasper Simontaival	LA	RW	18	5-9/180	`20(66th)
133	Roni Hirvonen	Tor	C	18	5-9/165	`20(59th)
134	Thomas Bordeleau	SJ	C	18	5-9/180	`20(38th)
135	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	Ana	C	20	6-1/195	`18(54th)
136	Tyler Kleven	Ott	D	18	6-4/200	`20(44th)
137	Tyson Foerster	Phi	C	18	6-1/195	`20(23rd)
138	Helge Grans	LA	D	18	6-2/205	`20(35th)
139	Jonathan Dahlen	SJ	LW	23	5-11/185	T(Van-2/19)
140	Marat Khusnutdinov	Min	C	18	5-11/175	`20(37th)
141	Alexander Alexeyev	Wsh	D	21	6-3/200	`18(31st)
142	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	Pit	D	21	6-2/170	`17(23rd)
143	Topi Niemela	Tor	D	18	5-10/160	`20(64th)
144	Oskari Laaksonen	Buf	D	21	6-2/165	`17(89th)
145	Filip Hallander	Tor	LW	20	6-1/185	T(Pit-8/20)
146	Serron Noel	Fla	RW	20	6-5/205	`18(34th)
147	Martin Chromiak	LA	LW	18	6-0/185	`20(128th)
148	Shakir Mukhamadullin	NJ	D	18	6-3/180	`20(20th)
149	Mattias Samuelsson	Buf	D	20	6-3/215	`18(32nd)
150	Janne Kuokkanen	NJ	LW	22	6-1/190	T(Car-2/20)
151	Ryan Johnson	Buf	D	19	6-0/175	`19(31st)
152	Sean Farrell	Mtl	C	19	5-8/175	`20(124th)
153	Martin Fehervary	Wsh	D	21	6-1/190	`18(46th)
154	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	Buf	G	21	6-4/195	`17(54th)
155	Will Lockwood	Van	RW	22	5-11/175	`16(64th)
156	Isac Lundestrom	Ana	C	21	6-0/185	`18(23rd)
157	Michael DiPietro	Van	G	21	6-0/195	`17(64th)
158	Jonatan Berggren	Det	RW	20	5-10/185	`18(33rd)
159	Kevin Bahl	NJ	D	20	6-6/230	T(Ari-12/19)
160	Aliaksei Protas	Wsh	C	19	6-5/205	`19(91st)
161	Reilly Walsh	NJ	D	21	5-11/180	`17(81st)
162	Nick Abruzzese	Tor	C	21	5-9/160	`19(124th)
163	Tyler Tucker	StL	D	20	6-1/205	`18(200th)
164	Arseni Gritsyuk	NJ	RW	19	5-10/170	`19(129th)
165	Klim Kostin	StL	C	21	6-3/195	`17(31st)
166	Brayden Tracey	Ana	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(29th)
167	Joel Hofer	StL	G	20	6-3/160	`18(107th)
168	Joey Anderson	Tor	RW	22	6-0/195	T(NJ-10/20)
169	Yegor Spiridonov	SJ	C	19	6-2/195	`19(108th)
170	Sam Colangelo	Ana	RW	19	6-1/205	`20(36th)
171	Joey Keane	Car	D	21	6-0/185	T(NYR-2/20)
172	Jared McIsaac	Det	D	20	6-1/195	`18(36th)
173	Jamieson Rees	Car	C	19	5-10/175	`19(44th)
174	Ivan Morozov	VGK	C	20	6-1/180	`18(61st)
175	Rem Pitlick	Nsh	C	23	5-11/200	`16(76th)
176	Tyce Thompson	NJ	RW	21	6-0/170	`19(96th)
177	Michael McLeod	NJ	C	22	6-2/195	`16(12th)
178	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	LA	C	21	5-11/190	`17(41st)
179	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	19	6-0/165	`19(214th)
180	Antti Tuomisto	Det	D	19	6-4/190	`19(35th)
181	Brett Berard	NYR	LW	18	5-9/155	`20(134th)
182	Luke Evangelista	Nsh	RW	18	5-11/170	`20(42nd)
183	Joel Blomqvist	Pit	G	18	6-1/180	`20(52nd)
184	Joni Ikonen	Mtl	C	21	5-10/170	`17(58th)
185	Olivier Rodrigue	Edm	G	20	6-1/165	`18(62nd)
186	Lucas Elvenes	VGK	RW	21	6-0/175	`17(127th)
187	Anthony Angello	Pit	RW	24	6-5/205	`14(145th)
188	Tuukka Tieksola	Car	RW	19	5-10/160	`19(121st)
189	Declan Chisholm	Wpg	D	20	6-1/190	`18(150th)
190	Cole Koepke	TB	LW	22	6-1/195	`18(183rd)
191	Valtteri Puustinen	Pit	RW	21	5-9/185	`19(203rd)
192	Ty Smilanic	Fla	C	18	6-1/175	`20(74th)
193	Patrik Puistola	Car	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(73rd)
194	Justin Barron	Col	D	19	6-2/190	`20(25th)
195	Andrew Peeke	CBJ	D	22	6-3/210	`16(34th)
196	Michael Vukojevic	NJ	D	19	6-3/210	`19(82nd)
197	Alec Regula	Chi	D	20	6-3/200	T(Det-10/19)
198	Connor Corcoran	VGK	D	20	6-1/185	`18(154th)
199	Jeremy Swayman	Bos	G	22	6-1/190	`17(111th)
200	Pyotr Kochetkov	Car	G	21	6-1/175	`19(36th)
201	Mikey Anderson	LA	D	21	6-0/195	`17(103rd)
202	Carter Savoie	Edm	LW	18	5-9/190	`20(100th)
203	Samuel Walker	TB	C	21	5-11/160	`17(200th)
204	William Wallinder	Det	D	18	6-4/190	`20(32nd)
205	Jack Drury	Car	C	20	5-11/180	`18(42nd)
206	Emil Andrae	Phi	D	18	5-9/185	`20(54th)
207	Cal Petersen	LA	G	26	6-3/190	FA(7/17)
208	Jeremie Poirier	Cgy	D	18	6-0/200	`20(72nd)
209	Tarmo Reunanen	NYR	D	22	6-0/180	`16(98th)
210	Simon Holmstrom	NYI	RW	19	6-1/185	`19(23rd)
211	Aleksi Saarela	Fla	RW	23	5-11/200	T(Chi-10/19)
212	Anton Johannesson	Wpg	D	18	5-9/155	`20(133rd)
213	Lauri Pajuniemi	NYR	RW	21	6-0/185	`18(132nd)
214	Morgan Geekie	Car	C	22	6-2/180	`17(67th)
215	Shane Bowers	Col	C	21	6-2/190	T(Ott-11/17)
216	Sasha Chmelevski	SJ	C	21	5-11/190	`17(185th)
217	Ruslan Iskhakov	NYI	C	20	5-8/155	`18(43rd)
218	Cole Schwindt	Fla	RW	19	6-2/185	`19(81st)
219	Hugo Alnefelt	TB	G	19	6-3/195	`19(71st)
220	Nikita Okhotyuk	NJ	D	20	6-1/195	`19(61st)
221	Sampo Ranta	Col	LW	20	6-2/205	`18(78th)
222	Alexander Volkov	TB	LW	23	6-1/190	`17(48th)
223	Alexander True	SJ	C	23	6-5/205	FA(7/18)
224	John Leonard	SJ	C	22	5-11/190	`18(182nd)
225	Carl Grundstrom	LA	LW	23	6-0/195	T(Tor-1/19)
226	Dmitri Semykin	TB	D	20	6-3/200	`18(90th)
227	Cal Foote	TB	D	22	6-4/215	`17(14th)
228	Jean-Luc Foudy	Col	C	18	5-11/175	`20(75th)
229	Alex Barre-Boulet	TB	C	23	5-10/165	FA(3/18)
230	Tristen Robins	SJ	RW	19	5-10/175	`20(56th)
231	Max Gildon	Fla	D	21	6-3/190	`17(66th)
232	Nikita Alexandrov	StL	C	20	6-0/180	`19(62nd)
233	Michael Benning	Fla	D	18	5-9/180	`20(95th)
234	Justin Sourdif	Fla	RW	18	5-11/175	`20(87th)
235	Tanner Laczynski	Phi	C	23	6-1/200	`16(169th)
236	Eamon Powell	TB	D	18	5-11/165	`20(116th)
237	Kaedan Korczak	VGK	D	19	6-3/190	`19(41st)
238	Drew Commesso	Chi	G	18	6-1/180	`20(47th)
239	Nikolai Kovalenko	Col	RW	21	5-10/175	`18(171st)
240	Pius Suter	Chi	C	24	5-11/170	FA(7/20)
241	Wade Allison	Phi	RW	23	6-2/205	`16(52nd)
242	Bobby Brink	Phi	RW	19	5-10/165	`19(34th)
243	Lukas Cormier	VGK	D	18	5-10/180	`20(68th)
244	David Farrance	Nsh	D	21	5-11/190	`17(92nd)
245	Roby Jarventie	Ott	RW	18	6-2/185	`20(33rd)
246	Dmitri Voronkov	CBJ	LW	20	6-4/190	`19(114th)
247	German Rubtsov	Phi	C	22	6-2/190	`16(22nd)
248	Vitaly Abramov	Ott	RW	22	5-9/175	T(CBJ-2/19)
249	Alex Laferriere	LA	RW	19	6-0/175	`20(83rd)
250	Trey Fix-Wolansky	CBJ	RW	21	5-8/185	`18(204th)
251	Isaac Ratcliffe	Phi	LW	21	6-5/200	`17(35th)
252	Kale Clague	LA	D	22	6-0/180	`16(51st)
253	Landon Slaggert	Chi	LW	18	5-11/180	`20(79th)
254	Wyatt Kalynuk	Chi	D	23	6-1/180	FA(7/20)
255	Mikko Kokkonen	Tor	D	19	5-11/200	`19(84th)
256	Kevin Mandolese	Ott	G	20	6-4/180	`18(157th)
257	Daniil Tarasov	CBJ	G	21	6-5/185	`17(86th)
258	Evan Barratt	Chi	C	21	6-0/190	`17(90th)
259	Tyler Benson	Edm	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(32nd)
260	Yegor Korshkov	Tor	RW	24	6-4/215	`16(31st)
261	Hunter Skinner	NYR	D	19	6-2/175	`19(112th)
262	Riley Damiani	Dal	C	20	5-9/165	`18(137th)
263	Ryan McLeod	Edm	C	21	6-2/205	`18(40th)
264	Ilya Konovalov	Edm	G	22	6-0/195	`19(85th)
265	Will Cuylle	NYR	LW	18	6-3/205	`20(60th)
266	Evan Vierling	NYR	C	18	6-0/165	`20(127th)
267	Emil Heineman	Fla	LW	19	6-0/180	`20(43rd)
268	Zayde Wisdom	Phi	RW	18	5-10/195	`20(94th)
269	Hunter Jones	Min	G	20	6-4/195	`19(59th)
270	Ty Tullio	Edm	RW	18	5-10/165	`20(126th)
271	Jordan Spence	LA	D	19	5-10/165	`19(95th)
272	Dmitri Zavgorodny	Cgy	LW	20	5-9/175	`18(198th)
273	Alex Beaucage	Col	RW	19	6-1/195	`19(78th)
274	Matiss Kivlenieks	CBJ	G	24	6-2/190	FA(5/17)
275	Artyom Zub	Ott	D	25	6-2/200	FA(5/20)
276	Urho Vaakanainen	Bos	D	22	6-0/185	`17(18th)
277	Dmitri Samorukov	Edm	D	21	6-2/180	`17(84th)
278	Michal Teply	Chi	LW	19	6-3/185	`19(105th)
279	Colby Ambrosio	Col	C	18	5-8/170	`20(118th)
280	Mads Sogaard	Ott	G	20	6-7/195	`19(37th)
281	Jeremy Lauzon	Bos	D	23	6-3/205	`15(52nd)
282	Dennis Gilbert	Col	D	24	6-2/200	T(Chi-10/20)
283	Trent Frederic	Bos	C	22	6-4/215	`16(29th)
284	Lucas Carlsson	Chi	D	23	6-0/190	`16(110th)
285	Zack Macewen	Van	RW	24	6-3/205	FA(3/17)
286	Brandon Hagel	Chi	LW	22	6-1/175	FA(10/18)
287	Vasily Ponomarev	Car	C	18	5-10/180	`20(53rd)
288	Jakub Zboril	Bos	D	23	6-1/200	`15(13th)
289	Garrett Pilon	Wsh	RW	22	5-11/190	`16(87th)
290	Jeremy Bracco	Car	RW	23	5-9/180	FA(10/20)
291	Dylan Sikura	VGK	RW	25	6-0/170	T(Chi-9/20)
292	Kyle Capobianco	Ari	D	23	6-1/180	`15(63rd)
293	Sami Niku	Wpg	D	24	6-0/175	`15(198th)
294	John Farinacci	Ari	C	19	5-11/185	`19(76th)
295	Jackson Lacombe	Ana	D	19	6-1/170	`19(39th)
296	David Cotton	Car	LW	23	6-3/205	`15(169th)
297	Erik Portillo	Buf	G	20	6-6/210	`19(67th)
298	Jacob Truscott	Van	D	18	6-1/170	`20(144th)
299	Mikhail Berdin	Wpg	G	22	6-2/165	`16(157th)
300	Cam Hillis	Mtl	C	20	5-10/170	`18(66th)

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Los Angeles Kings Top 20 Prospects

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 23:04:31 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 Los Angeles Kings prospects for the 2020-21 season. You can read an organizational assessment prior to the draft in Ryan Wagman's article found here. Following the draft we provided a review on each teams performance based on our rankings found here.

Quinton Byfield, C (2^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

At the heart of the 2020 second overall pick’s game is playmaking. A pass first player, he possesses elite vision that can carve up opposing defenses. His size helps him to shield the puck as he pushes through the neutral zone, works the half wall and behind the net, the latter helped by his edges. This affords him time to pick apart coverage and anticipate passing lanes for his linemates. He can dominate possession for entire shifts in the OHL because defenders cannot separate him from the puck. His powerful stride also makes him a force in transition. He can push through traffic with exceptional balance, while retaining the ability to play East-West as well. Byfield supports his defenders in the offensive and neutral zones, cycling back to cover during pinches. He also works hard to apply back pressure, although could stand to use his size advantage more to help him become more effective. He can struggle defending in his own zone, although has shown recent improvement in this area. He also may not yet be finished maturing, both physically and mentally. It is within reason that he will eventually be seen as the top player from the 2020 draft. – BO

Alex Turcotte, C (5^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

If you spend a long time watching him play, you should note that Turcotte makes his teammates better in the sense that he doesn’t carry the offense by himself, or use his linemates as set pieces to bounce off of like he was a ball flying through in a pinball table. He gets his linemates involved and allows them to carry the load for sections. Even though he is a fine skater, with great edges, and a very skilled stickhandler with a ton of creativity in his game, he processes the game in a way that requires his linemates hold up their end of the bargain as well. In games where they don’t, he can look quiet and almost be a non-factor. The son of a former first round pick (Alfie Turcotte), he reads the game with exceptional maturity, forcing turnovers in the offensive end, finding weak spots in the opposition, and shutting them down in his own end as well. With decent linemates, Turcotte could develop into the consummate second line center. With the right linemates, he could hold his own on a first line as well. - RW

Gabriel Vilardi, C (11^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 2)

Vilardi’s professional hockey career has been full of exhilarating ups and debilitating downs. After missing significant time over four straight seasons due to a serious back injury, he put it all behind him in 2019-20, reaching the NHL and scoring a goal on his first career shot. A physical beast and one of the smartest players in his age group, he is a hard-worker who can and will wear his opponents down over the length of a shift with his size, puck-protection abilities, and the constant threat of a delicate, creative pass going against the grain. He dominates possession down low in the zone and against the boards and can use pure momentum and upper-body strength to glide to the net for a solo shooting chance. His skating has improved some, especially his first few strides getting up to speed, though he won’t ever be more than an average skater. Despite his injuries and time missed, he is high on confidence and loves to have the puck on his stick, where he flashes great hands in tight. He is a double-threat center who can be a high-impact forward at the highest level of the game. - TD

Arthur Kaliyev, LW (33^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Everything about Kaliyev’s shot is electric. He can score in a multitude of ways, and not just because of his release, but because of his scoring instincts and anticipation in the offensive zone. His playmaking ability and vision are also underrated. He is a well-rounded offensive player and as such, he has been able to post some fantastic numbers the last few years. On the other hand, we have his engagement level and commitment when the puck is not on his stick. There is additional concern about his average skating ability. There is concern that his floating tendencies may not make him as successful at the next level given the skating concerns. The key to his development may be both getting him to buy in physically and finding him the right linemates. Even deployed as a triggerman, Kaliyev has the goal scoring potential to shine if chemistry is developed with a playmaking center, ideally a competitive player who looks to engage physically and who can win those one on one battles through traffic. Kaliyev could make the Kings this year if he proves that he can compete consistently. While the bust potential remains high, the ceiling does, too. – BO

Tobias Bjornfot, D (22^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

After making the Kings opening day roster at age 18, the Kings acknowledged his near-term future with the team when they assigned him to AHL Ontario rather than sending him back to Europe. Trusted by coaches to play tough, physical minutes, the stocky Bjornfot shows great strength in his body and his stick and shuts down plays before they happen. A solid skater, his ability to move the puck out of harm’s way by himself will be critical against the faster skaters in the NHL, while his agility allows him to pinch at the line and close on checks without worrying about being lost on defense. His skill with the puck is highly regarded and he can be pretty creative with his passes at times. Mature and responsible, it took him no time to adapt to the smaller ice surface in North America as he commanded top-pair minutes with Ontario as a rookie pro. He can kill penalties with the best of them and has second-unit power-play experience, though the latter role is not likely in his future. He will be a solid two-way defenseman at the NHL level in short order. - TD

Rasmus Kupari, C (20^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 5)

Kupari’s rookie North American pro season was derailed by a season-ending knee injury sustained at the WJC. Assuming full recovery, he will bring his insane speed and skill to the NHL in the near future. He is a blur on the ice and can blow by defenders on the outside, weave through to the inside, or use his technical footwork to pivot and accelerate away from them and draw himself space. A high-end puck-handler, he is a dynamic zone entry center who can deke past defenders with his quick hands, and he doesn’t lose any of that touch even when flying at top speed. Kupari has a mean streak, and his defensive contributions are centered by physical play and disrupting cycles. Despite the impressive skillset, he is still one of the more raw and unpolished high level prospects in hockey; on his best shift, he can break the game open with speed, size, and skill, while on his average shifts, he will either look invisible or try to force plays, leading to turnovers. He needs to play with more consistency from shift to shift and game to game and improve away from the puck. - TD

Tyler Madden, C (Trade: Feb. 17, 2020. Originally: 68^th overall, 2018 [Vancouver]. Previous ranking: 6)

The son of former NHLer John Madden, Tyler was drafted in the third round by Los Angeles. He played prep hockey in Connecticut and spent one season in the USHL before joining the Huskies, where he exhibited his abilities even as a freshman. He was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie team and also won a silver medal with the U.S. at the World Junior Championship. Madden led the Huskies in scoring in his sophomore season despite missing seven games. He has developed into an elite skater who glides well and can outstate defenders. At 5-11” and only 152 pounds, he is on the smaller side and needs to be a little more physical so he doesn’t get pushed off the puck so easily, which will require him to build his physique. He played on both the power play and the penalty kill, showing a vote of confidence in Madden’s defensive abilities, a trait he surely inherited from his Selke Award winning father. He has a slick shot and a quick stick and could ascend to the NHL to play in a middle six role sooner than later. - JS

Akil Thomas, C (51^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

Few NHL teams have the depth in their prospect pool that would push a player as talented as Thomas down their list this far, but the Kings’ system is pretty special. A talented playmaker, Thomas’ game has really matured the last two years. He took great steps forward last year in attacking traffic and playing through the middle of the ice, a previous weak spot. This has made him a more versatile player. He can work the half wall on the powerplay or the top of the box/diamond on the penalty kill. He works hard in all three zones. He can play down the middle or on the wing. He forces turnovers on the forecheck and works hard to win challenges along the wall. The hands are great. The vision with the puck is great. He skates well. The question is, is Thomas a dynamic enough player to be a consistent top six point producer at the NHL level? And, while well rounded, does he profile as the type of player a team would want on a bottom six line? There is certainly some risk that he could be a tweener, but his projection remains that of a well-rounded middle six forward who brings leadership and a great attitude to the ice. - BO

Samuel Fagemo, LW (50^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 8)

Fagemo is a strong goal scorer who scored more last season all leagues considered, especially with the junior national team where he scored 15 goals in 16 games with eight coming at the WJC where he was the top scorer. In SHL alone, his numbers did not go up, on the other hand, he scored seven goals in 11 games at the CHL so I would say that he took a step forward. Fagemo likes to shoot the puck and likes to shoot from the left circle or inside the slot. His wrist shot is lethal, and he shoots with a quick release. He also plays an intensive style but lacks elite skating and is not a particularly strong forechecker. His defensive mindset is not strong, but his offensive mindset is. He is good at finding open spaces and seems to always be ready to shoot the puck. He has top six forward potential, but I am still not certain if he can reach that. His shooting is his only elite tool and maybe that will be enough but since he cannot be used in any other role that might lead him to be a top goal scorer in Europe instead. – JH

Kasper Simontaival, RW (66^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Simontaival has long been a feature on Finland’s age-based national teams, often as an underager. He has also been a top scorer wherever he has played. His offensive weapons are all high end. His shot is close to the elite level and was among the best of the 2020 draft class. He can score with any of a one-timer slapper, wrist shot or backhand. Neither does Simontaival hesitate to look for linemates. He is especially sharp creating from behind the red line. His ability to read and process the game quickly helps him generate scoring chances. Although short, his frame is stocky and strong, and he will get dirty in the corners if need be. His effort off the puck is also commendable and he does his job defensively, and he shouldn’t have to be protected at the higher levels. The main drawback to his game is his skating. His first few steps are fine, but over the long haul his high-end speed will need to improve to allow him to play his game at the highest level. If he gets there, he has top six potential and could be a power play weapon of the highest echelon. – RW

Helge Grans, D (35^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Grans has the combination of size and mobility that tends to excel in the modern game. The right shot defender is not an explosive skater, which limits his puck moving consistency. His agility, on the other hand, is excellent, adding to his profile as a high end stay at home blueliner. This aids his excellent gap control, and he is very difficult to beat off the rush. He gets his stick in passing and shooting lanes and mitigates damage down low and near the crease. He also is strong on his skates and shows physical aggression, which will likely improve further as he matures physically. Offensively, Grans plays a simple, yet relatively effective game. At the SHL level he has shown impressive calmness, patience, and skill to make both easy and hard plays getting out of his own end. He can be prone to mistakes with the puck when plays break down and he attempts skill to skate the puck out of the zone. He also does not possess the shot or assertiveness to be a powerplay quarterback at the NHL level. His skill set is most likely suited to being a safe and composed second pairing defensive anchor. – BO

Martin Chromiak, RW (128^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

One of the steals of the 2020 draft, Chromiak struggled in the first half of his draft year playing in Slovakia, but developed instant chemistry playing with wonderkid Shane Wright (2022 eligible), and fellow 2020 eligible forward Zayde Wisdom after coming to Kingston at midseason. Chromiak takes some time to appreciate because he lacks flash. After multiple viewings, you begin to gain an appreciation for the different ways he impacts the game. His first step quickness is excellent, making him very effective away from the puck. He is equal parts playmaker and goal scorer. He has good vision operating near the half wall and makes quick decisions with the puck. He also possesses a heavy wrist shot and can one time passes working the half wall on the powerplay. His three zone IQ is strong, showing strong anticipation and effort in his own zone. His skating is strong, but he does not utilize this enough to lead the attack. He is a very well-rounded player who projects as a quality middle six winger. – BO

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, C (41^st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

While Anderson-Dolan is far from the most talented player in the Kings farm system, he is one of the safest bets to become a future NHL contributor. The 2017 second rounder is a penalty-kill maestro and one of the smartest offensive players the team presently has marinating in the AHL, and in a lesser pipeline, he would probably be a top-five prospect. Quick and competitive, Anderson-Dolan is a two-way center whose energy and maturity in all three zones act as a calming force for his AHL teammates. More of a shooter, he has worked on his puck-distribution skills and has made passing a legitimate weapon in his versatile toolkit. His vision and skill have long been there, but his decisiveness and speed in passing has improved considerably. He has a hard wrister with a deep release and a slapshot worthy of time on the Ontario power play. He does not have many flaws, but there are reasonable questions as to how he can contribute offensively in the NHL; there are some stretches during which he does not make any high-end plays. At the end of the day, I think he becomes a long-term third line centerman with heavy penalty kill time for the Kings. - TD

Mikey Anderson, D (103^rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 10)

Defense prospects are like pitching prospects in baseball; you can never have too many. Anderson is a penalty-kill horse and an intelligent, competitive defenseman who can play heavy even strength minutes and has been productive everywhere he has gone. Quickly graduating from the natural feeling-out process of the AHL by most rookies in the pro ranks, Anderson immediately became a top-four defenseman with the Reign and even played six games with L.A. in 2019-20. His smarts, serviceable speed, and surprising physicality in an under-six-foot package made him a complete prospect from day one. He isn’t flashy and won’t go end to end with the puck, but he sees the ice well, is a good outlet passer, and is very reliable defensively with his reads and gaps. His ceiling is limited by his lack of high-end two-way skill, but the scrappy lefty can be a minute-eating middle-pair blueliner who can act like a security blanket for a more offensively gifted partner. - TD

Cal Petersen, G (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 1, 2017. Originally: 129th overall, 2013 (Buffalo). Previous ranking: 11)

Effectively graduating from Reign starting goalie to Jonathan Quick’s backup after the trade that sent Jack Campbell to Toronto, Petersen, according to Kings general manager Rob Blake, will eventually be the team’s starter. The former Notre Dame standout who holds the record for most saves in an NCAA game (87) will be more than ready for the task. Originally a fifth-round pick of Buffalo’s in 2013, the Iowa native plays up a lack of size in his 6-1” frame with high-level speed and athleticism, which coupled with his strong focus and positional play in the crease, makes him as solid as a 6-4” counterpart. Backstopping an AHL Ontario team that has struggled over the past couple of seasons, Petersen never cracked emotionally and looked especially competitive for the Kings down the stretch. Still only 25 and signed for the next two seasons, his road to the NHL has been long and winding but he might be the perfect guy to step into the crease as the heir to Quick’s throne and lead an evolving, youthful L.A. roster into the next generation of Kings hockey. - TD

Carl Grundstrom, RW (Trade: Jan. 28, 2019. Originally: 57^th overall, 2016 [Toronto}. Previous ranking: 12)

Although Grundstrom may never be dynamic enough to be the true NHL goal-scorer he was drafted as in the second-round of the 2016 draft, the Swede is a hard worker who can contribute in a multitude of ways, and unlike others in this system, his potential does not rely primarily on point production. The former Toronto prospect traded to the Kings in the Jake Muzzin deal, Grundstrom skates well, flashes skill with the puck on his stick, and can rip a shot home anywhere from the blueline in. Even if his offense is lacking, he is a chip-and-chase and forechecking master and can kill penalties with his speed and hockey sense. Still just 22, he has time to work on the assertiveness of his shot and playmaking, and can still turn into a long-term checking-line forward who works along the dirty areas and operates on the first penalty kill unit in Los Angeles. – TD

Alex Laferriere, RW (83^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

One of the 2020 draft class’ most improved players from the beginning of the year to its premature conclusion, Laferriere was a consistent offensive driver for Des Moines for much of his draft year. What really marked his improvement was the complete makeover he made in his skating. Gone was the crow-hop kick off, which had him behind before he took his first stride. His wide-kneed form added to the inefficiency. By mid-season he was far smoother, able to get to his top gear much quicker and became a primary puck carrier instead of just a trigger man. Then again, the trigger was always the main draw. Despite carrying a slight frame, he has a big shot and can rip both wrist shots and slap shots past unprepared netminders. Another positive for the Harvard commit is his high IQ, represented on the ice through his heady, two-way play. He played in all situations, including the penalty kill. Laferriere will need substantial physical growth before turning pro, but there are a number of high-level tools on offer here. – RW

Kale Clague, D (51^st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 13)

A mobile and intelligent offensive defenseman, Clague is the aggressive, puck-moving defense partner to someone like Bjornfot or Anderson on a future Kings blueline. A very good skater, he can move the puck from end to end solo with his deceptively high top-speed and decent acceleration, and he doesn’t slack off as a puck-mover either, as his stretch passes and power play work have impressed. He has the smarts and vision to pass effectively but prefers carrying the puck, where his ability to draw defenders to him before making a creative, albeit risky and dangerous pass to a teammate shines through. As with his rookie season, his main problems were his gaps and reads on defense, particularly at the blue line. He will need some more AHL seasoning before being a viable defensive option in the NHL, but a formidable puck-rusher alongside some of the strong and reliable defensive blueliners in the system would be helpful for the Kings’ future depth chart. - TD

Jordan Spence, D (95^thoverall, 2019. Previous ranking: 14)

Spence is an easy player to like at first glance; his skating speed is among the best in all of junior hockey and he flies all over the ice. He is a very fluid player who handles the puck well, moves the puck well, and finishes plays strong in the offensive end. Spence earned the QMJHL’s top defenseman award this past season for his efforts, which is a huge step up for a blueliner who didn’t get drafted into the Q in his first year of eligibility. However, while Spence is a great skater, he is a bit of a sports car: great speed, difficult to harness. In the defensive end, he can get lost against bigger forwards as a smaller defender, and that can cause some issues. However, all of these can be corrected, and he has a great work ethic. The Kings have already signed him to his entry-level deal, and he has the boom or bust potential to be a strong offensive blueliner in the show. - MS

Mikey Eyssimont, C (142^ndoverall, 2016. Previous ranking: 15)

A St. Cloud State who alum twice led the Huskies in goal-scoring, including in his senior year, helping the team clinch a berth in the NCAA tournament, Eyssimont has brought some of that scoring prowess to the pro ranks, finishing second in overall scoring with the Reign in his second full pro year. Fairly speedy and very skilled with the puck, the Colorado native exhibits swift hands, deceptive moves with the puck, and vision to pass it accurately off in space. With an improving shot, he has maintained a presence on the Reign power play and in their top-six. Defensively, he can still get lost at times and needs to engage physically and use his strength more. He has strong depth scorer potential, but he lacks that explosive quickness needed from that role, plus he provides little to no value away from the puck. Any chance at an NHL future requires him to become a more useful player without possession and defensively. - TD

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – LOS ANGELES KINGS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 3

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 19:44:06 +0000

Los Angeles Kings

It was certainly fun while it lasted. They won Cups in 2012 and 2014 and made it to the Western Conference final in the year in-between. It seems so long ago now – and not in the way that February feels long ago, before COVID-19 sickened millions and paused the planet. The funny thing is though, then GM Dean Lombardi heavily rewarded the expanded core of that championship team with long-term deal after long-term deal. How many other teams can claim to still have so many of the same players from that long-ago (in professional sports terms) teams? Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Jonathan Quick, Jeff Carter, Dustin Brown, Trevor Lewis. Others were traded this season or last: Jake Muzzin, Kyle Clifford, Tanner Pearson, Tyler Toffoli, Alec Martinez.

All good things must come to an end and the Kings’ mini dynasty ended, too. They missed the postseason altogether in the year after their second Cup, and thrice more besides in the five seasons since. And so, the tear-down has picked up speed in the last two years.

Lewis’ contract expires this offseason, chipping away one more piece of the glory years. Even with all of that turnover, which extends to the team’s Cup-winning GM and head coach, the fearsome fivesome of Kopitar, Doughty, Quick, Carter, and Brown, all of whose contracts extend at least through the 2021-22 seasons, could very easily still be Kings once the team returns to contention.

The answer that can explain the last assertion is spelled out in detail below. Looking just at the numbers, fully nine of their top 15 spent all or most of last season playing in the AHL, just a small step from LA (literally. The city of Ontario, California, where the AHL affiliate plays, is approximately 35 miles from downtown LA). Seven of those nine actually spent some time in the NHL this year as well. All of them could easily earn full time NHL gigs next season, as could the two collegiate players listed below, Alex Turcotte and Tyler Madden, both of whom signed ELCs with the Kings after their college seasons were cut short.

Having so many rookies take over at once is rarely a recipe for success – at least right away. There will be painful games in Southern California. But there will also be growth. A Gabriel Vilardi, health permitting, might be able to step right into a middle six role down the middle on opening day. A Mikey Anderson might reprise his role as a bottom pairing blueliner. Cal Petersen should be the backup – perhaps even a 1A – to Jonathan Quick in net.

Of course, the Kings are probably best off, in the long run, not rushing the next generation into the present tense. Certainly, none of the prospects should be given spots on the NHL roster. But one way or another, they are coming. Soon.

Where we may see some forced decisions by the current LA brain trust of GM Rob Blake, Director of Player Personnel Nelson Emerson, and Director Amateur Scouting Mark Yannetti is how to balance that next generation. Not only are the top three prospects, and eight of the top 10 all forwards, but with the second overall pick in the upcoming draft (the rich getting richer) I would posit that there is a 90%+ chance that the Kings add another high-end forward in one of Quinton Byfield or Tim Stutzle. Where will the next generation of defensemen come from? Outside of Tobias Bjornfot, it is hard to see another future top four defender in the system. Perhaps they will use free agency to fill out the blueline around Doughty. Perhaps the recent successes (relatively speaking) of Matt Roy and Sean Walker, both previously unheralded as prospects, has the organization thinking that lightning can strike in the same place again. Whatever they choose to do, their forward group could soon have them on a trajectory resembling the recent-day Edmonton Oilers. Hollywood Hockey is going to be fun again.

ONTARIO, CA - DECEMBER 02: Ontario Reign Forward Gabe Vilardi (42) skates with the puck during an AHL regular season game between the Ontario Reign and Tucson Roadrunners on December 2, 2018 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California. (Photo by Joshua Lavallee/Icon Sportswire)

Alex Turcotte, C (5^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 1)

While he was overshadowed by Jack Hughes on the 2019 UNSTDP class, there was still little doubt that Turcotte would find his way into the top 10 of the 2019 draft, especially after he ended his year with a star turn at the WU18 tournament.

He will never have Hughes’ pizzaz, and the jaw-dropping playmaking of fellow former national program teammate Trevor Zegras is also not his game, but Turcotte has enough skill in his game to live up to his draft billing. If you spend a long time watching him play, you should note that Turcotte makes his teammates better in the sense that he doesn’t carry the offense by himself, or use his linemates as set pieces to bounce off of like he was in a pinball table. He gets his linemates involved and allows them to carry the load for sections.

Even though he is a fine skater, with great edges, and a very skilled stickhandler with a ton of creativity in his game, he processes the game in a way that requires his linemates hold up their end of the bargain as well. In games where they don’t, he can look quiet and almost be a non-factor.

The son of a former first round pick (Alfie Turcotte), he reads the game with exceptional maturity, forcing turnovers in the offensive end, finding weak spots in the opposition, and shutting them down in his own end as well. With decent linemates, Turcotte could develop into the consummate second line center. With the right linemates, he could hold his own on a first line as well. - RW

Gabriel Vilardi, C (11^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 4)

Vilardi’s professional hockey career has been full of exhilarating ups and debilitating downs. The Kingston, Ontario native suffered through back injuries that, at one time, seemed like it could put his hockey life in jeopardy and end his promising career with the Kings before it started. He appeared in just four games with Ontario late into the 2018-19 season after missing half of his final OHL campaign with the lingering back issues, but put it all behind him in 2019-20, including a goal on his first career shot in the NHL.

He played marvelously in the AHL as well, earning top-line center minutes on an Ontario Reign team he helped position for a potential late-season run at the playoffs before the league’s cancellation. A physical beast and one of the smartest players in his age group, Vilardi is a hard-worker who can and will wear his opponents down over the length of a shift with his size, puck-protection abilities, and the constant threat of a delicate, creative pass going against the grain.

He dominates possession down low in the zone and against the boards and can use pure momentum and upper-body strength to glide to the net for a solo shooting chance. His skating has improved some, especially his first few strides getting up to speed, though he won’t ever be more than an average skater.

Despite his injuries and time missed, he is high on confidence and loves to have the puck on his stick, where he shows flashes of great hands in tight. A double-threat center who can be a high-impact forward at the highest level of the game, Vilardi is a long-term piece of the Kings future and will settle into a top-six center role for years to come. - TD

Arthur Kaliyev, LW (33^rd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 5)

At this point, most NHL prospect enthusiasts are familiar with Kaliyev, a goal scoring winger with Hamilton of the OHL. Everything about his shot is electric. He can score in a multitude of ways, and not just because of his release, but because of his scoring instincts and anticipation in the offensive zone.

Kaliyev’s playmaking ability and vision are also underrated parts of his game. He is a well-rounded offensive player and as such, he has been able to post some fantastic numbers the last few years. So why did he fall in the draft and why is he such a polarizing prospect in the scouting community?

Two reasons. The first is his engagement level and commitment when the puck is not on his stick. And the second is his average skating ability. There is some concern that his floating tendencies may not make him as successful at the next level given his lack of dynamic skating ability. However, when the puck is on his stick, Kaliyev is electric.

Ultimately, the key to his development may not just be getting him to buy in physically, but also finding the right linemates for him. Even if he ends up being best suited as a triggerman, Kaliyev has the goal scoring potential to really shine if chemistry is developed with the right playmaking center. This center should be a competitive player who looks to engage physically and who can win those one on one battles through traffic. Turcotte or Vilardi certainly could fit that description.

What happens next with Kaliyev remains to be seen. He could make the Kings next year if he proves to them that he can compete consistently enough. He could return to the OHL for another season. While the bust potential remains high, the ceiling does too as it could be just as easy to see Kaliyev develop into a 40-goal scorer in the NHL. – BO

Tobias Bjornfot, D (22^nd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

At just 18 years old, Bjornfot surely did not expect to contend for an NHL roster spot on opening night, but the Los Angeles Kings brass was far too impressed by the young Swede and he suited up alongside franchise cornerstone and former Norris Trophy winner Drew Doughty in the team’s season opener. Doughty called the 22nd overall pick in 2019’s draft “amazing,” and the Kings acknowledged his near-term future with the team when they assigned him to AHL Ontario rather than sending him back to Europe.

Trusted by coaches to play tough, physical minutes, the stocky Bjornfot shows great strength in his body and his stick and shuts down plays before they happen. A solid skater, his ability to move the puck out of harm’s way by himself will be critical against the faster skaters in the NHL, and his agility allows him to pinch at the line and close on checks without worrying about being lost on defense. His skill with the puck is highly regarded and he can be pretty creative with his passes at times.

Mature and responsible, it took him no time to adapt to the smaller ice surface in North America as he commanded top-pair minutes with AHL Ontario as a rookie pro. He can kill penalties with the best of them and has second-unit power-play experience, though I don’t expect him to be a power-play option in the NHL. He will be a solid two-way defenseman at the NHL level, and based on his maturity and how high Kings management feels about the lefty, in short order. - TD

Rasmus Kupari, C (20^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 3)

Kupari’s rookie pro season in North American was trending upward before a season-ending knee injury sustained while playing for Team Finland at the World Juniors. Barring any career-defining setbacks in his recovery, the 20-year-old can bring his insane speed and skill to the NHL in the future.

At a lanky 6-1” and 188lbs, the 2018 first-rounder is a blur on the ice and can blow by defenders on the outside, weave through to the inside, or use his technical footwork to pivot and accelerate away from them and draw himself space. A high-end puck-handler, he is a dynamic zone entry center who can deke past defenders with his quick hands, and he doesn’t lose any of that touch even when he is flying at top speed.

Large and mean, his defensive contributions consist almost entirely of physical play and disrupting cycles. While he is an incredibly skilled player, Kupari is in fact one of the most raw and unpolished prospects in hockey; on his best shift, he can break the game open with speed, size, and skill, and on his average shifts, he will either look invisible or force an ill-advised pass or chip play that leads to a turnover.

He needs to learn how to play with more consistency from shift to shift and game to game, as well as becoming better off the puck to contribute even when he can’t do so offensively. Given his versatility and his toolset, he can be a top-six scoring forward at the highest level, so long as he has his flaws coached out of him. - TD

Tyler Madden, C (Trade: Feb. 17, 2020. Originally: 68^th overall, 2018 [Vancouver]. 2019 Rank: 9 [Vancouver])

He has developed into an elite skater who glides well and can outstate defenders. At 5-11” and only 152 pounds, he is on the smaller side and needs to be a little more physical so he doesn’t get pushed off the puck so easily, which will require him to build his physique.

He played on both the power play and the penalty kill, showing a vote of confidence in Madden’s defensive abilities, a trait he surely inherited from his Selke Award winning father. He has a slick shot and a quick stick and could ascend to the NHL to play in a middle six role sooner than later. - JS

Akil Thomas, C (51^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

This year, he took great steps forward in attacking traffic and playing through the middle of the ice, a previous weak spot. This has made him a more versatile player. He can work the half wall on the powerplay or the top of the box/diamond on the penalty kill. He works hard in all three zones. He can play down the middle or on the wing. He forces turnovers on the forecheck and works hard to win challenges along the wall.

The hands are great. The vision with the puck is great. He skates well. The question is, is Thomas a dynamic enough player to be a consistent top six-point producer at the NHL level? And, while well rounded, does he profile as the type of player a team would want on a bottom six line? There is certainly some risk that he could be a tweener, but his projection remains that of a well-rounded middle six forward who brings leadership and a great attitude to the ice. - BO

Samuel Fagemo, LW (50^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 7)

Fagemo likes to shoot the puck and likes to shoot from the left circle or inside the slot. His wrist shot is lethal, and he shoots with a quick release. He also plays an intensive style but lacks elite skating and is not a particularly strong forechecker.

His defensive mindset is not strong, but his offensive mindset is. He is good at finding open spaces and seems to always be ready to shoot the puck. He has top six forward potential, but I am still not certain if he can reach that. His shooting is his only elite tool and maybe that will be enough; but since he cannot be used in any other role that might lead him to be a top goal scorer in Europe instead. - JH

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, C (41^st overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 10)

Quick and competitive, Anderson-Dolan is a two-way center whose energy and maturity in all three zones act as a calming force for his AHL teammates. More of a shooter, he has worked on his puck-distribution skills and has made passing a legitimate weapon in his versatile toolkit. His vision and skill have long been there, but his decisiveness and speed in passing has improved considerably.

He has a hard wrister with a deep release and a slapshot worthy of time on the Ontario power play. He does not have many flaws, but there are reasonable questions as to how he can contribute offensively in the NHL; there are some stretches during which he does not make any high-end plays. At the end of the day, I think he becomes a long-term third line centerman with heavy penalty kill time for the Kings. - TD

Mikey Anderson, D (103^rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 14)

Quickly graduating from the natural feeling-out process of the AHL by most rookies in the pro ranks, Anderson immediately became a top-four defenseman with the Reign and even played six games with L.A. in 2019-20. His smarts, serviceable speed, and surprising physicality in an under-six-foot package made him a complete prospect from day one.

He isn’t flashy and won’t go end to end with the puck, but he sees the ice well, is a good outlet passer, and is very reliable defensively with his reads and gaps. His ceiling is limited by his lack of high-end two-way skill, but the scrappy lefty can be a minute-eating middle-pair blueliner who can act like a security blanket for a more offensively gifted partner. - TD

Cal Petersen, G (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 1, 2017. Originally: 129th overall, 2013 (Buffalo). 2019 Rank: 11)

The former Notre Dame standout who holds the record for most saves in an NCAA game (87) will be more than ready for the task. Originally a fifth-round pick of Buffalo’s in 2013, the Iowa native plays up a lack of size in his 6-1” frame with high-level speed and athleticism, which coupled with his strong focus and positional play in the crease, makes him as solid as a 6-4” counterpart. Backstopping an AHL Ontario team that has struggled over the past couple of seasons, Petersen never cracked emotionally and looked especially competitive for the Kings down the stretch.

Still only 25 and signed for the next two seasons, his road to the NHL has been long and winding but he might be the perfect guy to step into the crease as the heir to Quick’s throne and lead an evolving, youthful L.A. roster into the next generation of Kings hockey. - TD

Carl Grundstrom, RW (Trade: Jan. 28, 2019. Originally: 57^th overall, 2016 [Toronto}. 2019 Rank: 8)

The former Toronto prospect traded to the Kings in the Jake Muzzin deal, Grundstrom skates well, flashes skill with the puck on his stick, and can rip a shot home anywhere from the blueline in. Even if his offense is lacking, he is a chip-and-chase and forechecking master and can kill penalties with his speed and hockey sense.

Still just 22, he has time to work on the assertiveness of his shot and playmaking, and can still turn into a long-term checking-line forward who works along the dirty areas and operates on the first penalty kill unit in Los Angeles. - TD

Kale Clague, D (51^st overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 9)

He has the smarts and vision to pass effectively but prefers carrying the puck, where his ability to draw defenders to him before making a creative, albeit risky and dangerous pass to a teammate shine through. As with his rookie season, his main problems were his gaps and reads on defense, particularly at the blue line.

He will need some more AHL seasoning before being a viable defensive option in the NHL, but a formidable puck-rusher alongside some of the strong and reliable defensive blueliners in the system would be helpful for the Kings’ future depth chart. - TD

Jordan Spence, D (95^thoverall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Spence earned the QMJHL’s top defenseman award this past season for his efforts, which is a huge step up for a blueliner who didn’t get drafted into the Q in his first year of eligibility. However, while Spence is a great skater, he is a bit of a sports car: great speed, difficult to harness. In the defensive end, he can get lost against bigger forwards as a smaller defender, and that can cause some issues.

However, all of these can be corrected, and he has a great work ethic. The Kings have already signed him to his entry-level deal, and he has the boom or bust potential to be a strong offensive blueliner in the show. - MS

Mikey Eyssimont, C (142^ndoverall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 13)

Fairly speedy and very skilled with the puck, the Colorado native exhibits swift hands, deceptive moves with the puck, and vision to pass it accurately off in space. With an improving shot, he has maintained a presence on the Reign power play and in their top-six. Defensively, he can still get lost at times and needs to engage physically and use his strength more.

He has strong depth scorer potential, but he lacks that explosive quickness needed from that role, plus he provides little to no value away from the puck. Any chance at an NHL future requires him to become a more useful player without possession and defensively. - TD

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

McKeens Hockey; Article by Ryan Wagman — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 11:50:55 +0000

I write these words less than 24 hours after the Dallas Stars took game one of the Stanley Cup Finals against the heavily favored Tampa Bay Lightning. Unlike most seasons wherein the end of the Stanley Cup marks the beginning of off-season player movement, this year teams have taken an early start to the transactional Ferris wheel as many expect the upcoming offseason (from the awarding of the Cup, through to the draft in the first week of October to the start of the 2020-21 season perhaps as soon as early December, pending COVID trends in North America) to be especially turbulent.

We have seen a few trades of NHL pieces, one deal which impacted this guidebook, as Toronto sent Kasperi Kapanen to Pittsburgh and Swedish winger Filip Hallander was among those coming back to Toronto. Hallander was our selection for the second-best prospect in the Penguins system and now holds that title for the Maple Leafs. That trade knocked the Penguins down a few slots on our organizational rankings and allowed Toronto to go the other way accordingly.

Of course, with the draft roughly 17 days away, and with it a complete re-shuffling of the organizational rankings, this is just a snapshot in time of how every team’s system shakes up. We will re-run this list, incorporating the drafted players, in our pre-season fantasy guide, where we will expand the lists up to 20.

What you are about to dive into is a comprehensive list of all prospect eligible players on all 31 teams. To hold prospect eligibility, a player needs to 25 or younger, as of September 15, 2020. All skaters need to have played less than 60 career games, with no more than 35 of those games coming in a single season (or 25 for this past shortened season). For goalies, the age criteria remain the same, but the games played benchmark drops to 30 career games and 20 in a given season (or 15 last year). Any cutoff that does not hew exactly to the Calder Trophy award criteria is, by nature, arbitrary, but we aim to be inclusive for all players who have not yet cemented NHL jobs and/or have not had a prolonged chance to prove himself capable – or incapable.

We rank 15 per team, as depth is as important as the high end. Our goal is to identify players who could – if they have an advocate for them within the team’s braintrust – play a role in the NHL. These players were identified through our thorough vetting of each prospect across the globe, assigning scores, or grades, to five areas for skaters (skating, shot, puck skills, smarts, physicality) and six for netminders (athleticism/speed/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, positioning/technique, rebound control, and puck handling). Depending on the position, the grades are run through an algorithm to come up with an overall future projection (OFP).

The OFP, if the scout is being honest, measures the future role we anticipate the prospect being able to hold. A 50 score is the lower threshold to be a regular 4^th line forward, or bottom pairing defender. Grades over 56 are potential top line/pairing skaters. The grades in between, obviously project to the middle of the lineup.

As we are reminded every year, development is not linear. Some players take unexpected sudden leaps forward (see Marino, John), and others stagnate (see Ho-Sang, Josh), and many do exactly what we expect of them when they are given the chance. As much as I trust the analysts in our team, I can also tell you that this exercise is always humbling. There will be at least one player who we rate highly who bombs. There will be at least one player who did not feature on his team’s top 15 who becomes an NHL regular next year. We accept those errors in judgment and promise you, our faithful subscriber, that we will learn from them and refine our work for next year, as we learn just as NHL teams learn.

Until then, please enjoy this snapshot view of the future of the beautiful, frozen game. Putting this together has provided at least some sense of normalcy during this crazy summer.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired
Ana	1	Trevor Zegras	C	19	6-0/170	Boston University (HE)	`19(9th)
Min	2	Kirill Kaprizov	LW	23	5-10/200	CSKA (KHL)	`15(135th)
Col	3	Bowen Byram	D	19	6-0/195	Vancouver (WHL)	`19(4th)
Buf	4	Dylan Cozens	C	19	6-3/185	Lethbridge (WHL)	`19(7th)
Fla	5	Spencer Knight	G	19	6-3/195	Boston College (HE)	`19(13th)
VGK	6	Peyton Krebs	C	19	5-11/180	Winnipeg (WHL)	`19(17th)
Ari	7	Victor Soderstrom	D	19	5-11/180	Brynas (Swe)	`19(11th)
Mtl	8	Cole Caufield	RW	19	5-7/165	Wisconsin (B1G)	`19(15th)
Van	9	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	19	6-1/190	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`19(10th)
Edm	10	Philip Broberg	D	19	6-3/200	Skelleftea AIK (Swe)	`19(8th)
Tor	11	Nick Robertson	LW	19	5-9/160	Peterborough (OHL)	`19(53rd)
Col	12	Alex Newhook	C	19	5-10/195	Boston College (HE)	`19(16th)
Det	13	Moritz Seider	D	19	6-3/185	Grand Rapids (AHL)	`19(6th)
Fla	14	Grigori Denisenko	LW	20	5-11/185	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`18(15th)
Min	15	Matthew Boldy	LW	19	6-1/190	Boston College (HE)	`19(12th)
NJ	16	Ty Smith	D	20	5-10/180	Spokane (WHL)	`18(17th)
LA	17	Alex Turcotte	C	19	5-11/185	Wisconsin (B1G)	`19(5th)
Nsh	18	Philip Tomasino	C	19	5-11/180	Nia-Osh (OHL)	`19(24th)
Pit	19	Samuel Poulin	LW	19	6-1/205	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	`19(21st)
Wsh	20	Connor McMichael	C	19	5-11/175	London (OHL)	`19(25th)
LA	21	Gabriel Vilardi	RW	21	6-3/200	Ontario (AHL)	`17(11th)
NYR	22	Igor Shesterkin	G	24	6-1/190	Hartford (AHL)	`14(118th)
Dal	23	Thomas Harley	D	19	6-3/190	Mississauga (OHL)	`19(18th)
Ari	24	Barrett Hayton	C	20	6-1/190	Arizona (NHL)	`18(5th)
NYR	25	Nils Lundkvist	D	20	5-11/180	Lulea (Swe)	`18(28th)
LA	26	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	19	6-2/190	Hamilton (OHL)	`19(33rd)
Cgy	27	Juuso Valimaki	D	21	6-2/205	DNP - Injured	`17(16th)
Det	28	Jared McIsaac	D	20	6-1/195	Hal-Mon (QMJHL)	`18(36th)
NYR	29	Vitali Kravtsov	RW	20	6-3/185	Hartford (AHL)	`18(9th)
Edm	30	Evan Bouchard	D	20	6-2/195	Bakersfield (AHL)	`18(10th)
NYR	31	K'Andre Miller	D	20	6-3/205	Wisconsin (B1G)	`18(22nd)
Edm	32	Raphael Lavoie	RW	19	6-4/195	Hal-Chi (QMJHL)	`19(38th)
NYI	33	Ilya Sorokin	G	25	6-2/180	CSKA (KHL)	`14(78th)
Det	34	Albert Johansson	D	19	5-11/165	Farjestads (Swe)	`19(60th)
Ari	35	Matias Maccelli	LW	19	5-11/170	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`19(98th)
Van	36	Nils Hoglander	RW	19	5-9/185	Rogle (Swe)	`19(40th)
Ari	37	Jan Jenik	RW	20	6-1/180	Hamilton (OHL)	`18(65th)
Phi	38	Cam York	D	19	5-11/175	Michigan (B1G)	`19(14th)
Phi	39	Morgan Frost	C	21	5-11/180	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	`17(27th)
Ana	40	Lukas Dostal	G	20	6-1/170	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`18(85th)
LA	41	Tobias Bjornfot	D	19	6-0/200	Ontario (AHL)	`19(22nd)
SJ	42	Ryan Merkley	D	20	5-11/170	London (OHL)	`18(21st)
NYI	43	Kieffer Bellows	LW	22	6-0/200	Bridgeport (AHL)	`16(19th)
NYI	44	Oliver Wahlstrom	RW	20	6-1/205	Bridgeport (AHL)	`18(11th)
LA	45	Rasmus Kupari	C	20	6-1/185	Ontario (AHL)	`18(20th)
CBJ	46	Liam Foudy	C	20	6-0/175	London (OHL)	`18(18th)
LA	47	Tyler Madden	C	20	5-10/155	Northeastern (HE)	T(Van-2/20)
Mtl	48	Alexander Romanov	D	20	5-11/185	CSKA (KHL)	`18(38th)
NYI	49	Bode Wilde	D	20	6-2/195	Bridgeport (AHL)	`18(41st)
Ott	50	Jacob Bernard-Docker	D	20	6-0/180	North Dakota (NCHC)	`18(26th)
Cgy	51	Jakob Pelletier	LW	19	5-9/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`19(26th)
LA	52	Akil Thomas	C	20	5-11/170	Nia-Pbo (OHL)	`18(51st)
Wpg	53	Dylan Samberg	D	21	6-3/190	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`17(43rd)
Chi	54	Ian Mitchell	D	21	5-11/175	Denver (NCHC)	`17(57th)
Ott	55	Josh Norris	C	21	6-1/195	Belleville (AHL)	T(SJ-9/18)
NYR	56	Matthew Robertson	D	19	6-3/200	Edmonton (WHL)	`19(49th)
VGK	57	Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	19	6-1/170	Magnitogorsk (KHL)	`19(79th)
Dal	58	Jake Oettinger	G	21	6-4/210	Texas (AHL)	`17(26th)
Ott	59	Drake Batherson	RW	22	6-1/190	Belleville (AHL)	`17(121st)
LA	60	Samuel Fagemo	RW	20	6-0/195	Frolunda (Swe)	`19(50th)
Col	61	Justus Annunen	G	20	6-4/215	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	`18(64th)
Bos	62	John Beecher	C	19	6-3/210	Michigan (B1G)	`19(30th)
Phi	63	Egor Zamula	D	20	6-4/175	Calgary (WHL)	FA(9/18)
NYR	64	Zac Jones	D	19	5-10/175	Massachusetts (HE)	`19(68th)
CBJ	65	Kirill Marchenko	LW	20	6-3/190	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`18(49th)
VGK	66	Jack Dugan	RW	22	6-2/185	Providence (HE)	`17(142nd)
StL	67	Scott Perunovich	D	22	5-10/175	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`18(45th)
Bos	68	Jack Studnicka	C	21	6-1/170	Providence (AHL)	`17(53rd)
Dal	69	Ty Dellandrea	C	20	6-0/185	Flint (OHL)	`18(13th)
Min	70	Calen Addison	D	20	5-10/180	Lethbridge (WHL)	T(Pit-2/20)
NYR	71	Julien Gauthier	RW	22	6-4/225	Charlotte (AHL)	T(Car-2/20)
Van	72	Olli Juolevi	D	22	6-3/200	Utica (AHL)	`16(5th)
NJ	73	Nolan Foote	LW	19	6-3/190	Kelowna (WHL)	T(TB-2/20)
NJ	74	Janne Kuokkanen	LW	22	6-1/190	Cha-Bng (AHL)	T(Car-2/20)
Ott	75	Alex Formenton	LW	21	6-2/165	Belleville (AHL)	`17(47th)
Det	76	Robert Mastrosimone	LW	19	5-10/160	Boston University (HE)	`19(54th)
NYR	77	Morgan Barron	C	21	6-2/200	Cornell (ECAC)	`17(174th)
Mtl	78	Jesse Ylonen	RW	20	6-1/185	Pelicans (Fin)	`18(35th)
Car	79	Dominik Bokk	RW	20	6-1/180	Rogle (Swe)	T(StL-9/19)
Nsh	80	Egor Afanasyev	RW	19	6-3/205	Windsor (OHL)	`19(45th)
Ana	81	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	C	20	6-1/195	Hal-Mon (QMJHL)	`18(54th)
Min	82	Alexander Khovanov	C	20	5-11/195	Moncton (QMJHL)	`18(86th)
Det	83	Joe Veleno	C	20	6-1/195	Grand Rapids (AHL)	`18(30th)
NJ	84	Kevin Bahl	D	20	6-6/230	Ottawa (OHL)	T(Ari-12/19)
Car	85	Ryan Suzuki	C	19	6-0/180	Bar-Sag (OHL)	`19(28th)
Van	86	Jett Woo	D	20	6-0/205	Calgary (WHL)	`18(37th)
Mtl	87	Mattias Norlinder	D	20	5-11/180	MODO (Swe 2)	`19(64th)
Min	88	Adam Beckman	LW	19	6-1/170	Spokane (WHL)	`19(75th)
Bos	89	Jeremy Swayman	G	21	6-1/190	Maine (HE)	`17(111th)
Wpg	90	Kristian Vesalainen	LW	21	6-3/205	Manitoba (AHL)	`17(24th)
Tor	91	Filip Hallander	LW	20	6-1/185	Lulea (Swe)	T(Pit-8/20)
Fla	92	Owen Tippett	RW	21	6-1/200	Springfield (AHL)	`17(10th)
Car	93	Jake Bean	D	22	6-1/175	Charlotte (AHL)	`16(13th)
Ott	94	Shane Pinto	C	19	6-2/190	North Dakota (NCHC)	`19(32nd)
Col	95	Martin Kaut	RW	20	6-1/175	Colorado (AHL)	`18(16th)
Van	96	Jack Rathbone	D	21	5-10/175	Harvard (ECAC)	`17(95th)
Tor	97	Nick Abruzzese	C	21	5-9/160	Harvard (ECAC)	`19(124th)
Bos	98	Urho Vaakanainen	D	21	6-0/185	Providence (AHL)	`17(18th)
Wsh	99	Alexander Alexeyev	D	20	6-3/200	Hershey (AHL)	`18(31st)
NYI	100	Simon Holmstrom	RW	19	6-1/185	Bridgeport (AHL)	`19(23rd)
LA	101	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	C	21	5-11/190	Ontario (AHL)	`17(41st)
Car	102	Joey Keane	D	21	6-0/185	Hfd-Cha (AHL)	T(NYR-2/20)
Wsh	103	Martin Fehervary	D	20	6-1/190	Hershey (AHL)	`18(46th)
StL	104	Tyler Tucker	D	20	6-1/205	Bar-Fnt (OHL)	`18(200th)
SJ	105	Yegor Spiridonov	C	19	6-2/195	Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)	`19(108th)
NJ	106	Joey Anderson	RW	22	6-0/195	Binghamton (AHL)	`16(73rd)
Col	107	Conor Timmins	D	21	6-1/185	Colorado (AHL)	`17(32nd)
StL	108	Klim Kostin	C	21	6-3/195	San Antonio (AHL)	`17(31st)
Mtl	109	Cayden Primeau	G	21	6-3/180	Laval (AHL)	`17(199th)
SJ	110	Jonathan Dahlen	LW	22	5-11/185	Timra IK (Swe 2)	T(Van-2/19)
NJ	111	Reilly Walsh	D	21	5-11/180	Harvard (ECAC)	`17(81st)
Buf	112	Oskari Laaksonen	D	21	6-2/165	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`17(89th)
NJ	113	Arseni Gritsyuk	RW	19	5-10/170	Omskie Yastreby (MHL)	`19(129th)
Wsh	114	Aliaksei Protas	C	19	6-5/205	Prince Albert (WHL)	`19(91st)
Cgy	115	Dustin Wolf	G	19	6-0/165	Everett (WHL)	`19(214th)
StL	116	Joel Hofer	G	20	6-3/160	Portland (WHL)	`18(107th)
VGK	117	Ivan Morozov	C	20	6-1/180	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`18(61st)
Mtl	118	Jake Evans	C	24	6-0/185	Laval (AHL)	`14(207th)
Nsh	119	Eeli Tolvanen	RW	21	5-10/175	Milwaukee (AHL)	`17(30th)
Wpg	120	Ville Heinola	D	19	5-11/180	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	`19(20th)
VGK	121	Lucas Elvenes	RW	21	6-0/175	Chicago (AHL)	`17(127th)
TB	122	Cole Koepke	LW	22	6-1/195	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`18(183rd)
Ana	123	Isac Lundestrom	C	20	6-0/185	San Diego (AHL)	`18(23rd)
NYR	124	Tarmo Reunanen	D	22	6-0/180	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	`16(98th)
Mtl	125	Jordan Harris	D	20	5-11/180	Northeastern (HE)	`18(71st)
Ana	126	Brayden Tracey	LW	19	6-0/175	MJ-Vic (WHL)	`19(29th)
Phi	127	Tanner Laczynski	C	23	6-1/200	Ohio State (B1G)	`16(169th)
Chi	128	Alec Regula	D	20	6-3/200	London (OHL)	T(Det-10/19)
Buf	129	Mattias Samuelsson	D	20	6-3/215	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`18(32nd)
Car	130	Jamieson Rees	C	19	5-10/175	Sarnia (OHL)	`19(44th)
Edm	131	Olivier Rodrigue	G	20	6-1/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`18(62nd)
Fla	132	Serron Noel	RW	20	6-5/205	Osh-Kit (OHL)	`18(34th)
Det	133	Antti Tuomisto	D	19	6-4/190	Assat Pori (Fin Jr)	`19(35th)
Dal	134	Jason Robertson	LW	21	6-2/195	Texas (AHL)	`17(39th)
Mtl	135	Joni Ikonen	C	21	5-10/170	DNP - Injured	`17(58th)
Nsh	136	Rem Pitlick	C	23	5-11/200	Milwaukee (AHL)	`16(76th)
Ott	137	Logan Brown	C	22	6-6/220	Belleville (AHL)	`16(11th)
TB	138	Samuel Walker	C	21	5-11/160	Minnesota (B1G)	`17(200th)
Phi	139	Wade Allison	RW	22	6-2/205	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`16(52nd)
Wpg	140	Declan Chisholm	D	20	6-1/190	Peterborough (OHL)	`18(150th)
NJ	141	Tyce Thompson	RW	21	6-1/180	Providence (HE)	`19(96th)
VGK	142	Connor Corcoran	D	20	6-1/185	Windsor (OHL)	`18(154th)
Ana	143	Jackson Lacombe	D	19	6-1/170	Minnesota (B1G)	`19(39th)
NYR	144	Lauri Pajuniemi	RW	21	6-0/185	TPS Turku (Fin)	`18(132nd)
Car	145	Tuukka Tieksola	RW	19	5-10/160	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	`19(121st)
CBJ	146	Andrew Peeke	D	22	6-3/210	Cleveland (AHL)	`16(34th)
Ana	147	Axel Andersson	D	20	6-0/180	Moncton (QMJHL)	T(Bos-2/20)
Car	148	Patrik Puistola	LW	19	6-0/175	Tap-Juk-Koo (Fin)	`19(73rd)
NJ	149	Michael McLeod	C	22	6-2/195	Binghamton (AHL)	`16(12th)
Car	150	Pyotr Kochetkov	G	21	6-1/175	SKA-VIT (KHL)	`19(36th)
NJ	151	Michael Vukojevic	D	19	6-3/210	Kitchener (OHL)	`19(82nd)
NYI	152	Ruslan Iskhakov	C	20	5-8/155	UConn (HE)	`18(43rd)
Wpg	153	Sami Niku	D	23	6-0/175	Manitoba (AHL)	`15(198th)
TB	154	Hugo Alnefelt	G	19	6-3/195	HV 71 (Swe)	`19(71st)
NJ	155	Nikita Okhotyuk	D	19	6-1/195	Ottawa (OHL)	`19(61st)
NYR	156	Hunter Skinner	D	19	6-2/175	London (OHL)	`19(112th)
LA	157	Mikey Anderson	D	21	6-0/195	Ontario (AHL)	`17(103rd)
Col	158	Shane Bowers	C	21	6-2/190	Colorado (AHL)	T(Ott-11/17)
NYI	159	Joshua Ho-Sang	RW	24	6-0/175	Bri-SA (AHL)	`14(28th)
LA	160	Cal Petersen	G	25	6-3/190	Ontario (AHL)	FA(7/17)
Col	161	Sampo Ranta	LW	20	6-2/205	Minnesota (B1G)	`18(78th)
Wpg	162	Mikhail Berdin	G	22	6-2/165	Manitoba (AHL)	`16(157th)
Bos	163	Jeremy Lauzon	D	23	6-3/205	Providence (AHL)	`15(52nd)
Nsh	164	David Farrance	D	21	5-11/190	Boston University (HE)	`17(92nd)
Van	165	Will Lockwood	RW	22	5-11/175	Michigan (B1G)	`16(64th)
NYI	166	Sebastian Aho	D	24	5-10/175	Bridgeport (AHL)	`17(139th)
Wpg	167	Logan Stanley	D	22	6-7/225	Manitoba (AHL)	`16(18th)
Buf	168	Ryan Johnson	D	19	6-0/175	Minnesota (B1G)	`19(31st)
Van	169	Michael DiPietro	G	21	6-0/195	Utica (AHL)	`17(64th)
VGK	170	Kaedan Korczak	D	19	6-3/190	Kelowna (WHL)	`19(41st)
Car	171	Jack Drury	C	20	5-11/180	Harvard (ECAC)	`18(42nd)
StL	172	Nikita Alexandrov	C	19	6-0/180	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	`19(62nd)
Col	173	Nikolai Kovalenko	RW	20	5-10/175	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`18(171st)
Nsh	174	Juuso Parssinen	C	19	6-2/205	TPS Turku (Fin)	`19(210th)
Chi	175	Pius Suter	C	24	5-11/170	ZSC Lions (NLA)	FA(7/20)
Fla	176	Aleksi Saarela	RW	23	5-11/200	Rfd-Spr (AHL)	T(Chi-10/19)
Bos	177	Trent Frederic	C	22	6-4/215	Providence (AHL)	`16(29th)
CBJ	178	Dmitri Voronkov	LW	20	6-4/190	Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)	`19(114th)
Ott	179	Lassi Thomson	D	19	6-0/190	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`19(19th)
Car	180	Morgan Geekie	C	22	6-2/180	Charlotte (AHL)	`17(67th)
CBJ	181	Trey Fix-Wolansky	RW	21	5-8/185	Cleveland (AHL)	`18(204th)
Ott	182	Vitaly Abramov	RW	22	5-9/175	Belleville (AHL)	T(CBJ-2/19)
TB	183	Alexander Volkov	LW	23	6-1/190	Syracuse (AHL)	`17(48th)
Tor	184	Mikko Kokkonen	D	19	5-11/200	Jukurit (Fin)	`19(84th)
Ott	185	Kevin Mandolese	G	20	6-4/180	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	`18(157th)
CBJ	186	Daniil Tarasov	G	21	6-5/185	Assat Pori (Fin)	`17(86th)
LA	187	Carl Grundstrom	LW	22	6-0/195	Ontario (AHL)	T(Tor-1/19)
LA	188	Kale Clague	D	22	6-0/180	Ontario (AHL)	`16(51st)
Ott	189	Artyom Zub	D	24	6-2/200	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	FA(5/20)
Edm	190	Tyler Benson	LW	22	6-0/200	Bakersfield (AHL)	`16(32nd)
Det	191	Jonatan Berggren	RW	20	5-10/185	Skelleftea AIK (Swe)	`18(33rd)
Tor	192	Yegor Korshkov	RW	24	6-4/215	Toronto (AHL)	`16(31st)
Dal	193	Riley Damiani	C	20	5-9/165	Kitchener (OHL)	`18(137th)
VGK	194	Zach Whitecloud	D	23	6-2/210	Chicago (AHL)	FA(3/18)
Buf	195	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	G	21	6-4/195	Cincinnati (ECHL)	`17(54th)
Car	196	David Cotton	LW	23	6-3/205	Boston College (HE)	`15(169th)
Chi	197	Wyatt Kalynuk	D	23	6-1/180	Wisconsin (B1G)	FA(7/20)
Min	198	Hunter Jones	G	19	6-4/195	Peterborough (OHL)	`19(59th)
LA	199	Jordan Spence	D	19	5-10/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`19(95th)
Cgy	200	Dmitri Zavgorodny	LW	20	5-9/175	Rimouski (QMJHL)	`18(198th)
Col	201	Alex Beaucage	RW	19	6-1/195	Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)	`19(78th)
TB	202	Dmitri Semykin	D	20	6-3/200	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	`18(90th)
CBJ	203	Matiss Kivlenieks	G	24	6-2/190	Cleveland (AHL)	FA(5/17)
StL	204	Ville Husso	G	25	6-3/205	San Antonio (AHL)	`14(94th)
Phi	205	Bobby Brink	RW	19	5-10/165	Denver (NCHC)	`19(34th)
NYI	206	Otto Koivula	C	22	6-4/220	Bridgeport (AHL)	`16(120th)
Car	207	Eetu Makiniemi	G	21	6-2/180	KOOVEE (Fin 2)	`17(104th)
NYI	208	Anatoli Golyshev	RW	25	5-8/180	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (KHL)	`16(95th)
Chi	209	Evan Barratt	C	21	6-0/190	Penn State (B1G)	`17(90th)
Buf	210	Erik Portillo	G	20	6-6/210	Dubuque (USHL)	`19(67th)
Fla	211	Cole Schwindt	RW	19	6-2/185	Mississauga (OHL)	`19(81st)
Chi	212	Michal Teply	LW	19	6-3/185	Winnipeg (WHL)	`19(105th)
Ott	213	Mads Sogaard	G	19	6-7/195	Medicine Hat (WHL)	`19(37th)
Buf	214	Jonas Johansson	G	24	6-4/205	Rochester (AHL)	`14(61st)
TB	215	Cal Foote	D	21	6-4/215	Syracuse (AHL)	`17(14th)
StL	216	Niko Mikkola	D	24	6-5/200	San Antonio (AHL)	`15(127th)
NYI	217	Robin Salo	D	21	6-1/190	SaiPa (Fin)	`17(46th)
Bos	218	Jakub Zboril	D	23	6-1/200	Providence (AHL)	`15(13th)
Buf	219	Will Borgen	D	23	6-2/200	Rochester (AHL)	`15(92nd)
Pit	220	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	D	21	6-2/170	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	`17(23rd)
SJ	221	Sasha Chmelevski	C	21	5-11/190	San Jose (AHL)	`17(185th)
Ari	222	Kyle Capobianco	D	23	6-1/180	Tucson (AHL)	`15(63rd)
Det	223	Keith Petruzzelli	G	21	6-5/180	Quinnipiac (ECAC)	`17(88th)
Wsh	224	Garrett Pilon	RW	22	5-11/190	Hershey (AHL)	`16(87th)
NJ	225	Nikola Pasic	RW	19	5-10/185	Karlskoga (Swe 2)	`19(189th)
TB	226	Alex Barre-Boulet	C	23	5-10/165	Syracuse (AHL)	FA(3/18)
Edm	227	Ryan McLeod	C	20	6-2/205	Bakersfield (AHL)	`18(40th)
NYI	228	Samuel Bolduc	D	19	6-3/210	BLB-She (QMJHL)	`19(57th)
Ott	229	Joey Daccord	G	24	6-2/195	Belleville (AHL)	`15(199th)
StL	230	Hugh McGing	C	22	5-9/180	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`18(138th)
Edm	231	Cooper Marody	C	23	6-0/180	Bakersfield (AHL)	T(Phi-3/18)
Tor	232	Jeremy Bracco	RW	23	5-9/180	Toronto (AHL)	`15(61st)
Phi	233	German Rubtsov	C	22	6-2/190	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	`16(22nd)
Wsh	234	Brian Pinho	C	25	6-1/195	Hershey (AHL)	`13(174th)
Col	235	Logan O'Connor	RW	24	6-0/170	Colorado (AHL)	FA(7/18)
Buf	236	Casey Fitzgerald	D	23	5-11/190	Rochester (AHL)	`16(86th)
NJ	237	Daniil Misyul	D	19	6-3/180	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`19(70th)
Ari	238	John Farinacci	C	19	5-11/185	Harvard (ECAC)	`19(76th)
Edm	239	Aapeli Rasanen	C	22	6-0/195	Boston College (HE)	`16(153rd)
Pit	240	Anthony Angello	RW	24	6-5/205	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	`14(145th)
Mtl	241	Cam Hillis	C	20	5-10/170	Guelph (OHL)	`18(66th)
Cgy	242	Mathias Emilio Pettersen	RW	20	5-9/170	Denver (NCHC)	`18(167th)
SJ	243	Alexander True	C	23	6-5/205	San Jose (AHL)	FA(7/18)
NYI	244	Reece Newkirk	C	19	5-11/175	Portland (WHL)	`19(147th)
Dal	245	Dawson Barteaux	D	20	6-0/180	RD-Wpg (WHL)	`18(168th)
Bos	246	Jack Ahcan	D	23	5-8/185	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	FA(3/20)
Det	247	Seth Barton	D	21	6-2/175	Mass-Lowell (HE)	`18(81st)
Fla	248	Max Gildon	D	21	6-3/190	New Hampshire (HE)	`17(66th)
Ari	249	Aku Raty	RW	19	6-0/175	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	`19(151st)
Wpg	250	David Gustafsson	C	20	6-1/195	Winnipeg (NHL)	`18(60th)

AHL Pacific Division Report, October – Developing prospects

Tom Dorsa — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 13:10:03 +0000

October is a month of formation for minor league hockey teams. In the first month of a long regular season, you start to see the players -- most often a mix of wily veterans and first- or second-year pros -- align and adapt to one another’s unique playing styles.

For some clubs, players, and coaches, that transition can be seamless, but for some it’s a disastrous early-season experiment. Such is the beauty of the American Hockey League, wherein young prospects are given chances to succeed not only in spite of, but because of, their early-season mistakes.

As mentioned above, development is a work in progress. Some young players can adjust with relative ease, while the unlucky struggle to acclimatize themselves to the speed, skill, and physicality of the hockey world’s second-best professional sanctioning body.

Today, we’ll be taking a look at the teams and notable prospects in the AHL’s Pacific Division. The teams on the West Coast, desert, and Rocky Mountains have all made strides and adjustments in the early portion of the campaign, and this article will take you through some of the news and notes from each of the Pacific Division’s seven member teams.

Stockton Heat (Calgary Flames)

Record: 7-1-1-1, 16 points, .800 points percentage

The Heat are absolutely on fire (pun intended) to start the 2019-20 AHL campaign. Exploding offensively, the youthful club has scored the most goals in the Western Conference (39) thus far and had four players averaging a point per game.

The job Cail MacLean has done with a team missing the two-way contributions of top-ranked prospect Jusso Valimaki cannot be overstated. Since moving from Glen Falls, New York to Stockton as part of the AHL’s California expansion four years ago, the Heat have never won a playoff series.

Their chances to do so look better than ever before in this season’s early parts. Unfortunately for the fans in San Joaquin county, looming concerns over an arena lease have clouded the much-deserved celebration of the club’s early success.

Calgary Flames Dillon Dube

Dillon Dube, 3rd in McKeen’s Yearbook preseason rankings of Flames farm system (7GP-1G-6A-7P): Though it was a disappointment for the 21-year-old to not crack the Flames’ opening night roster after a decent NHL showing last season, he was arguably the Heat’s best player in October. A playmaker and forechecker extraordinaire heading into the season, he is starting to display heightened awareness and patience on offense as well as an increased defensive presence and responsibility. With exceptional penalty kill work, the former Team Canada World Junior captain is one of the first guys going up to Calgary if needed and can easily find a way to contribute to the big-league team.

Eetu Tuulola, 14th (8-4-1-5): Skating was the biggest concern surrounding the first-year winger from Finland, and while his acceleration and balance can still lag at times, his straight-line speed looks solid. Adding some quickness to his massive 6-3”, 220lbs frame makes the 21-year-old Tuulola a scary player, as his body control, shooting ability, and versatile usefulness on the power play have already impressed scouts around the game.

Glenn Gawdin, 18th (8-2-6-8): Gawdin, a second-year pro, has long had an incredible offensive game, but like Tuulola, his skating had held him back from becoming a go-to option for offense in the pro ranks. His acceleration looks a little better, and he has displayed more energy out on the ice than in his 2018-19 rookie season. His point-per-game pace to this point is a direct reflection of that assertiveness, but I still see Gawdin as more of a two-way bottom-six center with some offensive potential. His smarts and discipline have always been his biggest draw to me, and his skating is too big of a concern for him to pan out as a top-six offensive option.

Tucson Roadrunners (Arizona Coyotes)

Record:8-3-0-0, 16 points, .727% points percentage

After injuries decimated their young club late into the 2018-19 season, the Roadrunners appear to be reaching the potential they missed out on due to ailments last campaign. Head coach Jay Varady’s club was briefly in first place in the Pacific Division in October.

While the club has been top heavy in terms of point-scoring, they have been carried mightily by a pair of young netminders, Adin Hill and Ivan Provsetov, who have combined to allow just 25 goals, the fewest in the AHL’s Western Conference.

After missing the playoffs last year, we expected the team to come back with a vengeance and contend for the top spot in the seven-team division, which they won in 2017-18. Their first 11 games, a solid 16 percent of their season schedule, confirms those beliefs.

Lane Pederson, Unranked in McKeen’s Yearbook preseason rankings of Coyotes farm system (11-9-5-14): Although the former WHLer is not the most intriguing prospect in the game, or the most well-known, Pederson has inarguably been the best skater on the Roadrunners roster this season. Third in the league in both goals and points, his offensive contributions are no coincidence if you remember his efforts in Coyotes training camp, through which he almost broke the NHL roster. His skating has improved from his WHL days, and while his passing game/vision are still to be developed, his shot is a force. He is reliable defensively and kills penalties for Tucson. He went undrafted, but if there was a second or third-round pick attached to his name, hype would be building fast for the potential middle-six center.

Ivan Prosvetov, 6th (3-1-0-0, 1.98 GAA, .944 Sv% in four starts): We knew that Prosvetov was a beast in the goal and would eventually turn into a high-end pro, but it’s somewhat surprising to see how quickly he has transformed into a mature, disciplined netminder. He was a hot head in the OHL, once receiving a five-game suspension for batting a puck into spectators during a stoppage of play. It looks like he has harnessed that competitive fire, boosting his package of 6-5” length and athletic ability with an energized demeanor on the ice. At 20 years old, younger than the large majority of AHL netminders, he is a step ahead of the competition.

Kyle Capobianco, 4th (3-0-2-2): Capobianco looks like, and is to a degree, an NHL player. He made the Coyotes’ opening night roster and has appeared in nine big-league contests so far, after his 2018-19 campaign came to a disastrous end due to a season-ending leg injury in February. So this prospect blurb acts like more of a check-up on a prospect than an actual scouting piece, in this case: he’s fine. He does not look a step slow due to his injury, his playmaking and skating are still capable of contributing in all three zones, and his potential as a power-play quarterback is still there. He will be a full-time NHLer in short order.

Ontario Reign (Los Angeles Kings)

Record: 6-2-2-0, 14 points, .700% points percentage

Last season, Ontario finished seventh out of seven Pacific Division teams, had a .441 points percentage, and recorded a -61 goal differential. Their struggles were a direct reflection of a Kings farm system that had become depleted due to their NHL parent club’s sustained success and desire for more.

The Kings of that era valued size and defensive strength over anything else, and now, as the game of hockey has progressed, so has the L.A. system. The revamped Reign roster is beginning to see the effects of the newly-implemented Rob Blake system, and have used that speed and skill to ascend back to the top of the division table.

Of course, a healthy chunk of the credit for the Reign’s turnaround has to go to head coach Mike Stothers, as well as many of their young players. If October is any indicator, the Reign could be playing postseason hockey again this season.

Los Angeles Kings Goalie Cal Petersen e)

Cal Petersen, 11th in McKeen’s Yearbook preseason rankings of Kings farm system (6-2-2-0, 2.55 GAA, .929 Sv% in ten starts): Since his pro debut in 2017-18, Petersen has been one of the AHL’s top goaltenders. Last season was grim, as his GAA floated over four due mostly to a horrid club in front of him, but he looks to have bounced back big time. The 25-year-old plays a wild, entertaining style of highly-athletic goaltending, and rarely cracks mentally. His hulking physical size and ability to read plays as they develop helps him compensate for a lack of decisive tool-selection and overall refinement. His contract goes from a two-way deal this year to one-way the next year and beyond, meaning he is essentially auditioning for an NHL job this season.

Carl Grundstrom, 8th (4-5-2-7): Along with a 2019 first round pick (used on Tobias Bjornfot), Grundstrom was the return from Toronto in the Jake Muzzin trade, and the young forward has added some instant value to the Kings system. In dominating the AHL in the early parts of the season, he has earned some appearances with L.A. and can only get better from here. He is a hard-working player who competes in all three zones, never slows down out there, and can flash a surprising goal-scoring touch. A hard forechecker to escape, that effort translates to the other end of the ice, where he has become an impactful penalty killer. He can be prone to mistakes, but Grundstrom’s relentless motor and two-way reliability give him a solid ceiling of a middle-six winger with some offensive upside that has not even been tapped into.

Matt Luff, 20th (9-3-4-7): The undrafted 22-year-old was one of Ontario’s best players (and a bright spot in his short Kings stint) last season, and he looks to have carried that promise and excellence into 2019-20. One thing that helps accumulate NHL-worthy stats is just how much the winger loves to shoot, leading the club with 34 shots through nine AHL games so far, in addition to being third on the team in shots (153) despite just 33 games with the AHL team has year. Luff has good reason to be a volume shooter, with a heavy, spinning wrist shot that has menacing velocity and tremendous accuracy, but his toughness and puck skills are also elements to watch out of the depth forward.

Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers)

Record: 5-5-1-0, 11 points, .500% points percentage

While Edmonton’s two superstar talents, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisiatl, have ripped the NHL to shreds in the early going of the 2019-20 season, some of the club’s top prospects are continuing the trend in the AHL.

Oilers’ CEO Bob Nicholson’s laid-out plan of allowing prospects to “over-ripen” seems to be the organization’s modus operandi, and the Condors are reaping the benefits of having more experienced, longer-tenured players on the roster this season.

For head coach Jay Woodcroft, it’s mostly the same players that dominated during their historic 2018-19 run that have been at the forefront of their 2019-20 operations. You can’t bank on Bakersfield having the same 17-game winning streak as the division champs did last season, but they will compete to bring playoff hockey to Kern County, California for the second time after relocating from Oklahoma City in 2015.

Tyler Benson, 4th in McKeen’s yearbook preseason rankings of Oilers farm system (11-2-7-9): His maturity, hockey IQ, and vision make it easy to forget, but Benson is only 21 years old and has just one full pro season under his belt. After pacing the Condors in points last season, his heads-up rushing action and high-end playmaking skills have put him out front early this year. A speedy skater with beautiful acceleration and swift pivots, his ability to draw space to himself and pass the puck off is reminiscent of the NHL’s preeminent puck-movers. His only flaw is his shot, which lacks speed and accuracy. His early-career development was plagued by injuries, but with full health, he looks downright scary good and could soon be a top-six facilitator for the Oilers.

Kailer Yamamoto, 6th (11-4-3-7): Sent down to Bakersfield as part of a rehab schedule for his wrist injury from last season, Yamamato has had a pretty decent start to his AHL season. The former first-round pick has been so-so on offense, and you would like to see him use his slippery skating, speedy hands, and creativity to drive offense more. But his penalty kill and overall defensive game have been exceptional, and it is impressive to see the way he has rounded out his game. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the 21-year-old get a recall to Edmonton soon, especially as the Oilers’ bottom six is starved for skill.

Evan Bouchard, 2nd (11-3-4-7): The reigning Max Kaminsky trophy winner as the Ontario Hockey League’s best blueliner, Bouchard has been playing up to that billing since joining the AHL ranks at the start of the season. With his creativity, vision, and booming shot, the 10th overall pick in 2018 has excelled with Bakersfield thus far. Two of the defenseman’s three goals have come on the man-advantage, which speaks to his effectiveness on the power play. His skating is not as big of an issue as it was in his draft season, but can still improve.

San Jose Barracuda (San Jose Sharks)

Record:4-4-0-1, 9 points, .500% points percentage

San Jose has so few certified “veteran” players on the roster that it is genuinely impressive that they have posted a .500 record so far this season. Kudos to Roy Sommer, the club’s head coach, but also, the team’s European scouting group for plucking legitimate talent from some obscure areas.

Swedish winger Joel Kellman, German forward Lean Bergmann, and Danish forwards Alexander True and Joachim Blichfeld are the club’s top-four scorers through nine games. All four of the Barracuda stars were either undrafted signees or seventh-round draft selections.

Their top goaltender, Josef Korenar, was also an undrafted signee who has emerged as one of the AHL’s top goalies at just 21. Hopefully the team can be carried by these otherwise-unheard of players to the club’s fifth consecutive postseason appearance since relocating from Worcester, Massachusetts.

Sasha Chmelevski, 2nd in McKeen’s yearbook preseason rankings of Sharks farm system (6-0-1-1): Both things can be true: Chmelevski has had a hard time adjusting to the pro ranks, and he has been battling injuries since the beginning of the season, having missed the last few Barracuda games with a lower-body ailment. So, you have to take his early-season results with a grain of salt. He has flashed some of that quick, precise passing and smart decision making early on in his pro career, especially on the San Jose power play, where he is playing first-unit minutes. His injuries have hampered his skating some, and you would like to see him use his heavy, accurate wrist shot more. He almost made the Sharks roster out of training camp, which means there is something special about the 21-year-old, but we just have to wait and see a fully healthy version of him.

Joachim Blichfeld, 7th (8-3-3-6): Whereas Chmelevski has had a troublesome professional hockey adjustment process, Blichfeld has been excellent since puck drop on opening night. While his offensive numbers don’t equal that of his godly WHL totals a year ago (68-53-61-114), he has been exceptional at what he does best; drive play with speed and creativity, fire the puck at will, and get into dirty areas without the puck. He has been a pest in front of the goal and seeks out crease-front rebounds at every chance. A power-play staple, the right-hander has played a variety of roles on the man-advantage. However, the Danish winger can be prone to frequent turnovers, and needs to amp up his three-zone awareness to prevent getting the puck stick-checked away.

Josef Korenar, 10th (3-2-1-2, 1.82, .932): An AHL All-Star last season, the 21-year-old Czech has only stepped his game up from there. Most importantly, the former undrafted signee has provided the Sharks with one thing they arguably didn’t have: a denoted goaltender of the future. His tool selection can still be a little spotty, and he plays an inconsistent positional game (when to come out and challenge, when to guard posts, etc), but his raw package is that of a future NHL stud. Korenar displays otherworldly smarts, vision, and anticipation while playing a calm and composed style in the crease. He is highly athletic and can scramble to make saves, and his rebound control has improved since last season.

Colorado Eagles (Colorado Avalanche)

Record: 4-5-0-0, 8 points, .444% points percentage

Whereas some teams have benefited from an influx of their organization’s brightest young stars, the Eagles have stagnated with a bunch of veteran guys with low ceilings. I don’t believe their slow start to the season is a coincidence; they just don’t really have that pure, youthful skill to mesh with the aged, seasoned pros on the club.

It is not like Colorado has no high-end prospects on the roster, as the club sports names like Shane Bowers, Conor Timmins, or Martin Kaut, but moreso that these young players are having trouble finding a rhythm or just coming into their own as prospects.

Luckily, they are through just nine games of the Pacific Division’s 68-game schedule. Head coach Greg Cronin and the club have time on their side and a group of experienced players who know what it takes to make it through the tough and tiresome winter months. With that, the goal is to bring playoff hockey to Loveland, CO, in just their second year in the AHL.

Conor Timmins, 6th in McKeen’s yearbook preseason rankings of Avalanche farm system (7-1-2-3): We all knew Timmins could play, but how quickly he has jumped back into action and found a way to contribute after missing the entirety of the 2018-19 season is nothing short of amazing. The right-shot defenseman who made the Avs roster out of camp has not missed a beat, and has emerged as the versatile, three-zone defender he was picked as in the second-round of the 2017 draft. His physical strength makes him capable of outmuscling anyone in a puck battle, and his vision to get the puck out of the zone — via his solid outlet pass or his skating — makes him a threat joining the rush. He has the potential to be a top-four minute-munching defender at the highest level of the game.

Nick Henry, 11th (9-1-2-3): An assist machine in his final year with WHL Lethbridge, Henry’s main asset — playmaking and transitional play — has translated well in his first full professional season. Although he is not racking up points at an insane pace, the 20-year-old has been instrumental in driving play for the Eagles’ fourth line. His skating is not great, but good enough to get through the neutral zone, where his vision and high hockey IQ can take over a rush. He is solid defensively, with decent strength for an undersized winger, and his energy and tenacity on the forecheck has been noticeable. His main issue is his hesitance to shoot, mainly defaulting to passing; he will need to improve upon his shot assertiveness to succeed long-term in the pros.

Logan O’Connor, 12th (9-1-2-3): The former University of Denver captain continued his emergence as a top-notch prospect in the Avs system in October. Boosted onto the top line for the Eagles (mostly playing with veterans T.J. Tynan and Erik Condra), O’Connor’s well-rounded, mature game has provided plus value for Colorado thus far. He has the acceleration and top speed of an NHL top-six winger, along with the hockey IQ and smarts to make an impact in all three zones. He can play any role, at any forward position, against any competition, and that kind of versatility is what makes him a surefire future NHLer.

San Diego Gulls (Anaheim Ducks)

Record: 2-6-0-0, 4 points, .250% points percentage

The diagnosis for their slow start is a simple one: the Gulls have suffered from a transitioning, transformative roster in Anaheim depleting the AHL club, which made the Western Conference Finals last season.

Head coach Kevin Dineen has his work cut out for him with a roster that has lost his stars from last campaign, such as former first-round picks Sam Steel and Max Jones as well as Team U.S.A. World Junior hero Troy Terry, all of whom are on the Ducks’ active roster.

There still shine some bright lights amid a dark and frightening tunnel however, as a Ducks farm system with a decent amount of talent steps on the ice in San Diego.

Isac Lundestrom, 4th in the McKeen’s yearbook preseason rankings of Ducks farm system (6-2-1-3): After starting the season eating healthy scratches with the Ducks, the 2018 first-rounder returned to the AHL and has fared well centering the Gulls’ third line, scoring his first career AHL goal just a few games ago. His ability as a puck carrier has received a well-deserved spotlight on the power play, and his versatility and maturity (it’s easy to forget that he is just 19-years-old) has received abundant penalty kill time thus far. The youthful Swede is such a multi-faceted player and thinks the game at such a high level that he will not need much more improving to do before being a solid, consistent NHL player. He just needs to improve upon his offensive assertiveness, most importantly how underused his wrist shot is.

Joshua Mahura, 9th (6-0-0-0): Mahura was recently recalled to the NHL roster (where he promptly recorded three assists in his season debut), and it was a well-deserved promotion. The scoresheet won’t prove it to you, but he had quietly been one of the Gulls’ better players in the young season. Playing on both special teams, the defender exhibited his high-end two-way versatility and desire to play up at most times. He is a highly dangerous option to start or join a rush at any opportunity, and that same mentality is paying off in the NHL, with his 3.9 CF% Rel. It’s early, and both the Ducks and Gulls are undergoing a lot of changes, but perhaps he has already played his last regular season AHL game.

Los Angeles Kings 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 11:42:29 +0000

Before Rob Blake took over as the General Manager of the Kings, the Deam Lombradi/Darryl Lombardi era Kings were known primarily for two things: defensive hockey played by big men, and winning Stanley Cups despite lacking in abundant skill. But by the time that Blake was put in charge, after he had been in place as an assistant GM for four seasons, the writing for that style of hockey was on the wall. Big and lumbering were out and speed and skill were in.

The Kings had a few players able to cross over from style to style, such as Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar, and of course the stylistic changes would not have had a huge impact on netminder Jonathan Quick, but most of the roster would need a refresh. That was partly due to the carry-over players lacking the elements that were beginning to define the game more and more, but it was also partially due to the inevitable toll that age and long Springs have. The game had moved on and the Kings would have to catch up.

Looking at the 20 players listed below, as well as a number of those who were strongly considered but ultimately did not make the final cut, we can see how complete the turnover has been at the organizational level. Start with the fact that a full 14 of the 20 named below were drafted or signed after Blake was named the GM. Of the remaining six, only one, Russian forward Nikolai Prokhorkin, predates Blake’s executive career in Los Angeles.

Part of the turnover was due not only to a simple changing of the guard, but that the Kings, in a down portion of the success cycle, stopped trading away picks (they had six and four respectively in the two drafts prior to Blake’s being named GM) and last year went in with extras, making nine picks in seven rounds, including two first rounders.

Another aspect to the turnaround has been that the Kings are emphasizing speed and skill in their draft picks. That is not to say that the team has avoided bigger players (not even considering goalies). For every 6-5” Andre Lee (2019, 7^th round), there is a 5-7” Aidan Dudas (4^th round, 2018). For every 6-2” Arthur Kaliyev (2^nd round, 2019), or Gabriel VIlardi (1^st round, 2017) there are an abundance of 5-11” dynamos, such as Jaret-Anderson Dolan (2^nd round, 2017), Akil Thomas (2^nd round, 2018) or this year’s draft prize, Alex Turcotte (1^st round, 2019). Whereas they would formerly augment their system with big players like 6-5” Kurtis MacDermid or 6-3” Matt Luff, they know bring in 5-10” Sheldon Rempal and 5-7” Blake Lizotte.

The tear down is now more or less complete in LA, but the buildup is only getting started. Blake and company have been taking a slow route so far, not rushing prospects. In fact, of the first two Blake draft classes, only one player, Anderson-Dolan, has even played a single game in the NHL, and even he only appeared in five contests. (Gabriel Vilardi made have doubled that count, were it not for a devastating back injury that curtailed his 2018-19 season). The Kings now have a pipeline full of players in Blake’s preferred mold. The next step is to put them on the ice at the NHL level and see who sticks and how it comes together.

-Ryan Wagman

Los Angeles Kings Left Wing Carl Grundstrom (38) (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)

1 Alex Turcotte, C (5^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Despite missing a big chunk of the first half with a lower body injury, there was no doubt that Turcotte would be a top pick in this past June’s draft. The type of center whose success is partially attributed to near elite hockey IQ, he senses lanes of opportunity better, and more quickly than just about anyone in his age group. His puck skills are also at a very high level. He has a very sharp wrist shot with a lightning quick release and his hands are among the softest outside of the NHL, able to create havoc from in tight. Turcotte is a fantastically dynamic player when he rushes the net and, in fact, carries that dynamism with him for all assignments. He is a puck hound, constantly forcing turnovers and driving possession and scoring chance creation. He needs to beef up to help him increase his durability, but has first line center upside and should be ready as soon as 2020-21. - RW

2 Tobias Bjornfot, D (22^nd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Bjornfot has been looking great in the pre-season, both at the WJSS and in SHL pre-season games. He is expected to earn a full-time spot with one of the top SHL teams this year. He is an active, smart defenseman who can play both progressive as well as conservative when needed. His puck skills are strong and he rarely makes a bad play. His passing skills are also strong. He is physically strong for his age and moves well. He can push plays with his skating and be a dangerous fourth attacker. He can also shut down plays with strength and skating abilities. There aren’t any real flaws in his game. Bjornfot has a high probability top four potential and maybe even top pairing if his development curve will continue to be strong. The concern that could keep him from the top pair is that his offensive numbers probably won’t be that high. - JH

3 Rasmus Kupari, C (20^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 2) Kupari had a terrific season with Karpat in the Liiga and looks more than ready to leave Finland for North America. His greatest asset is, without doubt, his skating. Highly agile on his skates, he can make tight turns and cuts and he possesses strong edge control. He stops and starts well and has excellent top-end speed. He can maneuver with the puck in tight spaces and has a lot of puck skill as well. He improved his decision making last season, showing that his hockey sense is no longer as much of an issue as it used to be. He can be creative offensively and find his linemates with pinpoint passing. Kupari is defensively reliable and he uses his speed to close on opponents quickly. H has the potential to play on the Kings’ top two lines within a few years. - MB

4 Gabriel Vilardi, C (11^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 1) Vilardi played only four games for Ontario last year because of a lingering back injury that appears to be threatening his promising career. Still not cleared to return to the ice, he is currently in limbo. If you ignore the injury concerns, he is still a very promising prospect. He possesses a great size and skill package down the middle and is a terrific playmaker who thinks the game at a high level and really can dominate possession down low. He is just so strong and difficult to separate from the puck. On the other hand, his skating, especially his first few strides, really needed to improve and one would have to assume that this back injury has only decreased his skating ability further. Unfortunately, at this point, Vilardi’s career seems to be in serious jeopardy, giving Kings’ fans Scott Barney flashbacks. - BO

5 Arthur Kaliyev, LW (33^rd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) One of the most polarizing prospects from the 2019 NHL Draft class, Kaliyev ended up sliding to the second round where the Kings selected him. Yes, there are some concerns over both his pace of play and his eagerness to involve himself physically and without the puck. That said, he is nearly the complete package on the offensive side of the puck. He possesses both a booming slapshot and a quick release wrist shot, which he can use while cutting in or driving wide. He operates best as a triggerman in the slot, but he can create his own chances. He is also an underrated playmaker whose poise and patience with the puck has improved greatly through his time in the OHL. There are warts, but there is also massive potential for Kaliyev to develop into a consistent 30 goal scorer in a top six role for the LA Kings. - BO

6 Akil Thomas, C (51^st overall, 2018. Last Year: 4) Recently named captain of the Niagara IceDogs for the upcoming 2019-20 season, Thomas is an elite playmaker. He uses both great hands and quick feet to exploit gaps in defenses, drawing defenders in before making a great pass to an open teammate for an easy goal. His vision is excellent. He is also a capable defensive player who shows hustle in all three zones. Where Thomas still struggles is in trying to play through traffic and driving the middle of the ice. He needs to get stronger on the puck and become more assertive to take his game to that next level. he profiles as a top six forward, likely as a winger and not a center where he currently plays, and he should be able to make an impact within a couple of years. - BO

7 Samuel Fagemo, LW (50^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Fagemo turned many heads last season when he went from being snubbed at the 2018 NHL draft to one of the best junior forwards in the SHL. He is an attacking forward with a knack for goal scoring. He is good at finding open space for himself, and has a strong wrist shot which is dangerous from various distances. The knock on him earlier was a lack of speed in combination of him creating his chances at junior level with speed as a weapon. His feet have gotten quicker and he will probably get an even bigger role this season in the SHL and the Swedish WJC team. His hockey sense and defensive game will be red flags, though. Fagemo tends to try do too much by himself, rather than to play the team game. That element has improved and he processes the offensive game quickly and is often available for a pass. - JH

8 Carl Grundstrom, RW (57^th overall, 2016 [Toronto]. Last Year: 4 [Toronto]) Grundstrom is a hard-working, physical player. He gets in deep and gets the job done which often results in good production offensively as he never takes a shift off. The downside to a straight-lines player like this is the fact that his skillset is not the best, which can impact him in different situations. For instance, with the Toronto Marlies last season, he was an impact penalty killer always getting the puck deep and forechecking hard, but on power play his lack of technical finesse stood out and would lead to turnovers once the play slowed down and more pressure was applied. He will need to learn to play better under pressure and be more patient, not everything being done at top speed. Grundstrom will start the season with the LA Kings as a bottom six forward and will most likely stay a bottom six forward considering his classic dump and chase forechecking style and his hard work. - SC

9 Kale Clague, D (51^st overall, 2016. Last Year: 3) An intelligent, mobile defenseman, Clague had an up-and-down first full year in the Kings’ pro system. He finished in the top-10 in rookie defensive scoring in the AHL, using his immense skill, deceptive skating, and high-end vision to make an impact in transition and in the offensive zone. What plagued him most as a prospect tearing up the WHL over the last few years was his inconsistent defensive zone play, which is just what made his debut season with AHL Ontario a challenging one. Pushed into a top-pair role, the left-hander struggled to acclimate himself with the speed of the pro game, and had a number of difficult nights on defense. He had improved on his defensive game a little before a broken foot ended his season in March, but not to the point of being an NHLer. Expect him to return to an AHL top-pair role this year, though his overall ceiling speaks top-four potential. - TD

10 Jaret Anderson-Dolan, C (165^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 5) Anderson-Dolan had a tough season last year battling injuries, but managed to finish the season strong. After impressing at camp, he started the season playing five games for the Kings in which he managed a single assist. He was returned to Spokane where he was expected to dominate and put up some huge numbers. In only his second game back though, he suffered a broken wrist, putting him out for close to two months, affecting his play and status for Canada at the World Juniors. He managed to play through the tournament, but didn't have the impact that he would have otherwise. He finished the season by putting up 20 goals and 43 points in 32 games for the Chiefs, and 15 in 13 games in the playoffs, demonstrating that his multi-tool impact was still there. Anderson-Dolan will make another push for the Kings this year, and has a legit shot, although playing in the AHL is probably more realistic. - KO

11 Cal Petersen, G (129^th overall, 2013 [Buffalo]. Last Year: 6) It is hard to blame him entirely for a poor season, but Petersen’s stats tailed off big time from 2017-18 to last season, posting a 13-22-1 record with a GAA over four in the AHL. Ontario was horrid, winning fewer games (25) than any other team in the league, and all things considered, the 24-year-old netminder actually held up well. His athleticism, raw movement, and wild style was on display, and his mental side was tested but he did not crack often. His use of his hulking size and ability to read plays looked improved, even on a bad team. Petersen has fared well since signing with Los Angeles, but has been surpassed on the depth chart by the resurgent Jack Campbell. He will need to make a major splash soon to be considered for a long-term NHL tenure with LA, but he has the tools to be a lower-tier starter or high-end reserve goalie. - TD

12 Nikolai Prokhorkin, LW (121^st overall, 2012. Last Year: 17) After a career year in SKA, Prokhorkin decided to move to North America as he signed a one-year deal in California. A member of the Gold Medal winning team in 2018, he was trusted with top-line minutes in St. Petersburg and he delivered with 41 points in 41 regular-season games, posting career highs for both goals and assists. He is now much more mature compared with his first attempt in North America back in 2012 and shouldn’t have many problems in fitting into the Kings’ lineup considering his skills and skating abilities. He has a very good shot with a fast release, sees the ice well and doesn’t shy away from contact even if he is not a physical player. Considering the Kings’ last season, bringing Prokhorkin into the fold may have been a very good move for the franchise to rebound back after a bad 2018-19. - ASR

13 Mikey Eyssimont, C (142^ndoverall, 2016. Last Year: 7) Though his first full pro year did not go as anyone planned, Eyssimont showed just why he could pan out to be a potential fifth-round steal of a draft pick in the near future. The 20 points (10G, 10A) he scored in 63 games looks unimpressive, but he showed out well in a depth role with AHL Ontario, controlling possession with his blazing speed, sick hands, and developing wrist shot. His acceleration and balance are high-end, but his stick-handling is his biggest strength, as the 22-year-old exhibits incredible rhythm and deceptive stick language with the puck on his blade. His defensive game is not as mature as one would like it to be, especially for someone with three years of NCAA experience, but it is slowly coming along. He has solid energy line/depth scorer potential and could reach that ceiling soon. - TD

14 Mikey Anderson, D (103^rd overall, 2017. Last Year: 11) After a phenomenally decorated amateur career, including two NCAA championships with Minnesota-Duluth and accompanied by two runs with the American WJC squad, Anderson is joining older brother Joey as a professional. He is a consummate two way blueliner, equally comfortable pinching deep in the offensive zone as he is boxing out opposing forwards in front of his own goalie. He is not a blazer, but has good feet and will win his share of races for iced pucks. He lacks first power play unit upside offensively, but he protects the puck well at the offensive blueline and is skilled at passing the puck in deep to a teammate in a better position to create a scoring chance. His own zone smarts give him a chance to be a viable penalty kill option. He could use one to two seasons in the AHL to round off his game, but his upside is as a solid #4/5 defender at the highest level. - RW

15 Sean Durzi, D (52^nd overall, 2018 [Toronto]. Last Year: 9 [Toronto]) At the heart of Durzi’s game is his elite mobility. One of the key returns from the Jake Muzzin trade, he is a major asset offensively because of how well he can start the breakout. He is tough to pin down in his own end and can really create time and space with his feet. He is also a terrific powerplay QB who has great vision at the point and who is very adept at using that mobility to attack and open up lanes. Defensively, Durzi’s game will need to improve. He battled a shoulder injury this past year, but will need to get stronger to handle pro sized forwards down low and near the crease. He will have to learn to be more assertive if he wants to receive consistent 5 on 5 ice time. While he may be a few years away, Durzi could develop into a Torey Krug kind of player for the Kings. - BO

16 Aidan Dudas, C (113^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 8) A heart and soul offensive player, Dudas is an aggressive North/South attacker who also possesses a great release that gives him a lot of potential as a goal scorer. His skating has improved since being drafted, especially his top gear. His production was not terrific this past season, but he should be a breakout candidate this year given his skill set. Dudas profiles as a middle six scoring winger who will need to continue to improve his skating – especially considering his diminutive stature - improve his strength on the puck, and become more consistent playing through the middle of the ice in order to reach his potential. - BO

17 Markus Phillips, D (118^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 10) Even though his offensive game never truly developed the way that many had anticipated it would, Phillips is still a valuable prospect who could develop into a steady, third pairing NHL defender. He won an OHL championship with Guelph last year, playing a key role in helping to shut down the opposition’s best. He doesn’t have great reach with his stocky build, but he possesses great four way mobility and terrific defensive instincts that rarely sees him beat one on one or caught out of position. Phillips is also solid with the puck and is skilled enough to evade the forecheck and start the breakout, even if he is not aggressive in attacking the offensive zone. The upside is not high, but he looks like a safe bet to play an NHL role sometime down the road. -BO

18 Sheldon Rempal, LW/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 30, 2018. Last Year: 12) With a lack of size or shooting skill, Rempal’s game has become one of the most refined and well-engineered in the Kings’ system. He knows what works for him, and he has all but mastered his own player-specific gameplay style; speed, tenacity, and scintillating hands being the front-end traits of that game. The undrafted forward out of Clarkson University had a solid first pro year, totaling 15 goals and 25 assists in 59 games in the AHL, though he was held scoreless in seven NHL contests. He is a dynamic playmaker with great vision, and a slippery skater who has impressive balance and body strength. His defensive inconsistencies will need major improvements, while his inability to carry his own line so far in pro hockey has hindered his development as well. Otherwise, he was a bright spot on a dim Reign club and might have a shot at the Kings bottom six out of training camp this season. - TD

19 Matt Roy, D (194^th overall, 2015. Last Year: Not ranked) A right-shot defenseman with a quiet but effective game, Roy is panning out as a steal of an overaged seventh-round pick in 2015. His 2018-19 season with AHL Ontario was great, displaying a high hockey IQ, narrow gaps, and a level of toughness against the boards not seen elsewhere on the Reign blueline, earning a recall to Los Angeles where he more than held his own in 25 NHL games. While not the most mobile or agile of skaters, Roy more than makes up for it in smarts and physicality, which has made him into a solid shutdown depth defenseman. He could contend for a spot on an open Kings blueline this season. - TD

20 Matt Luff, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 23, 2016. Last Year: Not ranked) With the Kings in a downward spiral last season, Luff was one of several depth forwards given an opportunity to succeed in the NHL, and he earned it. The shot-heavy winger was one of Ontario’s best last season (36-11-20-31) and added eight NHL goals with L.A. despite minimal ice time. Possessing a weighty wrist shot with a quick release and a lot of spin, Luff is a bit of a volume shooter for a depth, energy line forward. The right-hander has some untapped puck skills and decent speed, as well as formidable rink senses that make him a serviceable defensive player. He is tough with the puck, but he will need to grow further into his 6-3” frame to truly be an impactful offensive player, as he can and will be bumped off balance pretty easily. Expect him to spend some time with Los Angeles again next season. - TD

MCKEEN’S 2019-20 YEARBOOK: Sharing the Crease – How the emergence of the goaltender tandem could change your drafting needs

Catherine Silverman — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 21:17:41 +0000

For decades upon decades, the NHL was largely a one-goaltender league. Exceptions were made for the very old, the very young, and the not-very-good — and of course, every team technically had two goaltenders in the lineup on any given night. But if a team had found a goaltender good enough to win them games, they did their best to give him every opportunity to do that — literally.

No part of the game has undergone a more drastic change than goaltending, though. The position has gone from being one of the most stationary in the game to arguably the most physically demanding, requiring both fine-tuned mechanics and immense levels of core strength.

The game was once played from a goaltender’s skates, with a handful of diving saves and sprawling poke checks to keep things interesting. Now, it’s largely played from a goaltender’s knees, relying on that core strength to add an extra height dimension to an already-impressive range of mobility in order to keep up with the way shooters keep finding new ways to score. It’s no longer a game that relies purely on instinct; there’s an immense amount of athleticism required now, too.

The best goaltenders in the game know how to take care of their bodies, and they’re all in good enough shape to handle the rigors of the modern game. But the human body can only withstand so much without getting ample recovery time, and goaltenders don’t play games in shifts; with at least 60 minutes of action each night and both practice and travel to account for, the NHL season doesn’t leave much left in the tank.

The Jonathan Quicks and Braden Holtbys of the NHL have proven that they can handle a massive regular season workload without losing their ability to drag their teams into the playoffs, but teams have finally started to figure out that 60- and 70-game seasons don’t leave their goaltenders in the kind of shape to steal games when the postseason rolls around. Goaltenders who have played heavy workloads behind defensively inconsistent teams have struggled to make it out of the first round in the last handful of years — fans need to look no farther than Frederik Andersen and Andrei Vasilevskiy for proof of that — and even those that do make it out have struggled more and more as the playoffs go on.

That realization has brought about a major shift in goaltender deployment. Where teams used to have a clear starter and a passable (but oftentimes unremarkable) backup, more and more have embraced the idea of having a pair of number one caliber goaltenders instead of a number one and a number two. The ‘starting goalie controversy’ of years past has died — and for fantasy owners, that’s a shift that could have massive ramifications on how teams are assembled.

Last season produced an almost unheard-of Vezina finalist trio. Andrei Vasilevskiy, the ultimate winner, shoulder the clear bulk of his team’s workload in net during the year — but the other two finalist, Dallas’ Ben Bishop and New York’s Robin Lehner, each played as one half of a clearly embraced tandem. They weren’t alone, either; the Boston Bruins used a strongly reliable Jaroslav Halak to split up starter Tuukka Rask’s workload, rendering him rested enough for an incredibly strong run to the Cup Final.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

The league should see even more teams embrace the tandem mentality this year, and not just because they boast a pair of unknowns or underperformers. The Arizona Coyotes have gone on record saying they hope to be able to balance Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper to keep both well-rested, while the Chicago Blackhawks are likely prepared to split starts for Corey Crawford and the aforementioned Lehner while the Islanders add Semyon Varlamov to their tandem, instead. Even if Jonathan Quick bounces back, the Kings will likely meter his starts alongside resurgent star Jack Campbell, and a similar bounce-back for Cory Schneider would still almost certainly result in nothing more than a split net in New Jersey between him and MacKenzie Blackwood.

For fantasy owners, this means a larger chance that drafting a good goaltender means he’ll get starts — and in theory, a smaller chance that he’ll get injured from overuse. There’s a larger pool of quality goaltenders to choose from now, meaning that there’s a higher likelihood of good performances coming for at least one goaltender owned on any given night.

The downside, of course, is that it also means that there will be fewer goaltenders available to draft that will be capable of logging points purely from a game volume perspective. Carey Price, Sergei Bobrovsky, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Frederik Andersen are all likely to shoulder massive workloads again this year, and the uncertainty in Colorado and Columbus surrounding a pair of largely unproven goaltenders in Pavel Francouz and Elvis Merzlikins — combined on both teams with a lack of help available in the minors — means that both of those teams could end up seeing a starter-dominant deployment next year as well.

For most teams, though, there should be more wealth to choose from when picking up goaltenders for fantasy teams. And for those scouring the prospect market for their keeper leagues, young goaltenders will no longer be quite as much of a risk. More teams are willing to give up-and-comers ample workloads alongside their already-proven stars, meaning that young AHL goaltenders with good numbers could be good sleeper picks just a year or two down the line. Prospects like Cal Petersen, Michael DiPietro, Joseph Woll, and even Alex Nedeljkovic will likely see their NHL call-ups sooner rather than later and could get plenty of action when they do get those nods.

Cal Petersen – McKeen's Hockey

FANTASY: The Week Ahead – October 30th – November 6th

Anaheim Ducks

Arizona Coyotes

Dallas Stars

Nashville Predators

New Jersey Devils

Philadelphia Flyers

Tampa Bay Lightning

Vegas Golden Knights

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Players who started slowly but are starting to bust out. That includes Jeff Petry, Cole Caufield, Kyle Palmieri, Tyler Seguin, Mason Marchment and more

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Mason Marchment, Alex Tuch, Jared McCann, Valeri Nichushkin, Michael Bunting, and more players with increasing fantasy value.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Top 300 Prospect Rankings

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Los Angeles Kings Top 20 Prospects

Quinton Byfield, C (2nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Alex Turcotte, C (5th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Gabriel Vilardi, C (11th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 2)

Arthur Kaliyev, LW (33rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Tobias Bjornfot, D (22nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Rasmus Kupari, C (20th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 5)

Tyler Madden, C (Trade: Feb. 17, 2020. Originally: 68th overall, 2018 [Vancouver]. Previous ranking: 6)

Akil Thomas, C (51st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

Samuel Fagemo, LW (50th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 8)

Kasper Simontaival, RW (66th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Helge Grans, D (35th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Martin Chromiak, RW (128th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, C (41st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

Mikey Anderson, D (103rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 10)

Cal Petersen, G (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 1, 2017. Originally: 129th overall, 2013 (Buffalo). Previous ranking: 11)

Carl Grundstrom, RW (Trade: Jan. 28, 2019. Originally: 57th overall, 2016 [Toronto}. Previous ranking: 12)

Alex Laferriere, RW (83rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Kale Clague, D (51st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 13)

Jordan Spence, D (95th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 14)

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – LOS ANGELES KINGS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 3

Los Angeles Kings

Alex Turcotte, C (5th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 1)

Gabriel Vilardi, C (11th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 4)

Arthur Kaliyev, LW (33rd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 5)

Tobias Bjornfot, D (22nd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Rasmus Kupari, C (20th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 3)

Tyler Madden, C (Trade: Feb. 17, 2020. Originally: 68th overall, 2018 [Vancouver]. 2019 Rank: 9 [Vancouver])

Akil Thomas, C (51st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Samuel Fagemo, LW (50th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 7)

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, C (41st overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 10)

Mikey Anderson, D (103rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 14)

Cal Petersen, G (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 1, 2017. Originally: 129th overall, 2013 (Buffalo). 2019 Rank: 11)

Carl Grundstrom, RW (Trade: Jan. 28, 2019. Originally: 57th overall, 2016 [Toronto}. 2019 Rank: 8)

Kale Clague, D (51st overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 9)

Jordan Spence, D (95th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Mikey Eyssimont, C (142nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 13)

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

AHL Pacific Division Report, October – Developing prospects

Los Angeles Kings 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

MCKEEN’S 2019-20 YEARBOOK: Sharing the Crease – How the emergence of the goaltender tandem could change your drafting needs

Quinton Byfield, C (2^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Alex Turcotte, C (5^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Gabriel Vilardi, C (11^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 2)

Arthur Kaliyev, LW (33^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Tobias Bjornfot, D (22^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Rasmus Kupari, C (20^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 5)

Tyler Madden, C (Trade: Feb. 17, 2020. Originally: 68^th overall, 2018 [Vancouver]. Previous ranking: 6)

Akil Thomas, C (51^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

Samuel Fagemo, LW (50^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 8)

Kasper Simontaival, RW (66^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Helge Grans, D (35^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Martin Chromiak, RW (128^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, C (41^st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

Mikey Anderson, D (103^rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 10)

Carl Grundstrom, RW (Trade: Jan. 28, 2019. Originally: 57^th overall, 2016 [Toronto}. Previous ranking: 12)

Alex Laferriere, RW (83^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Kale Clague, D (51^st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 13)

Jordan Spence, D (95^thoverall, 2019. Previous ranking: 14)

Alex Turcotte, C (5^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 1)

Gabriel Vilardi, C (11^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 4)

Arthur Kaliyev, LW (33^rd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 5)

Tobias Bjornfot, D (22^nd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Rasmus Kupari, C (20^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 3)

Tyler Madden, C (Trade: Feb. 17, 2020. Originally: 68^th overall, 2018 [Vancouver]. 2019 Rank: 9 [Vancouver])

Akil Thomas, C (51^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Samuel Fagemo, LW (50^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 7)

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, C (41^st overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 10)

Mikey Anderson, D (103^rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 14)

Carl Grundstrom, RW (Trade: Jan. 28, 2019. Originally: 57^th overall, 2016 [Toronto}. 2019 Rank: 8)

Kale Clague, D (51^st overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 9)

Jordan Spence, D (95^thoverall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Mikey Eyssimont, C (142^ndoverall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 13)