Jack DUGAN – McKeen's Hockey

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – RANK: #9 – TIER II

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:18:11 +0000

Vegas Golden Knights

#9 Vegas - Vegas only has two top 100 prospects, but their next tier is very deep, with seven ranked between 101-200.

Peyton Krebs

Peyton Krebs

Peyton Krebs has shown that his game is beyond that of junior hockey. He absolutely torched the WHL this past season; his 43 points in 24 games leading the league by six points for a remarkable 1.79 points per game. What impressed the most was the uptick in goal production. His goal scoring has never been above .33 goals per game but last season he spiked to over .54 goals per game. His largest criticism has been that he defers to passing too much, leaving so many goals on the table and creating a bit of a one-dimensional offense game.

Krebs has the potential to peak as a first line playmaking center that has all the tools to drive play, make teammates better and handle tough assignments. He is a hair undersized but plays the game with a good level of intensity and does not shy away from the center of the ice. His few games at the AHL and NHL level have also shown that his size is not going to be an issue. He was at a point per game in limited games in the AHL and in his first four NHL games he already picked up an assist. Krebs is an all situations forward because of his high IQ and excellent decision making with the puck and should land in the Vegas top six as early as next season. - VG

Brendan Brisson

With all of the hoopla around Power, Beniers, and Johnson, as well as the exploits of teammate Bordeleau, Brisson was almost the forgotten man at Michigan last year, even taking into consideration the pair of goals he scored while wearing the national colors at the WJC. Brisson’s skill set doesn’t pop as consistently, or as brightly, as those of some of his teammates, but when you focus on his game, it doesn’t take too long to be reminded of why Vegas used a first round pick on the son of super-agent Pat Brisson.

He is a slick puck handler and pinpoint passer. He has a great one-timer and was often set up accordingly on the power play to take advantage of that weapon. He reads the defense expertly and is often able to see how a play might develop and then execute on a cut, or a pass to set events in motion. He likes to attack the crease and force errors out of the netminders. Going forward, the major thing to look for is how Brisson is deployed in defensive situations. He almost never played when down a man last year, and his presence has never really been as prominent off the puck. With all of his abundant offensive tools, he only needs to get to reliably steady defensively to maintain his projection as a near term top six forward (he has played on the wing before) at the NHL level. - RW

Zach Dean

A hyper intelligent and well-rounded pivot, Zach Dean has terrific instincts at both ends of the ice. A player with very few flaws, Dean’s ability to work between checks and play through traffic, despite being average sized (6’0), is a testament to his anticipation and offensive zone awareness. Thanks to his high IQ, he is extremely versatile. He can play with pace but is also effective without the puck because he supports puck carriers well by sliding between cracks in coverage and by working hard to battle near the crease or along the wall to prolong possession or finish off plays. Dean also provides support down low in the defensive end, showing good defensive awareness and the strength to tie up forwards driving the middle.

No question scouts would like to see Dean’s explosiveness and first few strides improve. Additionally, Dean could stand to work on the release of his shot and its overall power to help him finish on a few more of those opportunities that he is gaining in the home plate area through his anticipation and ability to fight through checks. While the production in Gatineau last year did not jump off the page at you (20 points in 23 games), an early season injury was to blame and his effectiveness and importance to the Gatineau offense is greater than the numbers would suggest. Expect those numbers to improve significantly this season. Dean projects as a first or second line forward whose effectiveness should only improve as his physical tools mature. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Lukas Cormier

It is starting to really look like Vegas hit a home run with Cormier's selection, as he grown and flourished right before our eyes. This year we discovered a facet that we had not seen a lot in recent seasons: Lukas Cormier the shooter. His physical game has also improved considerably as he no longer appears hesitant to challenge players in the defensive zone. This has allowed him to win one on one battles with more consistency. His vision is excellent, and he understands how the game in front of him will unfold very well. His good IQ allows him to target the open spaces, where the game and the puck will go. He's a constant offensive threat and he plays forward quickly.

I find his game perfectly suited to hockey in 2021, with a fast pace and where speed in the transition game is essential. The first few years as a pro will surely be a learning experience for him, but at maturity he should become a good second pairing defender. For now, Cormier will return to Charlottetown of the QMJHL, where he will be one of the best defensemen in the QMJHL this season. He also has a great chance to earn a spot on Team Canada at the World Juniors. - BB

Jack Dugan

Another late bloomer providing an example to the concept that scouting is hard, Dugan was in his second year of draft eligibility, shooting the lights out for a prep school around Lake Placid, New York, when Vegas took a seventh-round flyer on him. From there, he went to the USHL for a year, where he finished the season as a first team All Star and followed that up with two seasons scoring at a very impressive rate for Providence, the latter year of which ended with Dugan as a Hobey Baker Award Finalist.

His offensive touch did not diminish in the least during his rookie pro season, as he fell just short of one point per game with Henderson. He profiles as more of a playmaker than a sniper down the line, but he also has historically played with enough feistiness to profile in a bottom six role to start in the NHL, although that element of his game was not as evident last season in the AHL. Dugan has top six upside if he can put all of the positive elements of his game together with consistency, and he will have a chance to break camp with Vegas this year, competing for the role with Lucas Elvenes, although more AHL time to round out his game wouldn’t be detrimental, either. - RW

Pavel Dorofeyev

Before last season the news broke out about Dorofeyev being traded to the KHL's Traktor team, which actually was viewed as a positive thing, as they have a decent reputation of giving young players an opportunity. However, it was not meant to be, as after the Traktor team was able to get Kravtsov on loan, they decided that they did not need two players of this type on the KHL roster. This resulted in Dorofeyev spending the whole season in the VHL. He was good there, but at the same time he was clearly pretty uninspired, so when the season ended Traktor’s management agreed to terminate his contract a year early. That allowed Dorofeyev to continue the season in the AHL and he certainly looked much more interesting there, quickly adjusting to the new game style and posting solid production in his debut AHL season.

While the end of the season certainly was hopeful and inspiring, it is a bit too early to talk about Dorofeyev as an NHL player. He still needs to establish himself at the AHL level, as while his skillset never caused any doubts, his ability to be on par in terms of physicality in the North American hockey environment is something that still needs to be proven. Dorofeyev impresses in transition with his ability to create when playing with pace. His puck skills and creativity are his best assets. Because of this, his potential is definitely high as an NHL player. - VF

Daniil Chayka

Scouts were completely divided as to the offensive upside of Chayka heading into this year’s NHL draft. With the OHL season canceled, Chayka spent the previous year in Russia in the MHL and KHL with mixed results. Additionally, his performance at the 2021 World Junior Championships left a lot to be desired. A late born ‘02 defender, Chayka’s draft season can be described as underwhelming. However, that did not scare Vegas away from selecting him in the early second round.

Defensively, there is little doubt that Chayka can play at the next level. He has good size. His four-way mobility is good for said size. He shows good defensive instincts and awareness in transition and will be aggressive when he needs to take away space or separate players from the puck. Offensively, there are some tools. Chayka has an excellent point shot and scoring instincts. He routinely finds soft spots in coverage to get himself clean looks and is aggressive in jumping up into the play, usually picking his spots well. However, his puck skills are average at best. This is especially evident when he is pressured inside the offensive zone. Of course, the physical tools are there, and this year was not the easiest to assess his play and potential. However, at this point Chayka does look to have hit a plateau in his development, likely excluding him from becoming a top three defender at the NHL level. As he returns to the OHL this coming season with Guelph, look for him to get his development back on track. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Ivan Morozov

Morozov had a very strong year, as he has shown that he should be considered among the top young Russian centers, even making it to the Team Russia roster for the World Championships. He looked very impressive, as he plays a defensively responsible game combined with strong attacking skills such as a precise right-handed shot and natural playmaking talent. To add to that he can definitely win a face-off, which is very important for a center.

Morozov enters the final year of his KHL contract. While previously he was given mainly middle-six center duties he looks to be ready for a bigger role. If everything goes well in his development and without any bad surprises, then there is a good chance Morozov is ready for the NHL level already after the season. The Golden Knights management should be working hard on getting him to sign his entry-level deal at that point. In two years, Morozov might be ready to step into a middle-six center role in the NHL and has a potential to be a solid long-term answer for the second-line center role. However, without improving his skating, it is hard to think of him as a potential top line player. – VF

Logan Thompson

There is a reason why some scouts hate the notion of drafting goaltenders in the first round. For every terrific goaltender drafted early, you find stories like Logan Thompson. He had a mediocre WHL career with the Brandon Wheat Kings. Then he spent the next three years after graduating playing in USports and the ECHL. However, he seemed to get better year after year. This culminated with him finally making the AHL level full time last year with Henderson. The 24-year-old netminder did more than just “make it.” He dominated the league and was named the AHL’s best goaltender.

The 6’3 netminder owns that rare right-handed catching glove and has been lauded for his work ethic. He never gives up on a play and has that ability to make the highlight reel save using his quickness and athleticism. His level of dedication to his craft should come as no surprise given the way he has worked his way up the system. Vegas did bring in former Winnipeg Jet back-up Laurent Brossoit to be Robin Lehner’s back-up this coming season, effectively pushing Thompson to the AHL level for another year. They will be looking for him to prove that last season’s success is sustainable and not a fluke. Should he continue to perform well, he may force a trade of Brossoit before the following season and is certainly looking like a serious candidate to be an NHL netminder in the future. - BO

Lucas Elvenes

A 2017 fifth rounder, Elvenes has been a hot prospect commodity since he put up 48 points in his first 59 AHL games during the 19-20 season. Despite promising output in two SHL campaigns, the AHL numbers came somewhat unexpected and until December of that year, Elvenes led the AHL in scoring, thanks in good part to an 11-game scoring streak. A player that has definitely shined as a generator of offensive opportunities for his teammates, the organization is surely starting to wonder if he’s ever going to make more use of a shot that he does get some good torque on. What they don’t need to worry about is his on-ice elusiveness, which has continued to shine, particularly when he has the puck on his stick and a bit of space to dance around in.

Possessing a bit of a wide stance, his 20-21 season for Las Vegas’ very own Nevada-based franchise in Henderson didn’t quite see him clip at the same pace as the season before. In fact, he put up exactly half the goals and assists he had the season before despite playing roughly two/thirds of the number of games. This nonetheless left him fourth in scoring on the team, which only featured one skater who clipped at a point-per-game pace. Las Vegas continues to boast a solid attack without truly elite star power in its forward corps. There is room for more playmaking and the onus will be on Elvenes to continue making management recognize him as a viable option for that need. Expect to see him knocking on the door as soon as this fall. - CL

Kaedan Korczak

A big, right shot defender, Korzcak has the all-around abilities to become a quality second pairing blueliner for Vegas in the future. A graduate of the terrific Kelowna Rockets program, he will be a full-time pro player this coming season after a small taste last year before the abbreviated WHL season began. Korczak has the potential to move quickly through Vegas’ system, should his transition to the pro level go well.

Isaiah Saville

The athletic, former fifth round selection has been the starting netminder for the University of Nebraska-Omaha during his freshman and sophomore NCAA seasons. The former USHL goaltender of the year will return to UNO for his junior season and then may be a signing candidate for the Golden Knights next offseason.

Connor Corcoran

Corcoran’s first pro season did not go according to plan after the two-way blueliner injured his shoulder early in the year and saw his participation extremely limited. The former Windsor Spitfire will look to bounce back this season with Henderson and become an everyday AHL player to further his development.

Jakub Brabenec

A recent fourth round selection by the Golden Knights, Brabenec is a rangy, playmaking pivot who also happened to be one of the youngest players available in 2021 (with a mid-September birthday). As he gets stronger, look for his performance in the Czech men’s league to become more consistent.

Peter Diliberatore

After three strong seasons at Quinnipiac University, the puck moving defender turned pro at the conclusion of the college season this past year. The Golden Knights hope that he can develop into a quick thinking, reliable two-way defender at the pro level, who can eventually be a #4-5 for them. He needs to gain confidence in his puck moving ability at the pro level first.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Vegas Golden Knights Top 20 Prospects

Rachel Howard — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 23:07:47 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 New York Rangers prospects for the 2020-21 season. You can read an organizational assessment prior to the draft in Ryan Wagman's article found here. Following the draft we provided a review on each teams performance based on our rankings found here.

Peyton Krebs, C (17^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Krebs has elite level vision coupled with elite passing skills that enable him to make plays and passes that few others can. He is a cerebral player who can slow the game down or push the pace to generate offense. His high hockey IQ enables him defensively in winning draws, leading play through the neutral zone, and effectively playing across all 200 feet of the ice. His weaknesses are few. His shot is only average, although he doesn’t hesitate to use it. He needs to have a finisher on his line for him to reach his full potential. The second concern is his size. This size will not prevent him from having an NHL career in any way but has created some doubts to his future projection. He is very quick, both in processing the game and in how he moves around the ice. He has separation speed and high agility enabling him to attack defenders in multiple ways. He is a great puck carrier and has the potential to be a true top line player. 50 assist seasons seem like a possibility in the not too distant future. – VG

Brendan Brisson, C (29^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

The son of super-agent Pat Brisson, Brendan showed a different positive element of his game in each viewing, regardless of his linemates. He moves the puck around exceptionally well, and his ability to create movement between the dots is especially impressive. He is athletic and coordinated, able to adjust to misplaced passes with his hands or his skates and prepare a shot or follow-up pass without a hitch. He reads the play with great maturity. Despite being somewhat physically underdeveloped, he shows surprising balance and strength on the puck, allowing him to win an unexpectedly high number of board battles. Brisson also shows commendable commitment away from the puck. He backchecks hard and has been known to sneak in behind an opposing puck carrier to strip the puck from him and get the game going back the other way again. His top speed is average or slightly above, but he adds plus agility, balance, and a non-stop motor to keep his feet moving. The shot is fine but would be much better with a quicker trigger. The Michigan commit has clear top six upside and enough versatility to carve out a lower role if push comes to shove. – RW

Pavel Dorofeyev, LW (79^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Dorofeyev is an interesting offensive prospect with some strong offensive assets, including technically sound skating. His edgework and efficient stride help him be effective even though he lacks the natural explosiveness needed for elite speed. He is good on the power play and can be both a playmaker as well as a shooter. He can one-time slap shots with precision and release hard wrist shots quickly. His most impressive asset is his strong puck skills, both carrying and passing, and looks like a zone entry specialist. There are some concerns about the consistency of his decision-making as he often prefers an east-west game rather than north-south, slowing the game down to seek cross passes rather than moving the puck forward. His game away from the puck is inconsistent and lacking intensity. If Dorofeyev learns to use his offensive assets more efficiently, he can become a top six NHL forward, but he may need to play in a top six role to reach his full potential. - JH

Jack Dugan, LW (142^nd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 3)

Drafted in his second year of eligibility, after moving through multiple programs as a teen, Dugan had a good freshman year with Providence, before breaking out for the Friars as a sophomore, leading the nation in scoring, and earning recognition as a Hobey Baker finalist and being named New England’s best collegiate forward. Dugan is recognized as a bigger scoring threat, but he has also become more patient and has learned to look for more options for his teammates. There are many aspects of his game to like — he has excellent vision and his ability to see the ice plus his creativity makes him an exceptional playmaker. The top-line forward likes to hang out around the net and can feed his teammates from that position. At 6-2”, Dugan could stand to put more weight to his frame, so he doesn’t get pushed off the puck so easily. He has to pump his legs to skate, but he cycles smoothly in the zone. He has an ability to set his teammates up, but that is also his weakness as he needs to pass the puck less and shoot more to take that next step in his development. - JS

Ivan Morozov, C (61^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Morozov lived out of a suitcase last year, playing across three different leagues, as well as playing internationally for Russia. While he has yet to truly establish himself as a full time KHL player, he had a strong second half with SKA. Playing more of a power game, Morozov is more likely to try to plow through you rather than deke around. He combines strong skating ability, great puck protection, and a heavy wrist shot to provide an offensive impact. He is also a strong two-way player who uses his size effectively to win challenges for the puck and who can play in all situations. His main knock is consistency. He needs to find a way to be impactful from shift to shift, using his size effectively to dominate down the middle of the ice. Once he does come over to North America, he projects as a potential middle six center who will not need much additional seasoning to begin making his mark on the NHL. – BO

Lucas Elvenes, C/RW (127^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

Exploding onto the scene from practically his first AHL game, Elvenes won AHL Rookie of the Month honors in October while steaming through an 11-game point streak and leading the league in scoring until early December. Bursting with speed and high-level passing ability, the Swedish hybrid forward loves to play a perimeter game that is predicated upon puck movement and his man-to-man game at top speed. He made faster passes than defenses were expected and take advantage of his speed against the walls. With soft hands and a smooth set of skates, he was as effective as any AHL winger at establishing possession in the offensive zone. With length and mature anticipation, Elvenes can also more than hold his own on defense. His shot could be more of a weapon, and with its speed and quick delivery, he should use it more often going forward, as he barely took more than one shot per game last year. Additional usage should make him that much harder to defend against. - TD

Connor Corcoran, D (154^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 6)

Corcoran has developed very well since being drafted, emerging as one of the top two-way defenders in the OHL last season. Originally drafted because of his size, solid mobility, and projectable skill set at both ends, he has embraced the jack-of-all-trades motif and become an all-situations minute eater for the Windsor Spitfires. Corcoran excels most in the defensive end where he understands how to use his quickness and mobility to play a suffocating, shutdown role. Not an overtly physical player, he shows poise and restraint, exhibiting great gap control to shut down the transition game, but also a good stick to excel in coverage. Offensively, his confidence soared last year as he took that next step in being able to lead the charge at even strength, and quarterback the powerplay effectively. While his offensive skill set is not dynamic enough to be a significant point producer at the next level, he definitely has the potential to develop into a quality #4-6 defender who can provide a reliable presence, following a few years of seasoning at the AHL level. - BO

Kaedan Korczak, D (41^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 7)

Korczak has really had a nice step forward in his development this past season. His shot rate is up nearly a full shot per game over his draft year and his goal production has followed suit. He has shown more offensive presence and looks much more comfortable with the puck on his stick. Last season he did not seemed as rushed to move the puck and is trusting in his ability to make a play. There was always a lot to like about his size, skating and overall defensive game but his ability to sneak in from the point to make a play, coupled with his development on the powerplay where he sets the table for his teammates, have been two very important and noticeable improvements. He has an excellent one timer and moves well laterally along the blue line which also adds another layer to his offensive game. He has always shown excellent gap and wall control where he uses both his reach and physical presence to disrupt his opponent’s game. – VG

Lukas Cormier, D (68^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Strong offensively yet lacking off the puck, Cormier has some of the traits that are constantly in demand, namely his high-end mobility and capacity to lead the rush. He handles the puck well and is a fine distributor from the point, with a large share of his QMJHL production coming on the power play. This speaks to the type of player that Cormier is and is expected to be at maturity; a power play specialist. He can quarterback the man advantage, distributing wisely to his teammates down low from the top of the umbrella. To Cormier’s credit, he is not a complete cipher in his own zone. He uses his stick well and keeps a solid gap. He is undersized, but not exactly a pushover. More concerning than his lack of size or strength is his tendency to look lost in the defensive zone, too often failing to pick up a man and contributing to a scoring chance against. The feeling here is that he gives a team more than he gives back, but that feeling may not be universal. Cormier’s combination of skating ability and puck skills will make him an asset. – RW

Dylan Sikura, C (178^thoverall, 2014. Previous ranking: 14 [Chicago])

A sensational skater, Sikura remains one of the Blackhawks’ most dynamic and intriguing offensive prospects. A sixth-round pick from back in 2014, the Northeastern alum has been a consistently dangerous player in transition with AHL Rockford, leading them in points per game in each of the last two seasons. His skating is a huge plus, as he can and will blow through the neutral zone against the walls or weave through the middle of the ice to begin an offensive chance. Passing off the rush and at full speed is a big asset of his as well, as he has some solid setup-man tools. Small and ineffective away from the puck, Sikura looks to be a solely offensive prospect and an alarmingly snake-bitten one, with just one goal in 47 NHL games across three stints, and he is already 25 years of age. His forechecking and ability to win races for the puck as a depth player will have to shine if he has a chance at making it with a deep Chicago forward lineup in the future. - TD

Zach Whitecloud, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 8, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Whitecloud has never been the most talented piece in the Vegas system, but his well-rounded defensive game and ability to effectively play against anyone gives him an NHL ceiling that rivals his more skilled counterparts in the Golden Knights organization. He quietly became an NHL regular before the March pause amid the COVID-19 pandemic and has drawn into Vegas’ round-robin postseason lineup already. While he is not the most impressive player to behold, the undrafted Bemidji State alum has no real flaws and can expertly slip into any role needed from him. A hard-nosed physical player, he plays deep, tight gaps and uses his 6-2” frame to close down any inside position against opposing forwards. He routinely shuts down plays below the goal line with his body, eliminating cycle play and high danger net-front chances. He has shown an underrated puck-moving ability to pair with his fairly respectable mobility, but I don’t expect him to be a two-way force of any kind in the NHL. Polished and ready for a permanent job on the Knights’ blueline, Whitecloud will likely stay put in the big league from this point on. - TD

Keegar Kolesar, RW (Trade: Jun. 24, 2017. Originally: 69^th overall, 2015 [Columbus]. Previous ranking: 9)

In making his NHL debut on January 11, logging just over 12 minutes of ice time, Kolesar has shown to be far enough along in his development to be a viable call-up option in a pinch. Though he struggled in his third full AHL season, he has carved out a role within the organization and looks to make the club full time in the 2020-21 campaign. One of most complete players in the system, the 6-2”, 223lb winger has a bruising power-forward game in the mold of Ryan Reaves that would be fitting for Vegas’ heavy fourth line. With nifty and elusive hands as well as a dangerous, albeit inconsistent shot, Kolesar is capable of racking up points, while pressuring opposing defenses and goaltenders as a depth option. His puck-protection skills against the boards and tenacious forechecking could make him one of the peskiest players to play against in a deep Vegas forward lineup. He is capable of taking on heavier defensive minutes with AHL Chicago, where he has been one of the top penalty-killing forwards on the club. He is becoming more of a certain future NHLer, but it looks like his ceiling is as a fourth liner with a grinder’s scoring output. - TD

Isaiah Saville, G (135^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Team USA’s third string netminder at last year’s WJC (he never played) Saville still has the highest upside of any goalie in the Vegas system. The freshman had some hiccups in adjusting to life in college, playing for a minnow in a top-heavy NCHC conference no less, but he still was able to demonstrate a number of the traits that made him an exciting draft prospect one year earlier. A southpaw on the smaller side for a modern goaltender, the Alaskan is very athletic with impressive lateral agility, yet he plays a very calm game, keeping his feet steady and generally playing with an abundance of composure. Going forward, he could stand to be a tad more assertive, especially when it comes to handling the puck. He should also work on tightening his five hole to be a less attractive target for shooters. More than anything, though, he needs to be more consistent from game to game. As with all goalies, there is boom-or-bust potential here, but the shine has not yet come off Saville. - RW

Gage Quinney, C/LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jun. 1, 2018. Previous ranking: 11)

Quinney became the first Las Vegas-born player to appear in an NHL game earlier last season, and he absolutely earned that big-league debut. Signed as a free agent in July of 2018, the winger has been quietly superb in the AHL with seasons of 33, 43, and 36 points (the last of which came in just 46 contests) since coming over from the Pittsburgh organization. Playing with more pace than ever, Quinney makes great reads of the ice and knows exactly where to the put the puck, whether that is utilizing his well-placed and heavy wrist shot or drawing defenders to him before dishing it out. An excellent puck-handler, he does not lose it often when attempting to move through traffic. He is not the biggest forward, but he competes well for pucks and can kill penalties with effectiveness. What hurts his potential is that the lefty does not have great speed and at 25, this might be the plateau of what he can provide. If the Knights truly value the former WHL role player, he can suit up for a bottom-six PK role in the near future. - TD

Jiri Patera, G (161^st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 12)

Patera has shown continued progression last season bringing his GAA down from 3.31 to 2.55 and his save % up from .906 to .921, both of which metrics are significant season over season improvements. The strengths of his game are his control and positioning. He is able to stay pretty compact without a lot of stray movements which keeps him square to the puck and in control of his body. He isn’t a great lateral mover, but he gets across fine. His glove hand is pretty strong, and he does well tracking the puck through traffic. His rebound control is pretty good, and he directs pucks to the corners well. Occasionally, these are off target and end up in the slot but overall, his game is solid. He protects the bottom of the net extremely well. The only concern with his overall game is he tends to go down a bit early to protect the lower half of the net and his save % drops dramatically (per Instatscouts.com) the more the puck is elevated. - VG

Peter Diliberatore, D (180^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 13)

Diliberatore is currently an average player in most aspects, but he has a couple of stellar aspects to his game. He spent two seasons playing prep hockey at Salisbury before joining Quinnipiac as a true freshman and making an offensive impact while playing in every game. Diliberatore is an offensive defenseman who led all Quinnipiac defenders in scoring this past year as a sophomore. While his skating, hockey sense and his skills range more on the average side, his big assets are his shot and physicality, even though he measures in at a slender 6-0” and 170 pounds. While he could certainly add more weight to his frame, he still uses what he has well. His shot is also exceptional, and it is one of the reasons why Diliberatore is an effective offensive defenseman. He has a blistering slapshot from the point, and he likes to use it, leading all Quinnipiac blueliners by more than 20 shots on the season. He will need at least one more collegiate season before turning pro. - JS

Dylan Coghlan, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 20, 2017. Previous ranking: 14)

Undrafted and signed out of Tri-City before the Knights ever played their first game, Coghlan spent the 2019-20 season working on the defensive side of the game, with mixed results. Out there against top competition more often and for longer, his gaps and patience without the puck improved last season. This is encouraging, because offensively, he doesn’t need much work. A solid skater capable of carrying his heavy 6-2” frame to an impressive top speed, Coghlan is a rush-oriented defender who likes to carry the puck into the zone, allowing him to use his plus vision to defer to a teammate or his booming slapshot for a chance from the line. His defensive decision-making still needs some work, and his absence on the Chicago penalty kill is not a good sign, but he is a depth puck-rushing defender at the NHL level with potential on the power play with a bit more work. - TD

Brandon Kruse, LW (135^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 15)

An undersized winger with good wheels, Kruse moved directly from the NAHL to the NCAA as an 18-year-old and immediately put up impressive numbers with Bowling Green State. He has continued to put up strong numbers in the two subsequent seasons for the Falcons, as one of the key offensive drivers for the team. His stature will always be a concern, even if he plays tougher than one might expect, but his quick feet have thus far helped him avoid hits even as he regularly wins races for the puck. He also demonstrates great vision for passes, stickhandling the puck into the clear and finding an open man in a more dangerous spot. Those are skills which can help to mitigate his size concern, although not the concern that he can be one-dimensional, relying on the same tricks again and again to escape danger. That he has not yet signed is indicative that he will return to school for a senior season and that Vegas would like to see more progress before extending a contract. It’s hard to expect more out of a fifth rounder. – RW

Marcus Kallionkieli, LW (139^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 16)

After a blistering start to his draft year, it has all been downhill for Kallionkieli in the last two years. First, he saw his production dry down considerably in the second half of his draft season, something that could have been written off as a result of his first North American experience. The Golden Knights took the plunge on his impressive set of tools eventually coming through. He has solid size, which he puts to good use, owns a pair of slick and soft hands, and generally reads the game well. His skating needed some work, and he wasn’t a natural finisher, but there was plenty to work with. Unfortunately, after being drafted, Kallionkieli moved from the USHL to the WHL, but an off-season injury delayed his debut until December and he never really got going. Vegas has already given him an ELC, so they believe, but the winger needs to recover from a lost season. More a project now than ever, he is spending the early part of 2020-21 playing back in Finland. – RW

Jesper Vikman, G (125^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

While Vikman’s numbers in his SuperElit rookie campaign were unexceptional – and are significantly worse in the early goings this year - he was at a disadvantage playing for a poor AIK club. He is tall and reads the play well, keeping his composure in difficult circumstances. He also does well at controlling rebounds. On the downside, his size seems to come at the expense of athleticism. Furthermore, he is rather raw technically. Vikman will need to show that he has mastered the Swedish junior level to earn a regular spot on the senior side. On a deeper with a deeper prospect pool, Vikman, at this stage in his development, might be an afterthought. With Vegas, whose system hasn’t yet been built up like more mature franchises, Vikman is a player to watch. That said, his lack of experience with the Swedish national age-based teams might be telling. Even more than Kallionkieli (#19), Vikman is a long-distance project. – RW

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

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 17:09:56 +0000

These are our final prospect ranking prior to the start of the season. As a subscriber you can download the list in an excel chart and can link to the player pages in the chart found here. As always, the rankings you see below are based on our 20-80 scouting system looking at five categories for skaters (Skating, Shot, Puck Skills, Hockey Smarts, Physicality) and six for netminders (Athleticism/Quickness/Speed, Compete/Temperament, Vision/Play Reading, Technique/Style, Rebound Control, Puck Handling). Our prospect team spent large portions of their last few months pre-COVID in the rinks, watching the players below and many others, and further work on video (Instat Hockey has been a terrific resource in recent days) before passing judgement on their future projections.

The 20-80 scouting system is meant to allow players from different leagues in different parts of the world to be compared to one another, such that grades on a player in the OHL can be directly compared to grades from an AHL player, and to grades of someone playing in the MHL.

PROSPECT CRITERIA

Players under 26 years of age as of the September 15th prior (Sep. 15, 1994) to the season in question who have appeared in less than 60 NHL games (30 for goalies) and less than 35 in any one season – or 25 last year (20 for goalies, 15 last season) are considered prospects

RANK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	ACQUIRED
1	Alexis Lafreniere	NYR	LW	19	6-1/195	`20(1st)
2	Tim Stutzle	Ott	C	18	6-1/185	`20(3rd)
3	Quinton Byfield	LA	C	18	6-4/215	`20(2nd)
4	Trevor Zegras	Ana	C	19	6-0/170	`19(9th)
5	Kirill Kaprizov	Min	LW	23	5-10/200	`15(135th)
6	Lucas Raymond	Det	LW	18	5-11/170	`20(4th)
7	Dylan Cozens	Buf	C	19	6-3/185	`19(7th)
8	Bowen Byram	Col	D	19	6-0/195	`19(4th)
9	Peyton Krebs	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`19(17th)
10	Jake Sanderson	Ott	D	18	6-1/185	`20(5th)
11	Moritz Seider	Det	D	19	6-3/185	`19(6th)
12	Jamie Drysdale	Ana	D	18	5-11/175	`20(6th)
13	Igor Shesterkin	NYR	G	25	6-1/190	`14(118th)
14	Alexander Holtz	NJ	RW	18	6-0/190	`20(7th)
15	Cole Perfetti	Wpg	LW	19	5-10/180	`20(10th)
16	Marco Rossi	Min	C	19	5-9/185	`20(9th)
17	Vasili Podkolzin	Van	RW	19	6-1/190	`19(10th)
18	Victor Soderstrom	Ari	D	19	5-11/180	`19(11th)
19	Nick Robertson	Tor	LW	19	5-9/160	`19(53rd)
20	Cole Caufield	Mtl	RW	19	5-7/165	`19(15th)
21	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	18	6-3/175	`20(11th)
22	Spencer Knight	Fla	G	19	6-3/195	`19(13th)
23	Philip Broberg	Edm	D	19	6-3/200	`19(8th)
24	Jack Quinn	Buf	RW	19	6-0/180	`20(8th)
25	Matthew Boldy	Min	LW	19	6-1/190	`19(12th)
26	Nils Lundkvist	NYR	D	20	5-11/180	`18(28th)
27	Seth Jarvis	Car	RW	18	5-10/175	`20(13th)
28	Ty Smith	NJ	D	20	5-10/180	`18(17th)
29	Grigori Denisenko	Fla	LW	20	5-11/185	`18(15th)
30	Barrett Hayton	Ari	C	20	6-1/190	`18(5th)
31	Alex Newhook	Col	C	19	5-10/195	`19(16th)
32	Thomas Harley	Dal	D	19	6-3/190	`19(18th)
33	Alex Turcotte	LA	C	19	5-11/185	`19(5th)
34	Vitali Kravtsov	NYR	RW	21	6-3/185	`18(9th)
35	Philip Tomasino	Nsh	C	19	5-11/180	`19(24th)
36	Connor McMichael	Wsh	C	19	5-11/175	`19(25th)
37	Dawson Mercer	NJ	C	19	6-0/180	`20(18th)
38	Ilya Sorokin	NYI	G	25	6-2/180	`14(78th)
39	Gabriel Vilardi	LA	RW	21	6-3/200	`17(11th)
40	Ryan Merkley	SJ	D	20	5-11/170	`18(21st)
41	Alexander Romanov	Mtl	D	20	5-11/185	`18(38th)
42	Kaiden Guhle	Mtl	D	18	6-2/190	`20(16th)
43	Samuel Poulin	Pit	LW	19	6-1/205	`19(21st)
44	K'Andre Miller	NYR	D	20	6-3/205	`18(22nd)
45	Scott Perunovich	StL	D	22	5-10/175	`18(45th)
46	Evan Bouchard	Edm	D	21	6-2/195	`18(10th)
47	Braden Schneider	NYR	D	19	6-2/200	`20(19th)
48	Juuso Valimaki	Cgy	D	22	6-2/205	`17(16th)
49	Cam York	Phi	D	19	5-11/175	`19(14th)
50	Anton Lundell	Fla	C	19	6-1/185	`20(12th)
51	Morgan Frost	Phi	C	21	5-11/180	`17(27th)
52	Owen Tippett	Fla	RW	21	6-1/200	`17(10th)
53	Albert Johansson	Det	D	19	5-11/165	`19(60th)
54	Liam Foudy	CBJ	C	20	6-0/175	`18(18th)
55	Kieffer Bellows	NYI	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(19th)
56	Arthur Kaliyev	LA	RW	19	6-2/190	`19(33rd)
57	Oliver Wahlstrom	NYI	RW	20	6-1/205	`18(11th)
58	Nils Hoglander	Van	RW	20	5-9/185	`19(40th)
59	Matias Maccelli	Ari	LW	20	5-11/170	`19(98th)
60	Tobias Bjornfot	LA	D	19	6-0/200	`19(22nd)
61	Jacob Bernard-Docker	Ott	D	20	6-0/180	`18(26th)
62	Connor Zary	Cgy	C	19	6-0/180	`20(24th)
63	Dominik Bokk	Car	RW	20	6-1/180	T(StL-9/19)
64	Ryan Suzuki	Car	C	19	6-0/180	`19(28th)
65	Dylan Samberg	Wpg	D	21	6-3/190	`17(43rd)
66	Jake Bean	Car	D	22	6-1/175	`16(13th)
67	Josh Norris	Ott	C	21	6-1/195	T(SJ-9/18)
68	Rasmus Kupari	LA	C	20	6-1/185	`18(20th)
69	Jakob Pelletier	Cgy	LW	19	5-9/165	`19(26th)
70	Drake Batherson	Ott	RW	22	6-1/190	`17(121st)
71	Jan Jenik	Ari	RW	20	6-1/180	`18(65th)
72	John-Jason Peterka	Buf	LW	18	5-11/190	`20(34th)
73	Kirill Marchenko	CBJ	LW	20	6-3/190	`18(49th)
74	Bode Wilde	NYI	D	20	6-2/195	`18(41st)
75	John Beecher	Bos	C	19	6-3/210	`19(30th)
76	Tyler Madden	LA	C	21	5-10/155	T(Van-2/20)
77	Jack Studnicka	Bos	C	21	6-1/170	`17(53rd)
78	Jake Oettinger	Dal	G	22	6-4/210	`17(26th)
79	Alex Formenton	Ott	LW	21	6-2/165	`17(47th)
80	Matthew Robertson	NYR	D	19	6-3/200	`19(49th)
81	Calen Addison	Min	D	20	5-10/180	T(Pit-2/20)
82	Ty Dellandrea	Dal	C	20	6-0/185	`18(13th)
83	Akil Thomas	LA	C	20	5-11/170	`18(51st)
84	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	18	5-10/180	`20(30th)
85	Ian Mitchell	Chi	D	21	5-11/175	`17(57th)
86	Jason Robertson	Dal	LW	21	6-2/195	`17(39th)
87	Hendrix Lapierre	Wsh	C	18	5-11/180	`20(22nd)
88	Brendan Brisson	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`20(29th)
89	Theodor Niederbach	Det	C	18	5-11/175	`20(51st)
90	Zac Jones	NYR	D	20	5-10/175	`19(68th)
91	Robert Mastrosimone	Det	LW	19	5-10/160	`19(54th)
92	Joe Veleno	Det	C	20	6-1/195	`18(30th)
93	Rodion Amirov	Tor	LW	19	6-0/170	`20(15th)
94	Jake Neighbours	StL	LW	18	5-11/195	`20(26th)
95	Julien Gauthier	NYR	RW	23	6-4/225	T(Car-2/20)
96	Justus Annunen	Col	G	20	6-4/215	`18(64th)
97	Egor Zamula	Phi	D	20	6-4/175	FA(9/18)
98	Shane Pinto	Ott	C	20	6-2/190	`19(32nd)
99	Noel Gunler	Car	RW	19	6-2/175	`20(41st)
100	Ridly Greig	Ott	C	18	5-11/165	`20(28th)
101	Jesse Ylonen	Mtl	RW	21	6-1/185	`18(35th)
102	Samuel Fagemo	LA	RW	20	6-0/195	`19(50th)
103	Mattias Norlinder	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`19(64th)
104	Olli Juolevi	Van	D	22	6-3/200	`16(5th)
105	Kristian Vesalainen	Wpg	LW	21	6-3/205	`17(24th)
106	Raphael Lavoie	Edm	RW	20	6-4/195	`19(38th)
107	Jan Mysak	Mtl	C	18	5-11/180	`20(49th)
108	Cayden Primeau	Mtl	G	21	6-3/180	`17(199th)
109	Pavel Dorofeyev	VGK	LW	20	6-1/170	`19(79th)
110	Morgan Barron	NYR	C	22	6-2/200	`17(174th)
111	Ville Heinola	Wpg	D	19	5-11/180	`19(20th)
112	Dylan Holloway	Edm	C	19	6-0/205	`20(14th)
113	Jack Dugan	VGK	RW	22	6-2/185	`17(142nd)
114	Alexander Khovanov	Min	C	20	5-11/195	`18(86th)
115	Jacob Perreault	Ana	RW	18	5-11/195	`20(27th)
116	Jake Evans	Mtl	C	24	6-0/185	`14(207th)
117	Adam Beckman	Min	LW	19	6-1/170	`19(75th)
118	Jett Woo	Van	D	20	6-0/205	`18(37th)
119	Nolan Foote	NJ	LW	20	6-3/190	T(TB-2/20)
120	Logan Brown	Ott	C	22	6-6/220	`16(11th)
121	Martin Kaut	Col	RW	21	6-1/175	`18(16th)
122	Jack Rathbone	Van	D	21	5-10/175	`17(95th)
123	Ozzy Wiesblatt	SJ	RW	18	5-10/185	`20(31st)
124	Ryan O'Rourke	Min	D	18	6-0/180	`20(39th)
125	Lukas Reichel	Chi	LW	18	6-0/170	`20(17th)
126	Jordan Harris	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`18(71st)
127	Lukas Dostal	Ana	G	20	6-1/170	`18(85th)
128	Egor Afanasyev	Nsh	RW	19	6-3/205	`19(45th)
129	Conor Timmins	Col	D	22	6-1/185	`17(32nd)
130	Lassi Thomson	Ott	D	20	6-0/190	`19(19th)
131	Eeli Tolvanen	Nsh	RW	21	5-10/175	`17(30th)
132	Kasper Simontaival	LA	RW	18	5-9/180	`20(66th)
133	Roni Hirvonen	Tor	C	18	5-9/165	`20(59th)
134	Thomas Bordeleau	SJ	C	18	5-9/180	`20(38th)
135	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	Ana	C	20	6-1/195	`18(54th)
136	Tyler Kleven	Ott	D	18	6-4/200	`20(44th)
137	Tyson Foerster	Phi	C	18	6-1/195	`20(23rd)
138	Helge Grans	LA	D	18	6-2/205	`20(35th)
139	Jonathan Dahlen	SJ	LW	23	5-11/185	T(Van-2/19)
140	Marat Khusnutdinov	Min	C	18	5-11/175	`20(37th)
141	Alexander Alexeyev	Wsh	D	21	6-3/200	`18(31st)
142	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	Pit	D	21	6-2/170	`17(23rd)
143	Topi Niemela	Tor	D	18	5-10/160	`20(64th)
144	Oskari Laaksonen	Buf	D	21	6-2/165	`17(89th)
145	Filip Hallander	Tor	LW	20	6-1/185	T(Pit-8/20)
146	Serron Noel	Fla	RW	20	6-5/205	`18(34th)
147	Martin Chromiak	LA	LW	18	6-0/185	`20(128th)
148	Shakir Mukhamadullin	NJ	D	18	6-3/180	`20(20th)
149	Mattias Samuelsson	Buf	D	20	6-3/215	`18(32nd)
150	Janne Kuokkanen	NJ	LW	22	6-1/190	T(Car-2/20)
151	Ryan Johnson	Buf	D	19	6-0/175	`19(31st)
152	Sean Farrell	Mtl	C	19	5-8/175	`20(124th)
153	Martin Fehervary	Wsh	D	21	6-1/190	`18(46th)
154	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	Buf	G	21	6-4/195	`17(54th)
155	Will Lockwood	Van	RW	22	5-11/175	`16(64th)
156	Isac Lundestrom	Ana	C	21	6-0/185	`18(23rd)
157	Michael DiPietro	Van	G	21	6-0/195	`17(64th)
158	Jonatan Berggren	Det	RW	20	5-10/185	`18(33rd)
159	Kevin Bahl	NJ	D	20	6-6/230	T(Ari-12/19)
160	Aliaksei Protas	Wsh	C	19	6-5/205	`19(91st)
161	Reilly Walsh	NJ	D	21	5-11/180	`17(81st)
162	Nick Abruzzese	Tor	C	21	5-9/160	`19(124th)
163	Tyler Tucker	StL	D	20	6-1/205	`18(200th)
164	Arseni Gritsyuk	NJ	RW	19	5-10/170	`19(129th)
165	Klim Kostin	StL	C	21	6-3/195	`17(31st)
166	Brayden Tracey	Ana	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(29th)
167	Joel Hofer	StL	G	20	6-3/160	`18(107th)
168	Joey Anderson	Tor	RW	22	6-0/195	T(NJ-10/20)
169	Yegor Spiridonov	SJ	C	19	6-2/195	`19(108th)
170	Sam Colangelo	Ana	RW	19	6-1/205	`20(36th)
171	Joey Keane	Car	D	21	6-0/185	T(NYR-2/20)
172	Jared McIsaac	Det	D	20	6-1/195	`18(36th)
173	Jamieson Rees	Car	C	19	5-10/175	`19(44th)
174	Ivan Morozov	VGK	C	20	6-1/180	`18(61st)
175	Rem Pitlick	Nsh	C	23	5-11/200	`16(76th)
176	Tyce Thompson	NJ	RW	21	6-0/170	`19(96th)
177	Michael McLeod	NJ	C	22	6-2/195	`16(12th)
178	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	LA	C	21	5-11/190	`17(41st)
179	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	19	6-0/165	`19(214th)
180	Antti Tuomisto	Det	D	19	6-4/190	`19(35th)
181	Brett Berard	NYR	LW	18	5-9/155	`20(134th)
182	Luke Evangelista	Nsh	RW	18	5-11/170	`20(42nd)
183	Joel Blomqvist	Pit	G	18	6-1/180	`20(52nd)
184	Joni Ikonen	Mtl	C	21	5-10/170	`17(58th)
185	Olivier Rodrigue	Edm	G	20	6-1/165	`18(62nd)
186	Lucas Elvenes	VGK	RW	21	6-0/175	`17(127th)
187	Anthony Angello	Pit	RW	24	6-5/205	`14(145th)
188	Tuukka Tieksola	Car	RW	19	5-10/160	`19(121st)
189	Declan Chisholm	Wpg	D	20	6-1/190	`18(150th)
190	Cole Koepke	TB	LW	22	6-1/195	`18(183rd)
191	Valtteri Puustinen	Pit	RW	21	5-9/185	`19(203rd)
192	Ty Smilanic	Fla	C	18	6-1/175	`20(74th)
193	Patrik Puistola	Car	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(73rd)
194	Justin Barron	Col	D	19	6-2/190	`20(25th)
195	Andrew Peeke	CBJ	D	22	6-3/210	`16(34th)
196	Michael Vukojevic	NJ	D	19	6-3/210	`19(82nd)
197	Alec Regula	Chi	D	20	6-3/200	T(Det-10/19)
198	Connor Corcoran	VGK	D	20	6-1/185	`18(154th)
199	Jeremy Swayman	Bos	G	22	6-1/190	`17(111th)
200	Pyotr Kochetkov	Car	G	21	6-1/175	`19(36th)
201	Mikey Anderson	LA	D	21	6-0/195	`17(103rd)
202	Carter Savoie	Edm	LW	18	5-9/190	`20(100th)
203	Samuel Walker	TB	C	21	5-11/160	`17(200th)
204	William Wallinder	Det	D	18	6-4/190	`20(32nd)
205	Jack Drury	Car	C	20	5-11/180	`18(42nd)
206	Emil Andrae	Phi	D	18	5-9/185	`20(54th)
207	Cal Petersen	LA	G	26	6-3/190	FA(7/17)
208	Jeremie Poirier	Cgy	D	18	6-0/200	`20(72nd)
209	Tarmo Reunanen	NYR	D	22	6-0/180	`16(98th)
210	Simon Holmstrom	NYI	RW	19	6-1/185	`19(23rd)
211	Aleksi Saarela	Fla	RW	23	5-11/200	T(Chi-10/19)
212	Anton Johannesson	Wpg	D	18	5-9/155	`20(133rd)
213	Lauri Pajuniemi	NYR	RW	21	6-0/185	`18(132nd)
214	Morgan Geekie	Car	C	22	6-2/180	`17(67th)
215	Shane Bowers	Col	C	21	6-2/190	T(Ott-11/17)
216	Sasha Chmelevski	SJ	C	21	5-11/190	`17(185th)
217	Ruslan Iskhakov	NYI	C	20	5-8/155	`18(43rd)
218	Cole Schwindt	Fla	RW	19	6-2/185	`19(81st)
219	Hugo Alnefelt	TB	G	19	6-3/195	`19(71st)
220	Nikita Okhotyuk	NJ	D	20	6-1/195	`19(61st)
221	Sampo Ranta	Col	LW	20	6-2/205	`18(78th)
222	Alexander Volkov	TB	LW	23	6-1/190	`17(48th)
223	Alexander True	SJ	C	23	6-5/205	FA(7/18)
224	John Leonard	SJ	C	22	5-11/190	`18(182nd)
225	Carl Grundstrom	LA	LW	23	6-0/195	T(Tor-1/19)
226	Dmitri Semykin	TB	D	20	6-3/200	`18(90th)
227	Cal Foote	TB	D	22	6-4/215	`17(14th)
228	Jean-Luc Foudy	Col	C	18	5-11/175	`20(75th)
229	Alex Barre-Boulet	TB	C	23	5-10/165	FA(3/18)
230	Tristen Robins	SJ	RW	19	5-10/175	`20(56th)
231	Max Gildon	Fla	D	21	6-3/190	`17(66th)
232	Nikita Alexandrov	StL	C	20	6-0/180	`19(62nd)
233	Michael Benning	Fla	D	18	5-9/180	`20(95th)
234	Justin Sourdif	Fla	RW	18	5-11/175	`20(87th)
235	Tanner Laczynski	Phi	C	23	6-1/200	`16(169th)
236	Eamon Powell	TB	D	18	5-11/165	`20(116th)
237	Kaedan Korczak	VGK	D	19	6-3/190	`19(41st)
238	Drew Commesso	Chi	G	18	6-1/180	`20(47th)
239	Nikolai Kovalenko	Col	RW	21	5-10/175	`18(171st)
240	Pius Suter	Chi	C	24	5-11/170	FA(7/20)
241	Wade Allison	Phi	RW	23	6-2/205	`16(52nd)
242	Bobby Brink	Phi	RW	19	5-10/165	`19(34th)
243	Lukas Cormier	VGK	D	18	5-10/180	`20(68th)
244	David Farrance	Nsh	D	21	5-11/190	`17(92nd)
245	Roby Jarventie	Ott	RW	18	6-2/185	`20(33rd)
246	Dmitri Voronkov	CBJ	LW	20	6-4/190	`19(114th)
247	German Rubtsov	Phi	C	22	6-2/190	`16(22nd)
248	Vitaly Abramov	Ott	RW	22	5-9/175	T(CBJ-2/19)
249	Alex Laferriere	LA	RW	19	6-0/175	`20(83rd)
250	Trey Fix-Wolansky	CBJ	RW	21	5-8/185	`18(204th)
251	Isaac Ratcliffe	Phi	LW	21	6-5/200	`17(35th)
252	Kale Clague	LA	D	22	6-0/180	`16(51st)
253	Landon Slaggert	Chi	LW	18	5-11/180	`20(79th)
254	Wyatt Kalynuk	Chi	D	23	6-1/180	FA(7/20)
255	Mikko Kokkonen	Tor	D	19	5-11/200	`19(84th)
256	Kevin Mandolese	Ott	G	20	6-4/180	`18(157th)
257	Daniil Tarasov	CBJ	G	21	6-5/185	`17(86th)
258	Evan Barratt	Chi	C	21	6-0/190	`17(90th)
259	Tyler Benson	Edm	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(32nd)
260	Yegor Korshkov	Tor	RW	24	6-4/215	`16(31st)
261	Hunter Skinner	NYR	D	19	6-2/175	`19(112th)
262	Riley Damiani	Dal	C	20	5-9/165	`18(137th)
263	Ryan McLeod	Edm	C	21	6-2/205	`18(40th)
264	Ilya Konovalov	Edm	G	22	6-0/195	`19(85th)
265	Will Cuylle	NYR	LW	18	6-3/205	`20(60th)
266	Evan Vierling	NYR	C	18	6-0/165	`20(127th)
267	Emil Heineman	Fla	LW	19	6-0/180	`20(43rd)
268	Zayde Wisdom	Phi	RW	18	5-10/195	`20(94th)
269	Hunter Jones	Min	G	20	6-4/195	`19(59th)
270	Ty Tullio	Edm	RW	18	5-10/165	`20(126th)
271	Jordan Spence	LA	D	19	5-10/165	`19(95th)
272	Dmitri Zavgorodny	Cgy	LW	20	5-9/175	`18(198th)
273	Alex Beaucage	Col	RW	19	6-1/195	`19(78th)
274	Matiss Kivlenieks	CBJ	G	24	6-2/190	FA(5/17)
275	Artyom Zub	Ott	D	25	6-2/200	FA(5/20)
276	Urho Vaakanainen	Bos	D	22	6-0/185	`17(18th)
277	Dmitri Samorukov	Edm	D	21	6-2/180	`17(84th)
278	Michal Teply	Chi	LW	19	6-3/185	`19(105th)
279	Colby Ambrosio	Col	C	18	5-8/170	`20(118th)
280	Mads Sogaard	Ott	G	20	6-7/195	`19(37th)
281	Jeremy Lauzon	Bos	D	23	6-3/205	`15(52nd)
282	Dennis Gilbert	Col	D	24	6-2/200	T(Chi-10/20)
283	Trent Frederic	Bos	C	22	6-4/215	`16(29th)
284	Lucas Carlsson	Chi	D	23	6-0/190	`16(110th)
285	Zack Macewen	Van	RW	24	6-3/205	FA(3/17)
286	Brandon Hagel	Chi	LW	22	6-1/175	FA(10/18)
287	Vasily Ponomarev	Car	C	18	5-10/180	`20(53rd)
288	Jakub Zboril	Bos	D	23	6-1/200	`15(13th)
289	Garrett Pilon	Wsh	RW	22	5-11/190	`16(87th)
290	Jeremy Bracco	Car	RW	23	5-9/180	FA(10/20)
291	Dylan Sikura	VGK	RW	25	6-0/170	T(Chi-9/20)
292	Kyle Capobianco	Ari	D	23	6-1/180	`15(63rd)
293	Sami Niku	Wpg	D	24	6-0/175	`15(198th)
294	John Farinacci	Ari	C	19	5-11/185	`19(76th)
295	Jackson Lacombe	Ana	D	19	6-1/170	`19(39th)
296	David Cotton	Car	LW	23	6-3/205	`15(169th)
297	Erik Portillo	Buf	G	20	6-6/210	`19(67th)
298	Jacob Truscott	Van	D	18	6-1/170	`20(144th)
299	Mikhail Berdin	Wpg	G	22	6-2/165	`16(157th)
300	Cam Hillis	Mtl	C	20	5-10/170	`18(66th)

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHT – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 26

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 19:40:06 +0000

Vegas Golden Knights

If you were to tell me that an expansion team, after only three draft classes, had a middle of the pack system, a ranking which is as much about depth as about the upper echelon, you would think that they had selected high each year and perhaps had drafted young in the expansion draft to boot.

Of course you, the McKeen’s Hockey reader know that not to be the case. You know, as do I, that while the Golden Knights had three first rounders in their inaugural draft in 2017, two of the players selected (Nick Suzuki and Erik Brannstrom) are no longer in the organization, while the third (Cody Glass) has lost his prospect eligibility with Vegas. You also likely remember that Vegas dealt away their 2018 first round pick in the service of that first, magical playoff run, as part of the package surrendered for Tomas Tatar.

As our organizational rankings are based on cumulative quality among a team’s top 18 prospects, Vegas has earned their standing due to depth. Even with the picks traded away before or after making them, Vegas has drafted 28 players in four years. In other words, they crammed four draft classes into three.

Naturally, not every pick has panned out. Even when we get past their almost mythical first draft class. The three first rounders all look like hits, as does their first second rounder, in Nicolas Hague, who like Glass has played too much in the NHL to maintain prospect eligibility. After Hague, their next three picks are all trending towards bust, as Jake Leschyshyn and Jonas Rondbjerg struggled mightily as rookie pros and Maxim Zhukov was never signed. All that is left from that class in terms of prospect expectations are the two fifth rounders Lucas Elvenes and Jack Dugan, and sixth rounder Jiri Patera, who had a big final season in the WHL to reclaim some luster.

The Golden Knights again spread their scouting nets wide in 2018, selecting players from around the hockey globe. Even without picks in the first or third rounds, half of their eight picks are still trending in the right direction. It is likely that none of them end up as top-half-of-roster players, but winning teams need strength up and down their lines, and all the better if those contributions come on entry level contracts.

Another interesting tactic employed by Vegas which helps keep their prospect rankings respectable has been mixing CHLers and European and college-bound players. What that does is stagger their expected graduations. CHLers need to be signed within two years, while the latter two groups have more time on their sides, depending on their actual path. Effectively, this has given the Golden Knights multiple tracks for development. They have fast trackers picked out of the CHL like the graduated draft picks Glass, and Hague, and current top prospect Peyton Krebs. They have prospects on slower paths like collegians Jack Dugan, Isaiah Saville, and Peter Diliberatore, and they have the indefinite path Russians in Pavel Dorofeyev and Ivan Morozov.

Finally, the Golden Knights have not been shy about supplementing their prospect depth with free talent. There are three undrafted free agents in the top 15 and a few more sprinkled throughout the system including the organization’s first ever player, Reid Duke. Vegas has been equally likely to sign a free agent out of the CHL as they have out of college. This hybrid approach has allowed the expansion team to ramp up quickly and sustainably. Seattle should be taking notes.

Peyton Krebs

Peyton Krebs, C (17^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Krebs is one of the top playmakers outside of the NHL right now. He has elite level vision coupled with elite passing skills that enable him to make plays and passes that few others can. He is also a cerebral player who can slow the game down or push the pace to generate offense. His high hockey IQ enables him to be a solid defensive player who wins draws, leads play through the neutral zone, and effectively plays across all 200 feet of the ice.

There are two things that prevent him from being mentioned as among the top drafted prospects right now. His shot is only average. He gets over three shots per game off but his shot is not a weapon at the same level as the rest of his game. He projects to a similar stat line to former NHLer Adam Oates where his assists will be triple or even quadruple his goals. He needs to have a finisher on his line for him to reach his full potential.

The second is his size. His size will not prevent him from having an NHL career in any way, but his lack of size has added some doubts to his future projection. He is a very quick player, both in processing the game and in how he moves around the ice. He has separation speed and high agility enabling him to attack defenders’ multiple ways. He is a great puck carrier and has the potential to be a true top line player. 50 assist seasons seem like a possibility in the not too distant future. – VG

Pavel Dorofeyev, LW (79^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 3)

Playing under 10 minutes per game, Dorofeyev did not muster up big numbers in the KHL this season. He is still an interesting offensive prospect with some strong offensive assets. His skating is technically solid. His edgework and efficient stride help him to be effective on the ice even though he lacks the natural explosiveness needed for elite speed. He is good on the power play and can be both a setup-player as well as a shooter. He can one-time slap shots with precision and can release hard wrist shots quickly.

His most impressive asset is his strong puck skills. He is a strong puck carrier and passer. He can skate smoothly with the puck which could help him to be a good zone entry player. There are some concerns about the consistency of his decision-making in the sense that he seems to prefer an east-west game rather than a north-south. This means that he slows the game down seeking cross passes rather than moving the puck forward. His game away from the puck is inconsistent and can lack intensity.

His offensive instincts are good, though, and if he can learn to use his assets more efficiently, he can become a top six forward in the NHL. There still are some ifs to that projection. He needs to play in a top six role to reach his full potential as a player. He has a contract in the KHL for two more years and will need that time to show that he can take steps and produce in a top six role there before stepping over. - JH

BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 11: Providence Friars Forward Jack Dugan (12) skates up ice during the NCAA Frozen Four men's hockey game between Providence Friars and Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs on April 11, 2019 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. (Photo by Jerome Davis/Icon Sportswire)

Jack Dugan, LW (142^nd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 11)

A fifth-round draft pick, Dugan has grown into one of the top college hockey prospects. He has faced his share of adversity - after winning a championship with McQuaid Jesuit High in New York he transferred to Northwood, a Massachusetts prep school. He was struggling and missed his home, but his coach helped him, convincing him to stay. It paid off in the form of an impressive senior year, followed by a season with the Chicago Steel of the USHL, where he was a USHL First Team All-Star and played for USA in the WJAC in 2017-18.

After having a good freshman year with Providence, he had a breakout season for the Friars as a sophomore, leading the nation in scoring for which he was named a Hobey Baker finalist and New England’s best forward. Dugan is recognized as a bigger scoring threat, but he has also become more patient and has learned to look for more options. There are many aspects of his game to like — he has excellent vision and his ability to see the ice plus his creativity makes him an exceptional playmaker. The top-line forward likes to hang out around the net and can feed his teammates from that position.

At 6-2”, Dugan could put more weight to his frame so he doesn’t get pushed off the puck so easily. He has to pump his legs to skate but he cycles smoothly in the zone. He has an ability to set his teammates up, but that’s also his weakness - he needs to pass the puck less and shoot more to take that next step in his development. - JS

Ivan Morozov, C (61^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 5)

A 6-1” and nearly 200lbs power center, like many young Russian players have to do, he lived out of a suitcase this year, playing across three different leagues, on top of playing internationally for Russia at several events (including the World Junior Championships). While he has yet to truly establish himself as a full time KHL player, he had a strong second half with SKA, playing alongside fellow prospects, Vasily Podkolzin (VAN) and Kirill Marchenko (CBJ).

Playing more of a power game, Morozov is more likely to try to plow through you rather than deke around you. He combines strong skating ability, great puck protection, and a heavy wrist shot to be an impact offensive player. However, Morozov is also a strong two-way player who uses his size effectively to win challenges for the puck and who can play in any situation asked of him. The knock on Morozov is simply consistency. Part of that could be from having to play across many different teams in the Russian junior leagues. However, he needs to find a way to be an impact player from shift to shift, using his size effectively to dominate down the middle of the ice.

After signing a contract extension with SKA through 2021-22, Morozov will look to establish himself as a KHL star before crossing the pond. That means Vegas fans will not be seeing Morozov for a few years yet. Once he does come over, he projects as a potential middle six center who can potentially make an impact the year after his KHL contract expires. - BO

Lucas Elvenes, C/RW (127^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 17)

I was going to start off by saying that Lucas Elvenes was one of the AHL’s preeminent rookies last season, but that would undersell him; he was one of the league’s best players, bar none. Exploding onto the scene from literally his first AHL game onward, with a goal and three assists, Elvenes won AHL Rookie of the Month honors in October while steaming through an 11-game point streak and leading the league in scoring until early December.

Bursting with speed and high-level passing ability, the Swedish hybrid forward loves to play a perimeter game that is predicated upon his ability to facilitate the puck and his man-to-man game at top speed. That kind of game needed no adjustment from the wider European ice, allowing him to compress his skillset and make faster passes and take advantage of his speed against the walls. With soft hands and a smooth set of skates, he was as effective as any AHL winger at establishing possession in the offensive zone. With length and mature anticipation of what is happening on the ice, he can more than hold his own on defense.

His shot could be more of a weapon, and with its speed and quick delivery, Elvenes should use it more than the mere 70 shots on goal he recorded in 59 games last season. To think the 20-year-old can be a future top-six winger, disregarding for a moment the absurd forward depth Vegas possesses in the NHL, is not hyperbole. And as a fifth-round pick in Vegas’ inaugural draft back in 2017, what a story that would be. - TD

Connor Corcoran, D (154^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Corcoran excels most in the defensive end where he understands how to use his quickness and mobility to play a suffocating, shutdown role. Not an overtly physical player, he shows poise and restraint, exhibiting great gap control to shut down the transition game, but also a good stick to excel in coverage.

Offensively, his confidence soared this year as he took that next step in being able to lead the charge at even strength, and quarterback the powerplay effectively. While his offensive skill set is not dynamic enough to be a significant point producer at the next level, he definitely has the potential to develop into a quality #4-6 defender who can provide a reliable presence, following a few years of seasoning at the AHL level. - BO

Kaedan Korczak, D (41^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 10)

There was always a lot to like about his size, skating and overall defensive game but his ability to sneak in from the point to make a play, coupled with his development on the powerplay where he sets the table for his teammates, have been two very important and noticeable improvements. He has an excellent one timer and moves well laterally along the blue line which also adds another layer to his offensive game. He has always shown excellent gap and wall control where he uses both his reach and physical presence to disrupt his opponent’s game. - VG

Zach Whitecloud, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 8, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

While he is not the most impressive player to behold, the undrafted Bemidji State alum has no real flaws and can expertly slip into any role needed from him. A hard-nosed physical player, he plays deep, tight gaps and uses his 6-2” frame to close down any inside position against opposing forwards. He routinely shuts down plays below the goal line with his body, eliminating cycle play and high danger net-front chances.

He has shown an underrated puck-moving ability to pair with his fairly respectable mobility, but I don’t expect him to be a two-way force of any kind in the NHL. Polished and ready for a permanent job on the Knights’ blueline, Whitecloud will likely stay put in the big league from this point on. - TD

Keegar Kolesar, RW (Trade: Jun. 24, 2017. Originally: 69^th overall, 2015 [Columbus]. 2019 Rank: 19)

With nifty and elusive hands as well as a dangerous, albeit inconsistent shot, Kolesar is capable of racking up points, while pressuring opposing defenses and goaltenders as a depth option. His puck-protection skills against the boards and tenacious forechecking could make him one of the peskiest players to play against in a deep Vegas forward lineup. He is capable of taking on heavier defensive minutes with AHL Chicago, where he has been one of the top penalty-killing forwards on the club. He is becoming more of a certain future NHLer, but it looks like his ceiling is as a fourth-liner with a grinder’s scoring output. - TD

Isaiah Saville, G (135^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 9)

Team USA’s third string netminder at this year’s WJC (he never played) Saville still has the highest upside of any goalie in the Vegas system. The freshman had some hiccups in adjusting to life in college, playing for a minnow in a top-heavy NCHC conference no less, but he still was able to demonstrate a number of the traits that made him an exciting draft prospect one year earlier.

A southpaw on the smaller side for a modern goaltender, the Alaskan is very athletic with impressive lateral agility, yet he plays a very calm game, keeping his feet steady and generally playing with an abundance of composure. Going forward, he could stand to be a tad more assertive, especially when it comes to handling the puck. He should also work on tightening his five hole to be a less attractive target for shooters. More than anything, though, he needs to be more consistent from game to game. As with all goalies, there is boom-or-bust potential here, but the shine has not yet come off Saville. - RW

Gage Quinney, C/LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jun. 1, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Quinney became the first Las Vegas-born player to appear in an NHL game earlier this season, and he absolutely earned that big-league debut. Signed as a free agent in July of 2018, the winger has been quietly superb in the AHL with seasons of 33, 43, and 36 points (the last of which came in just 46 contests) since coming over from the Pittsburgh organization.

Playing with more pace than ever, Quinney makes great reads of the ice and knows exactly where to the put the puck, whether that is utilizing his well-placed and heavy wrist shot or drawing defenders to him before dishing it out. An excellent puck-handler, he does not lose it often when attempting to move through traffic.

He is not the biggest forward, but he competes well for pucks and can kill penalties with effectiveness. What hurts his potential is that the lefty does not have great speed and at 25, this might be the plateau of what he can provide. If the Knights truly value the former WHL role player, he can suit up for a bottom-six PK role in the near future. - TD

Jiri Patera, G (161^st overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)

Patera has shown continued progression this season bringing his GAA down from 3.31 to 2.55 and his save % up from .906 to .921, both of which metrics are significant season over season improvements. The strengths of his game are his control and positioning. He is able to stay pretty compact without a lot of stray movements which keeps him square to the puck and in control of his body. He isn’t a great lateral mover but he gets across fine.

His glove hand is pretty strong and he does well tracking the puck through traffic. His rebound control is pretty good and he directs pucks to the corners well. Occasionally, these are off target and end up in the slot but overall his game is solid. He protects the bottom of the net extremely well. The only concern with his overall game is he tends to go down a bit early to protect the lower half of the net and his save % drops dramatically (per Instatscouts.com) the more the puck is elevated. - VG

Peter Diliberatore, D (180^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

While his skating, hockey sense and his skills range more on the average side, his big assets are his shot and physicality, even though he measures in at a slender 6-0” and 170 pounds. While he could certainly add more weight to his frame, he still uses what he has well. His shot is also exceptional, and it is one of the reasons why Diliberatore is an effective offensive defenseman. He has a blistering slapshot from the point, and he likes to use it, leading all Quinnipiac blueliners by more than 20 shots on the season. He will need at least one more collegiate season before turning pro. - JS

Dylan Coghlan, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 20, 2017. 2019 Rank: 20)

A solid skater capable of carrying his heavy 6-2” frame to an impressive top speed, Coghlan is a rush-oriented defender who likes to carry the puck into the zone, allowing him to use his plus vision to defer to a teammate or his booming slapshot for a chance from the line. His defensive decision-making still needs some work, and his absence on the Chicago penalty kill is not a good sign, but he is a depth puck-rushing defender at the NHL level with potential on the power play with a bit more work. - TD

Brandon Kruse, LW (135^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

His stature will always be a concern, even if he plays tougher than one might expect, but his quick feet have thus far helped him avoid hits even as he regularly wins races for the puck. He also demonstrates great vision for passes, stickhandling the puck into the clear and finding an open man in a more dangerous spot. Those are skills which can help to mitigate his size concern, although not the concern that he can be one-dimensional, relying on the same tricks again and again to escape danger. That he has not yet signed is indicative that he will return to school for a senior season and that Vegas would like to see more progress before extending a contract. It’s hard to expect more out of a fifth rounder. - RW

NCAA: Jack Dugan – Nation’s Leading Collegiate Scorer’s Continuing Development

Jashvina Shah — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 13:32:26 +0000

BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 11: Providence Friars Forward Jack Dugan (12) skates up ice during the NCAA Frozen Four men's hockey game between Providence Friars and Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs on April 11, 2019 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. (Photo by Jerome Davis/Icon Sportswire)

Jack Dugan had just spoken to Chadd Cassidy, his former prep hockey coach at Northwood. The Friars had just split a series with New Hampshire and Dugan snapped a two-game scoreless streak — his longest of the season.

Chats with Cassidy are a common occurrence - Dugan and Cassidy keep in touch regularly.

Cassidy, after all, was the reason Dugan went to Northwood.

So, Cassidy was the reason Dugan ended up at Providence

Because Cassidy was the reason Dugan stayed at Northwood instead of returning home.

“Moving and not knowing anyone, going to a school, you're sleeping in your own room, you don't have anyone making you food or telling you to go to bed or telling you (that) you need to be home at a certain time,” Dugan said. “And you don't drive anywhere, you're there at all times of the day. It’s a different type of lifestyle and it definitely took me a month or two to really get used to it and start enjoying it.

“For the first month I definitely did not enjoy it. I wanted to go back home with all my buddies who were sophomore and juniors in high school and hang out and do whatever.”

Dugan and his teammates at McQuaid Jesuit High had just won the state championship in 2015 (the same year Providence won its first national championship) and Dugan had netted 53 points in 18 games. He opted to leave for prep hockey because he knew it was the only way to further his career.

“It was getting to the point where playing high school hockey was not really challenging enough anymore and neither was travel hockey, so I needed to pick the next level and that's when I ended up choosing Northwood,” Dugan said.

Cassidy had just been hired as head coach the summer before Dugan joined Northwood. Because Cassidy was a late hire and the team was already set, he could only bring in one recruit. He chose Dugan. And he invested in the newcomer, helping Dugan through the difficult first month.

“He looked out for me during my whole two years there. Now we talk every week,” Dugan said.

In his first season with Northwood, Dugan finished with 53 points in 49 games. In his second season, he posted 80 points in 47 games. After his two years at Northwood, Dugan left for Chicago of the USHL. In his one year with the Steel, he scored 66 points in 54 games.

Now, Dugan is leading the country with 42 points at the collegiate level.

“Every year, especially if you stay at the same level that you're at, at least for me, I set personal goals for myself before the year starts and I'm pretty confident in myself and I think that has something to do with it,” Dugan said.

Last year Providence also made the Frozen Four, giving Dugan a boost of playoff experience. Providence head coach Nate Leaman agreed that experience played a part in Dugan’s higher numbers. But he also noted Dugan’s offseason, where he worked on his shot and on getting stronger.

“He's at his best when a line runs through him a little bit,” Leaman said. “Last year he was with two really good players, Josh Wilkins and Kasper Bjorkqvist, and they both signed NHL contracts. Jack has done a really good job this year of leading a line. I don't know if a line runs through him is the right terminology, but he's done a really good job of leading his line this year.”

Dugan has already recorded 14 multi-point games and has scored four points three times, including in the season opener against Maine.

In 2017, prior to arriving at Providence, Dugan was drafted by Las Vegas in the 5th round of the NHL Entry Draft. The next day he flew out to development camp and has been keeping in touch with the Golden Knights since.

“I really don't even remember that much of it,” Dugan said of the draft.

“I talk to them pretty frequently and we have a great relationship. They’ve been nothing but honest with me and I've been nothing but honest with them and we've been able to build up a great relationship.

“I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I'm extremely excited to have been picked by them.”

Appropriately for a player that is extremely well-liked by his teammates, honesty and loyalty are two of his core values. He committed to Providence when he was 15 years old, before he exhibited signs of being a prolific scorer. As Dugan got better, the offers increased. But he never forgot who recognized his potential first.

“I always had some sort of loyalty to that and as the years went on, I just wanted to come here more and more obviously that's what ended up happening,” Dugan said.

When he entered his freshman season, he knew he would have no trouble adapting offensively. It was the defensive game that would be the challenge. But it took him only 10 games to adjust, much faster than he expected.

That season Dugan scored 39 points, second in the league to only Niagara’s Ludwig Stenlund. That performance, in theory, should have been good enough for a Rookie of the Year nomination. But because of how balloting works, the only players nominated nationally for Rookie of the Year are players who won their conference Rookie of the Year awards. Furthermore, each conference end-of-year award is awarded based only on in-conference play, not play overall. And there, Dugan fell just short to current NHLer Joel Farabee.

“[Farabee] was really deserving of rookie of the year in our league so I don't want to diminish that. But Jack wasn't even on the ballot. He should've been on the ballot,” Leaman said. “And if he was, I think a lot more people would've been like, ‘oh he had a great year last year, now he's following up with a great year this year’ and it's, some people think he came out of left field but he really didn’t."

Despite a lack of national attention, Dugan has been progressing well. Like almost all college hockey players, he had to work on his 200-foot game — a must for any player interested in succeeding at the next level.

"The wall play was something that he had to adapt to last year,” Leaman said. “That and he had a lot of success on the power play early last year but when you go through a year, teams take it away. They take away your primary options. So for him, [it was] developing secondary and third options on the power play. That’s something he's done really well this year. He can very much read a power play, and what the opponent's try to take away, and then look for option B, C or D. It shows because all the guys on that power play have been really successful.”

Aside from the improvements, Dugan’s best assets are his vision and his passing.

“He knows a play's there before anybody else on the ice knows a play is there,” Leaman said. “He can wait and wait and wait until a play develops with a puck and create that play. It’s dual talent. Sometimes he'll get it and he'll wait, and he'll wait with the puck but he's just being patient, patient, patient and all of a sudden, he'll just find a guy. Then there's other times where a play happens quickly, and everyone thinks that the normal play is going to occur, and Jack does something completely different.”

While Dugan is now a top scorer in the country — and leads Hockey East with 26 in-league points — his path to Providence was not without its challenges on and off the ice, and academically.

While leaving home early posed difficulties for Dugan off the ice, it also made his academic situation more difficult. He attended three different high schools, so he had to take online classes while playing with Chicago in the USHL to get enough credits to get into Providence. Since attending college, the workload hasn’t decreased. He takes four to five classes a semester, two summer school classes whereas some players take one or two classes over break.

“It's definitely not any different than any other student,” Dugan said. “It’s all the same requirements and we don't really get like a special pass or anything. People may not know that as much, but it's definitely a grind and the weeks are long and basically just look forward to playing the games on the weekend. At least that's what gets me through."

Dugan has come a long way since he was a child, skating on the backyard rink his dad and grandfather would build each season.

“It wasn't always the best every year, but that’s why I remember it,” Dugan said. “Because some years it would work and some years it wouldn't."

Now he just needs to shoot the puck more.

“He's got a very good shot,” Leaman said. “Recently in the past three games he's hit three poles with it. He's starting to shoot more but that was one thing I would like. Because he's got a very good shot. He can score but he likes to be a pass-first guy."

NCAA East Region 2019-20 Season Preview: Hockey East and ECAC

Jashvina Shah — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 13:58:42 +0000

NCAA East Region Preview

While Hockey East and the ECAC are different leagues with different tendencies, both conferences see a gap between the top-tier teams and the bottom ones. The factors that separates the elite from the not-so elite are either excellent coaching or top-end talent. Primarily, teams need excellent coaching. Because you need a lot of top-end talent if you’re going to win on talent. As Herb Brooks said, “you don’t have enough talent to win on talent alone!”

There shouldn’t be too many surprises in the east this year, and teams that succeeded last year will mostly repeat this year.

MANCHESTER, NH - MARCH 29: Clarkson University Golden Knights forward Haralds Egle (18) breaks in on Notre Dame Fighting Irish goaltender Cale Morris (32) during a Northeast Regional semi-final between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Clarkson Golden Knights on March 29, 2019, at SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

ECAC

Brown: The Bears have hovered in the ECAC basement of a while now. They finished eighth in the regular season but got hot in the playoffs, beating Princeton and then knocking off top-seeded Quinnipiac in the quarterfinals. Brown fell to Cornell in the ECAC semifinals 6-0, but that was a case of them being bested by the better team. A trip to the ECAC tournament marked it a wildly successful season for Brown. The roster is more or less the same, ensuring a similar regular-season finish.

Clarkson: The Golden Knights were one of the strongest teams in the ECAC thanks to balanced offense and defense. It helped Clarkson take the short trip to Lake Placid, where it won the ECAC championship in overtime. The Golden Knights lost two key pieces in Nico Sturm, who potted 45 points, and Jake Kielly, who posted a .929 save percentage. Clarkson should be able to replace Sturm’s scoring output, especially with 40-point scorer Haralds Egle returning. While goaltending will be a question mark, the Golden Knights will still be one of the strongest teams in the league.

Drafted players: Nick Campoli (VGK), Dustyn McFaul (BOS), Kris Oldham (TBL), Anthony Romano (ARI)

Colgate: The Raiders slipped last season, their win total decreasing from 17 to 10. They finished 10th in the league and were swept by Union in the first round of the playoffs. The good news is, Colgate returns nearly the entire roster, and the experience should benefit them. The bad news is, the Raiders don’t have much to build on.

Cornell: The Big Red dropped the ECAC championship game in overtime after the referees failed to blow the whistle when the net dropped on goaltender Matthew Galajda. He was injured, so Austin McGrath took over for the rest of the game and throughout the postseason. McGrath helped Cornell to a regional win over Northeastern. Aside from losing a couple seniors, the Big Red will return their leading scorer, Morgan Barron, along with Galadja, making them one of the league favorites.

Drafted players: Matt Cairns (EDM), Matthew Stienburg (COL), Alex Green (TBL), Morgan Barron (NYR), Jack Malone (VAN), Misha Song (NYI)

Dartmouth: After finishing T-5th last year, the Big Green knocked off 12th-place St. Lawrence in the first round of the playoffs. With much of their roster returning, the Big Green should finish in roughly the same place, especially if Adrian Clark can build off his .910 save percentage from at last season.

Harvard: Adam Fox’s departure is unfortunate for the Crimson, since he not only led the team with 48 points but was also one of the best defensemen in the country. Harvard still has its offensive leaders, including Reilly Walsh and Casey Dornbach. Goaltender Michael Lackey also graduated, but he missed some of last season with an injury, opening up the net for Cameron Gornet. Gornet filled in well, and can put the Crimson in a prime spot for another top-four ECAC finish.

Drafted players: Jack Drury (CAR), Jack Badini (ANA), John Farinacci (ARI), Reilly Walsh (NJD), Nick Abruzzese (TOR), Mitchell Gibson (WSH), Jack Rathbone (VAN), Henry Thrun (ANA), Austin Wong (WPG)

Princeton: Just one season after winning the ECAC tournament, the Tigers struggled to repeat their success. Princeton’s top line of Ryan Kuffner, Max Veronneau and Alex Riche -- which combined for 107 points last season -- couldn’t bring the team past its lackluster goaltending hurdle. The trio, along with top defenseman Josh Teves, graduated, making the Tigers much weaker on both ends of the ice. Princeton’s success, or lack thereof, lies solely on goaltending. But most likely the Tigers will finish in the bottom half of the league.

Drafted players: Liam Gorman (PIT)

Quinnipiac: The Bobcats usually finish in the top half of the league and usually make the ECAC tournament. They finished first last year but were upset in the playoffs by Brown. Chase Priskie, another one of the top defensemen in the league, is gone. So is Andrew Shortridge and his .940 save percentage. The Bobcats are well-coached, though, and Odeen Tufto, who put up 42 points, will be back.

Drafted players: Keith Petruzzelli (DET), Karlis Cukste (SJS), Skylar Brind’Amour (EDM), Peter DiLiberatore (VGK)

RPI: The Engineers finished in 11th, just ahead of St. Lawrence and two points behind Princeton. RPI has struggled over the last few seasons, and most likely will this year as well. The team’s top five scorers are returning, although they didn’t score much to begin with. The goaltenders who played the most, Owen Savory and Linden Marshall, are also returning.

Drafted players: Todd Burgess (OTT), Simon Kjellberg (NYR), Will Reilly (PIT)

St. Lawrence: The Saints have struggled since Greg Carvel left for UMass. After earning just six overall wins and three conference wins, the school parted ways with Mark Morris and hired Brent Brekke. With a new coach, lack of elite talent and just a program-wide mess (the rink renovations are not finished, so the Saints are shifting their first few home games to a different rink.) Unless Brekke has magic powers, it seems likely the Saints will stay in the basement for the third-straight year.

Union: Union’s top two scorers graduated and the third, Liam Morgan, left after his sophomore season. Just one of the team’s top seven scorers is returning. On the other hand, Darion Hanson did have a .919 save percentage last season and, if he can replicate that, should keep Union in the middle third of the league.

Drafted players: Parker Foo (CHI), Jack Adams (DET)

Yale: Yale’s biggest loss was Joe Snively, who had 36 points last season, double that of the team’s second-place scorer. Corbin Kaczperski is the team’s sole returning goaltender. Like Quinnipiac, the Bulldogs are well coached and don’t often finish in the bottom third.

Drafted players: Curtis Hall (BOS), Jack St. Ivany (PHI), Luke Stevens (CAR), Phil Kemp (EDM)

Five Undrafted Free Agents to Watch from the ECAC

Haralds Egle, Clarkson
Odeen Tufto, Quinnipiac
Matthew Galajda, Cornell
Casey Dornbach, Harvard
Devin Brosseau, Clarkson

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 22: Massachusetts Minutemen forward Mitchell Chaffee (21) tries to put the puck past Boston College Eagles goaltender Joseph Woll (31). During the University of Massachusetts Minutemen game against the Boston College Eagles on March 22, 2019 at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire)

Hockey East:

Boston College: Despite winning just 10 conference games and finishing seventh in Hockey East, the Eagles surged late last season for a trip to the Hockey East tournament. Now the Eagles have that momentum plus an excellent incoming class that includes Spencer Knight, who’s expected to become a top goaltender. Alex Newhook and Matt Boldy will also be joining the team. It’s hard to predict how any freshman goaltender will fare, but Knight has the potential to boost BC back to the top.

Drafted players: Matt Boldy (MIN), Spencer Knight (FLA), Alex Newhook (COL), Drew Helleson (COL), Logan Hutsko (FLA), Jack McBain (MIN), Michael Karow (ARI), Graham McPhee (EDM), David Cotton (CAR), Aapeli Rasanen (EDM), Marshall Warren (MIN), Ben Finkelstein (FLA)

Boston University: Despite struggling last year the Terriers still managed to finish 5th in the league, but they will probably drop from that place. BU has struggled since David Quinn left for the NHL, and now they’ll be facing several additional critical departures including goaltender Jake Oettinger and the team’s leading scorers, Joel Farabee and Dante Fabbro. BU’s success, or lack thereof, will depend mostly on coaching, and then on contributions from the incoming freshman class and someone shining in net.

Drafted players: Trevor Zegras (ANA), Robert Mastrosimone (DET), Alex Vlasic (CHI), Cam Crotty (ARI), David Farrance (NSH), Domenick Fensore (CAR), Kasper Kotkansalo (DET), Jake Wise (CHI), Case McCarthy (NJD), Ethan Phillips (DET), Patrick Harper (NSH), Logan Cockerill (NYI)

Connecticut: Since joining Hockey East, the Huskies have fluctuated in the standings, taking advantage of years when the league has been weak. Though they finished ninth last year, they will benefit from having two of their top three scorers returning. Goaltender Tomas Vomacka, who took over the net with a .922 save percentage, will also be back.

Drafted players: Vladislav Firstov (MIN), Ruslan Iskhakov (NYI), Carter Berger (FLA), Jachym Kondelik (NSH), Kale Howarth (CLB), Tomas Vomacka (NSH)

Maine: Maine, far from its former glory, was able to finish sixth in the league. It is returning Mitchell Fossier, the leading scorer from last year with 36 points. But the Black Bears had a slew of early departures - including sophomore defensemen Alexis Binner and Brady Keeper. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who posted a respectable .919 save percentage, will be back, though.

Drafted players: JD Greenway (TOR), Jeremy Swayman (BOS), Patrick Shea (FLA), Matthew Thiessen (VAN)

UMass-Lowell: The River Hawks have been one of Hockey East’s most consistent teams in the last decade or so, and they finished fourth last year. UMass-Lowell’s offense lost its top two scorers, but the back end has usually been the team’s strength. Goaltender Tyler Wall, who is returning, carries a .921 save percentage into the season.

Drafted players: Seth Barton (DET), Logan Neaton (WPG), Tyler Wall (NYR), Andre Lee (LAK)

Massachusetts: After its most successful season in program history and a national championship appearance, the Minutemen were extremely lucky to only lose Cale Makar and Mario Ferraro early. Those are big names, but usually teams with surprising successful runs lose more players in the offseason. Yet UMass retained Mitchell Chaffee and John Leonard, who combined for 82 points. They also still have Marc Del Gaizo, who was the leading freshman defenseman in scoring with 29 points. That said, goaltender Filip Lindberg is the player to watch. His play was key in edging out Denver in the national semifinal and he limited Minnesota-Duluth to three goals, which is an accomplishment. If he repeats his .934 save percentage performance, the Minutemen should take a top spot in Hockey East.

Drafted players: Zac Jones (NYR), Marc Del Gaizo (NSH), John Leonard (SJS), Filip Lindberg (MIN)

Merrimack: With 16 freshman, Merrimack will have the largest rookie class in the country. The Warriors won just seven games last year, but it was Scott Borek’s first season in charge and it typically takes coaches around three-four years to settle in, start their own systems and recruit their own players.. The incoming class signals a roster changeover, so this will be one of those “rebuilding” years.

Drafted players: Patrick Holway (DET)

New Hampshire: It’s Mike Souza’s second year as head coach of the Wildcats, who are still transitioning to life without Dick Umile. They didn’t lose much and have two of their leading scorers as well as goaltender Mike Robinson, who posted a .913 save percentage, returning. While it isn’t fair to say the Wildcats are rebuilding, they’re stuck in stasis.

Drafted players: Max Gildon (FLA), Mike Robinson (SJS), Angus Crookshank (OTT), Benton Mass (WSH), Ty Tailor (TBL)

Northeastern: The Huskies have surged at times over the past five seasons. Last year they took advantage of BU and BC’s struggles, finishing second in the conference with 15 wins. But part of Northeastern’s success came from good defense and goaltending, which will suffer with the early departures by Jeremy Davies and goaltender Cayden Primeau. Since Primeau was a big part of Northeastern’s rise, it’s tough to see the Huskies repeating last year’s success.

Drafted players: Jayden Struble (MTL), Matt Filipe (CAR), Jordan Harris (MTL), Tyler Madden (VAN), Ryan Shea (CHI), Mike Kesselring (EDM), Riley Hughes (NYR), Aidan McDonough (VAN)

Providence: Following its second Frozen Four appearance in four years, the Friars also got hit with key offseason departures. Kasper Bjorkqvist, Jacob Bryson, Brandon Duhaime and Josh Wilkins all left early. Additionally, Hayden Hawkey, who posted a .920 save percentage, graduated. But Providence is always a well-coached, tough defensive team to play against, and the Friars will finish at the top of the league again.

Drafted players: Ben Mirageas (NYI), Max Crozier (TBL), Tyce Thompson (NJD), Michael Callahan (ARI), Jack Dugan (VGK), Patrick Moynihan (NJD), Jake Kucharski (CAR)

Vermont: The Catamounts finished 10th last year and probably won’t rise, unless goaltender Stefanos Lekkas can put up more than his .930 save percentage from last season, but that’s a lot to ask of a goaltender. Vermont saw a couple departures with Jake Massie and Liam Coughlin, but most of its players are returning.

Drafted players: Bryce Misley (MIN)

Five Undrafted Free Agents to Watch from Hockey East

Mitchell Chaffee, Massachusetts
Stephanos Lekkas, Vermont
Spenser Young, Providence
Mitchell Fossier, Maine
Patrick Curry, Boston University

Vegas Golden Knights 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 13:27:39 +0000

If you have been looking at this section throughout this guidebook, you may have noticed that most teams still have a number of players that they have been nurturing for upwards of six or seven years. Gus drafted in 2012 or 2013 and have not made it yet, but look to still retain some of the promise that had them noticed in the first place.

The Golden Knights obviously do not share that distinction. The top 20 below does have one player each who had been drafted in the 2012 and 2013 drafts, respectively, but of course neither of the two were originally drafted by Vegas. 2012 draft pick Jake Bischoff came over from the New York Islanders as part of an expansion draft trade that funneled both the player and a first round pick to Vegas in exchange for giving the Islanders a say in who the expansion team would draft off their roster. 2013 pick Valentin Zykov has had a journeyman existence in the NHL, playing in 40 games spread over three seasons and three teams (Carolina, Edmonton, and Vegas, after he never played an NHL team for the LA Kings, who had originally drafted him in the second round).

Yet even without an abundance of mature prospects in the system, we still rank the Golden Knights among the top ten prospect pipelines in the sport. Even without any additional context, that is a remarkable distinction for this still nascent organization. But it gets better. As Vegas’ NHL team has been historically strong in its first two campaigns, the team had shockingly found itself as a deadline buyer, putting it in the unexpected position of needing to trade from the future to buttress the present. And so in the last year, they traded two thirds of its first first round draft haul to beef up the roster with in-their-prime talents. Nick Suzuki, who would have been third on the list below, was traded to Montreal, along with Tomas Tatar and a 2019 second round pick, for Max Pacioretty. That second round pick, by the way, would have ranked fourth on this list.

Then we have the case of Erik Brannstrom. Another 2017 first rounder who had been destroying the AHL as a teenager and was named to the 2019 WJC All Star Team, was traded at the 2019 deadline to Ottawa for two-way powerhouse winger Mark Stone. Brannstrom would have been jockeying with Peyton Krebs for the second slot on the Vegas list.

Finally, former GM George McPhee traded the team’s 2018 first round pick to Detroit, along with another 2019 second rounder and a third round pick in 2021, for the aforementioned Tatar. That trade did not work out for the Golden Knights, and the player Detroit drafted, Joe Veleno, would be right there in Brannstrom territory on this list.

Despite missing four players who would have ranked very high on this – or any – team list, we still have the Vegas system as the sixth strongest in the NHL. What is their secret? It isn’t a liberal daily regimen of Oil of Olay. They make draft selections based on skill instead of size. They still have a few players, Bischoff included, from their expansion draft maneuverings. They are a prime destination for high end NCAA free agents, two of whom are included below. In other words, it isn’t one thing, but many things. The Golden Knights will be bringing in their second wave of talent before the first wave peters out.

-Ryan Wagman

Vegas Golden Knights forward Valentin Zykov. (Photo by Scott Grau/Icon Sportswire)

1 Cody Glass, C (6^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 1) The Golden Knights first ever draft pick is a highly touted prospect and should be an elite talent when ready. Glass, who should have had a dominant year, seemed to have a disappointing season as he was hampered with injuries and misfortune. The Winterhawks’ captain skated with the team for 38 games during which he compiled 69 points, before missing the majority of the second half with a leg injury. Glass also put up six points in five games for Canada at the WJC. He returned for one playoff game for Portland before being promoted to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves where he played in their last six regular season games, before he scored seven goals and 15 points in 22 playoff games adjusting seamlessly to the heightened pace and physicality of the pros, looking dynamic in the process. He should challenge for a position with Vegas this season. - KO

2 Peyton Krebs, C (17^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) A player with Krebs’ combination of sublime skating ability and puck skills should not last all the way to pick 17 in the draft, but he may have been held back by one or both of his numbers suffering due to playing for one of the worst teams in the CHL and/or an Achilles injury which required surgery after his season ended. In addition to his offensive tools, Krebs can play a structured two-way game and plays stronger along the boards than his size might indicate. He is also an experienced leader, having worn the “C” as a 17 year-old with Kootenay and again at the WU18 for Team Canada. He is not necessarily small, but his physical game is not expected to be a factor at the next level. He may miss the first couple of months of this season as he continues to recover, but it should not impact his continued, long-term development. He is a clear top-six forward for the Golden Knights second wave of talent. - RW

3 Pavel Dorofeyev, LW (79^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) A dynamic player with a great set of hands, Dorofeyev plays an exciting East-West game and exhibits sound technique and excellent vision of the ice. The forward had a strong 2018-19 campaign, including scoring his first KHL goal. This year, he will be called to reach new heights as he clearly outgrew the Russian junior league (31 points in 19 games), but it won’t be easy for him to find a spot on one of the top KHL teams. He is a very dangerous player one-on-one and in the open ice, but he is not a strong defensive player, both stereotypical Russian traits. His very smooth hands make him a highlight-reel player, but he will be a top-six-or-bust player only. He is still very young – a later 2000 born – and this plays to his favor. He is currently entering the last year of his contract, and barring a breakout season, he should be cautious about leaving that early. - ASR

4 Nicolas Hague, D (34^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 4) During Hague’s first full pro season last year, we found out exactly what his ceiling is. He is not the Victor Hedman-lite his junior stats suggested he could be, but instead the 2017 second-rounder has can’t-miss shutdown potential in a two-way package. His lanky, 6-6” frame makes him nearly unbeatable at the blueline, as his length and mobility give him a package that can compete with any AHL forward for space in the defensive zone. In transition, he can be a lethal passer and a capable puck-carrier who draws attention to himself without sacrificing defensive position. He has potential to lead the special teams units on both sides, and his shot has impressive carry to it and could be a difference-maker on the power play. After the trade deadline, Hague become AHL Chicago’s number-one D-man and handled the tough minutes well. Though his skating will always be a sore spot, he could be a middle-pairing shutdown blueliner with Vegas, with potential to be a top-pair guy later on. - TD

5 Ivan Morozov, C (61^st overall, 2018. Last Year: 7) The young center had a busy season, lining up for four different teams within the same year and skating at the WJC as an underaged player. Morozov – only a namesake of the former Penguins star – is a capable player with a very strong offensive game. He is a solid passer and has a crackling shot that he likes to snipe high as a true scorer. He is a candidate for a top spot in the Team Russia lineup at the upcoming WJC, and it will be interesting to check how he fares against more serious competition. He needs to pick up some pro games this year to further hone his skills and gather experience. Morozov also needs to bulk up to become a more appealing player for the North American game. - ASR

6 Zach Whitecloud, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 8, 2018. Last Year: 12) Whitecloud is not the most talented prospect in the system, but he is arguably the most complete and well-rounded, and as a strong defensive defenseman, that notion goes a long way. In his first professional season, he was able to step into a fast-paced, high-intensity role alongside Hague and not only hold his own, but excel on both sides of the ice (74-6-22-28). He has a solid frame and skates extremely well, has a blazing shot from the point, and plays one of the most hard-nosed defensive games among prospects in the sport, never hesitating to engage physically. He is an underrated puck mover and someone that can -- and often does -- control a power play unit. There are no flaws to his game that will completely hinder his chances at an NHL spot, but his ultimate role is yet to be determined. - TD

7 Valentin Zykov, C (37^th overall, 2013 [Los Angeles]. Last Year: 11 [Carolina]) A former 40-goal scorer in the QMJHL, Zykov has had a hard and long time in the North American pro system, but after being claimed off waivers last season spent the remainder of the regular season in the NHL, auditioning for a full time role this year. The rugged, shot-heavy winger has spent time in four farm systems and with three NHL teams, but has yet to establish a home in the best league in the world. He bounced around for all of 2018-19, but netted 33 goals in 63 games with AHL Charlotte in 2017-18. While his skating has never been there, his hands are mighty fast and his shot, though heavily overused, is one of the best among AHL and ”Quad-A” players. He will have to have a very impressive season to make a splash in the NHL, but the raw skill and the potential to be a bottom-six scoring winger are there. - TD

8 Jake Bischoff, D (185^th overall, 2012 [New York Islanders]. Last Year: 5) A 2012 seventh-round pick, Bischoff has developed rather slowly, although steadily enough for the Golden Knights to award him with a new three year contract this offseason. His talent has long been there, but his hockey sense and versatility on the ice have shown the most improvement. For a bigger guy, the 25-year-old is a terrific skater, with the pure speed and technical mobility to beat his opponents to the puck. His strength allows his defensive game to blossom, as he ties up opposing players in front of the net and can lay out big hits at times. He is patient and observant with the puck, but generally likes to shoot rather than pass to better offensive options, which can be an issue at times. The 25-year-old is far down the defensive depth chart, with Whitecloud, Hague, and a slew of young NHLers in front of him, but he should earn some NHL action at long last this year. - TD

9 Isaiah Saville, G (135^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Although undersized by modern goaltending ideals, Saville has done nothing but stop pucks at a high rate for the past two seasons, first with Minnesota in the NAHL and more recently with Tri-City of the USHL. In the latter stop, he was named the Goaltender of the Year for the league. The native of Anchorage, Alaska is a plus athlete, and plays the net with extreme poise. He also sticks out for his ability to make the first save cleanly, minimizing second chances. He missed a fair chunk of time in the second half last year, leading to questions about his durability. He is also technically sound, although there is room for refinement. Heading to Nebraska-Omaha, he will be in position to seize the starting role from day one as the incumbent has since graduated. Development is never linear for any player, especially so for netminders, but he has the look of a 1B type, or a high-end backup at the NHL level. - RW

10 Kaedan Korczak, D (41^st overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Korczak was expected by many to be a first round pick, but saw his stock drop to the second round. A lot of it had to do with teammate Lassi Thomson overtaking him on the Rockets. Korczak has good size, is solid, has a nice physical element to his game and plays with an edge. He had some struggles earlier in the season, but really put his game together near the end, as his confidence rose and his play grew more consistent. He has top four billing and is a defender who can play and eat a lot of minutes, providing some secondary scoring along the way. This should be a much more defining season for him, as he will have to step up in a larger role for the Rockets, and with Kelowna hosting the Memorial Cup, he will get his chance to show off his skills with a stronger lineup. - KO

11 Jack Dugan, LW (142^nd overall, 2017. Last Year: 11) One of the top skaters in Hockey East as a freshman, albeit as a 20 year-old, Dugan manages to put up gaudy point totals in spite of a skill set that doesn’t extend far beyond average. A few times per game, he will flash solid skating chops, including four way mobility that adds a layer of unpredictability to his offensive attack. He has good size and enough strength not to be overwhelmed in puck battles, but he is not an overly aggressive player. While he was more of a playmaker as a freshman, his type of game is actually stronger when he tries to put the puck in the net on his own. After finishing second in scoring for Friars last season, the other players in the top six all turned pro, leaving Dugan as the likely primary offensive source for Providence this year. He will need to spearhead the attack, although he projects as a middle six winger at the highest level. - RW

12 Benjamin Jones, C (189^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 9) It is easy to see Jones being able to carve out a lengthy NHL career because of how well rounded his game is. In Niagara, he played every situation possible and also served as the team captain. He is an ultra-aggressive player who relishes the opportunity to play a pest-like role. While not overtly physical, he is very effective working through traffic, attacking the net, tracking down loose pucks, and working the wall. He likely does not possess enough innate skill with the puck to be a top six forward for Vegas in the future. Thankfully, he projects well as a steady third line option who can kill penalties and slide up the lineup if needed. - BO

13 Jake Leschyshyn, C (62^nd overall, 2017. Last Year: 18) Leschyshyn finally took an offensive step is his draft plus two season. Never being a point per game player before, he improved his production to 1.19 per game, nearly double his production from the previous season. While doing so, he did not stray from the style of game that made him a second round pick in 2017. He is a very fundamentally sound hockey player in that he is always on the right side of his man, plays physical, gets to the dirty areas of the ice, blocks shots, is very solid in his own zone, a good forechecker, and is excellent in the faceoff circle. Adding a level of secondary offensive will only enhance his chances of securing a third line center role one day in the NHL. - VG

14 Ryder Donovan, C (110^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Sushi-raw, Donovan has power forward size and plays a power forward style to match. Although he spent most of his draft year playing in the Minnesota high school system, a late season stint with Dubuque in the USHL gave a better glimpse of how he stacks up against better competition. Even in very limited minutes, his game popped on the ice. He skates very well for his size, is tough to play against in the corners, and goes hard to the net. Even when he doesn’t have the puck, he has a knack for creating trouble for defenses, with a heavy stick and an agitating persona. Of course the question remains about his offensive upside as his high school production was only so-so. At his best, his shot and puck skills can look like top six weapons, but his best doesn’t show up often enough to expect more than bottom six production. Then again, he wouldn’t be the first power forward to blossom late. - RW

15 Jimmy Schuldt, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Apr. 3, 2019. Last Year: IE) A highly sought after college free agent after his junior season with St. Cloud State, Schuldt returned to school for his senior season, in which the Huskies ran the table from the beginning of the season until the first round of the NCAA tournament, falling once again to a minnow from the Atlantic Hockey conference. Too soon? In fairness to the player, there is good reason why he was so seriously pursued out of college. He plays a high IQ, two-way game, with plus reads, good feet and a quick stick. He lacks the offensive tools to man a first power play unit in the NHL, but has the size, strength, and puck moving ability to be a decent fit as a number 4/5 role, depending on team need. - RW

16 Marcus Kallionkieli, LW (139^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) A rangy power forward type, Kallionkieli parlayed a solid first North American season in the USHL with Sioux City, to a late round pick by Vegas and an assignment next year with the Golden Knight’s unofficial WHL team, the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Finnish Brazilian winger has a nice blend of skating ability and hockey IQ, allowing him to play a two-way game. He has a powerful shot and is more of a goal scorer than a playmaker, but his future prospects likely depend more on him refining his off-the-puck game, in addition to improving his consistency. That latter point probably kept him from being drafted higher, as he slumped in the second half last year after a blistering start. He most likely projects in a bottom six role at his peak. - RW

17 Lucas Elvenes, C/RW (127^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 8) Elvenes is a smooth skater with soft hands. He has struggled to put together two good seasons in a row. He looked exciting the year before his draft year, but had a good but not great in his draft year which caused him to drop in the fifth round. In his draft plus one season he scored a point per game in Allsvenskan and 16 points in 28 SHL games. Last season he had 20 points in 43 SHL games scoring only three goals. He has skill, and his inconsistent scoring is a product of him being more of a perimeter player, as he likes to create from the outside and that play isn’t always there and his creativity isn’t enough in those instances. Next season, he will go to North America and will probably play in the AHL with Chicago. - JH

18 Nicolas Roy, C (96^th overall, 2015 [Carolina]. Last Year: 17 [Carolina]) If Roy were a better skater, not only would he be ranked much higher on this list, but there is no way the Hurricanes would have packaged him along with a fifth round pick for Erik Haula. Even as a below average skater, he can be an impactful player thanks to a high end hockey brain and very good hands. He also has great size, but he does not play a physical game. He reads the game very well, putting himself into the right place at the right time to make a difference. He is a trusted penalty killer, puts a lot of pressure on the opposing team when defending. Despite his pedigree (was the first overall pick in the QMJHL Entry Draft in 2013, and played for Team Canada at the 2017 WJC), he will never be an offensive force, but should produce enough to play fourth line minutes. - RW

19 Keegan Kolesar, D (69^th overall, 2015 [Columbus]. Last Year: 15) In a lot of systems around the NHL, Kolesar would be a top-ten prospect. His position at #19 is not a knock on him, but more an indication of the great depth of the Vegas farm system. With nifty, elusive hands and a bruising power-forward game, his raw talent is as entertaining as it is intriguing. He has fought with consistency issues and the inability to take on tougher minutes, but his overall package is a fascinating one. He is a magnificent skater with tight cuts and great straight-line speed, as well as the balance and momentum to compliment his size and powerful one-on-one repertoire. The 2015 third-round pick is not the most certain NHLer, but one of the most tantalizing in the system, and could eventually be an energy-line player in the vein of Ryan Reaves or a poor man’s Tom Wilson. - TD

20 Dylan Coghlan, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 20, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) Since signing as a free agent to an entry-level contract, Coghlan has ramped up his game to a level that gives him an NHL-caliber ceiling. The former Tri-City star has become an impactful offensive-defenseman by virtue of his skating, his atomic bomb of a slapshot, and his vision and playmaking, which allow him to quarterback a power play unit. He is a very fast skater, though what he has in straight-line speed, he sorely lacks in momentum and edgework. His slapshot is a goal scoring weapon, but his wrist shot, which he likes to use as a trailer on the rush, is less impactful. His defensive decision-making is also heavily flawed, but that may be teachable. His ceiling is as a middle-pair puck-rusher, but we will have to see how he does with an increase in tougher minutes on a depleted AHL Chicago this season. - TD

NCAA Playoffs (Pt.1): (1) Massachusetts (national 4th seed) vs (4) Harvard (Northeast Regional), (1) Minnesota State (national 3rd seed) vs (4) Providence (East Regional), (2) Northeastern vs. (3) Cornell (East Regional)

Russ Cohen — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 13:25:16 +0000

This is the best time of the year. Teams are now in the big tournament and they will start to get picked off one at a time. Win and you keep going. Lose now, and there are no other options, you go home. This is what players live for and this is what fans and alumni fear.

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 24: Harvard Crimson defenseman Adam Fox (18) skates during the 2018 Frozen Apple College Hockey game between the Cornell Big Red and the Harvard Crimson on November 24, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

(1) Massachusetts (national 4^th seed) vs (4) Harvard (Northeast Regional)

Massachusetts vs. Harvard can’t be boiled down to Cale Makar vs. Adam Fox. For the Hobey Baker Award that may be true but not for this series. Some fans will argue that and maybe some in the media but for both of these teams, it is more than at.

Could this be Fox’s last hurrah with Harvard? Will he leave after his junior season ends? These playoffs and hopefully a Frozen Four appearance could help him decide that down the road, although reports have surfaced that he would stick around on campus for a fourth year, lured by the prospects of free agency next summer. Anything is possible for the recent winner of the Walter Brown Award.

In the ECAC tournament, Harvard eliminated Dartmouth with two straight wins. That was expected but you still have to play the games. Center Jack Badini assisted on the game-winning, OT goal that saw them move on. He has really improved over the second half of the season. His face-offs are excellent, he has been winning a lot more battles and he is making those hard passes with confidence. Fox got three assists and already had the most points in the ECAC this season, tying the all-time Harvard record for points by a defenseman in a season with 46 along with Mike Fusco, who had that in 1983. Fox seemingly is a lock to win the scoring title now. Jack Drury has been dangerous around the net. He scored a nice deflection goal in that series and his skating is excellent. Junior goalie Cameron Gornet, who had played in only four combined games as an underclassman, stopped 36 in last game for a career-high mark.

Reilly Walsh is a real X-factor for the Crimson. The Devils draft pick may play second fiddle to Fox on the blueline, but he has been contributing all season and his 31 points in 32 games illustrate that point. He had a goal and an assist in that last game, and he will have to do that again to move on.

UMass is led by all-world defenseman Cale Makar. The former first-round selection of the Colorado Avalanche usually leads the Minutemen in minutes and basically controls the offense like a star quarterback in the NFL. BC outplayed UMass in the last series during the Hockey East tournament and Makar has to step up his play, along with the rest of his team to have a better result in the national tournament.

This team is young on the blueline. Goalie Matt Murray needs to be strong and forward Mitchell Chaffee needs to chip in offensively. A hard-nosed skater, he has had some clutch goals over the course of UMass’ great season.

Bobby Trivigno is an X-factor for UMass. He has been hot lately and needs to stay that way for UMass to move on in the tournament.

Prediction: UMass wins a tight one.

(1) Minnesota State (national 3^rd seed) vs (4) Providence (East Regional)

The Providence Friars have some seniors in key positions and a winning attitude that can get them far in tournaments. Minnesota State (Mankato) is coming off a big overtime win over Bowling Green in the WCHA tournament final.

Junior forward Marc Michaelis led the Mavericks in scoring with a 19 goal, 41-point season and fellow German national Parker Tuomie had 14 goals and 39 points to back up Michaelis on the scoresheet for MSU. He has to be a bit more disciplined to get past Providence, as he spent 50 minute in the box this season.

Connor Mackey and Ian Scheid both give Minnesota State some real offensive push from the blueline. Neither players are seniors but they both got 25 points on the season and have been subjected to plenty of interest from NHL scouts.

The Providence Friars continue to be led by senior goalie, Hayden Hawkey, the Canadiens draft pick (since traded to Edmonton) played in 38 games and posted a 0.919 save percentage. He is a 2019 Mike Richter Award semi-finalist. Penguins draft pick Kasper Bjorkqvist, a junior, led the team with 16 goals and he should be their best player. He has had 16 goals for each of the past two seasons. Josh Wilkins was just named a D-1 All-Star. He scored twice in the Friar’s most recent game and the junior now has 100 points in his career. Even though the team lost to BC in the Hockey East tournament, their high ranking still earned them an at-large tournament berth. One player who can help get them over the hump is Jack Dugan. The Las Vegas Golden Knights picked him in the fifth round, and he led all Hockey East rookies with 10 goals and 37 points.

The X-factor for this matchup is goaltending. The Mavericks scored two goals in the last game with the extra man on the ice. That is something you can't count on. They are the top seed in the East Regional, and they have been able to count on freshman goalie Dryden McKay, who was named College Hockey News 2018-19 National Rookie of the Year. He has to continue to be a force of nature.

Prediction: Minnesota State moves on in a very close game.

BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 11: Boston College Eagles forward Christopher Brown (10) rips a shot on Northeastern goalie Cayden Primeau (31) during the 2019 Beanpot Championship Game between the Boston College Eagles and the Northeastern University Huskies on February 11, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

(2) Northeastern vs. (3) Cornell (East Regional)

The Cornell Big Red has been a tough team to play against all season long. Now they will have their hands full having to face Northeastern with one of the best goalies in the nation and a team that has been winning easily of late.

Cornell swept Brown in the ECAC tournament with their last game ending in a rout with a 60 final score. The power play was clicking and sophomore goaltender Matthew Galajda had been playing very well. Unfortunately for the Ivy League powerhouse, he has been ruled as doubtful for the next round. He has an injured knee so Austin McGrath may start in his place in Game 1. The injury occurred when the net tipped forward in OT and he tried to get his skate out of the netting while both teams battled for the puck. McGrath was 4-2-1 with a 2.15 goals against average and a .919 save percentage (numbers very close to those put up by Galajda, albeit in much less time on ice) but he has never been all ECAC and an all-American like Galajda. Junior forward Jeff Malott hurt his knee as well and is definitely out, as he awaits surgery.

The X-factor will be Cornell’s special teams. They have a good power play and penalty kill and that could really help them.

On the other hand, Northeastern is a bad draw for Cornell. They have just won their third Hockey East title and are the #2 seed in the East Regional after having won 11 of their last 13 games. They had six players with more than 10 goals this year. The scoring has been spread out and that will have to continue to beat a heavy team like Cornell. Cayden Primeau has been nothing short of great this season and he can derail a good offensive team as the game rolls on. The humble 6-3” netminder swept Maine as was expected.

Devils defensive draft pick Jeremy Davies will have to continue his terrific season scoring and moving the puck up the ice with great confidence the way that he does. Tyler Madden, a Vancouver draft pick, has been very hard to cover and gets a lot of good looks, as well as a lot of points, in these big games. Zach Solow, an undrafted junior, had his sixth game-winning goal of the season last round, a record-tying feat. The 5-9” center has been a very clutch player and there is no evidence that won’t be the case moving forward.

Brandon Hawkins could be the X-factor. He is a 24-year-old senior who missed a year in 2016-17 when he transferred from Bowling Green to Northeastern. He can score some big goals, he got a few last game and had a three-point effort.

Prediction: After Cornell lost a skater and perhaps their star goalie as well, Northeastern gets the edge here and will move on. With that confidence, they will be hard to beat as they enter the regional final.

(3) Arizona State vs (2) Quinnipiac (Midwest Regional)

Arizona State University is known for a lot of sports but recently the hockey program has really taken off to join their usual bright spots. Goaltending is what we have been hearing about all year with the Sun Devils and Joey Daccord has played in all but one game. Is that their recipe for success?

Daccord is a Massachusetts native who the Ottawa Senators drafted in 2015 with the 199^th overall pick, 12 picks from the end of the draft. Since 1978, only eight players drafted in that slot have played in the NHL. Could he be next someday? Andy Chiodo and Dominik Hasek were two of them. This junior has played in 32 games, same as last season, but this season he has an astounding .931 save percentage. His record is 21-10-1 with 2.30 goals against average with seven shutouts earning him a finalist nod for the Mike Richter Award.

The team has advanced into the NCAA tournament for the first time in its third season as the only independent team in NCAA DI hockey. Forward Johnny Walker (no kidding) led the nation with 23 goals. His .74 goals per game average is also best in the country. These two players have made up a large part of the team’s success.

The X-factor could be Austin Lemieux. The son of Hall of Famer, Mario Lemieux has played in 28 games this year, accumulating 13 points. At 6-3”, he has some speed and some reach, and he could help them in this win-or-go-home game.

When you talk about Quinnipiac University the first name that gets mentioned is that of captain Chase Priskie. The top-pairing d-man for the team has been doing it well for the last four years. The Washington Capitals drafted him in the sixth round back in 2016. Now 22, he has really come into his own. He had a two-game suspension for a kicking penalty last series but will be there for this game.

Quinnipiac has been riding goalie Andrew Shortridge who ironically used to train with opponent Daccord. Shortridge has already taken home the 2018 Ken Dryden Award, signifying the best goalie in the ECAC. He had four shutouts this season with 1.51 goals against average and a staggering .941 save percentage helping him post a 17-6-2 this year.

The X-factor for Quinnipiac (maybe the Q factor?) could be Odeen Tufto, who put up 15 goals this season, two behind the team lead of Priskie, and he is another player who could pace this team offensively. They seem to have it covered defensively and between the pipes.

The goalie matchup in this game could be the best in the tournament. One team is going to lose, and will that be in a multiple overtime game? It sure seems like it could be. It is the now successful program that came out of nowhere over 20 years ago against the new program with not a lot going for it after winning only eight games last season.

Prediction: This one is close. Pick’em close. I won’t waffle here, and I’ll take Quinnipiac because of the experience that they have. Priskie could be the difference maker.

The Regionals have a very high caliber of play and with the bands present, it is a fun environment. College hockey is still close to what it was many years ago. There isn’t a lot of money involved in it via advertising or corporate support. That is great for the players. Any school has a fair shake, even a DI newcomer like Arizona University. The Frozen Four is in Buffalo. New York. Getting there is ridiculously hard and figuring out who will eventually win that tournament is hard on the writers out there.

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

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

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

Hockey East

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

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

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

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

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

National Collegiate Hockey Conference

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

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

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

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

Big 10

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

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

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

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

Jack DUGAN – McKeen's Hockey

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – RANK: #9 – TIER II

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Vegas Golden Knights Top 20 Prospects

Peyton Krebs, C (17th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Brendan Brisson, C (29th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Pavel Dorofeyev, LW (79th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Jack Dugan, LW (142nd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 3)

Ivan Morozov, C (61st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Lucas Elvenes, C/RW (127th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

Connor Corcoran, D (154th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 6)

Kaedan Korczak, D (41st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 7)

Lukas Cormier, D (68th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Dylan Sikura, C (178th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 14 [Chicago])

Zach Whitecloud, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 8, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Keegar Kolesar, RW (Trade: Jun. 24, 2017. Originally: 69th overall, 2015 [Columbus]. Previous ranking: 9)

Isaiah Saville, G (135th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Gage Quinney, C/LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jun. 1, 2018. Previous ranking: 11)

Jiri Patera, G (161st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 12)

Peter Diliberatore, D (180th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 13)

Dylan Coghlan, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 20, 2017. Previous ranking: 14)

Brandon Kruse, LW (135th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 15)

Marcus Kallionkieli, LW (139th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 16)

Jesper Vikman, G (125th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

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

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHT – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 26

Vegas Golden Knights

Peyton Krebs, C (17th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Pavel Dorofeyev, LW (79th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 3)

Jack Dugan, LW (142nd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 11)

Ivan Morozov, C (61st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 5)

Lucas Elvenes, C/RW (127th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 17)

Connor Corcoran, D (154th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Kaedan Korczak, D (41st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 10)

Zach Whitecloud, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 8, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Keegar Kolesar, RW (Trade: Jun. 24, 2017. Originally: 69th overall, 2015 [Columbus]. 2019 Rank: 19)

Isaiah Saville, G (135th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 9)

Gage Quinney, C/LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jun. 1, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Jiri Patera, G (161st overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)

Peter Diliberatore, D (180th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Dylan Coghlan, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 20, 2017. 2019 Rank: 20)

Brandon Kruse, LW (135th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

NCAA: Jack Dugan – Nation’s Leading Collegiate Scorer’s Continuing Development

NCAA East Region 2019-20 Season Preview: Hockey East and ECAC

NCAA East Region Preview

ECAC

Hockey East:

Vegas Golden Knights 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

NCAA Playoffs (Pt.1): (1) Massachusetts (national 4th seed) vs (4) Harvard (Northeast Regional), (1) Minnesota State (national 3rd seed) vs (4) Providence (East Regional), (2) Northeastern vs. (3) Cornell (East Regional)

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

Peyton Krebs, C (17^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Brendan Brisson, C (29^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Pavel Dorofeyev, LW (79^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Jack Dugan, LW (142^nd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 3)

Ivan Morozov, C (61^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Lucas Elvenes, C/RW (127^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

Connor Corcoran, D (154^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 6)

Kaedan Korczak, D (41^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 7)

Lukas Cormier, D (68^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Dylan Sikura, C (178^thoverall, 2014. Previous ranking: 14 [Chicago])

Keegar Kolesar, RW (Trade: Jun. 24, 2017. Originally: 69^th overall, 2015 [Columbus]. Previous ranking: 9)

Isaiah Saville, G (135^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Jiri Patera, G (161^st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 12)

Peter Diliberatore, D (180^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 13)

Brandon Kruse, LW (135^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 15)

Marcus Kallionkieli, LW (139^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 16)

Jesper Vikman, G (125^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Peyton Krebs, C (17^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Pavel Dorofeyev, LW (79^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 3)

Jack Dugan, LW (142^nd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 11)

Ivan Morozov, C (61^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 5)

Lucas Elvenes, C/RW (127^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 17)

Connor Corcoran, D (154^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Kaedan Korczak, D (41^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 10)

Keegar Kolesar, RW (Trade: Jun. 24, 2017. Originally: 69^th overall, 2015 [Columbus]. 2019 Rank: 19)

Isaiah Saville, G (135^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 9)

Jiri Patera, G (161^st overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)

Peter Diliberatore, D (180^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Brandon Kruse, LW (135^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)