Conor Timmins – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – BUFFALO SABRES – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 16:49:22 +0000

VANCOUVER, BC - JANUARY 21: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) waits for a face off during an NHL game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. (Photo by Ethan Cairns/Icon Sportswire)

Last season, the Sabres turned back the clock and welcomed Lindy Ruff back as head coach after they dismissed Don Granato in hopes of ending the franchise’s playoff drought. Instead, the Sabres took a step back as they adjusted to the tougher ways Ruff brings behind the bench. The Sabres went from 84 points in 2023-2024 to 79 in 2024-2025. While Buffalo was able to score plenty at five-on-five (185 goals, fourth in NHL), their power play was slightly improved going from 16.6 to 18.8 percent but their penalty kill got worse going from 79.8 to 76.4 percent. With the kinds of offensive weapons they have, improving the power play is a necessity and if they’re going to be a playoff contender, the penalty kill must improve dramatically. Ruff returns for his second season and will hope to help them avoid a 15th straight season out of the playoffs.

What’s Changed?

Big changes usually happen in Buffalo after a disappointing season and while they avoided making coaching or executive changes, they traded their second leading scorer J.J. Peterka to Utah for defenceman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan. Peterka made it clear he didn’t want to stay in Buffalo and wouldn’t re-sign with them as a restricted free agent and in return the Sabres got a righthanded defenceman in Kesselring they view to be the potential long-term partner for Owen Power or Rasmus Dahlin. With Doan, they get a high intensity forechecker and energetic player with loads of upside as well as an NHL lineage as the son of Shane Doan. Buffalo also added defenceman Conor Timmins from Pittsburgh in a draft weekend trade and signed goalie Alex Lyon and energetic forward Justin Danforth in free agency. If the goal of the offseason was to make the roster into more of a classic Lindy Ruff-style team, that’s what general manager Kevyn Adams accomplished.

What Would Success Look Like?

Playoffs. That’s it. The Sabres have been close enough to make it without doing so in recent years and that didn’t do anything to quell the fan base. If Tage Thompson (44 goals) and Alex Tuch (36 goals) pick up where they left off a year ago and Rasmus Dahlin continues to assert himself as one of the premier defencemen in the NHL, there’s no reason the Sabres shouldn’t be in striking range of the playoffs. A return to form for goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and a big step forward points-wise from defenceman Owen Power would allow Buffalo the chance to perhaps even threaten for a top three spot in the Atlantic Division, but that’s putting the cart way before the horse. There are zero questions about the talent level, but plenty of questions about how to make the talent work best.

What Could Go Wrong?

If the special teams continue to struggle and if Luukkonen’s goaltending falters again, it could be yet another long season in Buffalo. The team cannot afford to get off to a slow start and must avoid any extended losing streaks to keep up with the playoff race. Their 0-10-3 stretch during November and December last season virtually eliminated them from playoff contention because the hole they fell in was too deep to get out of. It took Boston faltering even harder to get Buffalo out of last place in the Atlantic. The Sabres are relying on Josh Norris returning healthy, for Jiri Kulich to take a step forward and Ryan McLeod to repeat what he did last season for their center depth to lead the way. It’s not exactly asking a lot, but it’s not an easy ask just the same. The number of “if” statements attached to them for things to work out is uncomfortable.

Top Breakout Candidate

When last season began, it wasn’t a definite that Jiri Kulich was going to be part of the Sabres roster, but he quickly made sure to do the right things to stay in Buffalo. His 15 goals and nine assists in 62 games and ability to play well enough at center to earn a spot on the top line late in the season with Thompson and Zach Benson. Kulich’s history in the AHL showed he can fill the net (24 and 27 goals in his 18-year and 19-year-old seasons) and there is more growth to come for the 21-year-old Czech with an elite shot. If he earns more power play time and continues to play minutes in the top six, the chances will pile up for him to score more.

FORWARDS

Tage Thompson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	46	32	78	1.01

If there were any worries about whether Tage Thompson would be able to regain his goal scoring prowess after seeing his goal total fall to 29 in 2023-2024 from his career-high 47 in 2022-2023, they disappeared in 2024-2025. Thompson led the Sabres with 44 goals last season and returned to his electrifying ways of filling the net. What’s more impressive is he did it while leading the league with 37 even strength goals. It might be viewed as worrisome that he posted just seven power play goals, but the Sabres power play struggled all season (ninth worst in the NHL) trying to find cohesion. You’d have to imagine that if their power play struggles get hammered out and Thompson is able to fire blasts from the circle at will again that his goal totals could jump even higher. What’s most striking about how Thompson was able to fill the net again is he did it mostly from the wing after he was moved there following a lower-body injury early last season. He teamed up with Jiri Kulich and Zach Benson late in the season and thrived on Kulich’s right side. His move to wing opens up questions elsewhere in the lineup, but the results from seeing him light it up again from a different position are hard to argue. Thompson was the Sabres leading scorer with 72 points in 76 games and despite not being named to the United States roster for the Four Nations Face-Off, his performance leading the U.S. to gold at World Championships may help land him a spot on the Olympic team in February.

Alex Tuch

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	38	35	73	0.89

Alex Tuch proved last season that he can excel at both ends of the ice and provided a bright spot in what was a gloomy season for the team in Buffalo. Tuch was second on the Sabres with 36 goals and was tied with Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck for most shorthanded goals with six. Tuch’s two-way game shined as he used his long reach and big body to take away shot and pass lanes on the penalty kill as well as the forecheck. His ability to make teams pay for turning the puck over was vital on the Sabres’ ability to frustrate teams while shorthanded. Tuch had 67 points which made him fourth on the team in scoring. Even though he was able to help drive the Sabres offence a couple of seasons ago playing on the wing with Tage Thompson, he found success last season playing with Ryan McLeod and Peyton Krebs during the second half of the season. Coach Lindy Ruff was looking for lines that could generate offence and still be sensible defensively and that allowed Tuch to settle into a role on a line with guys who can generally play well in their own ends. With Tuch having that ability to finish in the offensive end of the ice, it helped lift up his linemates who aren’t generally counted on to contribute offensively. In Tuch’s case, it cracked open his natural ability to frustrate opponents with his size and reach defensively and to use that to his advantage at both ends of the ice. Tuch is entering the final year of his contract with the Sabres, and a big payday is on the horizon.

Josh Norris

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
65	22	24	46	0.71

The Sabres acquisition of former 35-goal scorer Josh Norris came in one of the bigger trades ahead of the deadline last season when they sent 2019 first-round pick Dylan Cozens to Ottawa for him. Norris’s career with the Senators was much maligned due to repeated shoulder injuries and surgeries and although those ailments appear to be behind him for now, his time with Buffalo was cut short last season due to an oblique injury he attempted to play through. Norris had a goal and an assist in three games with the Sabres after he put up 20 goals and 13 assists with Ottawa. Although he’s a center, Norris is a shooter more than a playmaker and where he figures to fit into the lineup is one of the bigger mysteries of the new season. Although he’ll play in the top six forward group, who his wingers will end up being is something worth watching out for. He’ll have a lot of options between Zach Benson, Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Jack Quinn, Jason Zucker and Josh Doan, but the Sabres will need to have Norris healthy more than anything else. In the past, Norris has shown himself to be a dynamite offensive player with a good shot and solid puck skills. It’s unfortunate he couldn’t get more of an introduction with his teammates last season, but if the Sabres are going to end their 14-year playoff drought, they’ll need him on the ice so as to not thin out their center group.

Ryan McLeod

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	19	35	54	0.66

Contract years tend to bring out the best in players and in Ryan McLeod’s case that was an exemplary truth. McLeod had a career-high 20 goals and 53 points after coming over from the Edmonton Oilers. He proved to be one of the most versatile players in the Sabres lineup as he was able to play center on any of the four lines, on the power play and most especially shorthanded. His speed and tenacity on the forecheck made him frustrating for opponents to get away from and no longer being pigeonholed as a solely checking line player proved to be advantageous to Buffalo given his massively increased offensive output. His great season earned him a four-year, $20 million restricted free agent deal. Considering the reaction to the trade that brought him to Buffalo in which he was swapped one-for-one with 2022 ninth overall pick Matthew Savoie was overwhelmingly negative for the Sabres, McLeod’s huge season and overall performance has helped make it out to be one of Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams’s savvier trades. What’s worth watching now is how McLeod performs with higher expectations put upon him thanks to the new contract. Whether he’s centering the second, third or fourth lines or playing on the wing, the Sabres are content knowing they’ll get the same effort out of him regardless.

Jason Zucker

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	17	26	43	0.61

A year ago, Jason Zucker was the Sabres most noteworthy free agent signing and he came as advertised and provided a sorely needed veteran presence in the locker room for a very young team. Zucker had 21 goals and 32 assists and was the team’s leading scorer on the power play with 11 goals. He found a lot of success being around the net tipping pucks and cleaning up rebounds His speed and hockey know how injected an air of confidence into the lineup they sorely needed up front while some of their younger players struggled adapting to Lindy Ruff’s coaching style. After the Sabres bought out Jeff Skinner last summer, adding Zucker to replace his production while also giving them a player who can help better perform defensively was a needed change. Even though there were questions about where Zucker would best fit into the lineup, like Ryan McLeod, it didn’t necessarily matter which line he was on because he was going to play the same way no matter what. Although Zucker could’ve been a prime trade piece at the deadline, he signed a two-year, $9.5 million extension to stay with the Sabres. At 33 years old, he’s the Sabres oldest player. Make no mistake, his presence is vital to their young group in helping stay grounded and loose. His versatility in being able to play anywhere in the lineup makes him even more valuable to them.

Jiri Kulich

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
73	21	14	35	0.48

Among the many young players that make up the Sabres lineup, the emergence of Jiri Kulich in the NHL last season was a key one for their future. After he spent the past two seasons in the American Hockey League, Kulich forced his way into the Sabres lineup with his ability to handle play at center and his elite shot. He had 15 goals and nine assists in 62 games with the Sabres which doesn’t totally grab people’s attention, but when you consider he spent the latter part of the season as their No. 1 center between Zach Benson and Tage Thompson, it becomes a fair bit more impressive to take in. Kulich was the third of three first-round picks the Sabres made in 2022 and the 28th overall pick established a reputation as a goal scorer in the AHL as he put up 24 and 27 goals the previous two seasons. Although he was drafted and believed to be a winger, he’s taken to playing center by improving his attention to detail defensively and improving his work on faceoffs. Now 21 years old, Kulich is among the younger players on the roster but after proving his capabilities last season and showing that his offensive capabilities carried over from the AHL, it’ll be worth watching to see how his game grows in his second full NHL season, especially with the possibility of playing for Czechia in the Olympics on the horizon.

Jack Quinn

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	21	24	45	0.57

After coming off a season in which he missed half of it recovering from a torn Achilles tendon and then even more time with a broken leg afterwards, Jack Quinn was poised for a return to health and goal scoring form last season. But the change from Don Granato to Lindy Ruff as head coach didn’t go as smoothly for him. Despite all of that bad-sounding news, Quinn posted career-highs with 15 goals and 24 assists and 39 points in 74 games. The numbers outpaced his rookie season performance, which is good, but being two years removed from that makes it a bit of a downer. His pace was off and the attention to detail in his defensive game lapsed at times which didn’t help with his new head coach. Quinn signed a two-year, $6.75 million contract in the offseason that will function as a prove-it deal for him. Staying healthy like he did last season will go a long way to helping him do that. His shot creativity and ability to score off the rush are high end and when he’s playing at the top of his game he’s a dangerous scorer, but being able to stay consistent will be necessary. Now that Tage Thompson is on the wing, it makes things a bit more crowded on the right side with Thompson and Alex Tuch also on the right side. That said, now that both Dylan Cozens and J.J. Peterka are gone, the center Quinn fits best with is worth keeping an eye on be it Jiri Kulich, Josh Norris or Ryan McLeod.

Zach Benson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	12	24	36	0.47

If there’s one player up front to really watch to see how their game evolves this season, it’s Zach Benson. Benson was a big-time scorer in the WHL who used his offensive smarts, skill and ability to frustrate defenders with his tenaciousness. The latter trait has more than carried over into the NHL as he’s become an effective forechecker and penalty killer on top of being someone at the middle of many scrums after the whistle. Last season with Buffalo, Benson had 10 goals and 18 assists, numbers that were very slightly down from his rookie year. Benson just turned 20 in May and is headed into his third NHL season and that he made the Sabres roster as an 18-year-old said a lot about him and the Sabres alike. His dogged style of play, however, has endeared him to fans and earned respect from his coaches. He’s been a classic “if everyone played like him, they’d be doing great” kind of player, but for him to take his game to another level he must increase his offensive output. If Benson’s game evolves by continuing to do things that make him more like similarly statured players in the league like Brad Marchand, it would make for a massive change for the overall performance and attitude of the Sabres. If he continues to hover around the net and wreaks havoc, the goals will come.

Josh Doan

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	12	20	32	0.41

With the departure of J.J. Peterka to Utah, Josh Doan will be viewed as having some big skates to fill to help make up for the loss in scoring. At 23 years old, Doan’s NHL career is just getting started, however. Doan played 51 of his 62 career games last season and had seven goals and 12 assists while playing a third-or-fourth line role. He’s best known for his intense forechecking ability and getting in on plays deep in the zone to frustrate opposing defenders trying to exit the zone. He’s strong and quick and during his time playing at Arizona State and the AHL, showed a solid scoring touch. If he can see more of that translate over to the NHL, the Sabres will be very happy to see it although they’ll be satisfied having a guy that plays as hard as he does. It’s expected that Doan will play lower in the Sabres lineup either on the third or fourth lines, but having him work with guys like Peyton Krebs, Jordan Greenway or Beck Malenstyn could help give Buffalo a tough and annoying line to deal with each game. Being Shane Doan’s son, he might set a high bar for expectations for some, but Josh’s game should fit in well with what Lindy Ruff ideally wants to see the team play like.

DEFENCE

Rasmus Dahlin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	20	50	70	0.88

If fans weren’t aware of how good a defenceman Rasmus Dahlin was already, watching him or tracking his stats last season would’ve done the trick. Dahlin was a dominant presence for the Sabres and finished tied for second on the team in scoring with J.J. Peterka with 68 points in 73 games. He led Sabres defencemen in scoring, goals (17) and assists (51) as well as average time on-ice (24:14). For comparison’s sake, the Sabres’ other nine defencemen combined to score 23 goals. To say everything runs through Dahlin would be putting it lightly. What’s more remarkable about Dahlin’s performance last season is that virtually every defenceman who paired with him during the year saw their own performances improve greatly because of it. Dahlin’s play was noticeable enough to land him sixth in the voting by the PHWA for the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenceman. With the puck on Dahlin’s stick and in control of the play up and down the ice, the Sabres’ best chances to score goals and win games comes when he’s on the ice. With Bo Byram re-signed and the addition of Michael Kesselring and Conor Timmins to the blue line corps, it remains to be seen who will start the season as Dahlin’s partner, but you’d have to think it would start with Byram who had some of his best play of the season alongside Dahlin. Regardless of who gets the call, however, expect Dahlin to continue to grow into one of the best defencemen in the league.

Owen Power

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	9	36	45	0.58

There’s a big step forward in Owen Power’s game that’s coming and it’s just a matter of when it will happen. Power had seven goals and 33 assists in 79 games last season and was second among Sabres defencemen in scoring behind Rasmus Dahlin. It was a career-year offensively for him, but fans are waiting for his game to take a leap forward the way Dahlin’s has. Although his defensive numbers weren’t as strong as you’d like to see, a lot of what he does very well to disrupt opponents doesn’t necessarily get tabulated in stats. This only serves to help make arguments about him get a bit heated. As an extremely smart player with and without the puck, Power can make elite plays with regularity. His size, reach and agility make him frustrating to play against for puck carriers and shooters, and now with the addition of Michael Kesselring and Conor Timmins, the hope for the Sabres is they’ve found a regular right-handed partner for Power to pair up with. Over his first few seasons in the league, he’s had a regular rotation of defence partners and a theory for his occasional struggles centered around the lack of consistency there. Expect to see Kesselring with him this season at some point if not immediately in camp.

Bowen Byram

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	8	33	41	0.50

When the Sabres acquired Bo Byram from Colorado two seasons ago, the hope was they added a player who would give them one of the most formidable defence units in the NHL. Last season, we saw a lot from Byram that helped encourage that belief. Byram had seven goals and a career-high 31 assists last season to set a new career-high in scoring with 38 points. As a lefthanded shot, Byram fitting into the Sabres lineup can be tricky with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson also being lefthanded. But when he paired with Dahlin, we got a chance to see some of what helped make him such a highly sought-after player. Byram’s ability to carry the puck through all three zones and his offensive instincts were noticeable while he worked with Dahlin and the quick moving play they developed together also didn’t necessarily hurt them defensively either. Although that pairing didn’t stick together all season, this summer’s additions might allow for them to be reunited on the top pairing. That Byram is back in Buffalo is a bit of a surprise. He was the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason because of his restricted free agent status and the fact that Dahlin and Power are responsible for most of the five-on-five and power play time, but he signed a two-year, $12.5 million deal to avoid arbitration that will also walk him to unrestricted free agency when it ends. He’ll have plenty of opportunities to show what he can do until then.

Michael Kesselring

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	5	22	27	0.33

When the Sabres made their offseason trade with the Utah Mammoth to send J.J. Peterka out of town, the main player general manager Kevyn Adams zeroed in on was Michael Kesselring. This might sound a bit strange, but the reasons for going after the 6-foot-5 righthanded defenceman make a lot of sense. Kesselring has been a bit of a late bloomer since he was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the sixth round in 2018. He spent three seasons in the AHL after he was signed by Edmonton out of Northeastern University and then was sent to Arizona in the Nick Bjugstad trade in 2023. With the Coyotes and Utah Hockey Club, however, he was able to grow and become a steady defensive defenceman who also possesses a powerful slap shot. In 82 games with Utah last season, Kesselring had seven goals and 22 assists as well as 89 penalty minutes thanks to his physical play and willingness to fight when called on. That kind of edge has been lacking overall from the Sabres lineup, but especially on the blue line. The hope is he’ll be able to pair with Owen Power and mind the defensive side of the game to a point to better allow Power the freedom to create more offensively and boost the Sabres attack further.

Goal

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
48	22	18	4	3	.905	3.05

Of all the league's starting goaltenders who stayed in place throughout the year, no one struggled more mightily than Buffalo's Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Cornered by a Sabres lineup that featured a limited-usage James Reimer and a still-developing Devon Levi, Luukkonen was left to shoulder the lion's share of the starts - and the result left Buffalo floundering as the agile but highly mobile Luukkonen struggled to find a flow amidst poor defence and growing fatigue. His numbers aren't entirely his fault; his game play looked like a severe mismatch with the defensive strategy in front of him, forcing extra scrambling for soft rebounds and limited sightlines for a goaltender who relies on his agility to get him where he needs to go in the nick of time.

In what seems to be a signal that Buffalo doesn't want to hamper Devon Levi's development, though, the Sabres have brought experienced veteran backup Alex Lyon into the fold to help weather the storm this year. At best, he can serve as a reliable, steadying technical presence during stretches in order to give Luukkonen a break without prematurely throwing Levi to the wolves full-time. And in a worst-case scenario, Luukkonen might end up being the odd man out, leaving Levi and Lyon to handle the workload for larger chunks of time. Either way, the Buffalo crease doesn't necessarily look set for the long term - but it does look like things might be less hectic for Luukkonen, at least for this year.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Vilardi proving early returns for Jets – Nichushkin doing heavy lifting – Vets picking up pace in Anaheim – Youngs guns firing in Columbus plus much, much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 22:57:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 13: Winnipeg Jets center Gabriel Vilardi (13) celebrates his goal during an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings on December 13, 2023 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ric Tapia/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 Jets must like the early returns from Gabriel Vilardi, Valeri Nichushkin is doing some heavy lifting in Colorado, veteran forwards are picking up the pace in Anaheim, young guns are starting to fire in Columbus, and the Flames are finding some top line chemistry.

#1 Right winger Gabriel Vilardi was injured in his third game with the Winnipeg Jets and missed nearly six weeks with a sprained knee. He has fully recovered now, it appears, as Vilardi has put up 10 points (5 G, 5 A) and 15 shots on goal in the past four games. With Kyle Connor out, Vilardi has joined Winnipeg’s top line, alongside Nikolaj Ehlers and Mark Scheifele, and that is working out just fine. Vilardi has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) in 13 games this season, putting him ahead of Pierre-Luc Dubois, who has 12 points (5 G, 7 A) in 29 games for the Kings after Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and a second-round pick were sent to Winnipeg in exchange for Dubois.

#2 The Colorado Avalanche have decided that they are going to lean on winger Valeri Nichushkin, and he is thriving under the heavy workload. He is riding a six-game point streak, during which he has 11 points (5 G, 6 A) and 25 shots on goal, while averaging an astonishing 25:44 of ice time per game. Obviously, skating on a line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen is a great situation for anyone to contribute offensively, but Nichushkin is a strong two-way player in his own right and is an excellent complement to Colorado’s elite offensive talent.

#3 With injuries down the middle of the ice, the Anaheim Ducks have turned to Adam Henrique and the veteran forward has been thriving in his role, skating on a line with Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome. Henrique has not only scored seven points (6 G, 1 A) in the past six games, but he has taken 121 face-offs, winning 70 (57.9%). A 33-year-old with an expiring contract, Henrique figures to be popular leading up to the trade deadline as a proven goal-scorer who has scored at least 20 goals in six different seasons.

#4 Another veteran providing offensive production in Anaheim is Alex Killorn, the 34-year-old who was signed as a free agent in the summer after a long stay in Tampa Bay to start his career. Killorn was injured at the start of the season and struggled in his first action, managing zero goals and three assists in his first nine games with the Ducks. Since then, he has contributed nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 40 shots on goal in his past 13 games, having success alongside rookie Leo Carlsson and veteran Troy Terry. Carlsson left Thursday’s loss to Calgary with an apparent lower-body injury, which could cause further upheaval among Anaheim’s forward group.

#5 Acquired by the Flames from the Devils in the summer deal that sent Tyler Toffoli to New Jersey, Yegor Sharangovich took some time to heat up with Calgary. Sharangovich fits well alongside linemates Elias Lindholm and Andrew Mangiapane. In the past eight games, Sharangovich has tallied nine points (6 G, 3 A) and is averaging 19:51 of ice time per game. He has logged more than 20 minutes in seven of his past 12 contests.

#6 Demoted to the American Hockey League at the start of the season, 21-year-old winger Kent Johnson is showing the Columbus Blue Jackets that he belongs on the big club. In his past seven games, Johnson has accumulated eight points (3 G, 5 A) despite only registering nine shots on goal. He is skating on a line with Cole Sillinger and Emil Bemstrom and Johnson is getting opportunities on Columbus’ second power play unit.

#7 Staying in Columbus, 23-year-old Kirill Marchenko continues to boost his credentials as a finisher. Marchenko has seven points (5 G, 2 A) with 15 shots on goal in his past six games. Since the start of last season, Marchenko has recorded 34 goals and 12 assists, giving him 2.83 goals per assist, which is by far the highest rate among players that have recorded at least 30 goals in that time frame.

#8 With Barrett Hayton injured, opportunity has knocked for Arizona Coyotes centre Alexander Kerfoot, who has moved up the depth chart to skate between Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz on Arizona’s top line. Kerfoot has produced 14 points (2 G, 12 A) while averaging 19:56 time on ice in his past 12 games and even for a reluctant shooter like Kerfoot, those numbers are strong enough to draw the interest of fantasy managers.

#9 One of the most snakebit players in the league at the start of the season, Montreal Canadiens right winger Josh Anderson had zero goals and two assists through 23 games. Since then, though, Anderson is heating up, putting up seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 27 shots on goal in his past nine games. On a Habs team that is thin up front, Anderson is skating with Sean Monahan and Jake Evans at evens while also taking a turn with Montreal’s second power play unit.

#10 Veteran centre Matt Duchene is enjoying a strong season in Dallas, his first season with the Stars. Centering a line with Mason Marchment and Tyler Seguin on his wings, Duchene has produced 12 points (5 G, 7 A) with 22 shots on goal in his past eight games. For a Stars team that can lean so heavily on its top line, getting this kind of secondary production out of Duchene is what keeps them at the top of the Central Division.

#11 Goaltending has been a major problem for the Carolina Hurricanes this season. Starter Frederik Andersen has been injured since early November and Antti Raanta was just demoted to the American Hockey League, leaving Pyotr Kochetkov as the best option between the pipes for the Hurricanes. Since getting called up after Andersen’s injury, Kochetkov does have a .913 save percentage in 14 games. For a Hurricanes team that can still control play consistently, above average goaltending can easily bring fantasy value.

#12 Through 17 games this season, Dallas Stars defenceman Thomas Harley had a modest five points (3 G, 2 A) and 22 shots on goal while playing 17:29 per game. In 10 games since then, Harley has 10 points (6 G, 4 A) and 21 shots on goal while averaging 19:00 of ice time per game. The 22-year-old has scored on 20.9 percent of his shots, which obviously can’t continue, but increased ice time and increased shot rates can surely lead to sustainable offensive production.

#13 It has not been easy for Maple Leafs defenceman Conor Timmins, who has battled injuries throughout his career, but injuries to others in Toronto opened the door for the 25-year-old blueliner to get some regular playing time and he is making the most of it. Timmins has produced five points (1 G, 4 A) with 10 shots on goal in his past seven games. He quarterbacks the second power play unit and has generally been quite effective in his limited role. Timmins has value for those in deep leagues and is well worth watching because if he could just stay healthy for an extended period, that would be a notable development.

#14 A second-round pick by the Seattle Kraken in 2021, defenceman Ryker Evans has stepped into the Seattle lineup and looks NHL ready. He just turned 22 -years-old and has four assists in his past four games, playing more than 18 minutes in each of those four contests. Evans had 44 points (6 G, 38 A) in 71 games as an AHL rookie for Coachella Valley last season, then added 26 points (5 G, 21 A) in 26 playoff games. He started this season with eight points (2 G, 6 A) in 18 games and it was enough to earn his promotion to the big club. There is a caveat with Evans, though. He did not play in Wednesday’s win over Los Angeles and, as well as he has played, he is still competing to earn a regular spot on the Seattle blueline.

#15 Veteran St. Louis Blues defenceman Justin Faulk is not scoring like he did last season when he tallied a career high 50 points (11 G, 39 A), but he is starting to launch shots on goal at an impressive clip. While Faulk has four points (1 G, 3 A) in his past eight games, he has also put 30 shots on goal and averaging nearly four shots on goal per game is a terrific way for a defenceman to generate offensive production. Faulk’s career-high average for shots on goal per game is 3.00, set in 2016-2017 when he was with the Carolina Hurricanes.

#16 At the start of the season, as the Edmonton Oilers struggled to get on track, it sure looked like defenceman Mattias Ekholm was still battling an injury that had kept him out of action in the preseason. The veteran blueliner has steadily improved, though. In his past 21 games, Ekholm has 12 points (4 G, 8 A) and 56 shots on goal. Last season, after he was acquired from Nashville, Ekholm contributed 14 points (4 G, 10 A) and 36 shots on goal in 21 games. He has 14 shots on goal in his past three games and 19 hits in his past five games, so he has picked up the pace and as the Oilers appear to be moving in the right direction, Ekholm’s production should be enough for fantasy managers to take notice.

#17 The key for Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett is to keep generating shots. When he is putting himself in position to fire on net Tippett tends to be effective, and the goals follow. He broke through last season with a career-high 27 goals and 49 points and that has raised expectations for him this season. Although he is playing less this season, Tippett is continuing to produce. In his past six games, he has five points (3 G, 2 A) with 25 shots on goal, landing six shots on goal in each of his two most recent games. That gives him 20 points (11 G, 9 A) in 32 games and his increasing shot rate is reason to expect that the production should continue.

#18 Also in Philadelphia, goaltender Samuel Ersson has recovered from a spectacularly terrible start to the season when he allowed 14 goals on 59 shots (.763 save percentage!) in his first three appearances. Since then, the 24-year-old netminder has been more than steady, posting a 8-2-1 record and .926 save percentage in 11 starts. That is the kind of play that will give Ersson a bigger role in the Flyers crease.

#19 The Vegas Golden Knights had five different goaltenders last season, on the way to winning the Stanley Cup, so they are probably not too fazed by recent injuries to Adin Hill and Logan Thompson. Enter 24-year-old Czech netminder Jiri Patera, a sixth-round pick of the Golden Knights in 2017. Patera played one season in the USHL and two in the WHL before toiling in the minors. He has a .907 save percentage in 74 career AHL games, which does not scream NHL ready, but it’s not terrible, and he has a .909 save percentage in five career NHL appearances. If he is going to get starts behind a quality team, though, Patera might offer some short-term value for fantasy managers.

#20 What can the Toronto Maple Leafs do in goal? Ilya Samsonov and Martin Jones are struggling, and Joseph Woll is hurt. It might be too soon, but would they consider giving Dennis Hildeby a shot? The 22-year-old was a fourth-round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2022 and had a .918 save percentage in 21 games for Farjestads in the Swedish Hockey League last season. He has a .927 save percentage in a dozen AHL games for the Toronto Marlies this season and the way things are going for the Leafs with Woll injured, they might need to consider other options in net. At the very least, Hildeby should be monitored for those in dynasty leagues because the 6-foot-7 netminder has shown promise.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 19:07:29 +0000

Review: With a 50-21-11 record, the Maple Leafs earned 111 points in 2022-2023, the second-highest point total, and fourth highest points percentage in franchise history. Although Toronto was mediocre in terms of shot attempts, ranking 12^th with 52.2% score-and-venue-adjusted Corsi, they did manage to have strong shot quality results, ranking sixth with 54.3% of expected goals. Toronto ranked 11^th with 3.40 goals per game, and for a team that gets criticized frequently for their defensive play, the Leafs finished fifth with 2.71 goals against per game. They also won a playoff series for the first time since 2003-2004 but losing in five games to Florida in the second round put a quick halt to any optimism generated by Toronto’s first-round victory over Tampa Bay. The Leafs have been a strong team, legitimate contenders, but their lack of postseason success looms over everything, and it will be that way until they start delivering results.

What’s Changed? The Maple Leafs replaced GM Kyle Dubas with Brad Treliving, previously of the Calgary Flames, and the Leafs did complete some tidy business in free agency, getting Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, Dylan Gambrell, and enforcer Ryan Reaves up front. They took a chance on veteran defenseman John Klingberg, whose defensive play has been plummeting in recent seasons, but has plenty of experience as a puck-moving blueliner who can quarterback a power play. There is obviously a focus on the Maple Leafs adding grit with Reaves, Bertuzzi, and Domi, though the potential offensive impact of Bertuzzi, Domi, and Klingberg, may be more valuable.

What would success look like? After so many years of losing in the first round, or not making the playoffs at all, the Maple Leafs have reached a point at which winning a playoff round is the minimum and for the season to be considered a success, that will likely require winning at least two rounds, some kind of postseason achievement that goes beyond their frequent disappointments. The good news for the Leafs is that they have the horses to do it. Whether they advance or not, there is little doubt that Toronto has enough talent to achieve more, but until they actually do it, questions will linger.

What could go wrong? It is possible that the Maple Leafs could have a great regular season, playing at an elite level, and they could still get bounced in the first round of the playoffs. That’s easy enough to imagine. If things were to really go wrong for Toronto, it would probably mean a long-term injury to Auston Matthews. It’s not as if the Leafs don’t have other valuable players, but Matthews is the premier goal-scorer that is most difficult to replace. Toronto has enough depth that it can handle some injuries, but if the injuries involve more than one of The Core Four, that could make it more difficult for Toronto to remain a playoff team.

Top Breakout Candidate: On a veteran-laden Maple Leafs team, rookie winger Matthew Knies is the player most likely to have a breakout season. Knies flashed exciting potential in his first taste of NHL action last season, with one assist in three regular-season games before adding four points in seven playoff games. He is a winger with good size and can be a real handful for opposing defenders when he is working down low in the offensive zone or along the boards. Knies may be ticketed for the third line to start the season but has the potential to fill a spot in the top six and if he does that, the rookie could have an instant impact.

Forwards

Auston Matthews

After becoming the first player to score 60 goals in a season in the prior 10 seasons during the 2021-22 season, Auston Matthews took a step back in 2022-23. He only managed 40 goals in 74 games this time while recording one fewer assist at 45. Perhaps, one could consider this a floor for the 26-year-old veteran. As he enters his eighth season, last season’s 12.2% shooting percentage is by far his career low. If he had shot his career average of 15.7% last season, he would have scored 51 goals on his 327 shots. While his shooting percentage may fluctuate, he has ranked no lower than sixth in the NHL in shots on goal per 60 among regular skaters over the last three seasons. Moreover, regression to the mean should not be the only thing driving a bounce-back year for Auston Matthews, as the addition of Tyler Bertuzzi in place of Michael Bunting offers Matthews another elite playmaker as a potential linemate at even strength, and a contributor on the powerplay. Matthews is entering the 2023-24 season with 299 regular season goals, and he does not want it to end with fewer than 350.

Mitchell Marner

Mitch Marner ended his seventh NHL season just one point shy of 100 – a feat he has not accomplished yet in his career thus far. The 26-year-old started his career exclusively known for his playmaking abilities. His shot was seen as weak, although his selection of shots brought him up to a respectable shooting percentage. In the 2021-22 season, Marner jumped to a 35-goal season, converting 15.6% of his shots on goal. Marner followed that up with another 30-goal season with a shooting percentage of 15.3%. This additional threat to opponents that Marner has crafted has brought his game to another level, securing his spot as one of the most dangerous offensive players in the game. It may have also contributed to Toronto’s ability to split the duo up at times. In the 2021 shortened season, Marner spent 84.7% of his 5-on-5 minutes with Matthews. Last season, he spent only 47.3% of his full-strength time with Auston Matthews, spending slightly more time with John Tavares and a combination of wingers. The defensive side of Marner’s game is also well-crafted, enabling Sheldon Keefe and the Maple Leafs coaching staff to use him on the penalty kill as well. He has been on the ice for 44.0% of the Maple Leafs shorthanded time over the last four seasons in games that he has played. The 2023-24 season could be the year Marner surpasses 100 points.

William Nylander

The 2022-23 season featured 19 players with 40 or more goals, and William Nylander was one of them. His 40 goals and 47 assists were career-highs, and his 82 games played was his second complete season of his career. While much of the narrative surrounding Nylander is that he is inconsistent, that only applies to his defensive effort and attention to detail. He has recorded around a point-per-game since seeing an increase in his powerplay usage in the 2021-22 season. He has also been a healthy player most of his career, missing the most time in the 2018-19 season where he held out from signing an extension until December. While his lack of injury history and consistent dual-threat offensive production should make projecting Nylander’s 2023-24 season rather easy, the addition of Tyler Bertuzzi could threaten his powerplay time and therefore his production. A demotion to the second powerplay unit would likely cost around 0.2 points per game. With Nylander’s contract expiring after this season, and with the Maple Leafs intending to re-sign him to an affordable price before he goes to unrestricted free agency, a tie for the first unit time probably goes to someone else.

John Tavares

John Tavares ended the 2022-23 regular season with 36 goals and 44 assists – the first time he cleared the 30-goal mark since his first season as a Maple Leaf in 2018-19. In a saturated Toronto market, the Maple Leafs captain is due to receive scrutiny. However, that scrutiny generally revolves around the comparison of how much he is paid relative to the value he provides on the ice. He ranked 30^th in points last season, and 42^nd the season prior, reflecting a player that is still very good. When the 2023-24 season gets underway, Tavares will be 33 years of age. The forward-thinking Maple Leafs have already begun reducing his time-on-ice over the years. Last season, he played 1.8 fewer minutes per game in all situations, and 2.1 fewer minutes per game at 5-on-5 than he did in the shortened 2019-20 season. The risk to his ice time being cut much further is the latest addition in Toronto of Tyler Bertuzzi. The Maple Leafs coaching staff may conclude that Bertuzzi is the better option at the front of the net on the first powerplay unit, forcing Tavares to win a spot at the bumper or move to the second unit. While it may be best for the team, a demotion off the first powerplay unit would hurt Tavares’ individual stats dramatically.

Tyler Bertuzzi

Tyler Bertuzzi likely entered his contract year in Detroit knowing it would be his last there. He would also miss two of his last five months with the Red Wings out with upper body injuries, the latest being a wrist injury in December. On March 2, Bertuzzi was sent to Boston to chase a Cup with the Boston Bruins. There, he would find success with David Pastrnak. His playmaking abilities from all areas of the offensive zone at even strength and on the powerplay made a dangerous Bruins offense even more dangerous. Bertuzzi was able to score four goals and 12 assists in 21 games with the Bruins as opposed to his four goals and 10 assists in 29 games with the Red Wings. With the lethal shooters that the Maple Leafs have, Bertuzzi’s gritty playmaking style will fit right in. He could be a reasonable option for the first powerplay unit, as the Bruins saw with Jake DeBrusk out of their lineup. The question surrounding Bertuzzi is how much his shooting percentage will rebound. Bertuzzi converted over 16% of his shots on goal in each season from 2018-19 thru 2021. Last season he shot only 7.5% and suffered a wrist injury. If his recent wrist injury has hampered his shooting form, the Leafs did not sign the 30-goal scorer from the 2021-22 season, but a much lesser version of Tyler Bertuzzi.

Max Domi

Following the 2019-20 season, Max Domi left Montreal for a two-year contract in Columbus. Despite the Blue Jackets team lacking forward depth, particularly at center, Domi immediately saw a two minute drop in time on ice per game. During the 2021-22 season, he was traded to the Hurricanes for their playoff run, before signing a one-year contract to be a rental again, going from Chicago to Dallas. Last season could’ve been considered a slight revival for the 5’ 10” forward, scoring 20 goals for the second time in his career. This was partially due to being a shark in a small pond, seeing a hefty amount of powerplay minutes and receiving ice time while behind on a tanking Chicago roster. His biggest weakness is his poor defensive play. This is something that caused him headaches in Columbus and could cause headaches once again with Sheldon Keefe. He is also not an individual play-driver, passing the puck to teammates too quickly at times. And his career faceoff percentage of 48.2% is far from optimal. The Maple Leafs are hoping that Domi can be an effective middle-six passenger at even strength, and a staple on their second powerplay unit. With that, he should see his minutes drop back down again this season, as well as his point total.

David Kampf

For his third season in a row, David Kampf did not miss a single game last season. He also posted another new career-high with 27 points in his 82 games. New general manager Brad Treliving must have thought so highly of the Czech forward that he signed him to a four-year extension in June, days prior to him entering unrestricted free agency. Toronto acquired Kampf from Chicago as a distressed asset in 2021, after he scored only a single goal in 56 games. The Maple Leafs turned around and used him as a staple defensive center in their bottom six. He is a smart player with efficient skating. That duo has led to his success at even strength as well as on the penalty kill. He won’t offer much offensive flare, only crossing 100 career points in his sixth season, but his health, ability to stay out of the box, effectiveness in the faceoff circle, and dependability on the defensive side of the game will keep him in the lineup for years to come. And while you shouldn’t expect too much, perhaps he has a few goals left in him this season.

Calle Jarnkrok

After eight seasons with the Nashville Predators, the Seattle Kraken selected Calle Jarnkrok in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. In his last season in Nashville, he recorded 28 points in 49 games, the highest pace of his career. As a part of an underperforming Seattle team, and a deep Calgary team that pushed him down the lineup, the Swede would fall back to 30 points in 66 games. However, when he explored free agency, Toronto showed interest, signing him to a four-year contract. With the Maple Leafs, Jarnkrok is expected to be an effective, dependable passenger to play-driving linemates. He bounced around from linemate-to-linemate last season, spending no more than 33.9% of his minutes with any forward. He spent some time alongside John Tavares and Auston Matthews with Mitch Marner, but also played down on the third line with the likes of Pierre Engvall and Alex Kerfoot. He scored 20 goals for the first time in his career last season, but he had a massive jump in shooting percentage at 18.9% compared to a career 12.5%. Will his linemates be able to keep his production high, possibly helping him break 40 points, or will he regress back this season?

Sam Lafferty

A fourth-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, Pennsylvania-native Sam Lafferty scrapped his way into the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup, playing 50 games in his rookie season in 2019-20. However, it was a move to the Blackhawks early in the 2021-22 season that would help Lafferty break out and make a name for himself in the league. In Chicago, Lafferty would become a regular penalty killer. After scoring four goals and an assist in 99 shorthanded minutes in Chicago last season, the Maple Leafs traded for his services for their playoff run. His breakout wasn’t just limited to his penalty killing prowess, but respectable production at even strength as well, tallying 12 goals and 15 assists in all situations. Lafferty is a speedy bottom six forward, posing a threat to opposing defensemen trying to move the play up the ice against him. His speed may also give him the opportunity to find a spot on the third line at either wing or center in the case of injuries. However, with a healthy lineup, Lafferty should see a slight fall in his production, moving down the lineup in a more defensive role with the Maple Leafs as opposed to the unassigned role with a tanking Blackhawks team.

Defense

Morgan Rielly

Following the November 21^st game against the Islanders, news broke that Morgan Rielly was expected to miss six weeks with a knee injury. His main competition on the roster, Rasmus Sandin, would see an increase in minutes in his absence. The young, Swedish defensemen would play well with the increased minutes, scoring two goals and six assists in the 13 games he played before sustaining a small injury himself. Sandin’s offensive skill set on the back end posed a threat to Rielly’s powerplay and even strength usage. However, come trade deadline, Kyle Dubas and the Toronto Maple Leafs elected to move Rasmus Sandin for a first-round pick and a rental. With Sandin gone, there is even more certainty that Morgan Rielly will own the greatest share of powerplay minutes amongst his teammates on the back end. This offers security to his production, as Rielly has not had fewer than a half a point per game since the 2016-17 season where he only recorded 72 minutes on the powerplay. Morgan Rielly has been seen as the best offensive defenseman on the Maple Leafs roster for some time now, and Toronto reassured their view of that last season.

John Klingberg

Following the 2021-22 season, John Klingberg tested free agency for the first time after not coming to an agreement with the Dallas Stars. With only a small increase in the cap, a market for a long-term extension at the price he wanted dried up. His solution was a one-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks, with the understanding he’d likely move to a playoff team come trade deadline. Unfortunately for Klingberg, he is left with another one-year deal, but on a contending team this time. The 6’ 3” Swedish defenseman has the box score stats of a defenseman who normally would sign long term. And while market conditions may have forced him into a short-term deal again, his extremely poor defensive play has also reduced his market value. Klingberg is looking for a bit of a revival in Toronto. A once free to roam, mobile defenseman became trapped in conservative and unorganized systems at the end of his tenure in Dallas and his short time in Anaheim and Montreal. With a system that is likely a better fit, and a reduction in his usage, Klingberg could find success on the bottom two pairs and on the second powerplay unit.

Timothy Liljegren

After a breakout rookie season with the Maple Leafs in 2021-22, Timothy Liljegren followed it up with much of the same. He scored six goals and 12 assists in 67 games this time, a five point decrease from the year before due to six fewer secondary assists. Liljegren is arguably the best puck-mover on the right-hand side of Toronto’s defensive core, electing to move the puck away from his own net as soon as possible as his main form of defending. But his lack of traditional defending and physical nature is one of the reasons the Maple Leafs coaching staff hasn’t allocated more minutes to him in the past. Liljegren did see a slight uptick in both even strength and special teams minutes last season, but his security in a top four spot was not there as witnessed by being scratched in the playoffs. With Justin Holl out of the picture, Liljegren’s competition for that secured spot will be John Klingberg. If he can prove that he is worthy of taking a spot from a fellow Swede seven years his senior, he could make a big jump. If he fails to do so, at least in the eyes of his coaching staff, then we can expect more of the same from Liljegren, or even a move at the deadline.

Jake McCabe

After missing most of the 2021 season due to injury, Jake McCabe left the Buffalo Sabres for the Chicago Blackhawks in unrestricted free agency. In his first season in Chicago, he would set a career-high 22 points for himself in 75 games. Last season, he finished with another career-high with 25 points in 76 games split between Chicago and Toronto. Jake McCabe earns his NHL minutes with his defensive prowess. He has received top four minutes at even strength and is a main stay on the penalty kill. His 151 blocked shots ranked 21^st among defensemen last season, and his 163 hits ranked 23^rd. Playing his first full season in Toronto, McCabe can expect to take the heavy minutes with defensive zone deployment and tough matchups. In his 350 minutes in Toronto last spring, he spent 169 with fellow defensive-defenseman TJ Brodie. However, he spent limited minutes with Timothy Liljegren who may complement his style of play by assisting with breaking out the puck and following through in transition with the forwards. There is a chance that McCabe’s point production falls if he is put in a dramatic role, but his time on ice will certainly be high.

Goaltending

Ilya Samsonov

The Toronto Maple Leafs are in an intriguing situation to start the 2023-24 season in net, and Ilya Samsonov remains just one piece of the somewhat uncertain puzzle.

Samsonov is quick on his feet, prefers to keep his body moving as he challenges plays, and still maintains the wider stance that has characterized his game – and set it apart from so many other goaltenders in the NHL – since he first crossed the pond as a Washington Capitals prospect. That makes him fast, exciting, and good at accessing some of those higher-danger shots that slower and more methodical goaltenders just don’t seem capable of reaching. But it also makes him less predictable, both for opponents and from a statistical standpoint. And although he finished last season with one of the league’s most respectable save percentages, he remained a little too injury-plagued to feel altogether comfortable tabbing him as a long-term option for success in Toronto. He’s the reclamation project that came out on top, with tandem partner Matt Murray likely out of the picture entirely, but he’s still not a sure shot for Toronto. It seems the team knows that, too; while they could have started the season with just him and wunderkind Joseph Woll as their options to roll out, the cap-strapped Leafs went out and brought in some veteran insurance at the last minute in the form of yet another reclamation project. Martin Jones will join Woll and Samsonov to start the season, and while he’s likely the odd man out, the fact that Toronto signed him in the first place suggests that they aren’t completely sold on the tandem they have to work with just yet.

Projected starts: 40-45

Joseph Woll

It seems all but impossible that Toronto goaltending prospect Joseph Woll would clear waivers if the Leafs tried to hide him away in the AHL for another season, and his lack of waiver exemption status this year forces their hand a bit; it’s do or die time for the team and the former Boston College standout.

That’s not super concerning from a technical standpoint, since Woll has been one of the most impressive young goaltenders in North America for a handful of years now. He was the confident and collected predecessor at BC to Spencer Knight, controlling his crease at the collegiate level in a way that suggested he’d be a perfect candidate to make a short stop in the minors before taking over at the NHL level almost immediately upon going pro. Then, he suffered multiple consecutive injuries, and his development arc derailed just enough that Toronto was left scrambling; now, they’re stuck trying to navigate a need to get him into games, a starter who has been streaky over his career both in numbers and in health, and an aging Martin Jones who hasn’t hit league average stats in over half a decade. The good news, though, is that he plays the kind of game that should make it easy for Toronto to integrate him into their lineup whenever they need; he plays a game that focuses on keeping control of his depth and angles from his feet in order to eliminate the need for extra movement, serving as an interesting foil to Samsonov’s wild style. It’s unclear just what Toronto wants his role to be next year, but we’re likely only a season or two away from seeing Joseph Woll as the team’s clear-cut number one – it’s just a matter of figuring out how Toronto wants to handle the passing of the torch.

Projected starts: 30-35

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Veterans, Jenner, Hertl, Skinner and Fowler Finding their Pace + More

Scott Cullen — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 15:52:32 +0000

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

This week, more veterans that are picking up the pace after slow starts, including Boone Jenner, Tomas Hertl, Jeff Skinner, Cam Fowler and more.

COLUMBUS, OH - OCTOBER 20: Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner (38) during the first period in a game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Nashville Predators on October 20, 2022, at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes/Icon Sportswire)

#1 Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner was an intriguing value play coming into the season because of the possibility that he could end up playing on a line with Johnny Gaudreau. He managed one goal and four points in the first 10 games of the season but has picked up the pace since then. In his past nine games, Jenner has seven goals, 10 points, 35 shots on goal, 14 hits, and 12 blocked shots. That is ticking a lot of boxes for fantasy managers.

#2 After scoring a goal in the first game of the season, San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl did not light the lamp again until the 14^th game of the season. After a slow start, Hertl is re-establishing his place as a quality point producer and has four goals and 12 assists in the past 12 games. He is centering San Jose’s top line, with Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc on the wings, and the trio is controlling 57.7% of expected goals and 70.0% of actual goals during five-on-five play.

#3 Following a bounce-back season in 2021-2022, when he scored 33 goals, Buffalo Sabres left winger Jeff Skinner opened this season with no goals and two assists through the first six games. Since then, Skinner has nine goals and 19 points with 47 shots on goal in 14 games. Skinner typically does most of his scoring at even strength (28 goals at evens, five on the power play last season) but has notched a power play goal in back-to-back games.

#4 St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas is known primarily for his playmaking ability, but he has added a new wrinkle to his offensive repertoire. In the past eight games, Thomas has two goals and 10 points, with 18 shots on goal. That shot rate of 2.25 shots per game is higher than usual for Thomas and has elevated his shots per game rate for this season to 1.68 shots on goal per game, the highest rate of his career. If Thomas is going to be a more willing shooter, that could unlock additional goal-scoring production.

#5 Phillip Danault continues to be a strong addition to the Los Angeles Kings. The two-way center has contributed four goals and 13 points in his past 16 games and his line, with Trevor Moore and Viktor Arvidsson has been excellent. They have controlled 62.0% of expected goals and 65.1% of goals during five-on-five play.

#6 Third year Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens appears to be coming into his own, with five goals and 15 points in 20 games. In the past four games, Cozens has four points (1 G, 3 A) but has also put 19 shots on goal. That elevated shot rate would bode well for his future point production. Cozens has rolled through a variety of linemates this season but has had some interesting results with rookies Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka on his wings. That line has controlled 70.9% of expected goals during five-on-five play in the small sample of 41 minutes together.

#7 Veteran Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler managed just one assist through 15 games this season, but suddenly pucks are going in and Fowler has tallied eight points (2 G, 6 A) during a five-game point streak. Fowler is averaging 25 minutes of ice time per game this season, the highest average time on ice in his career. It says something unfortunate about the Anaheim power play that Fowler is tied for the team lead with three power play points.

#8 It appears that Detroit Red Wings defenseman Filip Hronek is finding his form. In the past eight games, Hronek has put up 10 points (5 G, 5 A) with 26 shots on goal. While Hronek is not going to continue scoring on 11.3% of his shots, his improving shot rate is encouraging. Hronek is averaging 2.26 shots on goal per game, clearly better than any of his previous NHL seasons. Hronek’s six power play points leads Detroit defensemen.

#9 Tampa Bay Lightning left winger Alex Killorn started the season with three points (1 G, 2 A) in eight games and whispers started about whether the 33-year-old could still fill a complementary offensive role with Tampa Bay. Consider the past 11 games his response. Killorn has 12 points (5 G,7 A) though he has just 19 shots on goal. That’s where the concern lies with Killorn. He is averaging 1.53 shots on goal per game this season and that is, rather comfortably, the lowest per-game shot rate of his career.

#10 With forwards Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny out of the Flyers lineup, Noah Cates, Morgan Frost, and Zack MacEwen are getting top-six forward time and Cates and Frost are on Philadelphia’s top power play unit. Cates has six points (2 G, 4 A) and 18 shots on goal in the past nine games. Frost scored a goal in Philadelphia’s last game, but that gives him two points (1 G, 1 A) in his past 16 games. MacEwen has three assists in the past five games and has played more than 17 minutes in each of the past three games. Taking this into account, Philadelphia’s eight-game winless streak is not so mysterious.

#11 One of the reasons that the Arizona Coyotes have not collapsed as expected is that second year goaltender Karel Vejmelka has been outstanding. The 26-year-old netminder is on a good run recently. In his past eight appearances, he has won five of seven decisions and has a tidy .939 save percentage. Vejmelka showed some promise as a rookie last season, but there was little reason to believe that he would suddenly be a game-changing force.

#12 As injuries continue to plague the Caroina Hurricanes goaltenders, Pyotr Kochetkov has picked up more playing time. The 23-year-old signed a four-year contract extension, so he is looking like Carolina’s goaltender of the future and has a .908 save percentage in a handful of starts for the Hurricanes. It also looks like Kochetkov will get more action to prove that he is NHL ready. Playing behind a strong Hurricanes team brings fantasy value for any goaltender so Kochetkov has some appeal as long as he is in the NHL.

#13 As the Toronto Maple Leafs try to figure out how to overcome injuries to defensemen Jake Muzzin T.J. Brodie, and Morgan Rielly, GM Kyle Dubas acquired Conor Timmins from the Arizona Coyotes. Timmins has had his own difficulty staying healthy and the 24-year-old blueliner has played in just 41 NHL games but has a track record of positive shot differentials in that relatively small NHL sample. Timmins has seven assists in 41 NHL games, but has been able to contribute offensively in both the OHL and AHL. Of course, Timmins really has the golden ticket when it comes to the Maple Leafs – he played three seasons for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.

#14 Last season, Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov played a career-low 16:55 per game. This season, the punishing 6-foot-5 blueliner has played a career-high 20:44 per game. That increase in ice time has resulted in greater production. Zadorov is averaging 2.16 shots on goal per game, easily the top mark for his career. He is registering three hits per game, the fourth time in his career he has reached that threshold. Zadorov has also recorded 1.26 blocked shots per game, the third highest rate of his career. All of this is to say that Zadorov is finding himself in unusual territory – he is relevant for fantasy managers in deep leagues.

#15 November’s five-on-five individual expected goals per 60 minutes leaders (minimum 50 minutes): Brady Tkachuk (1.79), Pat Maroon (1.60), Timo Meier (1.52), Tage Thompson (1.45), and Kyle Connor (1.45).

The next five: Sheldon Dries (1.42), William Carrier (1.40), Zach Hyman (1.40), Sonny Milano (1.39), and Nikita Kucherov (1.38).

That Top 10 includes several forwards that tend to ply their trade on the fourth line, as well as Milano, who was widely available in the off season after the Anaheim Ducks cut him loose.

#16 Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson could be a sleeper candidate for the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal-scorer. Thompson has 13 goals in 20 games, which puts him three behind the three-way tie at the top between Connor McDavid, Jason Robertson, and Bo Horvat, but Thompson has turned into an elite shot generator. In the past 14 games, Thompson has scored a dozen goals on 80 shots, an average of 5.71 shots per game.

#17 The skaters with the highest rate of five-on-five expected goals for per 60 minutes in November (minimum 50 minutes): Matthew Tkachuk (4.44), Brady Tkachuk (4.40), Jimmy Vesey (4.10), Nikita Kucherov (3.96), and Erik Brannstrom (3.96).

The next five: Jack Quinn (3.91), Claude Giroux (3.74), Tim Stutzle (3.70), Chad Ruhwedel (3.68), and Chris Kreider (3.67).

Looking for potential value from that group, Quinn might be most intriguing. The Sabres rookie is widely available in fantasy leagues and has seven points (2 G, 5 A) in his past seven games.

#18 There are five lines that have played at least 50 minutes together at five-on-five this season that have scored at least six goals per 60 minutes. The highest scoring trio is Edmonton’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor McDavid, and Zach Hyman (7.35 GF/60), which is not a big surprise, thanks to No. 97. The line with the second highest scoring rate is Detroit’s Dominik Kubalik, Dylan Larkin, and David Perron (6.70), which is a little more unexpected. Vancouver’s line of Andrei Kuzmenko, Elias Pettersson, and Ilya Mikheyev (6.58) ranks third. The Islanders line of Josh Bailey, Mathew Barzal, and Oliver Wahlstrom (6.18) ranks fourth. Dallas’ dominant top line of Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski, and Roope Hintz (6.00) rounds out the top five.

#19 The lowest-scoring line, goalless in nearly 65 minutes together, was San Jose’s Tomas Hertl between Timo Meier, and Alexander Barabanov. Remember the stats from point No. 2, about how dominant Hertl and Meier have been with Kevin Labanc and that’s an indicator of how much a change of one player can affect the outcome for a line.

#20 There are three lines that have played at least 50 minutes together that have controlled more than 69% of expected goals during five-on-five play. All three lines play for the New Jersey Devils. Jesper Boqvist, Dawson Mercer, and Yegor Sharangovich (73.9 xGF%) rank first. Erik Haula, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt (70.8 xGF%) rank second. Tomas Tatar, Nico Hischier, and Fabian Zetterlund (69.3 xGF%) rank third. Dominant play like that up and down the lineup should make it no surprise that the Devils just had a 13-game winning streak.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – ARIZONA COYOTES – Top 20 Prospects

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 12:30:54 +0000

1 - Logan Cooley C US

The Arizona Coyotes are slowly building their next contender, stockpiling picks and prospects more aggressively than any NHL franchise has done before. Armed with the third overall pick at the 2022 draft, the Coyotes began to lay the foundation for their next era by selecting Logan Cooley, a center out of the U.S. National Team Development Program. Cooley instantly became the most promising prospect in the Coyotes’ system, and just one look at his game film from his draft year will show why. Despite playing on a USNTDP team fully stocked with top prospects, Cooley kept finding ways to stand out above the pack. There’s one word that best describes Cooley’s game: dynamic. Cooley’s puck skills are elite, and he’s always finding creative ways to get himself out of trouble and make his way through defensive coverage. When the puck is on his stick, Cooley’s linemates are always open for a pass. Cooley is more of a creative skater than a true burner, relying more on his edgework and stop-start ability than pure speed. While that fact of his game means his skating won’t set him apart at the NHL level the way his puck skills will, it also means he’ll have an easier time translating his offensive habits to the NHL level, where most defenders are strong enough on their feet to avoid being beaten through speed outright. Cooley has a wide-open offensive toolbox that is arguably the best in his age group, and he’ll head to the University of Minnesota next season with the expectation of being an instant impact scorer. With the Cooley pick, the Coyotes added an all-too-rare commodity to their system: a prospect with the chance to become an NHL number-one center in the NHL. - EH

2- Dylan Guenther RW WHL

At this time last year, one would have probably assumed that Guenther would play out the season with Edmonton (WHL) and then make a run at the Arizona Coyotes roster in 2022/23, possibly as a top Calder candidate. However, a knee injury suffered in the WHL playoffs this year has altered those plans. Guenther will not be ready for Coyotes training camp this year and that likely means he returns to the WHL for another year. The Coyotes will be patient and cautious with one of their top prospects. Guenther did have a great year for the Oil Kings last season and remains one of the top goal scoring wing prospects in the NHL. His combination of size and skill is impressive and rare these days. And while he’s not a power forward in the traditional sense, he took big steps forward this season as someone who can play that power game by driving the net and playing through contact. His shot is a major weapon, and his offensive zone awareness is at a near elite level. He is never likely to be a top end two-way player and there is still some room for improvement in his decision making/vision with the puck, but his development has him tracking towards being a quality top six winger for the Coyotes and someone who could potentially be a consistent 30 goal scorer. If his injury recovery goes according to plan, he should be ready to jump into Arizona’s lineup in 2023/24. - BO

3 - Matias Maccelli LW AHL

The only U22 forward in the AHL to have a better points per game average than Maccelli last season was top prospect Jack Quinn. Since being drafted in the fourth round in 2019, Maccelli has done nothing but progress positively. Two strong years in Liiga (in Finland), the first of which saw him named as Liiga’s rookie of the year. Then the aforementioned strong AHL debut last year. Granted, he did struggle in his first attempt at the NHL after a midseason call-up, scoring a single goal across 23 games (despite getting decent ice time and some powerplay responsibility). However, this was only the first bump in the road for Maccelli. The 5’11 winger is extremely skilled and creative, giving him significant upside as a top six NHL forward. Originally, there were concerns over his lack of speed, explosiveness, and ability to dictate pace, however he has made significant strides in these departments since being drafted. Of course, as his brief stint in the NHL showed, he still has room to grow as a player, but the potential for him to develop into a solid point producer for the Coyotes is very real. Look for Maccelli to secure a permanent spot on the Coyotes this year out of training camp, as he will be given every opportunity to jump into a top nine role. He may even be a nice sleeper for the Calder Trophy (still eligible because he played just under 25 games). - BO

4 - Conor Geekie C WHL

While Geekie's statistical output from the 2021-22 isn't especially notable, it doesn't sufficiently reflect how good of a hockey player he is — and just how much better he can become over time, with the right development. The 2nd overall pick in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft (behind Winnipeg Ice teammate Matthew Savoie) and the 11th overall selection by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, he possess an enticing and hard to find package of size, deft puck skill and advanced offensive vision. He has a natural touch for the puck, able to get it under control with ease or distribute it naturally on the forehand or backhand. He can also really lean into his wrist shots, getting enough power behind them that the speed and force can cause problems for goalies. Even better, with his bulky 6'4" frame he is able to fend off defenders more effectively than most of his peers, giving him more time to scan the play unfolding around him and find more opportunities to create offense. At his best, his skill package makes him a major headache for opposing defenders to handle. He is, however, a below-average skater. Skating will never be a strength for him, but something that he can improve — and needs to focus on improving — is his pace and willingness to keep his feet moving. He also had a bad tendency last season on a stacked team to hang back and let his teammates lead the charge. There were too many shifts where he wasn't noticeable, and that inconsistency ultimately showed up in his scoring totals. The Ice are primed for another championship-contending season in 2022-23, and Geekie is expected to be a bigger part of their efforts. - DN

5 - Victor Soderstrom D AHL

Arizona has been excited about getting Söderström into its lineup, but it ended up being just 16 pointless games last season and all he had to show for it was a -7 rating. He kicked the season off with the team but was eventually sent back to the AHL and re-called for a stint in January and again in April. In between, he enjoyed his most productive AHL outing to date, even if his 19 points in 32 games was accompanied by a -12 rating. The 11^th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Söderström was drafted straight out of the SHL. He upgraded an already impressive SHL season in his draft year with an even more impressive sophomore season for Brynäs, leading many to feel he was on the fast track to a spot in the desert. His six-point performance in the 2020 WJC only helped boost this impression. Alas, it’s been somewhat slow cooking since arriving in North America.A very confident player with the puck on his stick, Söderström has spent considerable time on learning and reinforcing his habits without the puck. His competitiveness continues to be one of his strongest traits. When suiting up for Arizona this past season, he never once saw less than 11:45 of ice time and only saw less than 15:20 minutes in two of his 16 outings. In a 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers, he chalked up over 20 minutes of ice time. As such, the question has not been whether he’s ready and willing to take a regular shift, but rather just how much he has to gain from an all-round perspective playing with a still growing club in the NHL when he could be an all-purpose player in the AHL. For now, Arizona will be going to camp with a spot open for Söderström right from the beginning, so opportunity abounds. - CL

6 - Josh Doan RW US

At face value, the selection of Josh Doan near the top of the second round at the 2021 NHL draft looked more like an organization hoping to please its fans than an organization looking to select the absolute best player available. Doan had gone undrafted in his first year of draft eligibility and was selected by the Coyotes after a 70-point campaign with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. But after a freshman year at Arizona State that saw Doan rank among the team’s top scorers, the Coyotes’ choice is looking wiser and wiser. In his first year in the NCAA, Doan began to show why he was such a high selection at the 2021 draft. Despite the lofty expectations that come with his name in Arizona, Doan’s game stands on its own merit. Doan has an active motor and wants to be the focal point of every shift. Offensively, his shot is his best weapon, and he’s got the ability to pick a corner on a goalie and score from a distance. He has the ability to fire strong shots from less than opportune angles, and his goal-scoring is his most translatable NHL tool. Doan also is comfortable with the physical side of the game, and he’s growing into his six-foot-two frame, learning to better use his size to consistently win battles for pucks. Defensively, Doan is more of a work-in-progress, but he should improve that side of his game as he gets more college hockey under his belt. Doan’s skating has improved since his draft year, but it still isn’t where it needs to be for him to comfortably project to the NHL level, He still very likely has an NHL future, but adding an extra gear to his skating could mean the difference between a future in an NHL bottom-six or a chance to stick on a scoring line. - EH

7 - Jan Jenik C AHL

Jenik is another in the line of Coyotes prospects who got an extended look at the NHL level last season: the life of a pro prospect on a rebuilding team. However, this was also in part thanks to the terrific sophomore season that Jenik had in Tucson. If you recall, Jenik was in the midst of a breakout season in the OHL nearly three years ago (pre pandemic), before injuring his knee at the World Junior Championships. This set him back a bit and his first pro season was somewhat turbulent. However, last year was a major step forward for the competitive center. Jenik has a very well-rounded profile. He is skilled and can beat defenders one on one to create time and space. He is quick and can drive the pace of play. He competes hard at both ends of the ice and can be utilized in any situation. As such, Jenik looks like a really solid bet to become a dependable middle six forward for Arizona in the next year or two. At the NHL level last year, Jenik played on the wing, but at the AHL level he played down the middle. This coming season, there is definitely an opportunity for him to grab one of Arizona’s top three center spots, along with Barrett Hayton and Travis Boyd. Worst case scenario, he splits the year between the NHL and AHL before being ready full time in 2023-24. - BO

8 - Maveric Lamoureux D QMJHL

At 6’7’’, it’s not surprising to see scouts drooling about what a defenseman like Lamoureux could become at the NHL level. Lamoureux impresses with his size, ferocity, and ability to skate very well for his aforementioned size. On the flip side, he should look to become more consistent in his game as he can make frequent mistakes defensively. Physically, his potential is immense. He can dominate down low by pushing around the opposition. He takes away space so well. However, his reads and reaction time need work if he wants to become a quality defensive player at the NHL level. As an offensive player, he can lead the attack, however, his reads are inconsistent, and turnovers can be an issue. Even though he possesses the potential to be an offensive catalyst, he is currently at his best when he keeps things simple. Did the Coyotes reach by selecting Lamoureux in the first round? It is way too early to make that assumption. His development could take a lot of different forms because of his athletic tools. Eyes will be fixed on him in Drummondville this season as he looks to help the Voltigeurs to a better record and become one of the Q’s top two-way defenders. - EB

9 - Artyom Duda D Russia

It’s hard to find a lot of prospects that would seem to me as controversial in terms of the game style as Artyom Duda. He is really enjoyable to watch in the attacking zone (especially when orchestrating the powerplay), as he got the skating, puck skills and a very dangerous shot. When it comes to his all-around game, I’d say watching him can be even annoying, as he leaves an impression that his game style is too relaxed and lacks intensity, which is not something you can get away with outside of the junior level. Still if we look at this season the positive side of him clearly prevailed, as his offensive production was just outstanding and that convinced the Coyotes management to draft him relatively early – at the start of the second round of the 2022 NHL draft. Considering the concerns that I have described above it would be very interesting to see Duda playing at least on the VHL level next season, but unfortunately, judging by the preseason it is not something guaranteed at all. If I understood correctly, he still has two more seasons on the current KHL contract, so the Coyotes fans will have to wait a bit, but at least at that point it might be clearer what we are getting in him and how his development is going, still I think it would be fair to say that we can have a Top4 NHL defenseman potential in our mind.

10 - John Farinacci C US

While John Farinacci’s development track hasn’t been the smoothest ride — just one look at his 2020-21 season confirms that — he has made steady progress since being drafted 76th overall at the 2019 draft, and he’s one of many quality Coyotes prospects currently playing college hockey. Farinacci has been a useful player at Harvard, but he hasn’t truly cemented himself as a high-end college player the way his teammates, fellow NHL prospects such as Matthew Coronato and Sean Farrell, have. There are positives and negatives to the outlook and projection of players who play specific roles in college, and Farinacci’s game is no different. On one hand, Farinacci is playing the sort of role he’s likely to occupy as a pro, getting extensive experience in the situations he’ll be asked to handle in pro hockey. He’s a leading penalty killer, and he’s a bit of a Swiss army knife, playing a versatile enough game to fill in the gaps anywhere he’s asked. The result of this is Farinacci should have a relatively easy time meeting the expectations of the professional game. But the downside associated with his college role has been that his upside as a pro player remains relatively limited. Beyond a decent shot that’s allowed him to score double-digit goals in each of his two college seasons, Farinacci lacks the offensive tools that will lead him to reliably create offense at the next level. There’s no separation gear to Farinacci’s game, and when he does go on the attack he doesn’t deceive or manipulate defenders, he doesn’t have the sort of habits that give confidence that his offense will translate to more difficult levels of hockey. The other aspects of his game will have to carry him, and to what degree his offense carries from college to pro hockey will determine his likelihood of having an NHL career. - EH

11 - Julian Lutz

The big German winger’s draft year was a disaster because of injuries; however, he remained a high pick for a reason. His combination of size, speed, and scoring ability make him a potential NHL player.

12 - Jack McBain

The Coyotes acquired the rights to McBain after a terrific senior year at Boston College. He should make an immediate impact for the Coyotes in their bottom six with his size and physicality.

13 - Nathan Smith

Similar to McBain, Smith had his rights acquired by the Coyotes and then immediately joined the team to finish the season. An intelligent two-way forward, he profiles as a future middle six player for Arizona.

14 - Vladislav Kolyachonok

The Belarussian defender split last season between Arizona and the AHL and could be positioned for a full-time role this year. His mobility is a major asset in the defensive end as he can be aggressive in closing quickly on attackers.

15 - Ivan Prosvetov

The massive netminder likely has the inside track at the back-up job behind Vejmelka this season after three (somewhat inconsistent) years in Tucson.

16 - Conor Timmins

Injuries have derailed a once promising career and Timmins has struggled to remain healthy as a pro so far. This coming season is a big one for the former Soo Greyhound standout.

17 - Aku Raty

Raty showed great improvement in Liiga last season, and the expectation is that his offensive game will continue to blossom. The former 5th round pick is a potential bottom six player for Arizona because of his strong off puck play.

18 - Rasmus Korhonen

The 6’5 netminder will try to establish himself as a full time Liiga player this year after playing out last year in Mestis (second division).

19 - Ben McCartney

McCartney was a pleasant surprise for the Coyotes last year, after a strong pro debut with Tucson. The hard-working winger is the perfect complement to more skilled players and is starting to look like a potential NHL player.

20 - Jeremy Langlois

A third-round selection of the Coyotes in 2022, Langlois is a competitive two-way defender. He will return to Cape Breton of the QMJHL and look to become one of the league’s elite defenders.

McKeen’s Fantasy Prospects Rankings

Peter Harling — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 18:44:56 +0000

Ranking prospects can be difficult. There are many factors to consider. Adding another layer as impactful as fantasy hockey value can make a big impact on rankings.

As a fantasy GM, it can be difficult to distinguish between NHL value and fantasy value. What a NHL team values and ranks high on their depth chart, may not resonate with your needs as a fantasy GM trying to build a dynasty.

To help you rank prospects for your fantasy league, I have ranked the top 30 forwards, 20 defenders and ten goalies.

For the skaters, I only considered players under 25-years-old and with less the 50 career regular season games played. For goalies, under 25-years-old and less than 25 career games played.

There are many scoring categories in fantasy hockey, but for purposes of this list, I am only considering goals and assists, and keeper dynasty leagues.

Some of the factors that I took into consideration for the rankings include a wide range. Some examples are draft pedigree, age, production at the pro level to date (NHL, AHL, Europe) and opportunity to make the roster. The last one is a big one as I place a lot of value in two factors.

What are the players long term upside, or potential or offensive ceiling?

What is the expected arrival date for the player to break into the NHL?

I have also broken this list of the top 60 prospects up positionally as all fantasy leagues have positional requirements. Depending on your league the positional value may increase or decrease based on scoring.

For goalies, I rank them based on how soon I expect them to arrive in the NHL and score them on win expectations.

ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 10: Anaheim Ducks Left Wing Trevor Zegras (46) in action during a game against the Los Angeles Kings played on March 10, 2021 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire)

Forward Rankings

1. Cole Caufield, RW - Montreal Canadiens

The Hobey Baker Award winner made his debut in the playoffs and is the early favorite for the Calder. He will become a 50-goal scorer.

2. Trevor Zegras, C - Anaheim Ducks

The WJC MVP dominated the AHL and is ready to become the Ducks number one center.

3. Alex Newhook, C - Colorado Avalanche

Turned pro and made his NHL debut including some playoff games. He’s too good for the AHL already and will force his way into a top six role.

4. Marco Rossi, C - Minnesota Wild

A lost season to injury and sickness will be difficult to overcome. But not impossible. Look for Rossi to challenge for the first line center position out of training camp.

5. Philip Tomasino, C - Nashville Predators

Tomasino has dominated at every level he has played, OHL, WJC, AHL. He will make his NHL debut this season and could quickly earn a top six role.

6. Anton Lundell, C - Florida Panthers

Signed his ELC this summer and will be coming to North America after developing his offensive game in the Liiga. Viewd as a two-way player in his draft year he may have been underrated for fantasy purposes.

7. Nick Robertson, LW - Toronto Maple Leafs

Breaking into the Leafs top six is a tall order, but Robertson is a proven goal scorer that has earned the opportunity.

8. Quinton Byfield, C - Los Angeles Kings

Byfield still has a year of OHL eligibility, his playing options are either in the OHL or with the Kings. If the OHL played last year he would have been there but took full advantage of the opportunity in the AHL and looks NHL ready.

9. Morgan Frost, C - Philadelphia Flyers

A gifted offensive producer has done so in the AHL but has yet to translate that to the NHL. This year should be the 22-year-olds breakout season

10. Peyton Krebs, C - Vegas Golden Knights

The Knights are thin down the middle opening the door wide for Krebs to step into the number one pivot role. He may need one more year of seasoning.

11. Matt Boldy, LW - Minnesota Wild

After a solid sophomore season and outstanding WJC, Boldy signed his ELC and produced over a point-per-game in the AHL. The Wild could have multiple Calder candidates.

12. Dylan Cozens, C/RW - Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres may not have a good track record of developing prospects but Cozens already has 41 games of NHL experience and will be a top six player for a long time.

13. Alex Turcotte, C - Los Angeles Kings

A full season of pro hockey in the AHL, but has yet to play a NHL game. The Kings are taking their time in developing Turcotte which will pay off in the long run.

14. Lucas Raymond, LW - Detroit Red Wings

The Wings fourth overall pick is coming to North America but knowing how the Wings like to over ripen players, look for Raymond to spend a full season in the AHL before he is inserted into the first line.

15. Eeli Tolvanen, LW - Nashville Predators

The expectations for Tolvanen have gone up and down, and the Preds have been patient. Now is the time for the sniper to show offensive consistency.

16. Grigori Denisenko, LW - Florida Panthers

Split time between the NHL and AHL in his first season in North America, and may require a little more development in the AHL

17. Connor McMichael, C - Washington Capitals

Benefited from the Pandemic cancelling the OHL, which allowed him to play in the AHL where he showed he was ready for the next level.

18. Alexander Holtz, RW - New Jersey Devils

Goal scoring winger will require more seasoning before he is NHL ready but riding shotgun for either Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier has a lot of upside potential.

19. Cole Perfetti, C - Winnipeg Jets

Saw action in the AHL, WJC and World Championship. Where will he play next year? His options are back to the OHL or make the jump to the NHL. He may be a year or two away, but “Goal” Perfetti will have an impact when he arrives.

20. Barrett Hayton, LW - Arizona Coyotes

Hayton has bounced between the AHL, NHL and even Liiga in the past two years, not to mention some international tournament play as well. Wherever he plays, AHL or NHL next year, it would be good for his development to play on one team and get a big role.

21. Samuel Poulin, LW - Pittsburgh Penguins

Almost made the cut last year but was returned to junior as the QMJHL was open for business. Poulin will turn pro next year, and the Penguins desperately need some youth.

22. Seth Jarvis, C Carolina Hurricanes

Jarvis began the year in the AHL and was doing great. Then the WHL resumed play and he was returned and will likely payout his final season in the WHL before returning to pro full time.

23. Vitali Kravtsov, RW - New York Rangers

Bouncing back-and-forth from Russia to North America is cause for concern, but Kravtsov rebound nicely in the KHL. Expectations are he is an NHL player now but will need to produce to hold that position.

24. Vasili Podkolzin, RW - Vancouver Canucks

Canucks fans are excited for the Russian winger, but this may be a case where his NHL value exceeds his fantasy value.

25. Joe Veleno, C - Detroit Red Wings

The wings are developing Veleno slowly but steadily. The big question is what will his upside be? Is he a good second line center, or a great third line guy?

26. Arthur Kaliyev, LW - Los Angeles Kings

Arguably a boom or bust fantasy player. Kaliyev is a goal scorer, and a very good one. But he needs to score to contribute and make the NHL.

27. Alex Barre-Boulet, C- Tampa Bay Lightning

With the two-time Stanley Cup Champions forced to make some offseason roster moves for salary cap compliance, Barre-Boulet could be the benefactor of a vacated top six position.

28. Ryan Poehling, LW - Montreal Canadiens

After his incredible NHL debut, Poehling has been developing in the AHL and is close to NHL ready. Don’t count on too many more three goal games, but his AHL time is coming to an end.

29. Jack Studnicka, C - Boston Bruins

Studnicka played in 20 regular season games with the Bruins and if the Bruins lose David Krejci in the offseason look for Studnicka to fill the void.

30. Riley Damiani, C - Dallas Stars

Wrapping up the top 30 with a sleeper. Damiani had a monster AHL rookie season with 36 points in as many games and was named the AHL Rookie of The Year. He has some players to leap over to get an NHL roster spot, but Don’t think he can’t do just that.

SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 14: Anaheim Ducks Defenceman Jamie Drysdale (34) skates with the puck during the NHL hockey game between the Anaheim Ducks and the San Jose Sharks on April 14, 2021 at the SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire)

Defense Rankings

Jamie Drysdale - Anaheim Ducks

Made the NHL out of his draft year and is poised to take the reigns as the Ducks top defender. He could be a Calder candidate

2. Evan Bouchard - Edmonton Oilers

Bouchard could be lethal on the power play with McDavid and Draisaitl. Barrie signed until 2024, but the Oilers will be looking to Bouchard to quarterback their powerplay in the future.

3. Bowen Byram - Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche have a deep blueline, but Byram has number one defender upside. Look for Byram and Makar to be 1A and 1B

4. Moritz Seider - Detroit Red Wings

Seider is making GM Steve Yzerman look pretty good for drafting him when he did. There was some surprise the draft floor when his name was called sixth overall.

5. Jake Bean - Columbus Blue Jackets

His 44 NHL games played is almost enough to disqualify him from the list, almost. Now in a new home in Columbus and new opportunity.

6. Scott Perunovich - St. Louis Blues

Perunovich lost the season to injury, but at this time last year I was predicting him to make the Blues to start the season and end it as a top four player and PP quarterback.

7. Rasmus Sandin - Toronto Maple Leafs

With three Leaf defenders making over $5 million, there is only one opening for a top four in Toronto. Sandin is poised to secure that job

8. Nils Lundkvist - New York Rangers

The exile of Anthony DeAngelo opened the door for Lundkvist. After leading the SHL in defense scoring and being named the top defender in the SHL, it is time for him to debut on Broadway.

9. Caled Addison - Minnesota Wild

Addison had a great rookie year in the AHL posting 22 points. Look for the Wild to embrace their youth next year and Addison will be in their mix with Rossi and Boldy.

10. Cam York - Philadelphia Flyers

York has been a dominant player for USA and at the NCAA level with Michigan. He is ready to take his game to the pro level and should dominate for a season in the AHL before making an impact in the NHL.

11. Victor Soderstrom - Arizona Coyotes

Soderstrom played all over the map last year, seeing games in Allsvenksen, the WJC, AHL and making his NHL debut. The departure of OEL opens the door for Soderstrom and Chychrun to inherit the top pairing duties

12. Pierre-Olivier Joseph - Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins will soon need to turn to their young players as the Crosby-Malkin era winds down. Joseph is by far their top prospect in defense

13. Ryan Merkley - San Jose Sharks

The former first overall OHL Draft pick has tremendous fantasy and offensive upside. The concern is he could be more like other recent OHL grads Sean Day due to poor defensive decision making, or Tony DeAngelo with off ice problems. A boom-or-bust prospect.

14. Thomas Harley - Dallas Stars

The Ryan Suter signing will block Harley out of the top four for now, but he will play his way into it in a year or two.

15. Conor Timmins - Arizona Coyotes

After losing a development season in 2018-19 to injury, he was surpassed on the Av’s depth chart by Cale Makar and Bowen Byram. A fresh start on a rebuilding team with less roster blockers increases his fantasy value tremendously.

16. Jake Sanderson - Ottawa Senators

One of the biggest 2020 draft risers, Sanderson fantasy stock has cooled off during his freshman season in the NCAA where he scored two goals and 15 points in 22 games at the University of North Dakota. It was a solid freshman season, but his sophomore year should be more impressive.

17. Ville Heinola - Winnipeg Jets

Heinola has spent the past two years bouncing between the NHL, the AHL, the WJC and Liiga. Odds are he is a full time Jet this year competing for top four minutes

18. Alex Alexeyev - Washington Capitals

The big Russian defenseman has spent the past five years in North America (minus 55 KHL games due to COVID). He may have one more year of AHL development ahead of him, but like the Penguins, the Caps will be looking to some of the kids to make an impact soon.

19. Braden Schneider - New York Rangers

It was a great season for Schneider producing over a point-per-game in his final junior campaign, he was impressive for Canada at the WJC and made the Men’s World Championship Team Canada as well. A full AHL season is likely next before he breaks the Rangers roster.

20. Wyatt Kalynuk - Chicago Blackhawks

Seth Jones will get all the minutes he can handle as the Hawks top defender, but don’t sleep on Kalynuk who posted nine points in 21 games with the Hawks last year, and another ten in only eight AHL games. He’s a player.

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 16: Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman (1) stares down a shot during a game between the Boston Bruins and the New York Islanders on April 16, 2021 at TD garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Goalie Rankings

1. Spencer Knight - Florida Panthers

After a dominant NCAA sophomore season highlighted with a Team USA WJC Gold Medal, and a Hobey Baker nomination, Knight made his NHL debut and was getting playoff starts over Bobrovsky. It’s simply a matter of time (immediately or next season) before he is an NHL All-Star

2. Yaroslav Askarov - Nashville Predators

Pump the brakes if you think the Pekka Rinne retirement means Askarov instantly becomes a NHL starting goalie. He needs more development time for that, but it will happen soon enough.

3. Cayden Primeau - Montreal Canadiens

One could argue that a large part of why Montreal chose to expose Carey Price and his contract in the expansion draft is because they know what they have coming down the pipe with Cayden Primeau. That is the next franchise goalie.

4. Justus Annunen - Colorado Avalanche

With both Darcy Kuemper and Pavel Francouz in the final years of their contracts, Annunen could inherit the crease to a Stanley Cup contending team if he has a strong full season in the AHL. His resume to-date suggests this is highly probable.

5. Jeremy Swayman - Boston Bruins

Swayman fantasy hockey stock is soaring after his sparkling NHL debut posting a 7-3-0 record with a 1.5 GAA and .945 SV%. The fact that the future of Tuukka Rask is in limbo doesn’t hurt either.

6. Pyotr Kochetkov - Carolina Hurricanes

The Canes crease had a complete makeover this summer with the additions of Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta on two-year contracts. This buys the 22-year-old Kochetkov some extra development time before he becomes the team’s starting goalie.

7. Lukas Dostal - Anaheim Ducks

The 2020 Liiga Best Goalie Award winner was too dominant in the Liiga and when the AHL resumed, he was brought over to North America. He quickly became the Gulls top goalie. The 21-year-old should get a full season of development in the AHL with John Gibson as the Ducks starting goalie, for now.

8. Daniil Tarasov - Columbus Blue Jackets

The 6-5 Russian goalie has posted impressive stats in the Liiga and the KHL before making his AHL debut last season. His 4-2 record in the AHL was a good indication that he can play in North America as well.

9. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen - Buffalo Sabres

At the time this was written, the Buffalo goalies under contract are Craig Anderson and Aaron Dell. One can only assume they will add a legit starting goalie, or they are chasing the Shane Wright lottery. Either way, don’t expect to see much of UPL in the crease this season as he would be best served playing top minutes in the AHL

10. Joel Hofer - St. Louis Blues

The Blues have invested for a long time with Binnington in the crease. This gives Hofer all the time he needs to develop in the AHL.

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: Colorado Avalanche Top 20 Prospects

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 12:50:07 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 Colorado Avalanche 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.

Bowen Byram, D (4^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Skating makes Byram an up-tempo offensive dynamo who can carry the puck from end to end. He can shoot with the best of them, has an effective one-timer, a half slap shot, a good wrist shot when he leans into one, but also has an effective throw-it-at-the-net shot that beats the first forward. He also has excellent vision and passing skills to carve open defenses that overcommit to shutting him down. He is an excellent defender transitioning from the offensive blueline into a more attacking position in the slot. His edges, speed and fluidity make him hard to defend in open space at the top of the blue line which enables him to beat guys one on one. He sees the play unfolding in front of him, he can hit a homerun pass, skate himself out of trouble and make smart simple plays with the puck. He can create his own space and can drive the net. His defensive game has shown some modest improvements, particularly in his gaps and his recovering ability. Byram has all the tools to develop into a top pairing offensive weapon who will quarterback a powerplay at the next level. - VG

Alex Newhook, C (16^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Newhook has been earning awards and scoring accolades since he was around 13 years old, something that he was able to maintain in his freshman season at Boston College, being named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team, the Hockey East Rookie of the Year, the New England Rookie of the Year, and the NCAA Top Collegiate Rookie. He also ranked second nationally in scoring amongst freshmen. Newhook first lined up as a left winger last season, but then was moved to center to split up the scoring balance on the team. The move also helped him reach another level. Skating is probably his best asset – he is extremely fast, and he also moves well laterally. He can weave in and out effortlessly, cycles very well in the offensive zone, and is especially good on the power play. He has a good shot. He sees the ice well and knows how to be patient. He doesn’t have the biggest frame, but he is nevertheless good at protecting the puck. Newhook certainly has the size, skating and scoring ability to make it to the NHL, where he projects as a potential first liner. - JS

Justus Annunen, G (64^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Annunen reads the play really well, he is square to the puck and does not give shooters much room to shoot at. He seldom needs to make flashy, athletic saves, even though he is capable of them. He remains patient and does not commit to shooters too soon. At times he even uses anticipation to make saves on high-danger shots. He is confident in his abilities and his calm demeanor gives him an advantage in many situations. He moves well from post to post and has quick reactions and a fast glove hand with very good rebound control. Furthermore, he is vocal and communicates well with his defensemen. On the downside, the 6-4” netminder has only modest puck handling skills. When he handles the puck outside of the crease, he most often gives a simple, short pass, or rims the puck up the ice. He rarely attempts to make long-range passes, even if there is an opportunity to do so. This might be a matter of confidence because he seems hesitant when he has to play the puck. At the end of the day, Annunen has the tools to be a starting goalie in the NHL. - MB

Martin Kaut, RW (16^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

A highly regarded two-way winger, Kaut has sometimes struggled with a lack of offensive assertiveness, but he has more confidence in his shot in additional to improving speed of late. That boosted speed has made him more of an enticing prospect, now combining his great technical skating skill with more tempo when he has the puck. A pest on defense, his hockey IQ is superb and he plays deep and physical in his own zone, challenging opposing wingers against the wall with his 6-2” frame and essentially playing as a third defenseman, which includes his work on the penalty kill. Kaut’s quick, heavy wrist shot is difficult for goaltenders to handle, and his shot placement - oftentimes shooting to generate a rebound - is solid, especially on the rush. His ceiling is as a top-six two-way winger who can play an auxiliary role to a Nazem Kadri type, and with his maturity and adaptability being no issue, he should contend for a spot on the roster as soon as next season. - TD

Conor Timmins, D (32^nd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 6)

Considering how quickly Timmins acclimated himself to the pro ranks, it is easy to forget that he missed the entirety of the 2018-19 season while recovering from post-concussion syndrome. Thrown on the Eagles’ top defense pair his puck-moving prowess also showed out. With high-end hockey sense and responsibility, he played heavy penalty kill minutes and was particularly effective at battling opponents against the boards, using his size to win puck battles. Effective at creating plays with his hands and through passing, he also contributed during on the power play. He does not have dynamic speed or skill, but he has the technical skating ability that allows him to carry the puck out of the zone and push the offense the other way. His gaps are very tight, but he is prone to being beat on the outside with his lack of speed, which means he will have to improve his stick work at the blueline or play more passive defending. Timmins projects as a middle-pair shutdown guy who specializes in protecting leads or matching up with an opponent’s top line, but he will need another year or two in the AHL first. – TD

Justin Barron, D (25^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A blood clot wiped out a large portion of Barron’s draft year, and when he did play, he struggled on the bottom feeding Mooseheads. Reports were positive enough by the time the draft rolled around that Colorado was comfortable taking him in the first round. The right-shooting defender has good size and moves extremely well at that size. With his strong positioning, gap control, and ability to separate attackers from the puck, he projects as a high end defensive player in the NHL; perhaps better if he can increase his physical intensity to be more consistently menacing. Where the concern now lies is projecting Barron’s offensive game and his impact as a puck mover. While his mobility is a major asset and he flashes the ability to be a lead attacker in transition, his puck skill and game management are not dynamic. His decision making with the puck also appeared to take a step backward last year as he was asked to take on a leadership role. It is also possible that last year was a poor indication of his abilities, faced with the pressure of leading a rebuilding team and recuperating from a serious ailment. – BO

Shane Bowers, C (Trade: Nov. 5, 2017. Originally: 28^th overall, 2017 [Ottawa]. Previous ranking: 5)

In his first full pro season, Bowers showed why he was originally taken with a late first round pick by Ottawa, before being packaged in the Matt Duchene trade in 2017. Tempo and skill are what define the Boston University alum’s game, and his two-way domination of his opponents in 2019-20 was predicated upon exactly those features of his game. Hard on the forecheck and relentlessly physical on the penalty kill, Bowers is smart, attentive, and takes pride in helping his blueliners on defense. Offensively, he possesses great one-on-one skill and likes to pressure defenders by taking the puck deep in the zone and making plays from below the goal line, though he can be inconsistent with the puck and try to force plays that aren’t there. Playing with energy and pace, the Halifax native specializes in doing the grunt work and letting his more-skilled teammates shine, which makes his ceiling of a checking line, PK centerman one he can surely achieve soon. - TD

Sampo Ranta, LW (78^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 9)

The pros and cons of Sampo Ranta have remained the same since his draft year with Sioux City of the USHL. Based on his raw tools alone, the Finnish winger is dynamic enough to rank in the top three or four of this system. He is a strong skater, with excellent edge work giving him great agility. He plays a high pace and constantly puts defenders on their heels. He reads the game well and makes decisions quickly at both ends of the ice. He has an NHL frame. He can play an assertive style and impose his will on the game. He even does so physically on occasion, throwing his weight around in the service of puck recovery. On the con side, Ranta’s production has never matched his skills. He couldn’t reach the point-per-game mark in his draft year in the USHL, and while his sophomore scoring for the Golden Gophers was a notch better than his work as a freshman, it can’t be considered more than secondary yet. Ranta may make that leap, with his outputs matching his inputs, and if he does, he could be a top six player. If that step never comes, there are enough ingredients here for a good bottom six forward at the highest level. – RW

Jean-Luc Foudy, C (75^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Speed is the name of the game here. Like his brother Liam, Jean-Luc Foudy is an elite level skater. He carves up open ice with his explosiveness and agility. Not only is he quick, but his lateral skating is equally good, allowing him to change direction smoothly even at top speed. Using his speed, he is a high-level playmaker when attacking the offensive zone. He backs up defenders and opens up scoring lanes for his linemates as he circles the offensive zone until he sees an opening. Where Foudy struggles is finding ways to consistently break through to the middle of the ice. He can be neutralized by patient defenders who keep him to the perimeter. Shooting is not a strength either, so his attacks can be predictable at times, leading to too many attacks that end in the corner, or trapped in the neutral zone. Between his high-end athleticism, skating ability, and playmaking potential, he projects as a potential impact forward as long as additional physical maturity leads to more confidence in his ability to play through traffic. – BO

Nikolai Kovalenko, RW (171^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 19)

The son of former NHLer Andrei Kovalenko, Nikolai is coming off a breakout season in the KHL with Lokomotiv. His 21 points were the second most of any U21 player in the league. With terrific bloodlines, his best strength is his hockey sense. He is an active player without the puck, who keeps his feet moving in the offensive zone to seek out scoring chances, and a strong two-way player whose physicality makes him an all situations kind of player. Next year, Kovalenko will return to Lokomotiv and will look to improve his offensive numbers even further. However, his KHL contract is up after the 2020-21 season, which opens up the possibility that he makes the jump to North America after that. He projects as a middle six winger for the Avalanche and is not likely to put up the kind of offensive seasons that his father did with Edmonton and Quebec/Colorado, although he can still be a very valuable NHLer. - BO

Alex Beaucage, RW (78^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 16)

Beaucage is an analytics darling and a player with hidden pro potential as a third-round pick. He has the size to terrorize and he has the scoring touch to be a threat from any location on the ice. He maintained his offensive flair this season as the number one option on his Huskies team, leading the team in scoring after winning the Memorial Cup last year. He has his warts, and the Monsters will have to “coach the junior out of him” when he arrives, but he shows potential to be an NHLer on a middle line. His skating is strong enough to work in the pros but could use some refinement, and his play without the puck, as with many junior scorers, could use some attention, but he is strong in puck pursuit on the backcheck, which is encouraging. He will take a little while to get there, but he has the chance to be a solid secondary scorer at the NHL level. – MS

Colby Ambrosio, C (118^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

While Ambrosio has scored more than he has created for his linemates, the highlight of his game is his immense skillset playing the puck made more impressive as he rarely overplays the puck. He generally plays a simple game, saving his best moves for troubling scenarios, where he can make defenders and netminders look silly. He has great hands in tight and a knack for making something good happen. The shot – particularly his hard wrister and his one-timer from the Ovechkin spot on the power play - is also an absolute weapon. Ambrosio is a volume shooter, who is liable to let one go from anywhere in the offensive zone. That propensity seems to be related to his hands, as he is fond of making sharp angle shots and will sometimes rush one off. There are some concerns with his size deficit as well as average-at-best skating, a troubling combination, although he is fairly agile. Furthermore, while he reads the play well, tends to make the right decision, and plays hard, but is not always the one to get the play into the heart of high-danger country. – RW

Dennis Gilbert, D (Trade: Oct. 10, 2020. Originally: 91^st overall, 2015 [Chicago]. Previous ranking: 8 [Chicago])

Gilbert is a throwback defender who stays back, hits, blocks shots, and imposes physical play on his opponents. He is also a wonderful skater who can push the puck up and out of his own zone with ease. He has been a solid defensive defenseman with his smart, tight gaps and physical tools, locking up his opponents against the boards and stealing the puck with his length. He can move the puck out of trouble on his own and is capable of moving through the neutral zone with the puck but lacks the puck-handling skill to beat defenders one-on-one. That is what is most frustrating about Gilbert’s game; there are offensive defensemen in this sport who would kill to skate the way the he can, and yet Gilbert does very little with it, providing few points from the backend and showing little offensive confidence. It is not his game, but he plays a solid enough stay-at-home game to make himself useful regardless. He played 21 games on Chicago’s bottom pair before going down with a wrist injury and that is where you can expect Gilbert to play going forward, albeit now as a member of the Avalanche organization. – TD

Ryder Rolston, RW (139^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A late birthday member of the 2019 USNTDP group, Rolston was expected to dominate in his draft year with Waterloo and there were stretches when he did just that (14 points in the final nine games of 2019). But he also had long fallow stretches (eight and five game stretches after New Year’s with a single point during each). Like his father, longtime New Jersey Devil Brian, Ryder is a fantastic skater, featuring an impressive first few steps to give him a quick advantage, with a heavy shot and a promising two-way game. His hands can play fast as well, but he doesn’t dazzle with puck skills so much as show promising ability to maintain possession under duress. He will need to add some East-West to his game at Notre Dame to be less predictable, and less prone to finding his rushes dying in the corners, taking better advantage of his plus agility, and let his tools play to their level, but the core pieces of a valuable player are there. – RW

Logan O’Connor, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed 23, 2018. Previous ranking: 12)

A former captain of the University of Denver men’s hockey team, whose rink sits just over six miles from the Avalanche’s arena in downtown Denver, O’Connor was a training camp invite who earned an ELC and promptly dominated the AHL in his 2018-19 rookie pro season. A very good skater who brings loads of energy to the ice, the native of well-known hockey hotbed Missouri City, Texas is creative with the puck and while he is not a dangler, he can beat defenders with speed and inventiveness. Capable of playing all three forward spots and up-and-down the lineup, his talent is matched only by his versatility, which makes him an easy player to recall and insert anywhere on the depth chart. Smart and on the Colorado Eagles penalty kill, the 24-year-old excels in operating at the top of the defensive zone and closing down passing lanes. It is hard to imagine him as a point-scorer at the NHL level (just two goals in 16 games in his stint with the Avs this season), but he is so well-versed and reliable that he can have a long career as a utility figure in Colorado’s deep forward lineup. - TD

Danila Zhuravlyov, D (146^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 13)

Zhuravlyov is a highly mobile defenseman with smooth pivots and strong edges. He has a powerful stride and good acceleration; the puck does not slow him down when he carries it up the ice. He is strong on his skates. He shows awareness both with and without the puck. He reads plays well and has a good eye for the game. He intercepts passes and clogs lanes in his own end. He maintains correct defensive side positioning and keeps opponents on the perimeter, protecting the middle of the ice efficiently. He is strong with his hands and wins stick battles. Offensively, he makes sound decisions with the puck and can move it quickly. He also distributes the puck well in the offensive zone and has a heavy shot. Zhuravlyov has a lot of tools: the skating ability, puck skills, smarts and athleticism. He is only going to get better as he gains more KHL experience and additional strength. - MB

Drew Helleson, D (47^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Helleson is a defensive defenseman. He might not contribute a lot offensively, but he is solid. After spending two years at Shattuck St. Mary’s, he joined the USNTDP. He also played for the U.S. in the U-17 World Hockey Classic and again in the U-18 World Junior Championship. While he is a stay at home defender, he moves very well - especially given his 6-2” frame. Helleson has a long reach that he uses well. He won’t wow you, but he is extremely solid. He protects the puck well and doesn’t make many mistakes. And at only 19 years of age, that is a good sign - especially for a freshman defender still adjusting to college hockey. Since Helleson isn’t much of an offensive contributor, speed will be his biggest asset in determining how he fares at the next level, as he will have to prove that he can keep up with faster opponents. - JS

Sasha Mutala, RW (140^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: UR)

Mutala has a modest offensive arsenal but he makes the most of it. There is a nice blend of size, speed and grit that make him a pretty effective player in any game scenario. He has very good speed on the top and pretty good agility and footwork overall. He has good vision and passing skills and has an above average shot. None of his offensive tools are really eye catching but it doesn’t prevent him from being an effective player. He can play with a bit of sandpaper and work the down low game very effectively, using his size to protect the puck. He isn’t a huge physical presence on the ice but he is not intimidated by physical play. He isn’t a great puck handler, but his skills are fine for the style of game he plays. In the future he is likely to peak at a 3rd line winger who helps on the penalty kill, and is sound defensively, keeping his opponent honest everywhere on the ice. - VG

Luka Burzan, C (171^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: UR)

Burzan has continued to grow and evolve since being drafted. He has a solid combination of speed and competitiveness that make him attractive as a potential bottom six player. He has a solid defensive game and is a capable of creating turnovers, getting in lanes and engaging physically in his own zone. He generates rush opportunities by keeping pressure on the puck and is very effective on the fore and back check because of his puck pursuit. He doesn’t wow with his hands or one on one skills, but he is a capable puck handler. His offensive game really is driven from two things: puck pressure and willingness to get to the net. Both of those features are predominant in his production. He has a good ability to find space around the crease, find the puck and find room to release it. 32 of his 37 goals last season were from below and between the dots (stats from Instatsport.com), so he is a player that will go to the net. Due to this I think his offense will translate a bit better than most guys projected for bottom six roles. – VG

Trent Miner, G (202^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 16)

A smaller netminder by modern standards, Miner went from the heavy side of a goaltending platoon in his draft year, to the short end of the stick last season, losing time to the better performing David Tendeck, an Arizona prospect. We expect him to regain full control of the crease once the 2020-21 WHL season gets underway, giving him a chance to show that steady presence between the pipes, coupled with his ability to track play as well as his solid puck skills, will be worth an NHL contract with the Avalanche. Miner may be notably further away from an NHL career than Adam Werner (the other primary candidate for this slot), who also has much more impressive size, but Miner has also shown greater consistency and the ability to maintain a higher level of play over longer stretches in recent years than has Werner. If more consistent minutes allow Miner to play up to his potential, it will be hard for Colorado to avoid his potential as a future NHL backup and not award him with an ELC. - RW

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – COLORADO AVALANCHE – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 9

Rachel Howard — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 17:54:37 +0000

Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche do not have the best system in the game, but they are in the upper end of that discussion. Let’s call this a top quartile system.

Much like the prospect depth, the Colorado Avalanche NHL team may not be the best team in hockey, but they are up there. Their regular season points percentage was tied for third in the league with Tampa, behind only Boston and St. Louis.

Tampa also has a very good system (although not as good as Colorado’s) and, as mentioned above, has been exceptional at the NHL level, too. But Colorado holds a clear edge in at least one area. Whereas the Lightning are firmly in the middle of their contention cycle, the Avalanche are still very early in theirs. The Avalanche have a younger roster at the NHL level and at the AHL level. This is both in terms of actual age as well as league experience.

At the NHL level, the implication should be clear. Not only is this team young, and talented, but with so many top players still early in their respective careers, that means the team is still paying a good number of them entry level, or second contracts. In other words, the players are largely playing on very affordable deals. They only have four players with cap hits over $5 million, although Samuel Girard will be a fifth as of next season. Eventually Cale Makar and others will be in line for raises, sometimes substantial ones, but for now, we are looking at a team with its core locked up.

Two paragraphs earlier, I mentioned how the franchise’s AHL club, the Colorado Eagles, also sports a young and inexperienced. For some organizations, that may not be of much note, but for Colorado, it is notable as a substantial number of their top young prospects are already playing at the AHL level, instead of in the CHL, college, or Europe. A full third of the club’s top 15 prospects already spent all of last season in the AHL. Some of those players have already tasted the NHL and all of them project to make the leap within the next year or two. And this does not even include the team’s top three prospects, who are, respectively, still in the CHL, college and Europe. Those players (or at least the two position players among them) may just be talented enough to skip the AHL altogether and make their professional debuts right in the NHL. In other words, the Avalanche, already young and talented, are due to get a new injection of young talent to the roster.

Having so many prospects on the cusp of the NHL and thereby losing their prospect-eligible status means that this list is soon going to be on the downswing. A good problem to have, surely, but another problem the Avalanche seem well equipped to handle. In addition to the prospects here that are further from the NHL, the Avalanche have not fallen into the trap so many competitive teams have, in trading away picks and prospects by the bushel full to help widen their contention window. I am sure they will eventually, but as of this writing the team goes into the 2020 draft with six picks to its credit, missing only a second rounder. So as each blue chipper graduates to the NHL, the organization will simply replenish their stocks with others.

DENVER, CO - JULY 13: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram (45) skates during a training session at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado on July 13, 2020. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire)

Bowen Byram, D (4^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Byram came out of the gate a bit sluggish this year in Vancouver but by the end of the season was firmly back in his role as the top offensive defender he was in his draft year.

His skating makes him an up-tempo offensive dynamo who can carry the puck from end to end. He can shoot with the best of them, has an effective one-timer, a half slap shot, a good wrist shot when he leans into one, but also has an effective throw-it-at-the-net shot that beats the first forward. Take away his shot and he still has excellent vision and passing skills to carve open a defense that over commits to shutting him down.

He is as good of a defender as there is in the WHL in transitioning from the offensive blueline into a more attacking position in the slot. His edges, speed and fluidity make him hard to defend in open space at the top of the blue line which enables him to beat guys one on one. He is a the player you want skating the puck out of his own zone as he sees the play unfolding in front of him, he can hit a homerun pass, skate himself out of trouble and make smart simple plays with the puck. He can create his own space and once he gets a step on a defender can drive the net.

His defensive game has shown some modest improvements as his gaps are better and he is able to recover better after his offensive rushes. He has all the tools to develop into a top pairing offensive weapon who will quarterback a powerplay at the next level. - VG

Alex Newhook, C (16^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 3)

Colorado’s second 2019 first rounder was tied for Boston College’s scoring lead as a rookie. Newhook, a prolific scorer, has been earning awards and scoring accolades since he was around 13 years old, leading the NLBAAHL and the ETAHL in both goals and points. After playing prep hockey at St. Andrew’s College, a top program in Ontario, he spent two seasons in the BCHL.

In his second season, when he captained the Victoria Grizzlies, he led the BCHL in scoring and was named the league’s most valuable player. Moving on to BC, he was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team, the Hockey East Rookie of the Year, the New England Rookie of the Year, and the NCAA Top Collegiate Rookie. He ranked second nationally in scoring amongst freshman, behind only Harvard’s Nick Abruzzese. At Boston College, Newhook first played as a left wing but then was moved to center to split up the scoring balance on the team. The move helped Newhook reach another level.

Skating is probably his best asset – he is an extremely fast skater, and he also moves well laterally. He can weave in and out effortlessly and cycles very well in the offensive zone and is especially good on the power play. He has a good shot. Newhook sees the ice well and knows how to be patient. He doesn’t have the biggest frame, but he is nevertheless good at protecting the puck. Newhook certainly has the size, skating and scoring ability to make it to the NHL, where he projects as a potential first liner. - JS

Justus Annunen, G (64^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 8)

Annunen had a very solid 2019-20 season with Kärpät in the Liiga. His performance at the World Juniors was also impressive as he helped the Finnish team reach fourth place. He was excellent against both Sweden and USA, giving his team a chance to win on both occasions.

He reads the play really well; he is square to the puck and does not give shooters much room to shoot at. He seldom needs to make flashy, athletic saves, even though he is capable of doing so. The thing that is most noticeable to me is his calmness. He remains patient and does not commit to shooters too soon. At times he even uses anticipation to make saves on high-danger shots. He is confident in his abilities and his calm demeanor gives him an advantage in many situations.

He moves well from post to post and has quick reactions and a fast glove hand with very good rebound control. Furthermore, he is vocal and communicates well with his defensemen. On the downside, the 6-4” netminder has only modest puck handling skills. When he handles the puck outside of the crease, he most often gives a simple, short pass or rims the puck up the ice. He rarely attempts to give long-range passes, even if there is an opportunity to do so. I think this might be a matter of confidence because he seems hesitant when he has to make a play with the puck. At the end of the day, Annunen has the tools to be a starting goalie in the NHL. - MB

Martin Kaut, RW (16^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 4)

A highly regarded two-way winger, Kaut would have eventually made an NHL roster for the long term based entirely on his defensive play, but it helps when you take a big step up in your offensive contribution in your second year in North America.

A 2018 first rounder, the Czech who twice represented his homeland in the World Juniors struggled with a lack of offensive assertiveness but unlocked a confidence in his shot and improving speed as he gained experience. After missing all of November recovering from a concussion, he scored five goals and added 11 assists in 21 games, earning a nine-game trial run with the Avalanche when Mikko Rantanen went down, during which the 20-year-old scored his first NHL goal.

The aforementioned boosted speed has made him more of an enticing prospect, now combining his great technical skating skill with more tempo when he has the puck. A pest on defense, his rink sense is superb and he plays deep and physical in his own zone, challenging opposing wingers against the wall with his 6-2” frame and essentially playing as a third defenseman, which includes his penalty kill work.

His quick, heavy wrist shot is difficult for goaltenders to handle, and his shot placement - oftentimes shooting to generate a rebound - is solid, especially on the rush. His ceiling is as a top-six two-way winger who can play an auxiliary role to a Nazem Kadri type, and with his maturity and adaptability being no issue, he should contend for a spot on the roster as soon as next season. - TD

Conor Timmins, D (32^nd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 6)

Considering how quickly the stocky Canadian has been able to acclimate himself to the pro ranks and contribute in all ways to AHL Colorado, it is easy to forget that Timmins missed the entirety of the 2018-19 season while recovering from post-concussion syndrome. Thrown on the Eagles’ top defense pair for the majority of the abridged 2019-20 AHL season, he ate minutes like most defensemen of his style do, but his puck-moving prowess also showed out as the season went along.

With high-end hockey sense and responsibility, the former Team Canada World Junior representative played heavy penalty kill minutes and was particularly effective at battling opponents against the boards and using his size to dislodge the puck from others. Effective at creating plays with his hands and through passing, he also contributed during some power play time. He does not have dynamic speed or skill, but he has the technical skating ability that allows him to carry the puck out of the zone solo and push the offense the other way.

His gaps are very tight, and he is prone to being beat on the outside with his lack of speed, which means he will have to improve on his stick activity at the blueline or play more passive on defense. The 2017 second-rounder out of Sault St. Marie projects to be a middle-pair shutdown guy who specializes in protecting leads or matching up with an opponent’s top line, but he will need another year or two to season himself in the AHL. - TD

Shane Bowers, C (Trade: Nov. 5, 2017. Originally: 28^th overall, 2017 [Ottawa]. 2019 Rank: 5)

Hard on the forecheck and relentlessly physical on the penalty kill, Bowers is smart, attentive, and takes pride in helping his blueliners on defense. Offensively, he possesses great one-on-one skill and likes to pressure defenders by taking the puck deep in the zone and making plays from below the goal line, though he can be inconsistent with the puck and try to force plays that aren’t there.

Playing with energy and pace, the Halifax native specializes in doing the grunt work and letting his more-skilled teammates shine, which makes his ceiling of a checking line, PK centerman one he can surely achieve soon. - TD

Sampo Ranta, LW (78^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 9)

He is a strong skater, with excellent edge work giving him great agility. He plays a high pace and constantly puts defenders on their heels. He reads the game well and makes decisions quickly at both ends of the ice. He has an NHL frame. He can play an assertive style and impose his will on the game. He even does so physically on occasion, throwing his weight around in the service of puck recovery.

On the con side, Ranta’s production has never matched his skills. He couldn’t reach the point-per-game mark in his draft year in the USHL, and while his sophomore scoring for the Golden Gophers was a notch better than his work as a freshman, it can’t be considered more than secondary yet.

Ranta may make that leap, with his outputs matching his inputs, and if he does, he could be a top six player. If that step never comes, there are enough ingredients here for a good bottom six forward at the highest level. - RW

Nikolai Kovalenko, RW (171^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 19)

Next year, Kovalenko will return to Lokomotiv and will look to improve his offensive numbers even further. However, his KHL contract is up after the 2020-21 season, which opens up the possibility that he makes the jump to North America after that. He projects as a middle six winger for the Avalanche and is not likely to put up the kind of offensive seasons that his father did with Edmonton and Quebec/Colorado, although he can still be a very valuable NHLer. - BO

Alex Beaucage, RW (78^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 16)

Beaucage is an analytics darling and a player with hidden pro potential as a third round pick. He has the size to terrorize and he has the scoring touch to be a threat from any location on the ice. He maintained his offensive flair this season as the number one option on his Huskies team, leading the team in scoring after winning the Memorial Cup last year.

He has his warts, and the Monsters will have to “coach the junior out of him” when he arrives, but he shows potential to be an NHLer on a middle line. His skating is strong enough to work in the pros but could use some refinement, and his play without the puck, as with many junior scorers, could use some attention, but he is strong in puck pursuit on the backcheck, which is encouraging.

He will take a little while to get there, but he has the chance to be a solid secondary scorer at the NHL level. - MS

Logan O’Connor, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed 23, 2018. 2019 Rank: 12)

Capable of playing all three forward spots and up-and-down the lineup, his talent is matched only by his versatility, which makes him an easy player to recall and insert anywhere on the depth chart. Smart and on the Colorado Eagles penalty kill, the 24-year-old excels in operating at the top of the defensive zone and closing down passing lanes.

It is hard to imagine him as a point-scorer at the NHL level (just two goals in 16 games in his stint with the Avs this season), but he is so well-versed and reliable that he can have a long career as a utility figure in Colorado’s deep forward lineup. - TD

Danila Zhuravlyov, D (146^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 13)

He shows awareness both with and without the puck. He reads plays well and has a good eye for the game. He intercepts passes and clogs lanes in his own end. He maintains correct defensive side positioning and keeps opponents on the perimeter, protecting the middle of the ice efficiently. He is strong with his hands and wins stick battles.

Offensively, he makes sound decisions with the puck and can move it quickly. He also distributes the puck well in the offensive zone and has a heavy shot. Zhuravlyov has a lot of tools: the skating ability, puck skills, smarts and athleticism. He is only going to get better as he gains more KHL experience and additional strength. - MB

Drew Helleson, D (47^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 10)

While he is a stay at home defender, he moves very well - especially given his 6-2” frame. Helleson has a long reach that he uses well. He won’t wow you, but he is extremely solid. He protects the puck well and doesn’t make many mistakes. And at only 19 years of age, that is a good sign - especially for a freshman defender still adjusting to college hockey.

Since Helleson isn’t much of an offensive contributor, speed will be his biggest asset in determining how he fares at the next level, as he will have to prove that he can keep up with faster opponents. - JS

Sasha Mutala, RW (140^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

He can play with a bit of sandpaper and work the down low game very effectively, using his size to protect the puck. He isn’t a huge physical presence on the ice, but he is not intimidated by physical play. He isn’t a great puck handler, but his skills are fine for the style of game he plays. In the future he is likely to peak at a third line winger who helps on the penalty kill, and is sound defensively, keeping his opponent honest everywhere on the ice. - VG

J. Greer, LW (39^thoverall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

A scrappy, all-situations forward who just completed his fourth season at the AHL level, Greer possesses a unique combination of size, shooting dexterity, and underrated offensive skill. Always game to push the pace from shift to shift, the 2015 second-rounder is adept at making soft plays with his hands for a 6-3” guy and has enough physical tools to be useful off the puck, especially on offense, where he can operate down low as a cycle option or a net-front presence.

Defensively he is reliable, as the 23-year-old can pin down forwards against the boards and effectively cut off defensemen from pinching against the wall. Without much skating speed aside from his average acceleration and decent topflight pace, or any standout attributes that make him a unique prospect, I don’t know how he would fit into an NHL roster. But then again, he is still only 23 and can make for a useful fourth-line player in the future if salary cap issues arise in Denver. - TD

Luka Burzan, C (171^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

He generates rush opportunities by keeping pressure on the puck and is very effective on the fore and back check because of his puck pursuit. He doesn’t wow with his hands or one on one skills, but he is a capable puck handler. His offensive game really is driven from two things: puck pressure and willingness to get to the net. Both of those features are predominant in his production. He has a good ability to find space around the crease, find the puck and find room to release it. 32 of his 37 goals last season were from below and between the dots (stats from Instatsport.com), so he is a player that will go to the net. Due to this I think his offense will translate a bit better than most guys projected for bottom six roles. - VG

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conor Timmins – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – BUFFALO SABRES – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

FORWARDS

DEFENCE

Goal

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Vilardi proving early returns for Jets – Nichushkin doing heavy lifting – Vets picking up pace in Anaheim – Youngs guns firing in Columbus plus much, much more

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Forwards

Auston Matthews

Mitchell Marner

William Nylander

John Tavares

Tyler Bertuzzi

Max Domi

David Kampf

Calle Jarnkrok

Sam Lafferty

Defense

Morgan Rielly

John Klingberg

Timothy Liljegren

Jake McCabe

Goaltending

Ilya Samsonov

Joseph Woll

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Veterans, Jenner, Hertl, Skinner and Fowler Finding their Pace + More

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – ARIZONA COYOTES – Top 20 Prospects

McKeen’s Fantasy Prospects Rankings

Forward Rankings

Defense Rankings

Goalie Rankings

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

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Colorado Avalanche Top 20 Prospects

Bowen Byram, D (4th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Alex Newhook, C (16th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Justus Annunen, G (64th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Martin Kaut, RW (16th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Conor Timmins, D (32nd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 6)

Justin Barron, D (25th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Shane Bowers, C (Trade: Nov. 5, 2017. Originally: 28th overall, 2017 [Ottawa]. Previous ranking: 5)

Sampo Ranta, LW (78th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 9)

Jean-Luc Foudy, C (75th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Nikolai Kovalenko, RW (171st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 19)

Alex Beaucage, RW (78th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 16)

Colby Ambrosio, C (118th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Dennis Gilbert, D (Trade: Oct. 10, 2020. Originally: 91st overall, 2015 [Chicago]. Previous ranking: 8 [Chicago])

Ryder Rolston, RW (139th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Logan O’Connor, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed 23, 2018. Previous ranking: 12)

Danila Zhuravlyov, D (146th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 13)

Drew Helleson, D (47th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Sasha Mutala, RW (140th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: UR)

Luka Burzan, C (171st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: UR)

Trent Miner, G (202nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 16)

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – COLORADO AVALANCHE – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 9

Colorado Avalanche

Bowen Byram, D (4th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Alex Newhook, C (16th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 3)

Justus Annunen, G (64th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 8)

Martin Kaut, RW (16th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 4)

Conor Timmins, D (32nd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 6)

Shane Bowers, C (Trade: Nov. 5, 2017. Originally: 28th overall, 2017 [Ottawa]. 2019 Rank: 5)

Sampo Ranta, LW (78th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 9)

Nikolai Kovalenko, RW (171st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 19)

Alex Beaucage, RW (78th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 16)

Logan O’Connor, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed 23, 2018. 2019 Rank: 12)

Danila Zhuravlyov, D (146th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 13)

Drew Helleson, D (47th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 10)

Sasha Mutala, RW (140th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

J. Greer, LW (39th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Luka Burzan, C (171st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

Bowen Byram, D (4^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Alex Newhook, C (16^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Justus Annunen, G (64^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Martin Kaut, RW (16^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Conor Timmins, D (32^nd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 6)

Justin Barron, D (25^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Shane Bowers, C (Trade: Nov. 5, 2017. Originally: 28^th overall, 2017 [Ottawa]. Previous ranking: 5)

Sampo Ranta, LW (78^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 9)

Jean-Luc Foudy, C (75^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Nikolai Kovalenko, RW (171^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 19)

Alex Beaucage, RW (78^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 16)

Colby Ambrosio, C (118^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Dennis Gilbert, D (Trade: Oct. 10, 2020. Originally: 91^st overall, 2015 [Chicago]. Previous ranking: 8 [Chicago])

Ryder Rolston, RW (139^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Danila Zhuravlyov, D (146^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 13)

Drew Helleson, D (47^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Sasha Mutala, RW (140^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: UR)

Luka Burzan, C (171^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: UR)

Trent Miner, G (202^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 16)

Bowen Byram, D (4^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Alex Newhook, C (16^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 3)

Justus Annunen, G (64^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 8)

Martin Kaut, RW (16^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 4)

Conor Timmins, D (32^nd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 6)

Shane Bowers, C (Trade: Nov. 5, 2017. Originally: 28^th overall, 2017 [Ottawa]. 2019 Rank: 5)

Sampo Ranta, LW (78^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 9)

Nikolai Kovalenko, RW (171^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 19)

Alex Beaucage, RW (78^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 16)

Danila Zhuravlyov, D (146^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 13)

Drew Helleson, D (47^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 10)

Sasha Mutala, RW (140^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

J. Greer, LW (39^thoverall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Luka Burzan, C (171^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)