Dawson Barteaux – McKeen's Hockey

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: DALLAS STARS – RANK: #26 – TIER V

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 15:56:16 +0000

Dallas Stars

#26 Dallas - I love the Stars' most recent draft, but too many years of low upside picks keeps them down here....for now.

CEDAR PARK, TX - MARCH 12: Texas Stars defender Thomas Harley warms up prior to AHL game featuring the Colorado Eagles and the Texas Stars on March 12, 2021 at the HEB Center in Cedar Park, TX. (Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire)

Thomas Harley

It was a very strong first professional season for the standout defensive prospect, as Harley’s 0.66 points per game was the second best rate by a U20 defender in the AHL this millennium (minimum 30 games played) behind John Carlson’s 2010 season when he posted a 0.81 rate. The fleet of foot, 6’3 defender certainly met the high expectations placed upon him and he proved that he may be ready for a full time NHL spot as early as this upcoming season.

Harley is incredibly dangerous when attacking because of his length, fluid stride, and puck skill. He is incredibly aggressive in leading the attack and rarely passes up on the opportunity to take a chance to create offense. Throughout his OHL career, he worked hard to improve his defensive play and to become a more physically assertive defender. This continues at the pro level. He will also need to learn to pick his spots better and become less of a high-risk attacker. However, his potential is sky high and with Dallas’ defensive gaps heading into this season, there is a strong chance that he earns a spot straight out of training camp. - BO

Mavrik Bourque

At the junior level, the end of the season was a disappointment for Bourque and his Shawinigan Cataractes team. However, he was able to finish the year in the AHL, leaving a great impression with the Texas Stars as he scored one goal and made four assists in six games. This past season, we have really seen the extent of his talent as a playmaker. His good vision of the game and his intelligence on the ice were evident night after night. He has proven that he can be a key player on his team and in the QMJHL, especially on the powerplay.

Bourque has worked hard to polish his game further and the Stars have to be happy with the way he progresses every year. It is likely that the Stars see him playing another junior year, before moving to the pros in the AHL for a full season after that. Bourque should be among the leading scorers in the QMJHL with Shawinigan this season and may also earn a role with Canada at the World Junior Championships. Within a few years, he should develop into a quality second line center for the Stars. - BB

Logan Stankoven

With seven goals in six games, Stankoven was the only WHL player to average over a goal per game this year (albeit in a small sample size). Additionally, he wore an “A” for Canada at the U18’s and had eight points in seven games, good for fifth in team scoring. We, at McKeen’s, had him ranked considerably higher than Dallas selected him in 2021 and believe greatly in his potential to develop into a top-notch NHL forward.

Obviously, the biggest concern with Stankoven is his lack of size as he measures in at 5’8. In 2016, a 5’7 Alex Debrincat fell to the second round as NHL scouts questioned his ability to score at the NHL level at that height. Obviously, the Blackhawks now look like geniuses for taking that chance. Smaller players still need to possess a couple key characteristics to excel at the NHL level, quickness and toughness. Stankoven possesses both. He can also put the puck in the net. Not only does he have excellent goal scoring instincts, but he can also rifle the puck. Armed with a quick and accurate wrist shot, Stankoven is a nightmare for opposing goaltenders from both the perimeter and the slot, as he has shown a consistent ability to pick corners and beat them cleanly. He may take a little time to develop because he will need to continue to get quicker and stronger given his size, but the upside is alluring if you are willing to be patient. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Wyatt Johnson

A talented playmaking center, Wyatt Johnston stood out for Team Canada at the U18’s due to his suffocating two-way play and the versatility he provided for the Gold medal winners. While his skating ability will need to continue to improve, the rest of his game is very sound. A highly cerebral player, he is able to alter the pace of play and manipulate coverage to highlight his strengths as a passer. Difficult to separate from the puck and difficult to contain in the slot, Johnston projects as a hard-nosed two-way pivot who can play in any situation at the pro level.

If Johnston succeeds in becoming an NHL player, it will be because of how well he thinks the game. It is a cliched statement but an apt one in this case. He is an effective forechecker because of his ability to get his stick in exit lanes and because of his ability to read the breakout attempt. However, Johnston also sees the ice well as a passer in the offensive zone. He always seems to have his head up when in control of the puck, surveying for the best passing option. As mentioned, he also alters pace really well, manipulating the play around him to suit the coverage he is facing. Johnston will be a leader for the Windsor Spitfires this coming OHL season, where he will look to further develop his offensive skill set. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Riley Damiani

Talk about a breakout season! After Damiani saw his production drop in his final OHL season with Kitchener, the expectations for him in his first pro season were fairly tempered. But after averaging a point per game for Texas, the former OHL captain was named the AHL’s Rookie of the Year. Many recipients of this award have gone on to have long NHL careers and his AHL performance last year certainly has changed the narRative surrounding his status as a prospect.

A high energy, skilled playmaker, Damiani’s success has always been tied to his work rate and ability to read and breakdown opposing defenses. His skating, particularly his explosiveness, looked improved in Texas this year and it allowed him to drive the pace of play more consistently. Damiani projects as the kind of versatile forward that NHL coaches love. He can navigate and control the half wall in offensive schemes with his vision and creativity. He can kill penalties and work as the F1 in puck retrievals. As he gains further strength, Damiani has a chance to become a quality middle six player for the Dallas Stars. Even after a strong AHL season, he is likely still another season away from being a consistent contributor at the NHL level. - BO

Ayrton Martino

After joining the Omaha Lancers in time for the second game after the calendar flipped to 2021, Martino was electric, putting up 56 points in 38 games, involved in 40% of all goals scored by the team while he was there. As such, we at McKeen’s had him ranked fairly high for the draft, only to be shocked that he was still available for Dallas in the early third round in 2021.

It doesn’t take too many viewings of Martino to understand the kind of player he is and what he brings to the table. We are talking about plus straight-ahead speed and high-end puck skills and playmaking instincts. Martino has exceptional coordination and touch, making him tough to strip the puck from. If we factor in playmaking, it is simply safe to say that he made his linemates, previously anonymous USHL veterans, into near point-per-game players. His highlight reel aside, Martino is far from a perfect player. While he keeps his feet moving in his own zone, as mentioned above, that is too often just spinning around near the blueline waiting for a fast break. He will need to prove that he won’t be pushed around at higher levels and will take his talents to Clarkson next year. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Jack Bar

A rookie with the Chicago Steel this year, Bar started off slowly as he adjusted to playing at a higher level (coming out of St. Andrew’s College previously). The right-handed shooter was focused on his own zone game, killing penalties, and basically just getting his feet wet in the offensive zone. As February drew to a close, Bar’s game hit a new level.

Bar’s true, sustainable upside isn’t really yet known. He is a strong, forceful skater and likes to activate deep into the offensive end. His stickhandling is fine, if unrefined. He can play with the puck at top speed and force his way through the defense without coughing it up, even if he rarely looks graceful doing it. He can fit his game into a number of styles and game situations. He will never be a big point accumulator, but I believe that he can be a solid, trustworthy contributor to the attack, and that facet should improve over time as he settles into a middle pairing role. Bar will be attending Harvard next year as they rejoin the NCAA after a yearlong hiatus. A long-term project, he could prove to be an exceptional fifth round selection. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Artyom Grushnikov

Things were really looking up for Grushnikov this year. He had signed on to play with Hamilton of the OHL to anchor their blueline and hopefully demonstrate the offensive skills that were previously a bit of a mystery due to him consistently playing a level up in Russia and on their national teams. A very fluid mover and strong defensive stalwart, Grushnikov was subsequently left with nowhere to play this year (including an odd snub from the Russian U18 team). Yet, the Stars still made him a second-round selection in 2021, without him playing a game all season.

At the very least, Grushnikov should be able to become a high-end defensive player at the next level because of his defensive instincts, plus mobility, reach, and physicality. However, his offensive game is a question mark, as alluded to earlier. At this point, he is a huge wild card. Grushnikov will finally suit up for Hamilton this upcoming OHL season and the expectations remain high. He will get all the ice time that he can handle and by season’s end, Dallas should have a better idea of what they have in him moving forward. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Antonio Stranges

By now, most hockey enthusiasts know Stranges’ for his dynamic mohawk skating style and his creativity with the puck. Stranges loves to employ the 10/2 stride to build speed and has the utmost confidence in his edgework and lateral quickness to help him beat defenders wide. Due to his combination of skill, creativity, and explosiveness, Stranges possesses among the highest offensive potential of any forward in the Dallas system.

However, his game still requires a lot of refinement. This was evident in a small audition in the AHL this past season with the OHL on hold, as Stranges’ play without the puck, ability to get to the net, and his decision making with the puck all showed to be areas of weakness. This coming season in the OHL with London will be huge for him. He will finally be given the opportunity to play a first line role and he should flourish with that added responsibility. If there is a coach that can get Stranges to buy into playing a more complete and refined game, it is Dale Hunter. By the end of the coming season, we should have a much greater idea of the type of potential Stranges’ possesses at the NHL level and how likely he is to reach it. - BO

Conner Roulette

A skilled and intelligent winger with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, Roulette’s body of work this year for scouts to go off of was pretty limited. Due to the late start, he was limited to only 11 games with Seattle before having to depart for the World Under 18’s. As part of the gold medal winning entry for Canada, Roulette played a depth role and did not see consistent ice time.

He is a very well-rounded offensive player. He shows an ability to score in a variety of ways, although his best asset may be his quick and explosive wrist shot, which can beat goaltenders clean from a distance. He is also a highly intelligent offensive player who shows good vision and anticipation, making the most of his skills despite a lack of dynamic physical tools. The concern is that Roulette is an average sized player with some skating limitations. Roulette is neither quick nor dynamic, requiring him to rely on his hands and processing ability to make plays at a slower pace. This was very evident at the Under 18’s, where Roulette struggled to keep up with the pace of Canada’s quicker forwards. Additionally, Roulette will need to increase his physical intensity and improve his strength on the puck. With a greater focus on strength and conditioning, Roulette could easily break out in a large way in the future, much like Minnesota Wild prospect Adam Beckman. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Jacob Peterson

A highly intelligent two-way forward, Peterson signed with Dallas after a breakout season in the SHL last year with Farjestad. Given his mature and reliable approach, he could move quickly through the organization if he performs well at training camp and in the AHL to start.

Evgeni Oksentyk

Slippery like an eel, the undersized Belarussian forward finds ways to slip through traffic, using his dynamic edgework and balance to create scoring chances. Already signed with Dallas, he will be loaned back to Belarus for the upcoming season before likely making the jump to the AHL.

Dawson Barteaux

Barteaux will never be confused with Miro Heiskanen. He is not flashy. However, the right shot defender is a reliable presence in the defensive end. He will continue his development at the AHL level this year and projects as a potential third pairing type for Dallas in the future.

Jordan Kawaguchi

The cousin of former NHL’er Devin Setoguchi, Kawaguchi was recently signed by Dallas as a free agent after four great years at the University of North Dakota. The talented playmaking center will hope to be an immediate impact player with Texas of the AHL this season in hopes of moving quickly through the organization.

Adam Scheel

Another free agent signing by the Stars out of UND, Scheel is the reigning NCHC goaltender of the year after a terrific junior season in college. He also showed well in a brief stint in the AHL to close out last year. Look for Scheel to emerge as the starter for Texas this season and he could push for an NHL opportunity sooner, rather than later.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Dallas Stars Top 20 Prospects

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 21:52:59 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 Dallas Stars 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.

Thomas Harley, D (18^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

A smooth, but explosive skater, Harley has such a large impact on the offensive side of things because of how he dictates the pace of play exiting the offensive zone. An aggressive puck mover, he looks to lead the rush or jump up into the play. With his size and reach, he can be difficult to separate from the puck as he cuts through the neutral zone and this makes him an elite level facilitator. Last season, he gained confidence in his shot and in his ability to use his mobility to create lanes and make better, more calculated decisions at the blueline. Improving his shot accuracy is necessary as too often his point shots are high and wide. Defensively, Harley became more aggressive in using his size down low, especially when trying to separate players from the puck along the wall, although he needs to continue increasing his intensity level. Overall, he became a much more consistent defensive player, improving his gap control and decision making in his own end, trusting his mobility. He is far from a shutdown defender, but he has progressed. He is still on track to be a top four defenseman at the NHL level. – BO

Jake Oettinger, G (26^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 2)

At just 21 years of age, Oettinger received the lion’s share of starts with AHL Texas after three seasons of NCAA play at Boston University. With a muscular 6-5” frame, he is a menacing behemoth of a netminder before even taking into account his skill and athleticism. His lateral movement and save selection, particularly with his glove, are superb, and he holds rebounds that other goalies can’t shut down themselves. He tracks pucks well through traffic and, while his footwork is a little flawed, he has improved in getting to the right spots in the crease to see shots with his chest and pads first. Mature and composed, he plays deep in the crease and relies more on his size and smarts than pure, reactionary reflexes. With both Ben Bishop and, more recently, Anton Khudobin, signed through the 2022-23 season, Oettinger will likely get another full season (or two) of starts with Texas before forcing the NHL club’s hand into finding room for him at the top level. - TD

Ty Dellandrea, C (13^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

As an offensive player, Dellandrea looked much more confident and stronger with the puck on his stick last season, allowing him to dictate play from the middle and prolong possession in the offensive end. While his creativity and overall puck skill may not have progressed to the level that you might expect from a lottery selection, he remains a high-end offensive option because of his vision, hockey sense, and tenacity. An aggressive player, he excels playing through traffic, rather than avoiding it, and he does the majority of his damage near the crease and in the middle, where you have to excel to play in the NHL. Dellandrea is also a strong two-way presence and faceoff man. He can be counted on to excel in any situation and can play any role asked of him. For this reason, it would not be shocking to see him make Dallas next season, skipping the AHL entirely. He could play as a middle six center and kill penalties at a high level. His high-end potential remains to be seen. He could end up as either a second- or third-line center and eventually should be a member of Dallas’ leadership group. – BO

Mavrik Bourque, C (30^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

On the right day, Bourque looks like a future first line center who is transformative in the offensive zone. Once his team gains the offensive zone, he takes over. The puck is glued to his stick and he finds ways to create room for himself with great body control and edge work. He is a natural power play driver, finding options from the half wall and the far side of the faceoff dot creating scoring chances. More of a playmaker than a scorer, Bourque has a pretty lethal shot as well. He can beat goalies with his wrist shot or his slapper and he can elevate the puck from in tight. He gets pucks under control and into shooting position very quickly, or he can slow the game down as needed. A gritty player, he will take a hit to complete a play despite his small stature. So even if he isn’t scoring, he can contribute. On balance, he will present his team with a nice blend of a high skill, high compete game, bringing a consistency of effort pretty much every game. Bourque can succeed even when playing without high end linemates and can make those around him better. – RW

Jason Robertson, LW (39^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 4)

Posting numbers good for fifth in points and third in goals among AHL rookies last season, Robertson paced the struggling Texas Stars in scoring and was a dangerous option on a shift-to-shift basis. While he will never be the fastest or most agile skater, he possesses silky hands, deft one-on-one moves, and outstanding puck-protection skills. His upper-body strength, especially at his age, is incredible; he is near impossible to push off the puck and can run the cycle or brush up against the boards like a seasoned pro. Without the puck, he likes to play along the perimeter looking for open spaces to receive passes. His shot is quick and heavy, and worthy of being a triggerman on a future NHL power play unit. His skating, however, is a genuine and large concern; his feet are slow, and he shows very little spark in his acceleration. The Stars are a team desperate for help on offense, and Robertson is the team’s most dynamic scoring prospect, as well as the most ready for the NHL. - TD

Riley Damiani, C (137^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 5)

Damiani is at his best when he keeps his feet moving in the offensive end and is tenacious in his pursuit of the puck. He has a high level of skill when in possession and can create in traffic by making defenders miss. His shot is good, but he is better classified primarily as a playmaker. He is also a competent two-way forward who works hard on the backcheck and can be an effective penalty killer. One aspect of Damiani’s game that needed to improve last season was his skating ability, in particular his first few steps, given his lack of size. While he looked more explosive, this will need continued improvement at the professional level. Additionally, he was not as consistent of a pest this past year and needs to be aggressive and fearless at all times like he had been over the past two seasons. Damiani projects as a quality third line forward at the NHL level, with the likelihood that he shifts to the wing. His skill set as a tenacious playmaker works best when he can control the half wall and work at retrievals. Additionally, he may be better in defensive situations as a winger. – BO

Antonio Stranges, LW (82^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Stranges’ potential to become an elite offensive player is still alluring to some, allowing the Stars to overlook his spotty record of OHL production to draft him in the third round. His hands are elite. He has the ability to make multiple defenders miss when playing through traffic. Additionally, his skating style, while unique (he utilizes the 10-to-2 technique), generates a ton of power and makes him difficult to contain once he gains a step on the opposition. While his shot is an area of concern, his finishing ability in tight is not. He is particularly strong on his backhand, a lost art in today’s game. Nonetheless, his game has many warts. Turnovers are a major issue currently as he attempts to go through defenses at poor times, exhibiting a lack of vision and anticipation. This got him stapled to the bench at various times last season. His play away from the puck also leaves a lot to be desired, making him fairly one dimensional. The potential is still sky high for Stranges, but he needs to play with more consistent responsibility. – BO

Dawson Barteaux, D (168^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 6)

Barteaux plays a simple but solid defensive game. His game revolves around his feet as he is a very smooth skater with excellent four-direction ability. His recovery speed and gap control are both very good and form the basis of his overall solid defensive game. Offensively he has some skills but as more of a puck mover than as a play maker. When he reads and makes the safe play, he is highly effective, but when he tries to be more dynamic offensively, he tends to get himself into trouble. He is an effective shooter and likes to wind up and crack one but needs to pick his spots a better. Barteaux is at his most effective generating zone exits and using his pace into the neutral zone. While his skating is smooth, he isn’t really an end to end puck rusher as he doesn’t make decisions quick enough offensively to be constantly dangerous. Physically he can hold his own although he does need to get stronger to manage his own zone at the pro level. – VG

Evgeni Oksentyuk, RW/LW (162^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

The diminutive Belarussian forward was one of the more intriguing second year eligible players available at this year’s draft after a very strong first season in North America with Flint. He may be small at 5-8”, but he is quick, and he plays a fearless game. This really helped his adjustment to the OHL where he led the upstart Firebirds in scoring. Oksentyuk is a wizard with the puck, consistently making defenders miss as he pushes the pace and attacks the middle of the ice. Equal parts playmaker and goal scorer, he possesses a very well-rounded offensive game. It is a matter of whether scouts see his offensive ability translating to the NHL level as he unlikely to be a bottom six player. Having returned to Belarus to play out the pandemic, the early reports are disappointing, as Oksentyuk has been playing in a depth role, but we still expect his combination of agility and dazzling puck skills to help him force his way up the roster in time. – BO

Daniel Ljungman, C (154^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Ljungman’s draft season got off to a great start at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where his four goals helped Sweden capture the bronze. The rest of his season was indifferent as consistency issues prevented him from being a high impact player at other tournaments and in the SuperElit league (23 points, only 21st among U18 players). He possesses a high skill level as well as a very well-developed ability to read the game, giving him a higher ceiling than his point totals suggest. He has a plus shot and release and operates best as a shot first center who can create through traffic with his quick hands. His skating will need to be upgraded if he wishes to become a true impact offensive player, especially on North American ice where he would have less room to operate. In the meantime, it seems that Ljungman is already taken steps forward, as 17 points in his first 12 games back in the junior level to start this season helped him force his way to the SHL. – BO

Adam Mascherin, LW (100^th overall, 2018 [Originally: 38^th overall, 2016 [Florida]. Previous ranking: 7)

Taken as a re-draft in the fourth round of the 2018 draft, after previously being selected by Florida in 2016’s second round, Mascherin brought one of the best shots in junior hockey to the Dallas organization. Unfortunately, his 2019-20 season gave him little opportunity to display that shot - and his evolving offensive creativity - as injuries and inconsistency plagued his sophomore pro campaign. It took him 17 games to score his first goal of the season, and only three more followed in 13 other games before a shoulder injury shut him down for the remainder of the season. When he is healthy, he is a shooter’s shooter, capable of ripping wristers with speed and accuracy from the blueline in on any goaltender. While shooting is his most valuable attribute, he has quick hands and a knack for drawing space to himself before feeding an open linemate. He is not the quickest skater but has the body strength necessary of a 5-10” forward who can’t make up for it with length. Still only 22, he will need more AHL time to fully hash out a clear future role on a big-league team, but the potential is there. - TD

Joel Kiviranta, LW/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed May 31, 2019. Previous ranking: 8)

An intelligent winger with a competitive mindset, Kiviranta bleeds versatility. Capable of playing, and excelling, in many roles, the Finn has become a steal for an aging Stars organization needing youth and speed at the big-league level. Signed as a 23-year-old undrafted free agent, after three consecutive seasons with double-digit goals in the Swedish Liiga, Kiviranta initially had trouble adjusting to the North American game and looked a step behind. As the season progressed with AHL Texas, the 5-10” forward dazzled with creativity on offense as a top-line winger and a reliable presence on the penalty kill. His skating improved and his understanding of the game looked as refined as a ten-year North American pro as the season hit its mid-point, and he posted 12 points in 14 games during one stretch. He is a terrific defender and played heavy PK minutes in the AHL during his rookie year. He is expected to be deployed similarly with Dallas in the near future as an energy-line speedster with the versatility of someone who can play spot top-six minutes, a-la soon-to-be UFA Mattias Janmark, as soon as next season. - TD

Nicholas Porco, LW (142^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 9)

It certainly was a disappointing third OHL season for Porco, who saw his goal production drop from 20 in his draft year, to only nine this past season. He fell down the depth chart in Saginaw and was subsequently dealt to Barrie, and as part of a young rebuilding team, he struggled to be a consistent contributor. Porco’s strength remains his skating ability. He is an absolutely electric skater who possesses elite level explosiveness. This allows him to be extremely visible in transition. When he does not have the puck on his stick however, he has a tendency to disappear. He needs to find a way to be a more consistent player away from the puck and be someone who can use his speed to create and fill open lanes through the middle. Next season, Porco will be playing for an NHL contract. He certainly has the potential to have a big year in Barrie, where they will be counting on him to be a top six forward. Anything less than a 30 goal, point per game year should be labeled a disappointment. – BO

Joel L’Esperance, C/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 1, 2018. Previous ranking: 10)

Signed as a free agent out of Michigan Tech, L’Esperance joined the Dallas organization before the Texas Stars’ run to the Calder Cup Finals in 2018. He has since pushed out seasons of 30 and 25 goals (before the cancellation, he was well on his way to 30 again) and was an AHL All-Star in both of his full pro seasons. As a two-way, right-shooting centerman with size and a goal-scoring touch, he would probably be playing NHL hockey on a team with less center depth than the Stars. He is a high energy centerman who plays a game that fits someone smaller than his 6-2”, 215lb self, shooting at high volumes and playing a heavy forechecking style. He has solid technical skating skill for a relatively large forward in spite of top speed that lags. He has a splendid wrist shot and his hockey IQ has carried over nicely from his four-year run in the college ranks. Nearing his 25th birthday, L’Esperance’s game is as well-rounded as it is going to get and he will need to impress the Stars brass one way or another soon, though it is possible he sticks with another organization eventually. - TD

Oskar Back, C/RW (75^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 11)

A big center with good skating and two-way play. Back’s hands and puck skills are good, but not better than average. He is more of a bottom six talent than anything else. He plays a strong 200ft game with a team-first mentality. He can be used in all situations. He moved up to the SHL last season but did not take a big step forward as a player. He was still more of a role player at the WJC for Sweden. I would like to see him play with more poise and competitiveness and use his size and skating to be more of a force. His puck skills do not stand out and I can’t see him becoming a productive player at a high level if he does not compete harder to create and produce for his team. If not, there is not much upside in his game rather than being a reliable bottom six center. He will play next season in the SHL again. - JH

Rhett Gardner, C/LW (116^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 12)

Gardner was perhaps the most overlooked player in this system coming into last season, but the North Dakota alum made his mark on the organization in his first full pro season. When the injury bug hit the Dallas Stars in the early going of the 2019-20 season, it was Gardner’s smarts and versatility that made him a useful recall throughout an eight-game NHL trial run. A tenacious, heavy defensive center with long reach and the speed to pressure opposing defensemen on the forecheck, Gardner rarely makes mistakes and is easy for coaches to trust in all situations. He shines on the penalty kill, where his active stick and constantly moving feet at the top or center of the zone keeps the puck on the outside. Strong on faceoffs and down low in the offensive zone, Gardner can be a facilitator of sorts, but is better suited to play a shutdown depth role. - TD

Fredrik Karlstrom, C (90^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 13)

The 22-year-old center/winger had his best SHL season so far. He did that on a team that struggled partially thanks to a high shooting percentage. He finished the season on a strong note putting up at least one point in nine of his last 12 games. He saw more ice-time at the end as well. Over half of his production came in the last 12 contests of the 52-game season. Karlstrom has good size and good skating abilities. His puck skills are fine but not more than average. His all-around game is good as well. If he can keep up how he finished the season and be a more productive player more consistently, then maybe he has middle six forward potential. He does not play with a physical edge to his game though so he will really need to find offensive effectiveness to become that player. Next season, he will be loaned back to SHL for another season. - JH

Jerad Rosburg, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 9, 2020. Previous ranking: 14)

Son of long-time NFL coach Jerry Rosburg, Jerad Rosburg has a bit of the football player in his work on the ice. For starters, he has great size and plays with a very physical mentality. He uses his big frame to force opponents away from danger areas in his own zone and is known to make a few big hits. His defensive game, both in terms of physically stopping opponents as well as outthinking them, are the main keys of his game. The Maryland native is also willing to push the pace offensively, although he is unlikely to succeed in that approach as a pro. His hands are quick enough to provide some offensive utility, but Rosburg’s surest path to the NHL is as a blue-collar, hard-working part of a bottom pairing, with some penalty killing options thrown in for good measure. He might not need more than a single year in the AHL before he is ready to acclimate to the NHL. - RW

Jacob Peterson, C (132^nd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 15)

A smart two-way center/winger with good speed. Peterson competes well and makes players around him better. He does not have any standout puck skills but uses his speed and competitiveness to create. He plays a smart game way from the puck and is a reliable bottom six player, with a strong forechecking element to his game. He is an efficient forechecker who relies on his smarts rather than aggression to be effective. His offensive hockey sense is not particularly high though, so long-term Peterson should be thought of as bottom six two-way forward. He produced well enough in his first SHL season in a smaller role, playing 10-11 minutes per game. Next season he is shifting from Frolunda to Farjestad and will hopefully get a bigger role. – JH

Nicholas Caamano, RW (146^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: UR)

The third player on this list with a background including the Flint Firebirds, Caamano has the least upside of anyone in this top 20, yet a floor high enough to have spent some time suiting up for the Stars in their recent run to the Stanley Cup Finals. Consider him as you might consider Kiviranta and L’Esperance, but Caamano is the third wheel in that group as he lacks Kiviranta’s skating ability, and L’Esperance’s physical tools. Caamano at least showed last season that he could be a moderate offensive contributor at the AHL level, while proving that his hands can work quickly, even if his feet are heavy. He can play a responsible game, handling defensive zone shifts as well as holding his own on the penalty kill. Barring a significant improvement in his skating, Caamano is who he is, usable depth who, in the right circumstances, can lock down a fourth line NHL role. - RW

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)

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – DALLAS STARS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 29

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 19:29:01 +0000

Dallas Stars

If you look at the overall organizational rankings in this guide, you will see the Stars not too far from the bottom as third weakest system. Some teams near Dallas in the org rankings make intuitive sense. The last ranked St. Louis Blues traded some pieces for immediate NHL help and other prospects are already full-fledged NHL’ers. The Calgary Flames rarely have a full slate of picks and have made a few reaches over the years as well. The Sharks are in a similar boat to Calgary. Pittsburgh routinely moves their picks early.

Then we have Dallas, which doesn’t fit the stereotype for those other shallow systems. Prior to the 2019 draft, in which the Stars made only four selections, the organization had averaged a full seven picks per year over the previous five drafts. Those six draft classes include seven first round picks. Yet here we are. How do we explain this unfortunate sequence of events?

To Dallas’ credit, the past six drafts have produced three graduates, including two first rounders, in Miro Heiskanen, Denis Guryanov, and Roope Hintz. Further, the top of this system. Particularly the top three which is entirely made up of former first rounders, is quite strong. Unfortunately, the system thins out rapidly after the upper crust of Harley, Oettinger, and Dellandrea. In fact, after a second tier of three players, few of the remaining players on this list would feature at all on the top prospect lists of many other organizations.

Where did Dallas go wrong? There are two main culprits. First up, we have the entire 2014 draft class. Like 26 of the other 30 players selected in the first round in 2014, Dallas’ pick, Julius Honka, has exhausted his prospect eligibility, with 87 games played at the NHL level. Then again, if you follow the Stars, you are probably aware that the offensive blueliner has burned his bridges to the Lonestar State and possibly to the NHL as a whole, having returned last season to Finland, where he was overshadowed by his younger brother Anttoni, a Carolina prospect. Would you believe that Honka was, hands down, the best outcome Dallas had from that draft class. Not a single one of the other eight players they selected that June remain in the system, nor has a single one played a minute of NHL hockey.

The remainder of the answer to that question is tied up in a single player. That being 2016 first round pick Riley Tufte. Dallas’ 2016 draft class has already played a cumulative 20 NHL games, none of which were credited to Tufte. If Tufte continues his current trajectory, he will not reach the NHL, much less match the 20 games played by Rhett Gardner and Nicholas Caamano. Taken 25^th overall out of Blaine High School in Minnesota, the gargantuan Tufte dominated competition in high school (over three points per game) but struggled when he played more advanced competition in the USHL for Fargo, with 14 points in 27 games. Dallas bet on the physical tools.

Tufte was part of two NCAA champions with Minnesota-Duluth, but never as a top contributor or play driver. When he got to the AHL for the first time last year, he simply bombed, with a meagre total of three goals and 15 points in 53 games. He could not play at the pace required of the level, which includes both his skating and his ability to move the puck in the right direction. Through four years, he has simply not developed, and he will need to completely change his development trajectory to have a chance of playing in the NHL at any point. The 2016 draft class has had its share of disappointments, so Tufte is not alone in that measure, but if he was even still viable as an NHL prospect, the Stars would have been a few slots higher on the org rankings this year.

Thomas Harley of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Thomas Harley, D (18^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

One of the better defensemen in the OHL, Harley had a strong draft +1 year with the Mississauga Steelheads. Expectations were quite high for him this season and he was able to meet those, even if he was left off Canada’s WJC team.

A smooth, but explosive skater, Harley is able to have such a large impact on the offensive side of things because of how he dictates the pace of play exiting the offensive zone. An aggressive puck mover, he is always looking to lead the rush or jump up into the play. With his size and reach, he can be difficult to separate from the puck as he cuts through the neutral zone and this makes him an elite level facilitator.

His work as a powerplay quarterback took some nice steps forward this season as he gained confidence in his shot and in his ability to use his mobility to create lanes and make better, more calculated decisions at the blueline. Improving the accuracy of his shot is going to be a next step as too often his point shots are high and wide, when a better placed low shot would create a greater scoring chance.

As a defensive player, Harley needed to progress and he became more aggressive in using his size down low, especially when trying to separate players from the puck along the wall. However, as a net front presence, he will need to continue increasing his intensity level. Overall, he became a much more consistent defensive player, improving his gap control and decision making in his own end, trusting his mobility. He is far from a shutdown defender, but he has progressed without a doubt.

The question is, will Harley be in the NHL next year? I believe that he has the capability, depending on how Dallas wishes to fill out their third pairing. However, another year in the OHL would not be a bad thing for his development, allowing him to continue becoming a more comfortable and confident two-way defender. He is still on track to be a top four defenseman at the NHL level. - BO

Jake Oettinger, G (26^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

The Dallas Stars have not had a denoted goaltender of the future since Jack Campbell was drafted 11th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft. Though Campbell, now a Maple Leaf, eventually became one of the premier backup goaltenders in hockey, he was a bust of epic proportions as a Stars prospect and appeared in just one game with Dallas. Selecting a goaltender in round one of the Draft is always a risk, but this time around, it appears the risk will pay off in the form of Jake Oettinger, a future high-tier NHL starter. Drafted 26th overall in 2017, Oettinger -- at just 21 -- received the lion’s share of starts with AHL Texas after three seasons of NCAA play at Boston University.

With a muscular 6-5” frame, he is a menacing behemoth of a netminder before even taking into account his skill and athleticism. His lateral movement and save selection, particularly with his glove, are superb, and he holds rebounds that other goalies can’t shut down themselves. He tracks pucks well through traffic and, while his footwork is a little flawed, he has improved in getting to the right spots in the crease to see shots with his chest and pads first. Mature and composed, he plays deep in the crease and relies more on his size and smarts than pure, reactionary reflexes.

With Ben Bishop signed through 2023 and Anton Khudobin, the league leader in save percentage, expressing a desire to re-sign with the Stars, Oettinger will likely get another full season of starts with Texas (if there is a 2020-21 AHL season) before joining the NHL fray. - TD

FRISCO, TX - SEPTEMBER 12: Ty Dellandrea #60 of the Dallas Stars (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images)

Ty Dellandrea, C (13^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 1)

A former 13th overall selection by the Stars, Dellandrea had an excellent final year in the OHL before entering the pro level next season. He captained the Flint Firebirds to a strong season and was a key member of Team Canada’s gold medal entry at the 2020 World Junior Championships. As an offensive player, Dellandrea looked much more confident and stronger with the puck on his stick, allowing him to dictate play from the middle and prolong possession in the offensive end.

While his creativity and overall puck skill may not have progressed to the level that you might expect from a lottery selection, he remains a high end offensive option because of his vision, hockey sense, and tenacity. An aggressive player, he excels playing through traffic, rather than avoiding it and he does the majority of his damage near the crease and in the middle, where you have to excel to play in the NHL.

Dellandrea is also a strong two-way presence and faceoff man. He can be counted on to excel in any situation and can play any role asked of him. For this reason, it would not be shocking to see him make Dallas right out of the CHL next season, skipping the AHL entirely. He could play as a third- or fourth-line center and kill penalties at a high level. Dellandrea’s high end potential remains to be seen. He could end up as either a second- or third-line center and should be a member of Dallas’ leadership group eventually. - BO

Jason Robertson, LW (39^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 3)

After leading the Ontario Hockey League, arguably the world’s best junior hockey league, in points, Robertson walked into his first pro season with lofty expectations on his shoulders. Like any other physical task, the 2017 second rounder handled it with ease. Posting numbers good for fifth in points and third in goals among AHL rookies, Robertson handily paced the restructuring, struggling Texas Stars in scoring and was a dangerous option on a consistent shift-to-shift basis.

While he will never be the fastest or most agile skater, the Michigan native possesses silky hands, deft one-on-one moves, and outstanding puck-protection skills. His upper-body strength, especially at his age (playing out the whole season at 20 years old) is incredible; he is near impossible to push off the puck and can run the cycle or brush up against the boards like a seasoned pro.

Without the puck, he likes to play at the perimeter and find open spaces of ice to receive passes, contrary to a traditional 6-2” power forward who would generally just drive the net. His shot is quick and heavy, and worthy of being a triggerman on a future NHL power play unit. His skating, however, is a genuine and large concern; his feet are slow, and he shows very little spark in his acceleration. The Stars are a team desperate for help on offense, and Robertson is the team’s most dynamic scoring prospect. His value is only increased with left wing being his most common position, one of little depth on the NHL roster. - TD

FRISCO, TX - SEPTEMBER 12: Riley Damiani #70 of the Dallas Stars. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images)

Riley Damiani, C (137^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

After a very strong draft +1 season with the Rangers two years ago, Damiani took a bit of a step backward this past year from a production standpoint. However, he remains a high energy offensive forward who projects as an NHL player.

Damiani is at his best when he keeps his feet moving in the offensive end and is tenacious in his pursuit of the puck. He has a high level of skill when in possession and can create in traffic by making defenders miss. While his shot is good, he is most definitely classified better as a playmaker, first and foremost. Damiani is also a competent two-way forward who works hard on the backcheck and, as such, can be an effective penalty killer.

One aspect of Damiani’s game that needed to improve this past season was his skating ability, in particular his first few steps, given his lack of size. While he did look more explosive, this will need to improve further at the professional level. Additionally, he was not as consistent of a pest this past year, so he will need to find a way to be aggressive and fearless at all times like he had been over the past two seasons.

Damiani projects as a quality third line forward at the NHL level, with it being highly possible that he shifts to the wing at the pro level. His skill set as a tenacious playmaker works best when he can control the half wall and work at retrievals. Additionally, he may be better in defensive situations as a winger. - BO

Dawson Barteaux, D (168^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 16)

He is an effective shooter and likes to wind up and crack one but needs to pick his spots a better. Barteaux is at his most effective generating zone exits and using his pace into the neutral zone. While his skating is smooth, he isn’t really an end to end puck rusher as he doesn’t make decisions quick enough offensively to be constantly dangerous. Physically he can hold his own although he does need to get stronger to manage his own zone at the pro level. – VG

Adam Mascherin, LW (100^th overall, 2018 [Originally: 38^th overall, 2016 [Florida]. 2019 Rank: 7)

When he is healthy, he is a shooter’s shooter, capable of ripping wristers with speed and accuracy from the blueline in on any goaltender. While shooting is his most valuable attribute, he has quick hands and a knack for drawing space to himself before feeding an open linemate. He is not the quickest skater but has the body strength necessary of a 5-10” forward who can’t make up for it with length. Still only 22, he will need more AHL time to fully hash out a clear future role on a big-league team, but the potential is there. - TD

Joel Kiviranta, LW/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed May 31, 2019. 2019 Rank: 19)

As the season progressed with AHL Texas, the 5-10” forward dazzled with creativity on offense as a top-line winger and a reliable presence on the penalty kill. His skating improved and his understanding of the game looked as refined as a ten-year North American pro as the season hit its mid-point, and he posted 12 points in 14 games during one stretch.

He is a terrific defender and played heavy PK minutes in the AHL during his rookie year. He is expected to be deployed similarly with Dallas in the near future as an energy-line speedster with the versatility of someone who can play spot top-six minutes, a-la soon-to-be UFA Mattias Janmark, as soon as next season. - TD

Nicholas Porco, LW (142^nd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 12)

Porco’s strength remains his skating ability. He is an absolutely electric skater who possesses elite level explosiveness. This allows him to be extremely visible in transition. When he does not have the puck on his stick however, he has a tendency to disappear. He needs to find a way to be a more consistent player away from the puck and be someone who can use his speed to create and fill open lanes through the middle.

Next season, Porco will be playing for an NHL contract. He certainly has the potential to have a big year in Barrie, where they will be counting on him to be a top six forward. Anything less than a 30 goal, point-per-game year should be labeled a disappointment. - BO

Joel L’Esperance, C/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 1, 2018. 2019 Rank: 11)

As a two-way, right-shooting centerman with size and a goal-scoring touch, he would probably be playing NHL hockey on a team with less center depth than the Stars. He is a high energy centerman who plays a game that fits someone smaller than his 6-2”, 215lb self, shooting at high volumes and playing a heavy forechecking style. He has solid technical skating skill for a relatively large forward in spite of top speed that lags. He has a splendid wrist shot and his hockey IQ has carried over nicely from his four-year run in the college ranks.

Nearing his 25th birthday, L’Esperance’s game is as well-rounded as it is going to get and he will need to impress the Stars brass one way or another soon, though it is possible he sticks with another organization eventually. - TD

Oskar Back, C/RW (75^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 15)

He moved up to the SHL last season but did not take a big step forward as a player. He was still more of a role player at the WJC for Sweden. I would like to see him play with more poise and competitiveness and use his size and skating to be more of a force.

His puck skills do not stand out and I can’t see him becoming a productive player at a high level if he does not compete harder to create and produce for his team. If not, there is not much upside in his game rather than being a reliable bottom six center. He will play next season in the SHL again. - JH

Rhett Gardner, C/LW (116^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

A tenacious, heavy defensive center with long reach and the speed to pressure opposing defensemen on the forecheck, Gardner rarely makes mistakes and is easy for coaches to trust in all situations. He shines on the penalty kill, where his active stick and constantly moving feet at the top or center of the zone keeps the puck on the outside. Strong on faceoffs and down low in the offensive zone, Gardner can be a facilitator of sorts, but is better suited to play a shutdown depth role. - TD

Fredrik Karlstrom, C (90^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

His puck skills are fine but not more than average. His all-around game is good as well. If he can keep up how he finished the season and be a more productive player more consistently, then maybe he has middle six forward potential. He does not play with a physical edge to his game though so he will really need to find offensive effectiveness to become that player. Next season, he will be loaned back to SHL for another season. - JH

Jerad Rosburg, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 9, 2020. 2019 Rank: IE)

The Maryland native is also willing to push the pace offensively, although he is unlikely to succeed in that approach as a pro. His hands are quick enough to provide some offensive utility, but Rosburg’s surest path to the NHL is as a blue-collar, hard-working part of a bottom pairing, with some penalty killing options thrown in for good measure. He might not need more than a single year in the AHL before he is ready to acclimate to the NHL. - RW

Jacob Peterson, C (132^nd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)

His offensive hockey sense is not particularly high though, so long-term Peterson should be thought of as bottom six two-way forward. He produced well enough in his first SHL season in a smaller role, playing 10-11 minutes per game. Next season he is shifting from Frolunda to Farjestad and will hopefully get a bigger role. - JH

WHL 2019-2020 Season Preview – Eastern Conference

Vince Gibbons — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 22:00:28 +0000

One of the joys of junior hockey is that the age limitations force roster turnover of top teams in 3-4-year cycles creating a new league every couple of seasons. This ensures that no team stays at the top of the league for too long. The class of the league last season was the Prince Albert Raiders. Wire to wire the top team in the WHL with three lines of scoring, three defenders with over 40 points each, and an NHL-drafted goalie prospect in Ian Scott, they ticked all the boxes of a team that was able to dominate the league.

This year they will be without three graduated top overage forwards in Dante Hannoun, Noah Gregor, and Sean Montgomery, who combined for an impressive 101 goals. Top scorer from last year Brett Leason is still in pro camp and could play in the AHL this season if he continues to show well. If he does that is another 36 goals no longer with the roster. Does this leave the door open to another team in the WHL to dominate the 2019-2020 regular season? Does Prince Albert have the staying power to remain at the top? These articles will try to answer those questions months in advance. (Teams are listed in their projected divisional rankings). Today we look at the Eastern Conference. The Western Conference article will be published tomorrow.

Peyton Krebs. Photo by Robert Murray/WHL

East Division

Winnipeg ICE (1^st)

No team has had more season-over-season change than Winnipeg. Formerly based in Kootenay, the roster looks substantially different with a plethora of scoring options up front, something they have struggled mightily with the past few seasons. The import draft provided the ICE two gifted forwards in Michal Teply (Chicago, 4^th 2019) and Nino Kinder (undrafted). Both have been impact players in the early part of the season at well over one point per game. Peyton Krebs (Vegas, 1^st 2019) will be playing with some talent this year when he returns from his off season injury and will get a chance to showcase his playmaking skills on a team with finishers on both wings. Connor McClennon is their top prospect for this year’s draft; the smallish winger is like a waterbug out on the ice with some high end offensive skills. Perhaps the most interesting player on the roster though, is 2004 born Matthew Savoie who was not granted exceptional status for this season. Rumors of him sticking with the team all season anyway are out there so it will be fascinating to watch this all unfold, regardless. There is a ton of scoring talent in Winnipeg to potentially pace them to the top of the division.

Saskatoon Blades (2^nd)

The Blades roster lost Max Gerlach’s 42 goals but for the most part remains intact up front. Kirby Dach (Chicago, 1^st 2019) remains in camp and will likely get a few games in the NHL but should return to Saskatoon, where he will lead a very strong group. Eric Florchuk (Washington 7^th 2018) and Chase Wouters will have to provide more offense especially while Dach is still in the NHL. Kyle Crnkovic had a very solid draft minus one season and look for him to produce a lot of offense on the wing of one of the top two lines. Despite his size, he could force his way into a middle round pick in the upcoming draft. The final difference maker on this roster is between the pipes, where undrafted Nolan Maier has shown the pedigree to be a top goaltender in the WHL. Last season his .910 save percentage was in the top half of the league and with the relative stability of the defensive corps, he will look to build on that.

Prince Albert Raiders (3^rd)

Despite the loss of talent already mentioned this team still boasts a strong roster. Returning import player Aliaksei Protas (Washington, 3^th 2019) has hit the ground running with five points in his first three games this season. Playing with Cole Fonstad (Montreal, 5^th, 2019) expect for Protas to have productive minutes and improve on last season’s totals. Both players will be counted on to be primary producers this year rather than the secondary roles they had previously. Two draft eligible players of note on the roster are winger Ozzy Wiesblatt, who has good speed and vision, and Kaiden Guhle, a solid two way defender. This year they should be on both special teams units because of their high hockey IQ and solid passing skills. Recently acquired Boston Bilous was brought in to stabilize the net with Ian Scott having a shot at a pro hockey this year. These players make this roster dangerous and a tough out on any given night.

Brandon Wheat Kings (4^th)

Just missing the playoffs last season, Brandon has plenty of young talent looking to take a step forward. Led by Luka Burzan (Colorado, 6^th 2019) and his impressive 40 goals last season, this team is flush with ’02 born talented players. Ty Thorpe, Nolan Ritchie, Ridly Greig and Riley Ginnel plus late ’01 birthday Jonny Hooker have all shown flashes of being quality forwards. On the back end they have one of the WHL’s top draft eligible defenders in Braden Schneider who logs a lot of minutes. In goal, they have used an overage and an import spot for Jiri Patera (Vegas, 6^th 2017) to protect the blue paint which enables them to compete every night.

Moose Jaw Warriors (5^th)

The offseason trade of Jett Woo coupled with the graduations of Justin Almeida and Josh Brook has left Moose Jaw at the start of a rebuild. Brayden Tracey has looked the part in Ducks camp, exceeding expectations, but should be back in Moose Jaw soon enough. He is the last remaining part of a lethal power play unit from last season and will be expected to continue producing despite recent graduates. In terms of this year’s NHL draft, Daemon Hunt looks to be the top prospect on the Warriors. They also have an impact players for further down the road with Ryder Korczak a late ’02 and ’03 birth year Eric Alarie who have been torching the league in preseason and are both ready to contribute regularly.

Regina Pats (6^th)

The Regina Pats are going through what most host cities of the Memorial Cup go through. After trading away futures to ensure a strong showing, the cupboard looks a little barren with no Bantam first round picks on their roster, save overager Dawson Holt. Austin Pratt, who led the team in scoring last season, returns as a 20 year old and should be a point per game player this year. He is an intriguing player that never took off the way it was expected when he came up from Minnesota. He has a huge frame and good skating but has never been consistent enough to take over a game and garner much pro hype. With the roster in Regina he should get every opportunity to be successful.

Dylan Cozens. Photo by Erica Perreaux - Lethbridge Hurricanes

Central Division

Calgary Hitmen (1^st)

The Hitmen possess a roster with some serious depth at every position. The acquisition of Jett Woo in the offseason makes their defense corps one of the best in the WHL. Yegor Zamula (Philadelphia, UDFA 2018) Luke Prokop, Dakota Krebs, and Jackson van de Leest can all play a tough physical brand of hockey and play the game with a real edge. At forward they have a top list of options led by overage player Mark Kastelic (Ottawa 5^th, 2019). He has great size and plays a heavy game. Fellow overager James Malm has shown good offensive skills despite being a little undersized. With drafted centerman Riley Stotts (Toronto, 3^rd 2018) and Carson Focht (Vancouver, 5^th 2019) also capable of filling the net they have as well balanced a team as anyone. Riley Fiddler-Schultz and Adam Kydd have some offensive tools and both could hear their names called on draft day in 2020.

Edmonton Oil Kings (2^nd)

Despite being without the services of Trey Fix-Wolansky (Columbus, 7^th 2018), one of the more dynamic offensive weapons in the WHL the past few seasons, Edmonton looks the part of a playoff team. Matthew Robertson (NY Rangers, 2^nd 2019) leads a strong, experienced blue line. Up front they boast six bantam draft former first round picks in Dylan Guether, Liam Keeler, Quinn Benjafield, Jake Neighbours, Brendan Semchuk, and Josh Williams. With Neighbours being one of the top draft eligible players in the WHL this year, he will be a large part of the offense as Edmonton battles for tops in the division. Relying on experience in overage goalie Dylan Myskiw and 2000 born Todd Scott to hold down the crease, Edmonton looks capable of pushing for top spot in the East this season.

Medicine Hat Tigers (3^rd)

Medicine Hat will be led by a couple of Danish born players (checks notes again), yes two Danish players. Jonathan Brinkman and Mads Sogaard (Ottawa, 2^nd 2019) both hail from Aalborg, Denmark. Sogaard was a revelation last season starting in both the WJC and Top Prospects Game and having a huge role in Medicine Hat sticking with Edmonton in the first round of the playoffs. Brinkman is looking to make his mark in the WHL after going undrafted last season. The Tigers also possess a team with lots of experience with James Hamblin, Bryan Lockner, Brett Kemp, and Ryan Chyzowski all in as undrafted 19 and 20 year olds. Eric Van Impe leads the team defensively and plays a nice brand of physical hockey coupled with some pretty good offensive upside which should get plenty of looks from NHL scouts this year.

Lethbridge Hurricanes (4^th)

Any team with a player as dynamic as Dylan Cozens (Buffalo, 1^st 2019) has the ability to win on any given night. This year he will do it on his own back as there as Lethbridge’s depth took a serious hit in the offseason. Likely graduated players Jordan Bellerive (Pittsburgh, UDFA 2018), Jake Elmer (NY Rangers, UDFA 2019), Nick Henry (Colorado, 4^th 2017) and Jake Leschyshyn (Vegas, 2^nd 2017) will create opportunities for younger players like Logan Barlage and recently acquired Dino Kambeitz. Calen Addison (Pittsburgh, 2^nd 2018) is still there to quarterback the powerplay and has shown he can produce as well as any forward in the WHL. The crease is a platoon style early as both guys have started a couple of games and shown well. If the goaltending is good enough they will be a playoff team in the East, however they will be in tough competing with the depth of some other teams.

Red Deer Rebels (5^th)

Last season was disappointing in Red Deer despite the Rebels making the playoffs. This year with the youth the team is ‘blooding’ expectations are pretty low. There is no dynamic scorer in any of their overage players and Brett Davies (Dallas, 6^th 2017) has been underwhelming since coming over in trade last season. It will be scoring by committee if they have any success this year. The likes of Josh Tarzwell, Cameron Hausinger, and Chris Douglas will have to up their games as none have had a 20 goal season in a Rebels’ uniform. There is reason for optimism though, particularly along the blue line, as Red Deer sports a number of young up and coming defenders. Led by Dawson Barteaux (Dallas, 6^th 2018) and draft eligible Christoffer Sedoff on the top pairing, and youngsters Blake Gustafson, Mason Ward, and Joel Sexsmith will also garner scouts attention as the season goes on. With two solid WHL goalies on the roster, both Byron Fancy and Ethan Anders are capable of carrying a young team into the season with the stability they provide in the crease. The playoffs would be a stretch for them this year, especially with the strength of the Eastern Division likely competing for both Wild Card spots.

Swift Current Broncos (6^th)

Swift Current is just two seasons removed from a Memorial Cup and have a roster that lacks experience going into this season. The highlight of their roster is a pair of draft eligible Finnish players, winger Joona Kiviniemi who returned after leading the team in goals last season, and looks to improve on his 16 goals from a season ago, and Kasper Puutio who the was the first overall pick in the latest CHL Import Draft. Pro scouts will be following the progression of these two in the North American game and they should keep fans interested as the season moves along. Ben King has also shown flashes of potential as a power forward but has not been able to put it together night in and night out as of yet. Expect another long season out in Speedy Creek.

Dallas Stars 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 11:12:52 +0000

Dallas Stars’ GM Jim Nill was hired in April, 2013, and Vancouver marked his seventh draft. In other words, he has enough of a track record now at selecting amateurs that we should be able to judge him. Including the four players the team picked up this year, they have made 48 total selections under his watch. It is too early to judge that crew and, in fairness, too early to judge the fruits of the 2018 draft as well, so we will focus on the 36 players selected by Dallas between 2013 and 2017. Some would posit that it is not fair to judge him on 2013 either, as he joined the team a mere two months prior to the draft and he likely had a lot of input from the scouting staff of the previous regime. But as we will see in a moment, without 2013, the picture would be exceptionally bleak.

Year	Pick number	Name	Games played
2013	10	Valeri Nichushkin	223
2013	29	Jason Dickinson	105
2013	40	Remi Elie	106
2013	101	Nick Paul	56
2014	14	Julius Honka	87
2015	12	Denis Gurianov	22
2015	49	Roope Hintz	58
2017	3	Miro Heiskanen	82
2017	194	Dylan Ferguson	1
Total		10 players	740

Of the ten players who have played in the NHL, two never suited up for Dallas, and only three have reached the 100 games mark. As we will see as we go through the top 20 prospects currently in the system, there are also not too many others left from those years who look ready to join them, with only five of the top 20 coming from the 2013-2017 draft classes.

On the face of it, just seeing 10 who have made it to the NHL out of five drafts, is not very good. Digging in, it is worse His first pick, Nichushkin, has played more than double anyone else, but he is largely considered to be a bust and is expected to return to Russia this year after failing to score a single goal last season and spending large chunks of time in the press box as a healthy scratch, including for most of the postseason.

2014 first rounder Julius Honka will probably play in his 100^th game sometime early next year, but for a player marketed as a dynamic, offensive defenseman, his total of 13 points in 87 has been underwhelming and his defensive game has been rougher than expected.

2015 first rounder Denis Gurianov showed promising signs last season, coming within six points of the AHL team lead, despite playing in 14 fewer games than the team leader. On the other hand, he has not been able to show much of anything in the NHL, with only four points in 22 games, all but one of which were last year. We are still optimistic, but neither our nor the Stars’ patience will be limitless.

Heiskanen looks like a star, and credit to Nill and company for not blowing a lottery pick, but it isn’t enough. Outside of Heiskanen, Dickinson and Hintz are the only two Nill draft picks who should be inked into the Dallas roster for next year and the two forwards might not be anything more than nice third liners. Without a sharp uptick in NHL action from his draft picks, his performance at the head should rightfully be questioned sharply.

-Ryan Wagman

Dallas Stars left wing Denis Gurianov (34) (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire)

1 Ty Dellandrea, C (13^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 2) You would be hard pressed to find a more complete player in the OHL than Dellandrea. He skates well. He is an all situations player who has a terrific hockey IQ. He is aggressive and assertive physically. He has good hands and creativity. Unfortunately, playing in Flint, on a relatively poor team up to now, has prevented him from really establishing himself as a consistent offensive force. This has some debating what his NHL potential is. Whether he can become a legitimate top six center or is more of a 3rd line checking line anchor remains to be seen. What Dallas does with him also remains a mystery. Physically, he is likely ready to play in the NHL for the upcoming year and Dellandrea is likely to get an audition for that. However, continuing to play in the OHL would be great to develop his confidence as an offensive player. - BO

2 Thomas Harley, D (18^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Harley is one of the better skating defensive prospects on the planet at this time. His stride is effortless and he covers so much ground with long, powerful strides. This makes him a very effective player in transition as he leads the breakout. The rest of his game is best personified by the term raw. Defensively, he will need to assert himself more and learn to use his size to be more difficult to play against. This is especially true for his play in the corners and his effectiveness in winning those loose puck battles. But Harley’s potential is sky high because of his size and mobility combination. How quickly he ends up in Dallas depends on the growth and maturation of his game at both ends. - BO

3 Jason Robertson, LW (39^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 3) At one point, Robertson’s skating was seen as a huge hindrance to him becoming an NHL player. He has since progressed substantially in this area to the point where it is no longer something that will hold him back. At his best, Robertson is a monster in possession who prolongs offensive zone time because of how well he protects the puck. He also possesses terrific instincts, a great release, and a high skill level with the puck that makes him a very complete offensive player. He will likely need time to adjust to the speed and strength of the pro game, in addition to working on his play in all three zones. Robertson could be a solid supporting top six winger sooner rather than later in Dallas. - BO

4 Denis Gurianov, RW (12^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 8) When Dallas spent its 2015 first-round pick on Gurianov, a winger from the Russian minor leagues, they eventually missed out on Mat Barzal, Jake DeBrusk, Kyle Connor, and Brock Boeser, among many others who were selected after the 12th overall pick. It is impossible to mention Gurianov without what came after, but the Stars are finally starting to see the first-round talent they acquired that night. An AHL All-Star last season, the 22-year-old used his world-class speed, evolving shot, and much improved hockey IQ to tear it up with AHL Texas, posting a 57-20-28-48 stat line. His straight line speed, soft and deceiving hands, and great use of his lean frame make him a lethal offensive player, and his defensive game is improving. He has come a long way from being a healthy scratch in the Calder Cup Final, and could contend for an NHL spot in training camp this season. Long term, he looks like a top-six scoring winger, as he did on draft night in 2015. - TD

5 Jake Oettinger, G (26^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 5) Not only is Oettinger one of the top prospects in the Dallas system, the 20-year-old is firmly among the elite goaltending prospects in the sport. He is a 6-5” behemoth in the crease, but with the mental composure of a veteran and the agility of an NHL starter, boasting one of the most impressive packages of netminding skill in the game today. His lateral mobility and technical refinement as a goaltender goes beyond his age, and combining that athleticism with the smarts and maturity he exhibited in college, and in his short AHL stint at the end of the season, should put a smile on the faces of Stars’ fans. His quickness and size can be relied on, but he will have to improve in tracking the development of plays. He projects to be a mid-to-upper tier NHL starting goalie, and though netminders generally take longer to develop than position players, it appears his future as an NHLer will not be far away. - TD

6 Riley Damiani, C (137^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 14) A year after being drafted by Dallas in the fifth round, Damiani’s game has improved substantially. In 2018-19, only Akil Thomas and Barrett Hayton had higher point per game averages among 2000 born players in the OHL. At the heart of his game is his high end motor. Damiani is best compared to a gnat, in the sense that he is always hovering around the puck. His improved play with the puck and confidence in creating off of the rush have made him a very dangerous two-way forward. At this point, Damiani’s high end potential is likely as a middle six energy forward who can provide versatility to an NHL lineup, but given his improvement trajectory thus far, this could be underselling him. - BO

7 Adam Mascherin, LW (100^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 10) Mascherin came to the Stars organization in unusual circumstances; a Florida Panthers draft pick in 2016, the left-shot winger did not sign, re-entered the Draft, and was taken with Dallas’s fourth-round selection in 2018. The Stars are reaping the benefits of the former 40-goal scorer with OHL Kitchener, seeing him blossom into an NHL-caliber forward with AHL Texas this past season. He 76-18-26-44 stat line is more impressive when you account for his frequent usage on the third line, and his lack of power-play time. His game features intense, albeit choppy skating speed, high-end upper-body strength despite an undersized frame, and most importantly, a heavy wrist shot that has captivated the Stars organization. His biggest issue is a hesitance to utilize that great shot, instead relying on his evolving playmaking game. In a year or two, he could make an impact as a depth scorer and energy line forward with Dallas. - TD

8 Riley Tufte, LW (25^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 7) Another big man who tries to play a big man’s game, Tufte turned pro after playing a part in two consecutive NCAA titles with Minnesota-Duluth, even though Tufte’s own role in those triumphs was not always prominent. He is a decent skater, although better than that considering his outsized frame, and he works hard. He has a hard shot from the circles on in. His hands work well in board battles, protecting the puck from opponents, but they are not the type of hands that will show much creativity. There is a chance that his physically overpowering game will work better as a pro, though the rarity with which he took over as a collegian does not make me feel optimistic. He has an NHL future, but not likely as more than a third liner. - RW

9 Albin Eriksson, RW/LW (44^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 15) A big (6-4”) winger with a good shot and puck skills but with average speed. Eriksson isn’t a typical power forward in the sense that he doesn’t play a strong skating, forechecking game. He is more of a Maroon/Penner type of forward. He uses his size to his advantage as he protects the puck well and is strong in tight areas. He won’t be a driver on a line but can be a good complementary player. He had a decent first SHL with 16 points in 44 games with limited ice time (10 min/game). He will probably see more ice time this season as he continues his development in SHL. It will be interesting to see if gets a shot at the WJC as his style is kind of uncommon in Swedish hockey and his strength seems more suitable for smaller rinks. - JH

10 Tye Felhaber, RW/C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 1, 2019. Last Year: IE) Felhaber used a terrific overage season with a strong Ottawa 67’s club to earn an NHL contract from the Stars. A great skater who can put the puck in the net, he was highly coveted as a free agent throughout the previous OHL season. The big step forward this past season came because of an increased desire to attack the net and play through traffic, instead of on the periphery. If he can continue to play this way at the pro level, he has the skill set to continue to score goals. Of course, he may need to alter his game slightly to become a more well-rounded player, but the potential is there even if overage CHL free agents can be difficult to project. - BO

11 Joel L’Esperance, C/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 1, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) Signed to an amateur contract at the end of the 2017-18 campaign, L’Esperance -- a Michigan Tech product -- greatly impressed the Stars brass and earned an NHL entry-level deal. He impressed with AHL Texas in 2018-19, scoring 30 goals in 54 games and earning a recall to Dallas (where he added two more goals), in the process. However, the righty does not play a goal-scorer’s game, instead the 6-2” center plays a high-energy game in all three zones, forechecks hard, and has some solid technical skating skill for a big man. He has a splendid wrist shot and a hockey IQ that is as high as his experience from the college ranks would suggest. His NHL ceiling is not the high-volume scorer he is in the AHL, but more so a bottom-six two-way physical center with some power play potential, and he is ready to jump to that level. - TD

12 Nicholas Porco, LW (142^nd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) It was interesting to see the Stars draft Porco this year after signing Felhaber, because Felhaber and Porco have a lot of similarities, especially at the same age. Both were high OHL selections. Both struggled with consistency in their draft years. Felhaber used to struggle fighting through checks and his speed could be contained to the outside. That is where Porco is at now. What Dallas is banking on is that Porco’s game can develop the same way, with his speed being utilized as an asset without the puck and thus being better able to score goals. He may be a long term project, but Porco is someone to keep an eye on because he can skate and he is skilled. - BO

13 Gavin Bayreuther, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 15, 2017. Last Year: 13) Another collegiate free agent signing, Bayreuther has been just what the Stars front office expected. Spending the last two seasons with AHL Texas, the left-shot defenseman has been an instrumental offensive force from the back end, doing the same in some tough minutes in 19 NHL games last season. He plays an upstart, heads-up style of puck-rushing, using his high-grade skating skill, solid hands, and nifty, creative passing tendencies to create offense from defense. The New Hampshire native possesses an absolute bomb of a slap shot and held down the fort on the second power play unit during his time with Dallas. His backwards skating and initial blue line defense make him a solid depth d-man for an NHL team, as his offensive skillset is not hindered by defensive flaws. At 25 years old, he looks ready to make the jump, but the Stars have a stacked blueline right now, and he will have to do more to impress the NHL coaching staff. - TD

14 Curtis Douglas, LW (106^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 12) Now listed at 6-9”, Douglas is one of the largest hockey prospects on the planet. Down low, he is a near immovable object as most defenders in the OHL have a difficult time keeping him away from the crease. He loves to operate behind the net too, where he can control pace and extend zone time. On the other hand, at this point, his skating is going to be a large (no pun intended) hurdle for him to climb. His start-ups are quite slow and he can find himself a step behind the play because of this. While Douglas is a long shot to become an NHL regular based on where he is right now, he does possess some intriguing potential because of his size, reach, and unique skill set. - BO

15 Oskar Back, C/RW (75^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 11) A two-way center who plays a 200ft game. He has good offensive instincts but lacks elite level tools. His skating and hockey sense are slightly above average at best, while the rest of his tools are average. Back works hard, is strong on the puck and plays a team first game. In that sense, he is a good bottom six prospect. He has good size and is strong for his age. Last season, he played his first senior season in Allsvenskan and put up a decent 20 points in 45 games. This upcoming season he will get a shot in SHL. If he makes the NHL, it will probably be in the next 2-3 years as he is a player type that most often doesn’t develop much more after that. - JH

16 Dawson Barteaux, D (168^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 20) Barteaux was a mixed bag this year. In spurts, he looked to have taken a step as a power play quarterback both with his ability to get his shot off and his ability to split defenses with his passing. Defensively, while he was the top defender on the Rebels, he could get caught chasing the play and trying to do too much. When he is on he uses his skating and footwork to outmaneuver opponents on the ice but he can also skate himself into trouble and turnover pucks. He could use an age 20 season in Junior to give himself a chance to physically dominate and gain more offensive confidence. He projects as a bottom pairing defender that could be used on a second powerplay unit, especially if they can take advantage of his right shot. - VG

17 Dillon Heatherington, D (50^th overall, 2013 [Columbus]. Last Year: 17) Acquired for dirt cheap by the Stars in March of 2017, Heatherington has been the anchor of the Texas Stars’ defense since the trade deadline deal from Columbus. A rock solid physical defenseman, the Calgary native is hard to beat at the blueline, plays hard around the boards with great control of his body, and has a solid stretch pass to create offense from his own zone. Though he moves pretty well for someone with a 6-4”, 225 frame, his lack of overall mobility limits his offensive game. Heatherington had a big opportunity to impress the Stars brass last season during his recall to Dallas, but played extremely sheltered minutes, was benched multiple times, and was beaten on the depth chart by some less experienced guys like Bayreuther and Ben Gleason. If the former Swift Current Bronco has an NHL future as a bottom-pair shutdown guy, it almost certainly will not be with Dallas. - TD

18 Nicholas Caamano, RW (146^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 18) A former teammate of top prospect Dellandrea with the OHL’s Flint Firebirds, Caamano had a rough adjustment period in his first pro season, posting 12 goals and 12 assists in 73 games with AHL Texas. However, through his overall inconsistency, he showed some glimpses of absolute mastery as a three-zone energy line player. He is a plus skater with some very effective one-on-one moves, underrated strength as a puck carrier, and a high hockey IQ as someone who plays hard on defense and in transition at all times. If the 20-year-old improves his shot a little bit, he can soon be a potent bottom-six power forward-type depth scorer with Dallas. - TD

19 Joel Kiviranta, LW/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed May 31, 2019. Last Year: IE) Kiviranta had a very good season with Sport in the Liiga, helping him earn a spot on the Finnish team for the World Championship tournament. He exceeded expectations on the fourth line, forechecking effectively and scoring a pair of important, timely goals. Kiviranta has always had a lot of speed but lacked in hockey IQ at the junior level. He has improved in his decision making and added poise while playing against men. His game now looks more clear and structured. He plays an energetic style and constantly competes hard away from the puck. He creates havoc on the opposing defenders with strong forechecking. He has some puck skills and a good shot as well. Kiviranta could be a decent middle-six winger if he continues to improve his overall game and adds more offense. - MB

20 Emil Djuse, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Apr. 29, 2019. Last Year: IE) An older free agent pick-up this summer by the Stars. Djuse turns 26 in October and comes over following a couple of strong SHL seasons. He took his time to develop but found his game when he came to Skelleftea in 2016. He is a mobile defenseman with strong puck-moving abilities. As a junior, his decision-making and overall hockey sense were very raw, and he tended to be more of a mistake-driven player for his team rather than a productive player. With more experience he has learned to use his assets better and is now strong on both sides of the ice, even his strengths mostly are with the puck. His time to make Stars line-up is limited due to age, but I still expect him to start the season in the AHL. - JH

WHL Playoff Preview (Eastern Conference): Prince Albert dominates but Vancouver hot down the stretch

Kevin Olexson — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 18:12:54 +0000

After another exciting season in the Dub it took one final game to finalize this year’s playoffs. The Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers finish the season tied forcing a one-game playoff, the seventh in WHL history, to move on and play the Victoria Royals.

The Blazers made up a seven-point deficit in the last week and a half of the season, going 5-0-1 to tie Kelowna and earn a home tie-breaker game. They came in riding some momentum and sported a 6-3-1 record against the visiting Rockets this season. The Blazers were led by 16-year-old rookie goaltender Dylan Garand, who put aside 27 out of 28 shots, and forwards Connor Zary, Zane Franklin, Brody Stuart, and Captain Jermaine Loewen to earn their biggest win of the season. Next year’s Memorial Cup hosts have some work to do, as this is only the second time in the Rockets tenure that they have missed the playoffs.

The Prince Albert Raiders were far and away the top team in the Dub this year finishing with a 54-10-2-2 record for a league leading 112 points. The Vancouver Giants finished with the second-best record after going on a real tear in the last quarter of the season, as they surpassed the Everett Silvertips for the best record out of the BC and US divisions erasing a 16-point deficit. The Edmonton Oil Kings finished the season as the hottest team down the stretch winning their last 10 games to edge out the Lethbridge Hurricanes by two points for the division title.

As the quest to represent the WHL in this year’s MasterCard Memorial Cup begins, the Eastern Conference matchups look like this:

Eastern Conference

Brett Leason. Photo by Robert Murray/WHL.

The top seeded Prince Albert Raiders open their playoff series against the Red Deer Rebels boasting the best overall record, and head in to the postseason with a 7-2-1 record, where the Rebels stumbled in with a 4-5-1 record down the stretch finishing with 33 wins and 72 points. These teams played four times this season, with the Raiders taking three of the four games, losing only their first meeting of the season in Red Deer. All four games were decided by one goal, including a 2-1 shootout win by the Raiders in their most recent game played in Prince Albert.

The Raiders led the league in goals scored and finished the season with the second-best goals against. They are loaded up front with Brett Leason (36-53-89), San Jose prospect Noah Gregor (43-45-88), Montreal prospect Cole Fonstad (29-44-73), Ottawa prospect Kelly Parker (35-32-67), and Dante Hounen (29-38-67) who was acquired from the Victoria Royals and put up 31 points in 28 games with the Raiders.

The Rebels are led by Buffalo pick Brandon Hagel (41-61-102), Reece Johnson (27-26-53), and a couple of acquisitions in Cameron Hausinger (21-33-54) who put 37 points in 40 games, and Dallas pick Brett Davis (20-30-50) who produced 31 points in 41 games. On the back end, the Raiders are more than solid with Brayden Pachal (15-36-51) with 51 sporting an amazing +76, his partner Zach Hayes (3-24-27) with an equally impressive +71, Sergei Sapego (10-33-43) with a +42, and Max Martin (6-35-41) showing a +45. They have Washington Capitals 2018 first round selection Alexei Alexeyev with 43 points in 49 games, who is dealing with something but should be available, and Dawson Barteaux (7-27-34) to work their blue line.

In goal, Ian Scott has had a stellar season for the Raiders, going 38-8-1-2 with a 1.83 GAA, and a save percentage of 0.932 posting eight shutouts. The Rebels are back stopped by Ethan Anders 28-22-4-1 with a 3.09 GAA and a save percentage of 0.907 and two shutouts.

The Raiders seem to have the edge in most of the categories, but every game has been extremely close, and Red Deer was a top team last year, and anything can happen in the playoffs.

Pick - Raiders in 5

Kirby Dach

The Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors are set to meet as the second and third seeds in the East. The Blades have dominated the Warriors this year going 5-1 against them, including a 5-3 win near the end of the season. These are two good teams meeting, with lots of talent and players to watch.

At forward the Blades are led by top prospect Kirby Dach (25-48-73) who is slated to be a top five pick in this year’s draft, Max Gerlach (42-32-74), Washington prospect Eric Florchuk (21-29-50), and acquisitions Ryan Hughes (30-39-69) who had 29 points in 25 games, and Gary Haden (31-35-66) who scored 62 points in 55 games. The Warriors are led by line mates Tristan Langan (53-60-113) who topped 50 goals and sports a +43, and Justin Almeida (33-78-111), finishing second and third respectively in league scoring. Rookie Brayden Tracey scored 36 goals and put up 81 points in his first season with the Warriors.

On defense, both clubs have some nice features, as the Blades boast Dawson Davidson (13-62-75) and Nolan Kneen (6-39-45) with 25 points in 33 games since being acquired. One of the Warriors strengths is in their D-line, with Montreal prospect Josh Brook who scored 75 points in only 59 games, and Vancouver Canucks draftee Jet Woo (12-54-66).

In goal, Nolan Maier (36-10-6) backstops the Blades with a 2.64 GAA, a 0.910 save percentage, and four shutouts. The Warriors have used more of a committee approach as goalies Adam Evanoff (19-10-2-1) with a 2.62 GAA and a 0.916 save percentage, and Brodan Salmond (21-10-4-1) with a 2.73 GAA and 0.906 save percentage have shared the crease duties all season.

This should be a very good series to watch, and these teams are similar and should put forth an entertaining series. The Blades have dominated the regular season series, and have been the better club, and are headed in to the playoffs on an 8-2 run, but the Warriors enter on a three-game winning streak and will give them trouble, and make them earn it.

Pick - Blades in 6

Matthew Roberston, Edmonton Oil Kings

The central division winning Edmonton Oil Kings will host the Medicine Hat Tigers in the next matchup, and really seem to have the edge after going 5-0-1 against the Tigers this year, although all the games were relatively close except for one game which was a 5-0 final.

The Oil Kings Trey Fix-Wolansky (37-65-102), a Columbus Blue Jackets pick has led the charge all season and is definitely a player to watch. He is supported by Vince Loschiavo (37-25-62), Quinn Benjafield (15-39-54), and then 2019 draft prospects in Josh Williams, Vladimir Alistrov, and Jake Neighbours who will carry the load. The Tigers will rely on James Hamblin (33-44-77), Ryan Jevne (32-36-68), former Edmonton player Brett Kemp (33-27-60) who scored 21 points in 24 games for MH, and Ryan Chyzowski (27-28-55) to provide the scoring.

The Oil Kings defence is led by Conner McDonald (19-31-50), and Matthew Robertson (7-26-33) who is eligible for this year’s draft. The Tigers defence is led by Florida Panthers pick Linus Nassen (7-39-46) who will log a lot of minutes in this one. In goal, the Oil Kings have Dylan Miskew (28-11-2-3) between the pipes, who finished the season strong with his 2.53 GAA and 0.914 save percentage. He will battle the Tigers rookie Mads Sogard (19-8-2-2) with a 2.64 GAA and a 0.921 save percentage.

Even with the Oil Kings dominance throughout the regular season against the Tigers, it has been a close series and pretty equally matched. The Oil Kings ride an 11-game winning streak into the playoffs and look they have gotten hot at the right time. I like the forward depth for the Tigers and the defensive edge for the Oil Kings, and with two strong goaltenders this should be a close series. I feel it has upset potential, and despite the regular season series results, I think that Sogard can make a big difference and possibly steal this one.

Pick - Tigers in 7

Dylan Cozens

The last of the Eastern series is a central division matchup, with the Lethbridge Hurricanes playing the Calgary Hitmen. Once again, the Hurricanes dominated the season series by a 5-1 mark and scored handily as they averaged six goals a game in the series. Lethbridge has an abundance of offence, with five players who scored over 80 points, and will be a handful for the Hitmen.

The Hurricanes acquired forward Nick Henry (29-65-94) from Regina earlier this season, and the Colorado Avalanche prospect rolled on to lead the club in scoring as he put up 54 points in 44 games. Alongside of Henry, the Hurricanes also acquired Jake Leschyshyn of the Golden Knights (40-41-81) from the Pats, and he stepped in nicely as he had 49 points in 44 games. Top prospect Dylan Cozens (34-50-84), who is expected to go very early in this year’s draft, and Hurricanes Captain and Pittsburgh Penguins property Jordy Bellerive (33-50-83) filled the net regularly against the Hitmen, as Cozens had nine points in six games, and Bellerive had 13 in six. Joining them is Jake Elmer (39-42-81), who also had a very nice season and was able to knock 10 points in 6 games against the Hitmen.

As for Calgary, they have some offence as well, with line mates Mark Kastelic (47-30-77) and James Malm (34-43-77) leading the way. Malm, acquired from the Vancouver Giants put up a point a game against Lethbridge, while Kastelic scored nine points. They will be joined by Carson Focht (26-38-64), Kaden Elder (27-33-60) who was picked up from last year’s WHL champion Swift Current Broncos, Riley Stotts (19-38-57) , and Jake Kryski (19-27-46) to try keep pace with the Hurricanes.

On defense, the Hurricanes are led by Cale Addison (11-54-65), the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect will play a major role in this series and should have a good showing. He will be joined by hulking Ukranian defender Igor Merezheko (4-31-35) who will be responsible to shut down the Hitmen forwards. For Calgary, Russian defenseman Yegor Zamula (10-46-56), who was signed by the Philadelphia Flyers, and Belarussian Vladislav Yereomenko (7-26-33) will work with Dakota Krebs (4-21-25), as they have their work cut out to try and keep the Hurricanes forwards at bay, and hopefully keep the scoring to a minimum.

This will be an even more interesting series in the net, as both teams have rookie goaltenders that will duel against one another. Both goalies have been rather impressive thus far. Carl Tetachuk of Lethbridge put up a record of 24-9-1-1, with a GAA of 2.88 and a save percentage of 0.909 and two shutouts. His counterpart in Calgary, Jack McNaughton, went 25-14-3, with a GAA of 3.25 and a save percentage of 0.888, while posting two shutouts.

The Hurricanes finished the season going 9-1 down the stretch, while Calgary comes in with a 6-4 record to finish. The strong offence and forward depth of the Hurricanes should propel them to win the series, but the real story will be which 17-year-old goaltender will outplay the other, and even though McNaughton has played well down the stretch, his numbers against Lethbridge have not been good, going 1-2 against them, with a GAA of 5.16 and a save percentage of 0.838.

If the Hitmen can keep it close, and their special teams play, which was much better than the Hurricanes this year, seem to click, then they could make a good series out of this. The Hurricanes do have the experience after losing the Eastern Conference Championship two years in a row and should be extra motivated to get going for another chance.

Pick - Hurricanes in 6

LINK TO WESTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEW HERE

WHL 2018-19 Season Preview

Kevin Olexson — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 13:22:04 +0000

Another exciting season is underway in the WHL, and 2018-19 should be a good one. The 2017-18 season ended with the WHL’s Regina Pats hosting the 2018 Memorial Cup, in which they were defeated 3-0 by the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the final. This season, the Kelowna Rockets have been awarded the 2020 Memorial Cup, and as the host team, trying to retool and rebuild in transition, they have a bit of work to do before then.

The WHL had some great players move on, including prolific scorers, dynamic defenders, and some top goaltenders. Now the next draft class of players is developing into prominent roles with their respective clubs, and will see more of the spotlight and new opportunities as we head towards the 2019 draft in Vancouver.

Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks.

The WHL was dominated primarily by the US and Eastern Division, but there will be a change in the power and balance with all of the player turnover. The US division has established itself as the strongest division over the past few years and there is no reason to think that this season will be any different. It is likely that this division will boast five playoff teams as well. Along with the three seeded division teams, two other teams will battle for the conference wild card spots. The Portland Winterhawks and Spokane Chiefs should battle for the top spot in the division. The Hawks look poised to take the division, under the leadership of the Vegas Golden Knights first franchise pick Cody Glass, who will challenge for the WHL scoring title this season and be one of the best players to take the ice in the league. The Hawks lost two top defenders in Dennis Cholowski (Detroit) and Henri Jokiharju (Chicago), as well as forwards Skyler McKenzie (Winnipeg) and Kiefer Bellows (NYI). They have a solid supporting cast, and overage forward Joakim Blichfeld (SJ) and defender Brendan DeJong (Car) will flourish this season. They also boast two top draft prospects in defenders --Clay Hanus and John Ludvig who should produce on the back end.

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, photo by Larry Brunt/Spokane Chiefs

The Chiefs are set to push for the division title with plenty of offense even after losing Edmonton prospect and team leader Kailer Yamamoto, and graduate Hudson Elynuik (Toronto Marlies). They will be led by LA Kings prospect Jaret Anderson-Dolan (who will surely be one to watch after he returns from the NHL), Sharks prospect Jake McGrew, a nice complement of 19-year-old players, and New Jersey Devils first round selection Ty Smith who will step up his game. This season the Chiefs will also show off prospect Luke Toporowski, who will contribute with a larger role for the club.

The Seattle Thunderbirds, Tri-City Americans, and Everett Silvertips will follow up jockeying for position. The T-Birds are building and are looking to improve after a big changeover in players. The load will be shouldered by Nolan Volcan and Zach Andrusiak, who will play as 20-year- olds this season and lead the team offensively. Jared Tyszka (Montreal) will lead the blue line, and help draft eligible prospect Jake Lee. Secondary scoring will come from Noah Philp, Matthew Wedman and eligible prospect Dillon Hamaliuk. Tri-City will be anxious to get back prospects Michael Rasmussen (Detroit), and defensemen Juuso Valimaki (Calgary), but it may take some time, if they return at all. Aside from that they will have a solid set of forwards led by Kyle Olson (Anaheim), Nolan Yaremko, and top draft eligible prospect Sasha Mutala. The defence is young and could be shaky, meaning that the offence and goaltending will both have to be better. The Everett Silvertips have had the biggest turnover, losing scoring leaders Patrick Bajkov (Florida) and Matt Fonteyne, as well as elite goaltender Carter Hart (Philadelphia). They will get back forwards Riley Sutter (Washington) and Connor Dewar (Minnesota) to lead the attack. Goaltender Dustin Wolf is a top prospect and played admirably behind Hart last season. He will have his chance to be in the spotlight and shine this year. Wyatte Wylie (Philadelphia) will lead the blueliners the depth of which is a strength of this team.

Milos Roman. Photo by Chris Relke/Vancouver Giants

The B.C. division took a step back, as the powerhouse teams have slipped. Now the Vancouver Giants seemed poised to sit atop the division along with the Victoria Royals. The Giants lost forwards Tyler Benson (Edmonton) and Ty Ronning (NYR), but have a great follow up with James Malm, Brayden Watts, and prospect Milos Roman (Calgary) to lead their offence. The Giants also have a great stable of defensemen, including Alex Kannok-Leipert (Washington), Dylan Plouffe, and a definite 2019 first round selection in Bowen Byram. The goaltending is also sound with the tandem of Arizona Coyotes pick David Tendeck and highly touted prospect Trent Miner who has put up great numbers with his play between the pipes.

The Victoria Royals will also challenge for the division title, as they have a good nucleus of players, solid goaltending, and great coaching. They lost a lot of firepower in Tyler Soy (San Diego Gulls) and Matthew Phillips (Calgary), but will be led by Dante Hannoun, Dino Kambeitz, and Kaid Oliver. The back end is good with Scott Walford (Montreal), Lane Zablocki (Detroit), and Ralph Jarrett. The Royals will be backstopped by one of the top goaltenders in the league in Griffin Outhouse who will help them with their push for another division title.

Kyle Topping of the Kelowna Rockets. Photo by Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets

The Kelowna Rockets, Kamloops Blazers, and Prince George Cougars round out the division, as they will jockey for the third spot and possibly a wild card. The Rockets, after winning the bid to host the 2020 Memorial Cup will have to step things up, as this season looks a bit rough for them. They lost a good portion of their team, and top players Cal Foote (TBL), Dillon Dube (Calgary), Kole Lind (Vancouver), Carsen Twarynski (Philadelphia), have graduated and the team is in transition. They do however show five top rated prospects this season including Kyle Topping, who surprisingly went unselected in last year’s draft and will lead the team offensively this season. Top prospect and projected first rounder Nolan Foote will bear a larger role and be relied on to provide some much needed offence along with Leif Mattson. The Rockets are known for turning out defensemen, and they have top rated prospects in Kaden Korczak and Lassi Thomson in the works. In goal they have Roman Basran, another top prospect who pitched a shutout in his first ever WHL game, and will share backstop duties with James Porter.

The Kamloops Blazers are looking to take a step up after going through many changes last season. The Blazers seem like they are in rebuild mode, but they will be led by Jermaine Loewen returning from the Dallas Stars. The Blazers have some young players on their roster, and the back end will be anchored by Nolan Kneen, who should be in store for a big year. The Blazers could very well surprise a lot of teams, especially if returning goaltender Dylan Ferguson (Vegas) can put up solid numbers as he should be busy. The Cougars are also in the midst of a rebuild, as they unloaded many of their assets to finish at the bottom of the division. They have a young team without any returning NHL draftees on it, but will be led by defenders Joel Lakusta, Ryan Schoettler, Rhett Rhinehart, and forwards Ethan Browne and import Vladislav Mikhalchuk. They have a top rated goalie prospect in Taylor Gauthier between the pipes, and he looks to face a lot of shots behind a weak defence.

The battle of the Central Division should come down to the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers, followed by the Red Deer Rebels and Edmonton Oil Kings, leaving the Kootenay Ice and Calgary Hitmen battling for the wildcard positions.

Calen Addison. Photo by Robert Murray.

The Hurricanes seemed primed and ready, as they welcome back their leaders from other camps and tryouts. The offence will certainly be dynamic with Jordy Bellerive (Pittsburgh) returning, and prospect Dylan Cozens - who will definitely be an early first round pick in next year’s draft - leading the charge as they both push for the WHL scoring title as well. The secondary scoring will be in the hands of eligible prospect Logan Barlage, Taylor Ross, and Kelti Jeri-Leon. On the back end, Calen Addison (Pittsburgh) returns to beef up this blue line and contribute from the point. The goaltending looks solid with Reece Klassen, who should have a good nucleus of defence in front of him to help him put up good numbers. Medicine Hat should also be able to keep up with Lethbridge on the offensive side of things, as they also have some firepower up front. Ryan Chyzowski and Josh Williams are one of the top tandems in the league, and Williams is a likely first round selection in the upcoming draft. Captain James Hamblin will also provide some scoring punch, as they also show a very balanced group of forwards.

The Tigers lost offensive defensemen David Queneville (NYI), meaning defenders Linus Nassen (Florida) and Dylan Macpherson will have to step into bigger roles to help fill that void. The goaltending will be fine with Jordan Hollett (Ottawa) stopping pucks on the back end, but the defence is young. The Rebels also have some nice players returning, and coach Brett Sutter will be happy with Brandon Hagel and Jeff DeWit coming back to lead the forward group. The Rebels also welcome back Alexander Alexeyev (Washington) and Dawson Barteaux (Dallas) to the group, as they should both have very productive seasons. The Rebels have two players of note for draft hounds with import center Oleg Zaytsev and goaltender Ethan Anders, who should both improve this season with expanded roles.

The Edmonton Oil Kings have also been in a rebuild mode, and are looking to take the next step of their transition. They have a young team who will be led by Trey Fix-Wolansky (Columbus), along with veterans Quinn Benjafield and Vince Loschiavo to play along side of draft eligible prospects David Kope, Vladimir Alistrov, and Brett Kemp. On defence, a top prospect and projected first round selection Matthew Robertson leads the blue line with fellow draft-eligibles Jacson Alexander and Conner McDonald. The Oil Kings also have some young goaltenders in their net, and could help this team move up the ranks with some solid play.

Riley Stotts. Photo by Candice Ward/Calgary Hitmen.

Calgary will have forwards Jake Kryski and Riley Stotts (Toronto) back, along with defenseman Vladislav Yeryomenko (Nashville) who will all take larger roles and provide leadership for their maturing team. The Hitmen have a hulking defender on the radar as Jackson Van De Leest is a top draft-eligible prospect. The Kootenay Ice have been developing and rebuilding for a few years now, and they are showing a lot of youth, and a top end talent in Peyton Krebs (yet another definite first round selection). He will be joined by Brett Davis (Dallas) to lead the charge for the young ICE team. They will rely on Jonathan Smart to anchor and lead their group of defensemen as this team looks to improve and make a surge for a playoff spot.

The Eastern Division standings will look different. This division has been hit the hardest as the top teams from last season have had major overhauls, and return depleted rosters. After being defeated in the Memorial Cup Final, the Pats have lost forwards Sam Steel (Anaheim), Cameron Hebig (Edmonton), and Matt Bradley from their impressive lineup of scorers. They will be led this year by Jake Leshyshyn (Vegas), Nick Henry (Colorado), Austin Pratt, and eligible prospect Koby Morrisseau to carry the load. On defence, losing Josh Mahura (Anaheim), Cale Fleury (Montreal), and Libor Hajek (TBL) opens the door for Aaron Hyman to take a leadership role, and allow eligible prospects Nikita Sedov and Jonas Harkins to play larger parts and flourish on an experienced team. In goal, they have Max Paddock, who should get some consideration, as he backstopped the Pats to the Memorial Cup final as a rookie netminder and looked good in the process.

Cole Fonstad

It looks like the Prince Albert Raiders are ready to take a major leap and push for the division crown. The Raiders are loaded up front with players to watch in Cole Fonstad (Montreal), Noah Gregor (SJ), undrafted Brett Leason, and returnee Kody McDonald leading the way. They have an experienced blue line with Sergei Sapego, Max Martin, and Brayden Pachal ready to deliver in larger roles. Goaltender Ian Scott (Toronto) is ready to be one of the top tenders in the DUB this season and lead this team. They will battle with the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Saskatoon Blades for the division crown in what should be an exciting division to follow. The Wheat Kings will also boast a stellar offence and solid goaltending. With last seasons leading scorer Ty Lewis (Colorado) eligible to return, which would add even more scoring punch to this already impressive lineup of forwards.

Ty Smith

Stelio Mattheos (Carolina), Connor Gutenberg, Cole Reinhart, and draft eligible Luka Burzan will lead the charge for the Wheat Kings. The defence will be led by Schael Higson and Chase Hartje, with youngsters Braden Schneider and Jonny Lambos getting increased minutes. Las Vegas prospect Jiri Patera will handle duties in net, and looks to be very solid for the Wheaties, which will also help push them to the top of the division. The Saskatoon Blades have also made enormous strides this year, and will take a step up as well. They have some great prospects on the roster that will make their way to the draft this spring. They also have a forward group that can fill the nets with Max Gerlach, Eric Florchuk, and Josh Paterson returning to support Kirby Dach. Dach will be a prolific scorer and early first round pick at the draft. He will be joined by import defensemen and fellow top prospect Emil Malysjev who will settle in to a prominent role by playing with the likes of Dawson Davidson and Jackson Caller. The Blades also feature a top goaltending tandem with top prospect Nolan Maier who will carry the load this season after a stellar rookie season, and Dorrin Luding, who has looked very impressive in his appearances.

Jett Woo

The Moose Jaw Warriors will find themselves in the mix as well with Justin Almeida (Pittsburgh) back in the fold, and leading the way as one of the top players in the Dub. Almeida will take the reigns of the offence after the loss of Jayden Halbgewachs (SJ), Brayden Burke (Arizona), and Brett Howden (NYR). He will be joined by Ryan Peckford, who looked promising last year despite being passed over in the draft. He will look to make amends for that with a good showing this year with an increased role on this club. He will be joined with fellow prospect Brayden Tracey and veteran forward Tristan Langan. The back end will miss top defender Kale Clague (LAK), but will be in good shape with a strong core as Josh Brook (Montreal) and Jett Woo (Vancouver) are back there. In net, the Warriors have Adam Evanoff who was great in a limited role in his rookie season, and will get to display his skills this year in a main role. He will share time with ex-Kelowna Rocket Broden Salmond who will add some experience.

Last but not least, last seasons WHL Champion Swift Current Broncos will be hit the hardest of all teams. They have lost most of their scoring, and are in a definite rebuilding mode. Gone are the likes of Glen Gawdin (Calgary), Aleksi Heponiemi (Florida), Giorgio Estephan (Buffalo), Matteo Gennaro, Beck Malenstyn (Washington), and their leader in Tyler Steenbergen (Arizona). The defence was also depleted by losing Colby Sissons (NJ), and surprisingly undrafted Artyom Minulin (who will miss lots of time with offseason surgery). This team will be led by Max Patterson, Alec Zawatsky, and defender Connor Horning. The Broncos are young, and will be in development mode for the next few seasons. Goaltender Joel Hofer (St. Louis) is the only player that has NHL labelling, and will be extremely busy throughout the year and will face a whole lot rubber. He will have to hone his skills and stop a lot of pucks, but is unlikely to steal many games for this team.

Dallas Stars Prospect System Overview

Tom Dorsa — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 19:02:12 +0000

With Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and John Klingberg among many other superstar talents, the Dallas Stars are well within their competitive window. However, the Stars have missed the postseason in each of the last two seasons and eight out of ten years. Clearly, something hasn't clicked, be it coaching, injuries, or something harder to define.

Disregarding their other issues, the root of their lack of consistent winning ability has been a poor drafting and development pipeline. We all know of Ivan Vishnevskiy, Scott Glennie, and Jack Campbell, former first-rounders drafted as future stars only to flame out under the weight of the Stars' ghastly expectations. But it has extended into the later half of the decade, with guys like Valeri Nichushkin, Denis Gurianov, and Julius Honka also so far failing to live up to expectations.

Ask us about the early results from the last two drafts, and we say: General Manager Jim Nill is pretty effectively treating this issue, as the 2017 and 2018 drafts are arguably the best of his six-year Dallas tenure. Starting with super prospect Miro Heiskanen, a young Finn so talented and so promising that not even an Erik Karlsson deal could persuade Nill to trade him away, 10 of the top 20 prospects on the list come from the last two draft years.

On the Heiskanen front, the Stars have been stellar in scouting European players, a trend that has continued into this season. Two of their highest three picks this season were relatively obscure Swedish Junior players, which indicates a confidence in their European scouts. They also draft players with immense size frequently, with eight of their top-ten prospects measuring in at 6-3" or taller, which doesn’t even include 12th-ranked Curtis Douglas at 6-8".

With a third head coach in as many seasons, and the lingering concerns over a Tyler Seguin contract extension, the Dallas Stars have issues at hand that are arguably more important than prospect development. But, as this has been the most crippling struggle for Dallas over this window, and the effects of proper drafting and developing will have an instant positive impact on this squad.

Miro Heiskanen

1 Miro Heiskanen, D (3rd overall, 2017. Last year: 1st) Though Rasmus Dahlin has Calder Trophy written all over him, another young European defenseman will be in the running. At third-overall in 2017, Miro Heiskanen became the highest Stars draft pick since Mike Modano in 1988, and the immense hype surrounding the young left-hander is justified. Named the best defenseman in the Finnish Liiga with HIFK Helsinki at just 18 years old, Heiskanen is a brilliant puck-mover with impeccable hockey sense, someone who can control the game with and without the puck. A wonderful skater, Heiskanen can take the game over by asserting himself offensively with his legs and vision. He has tremendous discipline defensively and never allows many dangerous shots on goal from his side, and he is also more mature and mentally developed than basically any 18-year-old blueliner in the game, capable of playing 25+ minutes a night with ease. He dominated a men's league as a teenager last season, and will be an instant top-four defenseman with the Stars in 2018-19.

2 Ty Dellandrea, C (13th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) Ty Dellandrea was considered to be somewhat of a stretch at 13th overall this past June, a selection that sent the local Dallas crowd going home from the draft with raised eyebrows. However, what the scrappy, skilled center did with a horrendous Flint Firebirds squad deserves a first-round pick and this spot on the prospect rankings. With a 20-43-0-5 OHL team that had the league's second-worst record, Dellandrea stood out, leading the club with 27 goals in addition to his 32 helpers. He boasts exciting stickhandling abilities that can hang with nearly anyone in this draft, a concrete two-way game, and some fine edgework combined with good top skating speed. His positioning away from the puck is near elite, and most of his goals were scored by him finding open ice with his nifty vision and potting easy net-front set-ups. He is inconsistent, with his best days being spread out in time, but it is hard not to attribute that to his presence on an awful junior team. If he can stick in the pros at a consistent rate, then he looks to be a smart pick for the Stars.

3 Jason Robertson, RW (39th overall, 2017. Last year: 4th) Projected as a first-rounder in 2017, Jason Robertson slipped to the Stars on day two, as a reputation for being lazy and uninterested away from the puck affected his draft stock. Always looking to improve, he took those criticisms to heart and worked on making himself a more complete player over the past season, and early results indicate a new-and-improved Robertson is a year closer to cracking the Stars' NHL roster. With the OHL's Kingston Frotenacs, he posted 41 goals and career-bests in 46 assists and 87 points, leading the team in scoring. He has plus size that gives him a power forward element and makes him hard to push off the puck, a booming set of shots that have equal parts speed and accuracy, and nifty stickhandling moves that make him an elusive forward to cover. His defensive game has taken steps, or more so, leaps and bounds, over the past season, with an increase in d-zone physicality and a decrease in risky plays coming up the ice. Robertson's only issue is a big one, and that's his skating speed, which is well behind NHL caliber without many signs of improvement; he has great edgework and superb acceleration, but without formidable top speed, his offensive game could make him a one-trick pony.

4 Jason Dickinson, C (29th overall, 2013. Last year: 8th) A 2013 draft pick, Jason Dickinson has been around this system for awhile and has not shown any reason, at least with Dallas, for a permanent NHL spot. But, with a new coach in Dallas who encourages creativity and well-roundedness, Dickinson might be in line for the roster spot his AHL numbers indicate he deserves. One of the Texas Stars' leading goal-scorers despite playing only just over half the schedule (18 goals in 42 games), Dickinson has an understated offensive game and goal-scoring touch for a player whose main draw is two-way stability. On that, he's a splendid penalty-killer, strong and tenacious around the boards, and one who will sacrifice himself for the betterment of the team. Offensively, he is crafty and resourceful with the puck, fast enough to make plays for himself, and strong enough to sustain puck possession. He has a bullet for a wrist shot and also boasts calm, effective playmaking skills to be a solid two-way, bottom-six forward who can play all three spots. His biggest problem is a lack of offensive assertiveness. He has a myriad of offensive tools at is disposal, but needs to better utilize them to find success.

Jake Oettinger

5 Jake Oettinger, G (26th overall, 2017. Last year: 5th) The first goaltender taken in the 2017 draft, Dallas actually traded up to take the American netminder, and his stats at the NCAA level suggest that the move will eventually pay off for the Stars. Backstopping a loaded, prestigious Boston University program over the past two seasons, Oettinger has been one of college hockey's best in the crease, going 21-13-4 with a .915 save percentage and 2.45 goals against average last season, earning an NCAA tournament appearance. The denoted goaltender of the future for the Stars, he has a massive physical frame (6-4", 212 lbs), excellent play-reading abilities, and a certain maturity in the crease that allows him to make all the easy saves and rarely get beaten on inside scoring chances. His lateral movement is insanely refined, and his technical game oozes intelligence and peace of mind. His biggest issue right now is transitioning from a standing position to a low butterfly, but he is athletic enough to make ends meet in that regard over time. The Team USA World Junior starter is already a workhorse for the Terriers, and the Stars will let him marinate in the lower levels with Ben Bishop signed for five more seasons. He projects to be an upper-to-mid-tier starter at the NHL level.

6 Colton Point, G (128th overall, 2016. Last year: Unranked) The thing about Oettinger's development is this: after a huge 2017-18 season, former fifth-rounder Colton Point -- a 2018 WJC gold medalist -- is not far away from where Oettinger stands as the franchise's goalie of the future. The 6-4" goaltender went ballistic with Colgate this past season, earning a Hobey Baker Award top-ten finish with a 16-12-5 record, .944 SV%, and 1.74 GAA with an undermanned, overwhelmed Raiders squad that finished at .500 on the season. In 16 of his 33 starts, Point made more than 30 saves, including a 51-save shutout over Harvard. The ECAC Player of the Year finalist has a big upper-body that is supplemented by his good positioning, and the lateral movement to track pucks all around him. He is a battler in the crease who loves to compete, and will stay at a 100% intensity level for the entirety of a game. After signing an ELC with the Stars, he is making the jump to their AHL affiliate where he will compete with Landon Bow for the job as the starter. For success in 2018-19, the 20-year-old needs to prove in the pros that his monstrous 2017-18 campaign was not a blip on the radar and was more a preview of what's to come.

7 Riley Tufte, LW (25th overall, 2016. Last year: 6th) Yet another humongous, physical NCAA star, 6-6" Riley Tufte is becoming the lethal power forward prospect he was drafted to become. He has become accustomed to the speed and skill of NCAA hockey, and with Minnesota-Duluth, scored a team-high 16 goals in his sophomore season in 2017-18. With unmatched size and physical toughness, he plays a dangerous offensive game that combines his plus playmaking and stickhandling with natural corporeal competitiveness. He can drive right to the net with his strong upper-body or draw opposing players to him against the boards to set up a teammate. With improvements in comfort and skating ability (he can move for a big guy, but can not exactly fly out there), Tufte can play the ideal power forward game, one that consists of constant pressure and physical imposition that forces defenders to react and move. Like most college players, he is a long-term project, but he has skills no coach can teach and a size advantage no common defender can come around. He will return to Duluth in 2018-19.

8 Denis Gurianov, RW (12th overall, 2015. Last year: 3rd) Everyone will agree: Denis Gurianov, at 12th overall in 2015, was the wrong pick. With Mat Barzal, Kyle Connor, and Brock Boeser among others still waiting, the Stars stretched out and grabbed a Russian minor-leaguer. Nonetheless, it's still too early to label Gurianov as a bust, even if his prospect ranking took a major hit. The 21-year-old has incredible straight-line speed, coupled with near elite acceleration and a never-give-up, high-energy motor; his frame (6-3", 200 lbs) is also at an NHL level, so at the very least, he could be a useful forechecker. His wrist shot is superb, with a quick release and the ability to fire from anywhere. Gurianov's defensive efforts are underappreciated, as he uses his speed and size to get into passing and shooting lanes well. His main problem is perhaps the biggest one you can have: a lack of hockey sense. Often looking lost out there, his positioning is terrible, his playmaking vision lags, and, as a healthy scratch for many Texas Stars playoff games in their Calder Cup Finals run, his coaches do not trust him in big moments. Without a major improvement in that aisle, he has bust potential.

9 Roope Hintz, C/LW (49th overall, 2015. Last year: 7th) Another example of quality scouting in Europe, the Stars grabbed Roope Hintz in what was considered an off-the-board second-round pick in 2015. Very mature and experienced at 21 years old - having played three full seasons in Liiga and winning the World Junior gold - he could be an NHL forward now and hold his own. His rookie AHL season was an instant success, as he led all Stars prospects in points with Texas, playing both center and wing over the year and becoming increasingly comfortable on the smaller North American ice. Hintz has insane top speed, and though his acceleration lags, he can blow right past opposing defenders with enough time and space to generate speed. His hands are swift and stellar, and though he is mostly a playmaker rather than a shooter, his wrist shot is fantastic. With one of the most well-rounded gameplay arsenals in the Dallas system, Hintz will be a useful NHL player for a while once he is ready.

Adam Mascherin

10 Adam Mascherin, LW (100th overall, 2018. Last year: 10th [Florida]) Adam Mascherin is not your typical prospect. Drafted as an early second-rounder by the Florida Panthers in 2015, the Kitchener Rangers star opted to re-enter the draft three years later after never signing with his draft team. At 100th overall, Dallas nabbed the 20-year-old in what can be called a reclamation project, and with his OHL eligibility used up, he will immediately report to AHL Texas. A former 100-point OHL player, it is clear that he has offensive skills, and he will probably transition to the pros as more of a goal-scorer than a playmaker with the high-power, tricky wrist shot he possesses. A very hard worker, he is short and stocky and uses his upper body strength well to get into dangerous scoring positions. He has sneakily good speed and great rink senses, although his two-way game is still developing. If he can be a prolific offensive force for Texas and Dallas, he will find a place high on the depth chart. If not, he was still worth the risk as a mid-round overager.

11 Oskar Back, C (75th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) A young Swedish forward who has been playing above his age level for years, Oskar Back has long had top-nine NHL potential, and the Stars grabbed the 18-year-old forward with a third-round selection in last summer's draft. With a very versatile skillset, he will soon find success at the SHL level, after tallying 32 points in 38 games in the Swedish Junior ranks. He has deadly speed that allows him to push the pace of the game, and deft hand-eye coordination and stickhandling skills that help him put the puck where it belongs, be it on a teammate's stick blade for a shot or his own. He tends to look for a pass over taking a shot, but his vision and quick decision-making lets him drop beautiful assists with ease. His plus size and strength allow his two-way game to flourish, really helping his game come to complete fruition. He isn't very strong away from the puck, and on account of that, he projects to play the wing rather than center at higher levels, but his game is otherwise formidable in most other facets.

12 Curtis Douglas, C (106th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) There is no secret as to why the Stars took a chance on Curtis Douglas with the 106th pick last summer. A 6-8" center with respectable wheels and some underappreciated playmaking skill, he is a very unique prospect whose uncommon physique is something to build upon. A decent OHL player, between the Barrie Colts and Windsor Spitfires last season, he tapped home 22 goals and assisted on 25 in his second full junior season. Obviously, his main selling point is his size, which he uses extremely well, shoving off defenders, getting inside/net-front position, and shielding the puck off well, but he can skate pretty well too. His top speed is what you would imagine at his size, but his cuts, acceleration, and backward-to-forward transitioning is reminiscent of a player a foot shorter. He also has splendid offensive vision that allows him to thread difficult passes through the slot for goals, and the attentiveness to be an effective forechecker. What Douglas will become is nearly impossible to project, but between his size and skills, Dallas might as well see where this goes.

13 Gavin Bayreuther, D (Free Agent Signing: Mar. 17, 2017. Last year: 11th) Not really an organization for big free agent prospect signings, the Stars inked undrafted NCAA defenseman Gavin Bayreuther last season and had the young lefthander anchor the AHL blueline this past year, with mixed results. The St. Lawrence University standout paced all Texas defensemen with 32 points, but displayed some growing pains, specifically in his own zone, where he looked lost with the pace and skill of the pro game. Otherwise, Bayreuther exhibited the assets that made him a hot commodity as a free agent, showing off his mobility, playmaking skills, and reliability defending zone entries. Mostly an offensive-defenseman, he has excellent foot speed, good hands, and loves to pass up the ice. A fixture on the Stars' power play, he has the prototypical offensive patience and vision of a defenseman like him. He is still a season away from an NHL roster spot, but the potential is there so long as he works on his defensive game.

14 Riley Damiani, C (137th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) An undersized center, Riley Diamiani is one of those guys that remains an offensive threat even without any single dynamic skill, just by virtue of his hockey sense and general intelligence. The Kitchener forward, who occasionally centered a line with fellow 2018 Stars pick Adam Mascherin this past season, netted 19 goals and 18 assists in 2017-18. With strong acceleration and decent top speed, he was a central part of both the defensive and offensive efforts of the OHL's Rangers when on the ice. He can join or push the offensive rush with ease, but he appears more comfortable without the puck, and he mostly camps out somewhere near the net to fire off one of his blazing wrist shots directly off a pass. His positioning is solid in all three zones and his non-stop, energetic motor is another point in his favor. As a center, Diamiani needs to become more assertive with the puck and be a more effective set-up man, especially with his swift, elusive stickhandling skills; he does not really have a winger's skillset or the size to make something happen against the boards, so it looks like his future will be down the middle, but there will be no long-term future for the 18-year-old without an improvement in that aisle.

Albin Eriksson

15 Albin Eriksson, RW (44th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) Albin Eriksson compares his game to that of future Hall of Famer Evgeni Malkin, and from a purely stylistic standpoint, it is hard to disagree. Eriksson is a menacing power forward with a deadly mix of size (6-4", 207 lbs) and intensity, using that combo to score at over a point-per-game in the Swedish Junior levels (22-18-40 in 38 games). He skates well for a guy of his stature, has crazy quick hands and elusiveness to fly past defenders, and has above-average play-reading abilities. He truly is like Malkin from a style perspective: a power forward with an unpredictable, skilled, complete offensive game. So why is he ranked so low in the prospect rundown, especially as a mid second-rounder? Eriksson is a square peg in the round hole of hockey, being mostly a dud in his time in the SHL, and not often being called upon to represent Sweden in international play. He lacks the dynamic skill to be a top-six forward at high levels, but plays too fast and unstructured of a style to be a depth scoring option. He has middle-six NHL potential with the Stars if he can harness his skill into something more readily useful down the road.

16 Joseph Cecconi, D (133rd overall, 2015. Last year: 13th) When you play alongside Zach Werenski and Quinn Hughes on the Michigan blueline, the spotlight will, understandably, not be on you. Joseph Cecconi, in his senior year, will now step into the glare for the Wolverines after being named the program's captain. The former World Junior gold medalist had his best offensive season last year, scoring five goals in addition to 17 assists, helping Michigan reach the Frozen Four for the first time in seven seasons. A big and strong stay-at-home defenseman with a developing offensive game, he has great gap control and quick enough feet to mark his man throughout the defensive zone. He does not carry the puck much, but instead utilizes his fast and accurate stretch passes to spark a transition game. He projects to be a well-rounded bottom-pairing defenseman with minimal offensive upside, but his game has many facets to like.

17 Dillon Heatherington, D (Trade: Mar. 1, 2017 [Columbus]. Last year: 17th) A former second-rounder, Dillon Heatherington would have been an NHL All-Star 20 years ago, but as the game trends toward faster and smaller defensemen, keeping a major-league roster spot has been a challenge for him. One of the AHL's best and most physical d-men last season, the 6-4" lefty also made a mark with his nastiness and intensity in the Dallas locker room, accruing 26 penalty minutes and a point in his six top-flight games last season. His size and strength permits him to shove opposing forwards around and force them to the outside to limit high-danger shots; when they do get by him, he has decent enough foot speed to track them back down and cut a pass or shot off. After the 2017-18 campaign, it looked like Heatherington would have the seventh defenseman job locked down with Dallas, but it became clear that the Stars brass lacks confidence in the former Calder Cup champ after signing Roman Polak for that role.

18 Nicholas Caamano, C/RW (146th overall, 2016. Last year: 16th) One of the last cuts from the Stars' 2017 training camp roster, Nicholas Caamano has made a great first impressions on Dallas' front office personnel. After a mid-season trade from Ty Dellandrea's Flint Firebirds to the Hamilton Bulldogs, the offensive dynamo erupted for 36 points in 41 games, followed by 22 in 21 postseason matches as Hamilton took home the OHL Championship. He plays a goal-scoring offense-first game, but has made major strides in his playmaking over the past few seasons, as his smarts have let him evolve into a more complete player. His shot is electric, he can skate with the best of them, plays both sides of the special teams equation, and has some strong power forward moves despite average size. A young 20-year-old, Caamano will join the AHL Stars in 2018-19 as Dallas tries to develop him into another fifth-round steal.

19 Ondrej Vala, D (Free Agent Signing: Sep. 29, 2016. Last year: 20th) Undrafted out of the 2016 draft, Ondrej Vala joined the Stars' prospect club at the annual Traverse City tournament and signed a three-year ELC directly after. Something impressed the Stars then, and the exceptional two-way WHL defender has shown us all what he showed the Dallas brass back then. A mid-season acquisition by the Everett Silvertips, Vala was like a rock on the blueline during a stretch run, and playoff run, that concluded in a berth in the WHL Finals. He is massive (6-4", 210 lbs), with a frame that he uses well in his own zone to dislodge opposing forwards' position and scoop pucks out from the boards by using his body as a shield. He also has a cannon from the blueline, one he utilizes at every opportunity, and can skate well for a big man, covering a lot of ground in all three zones. The 20-year-old will likely transition to the AHL, where he will continue to fine-tune his raw defensive zone coverage.

20 Dawson Barteaux, D (168th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) The only defenseman the Stars drafted in 2018 and the first Stars' defensive selection since Miro Heiskanen, highly-mobile puck-moving defenseman Dawson Barteaux has all the makings of a late-round draft steal. He made huge strides in 2017-18 with the Red Deer Rebels while playing alongside Capitals first-rounder Alexander Alexeyev, recording three goals and 29 assists in 64 regular-season games. He played in all situations for Red Deer, including both special teams sides, eating up a lot of minutes as a cool, calm presence on their blue line. A possession machine and a driver of offense, Barteaux mixes riskiness with safe play, a trait that should translate well to the pros. He is a great skater and has exciting stickhandling abilities, but needs to work on his point shot a little, as well as the intricacies of defensive zone play.

2018 NHL Draft Review: Central Division

Ryan Wagman — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 14:37:30 +0000

The draft is over and 217 young players are newly affiliated with 31 different NHL organizations. Outside of three to six of those players, who could jump right into NHL lineups in the fall, we will not know whether the vast majority of those players are draft successes for two, three, four, or five years.

The lack of clear foresight aside, we should still be able to judge draft classes at least in terms of expected value. In some cases, we can look at strategy as well, although the way the board shakes out based on the picks that came before, we can rarely truly discern what a club was trying to do, but only what they were able to do.

I had hoped that we would be able to provide an average Overall Future Projection of the various draft classes, but there are a few picks from the high school ranks, the NAHL and a few European junior leagues for whom we lack enough information to give a full grade, so we will focus on where we had players ranked as we assess the draft haul of each team, as we run division-by-division through the NHL.

Here is the Central Division

Chicago Blackhawks
1 (8) Adam Boqvist, D, Brynas J20 (SuperElit) - ranked 9th
1 (27) Nicolas Beaudin, D, Drummondville (QMJHL) - ranked 55th
3 (69) Jake Wise, C, USNTDP (USHL) - ranked 62nd
3 (74) Niklas Nordgren, RW, HIFK U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga) - ranked 49th
4 (120) Philipp Kurashev, LW/C, Quebec (QMJHL) - ranked 80th
5 (139) Mikael Hakkarainen, C, Muskegon (USHL) - unranked
6 (162) Alexis Gravel, G, Halifax (QMJHL) - ranked 67th
7 (193) Josiah Slavin, LW, Lincoln (USHL) - unranked

With one difference of opinion, I have a lot of time for the Chicago Blackhawks draft class this year. That they selected six players in our top 100 (top 80, actually), reflects a lot of convergence in our respective scouting opinions. Doing it without a second rounder to play makes the feat even more impressive. With a rare top ten pick, the Hawks selected young Swedish dynamo Adam Boqvist eighth overall. While the pick raised the eyebrows a smidge, considering the availability of Evan Bouchard and Noah Dobson, two better-rounded, potential top pairing blueliners, the gap between the three of them was minute and more down to preference than actual expected value. Boqvist is a little rawer than the other two, but his upside is truly immense.

Where the eyebrows truly shot up was when the Blackhawks selected Drummondville blueliner Nicolas Beaudin with the second first rounder. First, because between Boqvist and their first two picks in the 2017 draft (Henri Jokiharju and Ian Mitchell), they seemed to now have a pretty good core of young blueliners to plan around. Secondly, and more important, how could Beaudin be the first Voltigeur off the board with Joe Veleno still available? Beaudin has high end vision, and moves the puck fairly well, but his skating is a sore point, particularly his first few steps and his reverse. He can get up to a decent top speed, but as he so often falls behind, it is an absolute necessity. Third, as Beaudin is a marauding sort, who likes to engage deep in the offensive end, there must be the worry that his game is too similar in style to Boqvist’s.

As much as I did not like the second first rounder, I loved the Hawks’ two third rounders. Jake Wise is a very good skater who can perform some nice tricks with the puck yet can be trusted in all situations. Were it not for an early season injury that had him miss a good long stretch, he would have gone at least 30 picks higher. Five picks later, Chicago took another offensively gifted forward in Finnish winger Niklas Nordgren, who scored eight times in seven games at the WU18, but has historically been a stronger playmaker than finisher. He needs to add muscle mass and improve his explosiveness, but he can produce. Chicago took another offensively talented forward in the fifth, reminding us all that successful teams do not just grab bottom six types in the later rounds, but continue to draft for talent. Swiss import Philipp Kurashev has shown improvement year over year in his two seasons with Quebec in the Q. He reads the play well in both zones and has very soft hands. Although he lacks bulk, he is not a peripheral player.

They continued to hunt for point producers as the draft petered out, as seen with sixth rounder Mikael Hakkarainen who had 46 points in 36 games with Muskegon this year. Even after accounting for the fact that the Finnish USHL import was in his third year of draft eligibility, he has scored at every level in which he has played. He missed a chunk of the year to injury, but when he played, he was creating chances left and right. A few solid seasons with Providence, and he could be a real late round gem. Chicago was wise to snatch up a promising, if very raw, netminder in the sixth round in Alexis Gravel, both as his tools rate very highly, even if his results were sub-par in his draft year with Halifax, but also as the net is a weak spot organizationally for the Hawks and will have a chance to make an impact in time. If he can play more like he has in the postseason for the Mooseheads than he did in the regular season, more than a few teams will be kicking themselves for passing up on him for five full rounds. As for the seventh rounder, Josiah Slavin, the younger brother of Hurricanes’ blueliner Jaccob Slavin, the Blackhawks did finally take a low ceiling player who maxes out as a fourth liner, if he even gets there. He has good size and is a decent skater, but has never been a scorer all the way bac to Bantam hockey. Even though I don’t agree with every pick, the Blackhawks’ strategy of largely selecting players with aa history of offensive production and continuing to draft talent even in the middle and (most of the) later rounds, is a winning strategy.

OFP – 53.25

Colorado Avalanche
1 (16) Martin Kaut, RW, Dynamo Pardubice (Czech) - ranked 20th
3 (64) Justus Annunen, G, Karpat U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga) - ranked 98th
3 (78) Sampo Ranta, LW, Sioux City (USHL) - ranked 54th
4 (109) Tyler Weiss, LW/C, USNTDP (USHL) - ranked 59th
5 (140) Brandon Saigeon, C, Hamilton (OHL) - ranked Honorable Mention
5 (146) Danila Zhuravlyov, D, Irbis Kazan (MHL) - ranked 131st
6 (171) Nikolai Kovalenko, RW, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL) - ranked 159th
7 (202) Shamil Shamakov, G, Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk (MHL) - unranked

The Colorado Avalanche have never been the type of team to heavily scout the CHL, but to have only one pick from their seven come from the hotbed of Canadian junior hockey is a surprise even for them. Even when accounting for the fact that two additional picks were playing in the USHL, one of those was actually a Finnish import. In short, the Avalanche went the full anti-Don Cherry in their 2018 draft class, with five of seven picks coming from Europe. There was some speculation of whether their first round pick, Martin Kaut, would drop down draft boards after a disputed heart issue was discovered during medical testing at the draft combine. Thankfully, he rushed back to the Czech Republic and had the matter taken care of immediately, and received a clean bill of health before draft day. Kaut does everything at an above average level, and if the early successes of Martin Necas and Filip Chytil last year are any indication, the Czech Republic is back to being a hockey hotbed. Kaut is expected to move to the AHL next season.

In the three of the previous four drafts, the Avalanche selected a netminder from Europe, and they continued that trend with the second pick of the third round, taking Finnish WU18 hero Justus Annunen. Far from a flash in the pan, he was named the top goalie in the Finnish junior league and has the size every team covets in net, as well as above average athleticism. Half a round later, the Avs selected an early season sensation in the USHL, in Finnish import winger Sampo Ranta, who naturally elicited comparisons to former Sioux City sniper Eeli Tolvanen. Ranta is no Tolvanen, and is prone to a few bone-head reads, but he has a fine collection of offensive tools, projecting to top six potential across the board, and is going to a good program at Wisconsin starting next season.

Staying in the USHL, the first North American product Colorado drafted was North Carolina native Tyler Weiss from the USNTDP. The program often relegates talented players to a bottom six role because they are both not as good as the first line players, and they play high energy games. Both are true of Weiss. He plays with great energy and he is not as good as the top line trio of Jack Hughes, Oliver Wahlstrom, or Joel Farabee. Of course, that latter point is a very high bar for comparison. Weiss is very talented, and like a few previous USNTDP grads, I expect his offensive game to flourish in a more fluid role at Nebraska-Omaha. He is a great skater with shifty hands and great puck control. With his inherent grit, I think he is looked upon as a steal in short order.

Fifth rounder Brandon Saigeon was long written off as a disappointment in the OHL, as the former fourth overall OHL Draft pick took four seasons to really break out. Finally, in his third and final year of NHL draft eligibility, he took off with a strong Bulldogs team, at least reaching the point per game mark in the regular season, OHL playoffs, and Memorial Cup. He is eligible to go back to Hamilton for one more year, or join Kaut next year in the AHL. His future success hinges on his shot continuing to sneak past netminders.

After drafting their one and only CHL player, the Avalanche finished their draft with three picks from the Russian junior league. Defender Danila Zhuravlyov is a promising two way player with a good set of tools who needs to refine his game away from the puck. Winger Nikolai Kovalenko, is actually an Avalanche legacy pick, as his father Andrei played with the Nordiques and the Avalanche between 1992-96. Ironically enough, like Tyler Weiss, Kovalenko was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, although Kovalenko moved back to Russia as a youth. He has very high hockey intelligence and grades out very well for both skating and puck skills. If he gets more attention on the international stage, he will be looked at as a late round steal in short order. Finally, for their last selection, Colorado drafted the player with the best name in the draft, in Shamil Shmakov. In his second year of draft eligibility, the towering (6-6”) Russian netminder was a workhorse for his MHL team. He is athletic for his size and reads the play well. Between the Russians and the college bound players, the Avalanche’s 2018 draft class may take four or more years before it can be adequately judged. That said, with the talent selected, they should be optimistic.

OFP – 53.75

Dallas Stars
1 (13) Ty Dellandrea, C, Flint (OHL) - ranked 32nd
2 (44) Albin Eriksson, RW/LW, Skelleftea J20 (SuperElit) - ranked 121st
3 (75) Oskar Back, C/RW, Frolunda J20 (SuperElit) - ranked 75th
4 (100) Adam Mascherin, LW, Kitchener (OHL) - ranked 64th
4 (106) Curtis Douglas, C, Windsor (OHL) - ranked 95th
5 (137) Riley Damiani, C, Kitchener (OHL) - ranked 107th
6 (168) Dawson Barteaux, D, Red Deer (WHL) - ranked 206th
7 (199) Jermaine Loewen, RW/LW, Kamloops (WHL) - unranked

Like some teams, the Stars have geographical hot spots that they tend to return to again and again when to comes to drafting. They love the OHL, the WHL, Sweden and Finland. They have sometimes strayed from those areas, most notably for some first rounders from Russia (Valeri Nichushkin, and Denis Guryanov) and Minnesota prep (Riley Tufte) and the NCAA (Jake Oettinger), but the majority of their picks over the years come from the four areas listed above. And low and behold, they stayed true to form this year, drafting entirely from the OHL, WHL and Sweden. Hosting the draft, no matter who they selected would be bound to receive hearty applause and the fans did not disappoint in that regard.

Even though they went off the board with their first rounder, Ty Dellandrea, the Flint center has a few factors that suggest an upside just as high as those who had been ranked in that range of the draft class. He is very young for this draft class, he put up decent numbers despite playing for a tire fire of an OHL organization. He stepped up his game in the high profile events of the CHL Top Prospects Game and the WU18 tournament. He is a great skater with a very high hockey IQ, gets top marks for intangibles and has nice hands. I cannot truly fault Dallas for making this pick. I am less bullish on their second rounder, large Swedish winger Albin Eriksson. He has soft hands for his size and has certainly scored plenty in the SuperElit, but there are questions about his skating and his overall ability to process the game. He was held off the Swedish WU18 team as the national braintrust did not see a fit for him as a top six player, and did not think his game would translate to a bottom six role. I see a lot of risk-reward in this pick.

The Stars went right back to the SuperElit with their third rounder, for versatile forward Oskar Back. Back is not as big as Eriksson, but has more than enough size-wise. He is also a better skater, plays a more effective physical brand of hockey and showed the ability to play a variety of roles at the WU18. Dallas returned to the OHL for their two fourth round picks and their fifth rounder, bookending two picks from the Kitchener Rangers program (Adam Mascherin and Riley Damiani) with the gigantic Windsor center Curtis Douglas. Mascherin was this year’s only redraft player, as the former Florida second rounder never came to terms with the Panthers and took his chances with the league this year. He is a shorter, stockier player, lacking much explosion in his legs, but has been a prime sniper in the OHL for years (at least 35 goals in each of the last three seasons) and is ready for the AHL. His OHL teammate Damiani was selected by Dallas 37 picks later. Rather small, and not overly toolsy, he makes his hay thanks to high end hockey IQ. He has enough in the wheels department to be useful on the penalty kill as well, although he is not likely to ever be a big scorer.

In between those two picks, the Stars drafted the most physical specimen of the entire draft class in 6-8”, 247 pound behemoth center Curtis Douglas. Douglas is very strong, with unbeatable reach, but is not aggressive so much as he is imposing. He is a decent skater for his size and has reasonably fluid hands. Sixth rounder Dawson Barteaux was once a first round pick in the WHL Bantam Draft, but could not eke out a regular role in the WHL until this year, where he emerged as a reliable puck mover for Red Deer. His upside is not tremendous, but he can skate and get the puck out of his own end and could provide reasonable future value for this stage of the draft.

The Stars ended their draft with the first Jamaican born player ever selected in Kamloops’ hulking power winger Jermaine Loewen. In his third year of eligibility, Loewen went from being a bottom line bruiser to someone who could contribute in a top six role at the WHL level. His NHL prospects’ depend on being able to combine the attribute of both areas. Like Mascherin, he could jump right into the AHL next year. Generally speaking, I do not applaud drafting for size, which the Stars were clearly targeting, taking four players who are at least 6-3”, 205, but with one exception, I have no fault in where those big guys were drafted. They took enough in terms of skill and IQ that the organization should see good results from their 2018 haul, even if they are bunched among forwards.

OFP – 52.5

Minnesota Wild
1 (24) Filip Johansson, D, Leksand J20 (SuperElit) - ranked 46th
3 (63) Jack McBain, C, Toronto Jr. Canadiens (OJHL) - ranked 51st
3 (86) Alexander Khovanov, C, Moncton (QMJHL) - ranked 61st
3 (92) Connor Dewar, LW, Everett (WHL) - ranked 153rd
5 (148) Simon Johansson, D, Djurgardens J20 (SuperElit) - unranked
5 (155) Damien Giroux, C, Saginaw (OHL) - ranked Honorable Mention
6 (179) Shawn Boudrias, RW, Gatineau (QMJHL) - unranked
7 (210) Sam Hentges, C, Tri-City (USHL) - unranked

For many years, new Minnesota GM Paul Fenton was lauded as a key driving force behind Nashville’s consistent success at the draft table, where he served as assistant GM since 2006-07 and was involved in other roles with the club since 1998-99 (i.e. Day One). In his first crack at being the final voice on all personnel decisions, the eight players added to the Minnesota organization are very underwhelming. And with four of the eight picks being in their second year of draft eligibility, potential untapped upside is also lacking. In fairness to Fenton, he only took over the franchise with about one month before draft day. With a lack of clarity over how much he could have brought to the scouting meetings, I will reserve judgement on Fenton until the 2019 draft.

They had one pick on day one and used it on a low upside, high IQ defender in Swede Filip Johansson. The right shooting blueliner plays a poised game, keeping his crease clear and featuring heavily in PK rotations. While right handed defenders are always a desired commodity, without the ability to score from the point, that value is diminished. I have a hard time seeing Johansson ever playing much of a role on the power play in the NHL. He projects more as a #4/5 defender at his peak.

The best value picks made by Minnesota this year both came in the third round. With the first pick of the round, they nabbed Jack McBain, a big center who moves well for his size and has been crushing the OJHL since he arrived there two years ago. He was a first round OHL pick too, but preferred the college route. He has very good hands and a hard shot and will be tested by a big step up in competition when he joins Boston College next season. Another high upside pick was made later in the round when the Wild selected Moncton center Alexander Khovanov, who many thought could be a top half of the first round player when the Wildcats selected him very early in last year’s CHL Import Draft. Unfortunately, much of his draft year was wiped out due to a bout with Hepatitis A. When he returned after mid-season, he still showed flashes of puck magic, but his strength and stamina had yet to fully recover by year’s end. A full offseason to return to his previous form could see him take off in a big way and there is a good chance that he ends up as the Wild’s top return from this draft class.

Their third third rounder, Connor Dewar, is more of a late bloomer than the other two, as he really took a few steps forward this year, in his second year of draft eligibility. He has a big motor and can finish. Dewar lacks the upside of McBain, or Khovanov, but it is easy to see a bottom six winger at the highest level in his future. Minnesota went right back to low upside after that point, such as with the pick of Simon Johansson (no relation to Filip, although he is a cousin of Columbus center Alexander Wennberg). Simon Johnasson put up very good numbers from the blueline in his second year of eligibility in the SuperElit, mostly thanks to a strong point shot and good distribution skills. Unfortunately, his skating is rather rough, and he is not nearly as strong away from the puck.

The second fifth rounder taken by Minnesota may have some “diamond in the rough” qualities, as Damien Giroux was one of the top players on a moribund Saginaw team in the OHL. He is very undersized, but he has a good set of offensive tools and could be a solid player in the coming years. There is decent upside in Minnesota’s sixth rounder as well. Although Shawn Boudrias was in his second year of eligibility, had he been born two days later, he would have been in his first year of eligibility. He led Gatineau in scoring by 20 points, and has great size, although he lacks any true standout tools. Minnesota ended their draft with another second year eligible player in Sam Hentges, of Tri-City in the USHL. Hentges put up decent numbers when he was healthy enough to play, although injuries kept him off the ice for much of the second half. The native Minnesotan is going to St. Cloud State next season. With a very low ceiling, medium floor draft haul. Minnesota did very little to move the needle for the organization.

OFP – 51.25

Nashville Predators
4 (111) Jachym Kondelik, C, Muskegon (USHL) - ranked 110th
5 (131) Spencer Stastney, D, USNTDP (USHL) - ranked 151st
5 (151) Vladislav Yeryomenko, D, Calgary (WHL) - ranked 196th
7 (213) Milan Kloucek, G, Dynamo Pardubicec (Czech) - unranked

With only four picks to be made, there is not much point in searching for trends in Nashville’s2018 draft class. With their first pick, they went with a tree in USHL center Jachym Kondelik. The 6-6” Czech pivot battled injuries this year with Muskegon, but has decent hands, enough mobility for his size, and shows the ability to play in a defensive role. If he could add more intensity to his game, he could be a real force down the line. He will take his next steps at the University of Connecticut.

With their next pick, the Predators took USNTDP blueliner Spencer Stastney, another player who had some injury trouble early in the year. Stastney is a smart, undersized puck mover, who has shown that he can play in a variety of roles and situations. He has a lot of tools and a generally high hockey IQ, but is overly prone to bonehead plays. If Notre Dame’s coaching staff can iron those out, he has pretty good upside. Later in the fifth round, the Predators drafted Belorussian blueliner Vladislav Yeryomenko, a second year eligible who has been playing in the WHL with Calgary for two seasons, putting up good numbers from the blueline all the while. He turned more heads with a strong WJC for Belarus, showing the ability to withstand a massive workload on a generally overmatched team. He has good hands and in another high IQ player for Nashville’s system.

The Predators completed their draft class with Czech netminder Milan Kloucek, drafted in his third year of eligibility. He performed well in a 10 game run in the men’s league with Dynamo Pardubice, but between never having played in a major international tournament, and moving around a lot between the top two Czech leagues and the junior ranks, he was not really on our radar. Despite not having a big presence in the draft this year, the Predators came away with three skaters who have enough upside to project as potential middle of the roster NHL contributors.

OFP – 50.75

St. Louis Blues
1 (25) Dominik Bokk, RW, Vaxjo J20 (SuperElit)
2 (45) Scott Perunovich, D, Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC)
4 (107) Joel Hofer, G, Swift Current (WHL)
5 (138) Hugh McGing, C, Western Michigan (NCHC)
6 (169) Mathias Laferriere, C, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
7 (200) Tyler Tucker, D, Barrie (OHL)

Four guys with youth and physical upside, and two guys who are older and smaller, but with more proof of success at higher levels. Positional balancing. The Blues’ own first round pick was traded to Philadelphia in the Brayden Schenn trade, but they got a first rounder back from Winnipeg in the Paul Stastny trade. The Blues, sensing an opportunity to get their guy, traded away a third rounder to move up a few spots and select German talent Dominik Bokk at 25^th overall. After tearing up the German U19 league as a 16 year old, Bokk moved to Sweden last year and laid the SuperElit to waste as well. He was less successful in limited time in the SHL, but he did enough last year to prove that he is far more than just a big fish in a small pond. He is a fine skater with high end offensive tools. He should get a much longer leash in the SHL next year in order to be ready to move to North America in 2019-20.

With their second rounder, the Blues went for American WJC hero, the third time eligible blueliner Scott Perunovich. He was too small and wild to be drafted in his first year of eligibility out of Hibbing/Chisholm high school in Minnesota. In his second year of eligibility, he performed alright with Cedar Rapids of the USHL, but still struggled in his own end. This year, he went to Minnesota-Duluth and was the leading scorer on the eventual NCAA champions. In the middle, he took time off to play for his country at the WJC and was electrifying with his puck rushes. He will never be a force in his own zone, but he is a very good skater and capable of brilliance with the puck.

The Blues did not get any big upside plays after that, but each of their final four picks had something to recommend themselves to scouts. Fourth rounder Joel Hofer was a backup netminder with WHL champs Swift Current. He put up the best numbers of any draft eligible netminder in the WHL and has the ideal frame for modern netminders. With Stuart Skinner graduating, he is the likely starter for the Broncos next year. In the fifth round, the Blues selected Hugh McGing, another third time eligible player, who had come off a strong sophomore campaign at Western Michigan and almost joined Perunovich on Team USA at the WJC. The undersized McGing is a playmaker and skates just well enough to evade being a target.

Of all of St. Louis picks, sixth rounder Mathias Laferriere has the least upside. He is young and has decent size, but has not lived up to his advance billing as the seventh overall pic in the QMJHL Entry draft in 2016. None of his attributes project to above average. The Blues’ final 2018 selection came in the form of Barrie blueliner Tyler Tucker. Like Laferriere, Tucker was a high pick going into junior who has been little more than OK in his time in the CHL thus far. He has an adequate game with the puck and plays with a mean streak, but needs to improve his skating in order to make it. While I would have liked to see St. Louis go for more upside in the back half of their draft class, the dynamism of their first two picks could be very impactful to the NHL roster in the near future.

OFP - 51

Winnipeg Jets
2 (60) David Gustafsson, C, HV71 (SHL) - ranked 50th
3 (91) Nathan Smith, C, Cedar Rapids (USHL) - unranked
5 (150) Declan Chisholm, D, Peterborough (OHL) - ranked 141st
5 (153) Giovanni Vallati, D, Kitchener (OHL) - ranked 79th
6 (184) Jared Moe, G, Waterloo (USHL) - ranked 192nd
7 (215) Austin Wong, C, Okotoks (AJHL) - unranked

I often consider the Winnipeg Jets among the more astute drafting teams in the league. That is why it is now hard for me to express how much I dislike their 2018 draft class. I believe that when a team trades away their first round pick, it is all the more of an imperative that they aim for upside with their next few picks, as with expectations already lowered, they can only gain. There is very little upside in this class, and relatively little value in the picks they made. This does not mean that I hate the picks or cannot see a path to the NHL for any of the players whose names they called out, but as a group, I don’t see it. If anything, they targeted physicality over skill, a tactic I have a hard time getting behind.

Second rounder David Gustafsson is a decent pick at that spot. He is not the best skater, but he is strong on the puck, demonstrates a high hockey IQ and is big and effectively powerful. He spent the bulk of his draft year in the SHL and plays a mature game. He projects to third line upside. Their next pick, Nathan Smith of Cedar Rapids, was a real head scratcher, though. A second year eligible with a late birthday, Smith is a decent playmaker who plays a somewhat gritty game, but is a mediocre skater whose reads need a lot of work. To be fair, it was only the first year the Tampa native spent outside of Florida, so he may have more upside than his performance suggests, but I have never seen it.

After sitting out the fourth round, the Jets picked up two decent blueline prospects in the fifth round in Declan Chisholm and Giovanni Vallati, both OHL products. Chisholm, from Peterborough, is a good skater and has some puck moving acumen, but was held back by injury and a poor Petes team this year. Kitchener’s Vallati is an even better skater, who flashes high end IQ and a more physical game. For my money, the Vallati pick was the best value the Jets got in Dallas. I might have been more forgiving of their draft class had they selected Vallati with their third rounder and Nathan Smith with the late fifth rounder. Both Chisholm and Vallati have decent third pairing projections. In the sixth round, Winnipeg selected second time eligible Jared Moe, a big netminder who split the crease in Waterloo with Philadelphia prospect Matej Tomek, who he outperformed. Like Nathan Smith, this was Moe’s first season out of the high school ranks. Moe should have the crease in Waterloo to himself next year before going to Minnesota.

The Jets saved their toughest pick for the end, drafting Okotoks pugilist Austin Wong. Wong had decent, but not eye-catching offensive numbers for the AJHL, but one look at the PIM column lets you know wat kind of player the Jets are adding. He is one of, if not the most, physical player in the entire draft class. Of course, there are drawbacks to that style, often leaving his team shorthanded. If he can tone it down just a bit and work on his skating, he could be OK, but he seems more like a 1980s throwback as is. After drafting high end skill for a number of years, the Jets might have taken a step in the wrong direction with these picks, even if some of them hit their best-case projections.

OFP – 50.5

Dawson Barteaux – McKeen's Hockey

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: DALLAS STARS – RANK: #26 – TIER V

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Dallas Stars Top 20 Prospects

Thomas Harley, D (18th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Jake Oettinger, G (26th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 2)

Ty Dellandrea, C (13th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

Mavrik Bourque, C (30th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Jason Robertson, LW (39th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 4)

Riley Damiani, C (137th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 5)

Antonio Stranges, LW (82nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Dawson Barteaux, D (168th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 6)

Evgeni Oksentyuk, RW/LW (162nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Daniel Ljungman, C (154th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Adam Mascherin, LW (100th overall, 2018 [Originally: 38th overall, 2016 [Florida]. Previous ranking: 7)

Joel Kiviranta, LW/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed May 31, 2019. Previous ranking: 8)

Nicholas Porco, LW (142nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 9)

Joel L’Esperance, C/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 1, 2018. Previous ranking: 10)

Oskar Back, C/RW (75th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 11)

Rhett Gardner, C/LW (116th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 12)

Fredrik Karlstrom, C (90th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 13)

Jerad Rosburg, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 9, 2020. Previous ranking: 14)

Jacob Peterson, C (132nd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 15)

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – DALLAS STARS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 29

Dallas Stars

Thomas Harley, D (18th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Jake Oettinger, G (26th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

Ty Dellandrea, C (13th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 1)

Jason Robertson, LW (39th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 3)

Riley Damiani, C (137th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Dawson Barteaux, D (168th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 16)

Adam Mascherin, LW (100th overall, 2018 [Originally: 38th overall, 2016 [Florida]. 2019 Rank: 7)

Joel Kiviranta, LW/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed May 31, 2019. 2019 Rank: 19)

Nicholas Porco, LW (142nd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 12)

Joel L’Esperance, C/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 1, 2018. 2019 Rank: 11)

Oskar Back, C/RW (75th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 15)

Rhett Gardner, C/LW (116th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

Fredrik Karlstrom, C (90th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

Jerad Rosburg, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 9, 2020. 2019 Rank: IE)

Jacob Peterson, C (132nd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)

WHL 2019-2020 Season Preview – Eastern Conference

East Division

Winnipeg ICE (1st)

Saskatoon Blades (2nd)

Prince Albert Raiders (3rd)

Brandon Wheat Kings (4th)

Moose Jaw Warriors (5th)

Regina Pats (6th)

Central Division

Calgary Hitmen (1st)

Edmonton Oil Kings (2nd)

Medicine Hat Tigers (3rd)

Lethbridge Hurricanes (4th)

Red Deer Rebels (5th)

Swift Current Broncos (6th)

Dallas Stars 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

WHL Playoff Preview (Eastern Conference): Prince Albert dominates but Vancouver hot down the stretch

WHL 2018-19 Season Preview

Dallas Stars Prospect System Overview

2018 NHL Draft Review: Central Division

Thomas Harley, D (18^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Jake Oettinger, G (26^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 2)

Ty Dellandrea, C (13^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

Mavrik Bourque, C (30^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Jason Robertson, LW (39^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 4)

Riley Damiani, C (137^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 5)

Antonio Stranges, LW (82^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Dawson Barteaux, D (168^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 6)

Evgeni Oksentyuk, RW/LW (162^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Daniel Ljungman, C (154^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Adam Mascherin, LW (100^th overall, 2018 [Originally: 38^th overall, 2016 [Florida]. Previous ranking: 7)

Nicholas Porco, LW (142^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 9)

Oskar Back, C/RW (75^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 11)

Rhett Gardner, C/LW (116^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 12)

Fredrik Karlstrom, C (90^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 13)

Jacob Peterson, C (132^nd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 15)

Thomas Harley, D (18^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Jake Oettinger, G (26^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

Ty Dellandrea, C (13^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 1)

Jason Robertson, LW (39^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 3)

Riley Damiani, C (137^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Dawson Barteaux, D (168^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 16)

Adam Mascherin, LW (100^th overall, 2018 [Originally: 38^th overall, 2016 [Florida]. 2019 Rank: 7)

Nicholas Porco, LW (142^nd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 12)

Oskar Back, C/RW (75^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 15)

Rhett Gardner, C/LW (116^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

Fredrik Karlstrom, C (90^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

Jacob Peterson, C (132^nd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)