Chase Pearson – McKeen's Hockey

Dropping the puck on the 2018-19 NCAA season – Part 2 – Hockey East, NCHC, Big 10

Ryan Wagman — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 17:54:50 +0000

In yesterday’s look at the NCAA season that is slowly cracking open. We touched upon the Atlantic 10, WCHA, and ECAC conferences. While national champions have come from the latter two conferences in recent years, there is no doubting that the strength of the collegiate game lies in the three conferences discussed here.

Hockey East

While some of the more well-known traditional powerhouses are based in the northeast, the vaunted Hockey east conference had a down year last season and seem to be in line for a repeat (in relative terms) this year. There are teams that were also-rans last year and who will likely continue to be league doormats this year. Chief among those is Vermont. Outside of leading scorer, who left school early to sign an ELC with Tampa, the majority of last year’s roster has returned, but the roster was not a strong one. There are three players who have been drafted by NHL clubs on the roster, but none has yet made a strong case that they are worthy of high-level professional careers after leaving the Catamounts. If there is a player to watch, it is junior captain Matt Alvaro, the leading returning scorer. Despite their conference schedule opener, in which they shut out Boston University by a 4-0 total, Merrimack will be in tough to be a factor as the year draws out. Defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic, a Winnipeg draft pick, plays a strong two-way game, but each of the top four point getters from last year have moved on and the team will need younger players to step up and contribute in ways they never have. The early season results are promising, but it is far too early to assume the growth is real. That said, netminder Craig Pantano was strong in partial duty last year and may be the type of unsung hero the Warriors need to stay competitive. New Hampshire used to be a staple at the NCAA conference, but they have been on the outside looking in for each of the last five years. Unlike the other bottom feeding systems, the Wildcats have a few impressive players available to them. Sharks’ pick Mike Robinson barely played last year as a freshman, but he seems to have a grip on the job early on and has performed well so far. Athletic Panthers’ prospect Max Gildon leads the blueline, and senior captain Marcus Vela (San Jose) is the center-piece of the offensive attack. Joining the attack will be veterans Ara Nazarian, Liam Blackburn, and Charlie Kelleher.

In the next rung of teams in Hockey East, we can look at UConn. Still a relative neophyte to the upper rungs, the Huskies are only in their fifth season in the conference, after migrating from the Atlantic. They are an interesting team in that the majority of their players of note are European-raised players, including their top two netminders, Adam Huska (NYR) and Tomas Vomacka (Nsh), blueliner Philip Nyberg (Buf), and forwards Ruslan Iskhakov (NYI) and Jachym Kondelik (Nsh). A few scoring forwards of note who have not been drafted include a pair of juniors in big Benjamin Freeman and Alexandre Payusov. A seeming concussion sustained by Iskhakov in the season’s second game could be a big setback to the team if he is unable to recover in a speedy fashion. The Maine Black Bears were seemingly ready to get back on the upswing, if not quite reach the heights that the program has in the past thirty years, which has seen them crowned NCAA champs twice, and reach seven other Frozen Fours. Unfortunately, days before the opening game, defender Patrick Holway, a Detroit pick, left the team due to unstated personal issues. In his absence, the team will lean more heavily on senior Rob Michel, the team captain, and sophomore Brady Keeper, both of whom have two-way bonafides. Up front, the team will rely on Detroit pick Chase Pearson to generate offense, and he will be joined by freshman Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup, one of the top scorers in the USHL last year. More than anything, though, Maine’s hopes will rest on the crease work on Boston pick Jeremy Swayman, who was stellar as a freshman, earning Hockey East All-Rookie team honors and playing for Team USA in the WJC. He needs to be at least as good again for the school to have designs on a Tournament berth.

Next up are a couple of Massachusetts schools in UMass and UMass-Lowell. The UMass-Lowell River Hawks have been a solid contender ever since Norm Bazin took over the head coaching duties of a floundering program in 2011-12. They rarely get the press they deserve as they tend to lack in high profile, drafted players. With only four drafted players at present – only one of whom was taken before the sixth round, expect the team to be a sleeper again. Most of their top scorers return, led by Kenneth Hausinger, Ryan Dmowski, and Ryan Lohin (TB). The team has seen more turnover at the blueline, but Croix Evingson (Wpg) is slated to take a step forward, while Detroit pick Seth Barton has gotten his collegiate career off to a good start. Swedish puck mover Mattias Goransson could also garner NHL looks. Also, while Christoffer Hernberg had the lion’s share of the goaltending workload last year, Rangers pick Tyler Wall seems to have the coaches’ trust this time around. UMass Amherst does not have the recent success of Lowell to look back to, but they do have one of the top prospects in the collegiate game on the roster in Cale Makar (Col). The talented blueliner was strong last year, both as a freshman for the Minutemen as well as for Team Canada in the WJC, and should be even better this year, in what is likely his final season on campus. He is joined on the blueline by Mario Ferraro (SJ) and Marc Del Gaizo, both skilled puck movers. The forwards are less imposing as a group, but most of the big producers return from last year, led by Mitchell Chaffee, John Leonard (SJ), and Oliver Chau, who has missed the start of the season due to illness. A couple of exciting freshmen in Bobby Trivigno and Anthony Del Gaizo (Marc’s older brother), coming off strong USHL campaigns, make the team more of a scoring threat. Incumbent starting netminder Matt Murray returns, and he will be challenged by Finnish freshman Filip Lindberg.

Staying in the state of Massachusetts, powerhouses BC and BU have both gotten off to lousy starts to their respective seasons, but both have far too much talent up and down the roster not to expect brighter days ahead. Boston College may have the most deserved pessimism among the two, having scored only five goals in their first three games. Toronto pick Joseph Woll has as much talent as any collegiate netminder and he should keep the Eagles in most games, but he will need help. The most likely offensive presence is in the form of freshman Oliver Wahlstrom, a top draft pick of the Islanders and a pure sniper if such a beast exists. Another freshman with the burden of great expectations is Minnesota pick Jack McBain. Among returning forwards, Logan Hutsko (Fla), David Cotton (Car) and Graham McPhee (Edm) are the most consistent offensive threats. The talented and undersized Jacob Tortora could also take a step forward. The blueline lacks a true dynamic two-way threat, but Michael Karow (Ari) and Casey Fitzgerald (Buf) can both hold their own and Michael Kim is a good college player. Boston University also has a star between the pipes in Jake Oettinger, a former Dallas first rounder, who has been inconsistent, but with high end flashes in his collegiate career. The Terriers are deepest along the blueline, with five drafted players, all of whom deserve their high press. They are led by co-captain Dante Fabbro (Nsh), and supplemented by skill in David Farrance (Nsh) and Chad Krys (Chi), and more defensively centered defensemen, such as Cam Crotty (Ari) and Kasper Kotkansalo (Det). Up front, there are former first rounders including Shane Bowers (Col) and Joel Farabee (Phi) and later picks who are almost as talented in Patrick Harper (Nsh) and Jake Wise (Chi). Co-Captain Bobo Carpenter, a senior, has long been rumored to be a free agent contract beneficiary after graduation. While they have not done so yet, this team is chock full of players who can beat you on any given night.

Although Northeastern will no longer be able to rely on NCAA superstars Dylan Sikura or Adam Gaudette, they are still loaded with talent up and down the lineup and feature a stud netminder in Cayden Primeau (Mtl). An offensively inclined team, the attack includes assistance from the blueline in the form of Jeremy Davies (NJ), Ryan Shea (Chi), Eric Williams, and freshman Jordan Harris (Mtl). Even absent Gaudette and Sikura, the Huskies feature freshman Tyler Madden (Vancouver) and Matt Filipe (Car) up front, in addition to proven producers including Zach Solow, Brandon Hawkins, Grant Jozefek, and many more. In a conference full of outstanding goaltenders, it should be no surprise that our top ranked team, Providence, has one of their own in Hayden Hawkey (Edm), who is more than just a fantastic hockey name. Like with Northeastern, the Friars get a lot of offense from the blueline, led in their case by Jacob Bryson (Buf), Ben Mirageas (NYI) and Spenser Young. The Friars can also roll three solid scoring lines if everyone performs up to expectations. Philadelphia first rounder Jay O’Brien has been slow to start, but he should acclimate from the prep ranks to Hockey East in short order to take a place of prominence alongside player including Kasper Bjorkqvist (Pit), Brandon Duhaime (Min), Jack Dugan (Veg), Josh Wilkins, and Scott Conway. Any of the last four teams mentioned could feasibly end the year as Hockey East champions and pose legitimate title hopes. But if the last two seasons are any indication, they will have to prove they can hang with the titans from the Midwest.

National Collegiate Hockey Conference

For each of the past three seasons, when it came time to crown a national champion, the last team standing was a member of the NCHC conference. To give an idea at the depth of strength in this conference, the threepeat of sorts was accomplished by three different schools. One of those schools was not Miami University, although RedHawks were a finalist in 2009, their best ever finish. After three losing seasons, for them to threaten the powerhouses atop the conference once league play begins would be a shocker. Florida prospect Karch Bachman, one of the speedier players in the college ranks, may finally be ready to be a legitimate offensive contributor if his first few games are an indication. The team has some talent from the blueline as well, namely Grant Hutton, who is expected to have a few NHL options to choose from at the end of his senior season, and freshman Derek Daschke. The top new recruit though, and Miami’s big hope for the future, is Johnny Gruden, a top line player with the USNTDP last year and a fourth round pick by Ottawa. The team has a number of other solid players dotting the roster, but lacks much in the way of dynamic skill. A team with more higher end talent on the roster but a less cohesive team game is Nebraska-Omaha. Up front, there are offensively inclined forwards sch as Frederik Olofsson (Chicago), Steven Spinner (Washington) and Zach Jordan (watch out for this guy). Colorado pick Tyler Weiss should also be fun to watch, as he was often pigeon-holed into a bottom six role last year in the USNTDP, but his inherent skills suggest a higher ceiling. Pittsburgh draft pick Ryan Jones and Arizona pick Dean Stewart lead the blueline. Incumbent netminder Evan Weninger returns, but his position is not entrenched and Philadelphia prospect Matej Tomek will challenge after leaving North Dakota, where he never got a chance to play.

At this point, Western Michigan is probably also an underdog. Flyers’ prospect Wade Allison has dynamic scoring potential, and is one of, if not my absolute favorite player to watch in the college game, but he has not played since last January due to a lower body injury, and there are only rumors about the imminence of his eventual return. In his absence, St. Louis pick Hugh McGing will play a prominent role in the attack along with free agent Dawson DiPietro and Vegas pick Paul Cotter. Senior Colt Conrad is also auditioning for an NHL contract, after scoring at a point per game pace last year. From the blueline, the player to watch is Mattias Samuelsson, recently a second round pick of Buffalo’s. As he is more of a defensive defenseman, watch for smaller Cam Lee to add to the offense from behind. The squad will need more steadiness in net than they have received of late to launch a strong challenge for postseason play. Colorado College is a team on the rise, but it may be a year too soon to put them near the top. After four seasons with no more than eight victories, they took off with 15 wins last year, and should breach a .500 record this year with continued development from some of their key contributors. Netminder Alex Leclerc is too small to garner NHL interest, but is a very good collegiate goalie. Up front, Florida pick Chris Wilkie is ready to contribute after sitting out last season as a transfer. He joins a quarter of talented upperclassmen in Nicholas Halloran, Mason Bergh, Trey Bradley, and Westin Michaud. I also have my eyes on freshmen Benjamin Copeland and Erik Middendorf, both of whom were overlooked at the draft last year after strong seasons in the USHL. Although the forwards drive the Tigers’ attack, the defensive corps is not without talent, particularly in the forms of Kristian Blumenschein, and Benjamin Israel.

Three years removed from a championship, the North Dakota team that takes the ice today bears little resemblance to the title team. The only players of note with ties to the title are Dallas pick Rhett Gardner, a beefy two-way forward, and Hayden Shaw, a smaller, reliable and non-flashy defender. Hope and indeed expectations for continued contention is drawn from the Fighting Hawks’ recent recruiting classes. The blueline is receiving a talent injection from freshmen Jacob Bernard-Docker and Jonny Tychonick, who were ironically both drafted early by Ottawa last June. They join Colton Poolman, whose game is very reminiscent of brother Tucker’s. Versatile forward Grant Mismash, a Nashville pick, is expected to take his game up a notch up front. The team also needs to figure out which of Adam Scheel or Peter Thome (Clb) will take over as the starter from the departed Cam Johnson. Denver has more connections to their recent title, but now that Dylan Gambrell and Henrik Borgstrom have both turned pro, the core has changed. The team still has the makings of a contender though, with dynamic defender Ian Mitchell (Chi) set to be the main attraction. He is joined by a couple of freshmen blueliners of whom greatness is expected in Slava Demin (Veg) and Sean Comrie. Up front, the team will have to take a committee approach to scoring, as there is skill, but little of it is truly high end. There is a trio of drafted freshmen who could be better than anticipated in Cole Guttman (TB), Mathias Emilio Pettersen (Cgy), and Brett Stapley (Mtl). They join big game hero Jarid Lukosevicius. As with North Dakota, the Pioneers have to answers questions in net, as heralded recruit Filip Larsson is out indefinitely and Devin Cooley, who has taken the reins to start the season, is largely unproven.

The best hope for a fourth different NCHC championship in four seasons is St. Cloud State, which was actually the top ranked team in the country heading into the playoffs last year. There are teams in this conference with more NHL-bound talent than at St. Cloud State, but the Huskies do not lack in that regards either, while they fill in at the edges with a high caliber of support player. Former Montreal first rounder Ryan Poehling is ready to take the next step offensively and breach one point per game. Helping him to fill the nets are Patrick Newell, Robby Jackson, Blake Lizotte, and Easton Brodzinski. The blueline is similarly deep and skilled, led by tiny Jack Ahcan, Nick Perbix (TB), Jon Lizotte (no relation to Blake) and Jimmy Schuldt, who surprised many by ignoring the lure of the NHL after his junior season. Finally, in net, the team is equally comfortable going with David Hrenak (LA) or Jeffrey Smith, both of whom have displayed the ability to stop pucks at an above average rate in the NCAA. Of course, the NCHC could easily claim another title from a repeat champion. Last year’s champions, Minnesota-Duluth, were not expected to make a strong push, as they had a very young roster and were widely thought to be a season or two way from their “window”. Amazingly, only three of their top ten scorers from last year are gone. The blueline returns three sophomores who both spent time on the American WJC squad in Scott Perunovich (StL), Mikey Anderson (LA), and Dylan Samberg (Wpg). Netminder Hunter Shepard is still anonymous, despite his workhorse status on last year’s title run. Up front, former Dallas first rounder Riley Tufte is overdue to breakthrough, as he has been slowly refining his game to the point where he is nearly unstoppable down low. Helping out with the attack will be Peter Krieger, Nick Swaney (Min), and freshman Noah Cates (Phi). This year’s Bulldogs may be even better than last year’s champs.

Big 10

While last season saw the NCHC claim the crown for the third year in a row, it should not be forgotten that each of the other three teams in the Frozen Four came out of the Big 10. Of course, Michigan State was not one of those teams. The Spartans are now 11 years removed from their most recent title. They should see their wins total grow for the third year running, but are still not quite a challenger. They return nine of their top ten scorers from last year and Taro Hirose, Mitch Lewandowski, and Patrick Khodorenko are expected to lead the team once again. As promising as that trio is, it is unclear where the secondary scoring will come from. Starting netminder John Lethemon is good enough to keep MSU in games, but should not be expected to steal too many. After the Spartans, any team could reasonably reach the NCAA tournament, but some are less likely than others. Next up would probably have to be Penn State. It is easy to forget that the Nittany Lions have only been back in the NCAA for six seasons. Most of their top scorers from last year are returning, but the talent level is still something short of dynamic. Chicago pick Evan Barratt could be ready for the next step and Colorado pick Denis Smirnov is probably the most talented of the bunch. Upperclassmen Chase Berger, Brandon Biro, and Nathan Sucese are auditioning for NHL scouts and are productive, if not necessarily exciting players. The blueline is a relative weakspot, led as it is by Cole Hults (LA) and Kris Myllari. In net, Peyton Jones has had a nice career thus far, but it is unclear that he can be anything more than adequate at this level.

Since a pair of Frozen Four appearances earlier in the decade, Minnesota has been a bit of a hit-or-miss team. Last year saw a bit of both, but without second leading scorer Casey Mittelstadt on the team, the Golden Gophers could struggle once again to get back to the top. As always, they are exceptional recruiters, with this year’s star freshmen including Blake McLaughlin (Ana), Sampo Ranta (Col), and the draft eligible blueliner Benjamin Brinkman. Some of the returning players who could be critical include forwards Rem Pitlick (Nsh), Scott Reedy (SJ), Thomas Novak (Nsh), Brent Gates (Ana), and Tyler Sheehy along with blueliners Clayton Phillips (Pit), Ryan Zuhlsdorf (TB), and Tyler Nanne (NYR). In the early going it seems that last year’s backup netminder, Mat Robson, has surpassed former starter Eric Schierhorn. If Robson can maintain his performance over the full season such as he has in a part time role, the Gophers could be better than expected. The talent is here, but it needs to come together. Put anther way, Minnesota’s talent with Penn State’s structure could be a front runner. Wisconsin won 20 games in 2016-17 after combining for 12 victories in the two seasons prior, eliciting visions of grandeur. Unfortunately, the team sunk back down to 14 wins last year, prompting a rethink of the team’s standing. The Badgers are a team whose strength is on the blueline with five drafted players – all underclassmen - taking charge. Returning from last year are the physical Tyler Inamoto (Fla), the quiet puck mover Josh Ess (Chi), and offensively inclined puck rusher Wyatt Kalynuk (Phi). Joining them this season are a pair of USNTDP grads in checker Ty Emberson (Ari) and the dynamic K’Andre Miller (NYR), who has superstar potential. Veteran Peter Tischke rounds out the blueline corps. Up front, Wisconsin is not as exciting, but Sean Dhooghe, among the smallest high level players I have ever watched is a joy. Linus Weissbach (Buf) and Max Zimmer (Car) look like they will contribute and I have reasonably optimistic expectations of Tarek Baker as well. Like much of the conference, the Badgers are unsettled in net.

Notre Dame has been to the Frozen Four for both of the last two seasons, but the graduation of Jake Evans, the school’s number three scorer since the turn of the century, will have an impact. That said, the Fighting Irish are constantly restocking, so the team should be a strong competitor once more. Cale Morris was exception in net last year, winning the Mike Richter Award as the top goalie in the nation and will still be very good even if he takes a step back. Big Andrew Peeke (Clb) and mobile Matthew Hellickson (NJ) make a strong start to the blueline while veteran Bobby Nardella along with new recruit Spencer Stastney (Nsh) look like a good second pairing with two way capability. The top players up front include Callahan Burke, Cam Morrison (Col), and Dylan Malmquist. Even big Joe Wegwerth can overcome his stiff hands by being a tank in the opposing crease. Freshmen Jacob Pivonka (NYI), Graham Slaggert, and Alex Steeves could also go a long way to giving the Irish attack the needed depth to succeed. Ohio State does not have the flashy names that dot the rosters of most of the rest of the Big 10, but they have talent up and down the team and can win in many ways. They seem to be using a rotation in net, with both incumbent starter Sean Romeo and the younger Tommy Nappier in line to play a good amount. None of their key blueliners have been drafted, but any of Wyatt Ege, Grant Gabriele, Matt Miller, Gordi Myer, or Sasha Larocque can hurt you. There is a smattering of NHL interest up front, such as power forward Dakota Joshua (Tor), playmaker Carson Meyer (Clb) who transferred from Miami, smaller dynamo Mason Jobst and Hobey Baker candidate Tanner Taczynski (Phi). I could go on, but that might be enough to get back to the Frozen Four.

As good as Notre Dame and Ohio State are, not to mention Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Penn State, if the Michigan Wolverines get even halfway decent work in net, they could be the best team in the country. Quinn Hughes was a top ten pick last year by Vancouver and is as dynamic as blueliners get. This will be his last tune-up before moving to the NHL. First line center Josh Norris had a fine freshman season and then was one of the main pieces moving from San Jose to Ottawa in the Erik Karlsson trade. Will Lockwood (Van) is healthy again and provides an agitating, skilled presence. The Pastujov brothers, Nick (NYI) and Michael, provide strength and skill up front. Minnesota pick Nicholas Boka is a talented puck mover from the blueliner who can get the puck moving in the right direction when Hughes is catching his breath. Luke Martin (Car) and Joseph Cecconi (Dal) has shutdown qualities. Brendan Warren (Phi) can contribute offense while playing the tough minutes up front. Moving down the lineup there are other surprises in store as well. Ohio State may be a safer bet, but Michigan has the best chance among any team in the nation, to dominate any given night.

NHL Prospect Watch: Detroit Red Wings

Ryan Wagman — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 16:34:18 +0000

These are not the Mike Babcock Red Wings anymore. In part, that is because Babcock has moved on to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs. But the change has been felt at a philosophical level through the system’s developmental process as well. It used to be that the Red Wings were famous for letting prospects spend a year or more in the AHL after other organizations would have considered them ready to play in the NHL. Netminder Petr Mrazek, one prominent recent example, spent parts of three seasons in the AHL before not just winning a regular NHL role, but winning the starter’s gig over incumbent Jimmy Howard. Looking back at Howard’s day, he had to spend four years in the AHL before ascending to the NHL throne. Tomas Tatar has 258 AHL games on his resume, while fellow young scorer Gustav Nyquist has 137.

The change was most prominent in the case of Dylan Larkin, who made the NHL team directly out of college, after only a single campaign with the Michigan Wolverines. While his scoring pace slowed down in the second half, 45 points in 80 games as a 19 year-old is more proof than anyone would need to say that the AHL was not really necessary in his case. While not as extreme, 21 year-old Andreas Athanasiou earned a callup around mid-season this year after only one and a half AHL campaigns (83 total games). His speed (also Larkin’s calling card) won over the Detroit faithful and his name is already penciled into the 2016-17 NHL lineup.

There were many who hoped for a similar quick ascension to the NHL from former first rounder Anthony Mantha, and in fairness, he did receive a late season cameo when the Wings were desperate for goals. Called up in mid-March, he played in ten games for the Wings, starting off with 14:50 of ice time in his debut and steadily dwindling to 6:27 18 days later. After three games in the press box, he was returned to Grand Rapids to help the AHL club in their playoff run, having been deemed surplus to requirements in an NHL postseason berth. While Mantha was drafted (20^th overall, 2013) with the promise of being a big time sniper, scoring 50 goals in his draft year and following that up with 57 in his QMJHL finale, the pro game has proven to be rather more difficult for the still young winger. After two seasons and 36 AHL goals, rumors of poor work ethic and immaturity have begun to follow Mantha around like a car with a loose tail pipe.

Mantha still possesses a plus shot and the type of size that can cause scouts to drool, there are gaps in his package that prevent him from putting it all together. While I would generally ignore, or severely downgrade allegations about a players’ personality/character, in his case, I have heard it from multiple sources, and it is the sort of thing that is visible on the ice as well. A scout of my acquaintance, when asked how he identifies work ethic on the ice, listed the player’s willingness to compete for pucks, willingness to expend for second efforts when his first lunges failed, backchecking energy, giving up on plays that require more than minimal work, going to bench with haste when his shift is over, playing with the same energy away from the puck as when the puck is on his stick, and work rate at getting open or evading coverage. Unfortunately, a few of those traits are common elements of Mantha’s game. He takes too long to transition from the offensive zone to the defensive zone after his team has lost the puck. His shifts can stretch on well after his nominal linemates have returned to the bench. He will hang out on the ice to bicker at opponents when he should be transitioning or coming off the ice. He can be lethargic when the puck is not on his stick or on its way there. He is still only 21 years old and it is not yet too late for him to figure it out, but right now there is no question in my mind that the former Val-d’Or Foreurs star is wasting too much of his prodigal natural talents.

Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, Grand Rapids (AHL) (58^th overall, 2013)

After selecting Mantha, the Wings had two second rounders, the latter of which was used on Bertuzzi, whose uncle Todd played in Detroit from 2009-2014. The young Bertuzzi did not put up the numbers of Mantha this year, nor does he have anywhere near the physical gifts, but he has all of things that Mantha does not. First, in fairness, this was only Bertuzzi’s rookie professional season, while Mantha was in his second go round, so Bertuzzi’s total of 30 points was actually not too far off Mantha’s rookie total of 34. In some ways like the aforementioned Mantha, Bertuzzi’s two main attributes as a player are his excellent wrist shot and his physical game. The shot is powerful yet also features a quick release as he needs little maneuvering to get into shooting position. Bertuzzi will score more goals in future seasons and the shot will beat NHL netminders with regularity when it comes time to prove it. His physical game is very different from Mantha’s however. While the first rounder gets decent marks on that portion of his game mostly for his gargantuan size and his willingness (however infrequent and mistimed it may be), the second rounder is always on. He is a tenacious player who does not back down from any challenge. Part of his development will need to include learning when to dial it back, as his 133 penalty minute were 39 more than the runner up with the Griffins and finished 20^th league wide. It is notable though, that of the 19 players who spent more time in the box than Bertuzzi last year, only one equaled his 30 points.

Bertuzzi is also a strong skater, who gets into his second gear quickly. There is little fancy in his game, but he is as dogged on the puck as he is off of it. The Sudbury native plays the game at a very high pace and would benefit from another season with the Griffins to learn to slow the game down and let the action come to him, replacing impulsiveness with forethought. Tyler Bertuzzi projects as a bottom six winger with skill, the likes of which all successful Red Wings teams for the last 25 years have had at least two, including Uncle Todd.

Martin Frk, RW, Grand Rapids (AHL) (49^th overall, 2012)

In some ways, Frk hews to the old method of player development for Detroit with long AHL apprenticeships. The Czechian sniper has just completed his third season with the Griffins without having appeared in a single game for the Red Wings. His production has improved in each AHL season, starting with 12 points in 50 games in 2013-14, improving to 12 points in 32 games in 2014-15 (e spent the majority of the season in the ECHL, where he scored well over one point per game), and finishing this season with 44 points, including 27 goals, in 67 games.

By this time, the former second round pick does everything at a solid level, after taking great strides forward this year. A solid skater with a very hard shot, he could stand to improve its accuracy, but the velocity is there to be a weapon from mid-range and a bit beyond. Frk has plus puck skills and has proven able to beat AHL defenders one on one with regularity. His offensive instincts are very strong as he senses where better scoring opportunities will take place and knows how to get himself and/or the puck there. Another new facet to Frk’s game this season has been a level of physicality that was previously lacking. He has a solid NHL ready body and shows his strength when fighting for loose pucks with tenacity or finishing checks, which he does with aplomb. While penalties were previously a rarity, he jumped to well over one minute in the box per game this year as aggression is never far from crossing the line. Frk is still young enough to grow into a second line role, although his new found jam would allow him to easily slot in on a lower line. I expect him to contribute regularly in Detroit next season.

Robbie Russo, D, Grand Rapids (AHL) (UFA, signed Aug. 16, 2015. Originally drafted 95 overall, 2011 by NY Islanders)

After four solid seasons with Notre Dame, Russo, once a fourth round pick of the New York Islanders, did not come to terms with the team that drafted him and signed as a free agent with the Detroit organization last summer. In most every respect, his rookie pro season was a successful and his +/-, generally a maligned stat, was nonetheless the best one in the AHL at +40, more than double the runner up from Grand Rapids, and just beating out five Toronto Marlies. His 39 points in 71 games also made him the offensive leader among Grand Rapids blueliners.

Russo is a solid skater, capable of leading a rush, but also recognizing when it would be better to pass the puck and peel back to his spot along the blueline. He is equally at ease carrying the puck or distributing it and his passes tend to be smart ones, whether to evade danger or to create a scoring chance for his team. Russo is calm with the puck when carrying it on the point, regardless of the pressure being placed upon him, keeping his feet moving until he finds a seam to move it to a better positioned teammate or a way to shake the checker. A solid defender as well, he keeps tight gaps and excels at closing off the distance between himself and the puck carrier until the opponent has nowhere left to turn and no more room to maneuver the puck. The Illinois native still has room to improve in his game, as he will go out of his way to avoid shooting the puck at times, and he can be a little soft, but the right handed shooter has the core tools of the modern puck moving defenseman in plus mobility, puck skills and hockey sense. Assuming Kyle Quincey is not brought back to Motown, I expect Russo to challenge for a spot on the third pairing and grow over time to a number three spot.

Chase Pearson, C, Youngstown (USHL) (140^th overall, 2015)

The son of former NHL’er Scott Pearson, Chase, like many other bloodline prospects, has a good head for the game. The University of Maine commit had a very strong second season for Youngstown in the USHL, a season that saw him selected to represent Team USA at the World Junior A Challenge. Pearson has plus size and plays like he knows it – although he will never be as physical as his father was. Although he lacks his father’s elite toughness, Chase beats his old man when it comes to puck skills. A good carrier and playmaker, the former fifth round pick sees the game well and helps make his teammates better. He will have his work cut out for him next year with the Black Bears, coming off a horrible season and with a roster without a great deal of present talent.

Alexander Kadeykin, C, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL) (201^st overall, 2014)

According to Hockey Prospectus writer Alessandro Seren Rosso, Kadeykin is a big and intelligent pivot who makes up in hockey sense and toughness what he lacks in puck skills. More a player who does his best work in front of the crease or in the corners than in the slot, Kadeykin is a good enough skater who does enough of the little things as a center that he profiles in a similar vein to a player the likes of Paul Gaustad. A safe player who should be reliable in a defensive role or taking key faceoffs, he could be a solid bottom line center if he comes over to North America as well as a mainstay on the penalty kill. In other words, he is more likely to be the next Joakim Andersson than the next Pavel Datsyuk.

Michael McKee, D, Western Michigan (NCAA) (140^th overall, 2012)

A collegian with eight points across three seasons would normally not be a cause for spilling much virtual ink, but McKee intrigues nonetheless. A very large individual at 6-5”, 229, McKee skates very well for a big man and shows no hesitation to joining, or even leading the rush. He skates with very big strides and can chase down almost anyone. He has been used at LW as well as on the blueline for the Broncos. Befitting his size, he is also a very physical player, although he has toned that aspect of his game down considerably since his days in the USHL where he earned 529 penalty minutes in two seasons for the Lincoln Stars. Western Michigan has an impressive class of incoming freshmen joining next season, which should help McKee play a more prominent role as a senior. While he is no sure bet to earn an ELC after graduating, he is definitely one to watch next season.