Calen Addison – McKeen's Hockey

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Devils dealing with injuries at centre – the Sharks finally add a puck-moving defenceman, Hronek, Schwartz, and E. Kane are among the players heating up + much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 19:08:09 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 12: New Jersey Devils center Dawson Mercer (91) looks on during a game between the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils on October 12, 2023 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey.(Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help make decisions when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, the Devils dealing with injuries at centre, the Sharks finally add a puck-moving defenceman, an injury to Jordan Eberle, while Filip Hronek, Jaden Schwartz, and Evander Kane are among the players heating up.

#1 One of the main reasons to like the chances of the New Jersey Devils is their 1-2 combination down the middle of the ice. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier provide the Devils with top-end talent at important positions and, at the moment, both are out of the lineup. Hughes got off to a phenomenal start, with 20 points (5 G, 15 A) in 10 games before suffering an upper-body injury. Hischier struggled early, managing two goals in seven games then suffering his own upper-body injury. With Hughes and Hischier out, Dawson Mercer has moved back to the middle of the ice and Michael McLeod is taking on a bigger role. Mercer has one goal and zero assists in a dozen games. McLeod has three points (1 G, 2 A) while averaging more than 16 minutes of ice time per game in the past four games.

#2 The San Jose Sharks are off to a miserable start, posting a 2-10-1 record, but they are taking a worthwhile shot on a young defenceman, acquiring Calen Addison from the Minnesota Wild for winger Adam Raska and a fifth-round pick in 2026. Addison is a puck-moving defenceman and power play quarterback who is suspect defensively, but his ability to work the power play fills a glaring hole on the Sharks’ roster. Since the start of last season, Addison has 34 points (3 G, 31 A) in 76 games, with 21 of those 34 points coming with the man advantage. In San Jose, he ought to be the first unit power play quarterback very soon, if not immediately.

#3 Seattle Kraken right winger Jordan Eberle suffered a leg injury when he was gashed by a skate in practice. The 33-year-old Eberle has four points (1 G, 3 A) in 13 games and is replaced on the top line, with Matty Beniers and Jared McCann, by Kailer Yamamoto, who has four points (2 G, 2 A) in 14 games.

#4 While the hype has been following Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes – and deservedly so – his partner, Filip Hronek is having a great start to the season. An assist in Thursday’s 5-2 win at Ottawa ran Hronek’s scoring streak to eight games, during which he has recorded 11 assists. The 26-year-old blueliner has recorded 39 points and 38 points, respectively, in the past two seasons, but has 14 assists in 13 games to open this season.

#5 Staying healthy can be a challenge for Seattle Kraken left winger Jaden Schwartz, but he is healthy and thriving right now. With a goal and an assist at Colorado on Thursday, Schwartz picked up a goal and an assist, running his point streak to eight games, during which Schwartz has produced 11 points (5 G, 6 A).

#6 The Edmonton Oilers have stumbled out of the gate and winger Evander Kane had just one assist and 11 shots on goal in the first five games. Since then, however, Kane’s production is much more typical. He has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 23 shots on goal in his past seven games.

#7 Calgary Flames centre Nazem Kadri was terrible to start the season, recording one assist through his first eight games, and he was even shifted to the wing as the Flames were left looking for answers. They are still looking but Kadri has returned to centre and has a four-game point streak during which he has tallied six points (2 G, 4 A) and 18 shots on goal.

#8 A reliable, if unheralded, forward Calle Jarnkrok has been doing his part to help the Maple Leafs emerge from their early-season doldrums. He is riding a four-game point streak, during which he has five points (2 G, 3 A) and nine shots on goal. He has been skating on a line with Max Domi and Nick Robertson, the latter recently promoted from the American Hockey League.

#9 After battling injuries in recent seasons, Montreal Canadiens centre Sean Monahan is healthy and in prime form this season. He recorded an assist in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime win at Detroit, running his point streak to seven games. Monahan has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 20 shots on goal in those seven games, and he is anchoring a veteran line with Tanner Pearson and Brendan Gallagher on the wings.

#10 It seems like every week the unpredictability of goaltending raises its ugly head but sometimes, that unpredictability can work in a positive fashion. Take the case of Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cam Talbot, a 36-year-old coming off a season in which he had a .898 save percentage in 36 games for Ottawa but in his first 10 starts for the Kings, he has delivered a .930 save percentage. With Pheonix Copley struggling (he has a .792 save percentage through four games), there could be a temptation for the Kings to lean heavily on Talbot, but that might not be ideal for his long-term performance.

#11 More teams are getting into the plan of having three goaltenders available and the Carolina Hurricanes seem to be at the forefront of that plan. It makes sense because their veteran goaltenders are not especially durable and with Frederik Andersen landing on the injured list, the Hurricanes can bring in Pyotr Kochetkov and not miss a beat. At least that is the theory. Kochetkov will see more action with Andersen injured, but has a .836 save percentage in his first three starts for the Hurricanes.

#12 Injuries are also forcing some teams to turn to their third goaltenders. For the Rangers, Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick are dealing with lingering injuries, prompting the recall of Louis Domingue from the American Hockey League. He stopped 25 of 26 shots in Thursday’s win against Minnesota. The 31-year-old has a .905 save percentage in 143 career NHL games, so he is capable of providing competent goaltending in a pinch and it appears that the Rangers need that right now. Pittsburgh is in a similar situation with Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic out, leading to Magnus Hellberg getting recalled. Hellberg does not have the same track record – a .890 save percentage in 26 games – but the 32-year-old netminder might be in line to see more action than expected.

#13 There may be no team facing a more difficult goaltending situation than the Edmonton Oilers. They have waived Jack Campbell to the AHL, recalling Chet Pickard, leaving Stuart Skinner as the No. 1 option for now. Skinner was the runner-up in voting for the Calder Trophy last season but has a .854 save percentage in eight appearances this season. For an Oilers team that had plans on contending to start the year, that isn’t going to cut it, and Edmonton might have to explore the trade market if they can’t get more saves.

#14 Talk about the nick of time, there are three productive Nicks that are widely available in fantasy. Start with Arizona’s Nick Bjugstad, the towering veteran centre who has seven points (1 G, 6 A) in his past eight games, playing more than 17 minutes per game over that stretch. His teammate, Nick Schmaltz, comes with more of an offensive pedigree. Not only does Schmaltz have 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in 13 games, but he is playing more than 20 minutes per game and is averaging a career-high 2.46 shots on goal per game. The third Nick for consideration is Nick Paul in Tampa Bay. Paul has scored seven goals in 14 games, including four goals on the power play, which increases the fantasy relevance of a player who is normally known for his work in a checking role.

#15 Earlier in the season, the Seattle Kraken weren’t getting production from their centres but as that has changed, a few more wins are finding their way to the Kraken. Yanni Gourde, who had one goal and zero assists in the first eight games, has bounced back with six points (1 G, 5 A) in the past six games. Matty Beniers, who had just three assists in his first 11 games, has four points (1 G, 3 A) during a three-game point streak.

#16 Another slow starter, Arizona winger Lawson Crouse had zero points in the first five games of the season but has put up eight points (5 G, 3 A) and 17 shots on goal in the seven games since. Because of his physical play, Crouse has value in banger leagues, but when he’s cooking, he scores enough to have value in deeper standard leagues, too.

#17 While Connor Bedard is deservedly drawing the most interest among the rookie class, especially after a four-point game against Tampa Bay on Thursday, there are some other freshman forwards making a mark, too. Philadelphia’s Bobby Brink, a second-round pick in 2019, has been held off the scoresheet in four of the past five games, but also has three multi-point games this season on his way to eight points (3 G, 5 A) in 12 games. Minnesota’s Marco Rossi had just one assist in 19 games for the Wild last season but has started to find his range. Rossi has six points (4 G, 2 A) while averaging more than 17 minutes of ice time in the past eight games. Nashville’s Luke Evangelista remains Calder Trophy eligible after playing 24 games, and scoring 15 points (7 G, 8 A) last season. He started slowly, but has eight points (1 G, 7 A) in the past nine games and is getting first unit power play time. Calgary’s Connor Zary was called up after scoring 10 points (1 G, 9 A) in six AHL games. Zary is skating on Nazem Kadri’s wing and has produced three points (1 G, 2 A) in his first three games for the Flames.

#18 A few sophomores of note, too: Arizona’s Matias Maccelli has 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in his past 10 games, building on a rookie season that saw him finish fourth in Calder Trophy voting. Winnipeg’s Cole Perfetti had his rookie season shortened by injury but is asserting himself in his second season. He has six points (2 G, 4 A) during a five-game point streak. Buffalo’s JJ Peterka is heating up, with six points (3 G, 3 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past six games. Peterka was named best forward at the World Championships, and could be primed for a breakout season.

#19 Tampa Bay’s Alex Barré-Boulet has been hovering on the fringes of the NHL for a while, managing eight points (6 G, 2 A) in 32 games over the previous three seasons, but the 26-year-old might be finally ready to hold a regular spot. He has seven points (4 G, 3 A) in his past nine games and while his ice time remains inconsistent, continued production could help solve that issue, and he is getting a chance on a line with Nick Paul and Steven Stamkos.

#20 One of the most puzzling players early in the season has to be the Islanders’ Anders Lee. His ice time is down to 15:49 per game, his lowest since 2016-2017, and he has just two points (1 G, 1 A) in 12 games. He has 26 shots on goal and, as a net-front force, he is among the leaders in individual expected goals during five-on-five play. That might suggest he is a buy-low option because it’s hard to imagine him continuing at this pace.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Early Standouts – Significant early injuries – Who benefits from opportunity

Scott Cullen — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 22:14:31 +0000

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

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help make decisions when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, a look at a new Panthers winger plus lots of early injuries including to significant players like Sebastian Aho, Gabriel Vilardi, Kirby Dach, Viktor Arvidsson, Matthew Boldy, Pavel Buchnevich, and more. That means new opportunities for others looking for a bigger role.

#1 In the past couple of seasons, Evan Rodrigues has proven to be a premier shot generator who could thrive in a supporting offensive role. In those two seasons – one with Pittsburgh and one with Colorado – he put up 82 points (35 G, 47 A) in 151 games while generating 2.85 shots on goal per game. That was something of a late breakthrough for the now 30-year-old forward who is looking at an even better opportunity this season in Florida. Rodrigues has opened the season skating on Aleksander Barkov’s wing and is averaging 18:54 time on ice per game, which would be a career high, on the way to producing five points (2 G, 3 A) and 17 shots on goal in his first four games. It is obviously a very small sample, but Rodrigues has the underlying numbers to make his production more sustainable. For a player that has never had 20 goals and 50 points in an NHL season, Rodrigues should be looking to exceed those numbers this season.

#2 Entering the season, there did not seem to be a lot of buzz surrounding new Ottawa Senators right winger Vladimir Tarasenko, a six-time 30-goal scorer who signed with the club as a free agent. The veteran winger has opened his Sens tenure with six points (2 G, 4 A) in four games, but that doesn’t alleviate the concerns about him entirely, either. He is averaging just 13:38 of ice time per game, which would be his lowest since his rookie season in 2012-2013, and he only has six shots on goal through four games. Although Tarasenko has been skating with rookie Ridly Greig at center, with Josh Norris returning to the Senators lineup, that could eventually help Tarasenko get more offensive opportunities, but the ice time and shot rate bear watching.

#3 It is not easy for Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson to get power play time on a team with Thomas Chabot and Jakob Chychrun already, which is not to say that it never happens, only that he ranks second among Sens defencemen in five-on-four ice time behind Chabot. Even so, Sanderson is off to a stellar start, producing five points (2 G, 3 A) in four games. He only has five shots on goal, which is not encouraging, but Sanderson is going to get quality ice time, even if he is not always going to be quarterbacking Ottawa’s top power play unit.

#4 A lot was made of the decline in performance last season from Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman, but it might be premature to start the 32-year-old blueliner into a heavy decline phase of his career. Hedman has contributed five points (1 G, 4 A) and 13 shots on goal through five games, which is a promising start, but the Lightning have been getting outshot with Hedman on the ice (46.2 CF%), too, and that hasn’t happened for more than a decade.

#5 Carolina Hurricanes centre Sebastian Aho has been out for a couple of games and while his injury is thought to be a day-to-day thing, his absence is still felt. Through a couple of games, the Hurricanes were getting 79.1% of expected goals with Aho on the ice during five-on-five play, In Aho’s absence, Teuvo Teravainen has moved into the first line centre role and Teravainen has scored four goals in five games to start the season. Additionally, the Hurricanes have better depth down the middle as Jesperi Kotkaniemi continues to develop. The 23-year-old has started his sixth NHL season with five points (2 G, 3 A) and 14 shots on goal in five games, averaging a career-high 15:51 of ice time per game.

#6 In a move that didn’t make a huge offseason splash, the Detroit Red Wings brought in puck-moving defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere. While he does not have a huge role, averaging 18:53 of ice time per game, Gostisbehere is getting first unit power play time alongside Moritz Seider and Gostisbehere already has four points (1 G, 3 A) in four games with the Red Wings controlling play (53.2 CF%) in Gostisbehere’s five-on-five minutes.

#7 Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews is the early leader in all-situations expected goals (3.76), ahead of Matthew Tkachuk (3.23), Connor Bedard (3.10), Artturi Lehkonen (2.85), Filip Forsberg (2.74), and Jack Eichel (2.64). Bedard is obviously playing a lot for Chicago and creating chances, but they have yet to materialize into goals. For a player who enters the league with a legendary release, Bedard’s ability to generate high-quality shots bodes well for his future production. It’s also encouraging to see Eichel playing at such a high level. He had an outstanding playoff, but it appears in the early going that Eichel is going to continue at an elite level. He leads the NHL with 28 shots on goal in five games, though Nathan MacKinnon (27) and Auston Matthews (26) are close behind while playing just four games.

#8 Winnipeg Jets RW Gabriel Vilardi is out for four-to-six weeks with a sprained MCL, which is a tough situation for a player who was averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game through two games. Vilardi was also rocking a 73.3 CF%, but now the Jets will need to find someone to fill those minutes. It looks like Mason Appleton will get first crack alongside Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele and that is a big opportunity for a 27-year-old who scored a career-high 25 points (12 G, 13 A) in 56 games in 2020-2021.

#9 Montreal lost centre Kirby Dach to a torn ACL, ending the 22-year-old’s season prematurely. He had two assists and 70.4 CF% in two games before getting hurt. Alex Newhook will slide into the middle of the ice to fill the hole created by Dach’s absence, while Tanner Pearson will move up the depth chart to take Newhook’s spot on left wing. Pearson, who played just 14 games last season, has two goals in three games to start his Habs career.

#10 On the Florida Panthers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last season, Sam Bennett was an impact player at centre, between Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk. Bennett has yet to play this season because of a lower-body injury, so Eetu Luostarinen is getting that opportunity. Unfortunately, he has yet to record a point and has just one shot on goal in four games. That is not making the most of the situation.

#11 Los Angeles Kings winger Viktor Arvidsson has been an excellent and sometimes underrated contributor, but he is out long term after undergoing back surgery, which means new opportunities on the right side in Los Angeles. Arthur Kaliyev is skating in Arvidsson’s typical spot, alongside Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore, while rookie Alexis Laferriere has landed a prime spot on the wing with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kevin Fiala. Kaliyev may have the higher upside as a scorer, as he has shown a strong ability to generate shots, even in limited ice time. Arvidsson’s injury should help ensure that Kaliyev sees a good jump in ice time this season, opening the door for a breakout season.

#12 Injuries have hit the Minnesota Wild hard early in the season. Rising star winger Matthew Boldy and defencemen Jared Spurgeon and Alex Goligoski are all out of action for Minnesota and they are not easily replaced. Taking Boldy’s spot is Samuel Walker, a 24-year-old who has two points (1 G, 1 A) in 10 career NHL games and did not have any points in two AHL games this season, but he did produce 48 points (27 G, 21 A) in 56 AHL games last season, so this is a real chance to Walker to show his stuff at the NHL level. Spurgeon’s absence also gives Calen Addison the role of first unit power play quarterback, which is an area in which the young defenceman has excelled, with 18 of his 29 points last season coming with the man advantage.

#13 While fourth lines are not going to bring big fantasy appeal, it’s worth noting what is happening in Detroit, where Christian Fischer (83.7 xGF%) and Klim Kostin (80.2 xGF%) are dominating play to a ridiculous degree. Austin Czarnik has played only two games, but Detroit has controlled 86.3% of expected goals during five-on-five play with Czarnik on the ice.

#14 Staying in Detroit, veteran winger Robby Fabbri made it through one game before suffering another injury and Fabbri’s injury presents an opportunity for Michael Rasmussen to climb up the depth chart. Rasmussen had a career-high 29 points (10 G, 19 A) in 56 games last season, but his average ice time has increased by more than a minute per game in the early going this season and he has a couple of points (1 G, 1 A) in four games.

#15 Although he can get overshadowed by the top two centres on the Devils roster, Erik Haula’s upper body injury is notable for a team that thrives on its depth. With Haula out, Michael McLeod moves from the fourth line centre to third line centre and while McLeod has established that he is a solid fourth liner, his offensive production has kept him in that role. He has just 10 goals in 157 games over the past two seasons, so if McLeod is ever going to shake his fourth-line label, he will need to take advantage when he gets the chance to play in the top nine.

#16 Expectations were already very low for the San Jose Sharks coming into the season, but it has been made even more difficult with veteran centres Mikael Granlund and Logan Couture out of the lineup. Rookie Thomas Bordeleau and veteran Luke Kunin are handling the middle six centre roles for the Sharks. Bordeleau has managed one goal and five shots on goal through four games while he has been caved in when it comes to puck possession (31.1 CF%). Kunin has yet to record a point and is not much better at driving play (33.0 CF%). This should come as little surprise, but it reveals how much of an uphill fight it is for San Jose right now.

#17 St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich suffered an upper-body injury when crushed into the boards by Seattle Kraken defenceman Jamie Oleksiak, and while Buchnevich has been out, the opportunity has fallen to 21-year-old Jake Neighbours, who has managed zero points and two shots on goal in three games this season. A chance to play in St. Louis’ top six is not bad, but it is up to Neighbours to show that he deserves to stay in a significant role over the long term.

#18 It is still super early, but there are some forwards raising red flags with their early struggles. Timo Meier was benched for the third period against Florida and has zero points and four shots on goal in three games. Meier has always been able to generate shots, so that is a notable concern with his game in New Jersey, but he really should be able to figure it out.

#19 When he returned to action last season following hip resurfacing surgery, Washington Capitals centre Nicklas Backstrom struggled, to a degree that he never really had in the NHL before. With a fresh start this season, 35-year-old Backstrom is still struggling to find his way. He has zero points in three games and is averaging 15:45 of ice time per game, which would be the lowest rate of his career. Backstrom is still getting top unit power play time but is skating between Sonny Milano and Tom Wilson at even strength, so he is not nearly the dangerous scoring threat that he was during his prime.

#20 After getting bought out by the Winnipeg Jets, 37-year-old right winger Blake Wheeler landed with the New York Rangers. Through four games with the Blueshirts, not only does Wheeler not have any points, but he is playing just 12:26 per game, which would be the lowest time on ice of his career. He is skating on a line with centre Vincent Trocheck and rookie left winger Will Cuylle. While Wheeler’s all-around game has declined in recent seasons, he still produced 55 points (16 G, 39 A) last season and early returns suggest that he will not be continuing at that level this season.

FANTASY HOCKEY: NHL Training Camp standout performances

Ryan Dadoun — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 16:50:14 +0000

BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 24: Boston Bruins center Matthew Poitras (51) dishes the puck off during a game between the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers on September 24, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

While you never want to assume too much based solely on preseason performances, fantasy managers can still benefit from keeping a close eye on what happens during training camp. Beyond just learning who will make each team’s Opening Night roster, we’re gaining valuable insight into potential line combinations and power-play assignments. In some cases, teams are already being forced to adjust to injuries as well, creating unexpected opportunities for players who were originally projected to begin the campaign in supporting roles.

Training camp isn’t over quite yet, but we’ve already learned enough to highlight some players who have seen their fantasy value meaningfully rise over the last couple of weeks.

Matt Poitras (Boston) – After losing Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci over the summer, the Bruins entered training camp with some sizable holes to fill up the middle. So far, Poitras has looked like a big part of the solution, impressing with his creative play and compete level. He is still just 19 years old, so some growing pains are to be expected, but the Bruins’ lack of center depth might lead to Poitras not only making the team but starting the campaign alongside Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk.

Matt Coronato (Calgary) – You never want to put too much weight on exhibition statistics, but Coronato has certainly made a good first impression by scoring four goals and seven points over his first five preseason contests. Part of what makes this offensive outburst noteworthy is that it’s not coming out of nowhere. The 20-year-old was already highly regarded after being taken by the Flames with the 13th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and contributing 36 points in 34 NCAA contests in each of his freshman and sophomore seasons with Harvard University. Coronato has a great shot and may have utilized it well enough to earn a spot on a line with Mikael Backlund.

Ryan Donato (Chicago) – While the first-line combination of veteran Taylor Hall and rookie Connor Bedard has been anticipated for months now, what’s been less clear is who will get to make up the final third of that potentially potent line. So far it looks like Donato will be that player, provided his recent groin injury doesn’t get in the way. The 27-year-old had 14 goals and 27 points in 71 contests while averaging a modest 11:15 of ice time with Seattle last season, but if he plays consistently on the top line, then he could reach new offensive heights by a substantial margin.

Jack Campbell (Edmonton) – Campbell’s first campaign with the Oilers couldn’t have gone much worse, ending with him posting a 3.41 GAA and an .888 save percentage in 36 contests, which was bad enough for Stuart Skinner to wrestle the starting gig from him. However, that was just the first campaign of Edmonton’s five-year commitment to Campbell, so whether Edmonton likes it or not, he’s back – and maybe this time will actually be better. Take this with a heap of salt, but Campbell has stopped 66 of 68 shots over his first two exhibition contests. He’s done well enough that Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft wasn’t ready to commit to an Opening Night starter as of Tuesday. There’s a lot of risk here, but after the campaign Campbell had, he’s become an intriguing buy-low candidate.

Calen Addison (Minnesota) – Although Addison served as a healthy scratch for 19 of the Wild’s last 29 regular-season games last year, it looks like he’s not only going to start the 2023-24 campaign in the lineup, but as part of the first power-play unit. That’s vital for Addison’s fantasy value. The 23-year-old defenseman had three goals and 29 points in 62 outings last season, including 18 points with the man advantage.

Mattias Norlinder (Montreal) – This one might be a bit of a stretch. After all, what are the odds that a 23-year-old defenseman coming off a campaign in which he recorded just 19 points in 67 AHL games not only manages to make the Canadiens, but puts up fantasy relevant numbers? Well, based on how training camp has gone, it’s not an impossibility. The main factor is that the Canadiens lack a clear power-play quarterback for its second unit and Norlinder, more than any other candidate, has taken advantage of that opening thus far. Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis has been impressed with his compete level, especially compared to where it was a year ago, and Norlinder looked particularly good in Montreal’s 5-4 overtime victory over Toronto on Monday, during which he scored a power-play goal. His spot on the team still isn’t secure, but it’s looking far more likely than it did when camp began.

Alexander Holtz (New Jersey) – The Devils’ forward core is an embarrassment of riches, but there was an opening to play on the second line alongside Timo Meier and Nico Hischier, and it looks like Holtz will be the winner of that battle. Holtz was limited to three goals and four points in 19 contests with the Devils in 2022-23, but he was averaging just 10:16 of ice time. It looks like he’ll have an opportunity to play a far bigger role this season and given his considerable offensive upside, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the 2020 seventh overall pick have a solid campaign.

Simon Holmstrom (New York Islanders) – You wouldn’t expect a forward who had six goals and nine points in 50 contests last season to be primed to put up significant offensive numbers, but Holmstrom might manage to do it. It’s important to keep in mind that he was limited to just 11:06 of ice time per game in 2022-23, which played a role in his terrible offensive output. By contrast, during training camp he’s been getting a long look on the top line with Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal. Injuries prevented Barzal and Horvat from developing chemistry last campaign, but they could prove to be an outstanding duo this season, so being along for the ride would be great news for Holmstrom.

Bobby Brink (Philadelphia) – Brink had an amazing season with the University of Denver in 2021-22, scoring 14 goals and 57 points in 41 NCAA games, but two years later, it looked like he might still need additional seasoning in the AHL before he’d be ready to earn a regular spot with the Flyers. That might still happen, but he’s making a serious case for himself during training camp to not only be part of the Flyers’ Opening Night roster, but to earn the coveted spot on the Flyers’ Sean Couturier line over Tyson Foerster. Going into training camp, Foerster seemed like the clear favorite for that role and his more impressive work last season – 48 points in 66 AHL games as well as seven points in eight contests with the Flyers – might ultimately give him the win. However, Brink has stood out during the preseason to make coach John Tortorella’s decision a tough one.

Jonas Johansson (Tampa Bay) – Johansson is no one’s first choice to be the starting goaltender for a team with Stanley Cup ambitions. The 28-year-old journeyman has just 35 contests worth of NHL experience and has been more miss than hit over that span, posting a 3.35 GAA and an .886 save percentage. Still, after Andrei Vasilevskiy underwent back surgery, Johansson is set to be Tampa Bay’s de facto starter for roughly the first two months of the campaign. There are silver linings here for the Lightning. Johansson has posted back-to-back shutouts to start the preseason, and he was solid in 2022-23 too, earning a 2.33 GAA and a .920 save percentage in 26 AHL contests as well as a 2.10 GAA and .932 save percentage in three games with Colorado. Johansson is also going to have the benefit of backing up an amazing offense, so even if he’s just okay, he could end up with a lot of wins, making him a solid mid-term pickup.

Cole McWard (Vancouver) – There are few players who have had a more surprising training camp than McWard. The undrafted 22-year-old defenseman recorded nine goals and 21 points in 39 NCAA games with Ohio State University in 2022-23 and then contributed a goal in five appearances with Vancouver to round out the campaign. Going into training camp, McWard was far from a certainty to make the Opening Night roster, but so far, he looks primed to start the campaign on the top pairing alongside Quinn Hughes. It is worth noting that he was paired with Guillaume Brisebois during Wednesday’s exhibition contest, but Hughes got that night off, and McWard had a mostly solid showing, so that game shouldn’t be seen as a sign that his fortunes are changing.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – MINNESOTA WILD – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 11:39:17 +0000

SAINT PAUL, MN - FEBRUARY 17: Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) shoots the puck while being defended by Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (4) during the NHL game between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild, on February 17th, 2023, at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

Review: The Wild are enduring a nightmare cap situation with the decision to buy out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter leaving the Wild with roughly $12.8 million in dead space in 2022-23. It’s hard to remain competitive under those conditions, but Minnesota ended up being solid with a 46-25-11 record. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson deserves a good share of the credit. In his first season out of Ottawa, the 24-year-old (25 now) posted a 22-9-7 record, 2.10 GAA and .931 save percentage in 39 outings. Veteran Marc-Andre Fleury wasn’t as good, but he was at least solid, and the combination resulted in Minnesota allowing the sixth fewest goals per game (2.67). The Wild sorely lacked scoring depth, but Kirill Kaprizov’s 40 goals and 75 points, complemented by Mats Zuccarello, Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek each recording at least 60 points, was enough to take advantage of the expert goaltending on most nights. What it wasn’t enough for was to push the Wild forward in the playoffs, though, and they consequently were ousted in the first round by Dallas.

What’s Changed? Very little, thanks to Minnesota’s cap situation. Defenseman Matt Dumba and enforcer Ryan Reaves left as free agents. Meanwhile, the Wild acquired bottom-six forward Patrick Maroon from Tampa Bay.

What would success look like? With Suter and Parise’s cap burden swelling to a combined $14.7 million this year, the Wild will once again be at a competitive disadvantage. Still, goaltender Gustavsson and forwards Eriksson Ek, Kaprizov and Boldy are young, positioning Minnesota to have a solid core for years to come. The Wild’s awkward cap situation runs through 2024-25, but after that they’ll be able to make major additions at a time when their core is in its prime. In the meantime, this is largely the same group that got them to the playoffs last year, so a similar outcome in 2023-24 wouldn’t be absurd.

What could go wrong? Though perhaps too much is resting on Gustavsson’s shoulders. He’s only played in 66 career NHL games, and not every goaltender who looks great at first goes on to have a strong career. If he regresses, that would be a huge problem because Fleury, who will turn 39 in November, shouldn’t be counted on to start regularly at this point. As it is, there’s no guarantee he’ll even be a good backup given his age.

Top Breakout Candidate: Although Minnesota had four players last year with at least 60 points, no one else on the team reached even the 40-point milestone. The Wild desperately need secondary scoring and Marco Rossi might be able to provide that. He’s been limited to an assist in 21 career NHL games, but Rossi has a lot of offensive upside and shined in the AHL last season, scoring 16 goals and 51 points in 53 outings. He should get a long look during training camp as a middle-six option.

Forwards

Kirill Kaprizov - LW

For the Minnesota Wild to have one of the most exciting players in the NHL, it’s a rare treat for their fans and for fans around the league. In just his third season, Kirill Kaprizov dazzled by piling up goals by the bucketload. He had his second straight 40-goal season by putting 40 up on the nose. His 75-point season was a drop from the 108 he had the year before, but he also missed 15 games because of a lower-body injury. Kaprizov led the Wild in goals and points for the third consecutive year and because of his outrageous ability to create offense, he’s hands down the Wild’s most important player. Minnesota was 23rd in the NHL in goals scored and Kaprizov accounted for 16.7 percent of them and nearly a third of their total offense. The Wild had strong goaltending and defense, but they had only a few players capable of finishing with regularity (four players had 20 or more goals). Kaprizov’s regular success since entering the NHL shows he can continue to do it and it’s clear the Wild absolutely need him to keep it up. While he and Mats Zuccarello were regularly together, Ryan Hartman’s injury hurt their overall production. A healthy Hartman should help Kaprizov make a run at the century mark once again.

Joel Eriksson Ek - C

The Wild’s outstanding two-way center was having a huge season for a team that was eager to make noise in the postseason, but ultimately, Joel Eriksson Ek’s season was derailed in April because he broke his leg blocking a shot late in the regular season. Eriksson Ek had 23 goals and a career-high 61 points last season in 78 games. Eriksson Ek attempted to return in Game 3 of their first round series against Dallas but lasted 19 seconds before departing for good. He ultimately needed surgery for the broken leg and will be ready for training camp and the regular season. Eriksson Ek has built up his offensive game steadily over his career, increasing his output each season since he entered the league in 2016-2017. The bar is set high for him now after his performance last season, but he teamed up mostly with Marcus Foligno and Matt Boldy last season, the latter of whom was third on the Wild in goals and points. A healthy Eriksson Ek will be vital to them returning to the postseason and improving their success therein. He’s vital to their 5-on-5 play, of course, but also to their power play and penalty kill. Do-it-all players like Eriksson Ek are the difference makers in the playoffs.

Matt Boldy - LW

While Kirill Kaprizov gets most of the attention in Minnesota, Matt Boldy is their other young star player who gives fans the most hope of a Stanley Cup down the road. In his second season in nearly twice as many games, Boldy scored 31 goals and had 63 points. He was third on the team in both categories and eight of his goals came on the power play. The Wild believe in Boldy in a big way. They signed him to a seven-year, $49 million extension in January and based on the numbers he put up, it was a heads-up move by GM Bill Guerin because further 30-goal seasons (or more) would’ve made that price a lot more uncomfortable. At 22 years old, Boldy is the key young player for the Wild. As good as Kaprizov is, he’s 26 years old after coming over from Russia. Boldy, the 12th pick in the 2019 draft, was one of the Wild’s top performers in possession and expected goal percentage at 5-on-5. While that’s not surprising for a player that had the kind of success he did, for a player at his age it’s beyond encouraging to see that he’s already among the best on the team. His career is just getting started, but the future for him is very bright.

Ryan Hartman - RW

An upper-body injury wreaked havoc on Ryan Hartman last season. In 59 games, he had 15 goals and 37 points. After putting up 34 goals and 65 points two years ago, the injury sidetrack was a tough blow for him and the Wild alike. Hartman plays a rugged, physical game and is a menace all over the ice, particularly around the net in the offensive zone. Despite missing 23 games after getting injured in a fight, he was second on the team in penalty minutes (90) which affirms how much he’s able to get under the skin of opposing players. Hartman’s physical nature is needed as the center between Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello because those two players aren’t out there to throw the body and get nasty. Hartman handles the dirty work, and he does it well and gets rewarded for it by cashing in on points. Hartman’s become a de facto No. 1 center because he’s most found between those two players. With Marco Rossi potentially on the way to the NHL this season, things could change up the middle for Minnesota’s forward units, but after the consistent success Hartman has had, it would take significant improvement from Rossi to unseat him.

Mats Zuccarello - C

It’s hard to find players as consistently strong offensively as Mats Zuccarello. The 35-year-old Norwegian was second on the Wild with 67 points. Zuccarello is a solid even strength scorer, but he’s also dynamite on the power play. He had nine goals and 29 points on the man advantage last season, and he averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time per game playing on the Wild’s top line. His production was a bit down compared to two years ago, but considering his age and that he had a career-high 79 points then, that he was still one of the team’s top scorers and vital to their success, it says everything you need to know about him. He teamed up on a line with Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman (as well as Sam Steel in Hartman’s injury absence) and that group drove Minnesota’s offense throughout the season. While Kaprizov and Hartman do more damage scoring goals, Zuccarello excels at setting them up to score. It’s hard to think coach Dean Evason would break that trio up this season, but if Marco Rossi makes a strong case in training camp or throughout the season, things could change. That said, the chemistry those three players have is outstanding and that goes a long way to helping set the lines. This season is a contract year for Zuccarello, and he’ll be 36 once it begins. He’ll have a lot to play for every year from here on out until he retires.

Marcus Johansson - RW

A return to Minnesota was just the thing Marcus Johansson needed to rejuvenate his game. Johansson began last season with Washington, but the Wild re-acquired him around the trade deadline and in 20 games in Minnesota he posted 18 points including six goals. Overall, he had 46 points in 80 games between the Capitals and Wild, but his play to close out the season with Minnesota earned him a new two-year, $4 million contract to stay put. Johansson was last in Minnesota in 2020 after he was acquired in a trade with Buffalo. He played 36 games in the COVID-19-shortened season and put up 14 points in 36 games and later departed for Seattle in free agency. But his return to the Twin Cities lit a fire under him and he also contributed two goals in the Wild’s six-game series loss to Dallas in the first round of the playoffs. His offensive abilities are strong, and he gives the Wild key depth they’ll need to keep up with the other playoff contenders in the West. Johansson played well on a line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy and it stands to reason he’ll be back with them again when the season begins. Johansson will turn 33 this season so his veteran presence is important, but they’ll need him to help spur Boldy to more goals and help on the power play even more this year.

Marcus Foligno - LW

Although he’s not the captain of the team, there’s little doubt that one of the Wild’s strongest on-ice leaders is Marcus Foligno. “Moose” takes care of business on the ice by chipping in with the occasional well-timed goal but also by delivering punishing hits and the occasional fight to fire his teammates up. He had seven goals and 21 points in 65 games last season (lower-body injuries caused him to miss games throughout the year) but he led the Wild with 237 hits which placed him in the top-15 in the NHL in that category. He also led the team with 97 penalty minutes. While that’s not the kind of category you want a player to lead, his penalties were generally crimes of effort because of the physical nature. Two seasons ago, Foligno had a career year with 23 goals and 42 points and assuredly the Wild would love to see him return to that kind of form, but he’ll need good health to allow for that possibility. He teamed up most often with Joel Eriksson Ek last season as well as Jordan Greenway before he was traded to Buffalo. This season he may wind up on a line with Frederick Gaudreau depending on how things shake out. One thing that’s for sure is whoever he’s on a line with can reap the benefits of having one of the league’s hardest working players leading the way.

Frederick Gaudreau - C

One of Minnesota’s most pleasant stories the past two seasons has centered around Frederick Gaudreau. When the Wild signed him as a free agent in the summer of 2021, he just finished his fourth NHL season after a year in Pittsburgh and three previously in Nashville with plenty of time spent in the AHL as well. Since becoming a regular with the Wild, he’s scored 33 goals and has 82 points in 158 games. He set a career high with 19 goals last season and finished with 38 points. His first season in Minnesota saw him put up 44 points. Playing as a third line center, Gaudreau has found a home in Minnesota and a role as the ultimate versatile forward. He played most of his minutes last season with Matt Boldy but also carved up equal amounts of time with Mats Zuccarello, Kirill Kaprizov, Jordan Greenway, Brandon Duhaime, and others. Having a player like that who can step in between any two wingers and be able to be productive and not a detriment is desperately needed for any team in the league. The Wild having Gaudreau score 35-to-45 points while being that guy helps steady their lineup in general, but he particularly makes their middle-or-bottom-six more potent offensively.

Brandon Duhaime - RW

When Brandon Duhaime arrived in the NHL two seasons ago, he announced his presence with physical authority delivering hits and racking up penalty minutes. Last season, things calmed down a bit but a lot of that was due to unfortunate upper-body injuries that held him to 51 games. In that time, he had nine goals and one assist but still managed to pile up 146 hits and 42 penalty minutes. When you consider he had 122 PIM and 201 hits in 80 games in his rookie season the year before, it’s easy to identify which part of the game was missing from the Wild lineup. Duhaime’s feisty play fed Minnesota’s energy lines where he teamed up most often with Conor Dewar, Ryan Reaves, and Frederick Gaudreau. The message was clear when he took a shift: it was time to stir the game up and raise the temperature a few degrees. As he enters his third season, he’s hopeful the injury issues will be behind him so he can contribute regularly and give the Wild more of the physical element they’re looking for deeper in their lineup. Duhaime has no reluctance to get involved and it’s made him a favorite among the fan base.

Pat Maroon - LW

The Wild’s six-game ouster from the postseason to Dallas last year sent a message that was clear as day to read: They needed a spark. They were pushed around by the Stars and often outclassed despite it being a six-game series and to address that they brought in a Stanley Cup champion ringer in Pat Maroon. After winning the Cup three seasons in a row with St. Louis and twice with Tampa Bay, Maroon will try to bring that good fortune with him to St. Paul where the Wild could use a hearty injection of his gamesmanship and grit. Last season with Tampa Bay, Maroon had five goals and 14 points but led the NHL with 150 penalty minutes. He also posted 172 hits and while hits aren’t a lacking category on the Wild with the likes of Marcus Foligno and Brandon Duhaime among others, Maroon’s play helps establish the tone. The Wild didn’t trade for Maroon as a means to reinvent the wheel so to speak, but rather to give them a third- or fourth-line winger who can contribute and knows what it takes to go all the way and that’s a book full of lessons the Wild need to desperately study.

Defense

Jonas Brodin - D

When it comes to defensive defensemen, Jonas Brodin stands out among them as one of the most respected in the league. While Brodin can help with the offensive game, it’s how he handles himself and opponents when he’s on the ice that makes him special. He’s always tasked with the toughest matchups and must fend off the league’s most ferocious scorers, game in and game out. Brodin missed 22 games last season and had three goals and 14 points last season which was a down year for him. In recent years, 20-to-30 points has been a more likely outcome, but he can partially be excused thanks to injury. Still, his 0.23 points per game as his lowest output since 2018-2019. All that said, Brodin was the Wild’s best defenseman in shot attempt percentage and was second best in expected goal percentage. Steady is what teams want from defensemen and the Wild are ecstatic that Brodin is nothing but steady. He averaged the most time on-ice per game on the roster and as he goes, so does Minnesota’s defense. Being solid defensively doesn’t often make the highlight reels, but Brodin is exceptional in his ability.

Jared Spurgeon - D

The Minnesota Wild captain showed why he earned the “C” on his jersey with how he handles the blue line. His 34 points was the best among Wild defensemen as were his 11 goals. Spurgeon has always had a strong offensive game throughout his career and his point total fell in line almost perfectly with his career output. In six of the past seven seasons, he’s scored 30-or-more points and that one outlier season was the COVID-19-shortened 2020-2021 season and he still had 25 points that year. Spurgeon is the guy that once owned the power play but now he’s become their penalty killing stalwart thanks to the arrival of Calen Addison. That said, he’s still getting time on the power play just on a support unit instead of the main group. He averaged nearly 22 minutes of ice time per game last season and got Lady Byng votes because he only had 14 penalty minutes. Spurgeon’s all-around play is outstanding and even though he’s not exactly a large-sized player at 5’9” 166 pounds, he performs in a big way. The Wild count on him in a big way and that he paired up almost exclusively with Jacob Middleton last season, he’s got a partner who will do a lot of the dirty work needed to free him up to create offensively when needed.

Calen Addison - D

Trading Jason Zucker was not an easy move for the Wild back in February 2020, but that they came away with the Pittsburgh Penguins’ top prospect at the time turned out to be a big win because Calen Addison has lived up to his scouting reports. Addison got his first full-season taste of the NHL last season after splitting time between the AHL and NHL the previous two and put up 29 points including three goals in 62 games. Addison’s skill as a puck mover was well evident in his play and how he was able to conduct himself as the Wild’s No. 1 power play quarterback was strong as the Wild had the No. 15 power play in the league and scored 21.4 percent of the time. What the Wild hope to see out of Addison this season is a guy who’s grown into his skin and the roles he’ll move ahead with on the team. He showed savvy and confidence in how he handled the puck last season, but after getting the first real season under his belt, they’ll bank on him to be a lead puck mover in all situations and to improve upon his all-around numbers on the power play and ideally give the Wild a power play to be feared across the league.

Goaltending

Filip Gustavsson - G

When the Minnesota Wild traded veteran Cam Talbot to the Ottawa Senators and brought in the younger, cheaper Filip Gustavsson, it seemed like a gamble designed just to tide them over until prospect Jesper Wallstedt was ready to go pro. And instead, Gustavsson took the opportunity to prove that sometimes, all a young goaltender needs are a new environment with a little more structure; after putting up one of the worst performances of the rotating carousel of goaltenders Ottawa had trotted out the year prior, Gustavsson put up not just the best performance in Minnesota but one of the best in the entire league.

Gustavsson boasts a litany of prototypical Swedish goaltending traits, preferring to push across the crease from his knees and staying in motion rather than setting and trying to maintain good mental rhythm without physical accompaniment. But while he struggled not to show his hand too early during his stint in Ottawa, the more structured environment of Minnesota’s goaltending situation helped to give the young NHLer a chance to establish better harmony with his defense and look more at home holding his feet instead of giving himself away. He looked more in control of the space he occupied in the blue paint during his time with the Wild last year, and the reliability of his game – he doesn’t seem to try to do too much, even when things get chaotic around the net – helped elevate the team’s play in front of him, too. With Marc-Andre Fleury creeping closer to 40 and the team likely needing to limit the future Hall of Famer’s starts more in the coming year, the real test will be to see just how well Gustavsson can replicate his successes from last season as the likely de facto number one for the Central Division club.

Projected starts: 50-55

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Young Players Making a Mark, Significant Injuries and Impact

Scott Cullen — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 14:29:42 +0000

20 FANTASY POINTS

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

Although it is still quite early in the NHL season, there have been some developments worth tracking for fantasy managers. Nick Robertson, Cole Caufield, and Gabriel Vilardi are young players making a mark while Aaron Ekblad, Gabriel Landeskog, and Jakub Vrana are all going to miss significant time.

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 26: Toronto Maple Leafs Left Wing Nicholas Robertson (89) in action during the regular season NHL game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs on April 26, 2022 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON.(Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire)

#1 At the start of the season, the Toronto Maple Leafs demoted winger Nick Robertson to the American Hockey League, likely a victim of a salary cap crunch. The 2019 second-round pick has had some injuries, but he has also contributed 46 points (22 G, 24 A) in 51 AHL games, a strong indication that he should be able to produce in the NHL. Prior to this season, Robertson had a few stints with the Maple Leafs and had managed just one goal and one assist in 16 games, playing less than 10 minutes per game. That was his background before making his season debut for the Leafs against Dallas on Thursday night. Robertson skated on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander and scored a pair of goals, including the winner in overtime. He has a rocket shot and his speed stands out in the Maple Leafs lineup, so there is a real opportunity for Robertson to stick in a scoring role.

#2 Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield has been a different player since Martin St. Louis took over behind the Habs bench last season. In 42 games since St. Louis was hired, Caufield has scored 40 points (26 G, 14 A), finishing at better than a 50-goal pace over 82 games. One reason to be particularly encouraged about Caufield’s play this season is that he has recorded 20 shots on goal in five games and averaging 4.0 shots per game is a significant jump (in a small sample) from the 3.1 per game that he averaged even with St. Louis as head coach last season.

#3 The Philadelphia Flyers have been an early surprise, thanks in large part to goaltender Carter Hart, who has a .943 save percentage in three starts. Hart entered the league with significant hype and provided better than average results for his first couple of seasons before things went sideways the past couple of years. He may not have great support in front of him this season, but there is still a chance for Hart to fulfill his vast potential.

#4 The Florida Panthers were dealt potentially devastating news when Aaron Ekblad landed on long-term injured reserve with a groin injury. The Panthers insist that it is not a season-ending injury but for a team that traded MacKenzie Weegar to Calgary in the offseason, losing Ekblad for months is going to test Florida’s blueline talent. Gustav Forsling, who has four points (1 G, 3 A) and 15 shots on goal in four games this season, is likely to become the prime offensive threat on the Panthers blueline, followed by Brandon Montour, who is dealing with his own upper-body injury right now.

#5 Detroit Red Wings left winger Jakub Vrana has entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. Any time a player goes into this program, the well-being of the player takes precedence over any potential timeline for return, so his absence must be considered indefinite. Vrana being out does figure to create an opportunity for Filip Zadina, the 22-year-old winger who has already been a healthy scratch early in the season. Zadina has produced 61 points (25 G, 36 A) in 161 career games, underwhelming numbers from the sixth pick in the 2018 Draft.

#6 It was already understood that Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog would not be ready for the start of the season but now word has come that he will be out for three months following knee surgery. That long-term absence is going to test Colorado’s forwards. Valeri Nichushkin is a prime candidate to step up in Landeskog’s absence. Nichushkin had a breakthrough season for the Avs in 2021-2022, scoring 52 points (25 G, 27 A) in 62 games and adding 15 points (9 G, 6 A) in 20 playoff contests. He has carried that into this season, putting up eight points (5 G, 3 A) with 15 shots on goal in the first four games.

#7 The 11^th pick in the 2017 Draft, Los Angeles Kings forward Gabriel Vilardi was supposed to be a playmaking center that would complement Anze Kopitar down the middle of the ice. Injuries sidetracked his career and there were probably some doubts about whether he was going to be a productive NHLer. Vilardi has found early success playing the wing this season, scoring seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 14 shots on goal in six games. He has struggled to generate shots consistently in previous turns with the Kings, so that is a stat worth monitoring to see if his early scoring might continue.

#8 Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin had a breakthrough season in 2021-2022, scoring a career-high 53 points (15 G, 38 A) and that might just be scratching the surface of his vast potential. The first pick in the 2018 Draft, Dahlin has started this season with six points (4 G, 2 A) and 16 shots on goal in four games. He will not continue to score at a goal-per-game pace but generating four shots on goal per game is encouraging for Dahlin’s long-term scoring potential. Some players need to be turned loose to bring out their best and Dahlin appears to be one of those players.

#9 After notching a hat trick against the Edmonton Oilers Thursday, Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov is now tied for the goal-scoring lead, with six. Svechnikov also has 18 shots on goal in four games and putting up 4.5 shots per game would likely lead to the best goal-scoring output of his career. He scored a career high 30 goals last season when he averaged 3.2 shots on goal per game.

#10 Aside from changing their head coach, the Philadelphia Flyers did little to improve their team in the offseason, which meant that expectations were going to be higher for some players already on the roster. Travis Konecny might have been the poster boy for a skilled player from whom the Flyers needed more production, and he has responded early in this season. Through four games, Konecny is averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game and has six points (4 G, 2 A) and 15 shots on goal.

#11 It might be a good time to buy low on San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier, who has no goals and two assists through six games. Meier also has launched 26 shots on goal, the most among skaters that have yet to record a goal this season. Los Angeles Kings winger Trevor Moore and Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner, with 20 shots, are next in line among forwards still seeking their first goal of the season.

#12 25-year-old Boston Bruins left winger A.J. Greer has struggled to earn a regular spot in the league since he was a second-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2015. He is getting a chance to play with Boston this season and has five points (3 G, 2 A) and nine shots on goal in five games despite playing 10 minutes per game for the Bruins, ranking ahead of only Trent Frederic among Bruins skaters to appear in more than one game. Greer is not yet fantasy relevant but is worth watching to see if he can turn this into a longer stay in the National Hockey League.

#13 Although this season figures to be a painful one for the Arizona Coyotes, veteran defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere is getting ample opportunity to showcase his offensive skills. In four games, Gostisbehere has five points (2 G, 3 A) and 14 shots on goal. He is already minus-6 in four games, so he could be unplayable in leagues that count plus-minus but otherwise he ought to be a productive defenseman, even on a bad team.

#14 As the Florida Panthers remodeled their lineup in the offseason, it was easy enough to overlook their signing of Colin White, the 25-year-old who had his contract bought out by the Ottawa Senators. White is playing less than 12 minutes per game, almost exclusively with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, but has contributed four points (2 G, 2 A) and six shots on goal in four games. Early production could give White a shot at moving up the Florida depth chart.

#15 The early leader in the rookie scoring race is Minnesota Wild defenseman Calen Addison, who has six assists in four games. A second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2018, Addison was acquired in the deal that sent winger Jason Zucker to the Penguins. Addison had 58 points (13 G, 45 A) in 77 AHL games and four points in 18 games with the Wild prior to this season. When the Wild traded veteran Dmitry Kulikov to Anaheim in the offseason, that opened the door for Addison to stick in the NHL.

#16 Injuries tend to hamper Seattle Kraken left winger Jaden Schwartz, but he remains a productive player when heathy. He has three points (2 G, 1 A) and 16 shots on goal through five games this season and is a consistent play-driver. So long as he can stay healthy, Schwartz should have some fantasy appeal.

#17 Coming into the season, the Boston Bruins looked like they would have a strong tandem in goal with Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Ullmark has lived up to his end of the deal, posting a .938 save percentage in four games. Swayman has only played two games, but he has stopped just 40 of 49 shots in those two games, which is a .816 save percentage. Given those numbers, Ullmark would appear to have an early edge if the Bruins are going to lean towards the goaltender that is playing at a higher level.

#18 It is very early and even the best goalies can have down seasons, to say nothing of a few bad starts, but there are some goaltenders falling way short of their high expectations in the first few weeks of this season. Marc-Andre Fleury has a .813 save percentage, Thatcher Demko is at .861, Jacob Markstrom at .862, and Jack Campbell at .874. For fantasy managers, there is not much to be done with these goaltenders except to wait for better results because there is no value to be had in selling low at such an early stage of the season, especially on goaltenders that are going to hold No. 1 jobs.

#19 New York Islanders right winger Oliver Wahlstrom is still playing just 12 minutes per game, but the 11^th pick in the 2018 Draft has shown that he can put the puck in the net. In three games this season, he has four points (3 G, 1 A) and nine shots on goal. He is not going to keep scoring on one-third of his shots, but it would not be unreasonable to think that Wahlstrom is going to force his way into more playing time as the season goes along.

#20 Among players that have played at least 50 minutes this season, the leader in all-situations individual expected goals per 60 minutes is New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier at 2.71, ahead of Matthew Tkachuk (2.39), Mika Zibanejad (2.29), Erik Haula (2.17), and Andrei Kuzmenko (2.17).

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – MINNESOTA WILD – Top 20 Prospects

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 18:44:27 +0000

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 06: Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi (23) skates with the puck during the NHL game between Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins on January 6, 2022, at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire)

1 - Marco Rossi C

The last two years have not been easy for Marco Rossi, the ninth overall pick by Minnesota in 2020. For those unaware, he missed nearly all of the 2020-21 season due to Covid-19 complications. For the average person, this would be quite the setback. However, Rossi is a notoriously hard worker and gym rat and he worked hard to get himself back for the start of last season. It was a highly successful one for him too, as he led the Iowa Wild in scoring and even earned a cup of coffee with Minnesota: quite the remarkable bounce back. The Austrian pivot is a tremendous playmaker. His vision and passing precision may be among the best of any player currently outside of the NHL. He may not be huge, but he is also as strong as an ox, allowing Rossi to control the wall and the puck in open ice. He is so difficult to separate from the puck. He is also a strong two-way presence who brings physical intensity and a hunger for the puck on every shift. If his development goes well, Rossi could easily find himself a candidate for the Selke Trophy at some point during his career. One of the only things missing from his game at a younger age are explosiveness and first step quickness. An average skater, Rossi will need to continue to improve in this department to unlock his full potential. The Wild will be forced to make a tough decision this coming season. It is very likely he will push hard for a spot on the Wild’s main roster; however, Minnesota’s forward depth is very strong right now. They could use Rossi in a fourth line center role and ease him in, using him on the penalty kill and higher in the lineup pending injuries, or they could return him to Iowa so that he can play first line minutes again. Either way, he is not far from making an impact at the NHL level. - BO

2 - Jesper Wallstedt G

The 20^th overall selection in the 2021 NHL draft by the Minnesota Wild, Wallstedt fell on draft day from where many in the public eye thought he was supposed to go. It is fairly hard to evaluate young goaltenders as most are wild cards, but Wallstedt has been a special talent for a long time and continues to prove why. In his draft eligible year, he did something that no other draft eligible goalie has ever done, which was play his entire 18-year-old season as the starting goaltender in the SHL. Not only did Wallstedt start, but he performed surprisingly well, finishing the year with 12 wins, a 2.23 GAA and a .908 SV% in 22 games on a poor Luleå team. He may not be the biggest goalie prospect but at 6’3” he is not small. For his age, he never seems to lose his composure even when faced with pressure. He tracks shots extremely well from all angles and has strong rebound control, rarely allowing a second shot on net. Wallstedt built on his draft eligible season by improving his numbers this past season, producing 12 wins, a 1.98 GAA and a .918 SV% over 22 games. He also recently played for Sweden in the August World Juniors, where he dominated the field, putting up a 1.62 GAA and a .940 SV% on route to help Sweden capture bronze. He was also named best goaltender in the entire tournament. Wallstedt signed his entry level contract with the Wild and is expected to transition to North America and start the year in the AHL playing for the Iowa Wild. Time will tell, but Wallstedt seems like a generational goalie and someone who folks will wonder how he ever fell to the 20^th pick in his draft year. - ZS

3 - Danila Yurov RW

One of the biggest surprises of the 2022 draft was Yurov lasting as long as the 24^th pick. Even taking the new Russian factor into consideration, a player who was considered a Top 10 talent and has been a consistent performer all season long, falling that much just doesn’t make sense, although Wild fans and management are happy to take advantage of the situation. Yurov has complete player potential, as he demonstrates potential greatness in every area of his game, giving him clear top six upside. One of the internal jokes between the draft analysts was his usage in the KHL last season, as he barely got any ice time there at all despite his number of games there being solid on paper, yet he was mostly dressed as the 13^th forward there. The good news is that, according to his coaches’ comments and as seen in preseason games, it is expected that he will get a full-time role on the KHL team next season. It should also be mentioned that Yurov is in the final year of his KHL contract, although it is not out of the question that he would sign an extension. The quality of opportunity provided to him will likely play an outsized role in how much longer Yurov stays in Russia. - VF

4 - Brock Faber D

Brock Faber may have been selected in the second round of the 2020 NHL draft, but it’s difficult to imagine that he’d fall that far if the draft was re-done today. Faber, half of the Wild’s return package as part of the Kevin Fiala trade, has been a treat to watch at Minnesota, doing just about everything a coach could want a shutdown defenseman to do. Faber has been a minutes-eating defenseman for the Golden Gophers, operating in any sort of high-leverage situation his team might find themselves in. The safety that’s present in Faber’s game works to his advantage. When play is at its most hectic, Faber has this way of calming things down and stabilizing his team’s defensive effort. Faber is a goalie’s best friend, and he also should be able to handle a role as an anchor for a more aggressive offensive defenseman who has defensive deficiencies. Albeit very rare, there are some defensemen who are never great scorers at lower levels only to unlock a new level of production as professionals. Faber could be one of those defensemen, likely if he’s paired with offense-first defensemen and therefore placed in more advantageous offensive situations. Faber isn’t enough of an individual creator to rubber-stamp as a potential number-one defenseman, but he looks like as safe of a bet to eventually become a leader in a team’s top-four as any prospect can realistically be. - EH

5 - Liam Ohgren LW

Ohgren was selected 19^th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the most recent NHL draft. He had a dominant draft year in the J20 league playing for Djurgårdens. Statistically, Ohgren put up one of the strongest DY numbers in the J20 league, with 33 goals and 58 points in only 30 games. He also spent some time in the SHL for Djurgårdens, producing 2 points in 25 games in a limited role. Internationally is where Ohgren really stood out. In the April U18 tournament, he was named captain and led his team to a gold medal finish. He left a statement on that tournament with 9 points in 6 games, topped off with 2 goals – including the game winner - and an assist in the gold medal game. Ohgren is balanced offensively, having both power and finesse. He generates power and speed with a quick release which often catches goaltenders off guard. Standing at 6’1”, 200 pounds, he uses his size to protect the puck nicely. The next step needed to elevate his game is to work on the first step in his skating stride. If he can elevate the speed he generates on his skating stride, Ohgren will have plenty of success in the NHL. He should play for Djurgårdens this season, mainly with the senior team. Hopefully his role in the men’s league (Allsvenskan, as the team was relegated last season) will increase, giving him a larger opportunity to showcase and develop his offensive talent. - ZS

6 - Calen Addison D

Acquired as part of the package in the Jason Zucker to Pittsburgh trade a few years ago, Addison has been a standout in the Wild system thus far since turning pro. His offensive skill set and powerplay quarterbacking abilities have transitioned seamlessly to the pro level and it appears that he has significant potential as a point producer on the back end at the NHL level. An undersized defender, Addison has actually proven that he can defend well as a professional. He never backs down from a physical challenge and has developed into a pretty good open ice hitter. So, what’s stopping him from taking that next step as a permanent NHL player? Minnesota’s depth on the blueline is a team strength, even more so after trading for Jacob Middleton late last season. The reality is that there just isn’t space for Addison right now, unless they want him sitting in the press box, which would not be the best thing for his development. So, like he did last year, he will serve as the team’s top defensive call-up in case of injury. Maybe that means at some point this year he earns a permanent spot. He did get into 15 games last year. However, there is also a possibility that Minnesota uses Addison as a trade chip at some point, as the team has championship aspirations in 2022-23. - BO

7 - Carson Lambos D

After missing almost all of his abbreviated draft year, it was great to see Lambos healthy and playing again in Winnipeg. A near point per game player on the blueline for the Ice, he helped them to a terrific year: although with a disappointing finish after they lost to Edmonton in the Conference finals. Lambos is an excellent athlete. His four-way movement is sound, and he has great quickness, exploding quickly to evade forechecks and start the breakout. He may not be a natural offensive defender; his hands and shot probably grade out as average at the NHL level, however he does have some potential to be a point producer. Due to his combination of size, mobility, and physicality, Lambos’ NHL future may be tied to his defensive development. When he plays aggressively, he can be a difference maker in the defensive end. However, there are moments where his concentration seems to wane and his decision making suffers. There is room for improvement in his defensive zone reads. His difficulty with pace was one of the reasons why he was scratched for the majority of the recent WJC’s in Edmonton. This coming season Lambos will return to Winnipeg where he should be one of the WHL’s top defenders. With a strong year of development at both ends, he could push for a spot on Minnesota’s blueline the following season and projects as a solid second pairing defender. - BO

8 - Ryan O'Rourke D

The 39th overall selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, Ryan O’Rourke has continued to look like a solid pick for the Wild. The former 20th overall selection in the 2018 OHL Draft had a great rookie season, finishing with 22 points (8G,14A) in 62 games. During the 2019-2020 season, O’Rourke was named captain of the Greyhounds and had another great season, finishing with 37 points (7G,30A) in 54 games. In the 2020-2021 season, O’Rourke got the opportunity like some others to play in the AHL, which was an exception made because of the OHL being shutdown. He made the adjustment well and didn’t look out of place, finishing the season with seven points (1G,6A) in 33 games. Getting the experience to play in the AHL as a young defenseman is a great opportunity to grow and O’Rourke definitely did just that. In the 2021-2022 season, O’Rourke made the return to the OHL and had another great season, finishing with 46 points (10G,36A) in 51 games, which was 15th in the league for points by a defenseman and 3rd on the team for assists. O’Rourke’s best assets are his competitiveness and physicality. You know when he’s on the ice because he’s always in the battle for the puck, having a relentless motor that allows him to out-battle any opponent. Not only does he have a motor that never quits, but he also uses great physicality whenever the chance is there, making opponents feel his presences. He’s great at closing gaps in transition and suppressing chances by the net by clearing space well with his body. Going into the 2022-2023 season, O’Rourke will make a return to the AHL and look to continue to be a strong defensive defenseman that can move the puck well. - DK

9 - Marat Khusnutdinov C

Marat Khusnutdinov was selected #37 by the Minnesota Wild in 2020. He has become a more well-rounded player since being selected in the draft. He has also proven to be a team leader, serving as the captain of Russian national teams. And although his production is still below the norm, he hasn't lost his speed advantage over KHL players and has proven, already, to be an excellent role player. Khusnutdinov can be a dynamic offensive player. He has the ability to draw people to him then find that open guy and slide it to him. His hockey IQ is impressive, and he plays a consistent 200-foot game. He is very shifty, always around the puck, battles for every loose puck and needs very little space to make something happen. Khusnutdinov could stand to be better at protecting the puck at full speed and this would allow him to be more of a focal point offensively. Off to a quick start at the KHL level already this season, he will play out both this season and next season under a new contract. After 2023/24, he will have to make a decision on whether to make the jump to Minnesota in an attempt to make the Wild. Given his well-rounded profile, he projects as a middle six center for Minnesota who could potentially play in all situations. - DB

10 - Rieger Lorenz LW

It’s not incredibly common that a player spending his draft season in Canadian Junior A. gets picked in the first two rounds of the NHL draft, but as taking the NCAA becomes more and more of a viable option for Canadian prospects, more picks from leagues such as the AJHL and BCHL will happen. Winger Rieger Lorenz was the 56th overall pick at the 2022 draft, earning his selection there on the backs of an 85-point regular-season campaign with the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. The six-foot-two Lorenz looked overqualified for that level. There was little pressure that defenders could apply to Lorenz that Lorenz couldn’t handle. NHL scorers typically must either create space with their skating or their puck protection skills to be impactful offensive players, and at the AJHL level Lorenz was able to create space using both tools. Lorenz protects the puck well in order to give himself space to operate, and he has the edgework to create room with his skating as well. Lorenz will head to the University of Denver next season, and there he will attempt to answer some questions that could keep him from living up to the promise he shows as a second-round pick. Firstly, Lorenz will need to show that his skating is still good enough to separate against top-end college defenders. Secondly, Lorenz will need to improve his play without the puck. He was so dominant at the AJHL level that he simply didn’t need to be a two-way force, as he could have his way offensively more often than not. In the NCAA, Lorenz will face greater tests. He has a chance to become a second or third-line scoring winger at the NHL level if he spends his time at Denver well. - EH

11 - Adam Beckman

There were some ups and downs for the former WHL standout in his first full pro season. His IQ is a major positive, but his skating still needs upgrades before he becomes a consistent offensive threat at the pro level.

12 - Jack Peart

The former second round pick had a strong freshman year at St. Cloud State last season. Creating offense from the backend is his speciality. Even bigger things are expected of him as a sophomore.

13 - Daemon Hunt

If Hunt could only stay healthy. When he’s played, Hunt has been a standout at both ends with the mobility, skill, and physicality to be an impactful two-way defender. However, as he enters his first pro season, durability is a concern.

14 - Filip Gustavsson

Acquired for veteran Cam Talbot, the former Senators young netminder will likely serve as Marc Andre Fleury’s backup this year. Jury is still out on whether he has what it takes to be a starter down the line.

15 - Hunter Haight

Thanks to a lost season (due to the pandemic), Haight is a player who struggled with on ice identity as an OHL rookie and draft eligible player last season. He has a lot of intriguing tools, but how they come together remains to be seen.

16 - David Spacek

The son of former NHL defender Jaroslav Spacek, David is an intelligent two-way puck mover who plays in the QMJHL with Sherbrooke. Upgrading his athleticism and mobility is priority number one.

17 - Vladislav Firstov

After a disappointing junior season with UConn, Firstov has turned pro and will join Iowa next year. The big winger is plenty skilled, but consistency remains an issue.

18 - Michael Milne

A 2022 draft selection, Milne looks like a surefire NHL player in some capacity thanks to his speed, tenacity, and improving skill. The Winnipeg Ice standout has options on where to play this coming year, but he should turn pro.

19 - Marshall Warren

Warren will return to Boston College for his senior season after improving each of his first three NCAA seasons. Warren is mobile and moves the puck efficiently. What will his role at the NHL level be without truly dominant qualities at either end?

20 - Mitchell Chaffee

The big winger, formerly of UMass, continues to be a standout at the AHL level since signing as an FA. He was second in goal scoring for Iowa last year. Durability has proven to be a concern, however, as he has had trouble staying healthy and sustaining momentum which would lead to him cracking Minnesota full time.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK: Fantasy Prospect Rankings – 30 Forwards, 20 Defenseman, 10 Goalies

Peter Harling — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 18:19:43 +0000

When preparing for a fantasy draft or evaluating prospects for a trade in your fantasy league you need to understand the difference between rankings, and fantasy rankings.

The difference can be subtle, or significant depending on your leagues scoring and format. Generally speaking, fantasy rankings are based on projected point production. I have found that the vast majority of readers that read and follow my work are in dynasty keeper leagues with peripheral stats, or bangers leagues.

The following rankings are based on projected point production and include added value to players that can contribute other stats, such as hits, blocks, PIM’s and faceoff wins.

In fantasy hockey, we have a limited number of prospect roster spots and as such I put higher value on prospects that have a quicker ETA to the NHL or have superstar upside.

This will help you identify the top 30 forwards, 20 defencemen and ten goalies to target in your fantasy leagues.

To be considered a prospect, skaters must be under 26-years-old, and have played in under 60 career games, or less than 35 in a single season. For goalies, less than 30 games played, or 15 in a single season.

Forward Rankings

VANCOUVER, BC - APRIL 26: Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers (10) skates up ice during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on April 26, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)

Matty Beniers, C – Seattle Kraken

The Kraken are poised to get an offensive boost this coming season with the additions of Andre Burakovsky and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Those two new wingers will be centered by the Krakens first ever draft pick Matty Beniers, who finishing the season in the NHL scoring nine points in the final ten games. Beniers is a Calder favorite.

Marco Rossi, C – Minnesota Wild

I projected Rossi to make the Wild after his draft in 2020, but he lost a year of development to COVID. He returned last year in the AHL and is now poised to crack a top six with the Wild. Another Calder favorite.

Cole Perfetti, C/LW – Winnipeg Jets

Thanks to the pandemic, Perfetti now has two seasons of pro development, and the 20-year-old is NHL ready to take a top six role with the Jets. “Goal” Perfetti could develop into a 40-goal scorer.

Mason McTavish, C – Anaheim Ducks

The power forward played nine games to start the season with the Ducks before returning to junior to lead Hamilton to an OHL championship. In multi-cat leagues, McTavish will check all the boxes, points, PP points, hits, FOW, he will do it all.

Kent Johnson, C – Columbus Blue Jackets

Johnson may start on the wing, and may not offer much in peripheral stats, but he will rack up points early and often in his career. If Johnson can lock down a top six center role, he will have either or both Patrick Laine and Johnny Gaudreau on his wing.

NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 04: New Jersey Devils right wing Alexander Holtz (10) skates during the first period of the pre-season National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals on October 4, 2021 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

Alexander Holtz, RW – New Jersey Devils

The Swedish sniper scored 26 goals and 51 points in the AHL as a rookie. He only had two points in nine NHL games, but he is poised to secure a top six role with the Devils. He is a future 30 goal scorer.

Quinton Byfield, C – LA Kings

Bigger players can take a little longer to develop and the Kings are taking their time with Byfield. The big, smooth skating center can evolve into a dominant NHL first line center, and a dominant multi-cat fantasy asset as well. This one may take a few years yet, but he will be well worth the wait.

Jack Quinn, RW – Buffalo Sabres

I was very critical of the Sabres selecting Quinn ahead of Rossi in the 2020 draft. I still am, but Quinn has been excellent since then dominating the AHL. The gap between the two may be indistinguishable when all is said and done. Quinn is a blue-chip prospect.

Shane Wright, C – Seattle Kraken

The projected number one prospect in the 2022 Draft fell to fourth. It lit a fire in him and falling to Seattle may be the best thing for him as he has less competition to make the roster. Wright could make Montreal regret passing him by.

William Eklund, LW – San Jose Sharks

Eklund nearly made the Sharks out of his draft but was sent back to the SHL for one more year of development. Eklund will make the team this year and be a top six winger with Calder aspirations.

RED DEER, ALBERTA - DECEMBER 27: Juraj Slafkovsky #20 of Slovakia protects the puck from Isak Rosen #23 of Sweden during the second period in preliminary round action a the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship at WP Centrium on December 27, 2021 in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Juraj Slafkovsky, LW – Montreal Canadiens

The first overall pick in the 2022 draft may start in the NHL, but will need Mike Hoffman and Jonathan Drouin to falter to allow an opportunity for Slafkovsky to step in. As he showed in the World Championship and Olympics, he is up for the task.

Nick Robertson, LW – Toronto Maple Leafs

Injuries limited him to just 28 AHL games last year, but he managed 28 points. The Leafs need cap friendly roster players and Robertson could step into a top six role on the high-octane offensive Leafs roster out of training camp.

Dylan Guenther, LW/RW – Arizona Coyotes

Guenther torched the WHL with a 91-point season and has one more year of junior eligibility to play. Their will be some more wait time before he is lighting NHL goal lamps, but his upside is tremendous.

Shane Pinto, C – Ottawa Senators

Pinto looked to be a lock for 2C, but injuries ended his season after just five games. If he can stay healthy, he would be third line centre at worst providing points, hits, and FOW.

Lukas Reichel, LW – Chicago Blackhawks

The German winger was excellent as a rookie in the AHL and showed he is NHL ready. The Hawks are rebuilding, and he is a part of their future. Reichel will see ice time in the NHL and as the Hawks continue to ship out veterans for futures, his role will increase.

Logan Cooley, C – Arizona Coyotes

The third overall pick in the 2022 Entry Draft could have the highest offensive upside from his draft class. He has committed to play in the NCAA with the University of Minnesota where he may play two seasons

Jakob Pelletier, LW – Calgary Flames

With roster spots opening in Calgary, the time is nigh for Pelletier to play his way in to the Flames top six. He checks all the boxes, has carried his dominant offense to the pro level, has character and leadership. He will help Flames fans get over the loss of Johnny hockey and Tkachuk.

Mavrik Bourque, C – Dallas Stars

In his final junior campaign Bourque led Shawinigan to a QMJHL Championship and laid claim to the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the Playoffs MVP. He already has a cup of coffee in the AHL and may not be long for the NHL

Jake Neighbours, LW – St. Louis Blues

Neighbours is graduating to the pro level, and while he may not have elite offensive upside, he brings a heavy physical game and could be the Blues next David Backes.

Brendan Brisson, C – Vegas Golden Knights

Brisson was a key and underrated player for Michigan on their march to the frozen four. He destroyed the AHL with Henderson in the final seven games posting eight points. Vegas will need players on ELC deals o round out their roster and Brisson could have a ripe opportunity.

Thomas Bordeleau, C – San Jose Sharks

Bordeleau posted a point pr game with Michigan before playing eight NHL games with the Sharks and another eight games for USA at the World Championships. Surpassing veterans Nick Bonino and Nico Sturm on the Sharks roster shouldn’t be to difficult for Bordeleau.

Jonatan Berggren, W/C – Detroit Red Wings

The 22-year-old kicked in the front door of the AHL in his debut in North America to the tune of 64 points in 70 games with the Griffins. He will be a big part of the Yzer-Plan and will try to make a similar splash in the NHL this year.

Dylan Holloway, LW/C – Edmonton Oilers

The 20-year-old has two years of NCAA development and had a successful AHL rookie campaign in Bakersfield. At 6-1 and 203 pounds he brings a good blend of offensive punch and hits.

Wyatt Johnston, C – Dallas Stars

Drafted 23^rd overall after missing the entire season, the Stars have been rewarded for the faith in Johnston as he torched the OHL with a 124-point season. He still has another year of junior eligibility to play but his upside is tremendous.

Brennan Othmann, LW – New York Rangers

Othmann wore the captain’s “C” for the Flint Firebirds last year and posted a 50-goal season and 97 points. The power winger has another year of OHL to play before he turns pro.

Bobby Brink, RW – Philadelphia Flyers

Brink posted 57 points in 41 games in his junior year at the University of Denver before finishing the year in the NHL with ten games in Philadelphia. As the Flyers rebuild or retool Brink will be a big part of the future.

Matthew Knies, LW – Toronto Maple Leafs

Knies was a force both physically and offensively for the Golden Gophers. His play warned him a roster spot with USA at the Olympics where he produced two points in four games. He looks NHL ready now but returned for a sophomore season, look for him t finish the year with the Leafs.

J. J. Peterka, RW – Buffalo Sabres

The feisty German had a banner rookie campaign in the AHL with 68 points in 70 regular season games and had another 12 points in 10 playoff matches. He is NHL ready and will also provide some peripheral stats to boot.

Xavier Bourgault, C – Edmonton Oilers

Bourgault averaged over a PPG in his WHL career finishing with a 75-point season in only 43 games, with 22 points in 16 playoff games. He is ready to bring his offense to the pro level and will play a year in Bakersfield. If his production carries over to the pro level, he will be dynamite!

Matias Maccelli, LW – Arizona Coyotes

After two strong seasons of pro hockey in the Liiga, Maccelli made a splash in his AHL rookie season posting 57 points in 47 games and playing his way into 23 NHL games with the Coyotes. He lacks draft pedigree and is a sleeper but has the upside to be a Calder candidate and a fantasy darling.

Defense Rankings

Owen Power, Buffalo Sabers

The first overall pick in the 2021 Draft returned to Michigan for more development. His season ended in the NHL but not before he also represented Canada at the Olympics. His ten game NHL preview was promising with three points, ten shots and nine blocks.

ST. LOUIS, MO - NOVEMBER 22: St. Louis Blues defenseman Scott Perunovich (48) during a NHL game between the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the St. Louis Blues on November 22, 2021, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire),

Scott Perunovich, St. Louis Blues

After missing an entire season to injury, his pro debut was delayed a year, but he rebounded in spectacular fashion with 22 points n 17 games in the AHL. His dominant play earned him an NHL recall, but again injuries limited his play to 19 games. His upside is elite, but the injuries are a concern.

Luke Hughes, New Jersey Devils

Hughes will play another season in the NCAA with Michigan to refine his defensive game. Offensively he is already dominant having scored 17 goals with the Wolverines, and four points in 10 World Championship games with USA. The wait may be a little longer on Hughes, but the upside is tremendous.

Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators

After posting over a point per game in his sophomore season, Sanderson will begin his pro career. There may be some AHL development time in the near future, but the long-term fantasy upside in multi-cat leagues is very high.

Calen Addison, Minnesota Wild

In his second pro campaign Addison posted 34 points and 70 PIMS in 43 games in the AHL. His strong play earned him four different NHL recalls totalling in 15 games and four points. He is ready for the NHL now and will be a top pairing D in short order.

Simon Edvinsson, Detroit Red Wings

Can the Wings boast back-to-back Norris Trophy winning defencemen? It’s very possible! Edvinsson comes to North America with two seasons of SHL development under his belt. He will go from playing for Sweden at the WJC to the Red Wings camp to win a roster spot in the NHL.

Olen Zellweger, Anaheim Ducks

Zellweger fantasy stock is rising like a rocket. He exploded for 78 points in 55 games with Everett in the WHL. He still has a year of junior eligibility remaining, but don’t be surprised if he graduates and plays with the Ducks this year. Even if you must stash him in your minors for a year, he is a keeper.

Jack Rathbone, Vancouver Canucks

The 2017 fourth round pick is under a lot of people’s radar, but with two seasons of pro development he has 49 points in 47 AHL games and has dressed for 17 NHL games. Cracking the Canucks blueline shouldn’t be too difficult.

Cam York, Philadelphia Flyers

York barely qualifies for this list as he played in 30 NHL games last year, but he does, and he will be a full time NHL player going forward. The addition of Tony DeAngelo could hurt his PP time immediately, but he will get prime deployment in time.

Brandt Clarke, LA Kings

The Captain of the Barrie Colts scored 59 points in 55 games and will be back in the OHL for another year of dominance. It’s a mystery how he is not on the Canadian WJC roster as he is an elite all-around defender.

Kaiden Guhle, Montreal Canadiens

The big, mobile 6-2 defender helped propel the Edmonton Oil Kings to the Memorial Cup after a mid-season trade. His pro career is about to begin, and the Canadiens blue line is a barren wasteland, just waiting for him to assume the throne. The wait will be short

Simon Nemec, New Jersey Devils

Selected second overall, the Devils passed on both Logan Cooley and Shane Wright to select the right shot defenseman. Nemec could take some time to become a fantasy relevant producer, but it will happen.

David Jiricek, Columbus Blue Jackets

Jiricek is the Jackets top defensive prospect, but their blue line is a crowded one and it may take a little time for the 18-year-old to break into the lineup.

SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 12: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jordan Spence (53) carries the puck during the NHL game between the San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings on March 12, 2022 at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Matt Cohen/Icon Sportswire)

Jordan Spence, LA Kings

Don’t sleep on Spence, since being a fourth-round pick in 2019 he has won the QMJHL Defenseman of the Year Award, played his way onto Team Canada at the WJC and scored 42 points in 46 games as an AHL rookie, and made his NHL debut playing in 24 games. He is ready for full time NHL duty.

Lukas Cormier, Vegas Golden Knights

Cormier is using the WJC in August as a primer for his petition to bypass the AHL and play for the Golden Knights. His 207 career points in 208 QMJHL will be on any fantasy radar, but he also hits, despite being 5-10

Justin Barron, Montreal Canadiens

Barron played most of his rookie pro season in the AHL with 20 points in 43 games for the Eagles, but he also played in seven NHL games for the Avalanche and Canadiens.

Denton Mateychuk, Columbus Blue Jackets3

Mateychuk may have the highest offensive ceiling from defensemen in the 2022 Draft class. He has another year of development ahead in the WHL and then some AHL time, but his ceiling is very high.

Philip Broberg, Edmonton Oilers

Broberg has arrived in Edmonton as a top four. Can he win some power play time away from Tyson Barrie, Darnell Nurse, and Evan Bouchard?

Nils Lundkvist, New York Rangers

The 2018 first round pick finally came to North America, splitting time between the AHL and the NHL. He likely sees a similar time share this season as the Rangers have a formidable back end.

Thomas Harley, Dallas Stars

If Harley played one more game, he would not have been eligible as a prospect, but he played 34 games for the Stars and is poised to be a full-time player going forward.

Goaltending Ranking

Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild

The Wild’s future starting goalie is the whole package. He has size, athleticism, tracks the puck and is positionally sound. Fleury signing a two-year deal may delay his inevitable reign as an elite starting goalie.

Yaroslav Askarov, Nashville Predators

This coming season will be a key development period for the Russian. After playing a limited number of games in Russia, he will make his North American debut in the AHL with Milwaukee. With Saros in place for the foreseeable future, Askarov can take a year or two in the AHL to refine his game.

Pyotr Kochetkov, Carolina Hurricanes

Kochetkov made an impressive debut in North America to end the season. He posted a 13-1-2 record in the AHL and even made his NHL debut starting in three games, winning all three. With both Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta on expiring deals, Kochetkov could be the Canes starter sooner than later.

Dustin Wolf, Calgary Flames

After posting stellar numbers in Everett the question was could he do it in the pros? His rookie season was outstanding posting a 33-9-5 record. Wolf has staring goalie upside, but with Jacob Markstrom in place through 2026, its not happening soon.

Devon Levi, Buffalo Sabres

After coming out of nowhere to back stop team Canada to a WJC Silver Medal and being named Best Goalie in the Tournament, he took his breakout to another level in the NCAA. As a freshman goalie he posted a 21-10-1 record with 10 shutouts to lead Northeaster to a Hockey East Championship. Levi won the Mike Richter award as NCAA Top Goaltender and was a Hobey Baker finalist. He is the Sabres best goaltending prospect.

Sebastian Cossa, Detroit Red Wings

The 6-6 netminder back stopped the Edmonton Oil Kings to the Memorial Cup. The Yzer-plan is starting to take form and Cossa could be in place to tend the crease when the Red Wings are a contender again.

Lukas Dostal, Anaheim Ducks

Dostal has two AHL seasons development to his credit and is looking ready for prime time. His future looks like split time between the NHL and AHL for a year before he settles into a tandem situation in Anaheim.

Daniil Tarasov, Columbus Blue Jackets

Tarasov was playing his way into the Blue Jackets roster before a hip injury prematurely ended his season. He will be back in November and should pick up where he left off.

Cayden Primeau, Montreal Canadiens

Montreal has enjoyed premium goaltending for decades. Carey Price, Patrick Roy and Ken Dryden. As the Canadiens top goalie prospect, Primeau has a lot to live up to.

Drew Commesso, Chicago Blackhawks

Heading for his junior season as a Boston Terrier, Commesso drew into two games for USA at the Olympics, winning both and posting a shutout. The Hawks are biding their time with stop gap goalies while they rebuild, and the long-term solution is Commesso.

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: MINNESOTA WILD – RANK: #6- TIER II

McKeen's Hockey — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 23:28:43 +0000

Minnesota Wild

#6 Minnesota - The Minnesota system thins out after the top 11, but the Wild place five in our top 100, including four first rounders from the past three drafts.

Marco Rossi of the Ottawa 67's. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Matthew Boldy

Another future star former member of the USNTDP class of 2019, Boldy’s slow first half of his freshman season at Boston College has since been long forgotten on the back of a stellar second half to that year and a sophomore campaign that put all doubts to rest – not only with the school, but in a star turn with Team USA at the WJC. A chameleonic winger, Boldy can play in a multitude of styles, making him able to provide his team with whatever they need in a given game situation. He can kill penalties, he can dominate on the power play, and he can take over shifts at even strength. And while he isn’t a naturally aggressive player, if the opposition wants to play rough, Boldy has the strength to handle it, and he doesn’t back down.

He has also occasionally shown that he can play up the middle, too. He can finish chances or set them up for linemates. He can plant himself in front of the opponent’s net, and still handle the puck as if he had yards of space around him. He turned pro after his collegiate season ended and put up an amazing 18 points in 14 AHL games, making it very hard for the Wild to avoid calling him up to the NHL. There should be nothing holding him back from an NHL job this year, starting in a depth role and working his way up to his rightful place on a first line. - RW

Marco Rossi

Saying that the 2020/21 season did not go according to plan for the young Austrian would be an extreme understatement. In a year where the COVID pandemic disrupted hockey leagues around the globe (including Rossi’s former playing spot, the OHL), Rossi lived firsthand through the repercussions of the deadly virus. Rossi fought for his life after contracting COVID and missed the majority of the season; his hockey career secondary to winning a different kind of battle.

Now, thankfully, on the mend, Rossi has recently returned to the ice in hopes of preparing for a return during the 2021/22 season. The 9th overall selection in the 2020 draft will be brought along extremely cautiously, likely eventually playing for Iowa or even spending the year in the Swiss NL near home. While his timeline has likely been disrupted (once thought to have been possibly the most NHL ready prospect in the 2020 draft), Rossi is still a potentially dominant two-way top six center who can be a long-time impact player for the Wild. His work ethic is legendary and if there is a prospect capable of bouncing back strong, it is Rossi. With his tenacity, IQ, and skill, it is hard to see him not becoming an NHL player in some capacity. - BO

Jesper Wallstedt

Scouts love size between the pipes, and Wallstedt is a big 6-3”. He covers a lot of the net while retaining above average athleticism and quickness. His ability to read the play and position himself accordingly is practically unheard of in a teenage goalie. He is very technically proficient, and he is good at preventing second opportunities. Even when he can’t stop the play with a save, generally steers rebounds away from trouble spots. He is calm and composed, avoiding wasted movements, which his aforementioned reading ability allows him to do. His play maintains its standard high level when the stakes are highest as well, such as when he put up a .936 save percentage as a 16-year-old helping Sweden win a U18 world Championship, and this year and his performances in this year’s WJC, helping Sweden to a Bronze.

More impressive to me than his performances in a small sample sharing the Swedish crease in international events has been his league play. It is fair to say that perhaps the only teenaged goalie in recent memory to challenge Wallstedt’s SHL performance was Jacob Markstrom back in 2008-09, although at that time, Markstrom had already been drafted. If we limit ourselves to draft eligible netminders, Wallstedt stands alone. No prospect is a sure thing, particularly in net, but Wallstedt is as close as we have seen in a long time. The Minnesota Wild will continue to monitor his progress this upcoming season, where he could stay in Sweden or head to North America to play in the AHL (or even the WHL). Due to his proficient technical abilities, he could move quickly through the system. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Calen Addison

Calen Addison is a fleet-footed defender that has some pretty dynamic offensive qualities. He looks destined to quarterback a powerplay unit at the highest level and is able to push the pace of play by using his feet. His pucks skills and passing skills support his role as an offensive contributor. His shot isn’t the most powerful, but he has improved his release and has good quickness enabling it to get past the first shot blocker.

He has surprisingly good vision and can execute a lot of difficult passes moving the puck against the flow of play. He is an excellent one timer set up man and is willing to attack with his feet if the shooting lane is taken away. His own zone is still a work in progress where his size can affect his ability to get stops. His stick check is key to managing his own zone. Additionally, rather than battle physically for loose pucks, he aims to win foot races by taking great routes to retrieve. This year at the AHL level he was remarkably productive, bolding well for future offensive success at the NHL level where he has already played his first game. - VG

Carson Lambos

Coming into the season, Lambos was billed as, potentially, the top defender available for the 2021 Draft. However, it was a trying season for the former second overall selection in the WHL bantam draft. Due to the delay of the WHL season, Lambos took his talents to Finland to start the year, playing out of the JYP program. While his production was solid (11 points in 13 games with JYP U20, in addition to two games in Liiga), his decision making left some to be desired as he struggled at times to adapt to the larger ice surface. Then, upon returning home for the start of the WHL season, Lambos was limited to only two games with the Winnipeg Ice after undergoing a heart procedure. This same medical procedure prevented him from playing at the Under 18’s. Needless to say, it was a season to forget.

So why was Lambos still a first round selection? Even if this year was trying, Lambos still possesses the talent and potential to be a top three defender at the NHL level. Firstly, Lambos is a strong skater. At 6’1, 200lbs, Lambos has quick feet, giving him solid four-way mobility. Secondly, Lambos is a reliable player in his own end. He plays with his head on a swivel and does not get overly puck focused or miss his assignments. Other than his health, the major concern is his decision making with the puck and overall vision. Under pressure, he does not always move pucks into good spots, failing to identify passing lanes quick enough. Look for his development to take a positive step forward this season in the WHL with Winnipeg, fully healthy and confident that an NHL organization has his best interests at heart. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Jack Peart

Peart split time in his draft year between his local high school – in this case, Grand Rapids High, being named Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey – and Fargo of the USHL. Peart was incredible at the USHL, both in his stint at the beginning of the season, and the end of it, which ended playing against the Chicago Steel for the Clark Cup. Without being a physical specimen or being blessed with a wide array of natural skills, Peart simply does the right thing at the right time, to push his team in the right direction. He is an all-situations defender who reads the game far better than any player whose highest level of experience is 38 total games of USHL action should have any right to. He plays with the poise of a 10-year veteran, shaking the forecheck at the last possible second, ensuring that once he gets the puck up ice for the counterattack, at least one opposing defender is far from the action.

Headed to St. Cloud State, Peart looks like a top three blueliner throughout his prime years. At St. Cloud State, he will hopefully continue to improve some of his physical tools so that they can match his innate feel for the game. Likely more of a long-term project, we at McKeen’s had Peart ranked as a first round caliber player and do feel that he can be a high quality NHL player for the Wild in 3-4 years. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Marat Khusnutdinov

Khusnutdinov's previous season can be defined as average, however it did not come without adversity. He did well while playing in various Russian leagues, but when he was trusted with a first center duty at the World Juniors, he didn't look to be fully ready for that role and could not really be a go-to leader for Team Russia’s top line wingers. To add to that, a shoulder injury late in the season did not allow Khusnutdinov to end it on a high note.

Khusnutdinov is a high-energy speedster who plays a 200-foot game who will need to continue to get stronger in order to play to his strengths at the North American pro level against men. This season he needs to answer many questions and one of them is about his position going forward, as it looks like coaches might view him as a better fit at wing. It might make sense as he is a rather small (yet athletic) player and playmaking is not exactly his strength. Also, his KHL contract ends after this season, so another question still remaining unanswered is if he is willing to further develop in the KHL or will be joining the Wild system already after that. His projection would be that of a middle six forward who can play in many different situations. - VF

Adam Beckman

After a breakout draft-plus-one season in 2019-20, Beckman got a taste of pro hockey last year, getting into nine games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild and posting three goals and five points before being returned to junior and predictably filling the net in the shortened WHL season. Beckman is a late bloomer who has quickly risen up the Wild’s prospect ranks after being a 4^th round pick in 2019.

His best tool is a dangerous release which can beat goalies from distance. An underrated playmaker, Beckman does well to get into positions to get his shot off but benefits from service and will do best paired with a playmaking center and on the powerplay half-boards. He needs to continue to round out his game and improve his skating, but his instincts are sharp, and he protects the puck well, which could help his game transition to the pro level as he adds muscle onto his frame. Beckman projects to play full-time in the AHL this upcoming season but could get into some NHL games if he continues his meteoric progression. - AS

Ryan O'Rourke

Another OHL player granted the exemption to play in the AHL due to the cancelled OHL season was defender Ryan O’Rourke. Being able to test his defensive abilities against professionals, this was a great scenario for him. There were moments where his age and experience were exposed, but for the most part, he looked like he belonged in the league. O’Rourke is a defensive defenseman who makes smart decisions with and without the puck, understanding when to use his stick or physicality to shut down a play. His gap control and defensive awareness are his best assets, making it very difficult on opponents trying to enter the offensive zone or slot, minimizing chances consistently. He will need to continue to improve offensively and become more consistent to avoid being labelled as a stay-at-home defenseman, but there were moments of him displaying greater offensive abilities by starting breakouts, joining the rush and contributing as a power play quarterback. He has great scoring instincts and a big point shot, which could play at the NHL level.

During the season, O’Rourke was given more time on ice, a role on the power play and even some time killing penalties. He did not get overwhelmed and looked confident and comfortable with the added responsibilities. He projects to be a top four defenseman who can contribute on both special teams and be relied on in defensive situations, bringing a physical presence each shift. After playing more than 20 AHL games, he is eligible to return, but he may end up going back to the OHL to work on improving offensively, to reach his full potential. - DK

Alexander Khovanov

Khovanov was loaned to his home KHL team this season by the Wild and even though the coaches there are known for trusting younger players, it wasn't the case with Khovanov. Despite scoring some fancy shootout goals in the KHL games, he was rather quickly demoted to the VHL where he spent almost the whole season. Apparently, the coaches were not satisfied with Khovanov's attitude and could not work with him. He did make the best of it during the season as he was a very consistent performer in the VHL games.

Overall Khovanov has a truly great amount of puck skills and playmaking. He can score some goals too — there is a reason why he was frequently mentioned as not much less talented than Andrei Svechnikov back in the day. A lot of time has passed since then, so it is about time he starts making his game more mature and intensive, as pro hockey can't be played without adding a more consistent physical approach. Next season he is expected to play in the AHL, and his performance will be very indicative of his NHL potential (even though the talent is undoubtedly there). - VF

Daemon Hunt

Hunt battled through injuries in his draft year, and it caused him to slip to the third round in 2020. Now fully healthy, he proved that Minnesota was correct in selecting him as he bounced back strong to be one of the best defenders in the WHL this past season with Moose Jaw. Hunt looks to be a likely bet to become a high end stay at home type in the NHL, but if his offensive development continues to trend upwards, he could play higher in the lineup.

Vladislav Firstov

A hard-working power forward, Firstov has had two solid seasons with the University of Connecticut to start his college career. He has the skill and strength to dominate down low and in traffic, but the Wild will be looking for him to finally get over the point per game mark as a junior this season.

Connor Dewar

A former standout with the Everett Silvertips of the WHL, Dewar had a breakout performance as a second year pro last season, finishing second in scoring for Iowa. A competitive, two-way forward, Dewar has worked hard to improve his skating and projects as a bottom six, high energy player for the Wild.

Marshall Warren

It is still hard to believe that the Wild were able to secure Warren’s rights in the sixth round in 2019. The competitive two-way defender has progressed very well so far in the NCAA with Boston College and will return there for his junior season in 2021/22. Minnesota will be looking for him to become a team leader and one of the better defenders in the conference.

Damien Giroux

A similar player to the aforementioned Dewar, Giroux is also a heart and soul, hardworking, two-way forward who makes up for a lack of physical tools with effort and IQ. He had a solid first pro season with Iowa and projects as a quality bottom six forward and penalty killer for the Wild.

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: Minnesota Wild Top 20 Prospects

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 12:25:49 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 Minnesota Wild 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.

Kirill Kaprizov, LW (135^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 1)

Kaprizov is a dual threat with the puck. He has an excellent selection of shots and scoring touch around the net. His wrist shot release is very quick and does not give goalies much time to prepare. His one-timer is hard and accurate, with an effective weight transfer and follow-through. He can also set up his teammates for scoring chances with high end vision. Part of what makes him such a dangerous player is his ability to find soft spots. His movements are calculated in the offensive zone. He thinks the game at a very high level, creatively anticipating and taking advantage of any extra offensive zone room. His puck control in tight quarters is impressive and he has a quick stick in traffic. Kaprizov is a skilled skater with superb edge work and quickness. He can make shifty moves to evade opponents and buy time to make plays. His defensive game is also quite advanced. He uses his stick well to disrupt opponents and he works hard without the puck to regain possession, never quitting. He is a world-class talent with tremendous potential to be an impact player. – MB

Marco Rossi, C (9^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

One of the 2020 draft’s best two-way centers, Rossi has a mature understanding of his defensive responsibilities, and a high skill level, giving him both a high ceiling and a high floor. He pulverized expectations, leading the OHL in scoring before the season was cancelled. The Austrian import showcased a creative side along with explosiveness, strength on the puck, and confidence. He is at his best working the wall, either near the faceoff circle or behind the net. He is consistently first to dump-ins, gaining inside positioning. His lower body is very strong, making him very difficult to separate from the puck. He keeps those feet moving at all times, spinning off checks, while maintaining possession, creating a chance for himself or his linemates, able to make something out of nothing thanks to soft hands. Often the first man back, he leverages everything he has on puck carriers to re-establish possession, applying back pressure and forcing turnovers. His lack of size could be an issue due to his abrasive style of play. A notoriously hard worker, Rossi signed with ZSC in Switzerland and will play there until he makes the NHL roster. – BO

Matthew Boldy, LW (12^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Entering Boston College as a true freshman, Boldy was expected to be an impact player, but faltered, at least on the scoresheet, with only three points through the first half. When he returned from winter break, he went on a tear, putting up points in 15 of the final 21 games played. That stretch included three three-point games and he finished the season with 23 second-half points. Over that stretch, he was the fifth-highest scorer in the country. Because of the first-half slump, Boldy did not put up the numbers he was expected to have. But that should not take away from his attributes. The speed of college hockey can make for a difficult learning curve and it can take many talented freshmen a semester or more to adjust. While Boldy did not show up on the score sheet as much, he still played well - especially for an 18-year-old. He is a very good skater who can power up the ice. He is a great playmaker, thanks in part to his stick handling, his speed and his incredibly soft hands. He projects to be a first liner once he completes his time on campus. - JS

Calen Addison, D (53^rd overall, 2018 [Pittsburgh]. Previous ranking: 3)

Addison’s game revolves around his skating. He was one of the smoothest, and quickest skaters in the WHL last year. His footwork along the blueline is excellent, using his edges to create lanes for shooting or passing. His shot is much improved with both velocity and accuracy. He can step into a big slapshot or a solid one-timer, but his most dangerous shot is a hard wrister that will get past the first defender and onto the net, leading to frequent tips and deflections. His ability to quarterback the offense is impressive, with constant movement, a willingness to push down the wall, and crisp passing ability. Addison would rather hold onto the puck then throw it away and while he occasionally gets caught out, his recovery speed allows him to gamble more than most. Addison can still get a bit overmatched in his own zone, but improved footwork and speed enable him to clear more pucks and generate turnovers. He competes well and uses some of his strengths to manage better in his own zone than in his draft year. - VG

Alexander Khovanov, C (86^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

While Khovanov still struggles with his discipline, he also led Moncton in scoring last season. He is a strong skater, an excellent playmaker, and is willing to take the puck to the house for strong shots in tight and from distance. He is very ferocious offensively, and is willing to run players over to create, but that very fine line still needs harnessing. He currently has an effective game that would allow him to take a regular shift offensively at the NHL level today, but there are still too many ways to take him off his focus. The book on Khovanov as a defender is to nail him hard and it will take him out of the game, as he will be too focused on retribution. That has to change for him to have a strong impact on the game. He will be playing this season in the KHL with Ak Bars Kazan, a solid team that can provide him with support and strong veteran leadership. His desire is to ultimately play in the NHL as soon as possible. He could be a superstar at the highest level, but feisty top-line forward is his most likely result. - MS

Adam Beckman, C (75^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Beckman took his offensive game to another level last year, ending as one of the WHL’s top performers. He has fair size and moves very well on the ice. He is quick with everything, including release, forecheck, back check, and transitioning the play out of his own zone. He is comfortable with the puck on his stick and will attack the net from anywhere. He can carry it out of the corner or lead the rush and bury a one timer. His shot is accurate with a great release, giving it enough power to beat goalies from distance and he can also finish in traffic. He is an excellent net front guy who battles while keeping his stick free to make plays. Good hand eye coordination enables him to deflect a lot of pucks when screening the goalie. He doesn’t overhandle and looks to release the puck as soon as he gets into a scoring area. His wrist shot is hard and accurate, and he consistently shoots between the pad and the blocker. There have been real strides in his game each of the past few seasons and if that continues, he could be a worthwhile top six NHL forward. – VG

Ryan O’Rourke, D (39^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A leader at every level, O’Rourke is a reliable two-way defender whose IQ, tenaciousness, and skill level make him a potential top four defender going forward. He took on more responsibility as a puck mover last year, demonstrating improved confidence with the puck and improvements to his skating and overall mobility. Of course, his largest contribution comes in the defensive end. He is an extremely smart defensively and rarely makes a mistake in his own end. He is aggressive physically, and will step up to deny zone entries, picking his spots judiciously. He is great at defending the rush, with tight gaps and angling off defenders to the wall. A great shot blocker, he stays square to shooters and shows little fear. He is quick to pucks in his own end, has a very effective breakout pass and good vision up ice. O’Rourke has a very heavy point shot and does well to sneak back door or jump into the slot to receive passes. His instincts and shooting ability give him some value as a play facilitator, even if he is not a gifted puck rusher. He can anchor a penalty killing unit and be a potential physical shutdown defender. – BO

Marat Khusnutdinov, C (37^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Khusnutdinov is a well-rounded but undersized center. His skating is his best asset, and he can beat you in transition, pushing defenders back with his speed, or using his edgework and quickness to keep plays alive down low. He avoids hits with his agility and quick feet, and is likewise an asset off the puck, chasing down loose pucks, applying pressure on the forecheck, and pushing hard on the backcheck. He can force turnovers routinely. Khusnutdinov is a pass first pivot whose playmaking ability is high end. He exhibits good vision when playing with pace and when operating the half wall. He occasionally tries to do too much with the puck and could stand to make quicker decisions, however his hands make him a force with the puck. There are some concerns about his finishing ability and some concern over his production in the MHL, as his 38 points last year were good but not exceptional. Even away from the scoresheet, he routinely was an impact player, and should have bottom six and PK value if he can’t crack the top half of the lineup. – BO

Hunter Jones, G (59^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 6)

Last year, Jones struggled with consistency in his draft eligible season. In the first half of the year, he was one of the OHL’s top goalies. In the second half, he fell apart. A year stronger, Jones was able to maintain a high level of play for the majority of the year for Peterborough, one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Jones uses his size well (6-4”) to his advantage as a butterfly goaltender and did well to improve both his rebound control and his footwork this year. In particular, his ability to fight through traffic to swallow up shots, limiting second chances, progressed. He will likely turn pro next year and still projects as an NHL goaltender long term. His ability to continue to improve his athleticism and his mental focus will be a deciding factor as to whether he can be a starter long term. - BO

Vladislav Firstov, LW (42^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 7)

Firstov, a second-round pick from Russian, played in Russia until 2018-19, when he moved to North America as a 17-year-old. He spent one season in the USHL with Waterloo, where he impressed enough to make the league’s All-Rookie team. He adapted quickly to the North American game and continued that success into college, where he led all UConn freshmen in scoring while playing in every game. A member of Hockey East’s All-Rookie team, Firstov showcased his promising abilities. He is a good skater with solid speed, and he glides smoothly. He uses his 6-0” frame well and plays a decent physical game. Along those lines, he doesn’t get pushed out of position or off the puck easily. Firstov has a long reach and a quick stick, which he uses effectively. He projects as a second line forward if he continues on the same trajectory from the past two seasons. - JS

Kaapo Kahkonen, G (109^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 8)

Kahkonen has been the class of the American Hockey League over the past two seasons, and the Aldege Bastien Award for the league’s top netminder, as well as his spot on the AHL‘s First All-Star Team for the 2019-20 season, were well deserved. At 25-6-3 in backstopping the Iowa Wild, the 23-year-old led AHL goalies in wins and shutouts (seven) and was fourth place in save percentage (.927) and goals against average (2.07). The Finn does it with his mature technique and style, rarely falling out of position and possessing the temperament to maintain focus in hectic situations. His speed and athleticism grade as above average, as well as his ability to read developing plays and react accordingly with his high-level instincts and reflexes. Kahkonen showed well in his five-game big-league stint with Minnesota, and with Devan Dubnyk on the wrong side of 30, you can expect the 2014 fourth-rounder to not only be the Wild’s goalie of the future but also of the present. – TD

Daemon Hunt, D (63^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Despite missing around three months in his draft year due to a skate laceration on his arm, Hunt returned none the worse for wear, with four assists in his five post-recovery games. A high-end skater who can showcase promising elements on both sides of the puck, although not always at the same time, he seems to do everything at high speed, in both directions. His skating is the most consistent part of his game. He features a quick release snapshot and generally gets it off from a spot that allows it to get to the net. He is a solid puck mover as well, although he has not shown the type of dynamic characteristics which are necessary to be a legit top three blueliner at the highest level. Similar things can be said of his play off the puck. He holds his own, can shut down dangerous opponents and defend against the rush, but none of those consistently enough to envision him in a shutdown role. His career can go in multiple directions from here but most of them end up with him being a viable NHL’er. – RW

Pavel Novak, RW (146^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A longtime age-based international staple for the Czech Republic, Novak transitioned quite seamlessly to the WHL, leading Kelowna Rockets in points when the season was cancelled. Small, but hard-working, he quickly developed into an all-situations player. He does a lot of things well, without any facet of his game sticking out, suggesting a lower ceiling, but also a reasonable floor. Without being especially fast, he is a very agile skater with plus escapability and deception. He tends to prefer creating space for linemates than trying for himself. His wrist shot is strong, but he is more of a playmaker than a shooter. The overall maturity of Novak’s game provides optimism that he will continue to make adjustments and take on greater roles for his team next year, being more comfortable playing on the smaller ice surfaces of North America and with the English language, although it is less likely that his skill set takes a big leap forward. His package of skills would fit in well on a modern-day bottom six, one that still wants to see offensive production on all lines. – RW

Ivan Lodnia, RW (85^th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 9)

Honestly, hats off to Ivan Lodnia this year. Sent back to the OHL for his overage year after it was initially thought that he would start his pro career, he never pouted. Even after the IceDogs gutted their roster at the trade deadline, he continued to play strong and was a key leader on a young team. He was the Dogs offense in the second half and ended up having a solid year from a production standpoint. Lodnia’s hands are his best asset. He is a terrific player in transition because of his high-end creativity and ability to make defenders miss. He projects as a middle six winger; however, he may need several years in the AHL to get used to the speed and strength of the professional game. His skating has improved over the course of his OHL career, but further progression in this area will be needed. - BO

Damien Giroux, C (155^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 10)

The captain of the Saginaw Spirit, Giroux is the kind of player who wears his heart on his sleeve on the ice. He will go through a wall to make a play and his energy level and tenacity make him one of the league’s best two-way forwards. Giroux is also a quality goal scorer who possesses high end scoring instincts and a quick release. He provides versatility by being able to play center or the wing, however his skating ability will need to improve further if he wishes to stay down the middle at the next level. At the NHL level, Giroux projects as a bottom six winger who can anchor a penalty killing unit and provide goals in a checking line/energy role. It is likely that he will need several years at the AHL level before he is ready to be a successful NHL player. Again, his skating ability may not be good enough to play that kind of role in the NHL today, which means that his high IQ will have to carry him. - BO

Marshall Warren, D (166^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 11)

Warren is an interesting prospect because as a young, smaller defenseman, he held his own as a true freshman in college hockey. Before college, he played for the USNTDP with fellow Minnesota draft pick and current college teammate Matthew Boldy, playing in both the World U-17 and the World U-18 championships along the way. An offensive defenseman, Warren was able to contribute to Boston College’s scoring on a regular basis. As mentioned earlier, he lacks the size of most NHL defensemen at 5-11” and 163 pounds. But his skills and skating could make the sixth-round pick a steal. At 19 years old, Warren has time to develop and grow stronger. In the meantime, he is a quick skater and stickhandler who excels at crisp passes. He is effective on the rush because he can move the puck safely up the ice via passing or skating. Assuming his size can be overlooked, Warren projects to a second-pairing defenseman with power play upside. - JS

Connor Dewar, LW (92^nd overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 13)

Dewar was an over-ager who excelled in the WHL, earning a 2018 third-round draft pick from the Wild, and then experienced an up-and-down first season in the professional ranks with AHL Iowa in 2019-20. Buried in a very deep Iowa lineup, Dewar played a fairly defensive role and wasn’t able to display his full offensive potential, scoring just six goals in 52 games following a 36-goal campaign with WHL Everett. Production aside, he exhibits great hands and passing skills, quick footwork and pivoting speed, and a highly regarded reputation as a hardworking, selfless forward. To credit Dewar, he plays an incredibly versatile game and can be relied on for heavy two-way and penalty kill minutes. If his offensive game never materializes, he can provide value and remain an intriguing prospect as a potential checking-line role player, as he does not have any large voids in his game and can play both center and wing. - TD

Louis Belpedio, D (80^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 14)

A fast and effective puck mover with a right hand shot from the blueline, Belpedio has been a serviceable AHL defenseman for two full seasons and looks primed for an NHL depth role at some point soon. The 2014 third-round pick is a plus skater with a smooth grasp for controlling the puck through the neutral zone and into the attacking side, and has done so frequently with AHL Iowa, one of the more impressive things about the 24-year-old. His awareness of the ice and his positioning has improved since his first foray into the pro ranks, but his gap control and stick discipline still leave much room to improve. While he has spent time on the penalty kill, he is not the most reliable shorthanded defender. He quarterbacks the power play with the minor league side, and he has some good stick skills and a solid ability to get the puck through traffic. If he can be a decent enough defender to make the NHL roster long-term, he would likely see time on the man-advantage on occasion. Another AHL season seems most likely for the Illinois native. - TD

Mitchell Chaffee, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 24, 2020. Previous ranking: 15)

Chaffee was an undrafted free-agent signee out of Massachusetts. He had just finished his junior season, where he captained the Minutemen. He recorded a career-high 18 goals and 42 points as a sophomore. That season, he led Hockey East in scoring en route to UMass’ championship game appearance. He is another great development story as he went from low offensive production during his two years of USHL hockey to becoming a prolific collegiate scorer at UMass. Chaffee is a smooth skater who turns well. He is a stocky 6-0”, 207 pounds and likes to play a physical game. He also doesn’t get pushed off the puck easily. He can score goals, but he also sets up his teammates well with beautiful feeds that make it look like the puck is floating. Chaffee also played on UMass’ power play unit. He might not project as more than a bottom six energy forward, but considering how far he has recently come, we shouldn’t discount the possibility that more is in store. – JS

Nico Sturm, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Apr. 1, 2019. Previous ranking: UR)

A big center without any clearly above average tools, Sturm held his own in his first professional season, including a cameo up with the Wild. A big scorer at the collegiate level with Clarkson, the German native has come a long, long way from his first North American campaign, which ended with three points in 21 games at the NAHL level. Considering how much he has improved when allowed to repeat a level, I would expect more production from Sturm this season, whether in the AHL or NHL. If his feet were quicker, or he had greater scoring instincts, I would be more optimistic about his upside, but he is already 25 years of age, creating a limit to potential future growth. Skilled hands, and strong work along the walls still give him an NHL floor, even if it is only in a bottom six role. This might be his last chance to assert himself as an NHL’er. - RW

Calen Addison – McKeen's Hockey

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Devils dealing with injuries at centre – the Sharks finally add a puck-moving defenceman, Hronek, Schwartz, and E. Kane are among the players heating up + much more

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Early Standouts – Significant early injuries – Who benefits from opportunity

FANTASY HOCKEY: NHL Training Camp standout performances

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – MINNESOTA WILD – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Forwards

Kirill Kaprizov - LW

Joel Eriksson Ek - C

Matt Boldy - LW

Ryan Hartman - RW

Mats Zuccarello - C

Marcus Johansson - RW

Marcus Foligno - LW

Frederick Gaudreau - C

Brandon Duhaime - RW

Pat Maroon - LW

Defense

Jonas Brodin - D

Jared Spurgeon - D

Calen Addison - D

Goaltending

Filip Gustavsson - G

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Young Players Making a Mark, Significant Injuries and Impact

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – MINNESOTA WILD – Top 20 Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK: Fantasy Prospect Rankings – 30 Forwards, 20 Defenseman, 10 Goalies

Forward Rankings

Defense Rankings

Goaltending Ranking

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: MINNESOTA WILD – RANK: #6- TIER II

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

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Minnesota Wild Top 20 Prospects

Kirill Kaprizov, LW (135th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 1)

Marco Rossi, C (9th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Matthew Boldy, LW (12th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Calen Addison, D (53rd overall, 2018 [Pittsburgh]. Previous ranking: 3)

Alexander Khovanov, C (86th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Adam Beckman, C (75th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Ryan O’Rourke, D (39th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Marat Khusnutdinov, C (37th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Hunter Jones, G (59th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 6)

Vladislav Firstov, LW (42nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 7)

Kaapo Kahkonen, G (109th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 8)

Daemon Hunt, D (63rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Pavel Novak, RW (146th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Ivan Lodnia, RW (85th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 9)

Damien Giroux, C (155th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 10)

Marshall Warren, D (166th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 11)

Connor Dewar, LW (92nd overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 13)

Louis Belpedio, D (80th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 14)

Mitchell Chaffee, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 24, 2020. Previous ranking: 15)

Nico Sturm, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Apr. 1, 2019. Previous ranking: UR)

Kirill Kaprizov, LW (135^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 1)

Marco Rossi, C (9^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Matthew Boldy, LW (12^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Calen Addison, D (53^rd overall, 2018 [Pittsburgh]. Previous ranking: 3)

Alexander Khovanov, C (86^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Adam Beckman, C (75^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Ryan O’Rourke, D (39^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Marat Khusnutdinov, C (37^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Hunter Jones, G (59^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 6)

Vladislav Firstov, LW (42^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 7)

Kaapo Kahkonen, G (109^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 8)

Daemon Hunt, D (63^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Pavel Novak, RW (146^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Ivan Lodnia, RW (85^th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 9)

Damien Giroux, C (155^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 10)

Marshall Warren, D (166^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 11)

Connor Dewar, LW (92^nd overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 13)

Louis Belpedio, D (80^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 14)