Eetu Tuulola – McKeen's Hockey

AHL Pacific Division Report, October – Developing prospects

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

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

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

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

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

Stockton Heat (Calgary Flames)

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

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

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

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

Calgary Flames Dillon Dube

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

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

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

Tucson Roadrunners (Arizona Coyotes)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ontario Reign (Los Angeles Kings)

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

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

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

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

Los Angeles Kings Goalie Cal Petersen e)

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

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

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

Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

San Jose Barracuda (San Jose Sharks)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Colorado Eagles (Colorado Avalanche)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

San Diego Gulls (Anaheim Ducks)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calgary Flames 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 10:21:40 +0000

Even the worst systems in the league have players of note. Before I rip too much in to the Calgary Flames prospect pipeline, I should give them some credit and note that they come by their current poor state honestly. By that I mean that they draft reasonably well (when they have picks at all), but they have graduated a good number of their top prospects to the NHL of late, leaving the cupboard relatively barren.

From our previous two lists, high ranking prospects including Mark Jankowski, Oliver Kylington, Rasmus Andersson, Andrew Mangiapane, and Brett Kulak have all graduated to the NHL. Others, like Adam Fox, have been moved out of the organization in trade.

But the state of the system is not solely due to graduations. Graduations are to be celebrated. But we look to the Flames’ system today with dismay. Unless the two Russian free agent signings of this offseason both pan out completely, there is a big drop off after the top three of Juuso Valimaki, Jakob Pelletier, and Dillon Dube.

More than graduations, the current state of the Calgary system is largely due to the team neglecting the draft, slowing the influx of new talent to the system to a trickle. In each of the previous three drafts, the Flames only added five players annually. While those 15 players include the top two in the system, the fact that the Calgary 2018 draft class didn’t start until the fourth round stings today, and will continue to sting until far into the future. In fact, it is important to point out that those top two were the only players selected prior to the third round since 2016.

Looking for a bit longer at the three classes from 2016-2018 (it is way too soon to pass judgement on the class of 2019, very few players have developed at a pace that exceeds expectations from their draft pedigree. We have former sixth overall pick Matthew Tkachuk, who went directly to the NHL. We already mentioned Adam Fox, who was a steal un the third round, but was shipped to Carolina in the big Dougie Hamilton-Elias Lindholm deal and is now one of the better defensive prospects in the game. We also mentioned Dube, who would not have been eligible for this list had he played in five more games last year.

Other than those, we can commend Matthew Phillips, Mathias Emilio Pettersen and Dmitri Zavgorodny for progressing nicely. All too many of their picks have failed to develop at all, and the Flames have actually cut bait with some of them despite having a shallow system. Looking just at the five picks from 2017, Calgary has already walked away from two in forwards Zach Fischer and D’Artagnan Joly.

I am reminded of the old joke about a bad restaurant that is overpriced and the food is distasteful. And the punchline, “and such small portions!” The Flames need to draft better, but if I have learned anything in my years analyzing prospects and organizational development, it is that the draft is a crap shoot. The Flames need to draft more often to have viable NHLers on entry level deals as their current NHL core grows both older and more expensive.

-Ryan Wagman

Calgary Flames Left Wing Dillon Dube (29). (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire)

1 Juuso Valimaki, D (16^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 1) Calgary’s top prospect for the third straight season, Valimaki’s unique combination of size, skill, and offensive vision is worthy of such hype and honor. The Finnish-born blueliner grades out as above-average in every facet of the game, and is capable of changing the pace and outcome of the game on any given shift. Though he struggled to take control of competition in the NHL (just three points in 24 games), his AHL campaign was a display of future top-pair potential in the big league. He took on heavy, physical minutes defensively, while commanding the power play unit and leading transitional efforts with AHL Stockton for a big chunk of the 2018-19 season. With a solid defensive core, Calgary has time to wait on their top pupil, but they will need to see more assertiveness and consistency out of the 2017 first-rounder. – TD

Editor’s note – the above was written before news hit of Valimaki’s torn ACL. The injury is very unfortunate, but should not affect him long-term and does not change his ranking here.

2 Jakob Pelletier, LW (26^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) While Pelletier is small in size, he plays huge in spirit. He will hunt in the corners or in front of the net and use his quick hands and feet to his advantage. Pelletier’s biggest attribute is his smarts, but his second-biggest attribute will bring the fans to their feet: his effort. Pelletier never takes a shift off, and has taken a leadership role with the Moncton Wildcats from the moment he put on the jersey. Not to be understated, Pelletier had 89 points last season, and he’s a great playmaker. He scores a lot off rebounds thanks to his instincts around the net. He will have an adjustment to get used to bigger defenders, but he is well on his way to being a point-a-game energy forward on the top lines who can play in all situations with enthusiasm. - MS

3 Dillon Dube, C (56^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 2) Though he had trouble adjusting to the NHL’s higher competition level, Dube dominated the AHL with Stockton in 2018-19, and showed just why he is one of the most heralded prospects in the Flames system. Shifty and quick on his feet, the former captain of Team Canada at the World Junior Championship exhibited plus value as a playmaking passer while also playing as a forceful, self-assured shooting option. His undersized frame is not a hindrance to his high-end rough-and-tumble, forechecking game, as his play in the cycle is where he really shines as a passer and in-tight puck-handler. Originally thought of as a middle-six energy guy, Dube’s offensive evolution gives him top-six capability at the wing and at center. - TD

4 Artyom Zagudulin, G (Undrafted free agent, signed Apr. 9, 2019. Last Year: IE) The 24-years-old goalie came almost out of the blue to become one of the most interesting young netminders in Russia. However, his name was on the notes for most perceptive observers and he was relatively unknown mostly because of his lack of international exposure. He posted very good numbers in the previous three seasons, but he made a significant jump forward last year, gaining attention from the National Team system. He had a very strong 2018-19 campaign with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, and certainly his efforts didn’t go unnoticed overseas either. Just as with many other Russian goalies, he is a great athlete, with perhaps not the biggest frame, but who plays a good butterfly and can exhibit fast post-to-post moves. At this point he may not be ready for the NHL yet – he wasn’t a starter in the KHL – but with one year of seasoning in the AHL he has the potential to become a regular goalie in the NHL. - ASR

5 Alexander Yelesin, D (Undrafted free agent, signed May 10, 2019. Last Year: IE) A little bit like Zagidulin, Yelesin is a sort of late bloomer who made a name for himself mostly in the latest couple of seasons after previously travelling under the radars. In this period, he developed into a solid two-way defenseman with a good shot and an NHL body. He is a very tough player who likes to hit and play aggressive and his style of play should fit very well the more-demanding North American game, in particular if he manages to stay away from chasing the play or getting caught out of position seeking a big hit. Yelesin now needs to work on himself to become even stronger on his skates and gain the necessary experience both on and off the North American ice to fully fulfil his potential as an NHL prospect. Being a later boomer, he amassed less experience than other Russian prospects of his age. - ASR

6 Matthew Phillips, C (166^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 6) One of the WHL’s most feared players in his days of junior hockey, Phillips is still trying to find his groove at the pro ranks. The 2016 sixth-round selection has the tools to succeed in the AHL, but had little rhythm in his first full pro season (65-13-25-38), going through long stretches of scoreless play before reeling off some runs of consecutive multi-point games. Grading out as an above-average skater and shooter, the Calgary native can impact games with his slippery skating, tricky shot release, and plus vision to create lanes for his linemates. At just 5-7” and 155 pounds, his physical game obviously lags, but he can be effective enough at separating himself from opposing defenders against the boards. He has shown top-six upside as a scoring center, but looks more likely to be a depth offensive option with the Flames in due time. - TD

7 Adam Ruzicka, C/LW (109^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 13) Ruzicka is a big bodied center who is at his best when he is working hard below the hash marks and digging in to create his own scoring chances. This is also a criticism of Ruzicka’s game as the consistency of his engagement level has always wavered. However, he finished out his OHL career extremely strong in a playoff push with the Sudbury Wolves, where he played his best hockey to date. At the pro level, he is going to have to prove that he can skate and play a more up tempo attacking style, in addition to continuing to work on his play away from the puck. In a best case scenario, he develops into a solid middle six center in the Adam Lowry mold. But Flames fans may have to be patient with his development. - BO

8 Milos Roman, C (122^nd overall, 2018. Last Year: 12) Roman posted 60 points in 59 games, helping lead the Vancouver Giants to both a BC Division title and Western Conference championship last season. He also had a nice showing at the World Juniors for Slovakia, scoring three times and adding an assist. He is a strong two-way player who controls and moves the puck very well. He is a good playmaker, and is often deemed a specialist, as he does most of his damage on the power play. Roman is strong on the puck, works well with open ice and can distribute it nicely to others. He projects to be a middle six forward, and being that he will be an overager in the WHL this year, should move up to Stockton to further his development. - KO

9 Ilya Nikolayev, C (88^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) A fast skater with above-average top speed and strong feet, Nikolayev plays a solid two-way game without many offensive buzzes, but with an effective pragmatic, pass-first game. He showed glimpses of excellence last year, but he needs to be more consistent in the offensive zone and more often use the high IQ he shows from time to time as too often he prefers to keep it simple, sometimes staying too much in a safe zone rather than risking a possible higher-risk, but higher-reward play. That said, Nikolayev is a very competitive player with an interesting ceiling as a two-way center with middle-six potential in the NHL. At this point he is a project player and needs to work a lot on almost all the aspects of his game. He also needs to gather more experience as he is yet to play a single game in pro hockey. - ASR

10 Mathias Emilio Pettersen, C (167^th overall, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) A rare Norwegian hockey prospect, Pettersen has been in North America since his age 14 season, moving from high level 16U programs to a two year run in the USHL and now on to college. In his USHL days he would flash tantalizing play driving ability. He was inconsistent enough in his draft year that he was no sure thing to be selected, but the Flames took a chance on him in the sixth round and is his freshman season with Denver is an indication of what is to come, Calgary should be pleased here. Pettersen has a full complement of offensive tools, earning above average grades with his wheels his hands, and his vision. He lacks any physical impact to speak of and will never be a big scorer, but his playmaking chops suggest a potential middle six role in the future, although he is still raw enough that his projection has a lot of uncertainty. - RW

11 Jon Gillies, G (75^th overall, 2012. Last Year: 5) A former third-round pick with a high level of athleticism and a technically sound style, the Flames hope the potential Gillies has shown will offset his horrendous 2018-19 campaign with AHL Stockton, where he posted a 16-23-1 record with an .889 save percentage. His aggressive style, quick feet in the crease, and superb use of all of his tools will keep him around, but even at 25, he still has a lot of improvement left to do, especially in controlling rebounds and staying composed in the crease. With an abundance of good, young netminders in the prospect system, the former World Junior starter for Team USA has no more room for error and will need to bounce back big time in 2019-20. - TD

12 Dmitri Zavgorodny, C/LW (198^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 14) Zavgorodny is a prototypical new-age player – attack with speed and smarts. His speed catches defenses off guard, and it makes him an effective penalty kill forward defending the point men and forcing the issue. Size is his biggest knock, like a few others on this list, but Zavgorodny plays a lot like Calgary’s pint-sized superstar Johnny Gaudreau. His shot form is unorthodox: he shoots from the middle of his blade rather than near the toe, which sacrifices accuracy for less load time. It catches goalies off guard as he can lift in a hurry and makes it hard to read. Due to his size, Zavgorodny will not be a factor on the lower lines, so it is offensive roles only for the Russian winger, but he finds great chemistry with smart scorers.

13 Dustin Wolf, G (214^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) The Flames selected one of the best junior goaltenders in Wolf, from the defensive minded Everett Silvertips, where he had been Carter Hart’s understudy, receiving mentoring and grooming from the current Philadelphia starter. Wolf was named the WHL Western Conference Goaltender of the Year, leading the league in wins, save percentage, goals against, minutes played, and was named to the First All Star Team to boot. Wolf’s numbers have in fact been very comparable to Hart’s, and the former is still getting better. The knock on him is his size, but he plays a strong positional game, has a high compete level, plays the puck well, and makes a lot of saves. The expectation now is another strong season of development. He has played well on the international stage, and should get his chance in the World Juniors for Team USA. - KO

14 Eetu Tuulola, RW (156^th overall, 2016. Last Year: Not ranked) Tuulola developed into a more complete winger last season in the Liiga and made solid progress in many aspects of his game, including skating and endurance. While he still has some occasional balance issues and only decent acceleration, he is now able to play with a higher energy from shift to shift. He finishes his checks, goes to the net, and is difficult to move from there once he has established his position in the crease. His shot is accurate and very hard. That said, if he works on his release and learns to shoot ore effectively with limited space, his goal totals could begin to increase rapidly. He is not overly flashy and has decent puck handling skills. All things considered, Tuulola has a chance to develop into a middle-six power winger at the NHL level. - MB

15 Tyler Parsons, G (54^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 8) A highly athletic and competitive netminder, Parsons fought through injuries last season and never got into much of a groove as a prospect. The 21-year-old is extremely flexible, but perhaps that stretchiness led to the multiple upper-body injuries he sustained in the 2018-19 campaign, during which he was limited to just 20 AHL starts. A master scrambler, Parsons lacks technical refinement but more than makes up for it with competitiveness, play-tracking, and the reflexes to complement his all-out style of goaltending. The 2017 WJC gold medalist needs nothing more than a clean bill of health to continue his ascent up the ranks of NHL goaltending prospects, as the 2016 second-rounder projects to be a mid-tier NHL starter, but with more room to grow. - TD

16 Josh Nodler, C (150^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) After a lights-out performance for Team USA at the pre-season Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Nodler shot up watch lists going into his first full season in the USHL. With a mediocre Fargo team, he was fine, but never really rose above and his mid-season performance at the WJAC was no match for his Hlinka work. He is not a very toolsy player, but he is a very creative passer and that ability to create for others will be paramount to Nodler being able to reach his ceiling. He thinks the game well enough to be useful in many situations, and that might allow him to make it in a bottom six role after spending some time at Michigan State. Nodler’s upside is limited, but he has enough positive straits that he could carve out an NHL role for himself in time. - RW

17 Martin Pospisil, RW (105^th overall, 2016. Last Year: Not Ranked) The third of three Slovakians on this list, Pospisil is also the most aggressive player in the Flames’ organization. Even after cutting his penalty minutes from his draft year to last year in half, he still finished 11^th in the USHL in penalty minutes. All the while, he demonstrated a much improved scoring touch, and he increased his offensive output from 37 points to 63. Those extra points would not have been accrued if he was stuck in the box for as much as previously. Pospisil has a decent shot and enough pace to keep up, to go along with his high end physical game, but his hands are still lacking, and his hockey sense/composure both still have a ways to go. On energy alone, he could work his way to a fourth line role one day. - RW

18 Glenn Gawdin, C (Free agent, signed Nov. 16, 2017. Originally: 116^th overall, 2015 [St. Louis]. Last Year: 9) Unsigned by his original draft team, the St. Louis Blues, Gawdin signed an entry-level contract with the Flames and exceeded expectations in his first pro year. Scouts knew the right-handed centerman could score, as he put up 125 points in his final WHL season, but his skills quietly transitioned well to the AHL ranks (64-11-27-38), where he earned top-six and power-play time as a rookie. A swift and pretty wrist shot is aided by his high-grade shot-readiness, and his solid technical skating skill allows his low top speed and acceleration level to play up. His two-way game is mature enough to eventually make a difference at the NHL level, and that discipline and versatility gives him a solid third-line center ceiling. - TD

19 Rinat Valiev, D (Trade: Oct. 1, 2018, Originally: 68^th overall, 2014 [Toronto]. Last Year: Not ranked [Montreal]) Though his game is very one-dimensional, the lefty defenseman is a fundamentally refined defensive defenseman with some NHL-esque qualities in his play behind his blueline. His gaps are tight and suffocating, his physical play around the boards can be highly effective, and his ability to separate the opposing player from the puck is solid. He is a serviceable skater and possesses a fine exit pass that can, at least spark an offensive drive going the other way. Valiev is not someone who contributes much, if any, to the scoresheet, and has not shown the skills to impact offensive play. At 24, he may never be a permanent NHL defenseman, but he has some potential to flourish in the right system. - TD

20 Carl-Johan Lerby, D (Undrafted free agent, signed May 7, 2019. Last Year: IE) A puckmoving two-way defenseman. 22 year-old Lerby is a late bloomer who was never drafted. He had a breakthrough season in SHL last season and was signed as free agent this summer. He ranked second in icetime with Malmo and was their most offensively productive defenseman. Lerby moves the puck well and plays his way up the ice. He also likes to join the attack and has a dangerous wrist shot. Although he has a fair amount of skill, he can also play a quiet, low risk game with a strong first pass and good zone exits, which could help him to reach a third pairing role in the NHL. Calgary has good depth on defense and Lerby will be loaned back to Malmo in SHL next season as the Flames keep an eye on him from afar. - JH

NHL Draft Review and Grades: Calgary Flames

Grant McCagg — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 19:14:14 +0000

Matthew Tkachuk of the London Knights was selected by the Calgary Flames in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo, NY on Friday June 24, 2016. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

The Flames stayed put and ended up with the player many figured they hoped would fall in Matt Tkachuk, a high-scoring winger with bulk, smarts and grit who will fit right into a top-line winger position as a nice contrast to the smaller Johnny Gaudreau. Tkachuk has the offensive skills to be a highly productive winger, especially on the power play. Tyler Parsons was a sage selection at the end of the second round for a team in need of some goaltending depth, especially after his terrific playoff run for a London team that was unbeatable the last two months of the season.

RND	PICK	RNK	PLAYER	POS	CTY	HT/WT	TEAM
1	6	4	Matthew Tkachuk	LW	USA	6-1/200	London (OHL)
2	54	66	Tyler Parsons	G	USA	6-1/185	London (OHL)
2	56	56	Dillon Dube	C	CAN	5-10/180	Kelowna (WHL)
3	66	27	Adam Fox	D	USA	5-10/185	NTDP (USA)
4	96	115	Linus Lindstrom	C	SWE	5-11/165	Skelleftea (Swe)
5	126	119	Mitchell Mattson	C	USA	6-4/190	Grand Rapids (USHS-MN)
6	156	77	Eetu Tuulola	RW	FIN	6-2/225	HPK (Fin)
6	166	NR	Matthew Phillips	C	CAN	5-7/160	Victoria (WHL)
7	186	NR	Stepan Falkovsky	D	BLR	6-6/220	Ottawa (OHL)

Adam Fox

Tyler Parsons of the London Knights. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Dillon Dube dropped on draft day after a disappointing sophomore season, but is capable of bouncing back and challenging for an NHL position in a couple of years given his skills and shot. The real gem was grabbing Adam Fox at 66^th overall, the last player ranked in McKeen’s first round to get selected…much later than anticipated given his tremendous offensive upside and spectacular showing at the U-18’s. He has the vision, puck skills and sense to run Calgary’s power play some day. Linus Lindstrom was available later than was expected a couple of months ago after a mediocre showing at the U-18’s. Mitchell Mattson was high on some public draft lists, but dropped on draft day due to concerns with his sense and competitiveness. Eetu Tuulola was another hulking winger coveted going into this draft year who dropped on draft day…predominantly because of concerns about his weight, and resultant lack of quickness. Phillips was drafted because of his tremendous numbers and skill set but he’s a longshot to vie for an NHL position given his diminutive stature.

Grade – A: The Tkachuk and Fox selections and overall depth in grabbing four top 60 and seven top 120 players on McKeen’s list earned them an A.

Ivan Hlinka Report: McLeod, Nylander shine

Grant McCagg — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 18:08:34 +0000

The Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament is renowned for being the quintessential opportunity for amateur scouts to get their first good look at the elite draft eligible prospects. Unfortunately many of the elite ones were not participating at this summer's event, including the preseason consensus top five in Auston Matthews, Jeff Chychrun, Jesse Puljujarvi, Patrick Laine and Matt Tkachuk.

Mind you there were some eye-opening performances, including the play of Canada's fourth-line center Michael McLeod, and William Nylander's younger brother Alex, who are now OHL teammates with the Mississauga Steelheads.

McLeod's all-around abilities left many wondering why he was buried on Canada's bottom line. As one NHL scout succinctly stated..."He was Canada's best draft eligible prospect," and he's continued his upward momentum on draft boards with a strong start to his OHL season. McLeod doesn't take shifts off, and is a powerful skater who is noticeable from his first shift to his last. It's hard to find a discernible negative in his game - smarts, size, defensively responsible, good puck skills, physical...it's not inconceivable that McLeod pushes for a top five spot in the 2016 NHL draft if he puts up good numbers.

Nylander has put himself into the top seven mix as well, and that was not necessarily the case for either of them going into the competition. Early in the tournament an NHL scout, when asked about Nylander's impressive power play goal in his first game opined that he was "not as good as his brother." A couple of weeks later that same scout was conceding that "I like him more than his brother..he competes harder," and that sentiment has been echoed by other scouts in the past month.

The 6-0 left winger was a shining light among a lacklustre Swedish forward group that may not have had another top 60 draft prospect. Despite Sweden's poor results Nylander showed up to play every game, displaying above-average puck skills, quickness and shot, and giving the Steelheads a pair of must-see prospects.

CANADIANS STRONG DOWN THE MIDDLE

The centers playing ahead of McLeod on the gold medal champions were by no means slouches either - Nolan Patrick was arguably the best player at the tournament, but of course isn't eligible to be drafted until 2017. Tyson Jost showed why he's a potential top 20 selection with a solid offensive performance. He got stronger as the tournament went on, and impressed scout from the blueline in. "He can really shoot the puck," noted one NHL scout. "I like him."

Sam Steel had the puck more than any other Canadian forward, but failed to translate his puck possession skills into high production despite many offensive opportunities as a top-two center. Scouts were varied on his performance, but he remains a top 20 candidate, thanks to his poise, creativity and vision.

On the wing, Pierre-Luc Dubois showed why he's a top 15 possibility with size, skill, strength and two-way abilities. Scouts always like a player with few flaws in his game....and Dubois fits the bill - especially now that he's playing center in the QMJHL and only further illustrating his versatility.

Tyler Benson has been a highly regarded prospect since he was a 15-year-old and expected to become the first WHL player to receive exceptional player status (later denied), but the size/skill/creativity combo is not overwhelming...and that lack of upside may keep him from being a top 15 pick despite his high profile.

Brett Howden kept involved in the play and exhibited good skating ability for his size and decent defensive play, but he failed to capitalize on chances, and had some scouts concerned about his willingness to get his nose dirty. There are no such concerns with William Bitten, who plays a much bigger game than his 5-10 160-pound frame implies. Dillon Dube and Bitten exhibited strong defensive skills, excelling on the penalty kill and working hard at both ends of the rink. The other notable Canadian forward was Jordan Kyrou, who only got better as the games got bigger playing on a line with Patrick.

Brandon defenceman Kale Clague stood out on a Canadian blueline that featured four players with first-round potential ...in large part due to his terrific mobility. While he failed to rack up points (one goal), his two-way game was evident from Game One until the final whistle in the championship game. Smart, poised and skilled, he may be a top ten pick if he shows a little more jam.

Jost's Penticton defensive teammate Dante Fabbro also turned heads with his two-way play, mobility and bodychecks, and has put himself into the discussion for a top 20 draft ranking. Samuel Girard may have been the best defenceman in the tournament - and if he was 6-1 would be touted as a top ten prospect. He's a dynamic skater with superior puck skills and smarts - and much like Anthony DeAngelo he could be one of those rare defencemen under 5-10 who gets picked in the first round because of his special dimensions.

Jake Bean struggled somewhat during the tryout camp scrimmages, but he gained confidence and poise during the Ivan Hlinka, and remains a highly regarded blueline prospect as long as he cuts down on his turnovers.

Canadian netminders Dylan Wells and Carter Hart both saw multiple-game action, and both impressed the scouting community as potential second-round selections. One thing going against Hart is being under 6-1, but he compensates by confidently challenging shooters. Some scouts like Hart more, others are a bit higher on Wells...the main consensus seems to be that they are close in the rankings.

HOW SWEDE IT AIN'T

Scouts are usually anxious to see Swedish prospects at the U-18 summer showdown, but after a couple of games it was apparent that this was one of the weaker rosters in recent memory. Nylander may be the only Swedish forward selected in the top 60, and none of the blueliners look to be top 40 candidates with the possible exception of Jacob Cederholm, a 6-4 stay-at-home blueliner who must keep working on his quickness and puck skills. Jacob Moverare is the only other defenceman that looks like a top 90 possibility.

Goaltender Filip Gustavsson kept the Swedes in most games, and was the consensus top goalie prospect at the tournament...the lone bright spot besides Nylander on a Swedish team missing many of its top draft eligible prospects.

The Americans were also without most of their highly regarded 1998-born prospects, and it resulted in a fifth-place finish that surprised no one considering their lack of talent apart from 2017 draft prospect Casey Mittelstadt. The club's two behemoth forwards, Timmy Gettinger and Riley Tufte, stood out as their top prospects and potential top 40 picks, while defencemen Andrew Peekee showed enough tools (size, mobility) to be on teams' radars as a possible second-round selection.

The Finns may have been without their three draft eligible prodigies in Laine, Olli Juolevi and Puljujarvi, but the club still boasted some interesting talent that included a 227-pound right winger who plays a pro-style game in Eetu Tuulola. "He's a horse," noted one pro scout who thinks he'll be considered in the first round. "He's got a good shot."

Defenceman Markus Niemelainen was the other Finnish prospect who caught the scouts' attention in August predominantly due to his 6-5 frame and steady play. Teams are always intrigued by rangy defenceman who are capable skaters and puck movers, and he may be a top 50 selection. Halifax Mooseheads forward Otto Somppi was quiet offensively, but nevertheless impressed scouts with his pro upside...decent size, skating and skill.

Linemates Otto Makinen and Janne Kuokkanen finished top ten in tournament scoring, but the ever-important size/skating combination is a concern with both...neither are big nor particularly fast. At this point Somppi is the more highly regarded prospect.

Libor Hajek stood out on the blueline, and was the Czech Republic's top prospect at the tournament, and only potential top 40 pick. The smart, mobile 6-2 defenceman will be closely watched in Saskatoon this season as he makes the adjustment to North American hockey. Adam Brizgala is a quick, skilled netminder who would be a top 60 cinch if he wasn't under 6-0. Ondrej Vala is another Czech blueliner making the jump to North American hockey in Kamloops, and it will be interesting to see how the 6-5 rearguard adapts to the quickness on the smaller rinks.

The Slovaks were one again lacking in draft eligible prospects, and the Swiss weren't much better, boasting only defenceman Livio Stadler as a legitimate top 90 prospect, but scouts heading to Switzerland this season won't be congregating to watch the 6-0 blueliner... a fellow named Matthews is going to be their focus.