Jakub Galvas – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #3 Chicago Blackhawks

Josh Bell — Thu, 25 May 2023 18:04:38 +0000

If tanking doesn’t exist in the NHL, nobody told Chicago. Kyle Davidson took over as GM in October 2021 after Stan Bowman was suspended. He has been actively emptying the roster since, moving veterans and even younger players such as Kirby Dach and Alex DeBrincat for draft picks. Patrick Kane finally moved on for yet more picks. It worked. The depleted roster gave it their best, but still lost a lot of games and won the Connor Bedard sweepstakes. Once the next draft is complete, they will have a robust and deep pipeline of talent to build around. They currently have eight picks in the first three rounds of the 2023 draft. They have six first round picks, and a whopping 21 picks in the first three rounds, over the next three drafts through 2025.

In his first draft, Davidson eight picks in the first three rounds, including three firsts which he used to add Kevin Korchinksi (ranked #23 by McKeen’s), Frank Nazar (#29), and Sam Rinzel (#85). They represent the 2^nd through fourth ranked Chicago prospects on our list. The #14 ranked prospect, Lukas Reichel, produced 15 points in 23 games in his NHL call up and looks to have earned a roster spot for next season. The most likely scenario is to continue to accumulate young talent. In addition to the first overall pick, they also have the #19, #35, #44, #51 and #55 picks in the first two rounds alone. They have the opportunity to package some picks to move in the order and add another premium prospect. The addition of Bedard immediately changes the trajectory of the timeline and Davidson may want to use those pieces to add younger roster players.

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 10: Chicago Blackhawks left wing Lukas Reichel (27) looks on during a game between the Dallas Stars and the Chicago Blackhawks on April 10, 2022 at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

Lukas Reichel

Everything that Reichel does out on the ice just seems so natural to him. Even as a yet-to-be-drafted teenager playing against men in Germany's top professional league he looked confident, comfortable, and mature well beyond his years, like he was already a seasoned veteran. That same aura followed him to the AHL and now NHL, and Chicago has to be hoping that he will be a leader as they slowly and methodically attempt to build their next Cup-contending team. He always seems to be thinking the play ahead of everyone else, always knows what his next move should be, and almost always executes his intentions successfully. He might not have the skating, shot or playmaking to become one of the very top point producers in the league, but you can expect him to be in the 50-70 point range pretty consistently, and for those seasons to start happening soon.

2. Kevin Korchinski

One of the best offensive defensemen in all junior hockey, Korchinski racked up a ridiculous amount of points this season, and isn't slowing down. However, what's important to remember about him is that there is still an enormous amount of growth potential within his game. He's still skinny and slight within his tall frame and could really increase his strength and power if he commits hard to his gym habits. There also remains a lot of work to be done with his reads, decision-making and overall puck management, as a lot of possessions for Seattle end when coming off of his stick. On one hand, those existing issues are concerning. On the other hand, though, if you look at how effective and successful he already is despite these flaws it suggests a salivating potential for just how high his ceiling might reach. The sky is the limit.

3. Frank Nazar

Nazar finally returned to action late in the season after a long injury layoff, and there was an undeniable amount of rust for him to shake off before he could really showcase why he was picked by the Blackhawks at 13th overall. Luckily for him, his Michigan team made it all the way to the Frozen Four semifinals, so he was granted a few extra opportunities to get back into the swing of things. He is an electrifying prospect because his feet are always moving, he can manipulate the puck with the best of them, and he can see the ice very well at high speeds, which includes lanes for him to attack the net himself, or opportunities to set up a teammate for a better look. He is a little on the smaller side, but he should be able to overcome that with his drive and tenacity.

4. Sam Rinzel

The Blackhawks never expected anything truly elite out of Rinzel right away, so they won't be concerned at all that his 2022-23 season was solid, though not spectacular. And they certainly won't regret taking him as high as 25^th overall. The focus has always been on his tantalizing tools, and being patient as he learns to master those tools while moving from high school hockey to the more competitive USHL, and then to a very good University of Minnesota program next year. Rangy, mobile, right-shooting defensemen hold immense value in the NHL, and teams have to pay a premium to add them or accept playing the long game in developing them. However, the signs of growth are showing, such as helping the USA win gold at the World Junior A Challenge. If Rinzel pops it won't be right away, but the wait will have been worth it.

5. Drew Commesso

Goaltending prospects don't come much steadier and more consistent than Commesso does, as evidenced by his save percentage numbers of the past four seasons. That's not necessarily a bad thing, however, as his numbers are consistently pretty good. He's a well-rounded, technically sound netminder who has neither any standout traits, nor any real notable weaknesses. Everything about his game is solid, albeit not spectacular: his play-tracking, his technique, his reflexes, his positioning, and so on. Even his size and natural net coverage is pretty average That said, sometimes that's all you need out of a goalie to win a championship. He helped his Boston University team reach the Frozen Four, only to be undone in the semifinals against Minnesota, the top-ranked team in the nation. He projects as becoming at least an NHL backup, with a starter's job not out of the question.

6. Ethan Del Mastro

Del Mastro has won gold medals playing internationally for Canada in three straight years, first at the IIHF U18s in 2021, and then the World Juniors in both 2022 and 2023. He played 20 total games across those three tournaments, and over than span he scored exactly zero goals. That's not his whole story as a prospect, but it is a good reflection of it. He's a big, responsible defender who is well-suited to a modern shutdown role, with competent skating and puck-handling abilities. He can still go old school and dish out some punishment too, though. And don't look now, but his offensive game is also coming along, scoring at a point-per-game pace with both of his teams this year, Mississauga, and Sarnia. There might not be a prospect in Chicago's pipeline who has a safer NHL floor than Del Mastro, and a top four ceiling is a realistic possibility.

7. Ilya Safonov

Safonov is a fantastic example of the value that teams can find by scouting and drafting re-entry prospects. Passed over in both 2019 and 2020, the Blackhawks took a flyer on the hulking Russian center in the 6^th round, 172^nd overall, in 2021, and right now that pick is looking incredibly shrewd. He really grew into a capable, difference-making two-way power forward in the KHL, and perhaps most impressively, he was named the captain of his team at just 21 years of age, the youngest in franchise history. He's so strong, athletic, gritty and competitive that he is a lot to handle physically, even at the hands of veteran Russian pros and former NHLers. He can chip in points as a net-front presence, though his real value comes from how well he defends and matches up against opposing lines. Chicago will do their damnedest to get him to North America as soon as they can.

8. Colton Dach

Just how good is Dach, really? It's a difficult question to answer. As a big center with plus hands and an older brother, Kirby, who is succeeding in the NHL, the profile is very exciting. However, COVID precautions limited his games in 2020-21, his Kelowna Rockets were eliminated in the opening postseason round in 2021-22, and injuries have sidelined his current season, including knocking him out of the World Juniors just three games in. He's back on the ice now, going deep into the playoffs with Seattle, but he doesn't look 100% yet and his team is deep enough and talented enough at forward to not need to rush him. Chicago might be a little concerned about whether or not all those missed games, and resultant opportunities for growth in such crucial years of his development, will hinder his long-term potential.

9. Alex Vlasic

Vlasic jumped straight into the NHL after leaving Boston University and turning pro in the spring of 2022, dressing for 15 games for a Blackhawks team that was out of the playoff hunt and wanted a closer look at one of their top prospects. While he wasn't necessarily bad in that tryout, and even scored his first career NHL goal, Chicago elected to take the safe route with his development and let him refine his game down in the AHL for most of this year, which made total sense. As expected, he used his gargantuan reach and fleet feet to provide a stout defensive presence, while also getting to work on his offensive contributions a bit, or at least more than he would have in the NHL. Whether in 2023-24 or later, Vlasic will almost certainly end up on the Hawks as a shutdown defender.

10. Nolan Allan

It should be clear by now that the Blackhawks put a premium on defensive defensemen, and Allan is the one they paid the highest price for, using the last pick of the first round in 2021 to go a little off the board and secure his rights. They undoubtedly would have had high expectations for him to grow his game in the proceeding years, though the gains so far are relatively modest. Sure, Hockey Canada brought him along for the World Juniors, and the powerhouse Seattle Thunderbirds paid a pretty penny to bring him in for their full-throttle quest for a WHL title, but he hasn't fully reached a point yet where he has been a truly top-tier player. His skating and puck movement remain a little limited, and he could stand to be more of a physical presence. That said, growth in those areas is still achievable.

TOP 15 PROSPECTS: CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – RANK: #22 – TIER IV

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 15:54:11 +0000

Chicago Blackhawks

OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC - DECEMBER 28: Germany vs Czech Republic preliminary round action of the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship at Ostravar Arena on December 28, 2019 in Ostrava, Czech Republic. (Photo by Andrea Cardin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Lukas Reichel - LW

The second German first rounder in 2020 after Ottawa’s Tim Stützle, Reichel enjoyed a fantastic 20-21 season, taking a huge step in not only his maturity and statistical development, but by going from a 2nd/3rd line winger in the 19-20 season to a first line center for DEL champion Eisbären Berlin. Teaming up with former NHL draft pick Marcel Noebels and Olympian Leo Pföderl, Reichel’s line proved to be the cream of the crop in the DEL and Reichel saw his production jump by eight points and +19 in just five more games than his already impressive draft year output. His winter - and Team Germany’s - may have even been better had a bout with Covid and the tourney regulations regarding respective Covid protocols not prevented him from participating in the WJC.

After winning the league championship, Reichel - the nephew of former NHLer Robert Reichel - found himself in a top six role for Team Germany at the men’s World Championships, putting up six points and a +5 in nine total games, although most of those points were collected in the first two games. A heavy check to the head in Game 3 against Kazakhstan ended his day but didn’t knock him out of the tournament. Still, he wasn’t quite the same player afterwards, gaining just one more point along the way. Reichel signed his ELC shortly thereafter and is expected to remain in Berlin for the 21-22 season. Another performance in a top line gig similar to last season could very well have him on the fast track to an NHL job with Chicago, although his NHL breakthrough may just have to come on the wing. - CL

Landon Slaggert - LW

Slaggert is a funny player. The son of one of Notre Dame’s assistant coaches (technically, an associate head coach), and a graduate of the USNTDP program, he gets most of his attention for being an agitator. Some play to score, but Slaggert loves to tussle. Physicality is the point. He will regularly go out of his way to make a hit and create a memory in the mind of the opposing player. And yet, almost unnoticed, he put up close to one point per game as a freshman on a pretty mediocre team, finishing third on the Fighting Irish in points, between only his older brother Graham, and Alex Steeves, who signed as a free agent with Toronto.

So, what is he really? In all honesty, once he turns pro, you can expect the agitating side of his game to be the focal point for his development. His elite energy level is perfectly suited for a bottom six role, neutralizing the opposition’s top scoring forwards at even strength and on the penalty kill. But even in a lower line role, he should be an impactful player for his team. He has quickness in his feet, and flashes above average hand-eye coordination, and the ability to execute the odd bit of magic with his stick. He doesn’t have Brad Marchand upside, but if he is put in a situation where he plays as the third wheel with two other skill guys, he will leave that impression on occasion. - RW

Wyatt Kalynuk - D

Already 20-years-old when he was drafted by Philadelphia, Kalynuk was not compelled to stay on campus for the full four years to become a free agent, instead walking away after a very strong junior campaign, signing with the Blackhawks as a free agent. It would then be an understatement to say that his professional debut exceeded expectations. An offensive-oriented puck moving skilled defender, he topped the point-per-game mark over eight games in the AHL and came four NHL games away from losing prospect eligibility status. In fairness, his ice time in the NHL was fairly sheltered, playing third pairing minutes, although his ice time did gradually increase as the season progressed, and he was the recipient of regular time on the power play.

This year’s Chicago roster will look very different from what he accustomed to as a first-year player, as the turnover on the blueline is especially acute. As good as Kalynuk looked last year, he cannot be said to be guaranteed the same role in 2021-22, even if he did more than hold his own. The top four seems fairly locked up between newcomers Seth Jones and Jake McCabe, along with holdovers Connor Murphy and Calvin De Haan, with five youngsters competing for the remaining three NHL jobs, including former top prospect Ian Mitchell, and the player immediately following Kalynuk on this list. The tools are there for Kalynuk to succeed, but to cement his spot, he will need to convince the coaching staff that he does not need to be limited in his deployment. - RW

Nicolas Beaudin - D

The 2020/21 season was an extremely successful one for the former first round pick out of Drummondville. He lit up the AHL in his sophomore season, earning an extended call up with the Blackhawks where he performed very admirably in a third pairing role, even seeing some powerplay time. He then closed out the season by helping Canada win gold at the World Championships, again in a third pairing role.

Beaudin’s skating ability has always been his calling card and the key to his success. Originally drafted as primarily an offensive defender, Beaudin has worked hard to be more consistently engaged in the defensive end. He is not the biggest defender, but he has added strength to help him win those battles near the crease and along the wall and he has learned how to use his mobility to be better at defending transitional attacks. It appeared that Beaudin would be a shoo-in to start the year with the Blackhawks, however management brought in Seth Jones, Jake McCabe, and Caleb Jones this offseason. That likely pushes Beaudin to the AHL yet again, where he would be one of the Hawks’ top call-up options. His upside is probably that of a #4-5 defender who can play the powerplay and this potential should be reached within the next two seasons. - BO

Alec Regula - D

While the offensive production certainly did not carry over from London in his first AHL season, Regula did draw strong reviews for his work in the defensive end, improving significantly over the course of his rookie year with Rockford. The hulking, right shot defender even earned a late season call up to Chicago, as a reward for his strong play.

Originally acquired in a trade from Detroit for Brendan Perlini, Regula had developed into a very versatile player in the OHL before turning pro. He was being utilized in the bumper position on the powerplay. He was anchoring the penalty kill. He could be on the ice in any situation. As a first year pro, Regula played it relatively safe offensively, working to make quicker decisions with the puck as he adjusted to the pace of play. As he gains confidence and adjusts, he still may become more involved as an offensive player. At face value, his size, physicality, and mobility make him an ideal defensive defender for the modern NHL. With a strong start to the next AHL season, Regula could position himself to be the first call up to Chicago should the Hawks suffer an injury to their d-core. Otherwise, they will likely opt to be patient with the big rearguard, hoping that he can develop into the dominant two-way defender that he was with the London Knights. - BO

Drew Commesso - G

Bearing in mind the small sample, Commesso was one of the better goalies in the Hockey East conference as a freshman last season. As a USNTDP grad, who got better and better as his draft year wore on, but given his abbreviated post-draft season, there isn’t much change to his scouting report, other than the fact that he still hasn’t proved – or been able to prove – that he can handle a starter’s workload. He has average size, solid athleticism, and keeps his feet moving over the course of the game. The area of his game in which he has shown the most potential is actually in his puck handling, as he has long enjoyed skating out of his crease to play the puck, and he does it quite well.

There are some who are very high on Commesso and some who are not yet convinced that he represents the best future bet for Chicago between the pipes. Given his playing time so far, both viewpoints are reasonable, especially considering his steady performances. Chicago seems to also be on the fence so far, as reports were out there connecting them to one of this year’s draft class’ two big goalie prospects (Jesper Wallstedt and Sebastian Cossa), although those died down when they traded down as part of the Seth Jones deal. Commesso clearly has NHL starter upside, but we will need a full season of collegiate hockey to feel secure in that projection. - RW

Colton Dach - C

The younger brother to budding Chicago Blackhawks star Kirby Dach, Colton is following in his brother’s footsteps by playing with the Saskatoon Blades and by being selected by Chicago at the draft. Dach’s game improved significantly in his second year in the WHL as he averaged a point per game in a secondary scoring role for a very deep Blades team.

Like his brother, Colton’s offensive potential and projection are quite high because of his size (6’4, 205lbs) and skill combination. Dach has the ability to dominate shifts down low because of how well he protects the puck, and he is adept at finding soft spots in coverage without the puck. Scouts also like Dach’s versatility as he has shown an ability to successfully play the wing or center, adapting his game to suit the needs and requests of his team and coaching staff. However, at this point, Colton does not skate quite as well as his brother. There is room for improvement in his explosiveness and in the dynamics of his stride (East/West). This would allow him to be a more consistent offensive player and more successful when operating at a quicker pace. Colton could also stand to be a more consistent physical player, as he does not always use his size to the best of his advantage. Most definitely a project who will require patience, Dach does have extremely alluring potential. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Nolan Allan - D

As witnessed with a strong supporting performance at the Under 18’s for Canada, Nolan Allan has a chance to be a long time stay at home NHL defender. He combines good size and reach with excellent mobility and physical intensity, making him a very efficient and consistent defensive player. While he was a bit of a surprise first round selection, it is easy to see why the Blackhawks valued him so greatly.

Allan’s four-way mobility is excellent, as his stride, in addition to his pivots, are clean and efficient. This allows him to be very effective defending in transition, as he steps up quickly to address attackers, often forcing dump-ins because forwards are unable to get around him. Allan is also a physically aggressive player who picks his spots well to go for the big hit and who rarely misses an assignment near the crease; he can be suffocating. He is your classic modern day NHL stopper. However, Allan’s offensive potential appears to be limited due to his lack of innate puck skill. He can clear forecheckers with his feet but needs to be paired with a more confident puck handler to help initiate clean exits. Inside the offensive zone, Allan will often elect to dump pucks into the corner and rarely jumps up into the play to hold the line or keep pucks in, opting to play an extremely conservative brand of defense. Perhaps as he gains confidence, these tools will grow. As of right now, Allan likely projects as a quality third pairing defender who can anchor a penalty killing unit. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Ethan Del Mastro - D

The expectations for Del Mastro heading into this OHL season were pretty high after he showed such great progression in his rookie season, finishing the year as one of Mississauga’s best defenders. However, due to the OHL cancellation, the only game action Del Mastro saw this year was at the U18’s where he helped Canada win gold. While he started slowly in more of a third pairing role, he eventually earned the trust of the coaching staff and became a very valuable member of that gold medal winning squad.

The main allure of Del Mastro is that he skates significantly better than the average 6’4, 205 lbs, physically imposing defender. His long strides are both smooth and powerful, allowing him to pick up speed quickly. Del Mastro also relishes the opportunity to play the body and is extremely physically aggressive. This gets him into penalty trouble at times, but this is the trade-off for a player who prides himself in being difficult to match up against. While Del Mastro does show potential as a puck mover because of his linear power, his offensive skill set is currently most effective when kept simple. Just how high his offensive upside is remains to be seen. Does he have the vision, creativity, or hands to be a strong two-way force or is he more likely to become a stay-at-home defender at the NHL level? Del Mastro will be a leader for the Mississauga Steelheads this year and should see considerable ice time in all situations, aiding in his development as a two-way player. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Evan Barratt - C

A prospect who has been mostly under the radar since his time with the USNTDP, Barratt has slowly and gradually improved his overall game, but the pace of improvement has been so slow and gradual, that it has been barely perceptible. In his time with the program, he was overshadowed by the likes of Quinn Hughes, Brady Tkachuk and Josh Norris, even though Norris was the only one who outproduced him. Playing for Penn State may have continued to keep his expectations lowered, as the school still lacks the cache of the premier college programs, unlike conference rivals Notre Dame, Michigan, and Minnesota.

There was some mild buzz during and after his 43-point sophomore campaign, but Barratt’s inclusion with the American WJC entry had a diminishing impact on his standing, and his scoring regressed to around one point per game in his final season on campus. Barratt’s first pro campaign was again a quiet one, yet only two members of the IceHogs topped his output. You may have also noticed a trend here, in that Barratt consistently puts up solid numbers – not team leading, but close – yet the numbers themselves are not eye-popping, and the way he gets there isn’t exciting, so he is overlooked. Even if it’s boring, he has a good shot, and though he may seem plodding, he plays hard and gets his licks in. The upside is moderate, but he’ll earn it without fanfare. - RW

Michal Teply - LW

The 6’3 playmaking winger started his pro career last year, however he struggled with Rockford as he adjusted to the speed and strength of pro players. He will hope to be better in his sophomore campaign and will try to earn more offensive responsibility this season.

MacKenzie Entwistle G

Entwistle may not have the potential to be a top six player at the NHL level, but he has everything you want from an elite level bottom six player. The competitive two-way forward can play any position and is ready for a full-time role at the NHL level this season.

Wyatt Kaiser - D

A third-round selection in 2020 out of high school, Kaiser had a terrific freshman year for UMD last year, earning a spot on the NCHC all-rookie team. The smooth skating two-way blueliner is a prospect on the rise in the Blackhawks system.

Isaak Phillips - D

With the OHL on hiatus, Phillips was able to play in the AHL a year early and, perhaps surprisingly, he was extremely effective as a first-year pro. Blessed with high-end physical tools, Phillips showed great progression as an offensive player last year, to go with his already refined defensive approach. With a full AHL season on the horizon, Phillips is another Blackhawks prospect trending upwards.

Jakub Galvas - D

After spending two years in Liiga as an everyday player, the Czech defender will head to North America for the first time this year to play with Rockford in the AHL. Far from a flashy player, Galvas succeeds as a two-way defender because he keeps things simple.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Chicago Blackhawks Top 20 Prospects

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 20:32:18 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 Chicago Blackhawks 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.

Ian Mitchell, D (57^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 1)

Mitchell is on the smaller side but is more solid and able to play hard against top opponents. He does not have the flash of some previous top Chicago prospects, but his upside is very high nonetheless and his floor is high as well. His tools all rate as average or better, but his hockey sense and instincts help everything play up, giving him a package that is greater than the sum of its parts. A right-handed shot, he can play on both sides of the point, something helped along by very strong lateral mobility. His defensive footwork is solid as well, and Mitchell generally finds himself in the right spot to nullify most chances against, allowing him to be trusted against much bigger players. He has even been known to drop the occasional opponent with a big hit, belying his compact stature. Mitchell still has the puck moving chops that saw the Blackhawks use a late second rounder on him out of the AJHL in 2017, but as he has greatly refined the rest of his game in college, he now looks like a potential #2/3 defender in short order. – RW

Lukas Reichel, LW (17^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Reichel was deemed worthy of a first-round selection because of his strong performance in the DEL last year, his high-end IQ as an offensive player, and his well-rounded approach to the game. His best asset is the way he thinks the game. He is excellent at finding space in the offensive zone, playing with resilience through traffic. He flashes play driving ability but appears much more comfortable as a strong complementary scoring winger. His pro-level goals have largely come from dirty areas, which makes it easy to see his game translating to the next level. Reichel also excels down low and when working the half wall as his agility is excellent, which makes him tough to pin. His board work has been outstanding, and he shows no worries in using his body to protect the puck, holding his own against extreme physical pressure from men despite his relatively light weight. His skill level is good but not elite. The same could be said for his speed and functional success in transition. - BO

Alec Regula, D (Trade: Oct. 28, 2019. Originally: 67^th overall, 2018 [Detroit]. Previous ranking: 2)

A hulking right shot defender; Regula possesses a unique skill set. He moves extremely well, possessing both power and fluidity in his stride. His ability to play in the buffer position on the power play gives Regula addition means of contributing. He uses quick hands to finish off plays in tight, with a forward’s touch. He is an incredible asset in his own end because of his reach. He was among the league leaders in takeaways per game last year and he suffocates attacking forwards because of that mobility and reach combination. One area that really improved for him was his decision making with the puck in the defensive end. His poise and patience improved and as such, he cut down on his giveaways and improved his ability to start the breakout effectively. The Hawks should be elated to have added Regula to their prospect stable, following a deal from Detroit. He projects as a second pairing, all situations defender who could move quickly through the system, so long as his processing ability holds up to the speed of the pro game. – BO

Drew Commesso, G (46^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Commesso’s specialty is not just allowing his own defenders to start a counterattack from the defensive faceoff dots, but he will regularly shove the puck past the blueline, on the tape to give the rush a major kickstart. Commesso’s numbers have been impressive, with save percentages of .917 and .920 at the different levels played by the USNTDP last year. He cannot be compared to his predecessor, Spencer Knight, but he is a good goaltender in his own right. He has decent size, is agile and plays an athletic game with quick limbs. He keeps his composure in tough situations and rarely lets a bad goal get him down. The Boston University commit has yet to face a heavy workload. There are also elements of his game that will need marked improvement, including his coverage of the posts, where he can leave too many holes, or his ability to control rebounds, preventing second and third chances. - RW

Pius Suter, C/LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 16, 2020. Previous ranking: 3)

Following five years in the ZSC Lions program, Suter signed with Chicago after an NLA scoring title and MVP season. He is a relentless puck hound, pushing the pace and attacking. He does the majority of his damage within a few feet of the net. Of course, his finishing ability and shot are also strengths and it is what makes him a successful and consistent goal scorer. He is also a competitive two-way player who uses his strong skating ability to apply back pressure and force turnovers. These traits make Suter a terrific penalty killer. He still has to prove his slight frame will not hinder his play in the NHL. Even if the offensive skill set does not fully translate, there is certainly a good chance that Suter can become a valuable bottom six forward because of his speed and tenacity. Look for him to make an immediate impact (in some shape or form) for Chicago next year. – BO

Landon Slaggert, C (92^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

His game is pure high energy grinder, but Slaggert also has sneaky skills in his mitts. You will first notice him when he bumps an opponent off the puck along the boards, but you should also note how he picked up the puck himself after forcing the turnover and proceeded to flip it stealthily to a linemate streaking up the opposite wing. Son of a coach, he is eminently coachable. Playing with higher end players, it is clear how Slaggert’s subtle skills can play at a higher level. That said, he will be better as a playmaker than a finisher thanks to his vision and reading. That ability to read the ice also helps him immensely on the other side of the puck, where he is an asset to his team. He is a fun player to watch and easier to appreciate than most prospects with his nondescript point totals. He is a swift skater who follows the play and never gives up on the puck. He is a future NHL’er who should be able to fit in wherever he is needed, up or down the lineup. – RW

Wyatt Kalynuk, D (Free Agent, signed: Jul. 16, 2020. Originally: 196^th overall, 2017 [Philadelphia]. Previous ranking: 4)

Not drafted until his third year of eligibility, Kalynuk did a lot well, but nothing spectacularly at the time. Three years at Wisconsin later, the last of which saw him wearing the “C”, the pick looks like a Ron Hextall era steal, even if the Flyers will never reap the rewards from that shrewd bit of scouting. As an overager, Kalynuk was eligible to leave school early and declare free agency, which he did this summer, finally signing with Chicago in July. The Blackhawks are getting a solid two-way defender with sneaky puck skills and a solid point shot, who uses stick and body positioning for defensive stops. He is a good enough skater to keep up with most, without being dynamic. Kalynuk reads the game well and tends to make the right decision to help extend possession for his team. The Blackhawks would be well-served to give him a half to a full season in the AHL to acclimatize to the speed of the professional game, but it should not be long until he is ready for a third pairing role in the NHL, with room for additional minutes on either or both of the special teams units. - RW

Evan Barratt, C (90^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

Barratt couples a heavy game with good hustle and a very strong, effective shot to help tilt the ice in his team’s favor. Nominally a center, he is most effective playing along the boards and behind the net, suggesting a future move to the wing. A top player in his age group with the national program before he was drafted, he got off to a slower start in college hockey, but picked things up as a sophomore, earning a spot on the American WJC team, and he maintained those gains as a junior. He has learned to better utilize his very strong wrist shot, even finding opportunities to shoot from a distance. Barratt follows his shots to the net, getting rebounds and making goalies uncomfortable. He mostly plays a North-South game, although he is not averse to circling back to create room or a different attack angle. Some time on the farm should allow him to get in work both at center and the wing, finding a spot that works best for him within the organizational structure. His versatility and energy would be a boon to the team as an affordable talent in a bottom six role. - RW

Michal Teply, LW (105^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 6)

Teply has become an enigmatic forward for the ICE. At times he controls the ice with his size, good speed, and flashes of elite level hands and shooting ability, while other nights he is a passenger on a team with a lot of good talent. Plus/minus isn’t a great stat but Teply was second worst on the team in that regard. It shows his play away from the puck still needs some work. When Teply is on his game he is on the forecheck pressuring opponents, establishing the cycle game and making skilled net drives. He is a volume shooter and has pretty good vision from the wall toward the middle of the ice. He isn’t an overtly physical player despite having dominant size and doesn’t always play with the intensity you would hope to see. He has all the physical tools and flashes moments where he puts it all together however they are too infrequent to project future NHL stardom just yet. - VG

Lucas Carlsson, D (110^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 7)

Over the past two seasons, Carlsson has been Rockford’s number-one defenseman. He plays top-pair minutes coupled with time on both special teams’ units, putting up points and learning the intricacies of North American defensive play. This has helped the Swede go from fringe farmhand to a legitimate future NHLer. Aggressive with the puck but calm without it, the 23-year-old has a high stress threshold and never seems to panic defensively, waiting patiently for a chance to stick check, hit, or lock someone up against the boards at the right time. He is not particularly quick but plays with pace, carrying the puck through the neutral zone and making defenders miss with his edgework and fantastic hands. He loves to push the play forward and join the rush as a trailer but prefers to pass in most situations instead of using his below-average shot. His lack of skating speed is the only thing pushing him back from being an immediate NHL defenseman, and with the way he plays, his inability to close on top-end forwards might be an issue. For now, he has impressed his way up the depth chart and could possibly make the Chicago roster out of training camp next season. - TD

Brandon Hagel, LW (Free Agent, signed: Oct. 30, 2018. Originally: 159^th overall, 2016 [Buffalo]. Previous ranking: 9)

After ripping up the WHL for 102 points in his final year with Red Deer, Hagel made a quick adjustment to the pro ranks in his first full year in the AHL. His 19 goals led the Rockford roster and earned him a short NHL stint at just 21 years old, but don’t let those goal numbers fool you, as he is a dual-threat passer and scorer. Initially a Buffalo Sabres sixth rounder who went unsigned, Hagel has speed and shooting ability that makes him a playmaker and someone who has to be played tight and hard by defenders. While he is not a blazer, he skates well with his light and lanky frame to drive play. Without the puck, he competes for net-front position and has the poise to operate in that area against stronger players. A fine defensive player, he kills penalties for Rockford and can play deep in the zone at even strength. Without many flaws in his skillset, it was encouraging to see his offense really shine in his first AHL year. A long future as a checking line, depth-scoring winger who can match up against any other line seems inevitable after some more AHL time. - TD

Artur Kayumov, LW (50^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 10)

A former second round selection, Kayumov has been developing slowly, but well, in Russia and recently finished his second full season in the KHL with Lokomotiv. Among U23 players, his 16 goals were second behind top NHL prospect Kirill Kaprizov in the league last year. The 5-11” winger is a dangerous goal scorer because of his quickness, skill level with the puck, and his powerful release. Currently unsigned by Chicago, Kayumov has a contract with Lokomotiv until the end of 2021-22, and if recent events have told us anything, it would appear likely that he plays out that contract before making the jump to the NHL for 2022-23. While this does seem pretty far down the road, Kayumov could be worth the wait and does project as a top six goal scorer and a high impact player, as his game is already practically devoid of any significant weaknesses. - BO

Nicolas Beaudin, D (27^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 11)

One of the QMJHL’s top defensemen in 2018-19, Beaudin was relied upon by Drummondville for basically everything. He played top pair minutes, including both special teams, and was a key factor in everything they did in the offensive zone with his 49 assists being second among all defenders in the Q. His transition to the AHL, playing the same style, was a struggle. He had difficulty putting up points at the higher level and did not seem to improve his pace of play with the puck, which is concerning for a more offensively oriented defenseman. The former first rounder showed why he was taken with such a high 2018 pick; his vision and maturity are both top notch. He sees the game exceptionally well and plays with ice in his veins. He is so good at maneuvering around the ice, waiting for lanes to open and finding his teammates. He defends well with his smarts, which keeps his gaps even and effective and his stick play is great. Patience is arguably his biggest strength, but that lack of assertiveness is worrying as he is a 5-11” defender who might top out as a tweener without more pace to his game. - TD

Jakub Galvas, D (150^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 12)

Galvas had a rather promising season with Jukurit in the Liiga. The Czech defenseman started really well which set expectations high, but ultimately, he was unable to maintain that level of play and faded somewhat as the season went on. The main issues were a lack of consistency and inability to win one-on-one battles on a regular basis. He must be more assertive and stronger in his own end. That said, he also brought many good elements to the team. He is a smooth-skating defenseman, light on his skates and has good four-way mobility. He moves effortlessly around the ice. Not only is his skating fluid, but he also handles the puck with ease, has swift hands and good puck control to operate in tight quarters. He displayed flashes of skill, but those occasions were few and far between in the past season. He has one year remaining on his contract with the Finnish club. - MB

Andrei Altybarmakyan, RW (70^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 13)

Another high draft selection out of Russia by the Blackhawks, Altybarmakyan, similarly aged to Kayumov, has actually signed with Chicago and appears ready to make the jump to North America after a strong KHL season with HK Sochi. The 5-11” winger plays a heavy game and does the majority of his work in tight by driving the net and playing in the slot. With a well-rounded toolkit, Altybarmakyan projects as a middle six winger who can use his speed and power to drive the pace and open up space. Given the state of the pandemic and the uncertainty surrounding the AHL season, it appears there is a chance he stays in the KHL next year on a loan from Chicago, as his rights were recently traded to SKA. But he certainly seems much closer to making an impact in the NHL than Kayumov, if only due to contractual elements. – BO

Philipp Kurashev, LW/C (120^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 15)

A point-per-game player with Quebec of the QMJHL before graduating to the Chicago pro system, Kurashev’s game is one with insane offensive skills that can be inconsistent from shift-to-shift. For the Swiss World Junior team in 2019, he was one of the tournament’s best players and exhibited exactly what his game is in a nutshell, dynamic scoring potential but only in short flashes. He has puck-handling skill, decent speed, and a bullet shot that can beat goalies from distance. He is deadly with the puck on his stick on the power play and can pass better than he is given credit for. He will need to be better off the puck, as he can wander away from the play and fail to find open ice, and he is not much of a helper defensively. He is an undoubted boom or bust prospect, and with more consistency can be a top-six scoring winger, but with none, might not stick long-term at all. – TD

Niklas Nordgren, RW (74^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 18)

As a smaller winger without great skating ability, there is a great deal of risk with Nordgren, that if he isn’t putting up big numbers, he will not be able to contribute at the highest levels. He has a strong shot, but it isn’t elite. He is an impressive stick handler, but he lacks a real dynamic element with the puck. He reads the game well but is not a strong enough defender to project a shut-down role or heavy rotation on the penalty kill. Perhaps most concerning is that Nordgren, despite his solid collection of tools, has yet to really break out in men’s league hockey in Finland. He has been spending the bulk of the previous four seasons playing in Finland’s top U20 league, contributing well over one point per game, but has done barely anything in Liiga across 41 games. Still not signed to an NHL contract, Nordgren will need to take that next step sooner than later. - RW

Michael Krutil, D (110^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A big, right-handed defender, Krutil has yet to receive much playing experience outside of the Czech junior ranks. While he may not have the high-end potential of some other defenders ranked higher up Chicago’s organizational ladder, his size, physicality, and mobility make him an attractive stay at home defenseman option. He skates well enough to evade pressure in the defensive end with the puck and shows fluid four-way agility that allows him to stay ahead of attackers in transition. He also has good reach and makes life very difficult for skilled players in the corners and middle of the ice. He plays a very safe and simple game that fits within team structure and does not take chances with the puck. He has NHL potential as a PK anchor and third pairing defender. Drafted by Kelowna in the most recent CHL Import Draft, there is a chance he moves over to North America this year once play safely resumes. - BO

Isaak Phillips, D (141^st overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Another bigger blueline body from the 2020 draft class, Phillips is a 6-3” defender who possesses intriguing athletic tools. His mobility is an asset, especially when you combine it with his reach. He is very difficult to beat in transition because his gap control is excellent. He has the potential to develop into a high-quality defensive player at the next level. However, his game is also extremely raw. He is not as decisive with the puck as you would like to see. His physical intensity level wavers and he can get lost in his coverage assignments from time to time. He shows flashes of serviceability across all of his tools, but rarely shows more than that, other than his skating, although the steps forward he took in his draft year were promising. Patience will be required, but the pay-off could definitely be large if he can fully harness his athleticism. - BO

MacKenzie Entwistle, C/RW (Trade: Jul. 12, 2018. Originally: 69^th overall, 2017 [Arizona]. Previous ranking: UR)

While Entwistle is further along in his development – closer to reaching his ceiling – than at least the half dozen prospects immediately ahead of him on this list, we cannot rank him any higher as that ceiling is rather modest and there is less of a chance for Entwistle to exceed those projections than the younger players we have chosen ahead of him. He has plus-plus size, which he knows how to utilize, he is fleet of foot, and plays an effective and reliable two-way game. While he stepped forward a touch in his final year of junior hockey, and he was slightly more productive in his professional rookie season than anticipated, Entwistle’s ability to drive the play offensively has never been demonstrated for any lengthy stretch. His hands are OK, but he has struggled to finish too often. Even though he is more likely to play in the NHL than the next half dozen or more higher up this list, it is exceedingly difficult to see him as anything more than a versatile, fourth line energy forward. - RW

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 16

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 19:00:59 +0000

Chicago Blackhawks

On July 16, exactly one week before I sat down to write this section, the Blackhawks announced the signings of two free agents who still qualify as prospects according to our definition. You can read more about both players below, but one already has five years of high level professional experience in Switzerland to his credit, the last of which ended with him leading the league – a pretty good league, at that – in scoring. The other was the captain of a Big 10 hockey team who plays a relatively pro ready game and could very easily find his way into NHL action during the 2020-21 season.

While Pius Suter and Wyatt Kalynuk are not the only two players who will be (or could be) joining the Blackhawks next season, and not even the only two prospects, the choice to bring them both in now seems to serve as a clue as to how GM Stan Bowman and company view the immediate trend line for the club.

No matter. The Hawks won three Stanley Cups in six seasons, but it seems long ago now. The third championship was followed directly by two first round knockouts, and then two postseason misses. This year the team was welcome to compete in the play-in, but there are many who believe that the league only went to 24 teams in order to include the big market Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens, who were around the last teams in for each conference. Either way, they were able to beat the Edmonton Oilers three games to one to avoid a third straight season outside of the real playoffs, ultimately losing four games to one to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Back to Suter and Kalynuk. I could also mention Czech Extraliga signee Matej Chalupa, who didn’t make this list, but has ready-now elements to his game and played a key role in helping his previous club win a European Champions League Final appearance last year. Between those three, and the decision to have 2019 first rounder Kirby Dach move right to the NHL last year as an 18-year-old (he was OK in a middle six role) speaks to a desire by Chicago to not prolong a necessary rebuild.

The team made waves throughout their championship years for their perpetual cap trouble and creative maneuvers for escaping it and retooling on the fly. Of course, those days are gone, notwithstanding the continued presence of the likes of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Corey Crawford, and the apparently injured Brent Seabrook. Other than that core crew, the Blackhawks have largely turned over the roster in the past five years. The core of the next competitive Chicago roster is not yet in place, but with each ready-now player the team adds, the look of that next playoff roster becomes clearer.

There are Stanley cup winners with worse forwards on their third line and penalty kill than Suter is expected to be. Kalynuk should be able to hold his own on a third defensive pairing. Even the team’s top two prospects, Ian Mitchell (ready – or almost ready - now) and Alec Regula (still a few years away), have traits that should fit on a strong second defensive pair. Kirby Dach should soon be much more than a solid, if unspectacular, third liner center. There are others on the list below who will also find ways to contribute on that team over the horizon.

Considering Bowman’s tactic of trading for slow developing post-hype prospects (Dylan Strome, Alex Nylander), it is no surprise that he sees the next window of contention fast approaching. The Suter and Kalynuk signings reflect that, and we should expect the team to make moves next offseason to get the franchise back into the proper playoffs as soon as next year, for the start of another extended run. The future is not yet now, but it’s really close.

Alec Regula of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

Ian Mitchell, D (57^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

Entering college as an undersized puck moving defenseman, Mitchell leaves three years later as a do-everything minute muncher who is just as strong in his own end as he is offensively. He is still on the smaller side but is more solid and able to play hard against top opponents. He also joins the Blackhawks organization with a robust international resume to his name, including stints on Team Canada at the WJC, and the Spengler Cup during the past two seasons.

Captain of the Pioneers as a junior (he wore an “A” as a sophomore), Mitchell does not have the flash of previous top Chicago prospects Kirby Dach or Adam Boqvist, but his upside is very high nonetheless and considering what he has already accomplished, his floor is high as well. His tools all rate as average or better, but his hockey sense and instincts help everything play up, giving him a package that is greater than the sum of its parts.

A right-handed shot, he can play on both sides of the point, something helped along by very strong lateral mobility. His defensive footwork is solid as well, and Mitchell generally finds himself in the right spot to nullify most chances against, allowing him to be trusted against much bigger players. He has even been known to drop the occasional opponent with a big hit, belying his compact stature.

Mitchell still has the puck moving chops that saw the Blackhawks use a late second rounder on him out of the AJHL in 2017, but as he has greatly refined the rest of his game with a strong U. Denver team, he now looks like a potential #2/3 defender in short order. Playing regularly in the NHL as soon as next year would not surprise. - RW

Alec Regula, D (Trade: Oct. 28, 2019. Originally: 67^th overall, 2018 [Detroit]. 2019 Rank: 16 [Detroit)

A hulking right shot defender; Regula possesses a very unique skill set that makes him a very intriguing prospect who is ready for the challenge of pro hockey. Even taking size out of the equation, Regula moves extremely well, possessing both power and fluidity in his stride. This allows him to make a significant impact at both ends of the ice.

With 27 goals on the season, his goal scoring ability from the back end is extremely impressive. However, it should be noted that the majority of these goals (15 of them) came on the man advantage where he is used in the buffer position, net front. It is there that he uses his quick hands to finish off plays in tight, with the touch of a high scoring forward. Given his success playing that role the last two seasons, the Blackhawks would be smart to continue to utilize him in this way.

In his own end, Regula is an incredible asset because of his reach. He was among the league leaders in takeaways per game this year and he just suffocates attacking forwards because of that mobility and reach combination. One area that really improved for him was his decision making with the puck in the defensive end. His poise and patience improved and as such, he cut down on his turnovers and improved his ability to start the breakout effectively.

The Hawks should be elated to have added Regula to their prospect stable this year, following a deal from Detroit. He projects as a second pairing, all situations defender who could move quickly through the system, so long as his processing ability holds up to the speed of the pro game. - BO

Pius Suter, C/LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 16, 2020. 2019 Rank: IE)

A one-time star and former Champion in the OHL with the Guelph Storm, Suter returned home to Switzerland after failing to earn an NHL contract. Spending five years in the ZSC Lions program, his dream finally came true after signing with Chicago following a 30-goal season, in which he led the NLA in goal scoring and points (and was subsequently named league MVP).

Suter is an absolutely relentless puck hound, who is always looking to push the pace and attack. This endless reserve of energy is what helps make him so successful in the offensive end, where he does the majority of his damage within a few feet of the net. Of course, his finishing ability and shot are also strengths and it is what makes him a successful and consistent goal scorer.

He is also a competitive two-way player who uses his strong skating ability to apply back pressure and force turnovers. As such, he is also a terrific penalty killer, a situation he should be able to excel in at the NHL level as well. Ultimately, the concern for Suter is whether his style of play will allow him to be as successful offensively at the NHL level. Given his lack of size, will he be as consistently dangerous near the crease against bigger and meaner NHL defenders?

Even if the offensive skill set does not translate the way that Chicago hopes it does, there is certainly a good chance that Suter can become a valuable bottom six forward because of his speed and tenacity. Look for him to make an immediate impact (in some shape or form) for Chicago next year, although maybe not to the extent of the last NLA scoring leader acquired by the Blackhawks. - BO

Wyatt Kalynuk, D (Free Agent, signed: Jul. 16, 2020. Originally: 196^th overall, 2017 [Philadelphia]. 2019 Rank: 13 [Philadelphia])

Not drafted until his third year of eligibility, Kalynuk was by then a third-year player in the USHL, who had seen his offensive production steadily increase from 15 points to 24 to finally 31 points. He did a lot well, but nothing spectacularly at the time, which helps to explain how he went undrafted for two years and was a mere 21 picks from a third time through before the Flyers took a flier on him late in 2017.

Through three years at Wisconsin, the last of which saw him wearing the “C”, the pick looks like a Ron Hextall era steal, even if the Flyers will never reap the rewards from that shrewd bit of scouting. As an overager, Kalynuk was eligible to leave school early and declare free agency, which he did this summer, finally signing with Chicago in July. The Blackhawks are getting a solid two-way defender with sneaky puck skills and a solid point shot, but who also his stick and body positioning well for defensive stops.

He is a good enough skater to keep up with most, although he can’t be considered dynamic in any way. Kalynuk reads the game well and tends to make the right decision to help extend possession for his team. The Blackhawks would be well-served to give him a half to a full season in the AHL to acclimatize to the speed of the professional game, but it should not be long until the Manitoban is ready for a third pairing role in the NHL, with room for additional minutes on either or both of the special teams units. - RW

Evan Barratt, C (90^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 15)

Yet another collegian turning pro in the Chicago system, Barratt couples a heavy game with good hustle and a very strong, effective shot to help tilt the ice in his team’s favor. Although the USNTDP alum is listed a center, he is most effective playing along the boards and behind the net, suggesting a more likely future path to the NHL is on the wing. Not to mention a truly shoddy skill set at the faceoff dot, which saw him win only 44.2% of his draws in his final season at Penn State.

A top player in his age group with the national program before he was drafted, he got off to a slower start in college hockey, but picked things up as a sophomore, earning a spot on the American WJC team (fourth line, but that still got him a Silver Medal), and he maintained those gains as a junior. He has learned to better utilize his very strong wrist shot, even finding opportunities to let it rip from a distance. Barratt also is one to follow his shots to the net, getting rebounds and making goalies uncomfortable.

He mostly plays a North-South game, although he is not averse to circling back to create room or a different angle of attack. Chicago has no need to rush Barratt to the NHL, but some time on the farm should allow him to get in work both at center and the wing, finding a spot that works best for him within the organizational structure. His versatility and energy would be a boon to the team as an affordable talent in a bottom six role. - RW

Michal Teply, LW (105^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 8)

When Teply is on his game he is on the forecheck pressuring opponents, establishing the cycle game and making skilled net drives. He is a volume shooter and has pretty good vision from the wall toward the middle of the ice. He isn’t an overtly physical player despite having dominant size and doesn’t always play with the intensity you would hope to see. He has all the physical tools and flashes moments where he puts it all together however they are too infrequent to project future NHL stardom just yet. - VG

Lucas Carlsson, D (110^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 19)

Aggressive with the puck but calm without it, the 23-year-old has a high stress threshold and never seems to panic defensively, waiting patiently for a chance to stick check, hit, or lock someone up against the boards at the right time. He is not particularly quick but plays with pace, carrying the puck through the neutral zone and making defenders miss with his edgework and fantastic hands. He loves to push the play forward and join the rush as a trailer but prefers to pass in most situations instead of using his below-average shot.

His lack of skating speed is the only thing pushing him back from being an immediate NHL defenseman, and with the way he plays, his inability to close on top-end forwards might be an issue. For now, he has impressed his way up the depth chart and could possibly make the Chicago roster out of training camp next season. - TD

Dennis Gilbert, D (91^st overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Gilbert is a throwback defender who stays back, hits, blocks shots, and imposes physical play on his opponents. He is also a wonderful skater who can push the puck up and out of his own zone with ease. He has been a solid defensive defenseman with his smart, tight gaps and physical tools at 6-2” and a solid 216lbs, locking up his opponents against the boards and stealing the puck with his length.

He can move the puck out of trouble on his own and is capable of moving through the neutral zone with the puck but lacks the puck-handling skill to beat defenders one-on-one. That is what is most frustrating about Gilbert’s game; there are offensive defensemen in this sport who would kill to skate the way the former Notre Dame d-man can, and yet Gilbert does very little with it, providing few points from the backend and showing little offensive confidence. It is not his game, but he plays a solid enough stay-at-home game to make himself useful regardless.

He played 21 games on Chicago’s bottom pair before going down with a wrist injury and that is where you can expect Gilbert to play going forward. - TD

Brandon Hagel, LW (Free Agent, signed: Oct. 30, 2018. Originally: 159^th overall, 2016 [Buffalo]. 2019 Rank: 13)

Initially a Buffalo Sabres sixth rounder who went unsigned, Hagel has speed and shooting ability that makes him a playmaker and someone who has to be played tight and hard by defenders. While he is not a blazer, he skates well with his light and lanky frame to drive play. Without the puck, he competes for net-front position and has the poise to operate in that area against stronger players.

A fine defensive player, he kills penalties for Rockford and can play deep in the zone at even strength. Without many flaws in his skillset, it was encouraging to see his offense really shine in his first AHL year. A long future as a checking line, depth-scoring winger who can match up against any other line seems inevitable after some more AHL time. - TD

Artur Kayumov, LW (50^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

Currently unsigned by Chicago, Kayumov has a contract with Lokomotiv until the end of 2021-22, and if recent events have told us anything, it would appear likely that he plays out that contract before making the jump to the NHL for 2022-23. While this does seem pretty far down the road, Kayumov could be worth the wait and does project as a top six goal scorer and a high impact player, as his game is already practically devoid of any significant weaknesses. - BO

Nicolas Beaudin, D (27^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 12)

His transition to the AHL, playing the same style, was a struggle. He had difficulty putting up points at the higher level and did not seem to improve his pace of play with the puck, which is concerning for a more offensively oriented defenseman.

The former first-rounder showed why he was taken with such a high 2018 pick; his vision and maturity are both top notch. He sees the game exceptionally well and plays with ice in his veins. He is so good at maneuvering around the ice, waiting for lanes to open and finding his teammates. He defends well with his smarts, which keeps his gaps even and effective and his stick play is great. Patience is arguably his biggest strength, but that lack of assertiveness is worrying as he is a 5-11” defender who might top out as a tweener without more pace to his game. - TD

Jakub Galvas, D (150^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 16)

The main issues were a lack of consistency and inability to win one-on-one battles on a regular basis. He must be more assertive and stronger in his own end. That said, he also brought many good elements to the team. He is a smooth-skating defenseman, light on his skates and has good four-way mobility. He moves effortlessly around the ice.

Not only is his skating fluid, he also handles the puck with ease, has swift hands and good puck control to operate in tight quarters. He displayed flashes of skill, but those occasions were few and far between in the past season. He has one year remaining on his contract with the Finnish club. - MB

Andrei Altybarmakyan, RW (70^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 20)

The 5-11” winger plays a heavy game and does the majority of his work in tight by driving the net and playing in the slot. With a well-rounded toolkit, Altybarmakyan projects as a middle six winger who can use his speed and power to drive the pace and open up space.

Given the state of the pandemic and the uncertainty surrounding the AHL season, it appears there is a chance he stays in the KHL next year on a loan from Chicago, as his rights were recently traded to SKA. But he certainly seems much closer to making an impact in the NHL than Kayumov, if only due to contractual elements. - BO

Dylan Sikura, C (178^thoverall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 6)

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

Philipp Kurashev, LW/C (120^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 18)

He has puck-handling skill, decent speed, and a bullet shot that can beat goalies from distance. He is deadly with the puck on his stick on the power play and can pass better than he is given credit for. He will need to be better off the puck, as he can wander away from the play and fail to find open ice, and he is not much of a helper defensively.

He is an undoubted boom or bust prospect, and with more consistency can be a top-six scoring winger, but with none, might not stick long-term at all. - TD

Finland: 2019-20 Season Preview

Marco Bombino — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 13:27:15 +0000

UMEA, SWEDEN - APRIL 18: Finland's Anton Lundell #20 stickhandles the puck against Canada's Peyton Krebs #19 during preliminary round action of the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at A3 Arena on Apirl 18, 2019 in Umea, Sweden. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Nowadays Finland is producing plenty of talented youngsters and it shows both in the senior and junior leagues. Here is a look into the Liiga contenders, the top NHL drafted prospects to watch from the Liiga and the top draft eligibles to watch across the Finnish leagues.

LIIGA CONTENDERS

Kärpät – The finalists from the past season lost quite a few key players, but also added a few top players to the roster, namely Jesse Puljujärvi, Juho Lammikko, Janne Pesonen and Jakub Krejcik. Kärpät plays a fast-paced game and has the depth necessary to win the championship this season. Their brightest youngsters include goalie Justus Annunen (COL), winger Aku Räty (ARI) and his younger brother Aatu Räty, a 16-year-old top forward prospect who won't be draft eligible until 2021.

Tappara – The team has been off to an excellent start and is looking to get back to the finals as they have done many times in the past few seasons. Tappara plays a structured defensive game but they also have a lot of skill and depth up front, as well as two solid goalies in Michal Garteig and Christian Heljanko. Defenseman Toni Utunen (VAN) has yet to play this season due to injury, but Patrik Puistola (CAR) has shown promise with limited ice-time.

Lukko – After reaching the quarterfinals last season, Lukko will look to improve with a much different roster. They acquired defenseman Robin Press and forwards Ponthus and Pathrik Westerholm from the Swedish SHL. Thus far each of them has proved to strengthen the team. Tarmo Reunanen (NYR) will lead the defense offensively. Lukko has two drafted defensemen in Miska Kukkonen (BUF) and Antti Palojärvi (PIT) but neither has yet to take a big role on the team. Two undrafted prospects to keep an eye on are winger Linus Nyman and goalie Lassi Lehtinen.

JYP – After a below-average past season for its standards, JYP is surely prepared to show that it belongs to the top-tier of the league. They have an experienced team with good depth at forward in particular. Forward Petrus Palmu (VAN) joined the team in early October and will add more to the depth and scoring. Anttoni Honka (CAR), Patrik Siikanen (EDM) and Jerry Turkulainen, a potential free agent signing, are the prospects of interest on the team.

Pelicans – The start to the season has been unspectacular for this Pelicans team, however there is potential for better results if they can put all the pieces together. Jesse Ylönen (MTL) is one of the most promising young players in the Liiga and defenseman Santtu Kinnunen (FLA) has shown solid long-term potential as well. There are also a few undrafted prospects to notice, such as forwards Aleks Haatanen, Samuel Salonen and goalie Jasper Patrikainen.

HPK – The reigning champions currently sit in the middle of the standings. They haven't been able to play a similar puck possession game as last season. Combined with several poor goaltending performances, the start of the season has been rough for HPK. That said, seventh rounder Valtteri Puustinen (PIT) has been very good, with 12 points in as many games. He is an energetic, quick forward with smarts and upside, but it remains to be seen whether he can maintain the offensive output.

TOP NHL PROSPECTS TO WATCH

Lassi Thomson, Ilves (Ottawa) – Thomson had a rough start to the season, just like the entire Ilves team, but he has elevated his game lately. His shot can be a real threat from the point due to the velocity and power on it. Thomson plays an ultra competitive game, has some snarl and a high work rate. He still needs time to adjust to the pro game, but the ceiling is very high with this defenseman.

Jesse Ylönen, Pelicans (Montreal) – Ylönen is a high-end skater with terrific stickhandling skills and boasts plenty of potential. However, the Pelicans winger has been ineffective and a bit of a perimeter player this season. He could be one of the best players in the entire league if he begins to play a more straight-forward game and generate more offense in the middle of the ice and inside the dots.

Lukas Dostal, Ilves (Anaheim) – Dostal joined Ilves in the midst of the last season from Kometa Brno and proved to be the cornerstone in net as the team reached the playoffs. A highly athletic goalie with very good reaction speed, he can make flashy saves and is tough to beat low. He still needs to refine a few parts of his game, but the Czech netminer has shown lots of potential during his time in Finland.

Matias Maccelli, Ilves (Arizona) – Maccelli had a great preseason with Ilves and has not failed to meet the expectations in the regular season. The winger is small but has lots of puck skill, can dangle and set up his teammates by using his vision and precise passing. His overall game requires work, though his defensive play has gotten better lately. Maccelli is very smart and generates offensive opportunities both for himself and his teammates.

Patrik Puistola, Tappara (Carolina) – Puistola's ice-time has been very limited in the Liiga but there is no doubting his offensive abilities. The winger can dangle, make smart passes and score goals from primary scoring areas. He shoots with a purpose. Skating has held him back at times, however if he gains the Tappara coaches' trust, expect him to contribute more offensively.

Tarmo Reunanen, Lukko (NY Rangers) – Reunanen was among the final cuts from the Rangers' training camp roster and thus returned to Lukko. He evolved into an on-ice leader last season. He can create a lot of offense with his vision, swift hands and smart, creative passing. Great on the power play. Reunanen has shown the potential to become an everyday NHL defenseman.

Oskari Laaksonen, Ilves (Buffalo) – Much like above-mentioned Thomson, Laaksonen's start to the Liiga season with Ilves was less than stellar. The right-shot defenseman hasn't shown similar ability to drive the play from the backend as he did last season and there have been some defensive issues as well. However, his offensive gifts haven't disappeared anywhere and I am certain that he will elevate his game as the season progressess.

Kim Nousiainen, KalPa (Los Angeles) – A small, skilled defenseman whom the Kings selected in the fourth round of this year's draft, Nousiainen is a skilled playmaker with quick feet and hands. However, I think his smarts make him such an interesting prospect. The KalPa blueliner makes calculated decisions with possession and shows noticeable composure for an 18-year-old defenseman.

Justus Annunen, Kärpät (Colorado) – Annunen is off to an impressive start with Kärpät and has already recorded three shutouts on the season. He continues to be difficult to beat low, he reads shooters effectively and remains square to the puck. He is calm and moves well in the crease showing strong overall skating ability.

Jakub Galvas, Jukurit (Chicago) – Galvas has impressed offensively for Jukurit in the early stages of the season and has recorded eight assists. He is a mobile defenseman with good playmaking skills and moves the puck into good spots. He can quarterback the power play. Galvas has made occasional mistakes both with and without puck, but he continues to play with confidence and poise. He looks like a solid find by the Blackhawks in the fifth round of the 2017 draft.

HM: Lenni Killinen (Carolina), Arttu Ruotsalainen (Buffalo), Daniil Tarasov (Columbus), Anttoni Honka (Carolina), Robin Salo (NY Islanders).

TOP 2020 NHL DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH

Anton Lundell, C/LW, HIFK – Lundell already spent the majority of the past season in the Liiga and has been getting quality ice-time this season. The smart center reads and anticipates the game extremely well and consistently puts himself in a good position to make plays. He has skill, protects the puck well, wins face-offs and can play in any situation. The main issue is his skating which lacks both power and speed, but he is a potential top 10 pick as he plays such an efficient game in all three zones.

Roni Hirvonen, C, Ässät – Hirvonen has impressed as a rookie in the Liiga, using his strengths, namely his offensive abilities, to his advantage. Although a natural center, he has been playing on the wing against men. A very smart playmaker who can finish, too, he has great vision, offensive instincts and can be creative with the puck. He is also good skater with quick feet, agility and nimble footwork. His style of play is reminiscent of Sebastian Aho.

Topi Niemelä, D, Kärpät – Niemelä is a mobile right-shot defenseman who has only begun to scratch the surface of his potential. He has a quick first step, great glide and moves well laterally. His puck handling skills are high end and he plays with plenty of poise. He has been able to hold his own defensively at the pro level. He could be a first rounder if his development keeps trending upwards.

Joel Blomqvist, G, Kärpät U20 – Blomqvist has been a standout ever since playing in the U16 league as an underager and currently excels with Kärpät U20. The 6-1" netminder is quick, flexible and shows calculated movements – he is constantly in control and remains calm regardless of the situation he is in. His technical skills are solid and he tracks pucks well.

Kasper Simontaival, C/RW, Tappara U20 – Simontaival's development has suffered from injuries over the past couple of seasons, but he remains one of the top Finnish prospects among 2002's. He is a precision shooter who can rifle the puck and has a good shot selection. He shows some flash with his puck skills and has nifty hands. His skating isn't high end and being a smaller forward, that could hurt his game in the future. However, because of his offensive abilities, he could be selected inside the top two rounds.

Roby Järventie, F, Ilves U20

Eemil Viro, D, TPS U20

Joni Jurmo, D, Jokerit U20

Veeti Miettinen, RW, Kiekko-Espoo U20

Juuso Mäenpää, F, Jokerit U20

Veeti Korkalainen, F, KooKoo U20

Rami Määttä, D, Ässät U20

Joonas Oden, LW, KooKoo

Oskari Luoto, F, Tappara U20

Peetro Seppälä, KooKoo

Chicago Blackhawks 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 10:50:04 +0000

Around one month into last season, the Chicago Blackhawks, meandering through a slow start, fired their coach, future Hall of Famer Joel Quenneville. He was replaced by Jeremy Colliton, who had been the head coach of the Blackhawks’ AHL club in nearby Rockford. The new youngest coach in the NHL had only been behind the bench at any level for five years, the first four of which were in Sweden, with Mora, which he helped guide from the Allsvenskan to the SHL before taking the Rockford job.

The hiring was curious for more reasons than just Colliton’s general lack of experience. For another thing, hiring coaches from the AHL has recently fallen out of vogue, at least directly, with many GMs preferring coaching retreads, or, if they want a new face, looking to the college ranks, as was done in Dallas and Broadway, following Philadelphia a few years ago. (Note that exceptions are sometimes made when the incumbent coach is fired or leaves at an awkward time – see Colorado and the hiring of Jared Bednar) Promoting assistants to the top job has also been popular, as we see with the most recent Stanley Cup winner in Craig Berube, or with Ottawa plucking DJ Smith from the backbench of Provincial rival Toronto.

In any case, Colliton’s promotion from Rockford does give us a chance to study how he incorporated some of his old charges from the farm into the NHL lineup. There were a few 2017-18 IceHogs who received significant time in the Chicago lineup in 2018-19. Looking at our top 20 from last year, big blueliner Carl Dahlstrom lost his eligibility after playing in 38 games. Luke Johnson also got into 15 games, retaining his prospect eligibility (which he will try to lose this year as a member of the Minnesota Wild). Netminder Collin Delia got 16 games in net when Corey Crawford was hurt, and put up numbers that were better than ostensible backup Cam Ward’s (although still not that great). Other players having played under Colliton for both teams include Gustav Forsling, Andreas Martinsen, John Hayden, Dennis Gilbert, and Alexandre Fortin.

Notably, none of the players listed above had outsized roles with Collliton’s Blackhawks’ squad as he was able to tell the difference in quality between good AHL players and NHL talent. The Blackhawks nonetheless finished around the same under Colliton as they were with Quenneville. Based on the list below, we also don’t expect the Rockford connection to play a greater role next year, as of the five players listed who primarily played in the AHL last year, three came to the organization from other teams in the offseason, meaning they had never played under Colliton. The two that are holdovers include Dylan Sikura, who actually only played for Colliton in Chicago, and Lucas Carlsson, who was still in Sweden, playing for Brynas, when Colliton was in Rockford.

Even with the overall record not changing much between the two coaches, and the new coach not utilizing much in the way of familiar faces in his new job, the Blackhawks did at least feel more energized under the younger coach. And with one of the deepest systems in the game, there is the hope that Colliton will be better equipped to utilize the young talent entering the system than his predecessor had been.

-Ryan Wagman

Adam Boqvist (27) of the Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire)

1 Kirby Dach, C (3^rd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Dach is a true game-breaker down the middle of the ice. Few centers bring the combination of size, speed and skill that he provides. He has the ability to make plays in open ice, beat guys one on one or make a pass that cut open defenses. He carries the puck through the neutral zone well and always plays with his head up. He can protect the puck as well as anyone down low and can make passes from anywhere on the ice. He is a very good shooter, too, but his game revolves around his passing ability and ability to hold onto the puck. His defensive game is intriguing as well as he uses his long reach to strip pucks and on the back check can quickly turn the play around with his physical dominance. He needs to improve his consistency over a full season, but he projects as a number one center but could play the wing as early as this season in the NHL. - VG

2 Adam Boqvist, D (8^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 1) An elite offensive defender, Boqvist has the requisite tools to be a high scorer in the NHL. His skating stride is not only smooth, it is powerful, and it allows him to take risks by jumping up into the rush quite frequently. He also possesses fantastic scoring instincts for a defender, sliding down into the slot or using his agility to open up shooting lanes for himself at the blueline. While his offensive game could best be described as dynamic, his defensive game can be summarized as “developing.” Boqvist is a high risk, high reward player who may never be a defensive stalwart but his reads and physical assertiveness will need to improve for him to be a reliable even strength player. He will either play with Chicago, or in the AHL this season. A year of minor pro would likely greatly help his defensive game and make him more equipped to handle the rigors of the NHL. - BO

3 Alex Nylander, LW (8^th overall, 2016 [Buffalo]. Last Year: 3 [Buffalo]) Nylander is a rather controversial and inconsistent player to watch. At his best, he is a gifted playmaker and passer with a great way of seeing the play and anticipating where to be on the ice, however he is rarely at his best. Instead he lacks physicality or any sort of aggressiveness in his game which sees him often times back down from being first to the puck and battles as he is weak on the puck. For a forward with size and a good shot, Nylander has to make sure to keep his feet moving at all times and be stronger so that he can get the opportunities he deserves. He has the skill to be a middle six forward but he will need to make major adjustments to his attitude and consistency in order to make the next level work. He will need to be more aggressive and his work ethic will have to be much better than in previous seasons. - SC

4 Aleksi Saarela, C (89^th overall, 2015 [New York Rangers]. Last Year: 3 [Carolina]) Saarela is a hard-working, dynamic player who wins battles and moves so efficiently that his energy stays high throughout the entirety of each game. He is a great shooter and his accuracy is impressive which makes him a tough opponent to stop. He is an all-around fun and creative player to watch and with his hockey sense and skill, he has the potential to be a top six forward and lead a team despite his size. He flies under the radar but will still need a year in the AHL to gain enough momentum and confidence to be the same type of player once he moves up to the NHL. That being said, should Saarela have another great year and work on being more accurate with his breakout and regroup passes, his transition to the next level will be much easier. He will also need to better his coverage at both ends of the ice. - SC

5 Ian Mitchell, D (57^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 4) Overshadowed in the AJHL in his draft year by Cale Makar, Mitchell is likewise a second fiddle defender in the Chicago pipeline behind Boqvist. That said, he has clearly been the top blueliner for Denver for two years running. He is a fine skater, with four directional ability, and his hands are just as quick. He can dangle and is a natural at walking the blueline and moving off of it to help his team create offense. As good as he is offensively, he is just as sharp in his own zone. He plays with a mature sense of calm and can be relied upon in the hairiest situations. Even with Boqvist in the picture, I would not put a first pairing future past Mitchell, although second pairing is more likely. - RW

Chicago Blackhawks center Dylan Sikura (95) (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Icon Sportswire)

6 Dylan Sikura, D (178^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 3) With great speed and incredible hockey vision, Sikura has turned into an absolute steal as a sixth round pick for the Blackhawks. A former OJHL star, he spent four years at Northeastern to ramp up his offensive game to the high level he sits at now. In his first full pro year, he posted a 45-17-18-35 stat line with AHL Rockford while adding eight assists in 33 NHL games. From the standpoint of raw skating, he was one of the best in the AHL and in this very deep farm system. His playmaking has long been his calling card, and he loves to make space for teammates with his speed only to pass it off. He is a smaller center, but does not shy away from doing the dirty work on both ends of the rink. His shot will never be a legitimate weapon, but he can hide his biggest flaw by playing a distributor role instead. He could be a top-six forward -- he routinely plays all three positions -- as soon as this season. - TD

7 Niklas Nordgren, RW (74^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 5) Nordgren was having a strong 2018-19 season until he was injured, which caused him to miss the World Juniors and limited his season to only 15 Liiga games. The 5-9" winger is not the fastest of skaters but has very good passing skills, offensive instincts and vision. He can execute an efficient and quick passing game both in the neutral and offensive zones. He is smart in possession and constantly plays with his head up while scanning his options. Nordgren has a quick and very accurate wrist shot, as well as a hard slap shot, both of which can beat goalies cleanly. He has a goal-scorer's touch around the net. A lack of explosiveness in his skating is concerning, but his top speed is quite good and still improving. He has middle-six upside as an offensive-minded winger. - MB

8 Michal Teply, LW (105^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Teply has been a key player for the Czech youth national teams at the international level. The Blackhawks' third round pick is a very smart winger with no shortage of skill, either. Even when having limited time and space, he can deliver quality passes and stay poised under pressure. He makes quick decisions with the puck and reads the game at a high level. He has good shooting technique and mechanics, making for an accurate, high-velocity wrist shot. He is an agile and fluid skater with good coordination. He can carry the puck into the zone with relative ease, but he would be even more dangerous with improved acceleration, especially from a standstill. Teply projects as a middle-six winger at the NHL level. He will play for WHL's Winnipeg Ice this season. - MB

9 Alex Vlasic, D (43^rd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) A Chicago-area native, Vlasic gains notice as soon as eyes are laid upon him, considering his towering 6-6” size. His skating needs to be cleaned up, but he gets to a decent top speed, especially considering his frame. Vlasic is still incredibly raw and learning what he can and cannot do against advanced competition, especially as it pertains to his ability to read the play. He has surprisingly good hands and is capable of executing highlight reel passes. His long reach helps him overcome some of his defensive zone foibles, but he flashes enough to suggest that he can grow into competence there. Coupling in the fear factor, as he is not afraid to run guys over, and we have here a blueliner with outsized potential once he decides on the type of player he should be. - RW

10 MacKenzie Entwistle, C/RW (69^th overall, 2017 [Arizona]. Last Year: Not ranked) Like a Swiss army knife, there are many facets to Entwistle’s game. He has size. He skates well. He is a very intelligent player away from the puck and is effective in all three zones. He asserts himself physically and is an excellent forechecker. He can play all three forward positions and slide up and down a lineup depending on need. He provides leadership and is coming off back to back Championships with two different OHL teams. While Entwistle does not possess elite offensive tools, he is the type of player that the coaching staff in Chicago will absolutely love. And, as already alluded to, he is the type of player you win Championships with. His projection is likely of a bottom six forward who can anchor a penalty kill and he should move quickly through Chicago’s system, even if the offensive production is only mediocre. - BO

11 Dominik Kubalik, LW (191^st overall, 2013 [Los Angeles]. Last Year: Not ranked [Los Angeles]) Kubalik put together a breakout season with Ambri-Potta on the Swiss NLA. He was one of the top players for the Czech national tea, throughout the season as well, earning a spot on the team for the World Championships, where he recorded 12 points in 10 games. A skilled a sizeable winger who can score goals, he has a strong shot selection which features a quick release wrist shot and an accurate one-timer. Scoring goals comes naturally to him, especially from the circles. He also has the vision and passing skills to create offensive opportunities for others in the final third. Kubalik is a decent skater. His quickness used to be somewhat of an issue, but he has shown improvements in agility and foot speed. He has versatility and physicality to boot, allowing him to be used up and down an NHL lineup. - MB

12 Nicolas Beaudin, D (27^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 6) While Beaudin’s offensive numbers were down a bit from the previous season, he still showed his amazing passing ability. He can hit any teammate anywhere on the ice, putting them in an optimal scoring position. He adds to his great passing with excellent hockey sense, and 56 points from the blueline is nothing to sneeze at. He can read plays as well as anyone in the QMJHL. What still holds him back is his size and his acceleration. He is an undersized blueliner who does not play physical. While his movement and agility is excellent, his speed is just okay. His acceleration is what hurts his skating the most, although his edgework is great. He can overcompensate on both ends of the puck for this, but he can also make great breakouts and succeed in the offensive zone. He is a very talented offensive defender who can quarterback a power play at the NHL level. - MS

13 Brandon Hagel, LW (159^th overall, 2016 [Buffalo]. Last Year: Not ranked [not affiliated]) Hagel is a previously drafted but unsigned player that had to recommit himself in his 20 year old season to get a shot at a pro career. He excels with the puck on his stick, has very good vision and was a top five scorer in the WHL last season. His shot isn’t blow you away quick but he picks corners incredibly well which makes him a dual threat as a shooter and a passer. He played both special teams units and he is an excellent agitator which enables him to draw a lot of penalties. He needs to improve on his discipline as he can run a little hot and take himself out of his game with foolish penalties. Hagel has a chance to be a very good third line player who can be matched up against anyone and can contribute offense from a depth role but will take a couple seasons in the AHL before he sees any NHL ice time. - VG

14 John Quenneville, C (30^th overall, 2014 [New Jersey]. Last Year: 4 [New Jersey]) It is no secret that Quenneville’s path to success has been somewhat delayed and a little rocky. Last season with Binghamton in the AHL was good but saw him also spend a fair bit of time in the penalty box. He has the hands and natural skill to no doubt be playing in the NHL but where he will end up exactly is up to him. He will need to push himself harder to stay focused and stay caught up with the pace of the NHL game if he wants to be anything higher than a third liner. At his best, Quenneville is a dynamic, aggressive power forward who is hard to stop but this next season is a make or break year and it will be up to him to see if he can secure a full time spot in the lineup with the Blackhawks, an organization that prides itself on its forward development. - SC

15 Evan Barratt, C (90^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 12) After struggling through an occasionally trying freshman campaign, Barratt hit a new level with Penn State last season. He is a strong skater with good playmaking instincts. He reads opposing defenses very well and has a knack for finding linemates in motion. While his offensive game is solid, he doesn’t seem to have enough skill to play in a top six, but thankfully he more than makes up for it with strong defensive zone work. He is a trusted penalty killer and generally has his stick in the right place to break up plays and regain possession. He is also a willing combatant, happy to get his nose dirty and generally not fun to play against. Heading back for his junior season, I expect Barratt to sign next spring and work his way to a third line role. - RW

16 Jakub Galvas, D (150^th overall, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) The top scoring teenager in the Czech Extraliga last year, Galvas increased his offensive output by around 25% despite playing in two fewer games and once again having his season interrupted by the WJC. Despite lacking size, he is an all-situations defender, who uses his stick well in his own zone while also having a knack for filling in shooting and passing lanes with his body. He has very quick feet, which enable him to join or lead the rush and get back quickly if needed, which, on some occasions, is due to his own turnovers. The former fifth round pick is developing steadily and is readying himself for a big step up in competition as he will be playing in the Liiga for Jukurit this season. He still has much to iron out in his game, but between his skating and puck skills, he has a solid shot at a third pairing spot down the road. - RW

17 Alexis Gravel, G (162^nd overall, 2018. Last Year: 13) Gravel is a big goalie who plays an efficient game. He had a big year last year when he needed to; Halifax was reliant on his game to get them to the big stage, and he was needed at times for a deep Mooseheads playoff run into May. While he carries a lot of muscle at 218 pounds, he can move around the crease quickly and puts himself in good position to make the second and third save when needed. In fact, he makes some tough saves look routine with his great puck tracking and anticipation. Gravel might have gained too much weight too quickly and sapped some quickness a year ago but showed this year that the added weight was not an issue. He has starter potential as he gets quicker and continues to progress. - MS

18 Philipp Kurashev, LW/C (120^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 16) Kurashev is a well-rounded and refined offensive player. For the second year in a row, he scored over one point-per-game, and also for the second year in a row, he impressed at the WJC, with seven points in seven games for Team Switzerland last holiday season while being the centerpiece of his team. In Quebec, he also had to deal with the extra attention of being the top center on his team, and thrived with a defensively-responsible offensive game as a player who can play a ton of minutes. Kurashev wrapped up his season with three games in the AHL with Rockford and finally four points over eight games with Switzerland at the world championships playing against men. He needs to improve his skating speed a bit, but he has the makings of a top-nine contributor at the NHL level. - MS

19 Lucas Carlsson, D (110^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 8) A highly aggressive and entertaining defenseman, Carlsson had a very solid 2018-19 campaign, his first in the North American pro ranks. He paced all of Rockford’s defensemen in most offensive categories on their top defensive pair. His speed and shot are average at best, but his fierce and enthusiastic drive in all three zones is what makes him an intriguing prospect. His stretch passes are tight and quick, but he is capable of weaving through the neutral zone with the hands and edgework that make him a fine two-way blueliner. He loves to join the rush as a trailer and let off a wrister, although his shot is average at best. Defensively, he is never hesitant to pressure an opposing forward with a hit against the boards or a sweep check at the line. He is still a while away from being an NHLer, and his play-tracking on defense will have to improve until then, but I would not be surprised to see him on the Blackhawks’ third pair in the near future. - TD

20 Andrei Altybarmakyan, RW (70^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 20) A gifted player and a fast skater, Altybarmakyan has already accumulated significative pro experience in the last few seasons and is now a full-time KHL player after moving to HC Sochi from SKA. The move panned out well for him as he found more time on ice and a former NHL superstar on the bench in Sergei Zubov. A dangerous player when the ice opens up, Altybarmakyan needs to improve his defensive game, his consistency, and his intensity before trying to move overseas. In the NHL it is hard to rely on talent alone, and at this point, he is nothing more than a project player. However, he has intriguing offensive potential and next year will be key to understanding what his real ceiling is. - ASR

2018 WJC in Review: The Czech Republic

Ryan Wagman — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 22:04:35 +0000

It was whispered in some quarters (hint: here ß https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/wjc-2018-team-preview-czech-republic/) that the Czechs might be on the upswing. In hindsight, it should not have been hard to spot. Even though the nation had not been able to escape the quarterfinals of the year-end WU18 tournament since 2013-14 (and all of those players have since aged out of junior level hockey) the nation did medal in four of the past five Ivan Hlinka tourneys, including a 2016 gold.

That gold medal squad was well represented on this iteration of the Czech U20, including stars Martin Necas, Filip Chytil and supporting players Jakub Skarek, Jakub Galvas, Filip Kral, Radim Salda, Martin Kaut, Ostap Safin, and Filip Zadina.

With the more “proven” players listed above being offensively talented forwards, it should have come as no real surprise that the team had a very potent offense. Their 18 goals in the preliminary round was second only to Sweden in Group B, and fourth among all competing nations.

On the other hand, what proved to be their downfall was also relatively easy to spot. They surrendered 15 goals in those same four games, ranking seventh out of ten teams, ahead of only one squad that finished out of the relegation round. Their netminding was so unsteady that head coach Filip Pesan called for his backup in four of their seven overall games.

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JANUARY 5: The Czech Republic's Jakub Skarek #1 looks on during bronze medal game action against the U.S. at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

On the other hand, that type of quick trigger finger may have hurt as much as it helped, with both main goalies, the aforementioned Skarek – perhaps the top netminding prospect for the 2018 NHL draft – and Josef Korenar - signed as an undrafted free agent to an ELC by the San Jose Sharks after a solitary strong season with Lincoln of the USHL – anticipating a spot on the bench every time the opposition gained the zone with numbers. Skarek had moments were he looked like the real deal, especially early in the tournament. He moves around the crease very well, and is able to cover the net from post to post. But he fought the puck all too often. Korenar showed some scramble ability and comfort moving to get to second chances, but traffic was a bugbear and there were simply too many second chances for anyone’s comfort. Skarek will get another chance to redeem himself on the world’s greatest U20 stage next year in Vancouver.

The blueline also did its part in lighting fires. Despite having a broad range of NHL-affiliated young defensemen to play with, they could rarely keep their opponents from threatening the Czech netminder. Even relegated Belarus scored five of their 10 total goals in a thrilling game against the Czech side. Outside of clear number one blueliner Libor Hajek, a Tampa Bay second rounder, each member of their rearguard stumbled more than one. Hajek was awesome. A workhorse, he played a minimum of 20:22 in every game, including a staggering 30:46 in the quarterfinal upset win over Finland. He was a key cog at both ends, using positioning and a good stick to help sweep away danger in the defensive end and swiftly carrying the puck up the ice to help in the quick strike attack that was so effective at times for the Czechs.

Buffalo prospect Vojtech Budik, generally Hajek’s partner on the first pairing, did some nice things when he had the puck, but all too often avoided confrontation when defending, giving his opponent too much room in which to maneuver. Chicago prospect Jakub Galvas was reliable, but prone to own zone giveaways that saw him relegated to third pairing duties more often than not. Dallas prospect Ondrej Vala rarely did enough to escape the third pairing and was more often than not invisible, despite finishing second among Czech blueliners with 10 shots on goal. If there was a second defender after Hajek who escaped the tournament with passing grades it was draft eligible Filip Kral, now in his first North American season playing in the WHL with Spokane. Although he needs to add bulk, he impressed with his positional play and high panic threshold. His decent shot and above average puck moving ability should see him hear his name called on draft day this year.

If I wanted to nitpick the Czech attack, I would point out that I expected more from Rangers first rounder Filip Chytil. He was fine, scoring twice, and every now and then having a dominant shift highlighting his quick feet and hands. He even showed some toughness, playing with a broken nose. But I am selfish and wanted more. So for more I could turn to Martin Necas, who tied for the overall tournament lead in scoring with USA’s Casey Mittlestadt with 11 points, or Filip Zadina, one of the top prospects for the upcoming draft, who consistently demonstrated every type of offensive skill one could want in a forward prospect. His skating, shot, and puck skills all grade out as high end. He could stand to improve on his recognition and decision making in his own zone, but nothing about his game suggests that he is merely a one-way player. Zadina has superstar potential (Necas already is a superstar for this age-level) and is not far from reaching those heights. Among all players in the tournament, only American Kieffer Bellows took more than Zadina’s 37 shots on net.

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 28: The Czech Republic's Martin Kaut #16 skates with the puck while Sweden's Jacob Moverare #27 chases him down during preliminary round action at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

The next three most effective Czech forwards in the tournament were all as yet undrafted, although one has not yet been eligible for those honors. The youngest of the second trio was Martin Kaut, who will challenge Skarek for the title of highest drafted player in 2018 playing in the Czech Republic. Although lean, he plays a heavy game, making his presence felt in a physical way game in and game out. He plays a strong possession game, and shows solid passing skills. He finished the tournament with seven points in seven games. Radovan Pavlik and Kristian Reichel have both already been passed over in the draft twice each, but their respective performances in Buffalo might push their luck to change in their third go-round. It was the undersized Pavlik’s first appearance in the WJC and he made the wait worth it, with six points in the seven games. He is a nice skater with good edges, has good offensive vision and works hard for rebounds. He will have to improve his Czech league production to maintain his WJC momentum through draft day, but the last few weeks are certainly a mark in his favor. Kristian Reichel, whose father Robert had a long NHL career in the 90s, has been acclimatizing to the NHL game with a poor Red Deer squad and seemed to get better as the WJC progressed. A dogged player, he featured heavily on both Czech special teams’ units. He is an above average skater, which plays up due to his great hustle, can dangle with the puck and can score with both a slap shot and a wrist shot. His frame looks wide enough to carry more weight as he matures. I expect him to be drafted if his WHL play keeps up.

Of the players mentioned above, only Reichel, Pavlik, Hajek, Budik, Vala, and Korenar will have aged out by next year. If at least two of Zadina, Necas, and Chytil are not in the NHL and are thus available to represent their country once more, the Czech squad could be even stronger in 2019. Then again, with as talented as those three are, I would not bet on it. Still, even without them, there was enough production from the 18 year old cohort this year to expect the Czech Republic to show well again next year.

Czech Extraliga: Jakub Galvas (HC Olomouc – Chicago)

Julius Dabrowski — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 16:05:52 +0000

Chicago Prospect Jakub Galvas is off to a promising start in the Czech Extraliga skating alongside his father. In his McKeen's debut Julius Dabrowski sees Galvas as having potential beyond what his fifth round draft pick might suggest. He provides a detailed breakdown below to explain why.

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

Jakub Galvas	2017 Draft (150th - Chicago)
Position: D, Shoots L	H/W: 6'0", 168 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	HC Olomouc, Czech Extraliga (20-1-5-6-2)

Skating: Galvas is a good mobile defenseman with nice balance and agility. His top speed might be slightly above the Czech Pro league average but his quickness is clearly above average and something that caught my eye from game one. There is some room for improvement with his strides but then again when you see an 18 year old moving his feet that fast in the Pro Czech league there is a lot to like. He is a fairly good backward skater as well. Grade: 55

Shot: Galvas puts average power in his wrister but aims well using that shot. Unfortunately he does not possess a beaming slap shot and he rarely uses it. He has to work on getting the puck to the net from the blue line. He would rather pass the puck down to his teammate in the corner than try to shoot it through an opponent. In the Czech league not many players drop down to one knee or drop low on the ice when attempting to block shots from the blue line. I believe that there is potential for him to be a better shooter and he might cause more trouble from shots up close. But for now I have not seen enough from him. Grade: 45

Skills: Has the puck handling skills to make him a very good mobile defenseman. He is able to carry the puck out from his own D-zone or send out a breakout pass to his teammates. He rarely makes a mistake in his defensive zone. He is good at clearing the puck from danger and is accurate with his passes. Shows good offensive flair when breaking through the offensive blue line. Grade: 55

Smarts: Galvas is a very offensive-minded defender and comparing his scouting report from last season there is much improvement in his game. Maybe in his second year with the Senior HC Olomouc team and playing with his father on the 3rd D-pair gave him some extra confidence. Now he likes to rush the puck out of the defensive zone or pass it over to his teammates and join the rush. Many times he will enter the offensive zone just like a winger. Sometimes he might get carried away with his offensive contribution but it seems that he knows when he is allowed to do that. He does not take the risk and try to dangle 1-on-1 at his own blue line. He also will not just dump the puck in the offensive zone when he reaches the neutral zone but make nice plays offensively when possible. Besides that he is also very smart defensively and knows where to be and what to do in his own end. Grade: 55

Physicality: Being a smaller defenseman and weighing 168 lbs Galvas finds a way to be strong with his defensive responsibilities. He rarely gets knocked down and works hard in the corners and on the half boards. He is good with his poke checking and using his body to separate the opponent from the puck. Not being a very aggressive or feisty defender he gets the job done. He is not intimidating anyone with huge body check or extra chops after the whistle. There might be some hidden nastiness but he looks to be more interested and focused in creating offense than being a mean shutdown defender. But he is not a pushover by any chance as well. Grade: 45

Summary: Jakub Galvas is a talented and offensive minded defender. His quick feet are very noticeable and this player can bring fans out of their seats with his offensive rushes. Playing in the Czech Pro league he does not back down from hard board battles in his own end or getting into a face wash scrum after the whistle. His movement without the puck is very sound and you rarely find him out of position in his defensive zone. Right now he has reached the same number of points as he scored all of last season but in half of the games played. His 38 year old father is paired with him in on defence giving him the perfect mentor to learn from. He has to work on his shooting power and ability to find the net from long distance shots. He should be able to put on the extra power in his stride and in his shot over time. He has the defensive qualities that make him a very intriguing and reliable defender. In many parts of his game I can see room for growth and I believe his potential is higher than from a typical 5th Round Pick.

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 52

Scouting Reports: Czech, Swiss – Radim Salda, Jakub Galvas, Damien Riat, Noah Rod, Raphael Prassl

Dennis Schellenberg — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 14:42:36 +0000

The Czech Republic at The 2016 Ivan Hlinka Tournament including Radim Salda and Jakub Galvas featured below.

Radim Salda	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: D, Shoots L	H/W: 6-1", 180 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	HC Hradec Kralove U20, Czech U20 (35-7-8-15-50)

Skating: Salda is a smooth-skating defenceman. He is agile on his skates, shows nice pivots and edgework. He possesses decent top speed and is able to move in all directions with ease. He is also a good backward skater. Grade: 55

Shot: Salda possesses decent shot power and accuracy and can beat goaltenders cleanly. He is not a guy that just shoots with every open lane he sees but rather waits for the right moment to fire the puck. He uses all of his shot arsenal. Grade: 55

Skills: An offensive-minded defenceman who looks for an offensive spark in many of his shifts, Salda often thinks the game offensively when carrying the puck. He is able to play long outlet passes that open up room and help to transition his team’s game quickly. He can also handle the puck carefully. Sometimes, he slips int a tendency of making too many complicated passes and would need to simplify his game with the puck a bit. Grade: 55

Smarts: Salda plays aggressively along the boards and does not give puck carriers time or room to make plays. He uses his active stick to do so and tries to put pressure on puck carriers, especially in the corners. He reads passing lanes well and goes down to his knees to cut off lanes. Often uses all of his body to interfere passes and makes himself as big as possible. He has a good nose for puck interceptions and anticipates stealing the puck. As mentioned above, he likes to join rushes, however sometimes over commits and gets caught leaning in too far offensively, leaving his team susceptible to quick counter attacks. Grade: 50

Physicality: Although he is not an overly physical player nor all that big and heavy in size, Salda competes hard in battles and does not back off in corners. He is capable of playing a gritty game and goes hard after puck carriers, without laying out big hits. Grade: 55

Summary: Radim Salda is an offensive-minded defenseman who likes to think the game offensively. He possesses decent hands and does not show issues when handling the puck. I like his aggressiveness on puck carriers and the active stick he uses to interfere plays. Especially as he is not overly big in size, but he does all those gritty things to make puck carriers feel uncomfortable. He definitely needs to work on his positioning game, especially when he joins rushes and plays over aggressively, he loses his position and commits space and open ice to opponents. Salda has the tools to become a two-way defender at NHL-level, but needs to mature his game. He looks to me like a mid-round pick.

Jakub Galvas	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: D, Shoots L	H/W: 5-11", 165 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	HC Olomouc, Czech Extraliga (36-1-5-6-14)

Skating: Galvas’ skating is not an issue as it gets him where he needs to be. Mobility and speed-wise he is around average, however he does not possess very explosive first strides which make him look a bit slow from time to time, creating a false impression of his overall skating ability. Grade: 50

Shot: Not being a pure offensive-minded defenseman, Galvas typically shows some issues when firing the puck with aim. His shots lack both power and accuracy. Grade: 40

Skills: Galvas plays it very safe in the defensive zone and does not commit a lot of mistakes as he carries the puck with care and does not go for dangerous passes. Most of his passes are accurate although there are essentially safety-first passes, not going for long opening passes too much. Grade: 45

Smarts: Jakub Galvas possesses great timing when using his active stick to create turnovers and steal the puck, using his stick to separate opposing forwards from the puck successfully. He also possesses good timing when closing the gap along the boards. He is a smart defenseman who understands the game well defensively; this is where he definitely excels best as he is a very dependable stay-at-home defender. Grade: 55

Physicality: Galvas is not overly big in size but possesses good strength and balance. He is able to play physically along the boards and can lay out big hits if needed. He is definitely not afraid to lay the body and takes a hit to make a play if needed. Grade: 60

Summary: I would describe Jakub Galvas more as a stay-at-home defenseman, someone you can pair with an offensive-minded player to keep a good balance. His offensive skills are somewhat limited, but defensively he plays a very reliable game and does not commit many mistakes. He also brings a solid physical game to the table which will make him a nice addition in one of the middle rounds. Galvas spent the majority of the season in the highest Czech league which made him defend against older and stronger players, something that should help to prepare him for the pro game in North America.

TORONTO, CANADA - DECEMBER 28: Switzerland's Noah Rod #26 plays the puck while Russia's Alexander Bryntsev #12 chases him down during preliminary round action at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Noah Rod	2014 Draft (53rd - San Jose Sharks)
Position: RW, Shoots L	H/W: 6-0", 190 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Geneve-Servette, NLA (27-5-9-14-22)

Skating: Noah Rod is an agile skater and shows no issues with mobility. He possesses good top speed and quickness in his first steps. Overall, he is a strong skater and is quick on his feet. Grade: 55

Shot: Like with many of Rod’s attributes, his shot is decent but not outstanding. He can fire the puck with solid quickness and shot power, however he needs to work on his shot accuracy a bit. Grade: 50

Skills: Rod possesses good hands and can move the puck with impressive quickness. He can also stickhandle fairly well and shows some nice puck moves. That said, he might not possess high-end scoring skills. He is also prone to unnecessary turnovers. Grade: 50

Smarts: Rod will do all he can to make his team better. He is very well aware of his defensive responsibilities and backchecks, always trying to cover his man. He likes to go to the dirty areas and create havoc, does not shy away from crashing the net with or without the puck. He positions himself effectively in front of net. He is a good forechecker and knows how to put pressure on opposing defenders. One thing that is for sure is that Rod brings lots of energy and competitiveness to ice. Grade: 55

Physicality: His physical game is a bit conflicting as on one side he is a feisty player who gets under opponents' skin. He likes to intimidate players physically and finishes checks when forechecking. He plays a tough physical game and likes to get his nose dirty in after whistle scrums. On the other hand, Rod needs to gain more strength to compete against bigger and stronger players and the lacks size and strength to play the type of game he would like to play. Although I would like to give him a better rating, his lack of strength and injury history prevents me from doing so. Grade: 50

Summary: Since being drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the second round of the 2014-draft, Noah Rod has had trouble staying healthy in the Swiss league and has only played in 27 games this season. Next season is crucial for Rod and the Sharks as they really need him to stay healthy through the season, otherwise his dream of playing in the NHL could take a setback. He might never be the most talented or skilled player on his team but he is a guy that carries his heart on his sleeve and who does all he can to help his team win. He shows great work ethic and possesses decent puck skills. Compliments aside, I personally don’t think he can ever live up to the expectations of a second round pick.

Damien Riat	2016 Draft (117th - Washington)
Position: LW, Shoots R	H/W: 6-0", 165 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Geneve-Servette, NLA (46-7-7-14-36)
	Switzerland U20, WJC (5-1-5-6-8)

Skating: Damien Riat is a powerful and speedy overall skater. He possesses quiet powerful strides and a decent to good top speed. To reach that top speed, he uses only few powerful strides to accelerate. He also shows decent quickness in his feet. Overall, his skating is slightly above-average, without being an outstanding skater. Grade: 55

Shot: Generally speaking, Riat possesses a good shot and can use his shooting tools as a weapon. His wrist shot is hard and accurate and can elevate the puck with good velocity. He does not use his slap shot too much and prefers to use his wrister instead. Grade: 55

Skills: Riat dishes out the puck with good accuracy and can execute crisp passes. He likes to play powerful and long passes, mostly over multiple lines, to transition the game quickly and for quick counter attacks. His puckhandling skills are decent and good enough to rate it as average, although he is not a guy with flashy hands or who shows fancy moves or dekes. Grade: 50

Smarts: Riat goes to the front of net to create havoc and does not shy away from getting his nose dirty. He also likes to go into the high-traffic areas and screen goaltenders. He plays a sound two-way game and is very well aware of his defensive zone responsibilities. He plays most of his shifts with a good energy level and rarely takes shifts off, mostly works very hard and keeps his feet moving during shifts. He also supports his defensive group and knows when he needs to contribute in his own zone and when he can join rushes. Riat can also be used killing penalties and played big minutes on his team’s shorthanded unit. Grade: 55

Physicality: Although he is not big in size, Riat plays a gritty style of game and likes to mix things up after the whistle. He plays most shifts with a physical edge and finishes checks while forechecking, where he does not give puck carriers an easy time. He is not a guy that lays out big hits, but does not shy away from any battle. Grade: 50

Summary: Damien Riat has been a steady contributor for his team in his third season back from North America. He saw a slight drop in points, even though he played similarly to how he played last year. He is a hard-working two-way forward who possesses some offensive upside, if, however limited. Riat likes to get physical and can also be used on shorthanded shifts, where he was a constant contributor this season. He was an important part of the Swiss WJC team and could step up to a more offensive role as he does not see big minutes with Servette-Geneve in the Swiss men's league. I am looking forward to next season, where I expect Riat to take the next step, contributing offensively in a more dominant way.

Raphael Prassl	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: C/RW, Shoots L	H/W: 6-0", 175 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	GC Kusnacht Lions, NLB (36-5-11-16-24)
	Switzerland U20, WJC (5-0-1-1-4)

Skating: Raphael Prassl is an agile skater, possessing powerful first strides and with decent top speed. He is smooth and fluid on his skates, but does not have the burner tag, does not play with a high-energy level and is more of a “floater”. Although his first steps are powerful, they could be more explosive. Playing at the WJC against players from his age group showed that he can be a dominant skater if he plays with a higher energy level. Grade: 50

Shot: To be clear, Prassl is definitely not an finisher, but is a pass-first guy. Therefore, it is not the easiest task to mention something about his shot as he often prefers to pass to a better positioned player. With that being said, I would like to add that especially at the U20-level he is more comfortable shooting the puck. His shot power on his wrister is actually pretty decent and I would definitely like to see him shooting the puck more often at the pro level. Grade: 45

Skills: Prassl possesses good hands and shows solid puckhandling skills, especially in tight, where he remains calm and makes plays. He is able to carry the puck up the ice through the neutral zone and enter the zone smoothly. His passes are accurate and he can play a dominant offensive game setting up scoring chances. Prassl is often the leader on the powerplay with players giving him the puck and the responsibility to set up plays. Grade: 50

Smarts: Prassl is a really smart player who uses all of his Hockey IQ to make good decisions. He has great vision and sees open ice very well. Combined with his good passing skills, this makes him a dangerous set up guy. His overall game awareness is above-average. When not possessing the puck, he shows solid understanding of positioning and backchecks well. He is aware of his defensive responsibilities. He can be used in all game situations with his skill set and smarts. Uses an active stick to prevent players from shooting the puck to the net and is an effective poke-checker, and is good at intercepting passes. He likes to circle in the offensive zone and shows good patience and calmness with the puck as he awaits the perfect moment for setting up scoring chances. Grade: 55

Physicality: Although not smallish in size, unfortunately Raphael Prassl does not make use of his body too much in the physical department. He does not go into board battles and often uses his good active stick to make poke checks instead of using his body to gain puck control. That said, he is exceptionally good at protecting the puck using his long reach to keep it away from opponents. Grade: 40

Summary: I have always liked watching Raphael Prassl play hockey because of his smarts. His vision and Hockey IQ are both above-average and that automatically makes him an interesting player to watch. He also plays a sound two-way game and can be used in many game situations. He will re-enter the draft this year and his biggest issue is still his lack of physical game and his poor energy-level. Too often he just floats around the ice and I would like to see him playing with more grit and more energy. He has spent most of his year in the second highest pro league in Switzerland and was again an important contributor for his team this season. I do not see him getting much playing time with his orginial team, the ZSC Lions of the NLA, and he will probably need to move to another organization to receive a legitimate opportunity at high level playing time. I see him as a valuable team player at a smaller organization, where he could take over a bigger role. He played dominantly in his games at U20-level and showed that he has some leadership qualities.

Report: U18 5-nations from Sweden

Jimmy Hamrin — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 16:24:39 +0000

Skilled defensemen and 2018 draft eligibles shine.

Jimmy Hamrin attended the U18 5-Nations tournament in Sundsvall, Sweden and provides notes.

Josh Norris scores in overtime versus Russia in the U18 Five Nations tournament. Photo courtesy of USNTDP Madeléne Grahn, Pucksnack.com

SUNDSVALL. Sweden hosted Finland, Czech Republic, Russia and USA in a preparing tournament for the U18 WJC in April.

The host team brought a squad that was close to their best available, only missing Rasmus Dahlin and Emil Bemstrom. Sweden played some nice hockey and 2018 draft eligibles such as Isac Lundestrom, Jacob Olofsson and Lukas Wernblom started the tournament impressively. Olofsson (born 2000) took nicely to the role of a big two way center and Wernblom (2000), a smallish but gritty and really smart sniper, showed some flashes of elite talent. The latter scored a highlight reel goal in the first game against Czech Republic. Lundestrom is probably the most skilled and offensively gifted Swedish forward in his age group (1999). He already plays in the SHL and should be a first round candidate next year. Most of the best skilled Swedish ‘99-forwards lack either the speed or the size to be considered elite talents. Rickard Hugg had four points and worked hard in all three zones. He is a good two-way player that played on both power play and penalty kill units but does not possess the standout skills to be a top prospect for the upcoming draft, projecting as more of a mid to late round selection. Forwards Fabian Zetterlund and Lucas Elvenes were the offensive leaders for Sweden’s team. They are both creative in the offensive zone but lacking elite potential in their skating. Elvenes is good at travelling with the puck at this level but the short strides in his skating puts the question mark on his skating potential against better players. By the end of the tournament it was highly touted defensemen Timothy Liljegren, Filip Westerlund and most of all Erik Brannstrom that impressed the most. Brannstrom was tremendous with great skating, balance and high end skills. He dominated on the Swedish power play and was instrumental in the last two games for his country. He could be a big riser in the draft this June. Perhaps his modest size scares off some scouts but if you look at his speed and skills combined with the strength he has to withstand hits and his movement along the boards with the puck and in tight situations, the size no longer seems as much of an issue.

Finland left most of their top guys at home with a lot of them playing in North America. Top ranked goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had a tough tournament letting in 14 goals in two games. The big goalie showed some flashes of promise but he did not have much help in front of him in those two games. Joni Ikonen was by far the most dangerous Finnish player in the event. He carried their offensive play and he led most of the Finnish rushes and showed some finishing ability to boot. Ikonen is a sniper with some nice hands and good skating. He showed good offensive vision and the ability to create chances as well, most prevalent when he led the power play. Ikonen played with the Finland captain Aarne Talvitie. Talvitie also performaned well in the tournament. He is a strong player with a decent shot. He worked hard, both offensively and defensively. The more highly ranked talent Jesse Koskenkorva showed some smartness and skills but lacks the speed to suggest NHL potential in his game. He was not on the top line and had trouble in getting his offensive game going.

The Czech Republic was a fun team to watch. I was most impressed by Filip Zadina (2018 draft eligible), a creative forward with a great wrist shot. He showed a skillset suggestive of an early first rounder in the 2018 draft. Highly ranked for 2017, Martin Necas was good and sometimes gave off the impression that he could do anything he wanted on the ice. He has such great speed and skill. Unfortunately for him, the thing is that he did not end up doing all that much. He did not prevail as much I would like to see at this level. He played too much in the perimeter areas to be truly effective. The Czechs had good goaltending by both Jiri Patera and Tomas Vomacka. In their defensive group, Jakub Galvas showed some good puck-movement skills at times. Center Filip Chytil looks to be a solid NHL prospect as well. He is a smart player with nice vision with good enough marks in every area of his game.

Sadly, the high ranked Russian forward Klim Kostin is out for the season and did not play in this tournament. Instead, a defenseman by the name of Veniamin Baranov impressed me the most, a steady defenseman who played a really tough and sacrificing game. He also showed good puck skills, a good first pass and great puck control. The team did not play an entertaining style of play, unfortunately. As a team, they almost never forechecked their opponent and just tried to create traps in the neutral zone to create turnovers. They had a lot of speedy forwards but none of them really stood out as elite talents for me. I liked Mikhail Bitsadze (2018 eligible). He has smooth hands and showed some flash in his game. The best scorer for Russia in the tournament was Pavel Shen. He demonstrated a good hockey IQ and was opportunistic in the offensive zone. Kirill Slepets also was among the most active forwards on the team. He is a speedy winger with good hands and a promising overall skillset.

Brady Tkachuk, USNTDP Photo by Rena Laverty/USA Hockey

Team USA, which ultimately won the tournament after a six-round shootout win over Sweden in the final, had a defenseman who really shined as well. Quinn Hughes (2018 draft eligible) was at times mesmerizing to watch. The 5-9” defenseman could fly on the ice and played a strong offensive game and was great in carrying the play. He was probably the best player in the whole tournament, scoring three goals and adding three helpers as well. Hughes skates fast with ease and control without seemingly needing to use much energy in doing so. The number one clutch player in the tournament was Joshua Norris. He scored a late game winner against Russia, he tied the final against Sweden with three seconds left in regulation and scored the game winning shootout goal in that game as well. He had some nice help from both Brady Tkachuk (2018 draft eligible) and Grant Mismash. This younger Tkachuk brother looks to play a style of hockey much like his brother, now starring with the Calgary Flames. He showed some grittiness but also great puck skills for a big player. He had some impressive set ups including a behind the back assist on Norris’ late game winner against Russia. Mismash, a center with smooth hands and good hockey IQ, was also among the very best players in the tournament.

Grant Mismash, USNTDP. Photo by Rena Laverty/USA Hockey

Mismash showed shades of elite talent in his puck skills and smarts and looks like an interesting player for a late first round or second round pick in the upcoming draft. Another forward that showed some promise in his game was Scott Reedy. He had some nice feeds on the power play and looked to be a creative player. He is also close to an elite skater. USA also had some hard defensive defensemen that played a good physical game. Phil Kemp, Tommy Miller and Tyler Inamoto all played hard and could move the puck as well. USA is the only team that train together all year and played a fast game and the team’s passing game was very impressive and a pleasure to watch. With that in mind it is difficult to say how some of the players would have fit in to a team that did not click.

To sum it up, by the looks of this tournament the modern hockey game will continue to give us talented puck moving defensemen as a big part of the future of the sport. Most of the standout players truly were defensemen in this event. We might even see a change in more smallish defensemen stepping in to the big league in the future although good size will always provide an advantage. The tournament in general had some great games played at a high pace. Many of the 2018 eligibles really took advantage of their opportunity to showcase themselves as interesting players moving forward after this summer’s draft.

Jakub Galvas – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #3 Chicago Blackhawks

TOP 15 PROSPECTS: CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – RANK: #22 – TIER IV

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Chicago Blackhawks Top 20 Prospects

Ian Mitchell, D (57th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 1)

Lukas Reichel, LW (17th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Alec Regula, D (Trade: Oct. 28, 2019. Originally: 67th overall, 2018 [Detroit]. Previous ranking: 2)

Drew Commesso, G (46th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Pius Suter, C/LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 16, 2020. Previous ranking: 3)

Landon Slaggert, C (92nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Wyatt Kalynuk, D (Free Agent, signed: Jul. 16, 2020. Originally: 196th overall, 2017 [Philadelphia]. Previous ranking: 4)

Evan Barratt, C (90th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

Michal Teply, LW (105th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 6)

Lucas Carlsson, D (110th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 7)

Brandon Hagel, LW (Free Agent, signed: Oct. 30, 2018. Originally: 159th overall, 2016 [Buffalo]. Previous ranking: 9)

Artur Kayumov, LW (50th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 10)

Nicolas Beaudin, D (27th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 11)

Jakub Galvas, D (150th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 12)

Andrei Altybarmakyan, RW (70th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 13)

Philipp Kurashev, LW/C (120th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 15)

Niklas Nordgren, RW (74th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 18)

Michael Krutil, D (110th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Isaak Phillips, D (141st overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

MacKenzie Entwistle, C/RW (Trade: Jul. 12, 2018. Originally: 69th overall, 2017 [Arizona]. Previous ranking: UR)

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 16

Chicago Blackhawks

Ian Mitchell, D (57th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

Alec Regula, D (Trade: Oct. 28, 2019. Originally: 67th overall, 2018 [Detroit]. 2019 Rank: 16 [Detroit)

Pius Suter, C/LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 16, 2020. 2019 Rank: IE)

Wyatt Kalynuk, D (Free Agent, signed: Jul. 16, 2020. Originally: 196th overall, 2017 [Philadelphia]. 2019 Rank: 13 [Philadelphia])

Evan Barratt, C (90th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 15)

Michal Teply, LW (105th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 8)

Lucas Carlsson, D (110th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 19)

Dennis Gilbert, D (91st overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Brandon Hagel, LW (Free Agent, signed: Oct. 30, 2018. Originally: 159th overall, 2016 [Buffalo]. 2019 Rank: 13)

Artur Kayumov, LW (50th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

Nicolas Beaudin, D (27th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 12)

Jakub Galvas, D (150th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 16)

Andrei Altybarmakyan, RW (70th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 20)

Dylan Sikura, C (178th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 6)

Philipp Kurashev, LW/C (120th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 18)

Finland: 2019-20 Season Preview

Chicago Blackhawks 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

2018 WJC in Review: The Czech Republic

Czech Extraliga: Jakub Galvas (HC Olomouc – Chicago)

Scouting Reports: Czech, Swiss – Radim Salda, Jakub Galvas, Damien Riat, Noah Rod, Raphael Prassl

Report: U18 5-nations from Sweden

Ian Mitchell, D (57^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 1)

Lukas Reichel, LW (17^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Alec Regula, D (Trade: Oct. 28, 2019. Originally: 67^th overall, 2018 [Detroit]. Previous ranking: 2)

Drew Commesso, G (46^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Landon Slaggert, C (92^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Wyatt Kalynuk, D (Free Agent, signed: Jul. 16, 2020. Originally: 196^th overall, 2017 [Philadelphia]. Previous ranking: 4)

Evan Barratt, C (90^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

Michal Teply, LW (105^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 6)

Lucas Carlsson, D (110^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 7)

Brandon Hagel, LW (Free Agent, signed: Oct. 30, 2018. Originally: 159^th overall, 2016 [Buffalo]. Previous ranking: 9)

Artur Kayumov, LW (50^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 10)

Nicolas Beaudin, D (27^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 11)

Jakub Galvas, D (150^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 12)

Andrei Altybarmakyan, RW (70^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 13)

Philipp Kurashev, LW/C (120^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 15)

Niklas Nordgren, RW (74^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 18)

Michael Krutil, D (110^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Isaak Phillips, D (141^st overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

MacKenzie Entwistle, C/RW (Trade: Jul. 12, 2018. Originally: 69^th overall, 2017 [Arizona]. Previous ranking: UR)

Ian Mitchell, D (57^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

Alec Regula, D (Trade: Oct. 28, 2019. Originally: 67^th overall, 2018 [Detroit]. 2019 Rank: 16 [Detroit)

Wyatt Kalynuk, D (Free Agent, signed: Jul. 16, 2020. Originally: 196^th overall, 2017 [Philadelphia]. 2019 Rank: 13 [Philadelphia])

Evan Barratt, C (90^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 15)

Michal Teply, LW (105^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 8)

Lucas Carlsson, D (110^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 19)

Dennis Gilbert, D (91^st overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Brandon Hagel, LW (Free Agent, signed: Oct. 30, 2018. Originally: 159^th overall, 2016 [Buffalo]. 2019 Rank: 13)

Artur Kayumov, LW (50^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

Nicolas Beaudin, D (27^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 12)

Jakub Galvas, D (150^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 16)

Andrei Altybarmakyan, RW (70^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 20)

Dylan Sikura, C (178^thoverall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 6)

Philipp Kurashev, LW/C (120^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 18)