Gustav Lindstrom – McKeen's Hockey

FANTASY: The Week Ahead – December 4th to December 10th – Senators Challenges Grow – Chicago, Colorado, Detroit, Los Angeles, Montreal among teams to target.

Ryan Dadoun — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 17:17:11 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 21: Ottawa Senators Left Wing Brady Tkachuk (7) before a face-off during second period National Hockey League action between the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators on October 21, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

The opening for last week’s article was about Minnesota, so that’s twice now that I featured a team right before the coach was fired (the other instance of that was Edmonton). With apologies to D.J. Smith, I do want to discuss the Senators.

Ottawa is in a tricky position. The Senators went through the rebuilding process, having three top-five picks in three years from 2018-20 (Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson) followed by possessing the No. 10 selection in the 2021 NHL Draft (used on Tyler Boucher). Since then, they haven’t had a first-round pick, surrendering the 2022 selection to acquire Alex DeBrincat and their top pick in 2023 to get Jakob Chychrun. While they didn’t spend those picks on older players (and in the case of DeBrincat, they’re getting a first rounder back in the subsequent deal that shipped him to Detroit), it signaled that Ottawa is trying to move past the rebuilding phase.

It hasn’t worked out though. Ottawa was a middlingly 39-35-8 in 2022-23 and rather than take a step forward, the Senators are 9-10-0 this year. With Stutzle and Tkachuk having developed into star forwards while being backed by talented veterans Claude Giroux and Vladimir Tarasenko, Ottawa’s succeeded in troubling opposing goaltenders by scoring 3.32 goals per game, which puts the Senators in a four-way tie for ninth offensively.

Ottawa is also shaping up to be an amazing defensive team. In terms of expected goals against, the Senators rank second with 55.98. The Senators are an example of the reality of the NHL though: Even with a good offense and a strong defense, if your last line of defense is bad, then you’re still in trouble. Anton Forsberg has a 3.03 GAA and an .882 save percentage in eight contests this year. Joonas Korpisalo, who the Senators signed to a five-year, $20 million contract in the hopes that he’d stabilize their goaltending situation, has a 3.41 GAA and an .897 save percentage in 13 contests.

Things might be even worse than they look. Ottawa had 14 of its first 19 contests at home. That skewed schedule in the Senators’ favor will come back to haunt them from Dec. 14-Jan. 11 -- a stretch where they’ll play 11 of 14 contests on the road.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks have four games ahead of them this week. They’ll face the Predators on Tuesday, the Ducks on Thursday, the Blues on Saturday and the Capitals on Sunday. The Capitals are the toughest of those teams with a 12-7-2 while the rest of the squads have been middling at best this year.

Chicago acquired Anthony Beauvillier from Vancouver last Tuesday, but he’s missed two of Chicago’s last three games due to visa issues. The exception was Saturday’s contest because it was in Winnipeg. In that game, Beauvillier played on the top line with Connor Bedard and Philipp Kurashev. If that’s his role going forward, which seems likely, then the trade could provide him with a substantial boost to his fantasy value. As a member of the Canucks, he was averaging just 13:39 of ice time, which is part of the reason why he was limited to two goals and eight points. As a member of Chicago’s first line, Beauvillier could conceivably get 30-40 points over the final 60 contests.

The Blackhawks could certainly use the help that Beauvillier should provided. Over the last three games, Chicago has managed just three goals. Connor Bedard factored on all of them (one goal, two assists), bringing him up to 11 goals and 20 points in 23 contests this campaign. He’s the man Chicago was hoping for, but arguably obtaining a superstar is the easy part. For that, you just need to tank and then win the lottery, which isn’t exactly a high-skill maneuver. Building around that superstar post-tank is the hard part, and it will likely be years before we’ll know if the Blackhawks can succeed in that phase.

It would help if Lukas Reichel, who is a high-end prospect in his own right, got going. The 22-year-old was a healthy scratch Sunday after scoring two goals and six points over his first 22 contests this year. While being scratched obviously isn’t great, the silver lining is that it gives him a chance to reset and view the action from a different perspective. Maybe it will help in the long run.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche have just three games this week, but they’re all home contests. They’ll start with the struggling Ducks on Tuesday (though it is worth noting Anaheim did manage to squeak away with a 4-3 shootout win over Colorado last Saturday) before facing Winnipeg on Thursday and Philadelphia on Saturday.

The Avalanche lost Cale Makar to a lower-body injury Saturday, and he missed Sunday’s game as a result. It remains to be seen how long he’ll be unavailable, but he’s the backbone of Colorado’s offense and defense, so losing him for any meaningful stretch of time would be a huge blow.

Sam Malinski drew into the lineup Sunday, logging 18:09 of ice time. He’s likely to remain in the lineup for as long as Makar is out. Malinski won’t come close to replacing the superstar’s offensive contributions, but Malinski does have three goals and nine points in 17 contests with AHL Colorado in 2023-24, so he might chip in a little. As far as the power play goes, Bowen Byram is likely to see time on the second unit while Devon Toews moves up to the top grouping, so both of their fantasy value will likely see a modest uptick in Makar’s absence.

Interestingly, rather than any of them, it was Josh Manson who factored in Sunday, scoring the Avalanche’s lone goal in a 4-1 loss to LA. Manson also registered an assist Saturday, so he’s at the start of what could be a hot streak, but it’s best to keep expectations low. After all, Manson has just three points in 21 contests this campaign, even after factoring in his recent production. He also has 32 PIM, 40 hits and 33 blocks, so he offers some additional utility if you did want to grab him in the hopes that his offensive run will last a little longer.

Detroit Red Wings

Detroit is set to play in Buffalo on Tuesday before heading home to face the Sharks on Thursday and the Senators on Saturday. All three of those opponents are in the bottom third of the league’s standings, so the Red Wings are in a strong position to go on a winning streak.

Patrick Kane signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Red Wings on Nov. 28, but he’s likely to miss at least the first two contests this week as he looks to get back up to speed after undergoing hip surgery in June. When he does return, Kane will likely play alongside his old Blackhawks linemate, Alex DeBrincat, along with Dylan Larkin on Detroit’s top line. That should be a very effective unit, and while there’s an element of risk to Kane coming off surgery, he has the potential to record 40-50 points over the remainder of the campaign.

Getting Kane into the lineup might push Joe Veleno, who has averaged 15:00 of ice time this year, out of a top-six role. It also could cost David Perron his spot on the first power-play unit and push Robby Fabbri out of a power-play role entirely.

In terms of which Red Wings might benefit from having Kane on the roster, outside of Larkin and DeBrincat, we also might see Michael Rasmussen enjoy an indirect boost. Kane’s addition frees up Lucas Raymond to bolster the second line, which should help Rasmussen.

Detroit’s power play already enjoys a 23.5 conversion rate, which is eighth in the league, but if Kane is able to make the first unit even more successful, then that will also help defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, whose production is closely tied to special teams.

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings are on the road this week, but their first two contests are against struggling adversaries in Columbus on Tuesday and Montreal on Thursday. The Kings will then travel to New York to face the Islanders on Saturday and the Rangers on Sunday.

Los Angeles is also one of the hottest teams in the league, having won six of its last seven contests. Trevor Moore has played a big role in the Kings’ recent success, scoring five goals and eight points in that seven-game span to climb to 12 markers and 20 points in 21 outings this year. Meanwhile, Adrian Kempe has collected four assists over his last four contests, giving him eight goals and 22 points in 21 contests in 2023-24.

In net, Cam Talbot continues to get most of the workload and deservedly so. He has a 1.96 GAA and a .930 save percentage through 16 games. Backup Pheonix Copley has a far uglier 3.04 GAA and .868 save percentage in six outings, but he’s won his last two starts while saving 48 of 49 shots (.980 save percentage) over that span. Copley will likely have an opportunity to extend that run against either the Islanders or the Rangers this weekend.

Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens will host the Kraken on Monday and the Kings on Thursday. Then the Canadiens will travel to Buffalo on Saturday before returning to Montreal to host the Predators on Sunday. It’s a busy week, and the Kings are a tough opponent, but Nashville, Buffalo and Seattle all have sub-.500 records.

Goaltender Jake Allen has a 3.74 GAA and an .898 save percentage in 10 contests this season, and he’s done particularly bad lately, posting a 4.63 GAA and an .871 save percentage over his last six outings. Cayden Primeau hasn’t done any better with a 4.24 GAA and an .875 save percentage over his last three contests, so there’s an opening here for Sam Montembeault to run away with the starting gig.

Montembeault has a 5-3-1 record, 2.73 GAA and .910 save percentage in 10 contests this campaign and has won his last two starts while saving 56 of 61 shots (.918 save percentage) over that span. The Canadiens also made a three-year, $9.45 million commitment to the 27-year-old goaltender Friday, which further increases the chances of him claiming that top spot.

In terms of hot players offensively, blueliner Gustav Lindstrom has scored two goals over his last three contests. He’s not someone you should expect a lot of productivity from -- over 139 career games, he has just 29 points -- but he’s clicking at the moment. Joel Armia also has two goals over his last three outings and importantly has averaged 15:35 of ice time over that stretch, up from 12:38 over his previous six games with Montreal.

Seattle Kraken

Seattle lost four straight contests to drop to 8-11-6 this campaign. The pressure is on the Kraken to turn things around this week, especially with a slate of home games on the horizon. First, they’ll play in Montreal on Monday, but then the Kraken will host the Devils on Thursday, the Lightning on Saturday and the Wild on Sunday.

The Kraken have scored just seven goals over their last four games, but Tye Kartye has been an outlier over that stretch with two goals and three points. The 22-year-old rookie still has just four goals and eight points through 24 outings this campaign, but he might be getting more comfortable as the year progresses. He certainly showed offensive upside in the 2022-23 campaign, supplying 28 goals and 57 points in 72 AHL outings. You can try taking a chance on him while he’s hot in the hope that his recent success might lead to something more. If nothing else, he’s a decent source of PIM and hits, having 25 and 43, respectively, this year.

Jared McCann has also provided two goals and three points over that four-game stretch, bringing him up to 11 markers and 16 points in 25 outings this year. However, that’s still well behind his pace from 2022-23 when he finished with 40 goals and 70 points. Rather than replicate his production from last year, McCann is more likely to finish with around 50-55 points, falling more in line with his 2021-22 showing.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay was expecting the return of goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to bolster the team, but instead, the Lightning have lost four straight games. To be fair, Tampa Bay has provided just five goals during its losing streak, so Vasilevskiy hasn’t gotten sufficient support, but the netminder also has a 3.87 GAA and an .859 save percentage through four starts. Perhaps it’s hard for him to find his rhythm after missing the start of the campaign with a back injury.

The Lightning will attempt to right the ship this week with home games against the Stars on Monday and the Penguins on Wednesday, followed by a road trip taking them to Nashville on Thursday and Seattle on Saturday.

I do expect Vasilevskiy to settle in as the campaign goes on, so this might be a good time to explore the possibility of acquiring him at a discounted price. After missing so much time and struggling so badly out of the gate, some fantasy managers might be frustrated enough to move him.

In terms of hot players, Nikita Kucherov is basically all the Lightning have at the moment. He’s managed to assist on all five of the Lightning’s markers over the last four games, propelling him to 15 goals and 40 points through 24 contests this year.

Victor Hedman has also done well with a goal and three points over his last four outings. If you’re lucky enough to have the blueliner on your fantasy team, you’ve been treated to consistent production – he hasn’t had a scoring drought longer than two outings this year.

Beyond those two, though, no Tampa Bay player has recorded more than a point over the last four games. If there’s a silver lining among that group, it’s Tanner Jeannot, who has at least been productive in other ways. In addition to scoring a power-play goal over that four-contest stretch, he’s also recorded 15 PIM and 18 hits.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights hit a rough patch from Nov. 5-28 in which they posted a 3-5-3 record, but that seems to be behind them after earning back-to-back 4-1 victories against Vancouver and Washington, respectively. They’ll attempt to build on that with their home-and-away series against St. Louis on Monday and Wednesday. Following those contests, the Golden Knights will play in Dallas on Saturday and host the Sharks on Sunday.

We just covered Seattle and Tampa Bay, which had somewhat slim pickings when it came to hot players, but that’s not the case with Vegas. Four Golden Knights forwards have recorded at least three points over the last three contests: Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Michael Amadio and Ivan Barbashev.

Of them, Amadio and Barbashev might be obtainable in fantasy leagues if you’re looking for someone to provide you with a short-term boost. Barbashev would be a particularly interesting option since he spent his first 410 career NHL games with St. Louis before being dealt to Vegas in February, so he might play with a little extra during the upcoming two contests.

It’s also worth noting that Adin Hill sustained a lower-body injury Thursday and missed Saturday’s contest as a result. It’s not clear how long he’ll be out for, but if he doesn’t return by the weekend, then Jiri Patera might get a start, perhaps versus San Jose. Patera isn’t having a great campaign with a 3.17 GAA and a .900 save percentage in 14 appearances with AHL Henderson, but he did post a 2.50 GAA and a .929 save percentage in two outings with Vegas last season, and the Sharks are a favorable opponent, so if it looks like he’ll get the start for that game then you should consider Patera as a situational pickup.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Player Profiles + Team Preview – Ryan Dadoun, Goaltending – Catherine Silverman — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:58:53 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 22: Cole Caufield (22) of the Montreal Canadiens waits for the puck during the first period of the NHL game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens on November 22, 2022, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

Review: After posting a 22-49-11 record in 2021-22, the Canadiens were looking for incremental steps last year and that’s what they got. Nick Suzuki put forth his second straight 60-plus point campaign and is looking like a solid cornerstone of the Canadiens’ future. Cole Caufield was encouraging too with 26 goals and 36 points in 46 contests, though a shoulder injury complicated matters. Injuries were unfortunately a recurring theme for Montreal with forwards Kirby Dach, Jonathan Drouin, Sean Monahan and top defenseman Mike Matheson all missing significant chunks of time. Goaltender Sam Montembeault was able to stay healthy, but he had a miserable time, posting a 3.42 GAA and .901 save percentage in 40 contests. To be fair, Montreal ranked 30th in five-on-five expected goals against (203.85), so Montembeault wasn’t getting any support from those in front of him. With all that hardship, the Canadiens’ 31-45-6 record could be seen as the smallest of wins, especially given that it was a 13-point improvement compared to the prior campaign.

What’s Changed?Drouin walked as an unrestricted free agent, but Montreal was still able to bolster its promising young forward group with the acquisition of Alex Newhookfrom Colorado. The Canadiens also acquired Casey DeSmith from Pittsburgh, adding another veteran to their goaltending mix.

What would success look like? There’s so much potential here. If Monahan stays healthy and performs like he was in 2022-23 before getting hurt, then a bounce back to 50 points is possible. If Caufield also remains healthy then he might breach the 30-goal and 60-point marks for the first time. If head coach Martin St. Louis can guide Newhook like he has some of Montreal’s other young forwards, then the 22-year-old might be in line for a breakout year. If Slafkovsky, taken first overall in 2022, had a good summer and takes some of the lessons from his subpar rookie campaign, he could breakout too.

What could go wrong? If ifif. So much could break the Canadiens’ way, but Montreal is dealing with a lot of unknowns. By far the worst of it is this: Even if everything outlined above happens, the Canadiens could still miss the playoffs. The defense was horrendous last year and is likely to lag the growth of the offense. In goal there’s no clear solution, even after adding DeSmith, who struggled with Pittsburgh last year. Plus, the competition in the Atlantic Division is tough, making the margin for error slim.

Top Breakout Candidate:It’s got to be Caufield. After all, the 2022-23 campaign would have been his breakout season if not for injury. Of all the “ifs” outlined above, he’s the closest Montreal has to a sure thing. The talent is clearly there and even with all the ups, downs and injuries he’s gone through, Caufield still has accumulated 49 goals over the past two years. There should be a lot more scoring in his future.

Forwards

Nick Suzuki - C

Montreal is building a promising young core of forwards, and Suzuki is at the center of that movement. After becoming the 31st captain in Montreal’s storied history before the season began, the Canadien center showed why he’s the new face of the franchise by scoring 26 goals and 66 points in 82 contests. That gave him a staggering 28-point cushion over Kirby Dach, who finished second in the scoring race. Part of the reason Suzuki easily led the team in points was because Dach and Cole Caufield were held back by injuries, finishing with 58 and 46 games played, respectively, in 2022-23, but that also makes what Suzuki did more impressive. Under ideal circumstances, he would have played regularly with Dach and Caufield, but that trio only amounted to just 27.2% of Suzuki’s even-strength minutes. Suzuki ended up dealing with a revolving door of linemates, which was far from a good position for him, but he managed to perform regardless. A combination of injuries and the team still being in a rebuilding state also left Montreal 29th on the power play with just a 16.1% success rate. Suzuki was leaned on heavily with the man advantage and recorded a team-best 17 power-play points, but one must wonder how he might do if the Canadiens overall improved in that regard. The good news is the rest of the young core should start catching up to the 24-year-old, giving him more to work with. Coupled with Suzuki’s own continued development, there’s a fair chance he’ll reach the 70-point mark for the first time, if not higher.

Cole Caufield - LW

Montreal signed Caufield to an eight-year, $62.8 million contract over the summer. It is quite the commitment to make to a forward who has never recorded more than 43 points in a single season, but in this case, it could be a steal for the Canadiens. Caufield’s career has gotten off to a promising start, though there have also been major roadblocks. He struggled terribly under head coach Dominique Ducharme during the 2021-22 campaign, posting a goal and eight points in 30 outings, but once Ducharme was replaced by Martin St. Louis, Caufield underwent a complete reversal, scoring 22 goals and 35 points in 37 contests. Standing at 5’ 7”, Caufield’s size has been a point of concern for a while.Which is something St. Louis can relate to, having faced the same sort of questions during his playing days, so it seems appropriate that the new bench boss was able to get the most out of the creative winger. The 22-year-old’s success under St. Louis continued into the 2022-23 campaign with him scoring 26 goals and 36 points in 46 games through Jan. 19th before shoulder problems ended his season. He did show determination before that though, having separated his shoulder Dec. 23, he attempted to remain in the lineup after it was popped back in. However, after it happened again Jan. 3rd, the recommendation was made to undergo surgery. Even then, Caufield said he would have pushed through it if Montreal was in the running for a playoff spot. So long as he stays healthy, Caufield should easily set new career highs and maybe even flirt with the 40-goal milestone.

Josh Anderson - RW

Anderson is the type of player that teams always value and sometimes overvalue: the big forward who isn’t afraid to use his strength to make life miserable for the opposition while also not looking completely out of place with the puck on his stick. Anderson had 21 goals and 32 points in 69 contests last season, making it the sixth time in seven years he’s finished above 15 goals (the lone exception being 2019-20 when he was limited to 26 games) and the second time in his career he’s surpassed the 20-goal milestone. That’s an okay level of production, but it’s nowhere near enough to warrant his $5.5 million cap hit. It’s his gritty play – he recorded 72 PIM and 139 hits last season – that makes him come even close to justifying his pay. Unfortunately, Anderson’s aggressive style has come at a cost, with the 29-year-old missing 26 contests over the last two years. Injuries are going to continue to be a point of concern, especially after his 2022-23 campaign ended due to a high-ankle sprain sustained March 22nd. If he can stay healthy, then Anderson might earn an opportunity on the top line, creating space for 5’ 7” Cole Caufield and 5’ 11”Nick Suzuki. That role won’t lead to the towering forward being an offensive force in his own right, but his presence will be good news for his linemates.

Kirby Dach - RW

When the Blackhawks selected Dach with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, they were looking at a big center who could skate well and was tough to lodge the puck from once it was in his possession. He didn’t end up doing much with Chicago though, despite getting every opportunity, and after being limited to nine goals and 26 points in 70 contests in 2021-22, it was decided that a change of scenery might be in his best interests. The Canadiens clearly thought they could get the most out of Dach, sacrificing the 2022 No. 13 and No. 66 overall picks to get him and, so far, that bet has worked out. He set career highs with 14 goals and 38 points in 58 contests with the Canadiens last season despite playing just four games past Feb. 14th due to injury troubles. Montreal often had him shift to the wing to work alongside Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, complementing the smaller forwards with his size. Depending on who is healthy to open the campaign, Dach might find himself pushed off the top line in favor of fellow big man Josh Anderson, but even if that happens, the 22-year-old should still play big minutes, likely alongside Sean Monahan and Brendan Gallagher. Dach is also expected to stay on the top power-play unit regardless, which is important given that 16 of his 38 points last year came with the man advantage. There is reason for cautious optimism here and to hope that, provided Dach stays healthy, he’ll reach the 50-point milestone.

Christian Dvorak - C

Dvorak can be best described as fine. He had 10 goals and 28 points in 64 appearances last season, which is a bit below average for him, but not enough of a decline to be startling. He’s never reached the 40-point milestone, and the 27-year-old probably never will, especially if injuries keep getting in the way. He didn’t play past March 7th last season because of a knee issue that led to surgery and hasn’t participated in over 70 games in a single campaign since 2017-18. Still, when he is available, he’s okay defensively, helps kill penalties (finished fourth on Montreal with an average shorthanded ice time of 2:18) and is an asset on the draw (had a 52% faceoff success rate last season and is at 52.4% over his career). That’s not enough to get people excited about Dvorak, but at least it justifies using him to center the third or, when necessary, second line, despite his mediocre offensive output. It’s also sufficient to make his $4.45 million cap hit acceptable and potentially even make him a trade candidate if a contender is looking for depth up the middle at the deadline. Regardless of who he plays for though, Dvorak is likely to be fine, and nothing more.

Brendan Gallagher - RW

There was a time when Gallagher was a glue player for the Canadiens thanks to his work ethic and goal-scoring prowess, but his six-year, $39 million contract, which began with the 2021-22 campaign, is shaping up to be a disaster. After surpassing the 30-goal milestone in each of 2017-18 and 2018-19, followed by him contributing 22 goals and 43 points in 59 outings in 2019-20, the 31-year-old has failed to even record 25 points in any of the last three seasons. Last year was a new low for him, finishing with eight goals and 14 points in 37 contests. Ankle issues took a toll, but even when he was healthy, Gallagher wasn’t productive, with his 0.38 points per game being a career worst. Even on a rebuilding quad, Gallagher also saw his role diminish, from an average of 16:55 of ice time in 2019-20 to 14:17 last season. The silver lining is he’s healthy going into the 2023-24 campaign and feels upbeat about how his offseason training went. There’s also an opportunity for him to play a bigger role after Montreal parted ways with Mike Hoffman and Jonathan Drouin over the summer. Gallagher is still a big risk going into the season, but those at least provide some reasons to hope for a bounce back campaign.

Alex Newhook - LW

Opportunities have been hard to come by for Newhook. Taken by Colorado with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, he served primarily in a bottom-six role with the Avalanche, consequently providing just 27 goals and 63 points in 153 contests over the last two years. A change of scenery was warranted and, after Montreal’s acquisition of Kirby Dach worked out perfectly a year prior, the Canadiens decided to see if lightning would strike twice by trading for Newhook over the summer. However, while Dach was a nice fit for Montreal’s top-six, Newhook again might struggle to get an opportunity. Newhook is a natural center, but between Nick Suzuki occupying that slot on the first line, Dach or Sean Monahan likely taking the second unit position and Christian Dvorak being a natural fit for the third line, Newhook is probably going to have to shift to the wing. Even then, there’s no guarantee he’ll find a top-six spot and might instead serve on the third line. However, that scenario only works if everyone stays healthy. While Newhook has managed to be durable, several of Montreal’s skilled forwards haven’t been as reliable. Combine that with Newhook’s versatility to slot in as a winger or center, and he might be the first forward to move up to a top-six role if Montreal runs into injury issues. With that in mind, the 22-year-old will be someone to keep an eye on, because while at first glance he seems like a fair bet to record 30-40 points, circumstances might lead to this being a bigger season for him.

Sean Monahan - C

The 2022-23 campaign was one that offered a glimmer of hope for Monahan, but in some ways, it was also his most disheartening yet. After undergoing hip surgery in 2021 and then again in 2022, Calgary was ready to move on. He was far removed from his 82-point campaign in 2018-19, recording just eight goals and 23 points in 65 contests in 2021-22, making him a liability even when healthy. The rebuilding Canadiens were happy to accept Monahan along with a conditional 2025 first-round pick in exchange for covering the final season of his seven-year, $44.625 million contract. Montreal gave Monahan a chance to serve as a top-six forward, and he rewarded them by recording six goals and 17 points in 25 outings. In terms of points per game, it was his best showing since 2019-20, but he didn’t play past Dec. 5th due to a foot injury followed by season-ending groin surgery. Montreal still liked him enough to ink him to a one-year, $2 million contract over the summer, but the short-term nature of the deal underscores the risk he still comes with. Monahan is penciled in to start the season as the Canadiens’ second-line center, but will his body allow him to do that over the course of an 82-game campaign? After all, he’s now undergone three surgeries in as many years. Even if he does stay healthy, how productive will he be? He showed promise in 2022-23, but 25 games are hardly an ideal sample size. The 28-year-old (29 on Oct. 12) is at very least a comeback candidate, but a high-risk one.

Juraj Slafkovsky - LW

First overall picks are often expected to be ready to compete in the NHL right away and many are up for that challenge. At first glance, Slafkovsky, who was taken by Montreal with the top pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, appeared ready to step into the world’s best league. Not only did the 6’ 3”, 238-pound forward already possess NHL size, but he had experience playing with adults after scoring five goals and 10 points in 31 games with TPS Turku of the Finnish League in 2021-22. Slafkovsky also participated in the 2022 Winter Olympics, scoring seven goals in seven contests with Slovakia and contributed another three goals and nine points in eight outings during the 2022 World Championships. Despite that, he was limited to four goals and 10 points in 39 contests as a rookie with Montreal. To be fair, injuries, which prevented him from playing past Jan. 15th, contributed to his poor showing. Coach Martin St. Louis also attempted to ease him into the lineup, giving the Slovakian native an average of just 12:13 of ice time, which significantly reduced his offensive opportunities. There was a silver lining though, because while he wasn’t a big threat with the puck, Slafkovsky did utilize his size, recording 33 PIM and 53 hits. Unfortunately, in the short-term, he might continue to serve in a bottom-six role. Slafkovsky has the potential to eventually establish himself as a top liner, but it might be a few years before we see that side of him.

Joel Armia - RW

Although two seasons remain on Armia’s two-year, $13.6 million contract, he probably isn’t part of Montreal’s long-term plans. The 30-year-old is far removed from the Canadiens' rebuild-driven youth movement and while Armia is entering his sixth campaign with Montreal, it would be a stretch to call him a staple of the team. Injuries have played a role in that, with Armia failing to log more than 60 contests in any year with the Habs, but his relative lack of offensive contributions – he’s recorded just 20 goals and 42 points in 144 contests over the last three seasons – also make him easy to overlook. Still, the Finnish winger has his uses. He’s fine defensively and can be confidently plugged in on the penalty kill. He’s also got size at 6-foot-3, 216 pounds, and while he's not the most physical forward out there, he has dished out 6.58 hits per 60 minutes over the last three campaigns, which was good for sixth on Montreal in that span (min. 50 games). Looking ahead, Armia should be penciled in on the Canadiens’ third line, though their younger forwards might do enough to lodge him from that position. It wouldn’t be surprising if his average ice time in 2023-24 dipped below the 14:57 he saw last season, and he might even see some time as a healthy scratch.

Defense

Mike Matheson - D

Acquired by Montreal from Pittsburgh over the summer of 2022 as part of the Jeff Petry trade, Matheson was given a golden opportunity with the Canadiens. He averaged a respectable 18:48 of ice time in Pittsburgh while providing 11 goals and 31 points in 74 contests in 2021-22, but Montreal saw Matheson as its clear No. 1 defenseman. With that in mind, Matheson jumped to 24:27 per game last season, including an average of 3:11 with the man advantage. Injury troubles during the first half of the campaign prevented 2022-23 from being a true breakout season, but he was still incredible when healthy, contributing eight goals and 34 points (nine on the power play) in 48 outings. He also helped kill penalties, blocked 80 shots and, while plus/minus always needs to be taken with a grain of salt, finished with a plus-seven rating on a rebuilding squad. In other words, he was everything Montreal could have hoped for and then some. To make matters better, the Canadiens will get three more years of Matheson at a $4.875 million cap hit. His injury history is a concern – which is a recurring theme when evaluating Canadiens players – but if he can stay healthy, then it’s not unrealistic to believe he can finish with 50-60 points in 2023-24.

David Savard - D

Savard is 32 years old and will turn 33 on Oct. 22, so he might be in the twilight of his career by the time Montreal’s rebuild is in the rearview mirror. However, he deserves a lot of credit for doing the hard work now that might serve as the foundation of the team in the future. The Quebec native sacrificed himself last year, blocking a career-high 176 shots despite playing in just 62 contests, while also serving in a leading role on the penalty kill and acting as a mentor for the team’s young defenders. That culminated in him receiving Montreal’s Jacques Beauchamp Trophy, which goes to the player deemed most dominant without earning any other honor and can be seen as a way to highlight otherwise underappreciated players. One person who clearly didn’t underappreciate him was head coach Martin St. Louis, who asked Savard to average 22:23 of ice time. As younger defensemen like Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Arber Xhekaj and Justin Barron start to come into their own, Savard could find himself being gradually phased out. The veteran blueliner is still likely to see good minutes this season, but he probably won’t find himself second to only Mike Matheson in average ice time again. Even if Savard’s role doesn’t decrease, he’s not much of an offensive threat and shouldn’t be counted on to meaningfully exceed his 2022-23 totals of three goals and 20 points.

Kaiden Guhle - D

Guhle is far from the Canadiens’ only young defenseman, but he might be theirmost promising one. He’s got size and knows how to get the most out of that advantage, both with his physical play and by competing in tough areas. Adored more for his defensive skills, he wasn’t seen as having a ton of offensive upside when he was selected with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, but that aspect of his game has developed nicely, making him a factor in all situations. With that skill set, rather than ease him into the lineup, Montreal asked Guhle to play an average of 20:31 of ice time in his rookie campaign, and he responded by recording four goals, 18 points, 27 PIM, 77 blocks and 84 hits in 44 outings last season. It was a strong showing, to the point where he might have even garnered a small amount of Calder Trophy consideration if injuries hadn’t gotten in the way. As it is, he’s primed to have a solid sophomore campaign. His power-play ice time was limited to 0:35 per game last season, but all Guhle’s offensive production as a rookie came at even-strength anyways, so it’s not unreasonable to believe he can flirt with the 30-point milestone even without being usedon the man advantage. The 21-year-old is also a good bet to surpass the 150 mark in each of blocks and hits provided he can stay healthy.

Goaltending

Samuel Montembeault - G

Even five years ago, no one would have believed it if someone had told them that the Montreal Canadiens would be spending the final half of goaltender Carey Price’s contract scrambling to figure out who on Earth to start each night in net – and even fewer would have believed that former Florida Panthers prospect Samuel Montembeault would be leading the charge for a rotating trio including himself, former St. Louis Blues starter Jake Allen, and former Pittsburgh Penguins backup Casey DeSmith.

But of all the options Montreal has to choose from, Montembeault may be their most reliable. Although the team has struggled and fallen firmly into rebuild territory, the 26-year-old backstop made the best of the situation. His raw numbers weren’t overly impressive, but his goals saved above expected put him in the conversation for goaltenders who made the most with the least league-wide; he was able to scrape together the best performance of anyone in Montreal over the last few years, despite being a mid-season pickup initially only brought on board to help the team weather the storm of too many injuries. He plays a fairly goal line-based game, preferring to utilize an impressive lower-body game and above-average flexibility to seal off the bottom of the net but staying on his feet on his goal line for longer to prevent holes from opening up at the top of the goal itself. And perhaps most importantly for Montreal, he does well preventing rebounds; while some goaltenders thrive spitting the puck back out into traffic, the somewhat disjointed structure in front of Montembeault and Allen last season made it difficult to have much faith in what might happen if the puck stayed in play after a first or second shot. That likely isn’t enough to push Montreal back out of the basement just yet, but it should be enough to keep them from entering free-fall – which might be all they’re asking for.

Projected starts: 55-60

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – DETROIT RED WINGS – NHL Player Profiles

Joe Yerdon – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 23:48:39 +0000

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 22: Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (53) takes a shot during the second period of a preseason game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings on September 22, 2019, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Dylan Larkin

At 26 years old, Larkin has seen a lot of losing in the first seven seasons of his career, but now he’s in the prime years of his career and this year’s Red Wings team is poised to be the best team he’s been on as a pro. Larkin’s points per 60 minutes played in 2021-2022 was the best of his career (3.0) and he led the Red Wings in goals (31) and points (69). Those marks are each second best to marks he set in 2018-2019 (32 goals, 71 assists). Larkin is Detroit’s best player at 5-on-5 when it comes to Corsi (49.3 percent) and expected goals percentage at nearly 50 percent (49.97). Not enough good things happen for Detroit, but when they do happen, chances are Larkin is involved. The Red Wings captain drives the team and the similarities to how he and current GM Steve Yzerman have had in the first few years of their careers is a bit spooky. Both named captain at a young age, both the best player on an underachieving/poor team and now the question for Larkin is can he be the best on a team coming out of the darkness and back into the playoff light.

Tyler Bertuzzi

It was a career year for Tyler Bertuzzi in 2021-2022. He finished with 30 goals and 62 points in 68 games, both second to Dylan Larkin for team best marks. Bertuzzi did miss time due to COVID-19 issues from being unvaccinated. He missed five games in December because of protocols and any games in Canada as well. As a nearly a point per-game player, any time missed leaves a big hole in the lineup. His play is a typical power forward style, a skill shot, aggressive towards the net, and physical. He provided an element on his line with Larkin and rookie Lucas Raymond those players don’t necessarily have and helped the Red Wings have a true top scoring line for the first time in a while. The strong play at 5-on-5 is a positive, but Bertuzzi also improved his power play production as well. His six goals with the man-advantage were a career-high and helped Detroit’s team power play improve from 11.4 to 16.3 percent moving from 30 out of 31 teams to 26 out of 32. At 27, Bertuzzi has found his stride. He’s been a consistent high-percentage shooter and being part of a line that’s complete with complementing talent means more should be on the way.

Lucas Raymond

If it hadn’t been for his teammate Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond’s case to win the Calder Trophy would’ve gathered more attention. Raymond tied with four other rookies for second in goal scoring and was third in points behind Michael Bunting and Trevor Zegras. Raymond was third on Detroit in scoring with 57 points (23 goals) behind Larkin and Bertuzzi. What makes for an interesting note about Raymond’s season is that he was outstanding immediately on the power play. He was second on the team in powerplay points (18) behind Seider (21) with five power play goals, tied for second on the team. Unsurprisingly, his possession numbers were virtually equal with linemates Larkin and Bertuzzi as they were the three best on the Red Wings. At 5-foot-11, 182 pounds he has all the telltale traits of a playmaking winger. His hockey IQ is sky high, and his decision-making is equally strong to go with his speed and agility on the ice. If there’s a concern with Raymond it has to do with one of the old-school stats as his plus-minus rating was minus-32, second worst on the team (Nick Leddy was minus-33 before his trade to St. Louis) and fifth worst in the NHL. With expectations being a bit higher for the Red Wings this season, how Raymond handles his sophomore NHL season will be worth watching.

Jakub Vrana

When Jakub Vrana was acquired by Detroit in 2021 from Washington, the Red Wings knew they were getting an instant offensive weapon. The plan of seeing him jump in and light it up with the other young forwards got put on hold for most of last season after a shoulder injury in training camp–followed by surgery–kept him out of action until March. When he returned to action, however, it was clear he was missed. In 26 games, Vrana scored 13 goals (five on the power play) and finished the season with 19 points. Vrana also continued to show he’s not shy about shooting the puck averaging 2.5 shots per game, down from 2.91 with Detroit last season. Even though Vrana has shot a high percentage for his career, he shot an incredible 20 percent in those 26 games and in 37 total games with Detroit he’s at 21.6 percent. Most players don’t fill the net at that kind of rate over a full season and regression is expected, but he takes a lot of shots so even if he comes back more in line with his numbers from Washington (13.1 percent) he’s still going to score a pile of goals. Vrana is 26 years old which puts him right in line age-wise with most of Detroit’s other top forwards. If they all are hitting their peak strides now and doing it together, Detroit’s offense could turn out to be exciting.

Pius Suter

When Detroit added Pius Suter when he wasn’t qualified by the Chicago Blackhawks it seemed like a sneaky-good move and those instincts proved to be true. Suter settled in on Detroit’s second line and proved to be a consistently strong performer. He had 15 goals and 36 points in a complete 82-game season. Comparing his stats from his season in Chicago to last season with Detroit, they’re so close they’re nearly indistinguishable. From Corsi to points scored to points and shots per game they were minimal decimal points apart. You can’t say Detroit didn’t know what they were getting in him at least. But one thing Suter did more than he did in Chicago was play on the penalty kill as he found himself working both sides of the special teams, making him a solid utility knife kind of player. At 26 years old, the Swiss centerman did improve his work at the faceoff dot going from nearly 43 percent to 49 percent with Detroit. What’s worth watching is how Suter adjusts after Detroit adding Andrew Copp to (presumably) work on the second line. Whether he continues with Vrana or teams up with newcomers Dominik Kubalik or David Perron still means he’ll be working with excellent wingers who can add more offense.

Andrew Copp

Of the big free agent signings the Red Wings made in the offseason, Andrew Copp may have been the savviest of the bunch. Copp, a former University of Michigan standout and Ann Arbor native, went back home and his timing couldn’t be better for him to help pull the Red Wings back up the standings. Copp spent the first seven years of his career with Winnipeg and was a deadline day pickup for the Rangers last season. Copp set career-highs in goals (21) and points (53) last year and his move the Rangers helped them advance deeper into the postseason than they’ve been since 2014. What he’ll bring to Detroit is the ability to help his line dominate puck possession and a consistent knack of helping create quality chances (his xG% was above 50 percent with both teams. What’s interesting is for Copp is how he will adjust to having an elevated role. While Copp’s numbers have always been consistently strong, he’s also had ice time comparable to what a third liner would play for most of his career. It’s been more recent he’s earned the added minutes and responsibilities to play a second line role. That’s where he’ll most likely begin as a Red Wing and he’ll have plenty of solid options as wingers whether it’s Filip Zadina, David Perron, or Jakub Vrana. The offensive depth has very suddenly seemed strong and Copp should reap those benefits.

David Perron

Seeing David Perron signing with a team that’s not the St. Louis Blues is startling. All roads (and contracts) during Perron’s career started and ended there. But he’s ventured out of Missouri eastward to Detroit where his mix of forechecking, goal scoring touch around the net, and occasional nastiness provides an element the Red Wings have been lacking the past few seasons. Like a fine wine, Perron has only gotten better (and more consistent) with age. Last season was Perron's best goal-scoring season since 2013-2014 with Edmonton when he scored 28. His 27 goals and 57 points (in 67 games) played right in line with his scoring output the past six seasons in which he’s had 40-or-more points in each. Perron is as good of a player as you could ask for in your middle-six forwards because he can do a little bit of everything well and be a factor on the power play as well. He had 11 goals with the man advantage last season and 26 of his 57 points came on the power play and with how poorly Detroit’s power play has done in recent seasons, Perron will surely help improve it.

Dominik Kubalik

After the good fortune Detroit had in picking up Pius Suter from Chicago after he wasn’t qualified by them, and now Dominik Kubalik–who was also not qualified by the Blackhawks–may wind up being his linemate with the Red Wings. Kubalik, who scored 30 goals in his rookie season in 2019-2020, has 32 goals total in the past two seasons. The biggest reason for the drop off was simple regression. He shot over 19 percent during that 30-goal season, but that number retreated to a more realistic 9-to-10 percent in each of the past two seasons. He’s had steady third line minutes each season and that seems likely to continue with the Red Wings. Detroit’s added lineup depth means Kubalik won’t have to play over his head to produce. Whether he winds up on the second or third line, he’ll be relied upon to help add offense. His stats in all have gone down each season, but Chicago falling down the standings played a role in that. Be it points or possession numbers, they’ve all come back to earth, which is a reason to keep a close eye on his performance with a new group of players. If nothing else, Kubalik can help pick up the Red Wings power play. In all three seasons in Chicago, he was part of their power play unit and 11 of his 62 career goals in Chicago came on the man advantage. If he can give Detroit a lift there, he’ll be worth it just for that.

Oskar Sundqvist

The 28-year-old Swede was acquired by Detroit from St. Louis in the Nick Leddy trade at the deadline last season and was able to make an immediate impression on the team. In 18 games with Detroit, he had four goals and four assists while playing mostly down in the lineup. Sundqvist’s NHL career has been one which he’s spent a lot of time proving himself in the AHL and eventually carving out a steady role as a depth forward. With the Blues, Sundqvist provided a physical element to his game to go along with his grinding style of play. There was a time from 2018 through 2020 when Sundqvist put it together consistently with his mix of offense and physical play that led him to score 26 of his 40 career goals during those two seasons. Sundqvist can do the dirty work with the hits and shot blocking as well. Playing that role in the NHL is never glamorous, but if the success he had late in the season with Detroit carries over, he’ll have a spot in the lineup every night, even if his possession numbers are very poor.

DEFENSE

Moritz Seider

The German rookie was a phenomenon in his first NHL season. Seider was the fifth defenseman since 2000 to win the Calder Trophy. His seven goals and 43 assists (50 points) made him fourth among rookies and fourth on the Red Wings in scoring. The 6-foot-4, 197-pound 21-year-old fit into the NHL seamlessly and was an instant impact player on a Red Wings team that’s been desperately searching for a No. 1 defenseman since Nick Lidstrom retired. Seider was a strong possession player at 5-on-5 considering he played the most minutes and on a below-average team (46.9% CorsiFor). You want those numbers to be better as a No. 1 defenseman, but as a first step it’ll do. Seider was also a dominant force on the power play and led the team with 21 power play points (two goals, 19 assists). Seider’s presence on the man advantage gave what was one of the NHL’s worst performing power plays sorely needed improvement. Seider paired up with Danny DeKeyser most of the season but had improved possession numbers away from him. With DeKeyser gone, who Seider pairs up with will be fascinating. The four defensemen he played the most minutes with are all no longer with the team, meaning whoever winds up with him will have a great opportunity for success.

Filip Hronek

While Seider got most of the attention on the back end, his arrival helped lessen the burden on Filip Hronek to steer the defense. Hronek was still asked to play a lot of time (averaged 22 minutes per game) which meant whenever Seider wasn’t on the ice, chances were great Hronek was. Hronek’s possession numbers slipped to the lowest mark of his career at 5-on-5 (45.7% CorsiFor) but he put up a career-high 38 points (five goals, 33 assists) including seven points on the power play. With Detroit’s defensive unit getting an overhaul in the offseason and new head coach Derek Lalonde, how Hronek is deployed and whom with he’s paired with will be fascinating to watch. Hronek’s rookie season performance set a standard for what kind of player he can be. That season he posted a CF% of nearly 50 percent, the best he’s had in four seasons. Hronek was able to be a better offensive player last season and if Lalonde will push the Red Wings to play like how the Tampa Bay Lightning play, getting Hronek to perform better to his strengths will go a long way to making the Red Wings blue line that much stronger.

Ben Chiarot

Over the past eight seasons, Ben Chiarot has established a reputation as a classic defensive defenseman and it’s because of that he was able to secure a four-year, $19 million contract from the Red Wings. Chiarot has hopped around from Winnipeg, Montreal, and finally Florida in a deadline deal last season. At 6-foot-3, 226 pounds, he’s a big, physical defender able to use his size to hit opponents as well as get in front of their shots. He’s been a staple on the penalty kill wherever he’s played, and it can be expected he’ll do the same in Detroit. Chiarot is 31 years old which makes the decision to sign him to a four-year contract a bit curious, but GM Steve Yzerman tends to get the benefit of the doubt more often. If Chiarot can bring defensive stability that allows Seider or Hronek the ability to better use their offensive skills to drive play, then it could be considered a savvy (but pricey) move. He’s not an offensive dynamo but can chip in with about 20 points per season and for a guy whose main purpose is to hold down opponents, getting even that much offense from him is a bonus.

Olli Maatta

The 28-year-old Finnish defenseman landed in Detroit via free agency, and after he was able to grab headlines in Pittsburgh, he’s settled into the role of a defender in Chicago and Los Angeles that’s there to take care of business in his end. Injuries (and COVID-19) have hampered his career the past few seasons and prevented him from playing a full season (2017-2018 was the last time he played every game). Last season with Kings, Maatta was strong on possession (52.8% CorsiFor) but weak on points (eight in 66 games) while playing a bit more than 18 minutes per game. If his previous seasons are any indication, he will see time on the penalty kill unit, but where he may be most useful is when the game is close late. Maatta’s possession numbers were better than his total 5-on-5 ice time (more than 53% CF). That means when the game is on the line or under fire, Maatta was even better at mainlining possession and producing pressure against opponents. When a player isn’t scoring points in bunches, holding it down in defensive situations or hotly contested moments of the game is just as important. Given that Maatta splits his time evenly between offensive and defensive zone starts, who he winds up pairing with means he’ll be able to hold his own and adapt their game to play with them. Whether it’s with Seider, Hronek, or perhaps rookie Simon Edvinsson, Maatta’s balanced play with a lean towards defense could provide a boost for any of them.

GOALTENDING

Alex Nedeljkovic

The Carolina Hurricanes surprised more than a few people when they cut ties with prospect Alex Nedeljkovic just when it seemed like they needed a talented young up-and-coming goaltender the most. But while his incredibly impressive rookie season numbers were good to wow fans and mystify evaluators of Carolina’s move to send him to Detroit, his sophomore season slump was certainly pronounced enough to warrant consideration that he might be Detroit’s second-best option this year in net – even as their more experienced netminder heading into the upcoming year.

Nedeljkovic is the perfect foil to his new tandem partner in Ville Husso. Where Husso plays a game based on structured movement and rigid lower-body efficiency, Nedeljkovic is a little bit faster and freer; he’s got the reflexes and the speed to catch shooters off guard and make up for his own mistakes, but he lacks the control and finesse to avoid making them in the first place. That worked out perfectly for him when he was playing behind an experienced, playoff-bound Carolina blue line – but left him exposed and less capable of thriving behind the rebuilding Detroit Red Wings, who saw him play a season that was completely comprised of games that either made him look like the next Vezina shoe-in or someone who needed a conditioning stint in the American league. When he was able to get into a rhythm and communicate well with his defense, he was nearly unstoppable – and he posted a whopping 28 quality starts in 59 games as Detroit’s clear starter. But in comparison, he also posted an alarming ten games that qualified as Really Bad Starts, clocking in under an .850 save percentage in a full fifth of the games that he played in his first full season as a starter. Of course, that could easily have been due to the learning curve any young goaltender would face in their first full season handling the lion’s share of the games, and it certainly could have been exacerbated by playing behind a team that still competed more for a lottery standing than for a playoff berth. But while it’s still too early to write him off, it’s worth entering his second year with Detroit prepared to exercise just a little more caution in expressing enthusiasm about his game; he still looks like a good option for the team, just maybe not as their number one.

Projected starts: 35-40

Ville Husso

Just when it seemed like St. Louis had given up on Ville Husso, he emerged during the 2021-22 campaign as the hottest new thing to hit the NHL. Detroit likely hopes that wasn’t a fluke; they’ve brought him on board to tandem with Alex Nedeljkovic, their prior summer’s off-season acquisition from the Carolina Hurricanes.

Detroit has been the poster child for smart rebuilds over the last few seasons, remaining patient with their prospects and peppering their lineup with reliable, steady veterans on good contracts to fill in the gaps their roster still possessed. For the last two seasons, Thomas Greiss was one of those – and now, as the Red Wings look to continue moving forward in their rebuild plan, Husso will take his spot as a fresh face with promise in his game and plenty of mileage left. He was inked to a three-year deal in hopes that he can be a solution for Detroit moving into their future plans, with the Atlantic Division club banking on his game to remain subtly effective without any major setbacks after moving to a new team. It’s tough to tell just how that’s going to go, of course, since Husso seemed to be the last goaltending prospect in St. Louis to finally get his shot – and since his numbers at the AHL level had been mediocre enough for a handful of years to allow him to remain overlooked by teams up until his finally made his all-too-impressive NHL season backup debut. But his style, which relies on a combination of challenging out at the top of his crease and smooth crisp technical skating and positioning, boasts a lot in common with fellow Finnish netminder Antti Raanta; while there may be nothing about his game that screams top-tier talent, there’s nothing about it that looks like it could suffer from a whole lot of variance, either. He may have just been a late bloomer – and for Detroit, that’s a lucky find just in time for their push back into contention.

Projected starts: 45-50

Detroit Red Wings 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 11:19:17 +0000

The current Detroit Red Wings’ organization is only three years removed from the last of a 25 year run of consecutive playoff appearances, but looking at the NHL roster, it might as well be a decade out. For the past three seasons, the team has accrued between 73-79 points while absolutely loading up and draft picks, both in the top ten and beyond.

In 2017, the Red Wings thankfully saw the writing on the wall, and sold at the deadline. The team made 11 total selections at the draft. In a vacuum, that is fantastic. But there is a good reason why the list below doesn’t feature that many names from that class. Let’s start with the five non-first round players drafted out of the CHL. NHL teams have two years to sign CHL picks before they lose their rights. After two years had passed, the Red Wings decided against signing any of them. Of the three college bound players, two have struggled to make an impact and are currently not locks to receive NHL deals at the end of their collegiate days, while the third is developing at a stately pace into the low ceiling number six defender he was also profiled as. The two European defenders are doing fine, if not blowing up. Finally, the first rounder, ninth overall pick Michael Rasmussen, lost his eligibility last year, but underwhelmed to the tune of 18 points in 62 games. There is still ample debate about his upside.

Red Wings fans might recognize the failures of the 2017 draft as endemic of the Tyler Wright era. For every Dylan Larkin success, there are three like Rasmussen, or Dennis Cholowski, or Yevgeni Svechnikov. All three still have room for growth, but all have underwhelmed.

That said, the Wings took a different approach to their 2018 draft class, another stacked class that saw Detroit add 10 players to the organization. Up and down that draft, upside was the word. Sixth overall pick Filip Zadina wasn’t able to win an NHL job, but he had a very impressive AHL campaign for an 18 year old and still has the look of a top six goal machine. Their second first rounder Joe Veleno took his game to a new level in the QMJHL. Beyond those two, I would hazard that at least three other players play – or are leveraged in a trade for someone who will – on the next Detroit playoff aspirant.

Wright’s final draft class in Detroit was named this June in Vancouver, before he left the organization to join former GM Kenny Holland in Detroit. Kris Draper, a former Red Wings’ icon, who had been a Special Assistant to the GM since retiring in 2011 will assume the role. It is far too early to judge the 2019 class, but on a personal level, I loved it. Detroit drafted three players we had ranked as first round talents, and a few more who received consideration. We ultimately ranked the Red Wings’ draft haul as third strongest in the league, behind only Carolina and New Jersey.

Detroit players will probably be able to work on their golf games again by the second week of April, but management and fans should feel confident that the team has a broad range of pieces that will keep the team relevant longer in the very near future.

-Ryan Wagman

1 Filip Zadina, LW (6^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 1) Arguably the third-best player in the 2018 NHL Draft, Zadina slipped to 6th overall and fell into the hands of the Detroit Red Wings, who opted to send the speedy scorer straight into AHL action last season. The results were hit and miss with Grand Rapids, as the former Halifax Mooseheads star posted a 59-16-19-35 season and earned some NHL action (9-1-2-3) near the end of the campaign. Though he struggled with some inconsistencies on offense, he exhibited his future NHL top-line talent all season long, as his intense skating speed, technical footwork skill, and elite shooting prowess were capable of changing the game on every shift. Furthermore, even if the numbers don’t pop, the fact that he did it all as a teenager is incredibly impressive. It would be good to see him use his legs more to create offensive pressure, and that will surely come around to the 19-year-old in time. - TD

2 Joe Veleno, C (30^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 2) Veleno is the rare prospect in the CHL who can play in the AHL at 19; the rules state 20-year-olds or players having played four full seasons of CHL hockey can play AHL, and Veleno is in the latter camp. His promotion is not unmerited; his game is tailor-made for the next level and he is ready for a new challenge. 104 points last season on a strong Drummondville team that relied on him as the centerpiece of the offence, while his defensive game is refined, especially in pursuit on the back-check. He doesn’t have many weaknesses in his game – he covers the ice well, handles the puck well, distributes and shoots at a high level, and can play in all situations. He is ready to step in sooner rather than later, but may need a bit of seasoning to establish his offensive rhythm before making his NHL debut. He projects as a responsible top-six center with strong offensive upside. - MS

3 Moritz Seider, D (6^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Seider, this year's surprise pick of the first round, is a big, mobile right-shot defenseman who oozes confidence and has great hockey sense. He has the quickness to join the rush and he does so in a timely manner. The German blueliner is very gifted offensively, possessing high-level passing skills and a strong shot selection. He is smooth with the puck and moves it well on the breakout. Seider is competitive, plays a hard-nosed game and protects the front of the net effectively. He constantly keeps his stick out in order to maintain good gap control and he is rock solid defensively. He has the tools to develop into a minute-munching NHL defenseman who is highly consistent and efficient in all three zones. - MB

4 Jared McIsaac, D (36^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 4) The major blow for McIsaac in 2019-20 is that his season is already cut short – he had shoulder surgery in the off-season and is only expected to return around the mid-way mark of the campaign. He also played for much of the second half of last season with a shoulder injury, so his 62 points in 53 games were all the more impressive. He is a very solid all-around defenseman who can control the game with his skating and his puckhandling. He also displays great gap control and a solid stick defensively, making him a very reliable rearguard. To reach his maximum potential at the NHL level, McIsaac will still need to bulk up, as he likes to get physical and pick his spots to lay a big hit on an unsuspecting forward. He is a do-it-all defender with top-pair upside as a solid, reliable, consistent rearguard. - MS

5 Robert Mastrosimone, LW (54^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Small but fearless, Mastrosimone is the type of player that is always taking the game to the opposition, forcing the latter to react. He reads the game at a high level, allowing him to put defenders on their heels even though his own skating speed is not much better than average. He packs a very hard shot, although he could stand to improve upon its accuracy. He also excels at creating opportunities for others. Another area in need of refinement is in picking his battles. It is one thing to be fearless, it is another to recognize that hanging back for an extra second might put him in a better position to impact not only the current shift, but the remaining shifts as well. Mastrosimone has top six upside and will have a chance to take on a scoring role from day one at Boston University. - RW

6 Albert Johansson, D (60^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Johansson is a smart and skilled two-way defenseman. He reads the game well, both defensively and offensively, and acts on it. He stays calm in stressful situations with good puck control. He delivers good breakout passes, long as well as short passes and he doesn’t need much room or time to deliver them. He is strong across the offensive blue line but needs to work on his shot. He can shoot hard but need to work on his accuracy when doing so. Johansson is coming off a strong season in which he showed developed rapidly. He was the best player on his team in SuperElit and has been promoted for SHL this upcoming season. He has a strong case as a future top four defenseman with his overall smarts and skill. He is a bit physically immature, and will need to grow into his body and get stronger before reaching his projection. - JH

7 Jonatan Berggren, LW/RW (33^rd overall, 2018. Last Year: 5) Berggren earned a spot on Skelleftea’s SHL roster but suffered a season-ending back injury in November. In the limited time he played in the SHL, his game didn’t lift and had only three assists in 16 games. He has speed and skill but needs to develop his goal scoring to become more dynamic. He is not big but has the right tools to become effective anyway, especially with his strong legs and lower body. He will need a couple of years of development but has the potential to become a good NHL winger, fitting on a second or third line. If he can become a better shooter, he could look a bit like a lefthanded version of Viktor Arvidsson. He will need to develop his shot and show that he be effective at the SHL level this season and is still a couple of years from trying for an NHL spot. - JH

8 Antti Tuomisto, D (35^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Tuomisto has a strong understanding of the game, he sees the ice extremely well, and is a good playmaker at both ends of the ice. He is calm, poised and seldom gets rattled under pressure. He gives hard and accurate long passes out of the zone which arrive on the tape. He has a cannon for a slap shot, a precise wrist shot as well, and will likely score a good amount of goals at the pro level. His long reach is an asset in stick and puck battles, and he does not hesitate to be physical and play with an edge. Tuomisto logged plenty of ice-time in his draft year in the Finnish U20 league and he took advantage of the increased role. He will stay with Ässät U20 for the 2019-20 season as he is aiming to play college hockey before turning pro. - MB

9 Albin Grewe, RW (66^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) An aggressive power forward with nice hands, Grewe is a good playmaker and can be creative with the puck. He works hard both offensively and defensively and could emerge as a good middle six-winger. He uses his skating is a weapon at the junior level but his short stride probably won’t make his skating stand out at the NHL level. He isn’t big (6-0”) for the power forward style he tries to maintain. He produced well in SuperElit with his speed and creativity but didn’t muster up any points in 15 SHL games. He will play full time in the SHL this season. He can be used in various roles and has an agitative edge to his game. Grewe will need a few more years of development before he is ready to try to earn a spot on the Red Wings. - JH

Detroit Red Wings left wing Taro Hirose (53) (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire)

10 Taro Hirose, LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 12, 2019. Last Year: IE) An undersized offensive dynamo who grew up in the hockey academies of Western Canada, Hirose was a top scorer for Michigan State from the moment he arrived on campus. As a junior last year, despite the severe lack of depth after the first line with the Spartans, he managed to lead the Big10 in scoring. Considering his primary linemates were, like him, undrafted, there was no question about his numbers being carried by more talented/heralded teammates. He is a solid, if unspectacular skater, but he plays at a higher pace, forcing opponents into frequent penalties with his edgework and stickhandling. His high IQ hockey is also unmistakable, as he can simply take over shifts with his ability to control the flow of the game. He needs to be less passive in his own zone to earn big minutes as a pro, but as his late season cameo showed, he can play in the NHL. - RW

11 Evgeni Svechnikov, LW (19^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 8) Suffering a knee injury in the Red Wings’ final preseason game, Svechnikov underwent surgery early last season and was forced to sit out the entirety of the 2018-19 campaign. He had his sights set on cracking the Detroit roster after performing well in limited NHL minutes the prior season, but this was not the first injury to set back his development, after he fought through a neck injury during the 2017-18 season. His prospect value and ceiling are still high, as his combination of intimidating size/strength and shooting ability is unlike that of many prospects in the system. He is a beast with the puck, able to get inside position on anyone and his control and balance are incredible for his size. He doesn’t shy from playing hard defensively. We will have to see if his injuries continue to hold him back when he returns this season, but if his health holds -- and his consistency improves -- he can be a middle-six scoring wing in the NHL. - TD

12 Malte Setkov, D (100^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 16) Setkov is an interesting long-term project for the Red Wings. He is a 6-7” defenseman who can move the puck well and is an agile skater. He is tall and lanky and looks like a taller version of Jay Bouwmeester on the ice. He isn’t as skilled with the puck as Bouwmeester, but if he can use his reach and mobility to shut down plays he will become a strong defensive defenseman. Last season, he moved up and down between SuperElit, Allsvenskan and the SHL. The plan for him this season is to be a regular in the SHL. He will need to fill out his body, play stronger and use his size better as a weapon in the physical game. He has decent bottom pair potential. - JH

13 Filip Larsson, G (167^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 15) Once we get past the two mild strikes of never having played a full season and having size that is slightly below average for the modern netminder, we are left with a goalie who has only ever stopped the puck at a near elite rate, excelling in Sweden’s SuperElit league, the USHL, and the NCAA respectively in the last three seasons. He has excellent lateral movement, and reacts well to stop second chances when they occur. Despite his lack of height, he tracks the puck through screens well. Larsson stays calm in one-on-one situations, where he can flash a quick glove hand. He is also a fine athlete, which shows most prominently in his balance and poise. He doesn’t lunge, but stays over his toes, square to the shooter. Next year he will make it four leagues in four years, as he turned pro after a single season with the Denver Pioneers. He is the Detroit goalie most likely to emerge as a long term NHL starter. - RW

14 Oliwer Kaski, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed May 28, 2019. Last Year: IE) Kaski put together a breakout season in the Liiga, amassing 19 goals and 51 points in 59 games. His terrific season did not go unnoticed as he was named the best player of the regular season and the best defenseman in the league as well. He is a sizeable 6-3” defenseman with a cannon for a shot from the point. His slap shot is very good with power, accuracy, and heaviness, featuring good wind up and technique as well. He skates well in all directions and shows nice agility considering his size. He is more of a puck mover than a puck rusher and he is poised in possession. Not very physical, he needs to use his size as an asset more often and be tougher to play against in the defensive zone. Kaski is a classic late bloomer with intriguing offensive abilities. - MB

15 Ryan Kuffner, LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 12, 2019. Last Year: IE) Kuffner has a great hockey I.Q.; his hustle is evident, and he always makes smart plays. He can improve upon his speed, but he knows where to go without the puck and that leads to scoring chances with his pro wrist shot. He scored his 68th career goal this season to set the all-time goal scoring record at Princeton. He ended up with 75 before exhausting his eligibility. The winger was a big cog on the team who played in all situations. He is a very durable player and the Red Wings were smart to see what he could do at the NHL level. He didn’t earn a point with the Red Wings over 10 games. He will start next season in Grand Rapids, and he will have to impress Steve Yzerman, his new boss. He’s a third liner or bust kind of prospect. - RC

16 Alec Regula, D (67^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 14) Regula remains a project prospect for the Red Wings. He took some nice steps forward last year in London, but his skill set is still very raw. He possesses that size and mobility combination that all NHL teams covet on the backend now. Furthermore, he is a very a physical player who can be very difficult to play against. On the other hand, his decision making, both with the puck and without it, needs to be refined. He can take himself out of position defensively with his over aggressiveness, and he can be prone to turnovers with the puck. The potential is there for him to develop into an NHL defender after another year in the OHL and a few in the AHL. - BO

17 Gustav Lindstrom, D (38^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 13) Lindstrom got a good chance in the SHL last season. He was third in ice-time for Frolunda and earned second unit power play time as well. He is a puck skilled defenseman with some creativity to him but hasn’t seen his production take off yet. The soon-to-be 21 year-old will head to North America this season and will probably play in the AHL. His strengths are with the puck and his weaknesses are without the puck. He can play aggressively and block shots, but it is not a strength of his. He isn’t strong winning the puck and pushing the play up the ice with either his skating or his puck skills. If he is going to make the NHL, it will be as a top four defenseman and that now seems like a longshot. His development was fast-paced up until his draft year, but has slowed down since. - JH

18 Dominic Turgeon, C (63^rd overall, 2014. Last Year: 19) Although his ceiling is not as high as his prospect peers, Turgeon is one of the safest and most certain picks as a future NHLer in the Red Wings system, based on his smarts, ability to play a lockdown defensive role, and his timely offensive output. With AHL Grand Rapids over the past three seasons, he has manhandled opponents with his toughness, hockey IQ, and discipline as a shutdown defensive center, often facing and besting the opposition’s primary offensive unit. He is not the best of skaters, therefore his offensive output is sporadic, but he possesses a nifty wrist shot and command of his physical tools, which makes him useful in transition. Turgeon will never be more than a bottom-six NHL center, but he could carve out a long and successful career in that role as soon as this season. - TD

19 Otto Kivenmaki, C (191^st overall, 2018. Last Year: 20) Kivenmäki is a skilled and smooth skating center who finished the past Liiga season strong. He has good playmaking skills and vision, enabling him to run the power play effectively and set up his teammates for scoring chances. He is very shifty and has great acceleration, with top notch edge work. He can maneuver with the puck in tight spaces with relative ease. Kivenmäki's defensive game and physical game both are areas which require significant improvement if he is going to make it to the NHL, although his severe lack of size will make that difficult. His speed helps him catch opponents, especially on the backcheck. He has shown interesting offensive skills, yet he remains a long shot as far as the NHL is concerned. - MB

20 Kasper Kotkansalo, D (71^st overall, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) Kotkansalo is a third pairing defenseman who plays his college hockey at Boston University. Through his first two collegiate seasons, he has 17 points in 78 games, a good hint at the type of player he is. He skates very well and is a good passer. He stays out of the penalty box and plays an edgy brand of defense. He will shoot the puck and occasionally threaten the net, but he is more of a mobile puck mover and a defender sent on the ice to make life difficult for the opposition. He has a chance to play the third pairing in the NHL and at 6-2”, 198 pounds, he could be a guy who kills penalties as well. For a 71st overall pick he is progressing nicely, but he will need at least one more season in college hockey. - RC

Detroit Red Wings Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 18:57:52 +0000

In 2016-17, the Red Wings missed the postseason for the first time in a quarter century. They missed again, more emphatically, last year, with their 73 points on the season falling 26 points shy of the final wild card spot.

While the team was seemingly clinging to their postseason hopes through at least mid-season in 2016-17, there was no question that they were not “going for it” last year. They did not quite tank, but they self-identified as sellers as the trade deadline neared and their most prominent off-season acquisition heading into 2017-18 was the one and only Luke Witkowski.

Now that they are a full season past the denial stage of mourning/rebuilding, we can see how the organization is planning to return the Red Wings to a place of prominence in the NHL. On the one hand, they were able to leverage some diminishing assets in 2016-17 to acquire additional draft picks, selecting 11 times in total. On the other hand, all of their extra selections came after the top two rounds. Picking four times in the third round is nice, but having extra picks in the first and/or second is better.

So while Detroit only had 10 draft picks this year, the extra picks were far more significant. In 2017, the Wings second pick was 38^th overall. This year, they selected four times by the time the 38^th pick was taken. They made seven of the first 84 picks. Not only that, but the drafting strategy the Wings took on this year was more centered on skill than on players who fit a certain role. They chose for upside instead of safety.

Not that anything was wrong with the selection of Michael Rasmussen ninth overall last year. Everyone loves 6-6” centers who are mobile and dangerous from the dots on down. On the other hand, he has long dealt with recurring injuries and an outsized portion of his production has come on the power play. He just might not be Eric Lindros.

Their next two highest picks of their 2017 draft class were blueliners who are more notable for IQ and two way play than any sort of dynamism. Systems need those players, and NHL teams need them too, but they are not the types of prospects on whom you can plan a rebuild.

With their first four picks of the 2018 draft, the Red Wings added players who all could have easily fit in the first round and do project as players who could be central to the next playoff team in Detroit.

Detroit looks to have another season of selling in store in 2018-19, but with the ascent of some of the products of the last two draft classes looking to be ready to contribute by 2019-20, as well as the maturation of previous draft hauls, such as Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, and Tyler Bertuzzi, they can now focus on building a team that will not just be competitive, but with some luck, could be an elite franchise again. The path back to greatness will not be linear, but at least they can now envision it.

Filip Zadina

1 Filip Zadina, LW (6^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) While we can understand the motives of Montreal, Ottawa, and Arizona in taking Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Brady Tkachuk, and Barrett Hayton with the third, fourth and fifth picks of the draft, respectively, we remain convinced that Zadina was the third best player in the 2018 draft class, closer to Andrei Svechnikov at number 2 than might be believed. He grades at a very high level as a skater, shooter, puck handler and for his hockey IQ. He plays with grit, energy, and a true nose for the net. Even if Zadina plateaued after two thirds of the QMJHL season with Halifax, the level he had been playing at for months is one that few ever achieve at any level. The fact that he upped his output when the lights were brightest suggests he could make good on the chance to make the NHL roster right away. Zadina is a building block.

2 Joe Veleno, C (30^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) The first and thus far only player granted “Exceptional Player” status by the QMJHL, Veleno played a mature game with Saint John, filling a middle six role up the middle as the Sea Dogs won the QMJHL title in 2017. Unfortunately, he slumped badly to kick off his draft year, as the only player of note left on a team in the beginning of a tear-down. He particularly struggled putting the puck in the net. After a midseason trade to Drummondville, with the pressure of being The Man off his shoulders, his season took off again and he more than doubled his goalscoring while improving his rate of helpers as well. Detroit was surprised to see him available at the end of the first round, and his high end skating, playmaking, and hockey IQ all suggest that he could one day be a number one center, with the second line as his floor.

3 Michael Rasmussen, C (9^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 1^st) While it was fair to consider Rasmussen an overdraft at ninth overall in 2017, there is no question but that he profiles as an impact center in the NHL. If there were doubters, his performance in the WHL playoffs last season, with a ridiculous 33 points in 14 games, put such concerns to rest. He is an average skater, even considering his size, which might prevent him from being a true fist line center, but he is an incredible sniper and can be impossible to strip of the puck. That his strength comes with soft hands is a bonus. The Red Wings are expected to give him every chance to make the NHL out of camp this year. He will probably need to be eased into life in the NHL with sheltered shifts, but he should be a top six staple within two seasons.

4 Jared McIsaac, D (36^th overall. Last Year: IE) After being fortunate to nab Zadina at sixth overall in the first round, Detroit returned to Halifax with their second second rounder, taking all around blueliner Jared McIsaac. A fantastic skater who does everything at an above average level, he has already represented Canada at the WU18 tournament twice. It was not too long ago that McIsaac was considered the best offensive defenseman in the QMJHL (ahead of Noah Dobson). With Halifax expected to ramp up as they prepare to host next year’s Memorial Cup, expect McIsaac to put up a copious amount of points and gain even experience in the spotlight. If there is a future first pairing defender in this system, this is it.

Jonatan Berggren

5 Jonatan Berggren, LW/RW (33^rd overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) One of the better skating forwards in the 2018 draft class, Berggren put up crazy numbers in the Swedish junior ranks and was one of the breakout stars of the WU18 tournament, but lasted to the second pick of the second round due to a lack of muscle and a lack of experience at the senior level. In his 10 games in the SHL, he failed to get his name on the scoresheet. He should see more time with Skelleftea’s senior team this year, and his skating and puck skills both graded very highly and will be his tickets to the NHL. His other attributes around average, but he shows flashes of a strong shot and enough vision to suggest a top six projection within a few years.

6 Dennis Cholowski, D (20^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 4^th overall) Before leaving St. Cloud St. after his freshman season to sign an ELC with Detroit and proceed to play in the WHL with prince George and then Portland, Cholowski was easy to overlook, whether it was due to playing in the BCHL in his draft year, or due to minimal offensive production in college. That changed when he left for Major Junior. Nearly reaching one point per game in the rough WHL will do that. Cholowski is a highly skilled puck mover, with very high hockey IQ and the ability to play any number of roles at the highest level. He lacks a thundering shot, which may keep him from the first power play unit, but between his ability to read the game, move the puck in the right direction and play at a high pace, he could do most other things.

7 Filip Hronek D (53^rd overall, 2016. Last Year: 6^th) Were it not for an amazing draft class, Hronek could easily have been ranked among the top three in this system. Drafted in the second round after struggling to make an impact as an 18 year old in the Czech men’s league, Hronek came to the OHL and had zero adjustment period to the North American game. One year later, his transition from the OHL to the AHL went just as smoothly. He is a very good puck rushing blueliner who could stand to recognize danger a little better. He has also been sheltered, so his ability to play tough minutes is still a question. Those warts aside, he plays a very mature game with the puck and is not very far at all from the NHL.

8 Evgeni Svechnikov, LW (19^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 2^nd) Most players who performed as Svechnikov did last year in the AHL would be hard pressed to appear in a top 20 at all, much less in the top ten of a system as deep as Detroit’s. But even as his point per game average fell from 0.69 to 0.4 in AHL action, he still has a full set of tools, along with youth, to allow him to project into a top six at the NHL level with greater consistency and compete level. To his credit, he did not look completely out of place in a 14 game trial in the NHL, during which he scored his first two goals. He is very talented with the puck on his stick, with a long reach and strong hands and has a quick shot release. He is not bad away from the puck either. All the tools are there, he just needs to show the want to put them together.

9 David Pope, LW (109^th overall, 2013. Last Year: 19^th) The longest tenured prospect in the top 20, David Pope is the epitome of a late bloomer, who truly blossomed over his final two season at Nebraska-Omaha, with 72 points over those 69 games and a Hobey Baker nomination as a senior. Pope has a big frame, and is no more than an average skater, but he packs a very strong shot and above average puck handling skills as well as a sharp hockey mind. Late bloomer or not, he is already 23 and will have to prove himself soon. If he cannot do it within a full AHL campaign, it might never happen, but with some trade assets at LW in the NHL who could be moved by the deadline, we are optimistic.

10 Ryan O’Reilly, C/RW (98^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) To get a steal at the draft, you have to be willing to bet on a player’s upside overcoming his red flags. There are many players out there who are OK at a lot of things, but great at nothing, but only a few who can demonstrate high end tools, even if it is packaged with some subpar ones. O’Reilly, a Texas native, fits that mold. At is best, he has an NHL caliber shot, along with above average skating and puck handling. On the other hand, he can shy away from the game away from the puck and his effort level can waver. His instincts can also hurt him at times. With another year in the USHL in store before attending the U of Denver, Detroit will have a lot of time to let O’Reilly hone his game.

Joe Hicketts

11 Joe Hicketts, D (UDFA: Sep. 24, 2014. Last Year: 9^th) Little Joe Hicketts, packs a big punch despite being one of the smallest blueliners in pro hockey at 5-8”, 180. While his sophomore campaign in the AHL was not as statistically impressive as his rookie season was, he still profiles as a pretty safe third pairing blueliner who is very close to NHL ready. He plays a surprisingly physical game, is strong on his stick, and positions himself well to disrupt opponent attacks. Although he lacks a big shot from the point, he is patient and poised with the puck and is quick on his feet. He will be in consideration for the #6/7 role in Detroit this season.

12 Keith Petruzzelli, G (88^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 8^th) By all accounts, Petruzzelli struggled in his first year with Quinnipiac. The anointed starter as a freshman for the Bobcats, a handful of poor performances caused him to lose the job to Andrew Shortridge. Perhaps we temper our previous enthusiasm a touch, but we still believe in Petruzzelli, particularly as his play ticked back up in the second half of the season. A lanky 6-6”, he has above average athleticism and played a competitive game in the net. The funny thing about goalies is that one extra save every two games can be the difference between fantastic and subpar. One save per game is the difference between sub and superstar. The heat will be on higher this year, but Petruzzelli has the tools to make it work.

13 Gustav Lindstrom, D (38^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 13^th) Drafted by the Red Wings in the second round in 2017 as a mature beyond his years defender who spent his draft year playing with men in Allsvenskan, he showed enough development in his first post-draft year to maintain that projection. He has very good puck control and a dangerous wrist shot, even if his involvement in the offense has been somewhat muted thus far. Although he needs to get stronger, he also showed some more hints of the ability to play a more physical game this year. The Wings have already signed him to an ELC, although Lindstrom is expected to spend next season playing in the SHL, with Frolunda.

Alec Regula

14 Alec Regula, D (67^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) At one time a USHL player committed to the University of Michigan, Alec Regula left the Chicago Steel after playing a supporting run in their Clark Cup Championship and spent his draft year in the OHL, with the London Knights. Seeing as how his offensive game blossomed while retaining his reputation for strong play in his own zone, it looks to have been a wise career choice. Although he lacks any specific impact tools, his overall collection, tied together by an advanced hockey mind, make the whole greater than the sum of the individual parts. He has ideal size, plus mobility and is strong on the puck. He might stay below the radar, but he has NHL upside.

15 Filip Larsson, G (167^th overall, 2016. Last Year: unranked) The Red Wings took a flyer on Larsson despite rather poor numbers in his draft year in the SuperElit and at the WU18s. Actually, his numbers were horrific in the latter. Since then, however, Larsson’s stock has taken off. He improved his save percentage with Djurgarden’s U20 team from .872 to .925 and was named the top goaltender in the USHL after a .941 save percentage in 30 games for Tri-City, which earned him a spot on Sweden’s WJC squad. He has average size, but moves around his crease at a solid level and does not give up on a play. He will have every chance to claim the starting job next year at the University of Denver.

16 Malte Setkov, D (100^th overall, 2017. Last Year: unranked) The towering Setkov left his native Denmark to improve his hockey fortunes with Malmo in Sweden at the age of 15. 6-6” and lanky, he is nonetheless a fairly strong skater and shows signs of upside in terms of puck skills and hockey IQ. When he keeps his game simple, he can be a very effective defender, able to get the puck out of his own zone and begin the transition, while making life difficult for opponents through a heavy game. At his worst, he seems uncoordinated and overthinks things, leading to bad decisions with the puck, or falling out of position. After spending most of last year in the Swedish second division, he will have a bigger opportunity to spend time in the SHL.

17 Libor Sulak, D (UDFA: May 24, 2017. Last Year: unranked) Undrafted despite solid performances growing up in the Czech hockey system, even spending his first draft eligible season in the Russian junior ranks, Sulak caught the eyes of Red Wings scouts in his age 22 season, his second season in the pan Central Europe EBEL. A fantastic skating blueliner, the Wings loaned him to Pelicans, in Finland’s top men’s league to continue his path. A very impressive season in Liiga followed, with 32 points in 42 games, eighth among all league defenders, and second among them in points per game. He even contributed a pair of assists in his two game cameo in the AHL with Grand Rapids. He needs to make some adjustments to his game off the puck, but he should be ready to spend the full season in North America.

18 Givani Smith, RW (46^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 5^th) Givani Smith, whose older brother Gemel had his first full year in the NHL last year with Dallas, is the embodiment of the trend in drafting to avoid limited skill power players in the early rounds. A former second round pick, the younger Smith has a near elite physical game, but lacks any other attributes that project as more than average. Outside of a star turn in the postseason last year with Kitchener, he has never reached 0.7 points-per-game in his OHL career. Between his size and his strength, he will continue to get chances, and there are some power forwards who simply take longer to realize their ceilings, but it is currently hard to see more than a bottom six grinder in Smith right now.

19 Dominic Turgeon, C (63^rd overall, 2014. Last Year: unranked) Unlike many of the other players on this list, Turgeon is not a big upside guy. He is a middle six center in the AHL who projects as a likely fourth liner in the NHL. Son of former first overall pick and landmark Hall of Very Good player Pierre Turgeon, Dominic is not so much a chip off the old block, but he has enough mobility and hockey IQ to play a definite NHL role as soon as this season. He received his first five game sin the NHL last season, and should be in line for a fair bit more next season. He has just enough offensive ability to stick.

20 Otto Kivenmaki, C (191^st overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) It is easy to go under the radar when you are only 5-8”, 150, or when you have never appeared for your country in a prominent international tournament. Missing much of the second half to injury and then signing a three year contract with Assat between the end of the season and the draft also likely nicked Kivenmaki’s draft stock. But despite the red flags, Kivenmaki is a very fast, very skilled center who plays with a fearlessness belying his stature. He scored at a point per game pace in the Jr. A SM-liiga (Finland’s top U20 league) and should move on to the senior Liiga this year.

Detroit – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 09:14:04 +0000

For years, the Detroit Red Wings deservedly held the reputation of being among the most astute drafters in the game. The rosters of those teams that famously went to 25 consecutive playoffs were littered with not only players that were developed in-house, but many of whom were mid and late round draft picks. Notable players drafted by the Red Wings after the second round include Vladimir Konstantinov (11th round, 1989), Sergei Fedorov (4th round, 1989), Niklas Lidstrom (3rd round, 1989), Slava Kozlov (3rd round, 1990), Mike Knuble (4th round, 1991), Tomas Holmstrom (10th round, 1994), Pavel Datsyuk (6th round, 1998), Henrik Zetterberg (7th round, 1999), Jonathan Ericsson (9th round, 2002), Valtteri Filppula (3rd round, 2002), Johan Franzen (3rd round, 2004), and Gustav Nyquist (4th round, 2008).

In addition to the remarkable run of middle and late round success experienced by the organization, notable about the above players is that, for all but Knuble, they were drafted out of Europe, particularly Sweden and Russia. The folks responsible for those selections deserve as much applause as we can give. But for all of their success drafting Europeans late, the Wings, like all other franchises, drafted many players in the later rounds who never panned out, including players from Europe as well as North America. Witness the 2011 draft class, whose top impact player (Dmitri Bykov) spent one season in the NHL before returning to Russia. Or 1996. The Red Wings got 49 games out of first rounder Jesse Wallin, and a grand total of zero out of the remaining eight players drafted.

Looking at their past few draft classes, the ones whose products are largely featured in this space, we can see that the Wings have continued to invest heavily in Europeans in the 3-7 rounds. Between 2011-2016, the Red Wings made 31 total selections in those rounds. 16 of the players taken were Europeans. I am no Don Cherry, bemoaning the growing wave of Europeans taking up spots from good old Canadian boys, but in Detroit’s case, there seems to have been the feeling that what worked in the past will continue to work in perpetuity. That had a magic touch with Europeans.

What they missed was that an undervalued edge that they once had was no longer undervalued across the NHL. High-end European players were no longer there for the taking. Russians were no longer so unwilling to come over to North America. The Europeans available after the second round were generally no better than the North Americans available at that point and could not promise any special value. And so we see that, despite such a heavy lean into Europeans in recent drafts, only three of the top 20 were actually drafted out of European leagues. With nine selections between the third and seventh rounds this year, the Red Wings may have learned that lesson. The sample is very small, but with only one of the nine drafted from a European league, the Red Wings seem to be ready to draft for talent, wherever it may be found.

Another downside to their recent approach, whether due to geographical lean, or simply how things have shaken out, is that the Detroit system, while deep in prospects that have NHL upside, is virtually bereft of true high-end, dynamic players. Of course, they have also very rarely had high picks, what with their long-time playoff streak finally coming to an end this past season, but they rarely were able to grab players who have developed into more than they had seemed on draft day. At present, none of the following twenty players, the top twenty in the pipeline, project as more than second line/second defensive pairing players.

1 Michael Rasmussen – A big player with skill, Rasmussen has uncommon touch for a man of his size (6-6”, 215). He is especially effective in the cycle when he is able to get a shot off from the half-wall on in. The Red Wings used a top ten pick on him despite the questions about the wrist injury that shortened his season and the fact that an outsized portion of his draft year production came on the power play. Needs to prove he can be a force at 5-on-5.

2 Evgeni Svechnikov – To Svechnikov’s credit, his 51 point rookie pro season (fourth among AHL rookies) ensured that no one would forget the talents that are inherent in the player drafted 19th overall in 2015. He plays a heavy game, has a very strong shot and plus puck protection skills. Despite the skill set, watching him this year, there was a sense that he would take shifts and games off and his intensity would waiver noticeably. His next hurdle will be consistency.

3 Tyler Bertuzzi – Essentially, the inverse of Svechnikov. Bertuzzi plays a very intense brand of hockey, which he supplements with enough skill to profile as a highly productive pest. In spite of injuries limiting his time on ice in his second season with Grand Rapids, Bertuzzi’s point production increased and he was lights out in a Calder Cup run. Can play in all situations and should be ready for his first full NHL season.

Dennis Cholowski

4 Dennis Cholowski – After a single season with St. Cloud State, the Wings signed Cholowski away from college. He will need at least two seasons before he is ready for the NHL, but the former first rounder is mobile and very steady in the back. He already demonstrates plus ability to read game situations and should be the type of player who is far more valuable in real life than in fantasy hockey.

5 Givani Smith – Although his scoring has yet to take off, stuck as he has been on a moribund Guelph team in the OHL, Smith, the Wings’ 2016 second rounder, has a power forwards’ build and playing style. A strong skater for his size, he has untapped puck skills and has been reliable in all situations for the Storm. Penalty minutes are a problem, as his exuberance often spills over into belligerence, but the tools are there for added offensive output given better teammates. This could be a big year for Smith.

6 Filip Hronek – Drafted only a few picks after Smith in 2016, Hronek had a stellar first season in North America, playing with Saginaw of the OHL, scoring over one point per game. Generally on the right side of the puck, Hronek’s effectiveness is easy to underappreciate, as he shows many of the little things that should allow him to move quickly through the system. He has plus mobility and very good puck moving skills.

7 Axel Holmstrom – Not related to longtime Red Wing Tomas Holmstrom, Axel’s game will remind many Wing’s fan of their former hero. While injuries made this past season (his third in the SHL) a write-off, he came to North America before the year ended and should spend most of next season in Grand Rapids. Not a great skater and not a threat from a distance, he is effective because he is next to impossible to dislodge from the crease. Great reads and soft hands.

8 Keith Petruzzelli – Although none of the skaters in the system project as first line/first pair players, Petruzzelli has the potential to one day be a starting netminder. That day is far into the future, but the future Quinnipiac goalie has incredible size, plus athleticism and a high compete level. He needs to also prove that he can hold up under a big work-load, as his 37 games played this year were a career high.

9 Joe Hicketts – A rare high-profile undrafted free agent out of the CHL, Hicketts fails the eye test, standing only 5-8”, 174. But he makes those inches count. On the offensive side of the game, he is aggressive and effective, sensing openings and attacking them. Off the puck, he needs a responsible partner as he will pull himself out of position chasing a play, but he uses his stick well and plays bigger than his size.

10 Vili Saarijarvi – Undersized (not as much as Hicketts, but still quite small), Saarijarvi has put up points from the blueline wherever he has gone. His amateur career ended on a strong note, with 15 points in Mississauga’s run to the OHL finals. He can be soft off the puck, but his plus mobility and puck moving skills will give him a good chance to be an impact player.

11 Ryan Sproul – Had injuries not made last season a near write-off, Sproul would not likely be eligible for this list. After three full AHL seasons, he spent all of last year in the NHL, but only got into 27 games. His ceiling may be that of a third pairing NHL defender, but he is already there. Does not have any standout tools, but has enough of everything that he should not be a liability in a sheltered role.

12 Jordan Sambrook – Another blueliner who does a little bit of everything, Sambrook was an instrumental player in Erie’s run to the OHL championship and the Memorial Cup title game. A two-way defenseman who has been pivotal on both special teams units, he will have to prove this year that he can continue to produce offensively on a much depleted OHL team. Another good year will move him up this list more than a few spots.

13 Gustav Lindstrom – The Wings’ 2017 second round pick, Lindstrom has strong puck skills and a high hockey IQ, made more interesting by the fact that he has only been playing in a competitive league for three years. He was competent as a rookie teenager in the Allsvenskan and there is more room for growth with this prospect than with most of the others in this region on the list.

14 Martin Frk – Exposed to waivers last year, Frk, a former Wings’ second rounder was claimed by Carolina. He got into only two games with the Hurricanes before they, too, exposed him and the Red Wings re-claimed their man. He spent another season with Grand Rapids and continued to prove that he is ready for an NHL chance. He has an NHL shot, but the rest of his game fails to excite. His career will be dictated by the percentages.

15 Jared Coreau – In his fourth season as a pro, after signing as a free agent out of Northern Michigan, Coreau finally received an NHL opportunity, appearing in 14 games for the Red Wings, shutting out both Montreal and L.A. A big body who guards his posts well and does a respectable job controlling rebounds, he is limited by his lack of athleticism, which affects his lateral movements. The team likes him, and exposed Petr Mrazek in the expansion draft, confident in Coreau’s ability to take over the backup job. Vegas passed over Mrazek, though, and barring a trade, Coreau will spend another season on the farm.

16 Zach Gallant – With strong acceleration and a wide array of shots to choose from, Zach Gallant, a third round pick from this year’s draft is one to watch. He has a tendency to vary his effort level from period to period, but at his best, is a strong 200 foot player wo plays a physical game. Stronger at moving the puck up the ice than at executing offensive zone entries.

17 Kasper Kotkansalo – The first of four third round picks made by Detroit this year, Kotkansalo held his own as a tough minutes defenseman with a struggling Sioux Falls squad in the USHL. He has limited offensive tools, but has loads of hockey smarts and a pro-sized frame. He will be taking his mature, relatively mistake-free game to Boston University next season.

18 Lane Zablocki – The last of Detroit’s third rounders on this list, Zablocki was potent offensively for both Regina and Red Deer in his draft year. Despite his plus numbers with both teams, his tools do not suggest a high end scorer as a pro. If anything, his physical game is his most impressive attribute thus far in his young career.

19 David Pope – A sleeper pick whose offensive game finally show signs of life in his third season at Nebraska-Omaha. Although the offensive improvement is nice, his off-puck game is even more impressive. A good penalty killing winger and a disruptive forechecker.

20 Dylan Sadowy – After a lost rookie professional season, Sadowy will either be way higher on this list next year, or way off. A strong offensive producer with a plus shot at the OHL level, he deserves at least one full, healthy season in the AHL before writing him off.

There are several more players besides the twenty above who were considered for inclusion, including Chase Pearson, Dominic Turgeon, Robbie Russo and Malte Setkov. This is a deep system, with many players who could play roles on future Red Wigs’ teams. In a salary cap world, it is important to be able to fill out the bottom half of the roster with lower cost, preferably homegrown, players and the Wings are positioned to do just that. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, they lack in players who look to be future team leaders. Dylan Larkin, once considered a future centerpiece, took a step back in his sophomore campaign. Anthony Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou are still young but neither has yet staked a claim in the top six.

This system-wide shortage is a consequence of drafting to type. In addition to over-drafting Europeans for much of the past decade, the Wings seem to overvalue size and a power game with their forwards and quiet competence among defensemen. Neither are bad things, per se, but they need more variety to round out a competitive NHL roster going forward.

2017 NHL Draft Grades: Atlantic Division – Detroit Red Wings

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 16:57:29 +0000

Shortly after 1:00pm CST, on Saturday, June 24, 2017, the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins selected William Reilly, a defenseman from RPI as the 217^th player selected, bringing the 2017 Entry Draft to an end. With a few days of hindsight between me and the bowels of the United Center, the urge to spew out hot takes flushed away, it is time to analyze the strategies and selections employed by the league’s 31 teams.

The analysis will focus on the first five rounds, as it is clear to most long-time observers that the final two rounds are often taken up with long-shots, favours to regional scouts, among other reasons. I will, of course, call out some astute late picks, but will not judge a team for the names called in the final hour. The apocryphal story of Pekka Rinne, drafted as an eighth round after-thought in 2004 based mostly on his play in game warm-ups. Few other scouts would have seen him at all, and he has had a very good career, which is not yet over. For the most part, though, those picks have little statistical likelihood of having NHL careers and teams should not be judged there.

Each draft class will be graded using the 20-80 scale that we use in our player specific scouting reports throughout the site. In this context, a 50 is essentially an average grade in light of the picks the team had on draft day. A 20 would mean the draft is an unmitigated disaster while an 80 would be the best draft class of all time. As those things can only be truly seen in retrospect, most classes will trend towards 50 at this point, so pay attention to those we see as outliers.

Finally, all grades are incomplete. Actual winners and losers in this draft class will not be known until 2023 at the earliest, after those who will have “made it” will have played out their entry-level contracts. What I am looking at here is whether, knowing what we know now, the drafting team got good value.

RD	#	CS	MCK	PLAYER	P	AGE	HT/WT	TEAM
1	9	5-N	10	Michael RASMUSSEN	C	18	6-6/215	Tri-City (WHL)
2	38	25-E	103	Gustav LINDSTROM	D	18	6-2/190	Almtuna (Swe 2)
3	71	92-N	125	Kasper KOTKANSALO	D	18	6-2/200	Sioux Falls (USHL)
3	79	52-N	90	Lane ZABLOCKI	RW	18	5-11/190	Reg-RD (WHL)
3	83	64-N	89	Zach GALLANT	C	18	6-2/190	Peterborough (OHL)
3	88	2-NG	37	Keith PETRUZZELLI	G	18	6-5/180	Muskegon (USHL)
4	100	NR		Malte SETKOV	D	18	6-4/185	Malmo (Swe Jr)
5	131	197-N		Cole FRASER	D	18	6-2/195	Peterborough (OHL)
6	162	NR	hm	Jack ADAMS	RW	20	6-5/210	Fargo (USHL)
6	164	NR		Reilly WEBB	D	18	6-3/195	Hamilton (OHL)
7	193	NR		Brady GILMOUR	C	18	5-10/170	Saginaw (OHL)

RD	#	PLAYER	P	TEAM	GP (W)	G (L)	A (T)	PTS (GA)	PIM (Sv%)
1	9	Michael RASMUSSEN	C	Tri-City (WHL)	50	32	23	55	50
2	38	Gustav LINDSTROM	D	Almtuna (Swe 2)	48	2	7	9	26
3	71	Kasper KOTKANSALO	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	47	1	11	12	43
3	79	Lane ZABLOCKI	RW	Reg-RD (WHL)	64	28	26	54	97
3	83	Zach GALLANT	C	Peterborough (OHL)	60	21	26	47	74
3	88	Keith PETRUZZELLI	G	Muskegon (USHL)	22	10	1	2.40	0.918
4	100	Malte SETKOV	D	Malmo (Swe Jr)	38	2	10	12	18
4	100			Malmo (Swe Jr 18)	3	2	2	4	4
5	131	Cole FRASER	D	Peterborough (OHL)	61	6	13	19	82
6	162	Jack ADAMS	RW	Fargo (USHL)	56	37	23	60	55
6	164	Reilly WEBB	D	Hamilton (OHL)	12	0	1	1	5
7	193	Brady GILMOUR	C	Saginaw (OHL)	65	26	21	47	4

Detroit Red Wings – Draft Grade: 40

Michael Rasmussen of the Tri-City Americans

Lots of quantity, but of questionable quality, that is the Detroit Red Wings 2017 draft class. With the ninth overall pick, the Wings passed over Gabriel Vilardi and Owen Tippett, among other more skilled players, for massive Tri-City center Michael Rasmussen. Rasmussen is absolutely a first round talent, but there are enough questions about his game that he should have remained on the board for another four or five picks or so. Four or five picks at this early stage in the draft are significant. He is a solid skater for his size and knows how to use his bulk to create space for himself down low but struggled to produce at even strength, with an inordinate number of his goals and points coming on the power play. The Wings are clearly hoping that he can follow an accelerated version of Anthony Mantha’s path to the NHL. They could have gone for more with their highest draft pick since popping Keith Primeau third overall in 1990.

Zach Gallant of the Peterborough Petes. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

With their second round selection, they picked up a Swedish defenceman who we had ranked 103, while their first of four third rounder, a Finnish blueliner in the USHL, we had ranked 125. The former, Gustav Lindstrom, does have plus puck skills, while the latter, Kasper Kotkansalo, does most things at an average to slightly above average level, but has no standout skills. I will give them credit for a trio of astute picks with their other three third rounders, as CHL centers Lane Zablocki and Zach Gallant were both solid value at that point, while their final pick of the round, netminder Keith Petruzzelli, was a particular favorite of mine, and could be the Wings’ goalie of the future.

Best value: Keith Petruzzelli, G, Muskegon (3/88): That Petruzzelli lasted to late in the third round is all the evidence I need to swear off taking goalies in the first round forever. Playing more than he ever had in a single season before, the lanky Quinnipiac commit hit a wall towards the end of the season, but his compete level and ability to read the play (he is, after all, generally the tallest guy on the ice) will let him go far.

Biggest head-scratcher: Michael Rasmussen, C, Tri-City (1/9): At 15^th overall, Rasmussen would be a wise choice. At number 9, with Vilardi and Tippett both still on the board, the Red Wings seem likely to feel regret sooner than later. While Rasmussen is a force down low, his even strength shortcomings should have given the team pause before walking up to the podium.

McKeen’s 2017 NHL Draft Rankings (Subscribers) – Top 125 – May 31st, 2017

Iain Morrell — Wed, 31 May 2017 14:16:51 +0000

MCKEEN'S 2017 NHL DRAFT GUIDE - Learn more here!

Nico Hischier will make National Hockey League history as the first name called in Chicago at the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

The New Jersey Devils hold the first overall selection having won the draft lottery, and will be looking at three prospects in particular who have risen to the top of the 2017 draft class.

Switzerland's Nico Hischier #18 leans in for the face-off during preliminary round action against the Czech Republic at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Hischier is a very attractive choice having 'checked all the boxes' during an outstanding North American debut with the Halifax Mooseheads. The native of Naters, Switzerland led all rookie scorers in the QMJHL and finished 10th in league scoring, while delivering strong performances for his country at both the U20 and U18 World Junior Championships (WJC).

A fast and dynamic skater with high-end puck skills, Hischier distinguished himself for his two-way diligence and his ability to contribute in every area of the ice and - by extension - the game. He possesses a high hockey IQ and is a very creative player combining both structure and innovation.

It will be an agonizing decision if New Jersey opts to pass on Hischier in favour of the other prime attraction - Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings.

The Winnipeg native entered the 2016-17 season as the consensus top choice after a standout season in which he tied for the league playoff scoring lead with 30 points in 21 games (13-17-30) and earned WHL Playoff MVP honours.

Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings. Photo by Tim Smith/Brandon Sun

Patrick was injured during that playoff run however and underwent sports hernia surgery last July. His groin/abdominal problems would re-surface after playing in Brandon's opening five games, and sideline him for 34 games and force him to miss the U20 WJC.

Returning in January, Patrick still managed to finish fifth on the Wheat Kings in scoring with 20 goals and 46 points despite playing in just 33 games.

However he suffered another health setback late in the regular season - an unspecified upper-body injury - and missed the WHL playoffs.

Nolan Patrick would be the first Manitoban selected first overall in the NHL draft - with Nico Hischier set to become the first-ever Swiss-born player.

A third option emerged for New Jersey this spring at the U18 WJC where defenceman Miro Heiskanen turned in a commanding performance for Finland and effectively threw his hat into the ring.

Finland's Miro Heiskanen #2 lets a shot go during relegation round action against Latvia at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

It makes some sense for the Devils to consider adding a potential building block on the blueline given the loss of Adam Larsson in last summer's Taylor Hall deal.

Heiskanen would be the first Finnish-born player to go first overall.

CENTRE STAGE

Gabriel Vilardi of the Windsor Spitfires sits at No. 4 on the McKeen's Top 125 - ranking the best prospects available for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Gabriel Vilardi of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound forward led Windsor with 29 goals and 61 points - in just 49 games - and then played a central role in helping the Spitfires win the Memorial Cup, highlighted by a four-assist performance in a win over the top-ranked Erie Otters.

Big, highly-skilled, and ultra competitive, Vilardi brings plenty of meat to the plate - but the skating has raised concerns about how impactful an NHLer he can be. Described as a 'knock kneed' skater, he will have to continue upgrading his quickness and explosiveness.

The Kingston, Ontario native can play on the wing but showcased at the Top Prospects Game in January that he is very effective playing in the middle.

The fifth-ranked prospect is Casey Mittelstadt, the top American-born player.

Mittelstadt ripped apart the high school circuit averaging 2.56 points per game (64 points in 25 games) and earning Minnesota’s distinguished Mr. Hockey award as the state’s top senior skater. He fell short though of leading his hometown Eden Prairie to a state championship, falling in the semi-finals.

Mittelstadt was questioned about returning for his senior year amid concerns that his development could be stunted. However, he helped allay some of those concerns with impressive stints in the USHL, wrapped around his high school season, recording 30 points in 24 games - for a 1.25 points-per-game average which was tops in the league.

Sharp-shooting winger Owen Tippett of the Mississauga Steelheads is next at No. 6.

The Peterborough, Ontario native infuriated with his inconsistent (and incomplete) defensive work habits but, at the end of the day, may be the best goal-scoring prospect in this draft class.

He finished fifth in the OHL with 44 goals and added another 10 goals in 20 playoff games.

Slick-skating defenceman Cale Makar of the Brooks Bandits is ranked seventh.

The Calgary, Alberta native was among this season's biggest risers - shooting up the draft chart and dazzling with his skating and skills while leading Brooks to the RBC Cup final.

Makar still has plenty of growing to do in terms of learning how to harness and deploy his exceptional talents. His education will be in good hands for his upcoming freshman season at the University of Massachusetts. Makar may benefit most by staying on the NCAA collegiate route for at least two years, though the lure of the NHL is all powerful.

Sorting out the rest of the top 10 has been a convoluted journey since the initial rankings were published last fall. That's not unusual - but this season the rankings seemed to be in a larger state of flux. There's not much to separate the next dozen or so players - all of whom could conceivably land a top 10 spot.

Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks

Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks was another big riser, moving up from 24th - in the preliminary ranking - to grab the No. 8 position.

A cerebral two-way pivot with good size and skill, the Winnipeg native led Portland and tied for seventh in WHL scoring during a spectacular breakout season - in which he more than tripled his rookie numbers from 2015-16.

Glass begins a run of centremen with seven of the next ten players being pivots; Michael Rasmussen (10th), Elias Pettersson (11th), Martin Necas (12th), Robert Thomas (15th), Nick Suzuki (16th), and Lias Andersson (17th).

KLIM PICKINGS

The wildcards for this year's draft will begin with swift-skating Swedish defenceman Timothy Liljegren

The native of Kristianstad, Sweden has been a prime name for 2017 since he was 16 years old - and was ranked No. 4 on our preliminary list. However, he was sidelined early by a bout of mononucleosis and struggled to find his game after returning.

There's no denying the physical gifts as he is a strong, fast skater with a good skill set featuring a heavy wristshot.

Klim Kostin

However, his hockey sense and overall decision making have continually come into question as the scrutiny on his game intensified. He doesn't seem to possess an innate feel for pressure and can be prone to stickchecks and turning pucks over on outlets. Can this part of his make-up develop and mature? Perhaps. It's a risk NHL teams must weigh before considering him as a top selection.

Another 'hot potato' pick will be Dynamo Moscow forward Klim Kostin who began the season at No. 5 in the rankings following a solid showing at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial. The Penza native captained Russia and led his team in scoring (5-4-3-7) while flashing an intriguing mix of size, skill and creativity.

He also put in a decent showing at the Canada-Russia series in November, albeit not enough for World Junior team coach Valeri Bragin to include him on the U20 roster. However, Kostin underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in January and missed an opportunity to further convince NHL scouts at the U18 WJC in April.

Strong and skilled with the puck, Kostin can create openings with his stickhandling and 1-on-1 abilities, but must work on his skating and consistency.

Eeli Tolvanen

Eeli Tolvanen also watched his stock soften as the season progressed after beginning as a top 10 pick (8th).

The native of Vihti, Finland tied for third in the USHL with 30 goals and then helped Sioux City reach the Clark Cup Finals. Tolvanen possesses sharp offensive instincts and a lethal shot, yet there are concerns about how his slight frame and dimensional game will translate to higher levels.

No player fell further in the rankings this season than towering Russian winger Nikita Popugaev.

The Moscow native fired 19 goals in his first 25 games with Moose Jaw, however his play tailed off in December and he was dealt a month later to Prince George where he continued to sputter.

Popugaev brings great size at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds as well as a strong shooting arsenal. His skating needs to come along though, particularly his footwork and overall agility.

But the bigger concern is how badly he wants it - as his work ethic and defensive play regressed to alarming levels over the second half.

PLENTY OF FINNISH

Finland gave advance warning that they would be a big factor at the 2017 NHL Draft when they captured gold at the 2016 U18 WJC.

It was Finland's first gold medal at the event since winning the first two tournaments in 1999 and 2000 - and was accomplished with a predominantly underage blueline.

They followed up this year at the U18's with a silver medal, led by the splendid duo of Miro Heiskanen and Urho Vaakanainen.

Heiskanen's exploits were well chronicled, however Vaakanainen's play may have turned just as many NHL heads. His smooth skating, subtle skills, and innate feel for the game were on full display throughout.

Vaakanainen could turn out to be one of the best players from this draft.

Expect the Finns to be high profile at this draft - as they could place up to seven players in the opening round plus another half dozen in the second.

In all, there are 16 Finnish-born players in the McKeen's Top 125 including a number of potential sleepers such as Joni Ikonen (59th), Aleksi Heponiemi (65th), Emil Oksanen (76th) and U18 WJC captain Aarne Talvitie (77th).

Finland's Santeri Virtanen #22 carries the puck during semifinal round action at the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Andrea Cardin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Gritty two-way centre Santeri Virtanen threw his name into the ring with an impressive showing at the U18 WJC after missing most of the season to injury.

His late rise wasn't a total surprise as he had initially been slotted as a potential 50-70 pick after a good showing at the Ivan Hlinka last fall.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	Nation
1	Nolan Patrick	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/200	19-Sep-98	Canada
2	Nico Hischier	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/175	4-Jan-99	Switzerland
3	Miro Heiskanen	D	HIFK Helsinki (Fin)	6-0/170	18-Jul-99	Finland
4	Gabriel Vilardi	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-3/200	16-Aug-99	Canada
5	Casey Mittelstadt	C	Eden Prairie (USHS-MN)	6-1/200	22-Nov-98	USA
6	Owen Tippett	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-1/200	16-Feb-99	Canada
7	Cale Makar	D	Brooks (AJHL)	5-11/180	30-Oct-98	Canada
8	Cody Glass	C	Portland (WHL)	6-2/180	1-Apr-99	Canada
9	Kristian Vesalainen	LW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-3/205	1-Jun-99	Finland
10	Michael Rasmussen	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-6/215	17-Apr-99	Canada
11	Elias Pettersson	C	Timra (Swe 2)	6-2/165	12-Nov-98	Sweden
12	Martin Necas	C	Kometa Brno (Cze)	6-0/170	15-Jan-99	Czech
13	Urho Vaakanainen	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	6-0/185	1-Jan-99	Finland
14	Juuso Valimaki	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-2/205	6-Oct-98	Finland
15	Robert Thomas	C	London (OHL)	6-0/190	2-Jul-99	Canada
16	Nick Suzuki	C	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-11/185	10-Sep-99	Canada
17	Lias Andersson	C	HV 71 (Swe)	5-11/200	13-Oct-98	Sweden
18	Isaac Ratcliffe	LW	Guelph (OHL)	6-5/200	15-Feb-99	Canada
19	Erik Brannstrom	D	HV 71 (Swe)	5-10/175	2-Sep-99	Sweden
20	Timothy Liljegren	D	Rogle (Swe)	6-0/190	30-Apr-99	Sweden
21	Klim Kostin	C	Dynamo Moscow (Rus)	6-3/195	5-May-99	Russia
22	Eeli Tolvanen	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/175	22-Apr-99	Finland
23	Conor Timmins	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/185	18-Sep-98	Canada
24	Kailer Yamamoto	RW	Spokane (WHL)	5-8/160	29-Sep-98	Canada
25	Jason Robertson	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-2/195	22-Jul-99	USA
26	Ryan Poehling	C	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	6-2/195	3-Jan-99	USA
27	Nicolas Hague	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-6/215	5-Dec-98	Canada
28	Josh Norris	C	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	5-May-99	USA
29	Shane Bowers	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-1/185	30-Jul-99	Canada
30	Cal Foote	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-4/215	13-Dec-98	USA
31	Henri Jokiharju	D	Portland (WHL)	6-0/180	17-Jun-99	Finland
32	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	G	HPK (Fin)	6-4/195	9-Mar-99	Finland
33	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/190	12-Sep-99	Canada
34	Kole Lind	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/180	16-Oct-98	Canada
35	Jesper Boqvist	C	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/180	30-Oct-98	Sweden
36	Grant Mismash	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	19-Feb-99	USA
37	Keith Petruzzelli	G	Muskegon (USHL)	6-5/180	9-Feb-99	USA
38	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	D	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-2/165	1-Jul-99	Canada
39	Maxime Comtois	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-2/200	8-Jan-99	Canada
40	Adam Ruzicka	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-4/205	11-May-99	Slovakia
41	Morgan Frost	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/170	14-May-99	Canada
42	Filip Chytil	C	Zlin (Cze)	6-0/180	5-Sep-99	Czech
43	Nikita Popugaev	LW	Prince George (WHL)	6-6/220	20-Nov-98	Russia
44	Jake Oettinger	G	Boston University (HE)	6-4/210	18-Dec-98	USA
45	Josh Brook	D	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-1/185	15-Jun-99	Canada
46	Santeri Virtanen	C	TPS Turku (Fin Jr)	6-2/195	11-May-99	Finland
47	Kyle Olson	C	Tri-City (WHL)	5-11/165	22-Mar-99	Canada
48	Evan Barratt	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/190	18-Feb-99	USA
49	Max Gildon	D	NTDP (USA)	6-3/190	17-May-99	USA
50	MacKenzie Entwistle	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-3/180	14-Jul-99	Canada
51	Stelio Mattheos	RW	Brandon (WHL)	6-1/195	14-Jun-99	Canada
52	Marcus Davidsson	C	Djurgardens (Swe)	6-0/190	18-Nov-98	Sweden
53	Michael DiPietro	G	Windsor (OHL)	6-0/195	9-Jun-99	Canada
54	David Farrance	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/190	23-Jun-99	USA
55	Stuart Skinner	G	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-3/210	1-Nov-98	Canada
56	Matthew Strome	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-4/210	6-Jan-99	Canada
57	Alex Formenton	LW	London (OHL)	6-2/165	13-Sep-99	Canada
58	Eemeli Rasanen	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-7/215	6-Mar-99	Finland
59	Joni Ikonen	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-10/170	14-Apr-99	Finland
60	Scott Reedy	C	NTDP (USA)	6-1/205	4-Apr-99	USA
61	Sasha Chmelevski	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-11/190	9-Jun-99	USA
62	Filip Westerlund	D	Frolunda (Swe)	5-11/180	17-Apr-99	Sweden
63	Ian Mitchell	D	Spruce Grove (AJHL)	5-11/175	18-Jan-99	Canada
64	Maxim Zhukov	G	Green Bay (USHL)	6-3/190	22-Jul-99	Russia
65	Aleksi Heponiemi	C	Swift Current (WHL)	5-10/150	9-Jan-99	Finland
66	Ostap Safin	LW	Sparta Praha (Cze Jr)	6-4/200	11-Feb-99	Czech
67	Jack Studnicka	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-1/170	18-Feb-99	Canada
68	Nick Henry	RW	Regina (WHL)	5-11/190	4-Jul-99	Canada
69	Markus Phillips	D	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-0/200	21-Mar-99	Canada
70	Jarret Tyszka	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/190	15-Mar-99	Canada
71	Kirill Maksimov	RW	Niagara (OHL)	6-2/195	1-Jun-99	Russia
72	Jake Leschyshyn	C	Regina (WHL)	5-11/185	10-Mar-99	Canada
73	Alexei Toropchenko	RW	MVD Balashikha (Rus Jr)	6-3/190	25-Jun-99	Russia
74	Kirill Slepets	LW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	5-10/165	6-Apr-99	Russia
75	Olle Eriksson Ek	G	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	6-2/185	22-Jun-99	Sweden
76	Emil Oksanen	LW	Espoo United (Fin 2)	6-1/190	25-Sep-98	Finland
77	Aarne Talvitie	C	Espoo Blues (Fin Jr)	5-10/200	11-Feb-99	Finland
78	Reilly Walsh	D	Proctor Academy (USHS-NH)	5-11/180	21-Apr-99	USA
79	Ivan Lodnia	RW	Erie (OHL)	5-10/180	31-Aug-99	USA
80	Jonah Gadjovich	LW	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-2/210	12-Oct-98	Canada
81	Ben Mirageas	D	Chicago (USHL)	6-1/180	8-May-99	USA
82	Dylan Samberg	D	Hermantown (USHS-MN)	6-3/190	24-Jan-99	USA
83	Antoine Morand	C	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	5-10/180	18-Feb-99	Canada
84	Morgan Geekie	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-2/180	20-Jul-98	Canada
85	Alexei Lipanov	C	MVD Balashikha (Rus 2)	6-0/165	17-Aug-99	Russia
86	Jack Badini	C	Chicago (USHL)	6-0/200	19-Jan-98	USA
87	Brady Lyle	D	North Bay (OHL)	6-1/205	6-Jun-99	Canada
88	Lucas Elvenes	C	Rogle (Swe Jr)	6-0/175	18-Aug-99	Sweden
89	Zach Gallant	C	Peterborough (OHL)	6-2/190	6-Mar-99	Canada
90	Lane Zablocki	RW	Red Deer (WHL)	5-11/190	27-Dec-98	Canada
91	Kevin Hancock	C	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-11/185	2-Mar-98	Canada
92	Alexandre Texier	C	Grenoble (Fra)	6-0/190	13-Sep-99	France
93	Noel Hoefenmayer	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/190	6-Jan-99	Canada
94	Nate Schnarr	C	Guelph (OHL)	6-3/180	15-Jun-99	Canada
95	Jonas Rondbjerg	RW	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe Jr)	6-0/175	31-Mar-99	Denmark
96	Ivan Chekhovich	LW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	5-10/180	14-Jan-99	Russia
97	Robin Salo	D	Sport (Fin)	6-1/190	13-Oct-98	Finland
98	Luke Martin	D	Michigan (B1G)	6-4/215	20-Sep-98	USA
99	Cale Fleury	D	Kootenay (WHL)	6-1/205	19-Nov-98	Canada
100	Mikey Anderson	D	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/195	25-May-99	USA
101	Mason Shaw	C	Medicine Hat (WHL)	5-9/180	3-Nov-98	Canada
102	Linus Nyman	RW	Kingston (OHL)	5-9/160	11-Jul-99	Finland
103	Gustav Lindstrom	D	Almtuna (Swe 2)	6-2/190	20-Oct-98	Sweden
104	Marian Studenic	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-0/165	28-Oct-98	Slovakia
105	Jack Rathbone	D	Dexter (USHS-MA)	5-10/175	20-May-99	USA
106	Artyom Minulin	D	Swift Current (WHL)	6-2/200	1-Oct-98	Russia
107	Kalle Miketinac	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-11/190	2-Apr-99	Sweden
108	Dmitri Samorukov	D	Guelph (OHL)	6-2/180	16-Jun-99	Russia
109	Ian Scott	G	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-3/175	11-Jan-99	Canada
110	Austen Keating	C	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/170	7-May-99	Canada
111	Maksim Sushko	RW	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-0/185	10-Feb-99	Belarus
112	Tyler Inamoto	D	NTDP (USA)	6-2/195	6-May-99	USA
113	Ty Lewis	LW	Brandon (WHL)	5-11/180	5-Mar-98	Canada
114	Drake Batherson	C	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-1/190	27-Apr-98	Canada
115	Rickard Hugg	C	Leksands (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	18-Jan-99	Sweden
116	Scott Walford	D	Victoria (WHL)	6-1/195	12-Jan-99	Canada
117	Jordy Bellerive	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	5-10/195	2-May-99	Canada
118	Matthew Kellenberger	D	Oakville (OJHL)	6-0/175	11-Jan-99	Canada
119	Johnathan Kovacevic	D	Merrimack (HE)	6-4/215	2-Jul-97	Canada
120	Nick Campoli	C	North York (OJHL)	5-11/190	16-Feb-99	Canada
121	Mario Ferraro	D	Des Moines (USHL)	5-11/185	17-Sep-98	Canada
122	Michael Pastujov	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/195	23-Aug-99	USA
123	Tyler Steenbergen	C	Swift Current (WHL)	5-10/190	7-Jan-98	Canada
124	Mark Rubinchik	D	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-0/180	21-Mar-99	Russia
125	Kasper Kotkansalo	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-2/200	16-Nov-98	Finland

Scouting Reports: Sweden – Marcus Davidsson, Filip Westerlund, Joni Ikonen, Gustav Lindstrom, Lucas Elvenes

Jimmy Hamrin — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 15:24:56 +0000

Jimmy Hamrin reports from Sweden with five draft elgibible Prospects including potential second round picks Marcus Davidsson, Filip Westerlund and Joni Ikonen.

A note on the 20-80 scale used below. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.

Marcus Davidsson	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: C/LW, Shoots L	H/W: 6-0", 190 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Djurgardens IF, SHL (45-5-4-9-6)
	Djurgardens IF J20, SuperElit (9-6-4-10-2)

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA - APRIL 16: USA's Joseph Woll #29 goes down to make the glove save while Luke Martin #2 keeps close watch on Sweden's Marcus Davidsson #18 during preliminary round action at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Skating: Davidsson is quick and does not need to use much energy or space to get up to top speed. He leans a bit forward in his skating style but has a good stride. He seems to have good lower body balance. He is agile and can make quick surprising turns. His top speed is slightly above average. His strengths are more at short distance and in tight situations. Grade: 55

Shot: Owns a knack for scoring goals and finding himself at the right spots to do so. He is good at taking the puck to the net. He almost exclusively scores from inside the slot and his shot is not a weapon from outside the circles. He shoots fast and can show precision in his shots when in high traffic and even if he is out of balance. He has a particularly good snap shot. Grade: 55

Skills: Skilled with the puck, although not an outstanding stick handler. Davidsson has good puck control and can make fast decisions with the puck on his stick. He is a good playmaker in the offensive zone and can make smart simple plays while being checked or in tight areas. Grade: 55

Smarts: Davidsson reads the game well, especially the offensive side of the game. He is good at being the right spot and getting himself open for a pass or to create a scoring chance. He is fast in his decision making and can be hard to contain because he is a bit unpredictable for the defense. He is a kind of player that could look invisible in a game and still score a couple of points because of smart simple plays. He rarely makes easy mistakes with the puck or tries to be creative in the wrong situations. He can play both center and on the wing. He is most effective as an offensive player but can be used in defensive situations as well. Grade: 60

Physicality: Medium-sized but not a big or a strong physical player. He does not shy way from tight situations but is not a strong player along the boards. He is more of a get the puck out fast and go to open spaces. He is strong in front of the net and does not hesitate to go there. He competes and works hard to create chances and to be productive for his team. Grade: 45

Summary: Marcus Davidsson started the season strong and was doing great the first half of the season in SHL. He was productive and stepped up and scored some big goals for his team at 18 years of age. He almost started to look as a slam dunk first round pick early on. Unfortunately, the second half of the season was not as good. After Christmas he contributed only one assist in 23 games in SHL. Being his first season at the highest senior level it does not cause much concern long term but it probably put him further down the rankings and allowed at least three or four other Sweden-based players to step ahead of him during the season. Davidsson is a smart offensive player that has shown to have top six potential. He reminds me a bit of Loui Eriksson in the sense that he is more of a quiet but smart player who can score points more than the guy who drives the offensive plays on his line.

Filip Westerlund	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: D, Shoots R	H/W: 5-11", 180 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Frolunda HC, SHL (33-0-4-4-6)
	Frolunda HC J20, SuperElit (23-1-6-7-8)
	Sweden U18, WU18 (7-1-1-2-4)

SPISSKA NOVA VES, SLOVAKIA - APRIL 15: Sweden's Rickard Hugg #15 with a scoring chance against the Czech Republic's Jakub Skarek #1 while Filip Kral #11 defends and Filip Zadina #19 battles with Filip Westerlund #2 during preliminary round action at the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Steve Kingsman/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Skating: Westerlund has developed very nicely over the last season, most due to improvements in his skating ability. He took a big step during the last summer and got himself into Frölunda's senior team during the fall and played well there. He is a very mobile defenseman. He skates with ease and does not need to use all the power in his legs to be fast. He has good balance. He skates well backwards and sideways as well. His agility in tight situations could still use some improvements though. Grade: 60

Shot: His shot from the point is not particularly dangerous. Westerlund has an okay slap shot but lacks a bit in both timing and accuracy. His wrist shot is average. With time and further development this could become a stronger asset for him in his game. For now, he scores too few goals for being a puck moving defenseman that joins the offense on occasions and has not yet proven that there s more there. Grade: 45

Skills: A great puck mover with a strong passing game, both long and short passes. Westerlund is strong in breakouts from the own end. He plays with a long stick and uses it well in defensive situations such as when poking the puck away from opponents. He has great puck control and stick handling and can show nice patience with the puck, helping this skill to play up. Grade: 60

Smarts: Westerlund sees the game well and plays a calm and secure game leveraging his mobility. He still makes a few too many defensive mistakes at times but often plays with good gap control and rarely gets caught rushing a play. Strong in decision making in offensive situations. Grade: 60

Physicality: Not big in size but has strong legs and balance. He can hold off opponents while skating with the puck or boxing out opponents in front of his own goal. He is not physical in his game nor is he a strong hitter. At the highest senior level in Sweden he got in some trouble in the own end due to not being physically strong enough at times. Grade: 45

Summary: A modern puck moving two-way defenseman. Filip Westerlund is a very effective even strength player with his mobility, puck control, vision and the overall calmness in his game. A good breakout player, he helps his team play at a high pace. He needs to improve his edge work in both ends to become as effective on the penalty kill and power play as he is on even strength. As for the draft, he looks to be a good second round pick. I see potential in him to become a puck moving top four defenseman in the NHL.

Joni Ikonen	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: C, Shoots R	H/W: 5-10", 170 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Frolunda HC J20, SuperElit (40-22-19-41-42)
	Frolunda HC, SHL (10-0-0-0-0)
	Frolunda HC J18, J18 Allsvenskan (4-2-3-5-0)
	Finland U18, WU18 (7-4-4-8-8)

POPRAD, SLOVAKIA - APRIL 13: Slovakia's Martin Fehervary #6 passes the puck while Finland's Joni Ikonen #13 during preliminary round action at the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Andrea Cardin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Skating: A fast and mobile center. Ikonen has good top speed, although not elite, with good balance and control. He skates well with the puck and skates with his legs broad, covering the puck well. He can travel with the puck in all three zone and drive the play with his skating. Grade: 60

Shot: A shoot first player that fires an average of 6-7 shots on goal per game at the junior level. A good goal scorer that can score from distance. He has a dangerous one timer and he can be used well both at the point and in the slot on the power play. Most often he plays the left circle and moves in towards the slot for shooting on the power play. His wrist shot is both fast and accurate. Grade: 60

Skills: Ikonen has very good puck control and can showcase nice creative moves with the puck. He coordinates well with his stick handling and good balance on his skates and has scored some highlight reel goals. He is a good passer of the puck but likes to take the puck to net or get himself into position to shoot. Grade: 60

Smarts: An offensive center with a focused mindset who reads the offensive game well and strives to get the puck and to create scoring chances. Ikonen wants to have the puck and he pursues the puck whenever possible. Sometimes he pushes things to happen too quickly and can improve his patience both with and without the puck. He plays center and he is the type of center that gets himself involved all over the ice and impacts the game in all facets. I can see his skillset fitting more as a winger in the future and at higher levels. Grade: 50

Physicality: Although not big or particularly strong, he battles hard for the puck. Ikonen is a doer, not a watcher, in physical situations and does not shy away. He takes the puck into high traffic areas and works for the shortest route to the net. His potential in this area is not high but he has a good enough balance, lower body strength and tenacity for it to not be an issue or prevent him from being able to play his game at higher levels if he gets stronger. Grade: 40

Summary: An exciting player to watch that almost always has an impact in the games he plays. Joni Ikonen plays for one of the best teams in European hockey outside of KHL and has not received many minutes at senior level yet. Next season he will probably play senior hockey fulltime at some level. For the draft, I see him as a typical second round pick or a surprising late first round pick. An undersized player with lots of skill that can turn out to be a Victor Arvidsson type in a best case scenario. His strengths, besides his skills with the puck, are his willingness to get himself involved all over the ice and to take the puck to net. He is a kind of player that needs to play in a top six role.

Gustav Lindstrom	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: D, Shoots R	H/W: 6-2", 190 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Almtuna IS, Allsvenskan (48-2-7-9-26)
	Almtuna IS J20, J20 Elit (6-6-4-10-10)

Skating: Smooth with nice mobility, especially backwards. Lindstrom moves well going forwards both with and without the puck. Not a superfast skater but with average top speed for an NHL prospect. Good balance. Grade: 50

Shot: Likes to join the rush and has a dangerous wrist shot. Lindstrom is a good goal scorer for a defenseman. He could get better at taking more shots and getting more shots through traffic. He has good technique and shoots fast. Grade: 55

Skills: Lindstrom has great puck control and is rumored to be as talented a golfer as he is a hockey player. He is a good precise passer from his own end and is smooth when carrying the puck. He can make simple plays in tight situations. He has good hand-eye coordination and can also stick handle his way out of tight situations. Grade: 60

Smarts: Possesses good vision of the game and detects danger, both offensively and defensively. Can be hard to check when he joins the attack from behind and is good at finding open spaces. He has been weak in the defensive side of the game but has improved over the course of the season in the Allsvenskan. He takes a bit too many unnecessary penalties and was still a bit uneven in his performances. He seems smart enough to be able to figure it out with added experience. Grade: 55

Physicality: Not a physical player but he has good reach and good timing with his stick work. He needs to get stronger to be able to hold off opponents with strength and balance and to avoid taking penalties. He has a good-sized frame that I expect will fill up as he becomes stronger. Grade: 45

Summary: An interesting player. Gustav Lindstrom was late deciding to be a hockey player although was an interesting talent from an early age. At 15 he chose not to play on a team at the highest junior level. He has developed under the radar and was impressive in his ability to adapt to high level hockey in his first senior season in the Allsvenskan. If he works hard to get stronger as he gets more experience, there is still big room for development. In other words, there is more room for growth with Lindstrom than with many other similarly ranked prospects. I see him as an offensive defenseman with top four potential with nice skills and hockey IQ. For the draft, I see him as a second round pick at highest.

Lucas Elvenes	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: RW, Shoots L	H/W: 6-0", 175 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Rogle BK J20, SuperElit (41-15-30-45-22)
	Rogle BK, SHL (12-0-0-0-0)
	Rogle BK J18, J18 Allsvenskan (1-0-0-0-0)
	Sweden U18, WU18 (7-0-3-3-2)

Lucas Elvenes at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka. Photo by Jakúb Soukup.

Skating: Quick and agile with average top speed. Elvenes skates with short strides which causes concern in his skating potential. He can get to top speed quickly but does not really accelerate much after his first few steps. He has okay balance. Grade: 45

Shot: More of a passer than a shooter but a good goal scorer. Elvenes scores most of his goals from close range but his quick wrist shots and snap shots can fool goalies from the circles or outside the slot as well. He rarely uses his slap shot. Grade: 50

Skills: Offensively skilled with the puck, Elvenes is a good playmaker and passer. He is also strong in shootouts. He uses his agility and his quick hands to fool opponents and can be hard to contain that way. A steady point producer for his team. Grade: 60

Smarts: Elvenes has good vision with the puck and reads the offensive side of the game well. He is a creative player with the puck. He can fall into slumps where he becomes more of a perimeter player and does not get himself to the dangerous areas. He is an offensive minded player and must have an offensive role to be effective. Grade: 55

Physicality: Elvenes plays with good intensity and his compete level is good. That said, he is not a strong or truly physical player. He cannot win puck battles with pure strength, and he needs to use his stick and agile skating to be effective. A late born draft eligible (August 99) that may yet continue to grow into his body. Grade: 45

Summary: A skilled and offensively creative playmaking forward that has shown consistency in producing points at junior level. Lucas Elvenes needs to improve his speed to become a top six forward in the NHL and that is the biggest question mark for me as he is not that strong or tough either. His agility and creativeness are great but at the NHL level he would probably need more speed and strength to be effective. He shows potential and should get drafted with a slot between the third and fifth rounds being reasonable.