Jean-Sébastien Dea – McKeen's Hockey

Buffalo Sabres 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 10:11:09 +0000

With only two full years and three drafts under his belt, it cannot yet be said that the Buffalo Sabres’ pipeline has been built in the imagine of current General Manager Jason Botterill. Looking at the 20 players highlit below – the 20 best prospects in the system – six predate the Botterill era. The other 14, including each of the top five, as well as the three nearest misses were all brought to the Sabres by Botterill and company.

Much ink – digital and literal – has already been spilled on Botterill’s draft tendencies. In particular, the peculiarity about his reluctance to draft players out of the CHL. In three drafts, he did not select a CHLer until his first pick this past June, taking current top Buffalo prospect Dylan Cozens out of Lethbridge of the WHL. And then the Sabres went back to the rest of the world, not touching any of the three CHL leagues with any of their remaining picks. They have had a number of players that they had drafted from other locales who later moved on to the CHL, including Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen (#3) and Matej Pekar (#12) below, but Buffalo’s scouts have been able to keep their sight turned south of the border, or across the water.

So, where do they go? Most common is looking for players on the collegiate track. Not counting players drafted out of Europe who proceeded to cross the pond to play for an NCAA school (see #7 Erik Portillo), there were seven players drafted in three years who were either already in college, or playing in a league that traditionally leads to college, generally the USHL.

After that, Botterill’s Buffalo has invested heavily in Scandinavian scouting. They drafted five players out of Sweden and another four out of Finland. That leaves only two players added to the system in the past three years we haven’t covered. One, the aforementioned Cozens, was their sole CHLer. Lastly, with their final 2019 pick, the Sabres had their first foray into Central Europe, drafting Lukas Rousek out of the Czech Republic.

It is too early to state that Botterill’s drafting habits will continue, especially considering the additions of both the CHL and the Czech Republic to his route. Who knows where the Sabres will turn to next year? More pressingly though, as time passes and the drafted players continue to develop – or is some cases, fail to develop – we will learn about whether this depth at the expense of width scouting will turn out well.

The Sabres used to draft players from everywhere but struggled to pick up good players outside of the first round. Since 2010, Jake McCabe and J.T. Compher are the only players picked outside of the first round by Buffalo who have played in at least 100 games in the NHL. That number will increase, and player like Oskari Laaksonen (#4) may be the harbinger of what is to come. Not only was he a surprise third round pick in 2017, but some draft experts didn’t know him at all. Now he is one of the best prospects in the system, a testament to trusting area scouts.

-Ryan Wagman

BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 02: Buffalo Sabres left wing Victor Olofsson (41) skates during a game between the Nashville Predators and the Buffalo Sabres on April 02, 2019, at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. (Photo by Jerome Davis/Icon Sportswire)

1 Dylan Cozens, C/RW (7^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Dylan Cozens is a surprisingly fast skater with high agility despite his 6-3” frame. He uses his speed effectively on zone exits and entries as well as to engage on the forecheck. Once he closes the gap on the defender, he has good hand eye coordination to knock down errant passes and the strength to out-battle his opponent along the wall. He is excellent in traffic whether trying to get a shot off, make a pass or carry the puck to the net. Below the dots he consistently creates turnovers and disrupts opponents’ zone exits. In open ice he has good puck handling skills and a powerful wrist shot. His playmaking is under-rated as he makes everyone on the ice more dangerous. He projects as a top six forward who could start out on the wing and move into the middle once he has established himself at the pro level, which may not be too far away. - VG

2 Ryan Johnson, D (31^st overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) As last season progressed, one of the draft prospects with the most helium was undoubtedly Johnson. That helium continued to expand and lift his profile right through the final whistle of the USHL season as Johnson was a key driver of his Sioux Falls’ squad’s postseason run to a Clark Cup championship. His game is the type that can require multiple viewings to really appreciate as his offensive skills are not yet fully at fruition. He is a beautiful skater, with fine speed and great edges and agility. His own zone game is also remarkably refined, a reminder that having a longtime NHLer and skills coach as a father can supersede growing up in a non-traditional hockey market such as Southern California. Heading to the University of Minnesota, Johnson looks like a future second pairing mainstay, and possibly more if his instincts in the offensive zone grow more acute. - RW

3 Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen, G (54^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 6) Luukkonen starred for the Sudbury Wolves this past year, earning not only top goaltender in the OHL, but also the Red Tilson as the league’s most outstanding player. Additionally, he backstopped Finland to an U20 gold medal. He is the complete package as a goaltender with his size and athleticism. Luukkonen moves so well in his crease, but with his size is able to square up to shooters still and take away all angles. He also reads and reacts to the play around him as he is rarely caught out of position. His composure in the crease this year was one of his more impressive features. Luukkonen has what it takes to develop into a topflight NHL netminder and has to be considered one of the best goaltending prospects on the planet. He just had hip surgery and will be sidelined for at least the next six months. Buffalo would be smart to take things slowly with his recovery because they potentially have a great one on their hands. - BO

4 Oskari Laaksonen, D (89^th overall, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) Laaksonen has made tremendous strides since being drafted in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft. His skating is very good, he is agile and smooth, with the ability to pivot well and transition quickly from forwards to backwards and vice versa. He gives a crisp first pass which consistently arrives precisely on the tape His hands are smooth and swift, allowing him to carry the puck up the ice. Laaksonen has improved his physicality and defensive game. Neither is his strength right now, but the improvements make me very optimistic about his future as an NHL defenseman. His shot has also improved. I think he has a realistic chance to be a second-pairing NHL blueliner, one who moves the puck well and helps his team start offensive transitions. - MB

5 Mattias Samuelsson, D (32^nd overall, 2018. Last Year: 4) Looking at the top three defensemen on this list, all acquired in the Botterill era, we can begin to see that the current Buffalo brass has a clear preference for high end IQ, especially when it comes to drafting blueline prospects. They also have an appreciation for speedsters, which Johnson and Laaksonen, as well as 2018 first overall pick Rasmus Dahlin all have in spades. Samuelsson has the former trait of high hockey IQ as the son of longtime NHLer Kjell Samuelsson, as well as two years with the USNTDP program. While he also skates relatively well for his gargantuan size, his speed will never be better than average. He has decent offensive tools and is a solid puck mover, but he projects as more of a people mover, using his great size and strength to maintain order in front of his own net. He might be ready to turn pro after his upcoming sophomore season at Western Michigan. - RW

6 Victor Olofsson, RW (181^st overall, 2014. Last Year: 7) For a player selected in the seventh round, Olofsson has defied the odds with his natural skill and hockey smarts. He is a gifted player and by far one of Buffalo’s top prospects. After spending several years playing professionally in Sweden in the SHL, he made his North American debut this past season starting with the Rochester Americans of the AHL where he led the Amercs with 63 points in 66 games. After gaining momentum in the second half of the season he earned a successful call up to the Sabres where he managed four points in six games. Olofsson has a high ceiling and natural scoring ability, and I expect to see him play what is likely his last season in the AHL as a top six forward before earning a longer call up to the Sabres where he will most likely start as a bottom six attacker. - SC

7 Erik Portillo, G (67^th overall, 2019, Last Year: IE) A large goalie with good reach and big hands, Portillo plays with poise and reads the play well. He uses his size well and is strong mentally in the way that he can totally shut down games when he is at his best and also bounces back well from a bad goal. When he plays his best game, every shot looks simple to save and he talks a lot with the defense helping to demonstrate poise towards the opposition. Portillo has some technical flaws and can overwork when he is stressed. He needs to get stronger to hold up his big body and could get faster as well, but he has NHL potential. He has committed to NCAA Michigan for next season and Buffalo can follow his development in North America over the next couple of seasons. Last season, he was the best goalie in SuperElit, but has no senior experience yet. - JH

8 Marcus Davidsson, C/LW (37^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 5) A top six talent that has shown steady, but not explosive, development over his time in Sweden. He has scored just over 0.5 points per game his first two seasons as a senior level player. It is tough to secure a job as a top six forward in the NHL and he will need to take bigger steps forward to reach that potential. He has signed on with Vaxjo for next season where he hopes to find a fresh start and a bigger role. The potential is still there and when he plays his best games, he shows a lot of promise. He is smart and processes the game well, making quick decisions with his quick hands. He is a bit soft physically, but if he can get more consistent with his skills he can get that break. He is a quite sneaky forward with skill who has some similarities with Loui Eriksson that way, but he still has a long development road ahead. - JH

9 Lawrence Pilut, D (Undrafted free agent, signed May 15, 2018. Last Year: 10) After earning accolades in Sweden, including recognition as defenseman of the year in the SHL two seasons ago, it was easy to see why Buffalo did not hesitate to sign him and made sure to give Pilut lots of opportunities both in the NHL and AHL this season. Starting the season with Rochester in the AHL, Pilut had 26 points in 30 games leading him to split the second half of the season between the AHL and the Sabres, where he was slow to fit in, often finding himself behind the play and slow to move the puck. Pilut is good at finding shooting lanes and has the smarts to play with Buffalo. He will be a good pick to start up with the Sabres this coming season once he is 100% healthy, ideally in a third pairing to start, due to the Sabres influx of defensive talent. - SC

10 Rasmus Asplund, C (33rd overall, 2016. Last Year: 9) Despite having a somewhat shaky start to the season, Asplund managed to prove he is deserving of a second line spot with the Rochester Americans as the season progressed. He is a smaller forward but a great forechecker working well to fill a spot as a grinder. Always keeping his feet moving, many of his 41 points this year came from rebounds and net scrambles. At times he is a little bit sloppy with his positioning which may be the reason why he has yet to earn a call up to the Sabres. Asplund’s progress and development throughout his first AHL season led him to earn Most Improved at the end of the season for the Americans and with any luck will lead him to also earn his first call up to the Sabres next season. He will be a top six forward with Rochester to start and should hopefully be reclaiming his spot on the Americans top penalty killing unit as well. – SC

11 Will Borgen, D (92^nd overall, 2015. Last Year: 12) Borgen is a strong player and a good skater who shows off those skills most when protecting the net and on the breakout. Although he only managed 14 points in a near complete AHL season with Rochester, he is a very offensive defenseman. Borgen is a skilled player with a good shot, however he would be able to get even more scoring opportunities if he spent less time in the penalty box. His skills are better used on the ice as he is a big and energetic defender who has adjusted well to the maturity of the professional level. His ceiling is high if he can clean up his game and focus on securing his spot as a top two pairing instead. Borgen is set to start with the Rochester Americans again and if he can use his gritty attitude to his advantage, he may see time up as a bottom two pairing in Buffalo as well. - SC

12 Matej Pekar, C/RW (101^st overall, 2019. Last Year: 17) Pekar is a relentless and fearless offensive player who had a successful first season with the Barrie Colts this past season. He plays an aggressive brand of hockey, constantly looking to attack the net like a gnat who just will not go away. He excels East/West by working the cycle and looking to get the puck to the middle of the ice. Pekar is also a tremendous penalty killer when that high-end motor is put to work. Unfortunately, a broken collarbone ended his season early, but the groundwork was laid for future success. Moving forward, Pekar’s ceiling as an offensive player may not be extremely high, but Buffalo may have a quality third line winger eventually who can slide up and down the lineup and play a variety of different roles for them. His versatility and well-rounded game will play well at the pro level and endear him to whatever coaching staff he works with. - BO

13 Brandon Hickey, D (64^th overall, 2014 [Calgary]. Last Year: 15) Hickey is an average defenseman capable of getting things done. His skills are not spectacular and nothing he does particularly stands out except for the fact that he is dependable and solid. Hickey has yet to join the big club for a game but plays with the maturity to do so. He is great defensively and a capable shot blocker with just enough grit and skill to play on any line with Rochester. With Buffalo’s defensive chart so full of talent it is hard to say if Hickey will see a long term stay with the Sabres should he earn a call up, however that is not saying he lacks the skill or the know-how but simply that he may not be able to find a permanent spot amongst the many offensive defensemen in their system. With Hickey’s more stay at home style look to find him as a veteran top four defenseman with Rochester next season. - SC

14 C.J. Smith, LW (Undrafted free agent, signed Mar. 30, 2017. Last Year: 18) The Buffalo Sabres have this uncanny ability of seeing the talent that other teams have passed over with their undrafted prospects. Smith is a great example of this as he is an entertaining player to watch and brings energy and drive to each game. It comes as no surprise that Smith will be given the chance to start up with the Sabres next season and with the way his development has played out so far, this coming season should be even better than his last where he spent the majority with Rochester tallying a total of 58 points and finishing second on the team behind only Victor Olofsson. His natural skill and scoring ability made him a stand out forward for the Americans last year, and are what will hopefully push him to work hard to gain a top six spot despite starting as a bottom six forward with the Sabres for the 2019-2020 season.- SC

15 Casey Fitzgerald, D (86^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 16) Fitzgerald isn’t the biggest defenseman at 5-11”, 186 pounds but he has had an outsized impact at Boston College. His family tree includes an impressive array of hockey players along a number of branches. He has a low accurate point shot and is a positive contributor on the power play. His passing is also solid. His stick and puck control are both above average for the levels he has played. Beyond that, one of his best traits is good puck pursuit in his own zone. He took his college career as far as it could go and turned pro after his senior season ended, his second as team Captain. He had three points in four games with Rochester and is expected to play the entire season there next year. He could be a decent second pairing defender down the road. - RC

16 Jean-Sebastien Dea, C (Undrafted free agent, signed Sep. 16, 2013 [Pittsburgh]. Last Year: 14 [Pittsburgh]) Dea is a hard-working forward who plays a good offensive game. He is always present on the forecheck and plays well in the neutral zone. In the defensive end he is sometimes behind the play and out of position, but thankfully he makes up for that with his smarts. After bouncing around amongst four teams last year, Dea will make his start with the Rochester Americans next season. He is a veteran forward with professional experience who brings a level headedness and know-how with the puck. Having already played 29 games in the NHL it would not be surprising if Dea were to see a few more games in the NHL again next season. It will be tough to estimate where Dea will fit in Rochester’s lineup due to the number of veteran forwards they have and set lines from previous seasons therefore he may have to start as a bottom six and work his way up. - SC

17 Brett Murray, LW (99^th overall, 2016. Last Year: Not ranked) Drafted out of the CCHL, Murray spent a year with Youngstown of the USHL for a half season before moving on to the NCAA to play with the burgeoning Penn State program. He was never a big scorer as a teen, with a game that was more reliant on great size, although not physicality, outside of trying to establish space. After a year and a half of disappointment with Penn State, Murray returned to the USHL as an over-ager. He led the league with 41 goals. The results were very impressive but need to be taken with a few dozen grains of salt. I have already mentioned his age, and I should also note that he is a below average skater, which can be forgivable due to the size. He has decent hands and smarts and we should keep an eye on him, wherever he goes next, but don’t expect more than a decent fourth liner as his highest projection. - RW

18 Linus Weissbach, LW/RW (192^nd overall, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) To Murray’s yin, Weissbach adds the yang. The Swedish winger is tiny, speedy and as proven it at higher levels, getting better and more effective with experience. None of his individual tools are exceptional, but they work well in tandem to produce a player who, at least at the levels he has performed at, is fun to watch. He performed at close to a point per game pace as a sophomore with Wisconsin, finishing one point off the team lead despite missing 10 games, although his role may diminish a bit next year in light of the school’s bumper crop of incoming recruits. He may be a bit of a tweener, as he lacks the physicality of defensive zone play to be a traditional bottom six forward and his skill game, while promising, is unlikely to be enough to feature in a top six. If he can increase his agitation levels, he could max out in an energy role. - RW

19 Arttu Ruotsalainen, C/LW (Undrafted free agent, signed May 8, 2019. Last Year: IE) Ruotsalainen had a breakout season with Ilves in the Liiga and the Sabres took notice, signing him to an NHL contract. The small, speedy forward has an excellent work rate, he plays with energy, passion and competes in every shift. He is versatile and played both on the power play and penalty kill last season. He also has some skill to boot – quick hands and solid passing skills. Ruotsalainen is a quick thinker with the puck and does not need a whole lot of room to maneuver and be a scoring threat in the offensive zone. He has a decent wrist shot and scoring touch. It remains to be seen how he adapts to the North American game, but with his speed, versatility and work rate, he has a chance to make it to the NHL. - MB

20 Miska Kukkonen, D (125^th overall, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) Kukkonen was having a decent season with Tappara U20 before leaving the club for Lukko, where he played both with the Liiga and U20 teams. The right-shot defenseman possesses good puck moving abilities. He sees the ice very well and can quarterback a power play. His skating isn’t particularly explosive, but he is quite mobile with good foot speed and balance. He likes to play rough and lay heavy hits from time to time – he uses his size to his advantage and punishes opposing forwards when the opportunity arises. Kukkonen needs to work on his defensive game, especially positioning and play reading away from the puck. There is some upside and although he has a way to go, I could see him develop into a respectable third-pairing NHL defenseman. - MB

Metropolitan Division Training Camp News

Ryan Dadoun — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 13:36:52 +0000

Carolina Hurricanes

TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 18: Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) skates during the NHL preseason game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning on September 18, 2018, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire)

There’s some cautious optimism that this might be the season Carolina ends its nine-season playoff drought, but the Hurrianes’ chances took a blow before the season even started. Victor Rask sustained a hand injury that will cost him months and perhaps the hardest part of it to swallow is the fact that he was hurt in the kitchen and not the ice.

The one thing Carolina did better than any team last season was win faceoffs (54.1%) and Rask was a significant part of that (54.9%) as were Derek Ryan (56.5%) and Elias Lindholm (54.5%), who are no longer with the team. Those two departures combined with Rask’s tough-luck injury have created a void up the middle that there is no clear answer for. Sebastian Aho has been tested as a center, but coach Rod Brind’Amour hasn’t liked what he’s seen there.

Lucas Wallmark might end up making the team, especially given the Hurricanes’ need for centers right now. He excelled in the AHL last season with 17 goals and 55 points in 45 contests. He also got into 11 games with Carolina, but averaged just 9:30 minutes and recorded a single goal.

Outside of the center issues, the Hurricanes’ other big focus has been Andrei Svechnikov, who is fighting for a roster spot after being taken with the second overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. It wouldn’t be surprising to at least see him get a nine-game trial with Carolina so that the Hurricanes can test him out in the regular season before coming to a final decision.

Columbus Blue Jackets

When everyone’s healthy, Columbus has a strong blueline, but that ideal isn’t what the Blue Jackets will start with. Seth Jones suffered a second-degree MCL sprain on Tuesday, which is projected to sideline him for four-to-six weeks. Needless to say, losing Jones is a far bigger deal to Columbus than Murray. Jones has been a top-tier defenseman for a while now, but he found another level in 2017-18 with 16 goals and 57 points while averaging 24:36 minutes per game. That led to him finishing fourth in Norris Trophy voting.

To further complicate the situation, Ryan Murray isn’t expected to be ready for the start of the season. Injuries have plagued Murray’s career and in this case it’s a groin issue that will cost him time. When the Blue Jackets were only looking at dealing with the absence of Murray, there was speculation that Markus Nutivaara might be slotted into as David Savard’s partner – at least until Murray was available as an alternative. It’d be a big opportunity for Nutivaara after he averaged just 16:02 minutes in 2017-18, but it’s worth noting that he did a fair amount offensively in that role with seven goals and 23 points in 61 games. Now that Jones is out too, the Blue Jackets need to scramble to find new pairings, but this just makes it more likely that Nutivaara will be on the second pairing, whether it’s with Savard or someone else should Savard get bumped to the top unit. Nutivaara might also be asked to serve on the second power-play unit now that Jones is out.

At least the Blue Jackets also got some positive news on the injury front as Zach Werenski is on track to play in the season opener. He underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum after playing with the problem for most of 2017-18. That injury might have been part of the reason he went from recording 47 points as a rookie to 37 points as a sophomore, so he could have a nice bounce back this season provided he’s healthy. If Columbus had to enter the season without Werenski and Jones, it would have created a massive void, but at least it appears they’re narrowing avoiding that nightmare scenario.

New Jersey Devils

Cory Schneider had an up-and-down 2017-18 campaign, but rather than wonder if he can be consistent going forward, the more immediate question is if he’ll be available. He had hip surgery over the summer and while he has practiced during training camp, he hasn’t gotten into a preseason game. That puts his status for New Jersey’s opener on Oct. 6 very much in question.

Keith Kinkaid would start in Schneider’s absence and given how well Kinkaid did down the stretch last season, if Schneider ends up missing a meaningful amount of time, Kinkaid could take that opportunity to make a strong case to steal the starting gig. Meanwhile, veteran goalie Eddie Lack is projected to make the Devils’ opening game roster if Schneider isn’t ready.

At least the Devils sorted out a different question mark on Sept. 22 when they signed Miles Wood to a four-year, $11 million contract. Wood missed the start of training camp as a RFA contract holdout, but these events might favor New Jersey in the long run. Giving Wood four years is a risk given that he still has more to prove, but the 23-year-old forward had an encouraging 19 goals, 32 points, and 84 penalty minutes in 76 contests last season, so if he continues to develop than he should more than live up to that contract.

New York Islanders

Luca Sbisa joined the Islanders’ training camp on a tryout basis and ended up securing a one-year, $1.5 million contract with time to spare. In doing so, the Islanders have created a logjam on the blueline with eight different defensemen signed to one-way contracts. They also have Dennis Seidenberg participating in their camp on a tryout basis, but it’s hard to see him earning a one-way contract after Sbisa already signed.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 26: New York Islanders Center Mathew Barzal (13) skates with the puck during a NHL game between the Minnesota Wild and New York Islanders on October 26, 2017 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN.The Wild defeated the Islanders 6-4.(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

Of course, the big question for the Islanders going into the season is how their top two forward lines will shake out. John Tavares signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs naturally created a big hole that no one on the team is capable of truly filling. The Islanders are fortunate in the sense that Mathew Barzal excelled as a rookie in 2017-18, so they at least have a strong first-line center even without Tavares, but then who do they put on the second line? Brock Nelson might end up getting that gig. He’s been tried out with some of the Islanders’ top wingers during camp, including Anders Lee, Jordan Eberle, and Josh Bailey. Nelson is obviously going to be a huge step down from John Tavares, but taking Nelson on his own merits, he might end up being an okay second-line center.

One player that won’t be trying to fill that offensive void left by Tavares, at least not at the start of the season, is Joshua Ho-Sang. The Islanders have already reassigned him to the AHL, which has to be extremely disappointing for the 2014 first-round pick. Ho-Sang hasn’t been able to establish himself as quickly as some hoped and now it seems that even the fresh start he was provided by the Islanders changing their general manager and coach hasn’t moved things in a positive direction.

New York Rangers

The Rangers will began the rebuilding process last season and gave this new era a face when they hired David Quinn to serve as the new head coach straight from Boston University. A new coach on a rebuilding team creates a golden opportunity for young players and it looks like Filip Chytil has taken advantage of that. Chytil has been one of the Rangers’ standouts and given Quinn’s philosophy of having his best nine forwards serve on the top-nine regardless of positional considerations, Quinn should find a way to give Chytil healthy opportunities in the regular season provided the 19-year-old forward continues to impress.

Not everyone has had as strong a camp though and Jimmy Vesey might not have done enough to earn more than a fourth-line spot out of the gate. Vesey might be playing alongside Vladislav Namestnikov on that unit, which would be a huge step down from most of 2017-18 when Namestnikov was primarily playing alongside Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. Whether you feel the Rangers won or lost the Ryan McDonagh trade with Tampa Bay, it seems evident that Namestnikov was the biggest loser in the shift.

It’s also worth noting that Kevin Shattenkirk made his preseason debut on Sept. 22, which was his first game since Jan. 18 after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus. He got a pair of assists in the 5-2 loss and while preseason statistics aren’t terribly useful, it’s encouraging to see him do well after being absent for so long.

Philadelphia Flyers

It wouldn’t be the Philadelphia Flyers if there wasn’t goaltending drama. The latest chapter starts with Michal Neuvirth, who now appears doubtful for the start of the regular season due to an undisclosed injury. If he can’t play, then the Flyers safest alternative would be Alex Lyon given that he got into 11 games with Philadelphia last season – but Lyon is dealing with a lower-body injury and therefore also not an option.

VOORHEES, NJ - JULY 06: Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers poses for his official headshot for the 2017-2018 season on July 6, 2017 at the Virtua Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carter Hart

That leaves Anthony Stolarz, who is coming off two knee surgeries and played a total of four games in 2017-18 (three in the ECHL), and Carter Hart, the man Flyers fans are putting their hopes and dreams on. Hart has done great in the preseason, but even so it’s reasonable to wonder if it’s really a good idea to send him straight from the WHL to the NHL? It’s asking a lot of him and might not be ideal for his development. The Flyers might end up having to acquire a goalie, which is something that would have seemed crazy just a few weeks ago when it looked like they had an organizational logjam in goal.

Outside of the Flyers’ goalie issues, one emerging storyline has been Corban Knight. He’s 28-years-old, has only played in 29 career NHL games and spent the last two seasons entirely in the minors so he naturally didn’t come into training camp with any special attention paid to him. Knight has managed to claw himself into the conservation for the Flyers’ fourth-line spot though, frequently playing alongside Scott Laughton and Michael Raffl. Knight survived Tuesday’s round of roster cuts, so if nothing else, he would be one of the last players cut if he doesn’t make the team.

Even if Knight makes the team, he wouldn’t have a huge impact, but it would make for a nice feel good story of a guy that kept fighting long after he lost the prospect tag and eventually managed to defy the odds.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Jean-Sebastien Dea has managed to survive the Penguins’ cuts thus far and is consequently one of the final 15 forwards on the roster. He’s coming off his best campaign in the AHL to date with 18 goals and 50 points in 70 games. He also has the versatility to play center or right wing and kill penalties. If he does make the Penguins, it will likely be as a fourth-liner though.

Whatever happens with Dea, the biggest change for the Penguins going into the season will be the addition of offseason signing Jack Johnson. It wasn’t long ago that Johnson was a workhorse that consistently logged an average of over 24 minutes each season for Columbus, but his role declined in 2017-18 to the point where he averaged 19:33 minutes and was a healthy scratch in the playoffs. With that all behind him, it looks like Johnson will enter the season on the Penguins’ second pairing with Justin Schultz. The X-Factor there is the fact that Schultz skipped Wednesday’s preseason game due to a nagging upper-body injury. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan didn’t make it seem like anything serious, but obviously if Schultz ends up being unavailable for the start of the season then Johnson will temporarily play alongside someone else.

Washington Capitals

After winning the Stanley Cup, the Washington Capitals made a point of minimizing roster turnover, so naturally there weren’t a lot of question marks going into training camp. That’s led to a quieter preseason, so there has still been a couple smaller storylines.

For example, Devante Smith-Pelly hasn’t gotten into a preseason game yet and that’s reportedly because he hasn’t lived up to the Capitals’ conditioning standards. At this point it’s not clear if the Capitals will use Smith-Pelly as part of their opening game roster. It’s unfortunate to see this happen given that he was one of the role players that helped push the Capitals over the top with his seven goals and eight points in the postseason. Washington felt good enough about what he brought to the table to sign him to a one-year, $1 million contract over the summer, but now it seems like he might not live up to that deal.

The Capitals might also start the season without defenseman Michal Kempny, but for a very different reason. He’s sidelined after absorbing a high elbow from St. Louis’ Robert Bortuzzo during Tuesday’s game. Although the Capitals have simply termed Kempny’s injury as “upper body,” it’s reportedly a concussion and if that’s true then it’s hard to say how long he’ll be out for. Kempny is another one of those role players that came through for the Capitals during the playoffs. In his case, Kempny logged 17:42 minutes per contest in the postseason, which led to Washington signing him to a four-year, $10 million contract back in June. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that 21-year-old defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler has looked good in training camp and should be included in the Capitals’ final roster if Kempny isn’t available.

Pittsburgh Penguins Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 17:40:25 +0000

If you don’t draft high, draft often. If you don’t draft often, draft well. If you don’t draft well, you are left picking among the scraps, the players who were not among the 210-217 drafted every year.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have not selected in the first round since drafted Kasperi Kapanen 22^nd overall in 2014. They made only four second day selections this year, marking the second time in four years in which they only added four players through the draft. The last time the Penguins had seven or more draft picks at all was in 2012, when they famously made a draft floor deal sending Jordan Staal to Carolina for Brandon Sutter, Brian Dumoulin and the eighth overall pick, which they used to select Derrick Pouliot. Who could have guessed that Dumoulin would have been the most (only) player to contribute to the Penguins back-to-back championships four and five years later?

In the five drafts – including the one recently completed – since 2012, Pittsburgh has made 31 combined selections, one of whom (Jake Guentzel) has gone on to be a high-end contributor at the NHL level, although it is clearly too early to finish the book on any of the players taken.

So clearly the Penguins are not really building or replenishing the ranks through the draft. That, on its own, would be noteworthy. But even more notable is that the picks they have made have more often than not failed to pan out. Of all of the prospects fitting our definition (25 or under, fewer than 60 NHL games, or 35 in one season) from the Pittsburgh system, the one with the second highest draft position (Zachary Lauzon, 51^st overall in 2017) could not even crack the organizational top 20 between injuries and poor play with Rouyn-Noranda in the QMJHL. Some, like Connor Hall (3^rd round, 2016), Jaden Lindo (6^th round, 2014), and 2013 picks Ryan Segalla, Blaine Byron, and Troy Josephs (4^th, 6^th, and 7^th rounds, respectively), 2015 sixth rounder Frederik Tiffels signed with Pittsburgh but struggled through his ELC and is largely expected to return to Europe for next season. Some of the better success stories, like Kapanen a 2016 second rounder – and top Pittsburgh selection – Filip Gustavsson, were traded away for NHL-level help. The former was part of the package that sent Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh and the latter went to Ottawa in the Derick Brassard trade.

With such meagre results from the draft, the Penguins have devoted greater resources to alternate player acquisition methods, namely free agency. More than any other team, the Penguins’ system is stocked with players who were passed over as many as three times in the draft but blossomed enough late to convince Pittsburgh to add them to the fold. This method has been so prevalent for the Penguins that fully six of their top 20 prospects were free agent signees, including three in the top ten. If we had taken the lists to 25, Pittsburgh would have had eight free agent signees making the grade.

The Penguins should be commended for making it easy for late blooming prospects to choose their offers. They get injections of prospects who are closer to NHL ready than most draft picks generally are. On the down side, what these free agents have in proximity to the NHL, they similarly lack in appreciable NHL upside, with most profiling as bottom of the roster players.

Daniel Sprong

1 Daniel Sprong, RW (46^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 1^st) A high end offensive talent, the knock on Sprong today remains the same as it was when the Amsterdam native was drafted two years ago. As much as he can excite with a high end shot, strong skating and skillful dangles, he can almost as often exasperate with a lack of commitment to the game in his own zone or to fighting for the puck when he doesn’t already have it. He was a rare second rounder to spend significant time in the NHL in his D+1 year, but injuries at inopportune times have prevented him from adding much to that in the two years since. After recording a point per game in his first AHL campaign, he should lose his rookie eligibility this year. He has top six upside, but some bust potential too.

2 Calen Addison, D (53^rd overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Take everything you just read above for Sprong, and make it a defenseman, and you have Calen Addison. Not the part about what he has done since being drafted, as Addison was Pittsburgh first pick this year, but all the rest. Addison is a fantastic offensive talent from the blueline, at the extreme end of what is meant by the term “modern defenseman.” He is an exceptional skater, very skilled carrying the puck and packs a strong shot from the point. Unfortunately, he can sometimes give it all back through his game away from the puck. He is small and does not play a style of game that allows you to forget how small he is. He should have two more full years in the WHL to round out his game before the Penguins will need to worry about him.

Filip Hallander

3 Filip Hallander, C (58^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Were it not for a knee injury which hampered him for a large portion of his draft year, and ultimately prevented him from representing his native Sweden at the WU18 tournament, Hallander would not likely have been available for the Penguins to trade up in the draft and select towards the end of the second round. A full bodied and strong young center, Hallander has already shown the ability to impose himself on men, a trait which worked well as he had a point every other game playing adults in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second tier of hockey. Assuming a full recovery from his injuries, he projects to bring above average play almost across the board, notably for his powerful stride and strong shot. He is also accustomed to playing a 200-foot game.

4 Anthony Angello, C (145^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 10^th) After struggling to an extent as a sophomore, Angello was far more impressive with Cornell as a junior. At his best, Angello is a powerful skater who handles the puck at an above average level. At his worst, he can struggle to keep up with the pace of the play and his hands look stiff or clumsy as he is not ready. On good days and bad days, Angello is a large specimen, carrying a well-built 6-4” frame, finishing checks and overpowering opponents. There is an open and justified question about whether he can be a big offensive contributor at the highest level, but he seems pretty safe in projecting an NHL career of some shape within a few years.

5 Juuso Riikola, D (UFA: May 18, 2018. Last Year: IE) Signed as a free agent this May, Riikola has spent the past five and a half seasons playing in Liiga with KalPa where he had slowly moved up the ranks to be one of their most consistent, productive blueliners. Without any notable experience on the smaller ice surfaces of North America – the one time he represented Finland in the WJC, it was in Russia, on the large ice, Pittsburgh believes that his high-end skating prowess will allow him to succeed in Pennsylvania. Above average puck skills along with a solid point shot are also reasons for optimism with Riikola. On the down side, he can struggle off the puck, and at age 24, there is only so much more room for development. His window to succeed in Pittsburgh will not be open for long.

6 Kasper Bjorkqvist, RW (61^st overall, 2016. Last Year: 8^th) Drafted in his second year of eligibility with the last pick of the second round in 2016 as a very high scoring winger in the Finnish junior circuit, Bjorkqvist immediately came stateside and struggled at times to acclimate his game to the NCAA, with Providence. In his sophomore campaign, he took a big step forward, with nearly two goals for every point he had as a freshman. Goal scoring ability aside, he is a smart, two-way player with a solid build that should enable to hold his own, if not more, in the professional game. More a shooter than a passer, a strong junior season with the Friars would likely prompt Pittsburgh to offer him an ELC once his season ends.

7 Teodors “Teddy” Blueger, C (52^nd overall, 2012. Last Year: 15^th) Since being drafted in the second round of the 2012 draft out of the famed Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep school in Minnesota, Blueger has taken a deliberate path up the Pittsburgh organizational depth chart, with four full seasons at Minnesota State-Mankato and now two full campaigns in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In his second go round at WBS, Blueger began to show his offensive upside. His skill set is roughly average, but through keen understanding of the game and a gritty style, he gets himself into position to create offensive impact. The Latvian battles hard and would not look out of place in a bottom six/PK role in the NHL.

8 Zach Aston-Reese, C/RW (UFA: Mar. 14, 2017. Last Year: 3^rd) When the Penguins inked the undrafted Aston-Reese shortly after the graduating forward completed his collegiate eligibility at Northeastern much was expected. A Hobey Baker finalist, he had tied for the NCAA scoring lead. Not only that, he was a solid skater with a pro-sized frame and decent individual skills to boot. Perhaps we all expected too much. As good as the level of play in Hockey East is, the professional game is another beast altogether. Aston-Reese was fine, providing secondary scoring at the AHL level and not embarrassing himself in an NHL trial – including nine games for the Penguins in the NHL postseason. He has a decent collection of tools tied together by an above average ability to process the game. Going into is age 24 season, there is little reason to suspect further skills growth, but he is probably going to be a full time NHLer this year.

9 Niclas Almari, D (151^st overall, 2016. Last Year: 9^th) Very lean, but very fast, Almari has often stayed below the radar and was never called upon to represent his native Finland internationally outside of the U17 tournament in 2014-15. Despite being overlooked by the national team, he has steadily grown into a reliable player in Liiga for HPK. After helping their U20 team to a Jr. A SM-liiga championship in 2017, he spent nearly the full season in Liiga this year and his hockey sense and puck handling skills allowed him to hold his own. Although Almari came stateside at the end of the year for a brief trial with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he is expected to spend this season back in Finland. He needs more physical development before being ready to move to North America full time.

Sam Miletic

10 Sam Miletic, LW/C (UFA: Sep. 25, 2017. Last Year: IE) Miletic was passed over at the draft first as a moderate scoring forward with Green Bay of the USHL. Twice more, after moving to the OHL to play with the London Knights, he was ignored. Shortly before his age 20 season in the OHL got underway, the Penguins offered Miletic an ELC and he took off. Whereas he had previously been a pure goalscorer in the OHL, after signing he added playmaking to his repertoire and finished his final OHL season with 92 points (sixth in the league) in 63 games. Miletic is a good skater with developed hockey instincts and a modicum of physicality, but his pure offensive skills leave doubt that he can repeat his offensive exploits as a pro.

11 Jordy Bellerive, C (UFA: Sep. 16, 2017. Last Year: IE) First, please note that this ranking was made with full knowledge of the burns suffered by Jordy Bellerive in the offseason that will force him to miss the Team Canada WJC selection camp. We wish Bellerive a speedy recovery and believe that he will recover fully. The Penguins signed Bellerive to an ELC nine days before they inked Miletic above. Bellerive was passed over on one draft day and Pittsburgh was impressed enough by his performance at Rookie Camp that they did not want to chance that he would be available for them the following draft. Considering his 92-point regular season and 25 points in 16 postseason games, they may have been right. A high IQ pivot with a modicum of offensive skills, Bellerive will return to Lethbridge after his recovery, trying to repeat last year’s exploits.

12 Justin Almeida, C/LW (129^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Considering the relative success experienced by the Penguins in acquiring talent outside of the draft, after they had been passed over, it should not surprise that they also are on board with drafting players in their second year of eligibility. Like Kasper Bjorkqvist above, Almeida was overlooked after putting up 28 points in his first draft year. Thanks to a 98 point follow up with a powerhouse Moose Jaw Warriors, he was not overlooked again. Undersized, but not lacking in skill, Almeida split his points evenly between goals and assists, but his playmaking abilities figure to stand out more as he attempts to climb the ladder to the pros. He is a decent skater as well, although he could stand to improve there to increase his odds of success at his size.

13 Dominik Simon, C (137^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 5^th) Had Simon appeared in two more regular season games last year, he would not have been eligible for this list. Considering how he meshed with Sidney Crosby at times, he figures to graduate this season. Although he lacks any one true standout trait, he plays a heads-up game and plays with the type of energy that helps to create space for elite talents like Crosby to operate within. On most teams, Simon would profile as a fourth line sparkplug type, but Crosby has a history of performance when flanked by lesser talents like Simon. The versatile Czech forward is likely done playing in the AHL.

14 Jean-Sebastien Dea, C (UFA: Sep. 16, 2013. Last Year: 19^th) Yet another undrafted free agent in the Penguins’ system. Dea, like most of the prospect in this range of the system, lacks much in the way of offensive tools, but makes up for it just enough with above average hockey IQ. Last year was his fourth I the system and it was his best season yet, with 50 points in 70 AHL games – 14 more points than his previous high, and five games in the NHL, during which he potted his first career goal. He would have a better chance at breaking camp in Pittsburgh were he a winger, but Dea should receive some chances in the NHL this season regardless.

Jan Drozg

15 Jan Drozg, LW/RW (152^nd overall, 2017. Last Year: unranked) The first of two fifth rounders drafted by the Penguins in 2017, Drozg is surprisingly the best asset one year later. Some of the others will have their excuses, which we will get to later, but the Slovenian Drozg came to North America to play for Shawinigan in the QMJHL and led the downtrodden Cataractes in assists and points. He also showed well in a season-ending one game cameo in the AHL. More a playmaker than a shooter in junior, he has an impressive release and wrist shot, indicating there may be more goals in his stick yet. He also showed well for his country, with nine points in five games for Slovenia at the D1B WJC. A strong return trip to Shawinigan could see Drozg finish way higher on this list next year.

16 Linus Olund, C (155^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 18^th) Selected by the Penguins three spots after they grabbed Drozg, Olund was in his third ear of draft eligibility, and had just completed the first year in which he spent the plurality of his time in the SHL. After a full season with Brynas in the SHL, in which his point production ticked slightly upwards, Olund is heading to the U.S., expecting to spend the season in WBS. A strong skater who plays an intelligent game, Olund’s offensive tools rate around average, and while he has a decent frame, he shies away from physicality. His upside is bottom six NHL forward, but his adjustment to the North American game may be rocky to start.

17 Clayton Phillips, D (93^rd overall, 2017. Last Year: 14^th) On the one hand, it may not be fair to Phillips to rate him so low on what is, frankly, a very weak system. The former third round pick went back to Fargo of the USHL to start the year, was traded to Muskegon after only three games, and less than two months later, was invited to join the University of Minnesota mid-season. A smart defenseman off the puck, who swings above his weight-class physically speaking, did not produce at all with the Gophers, but will have chances to play higher up the depth chart this year with at least three veterans leaving for the professional game. If his skills catch up to his instincts, he could rise up this list next year.

18 Ryan Jones, D (121^st overall, 2016. Last Year: unranked) Even though Jones more than doubled his offensive production from his freshman year at Nebraska-Omaha to his sophomore campaign, it is still fairly safe to say that his hopes of a professional career ride on his game away from the puck. He does not have much of a shot and his puck game mostly consists of making the first pass from behind his own net. As a skater, he is basically average. But he is very good positionally, senses danger well and is reliable. Further, he has a good-sized frame and knows how to use his body to clear the crease, or cut off a passing lane. Not fancy, but fairly effective.

19 Tobias Lindberg, RW (Trade: Feb. 22, 2018. Last Year: unranked (Toronto)) After a whirlwind of a season, in which Lindberg was traded twice, he ends up in the organization in which he has the greatest chance of reaching the NHL. Drafted by Ottawa, he was traded in his first pro season to Toronto as part of the Dion Phaneuf deal. After two seasons in the Toronto system, he was traded just before the season started to Vegas in exchange for netminder Calvin Pickard. Finally, at this year’s deadline, he was sent from Vegas to Pittsburgh as part of the Golden Knights’ role in the three-way Derik Brassard trade, although he was able to stay with the Chicago Wolves on loan until the end of the season. He can show flashes of skill, pulling out surprise toe drags or occasionally lasering a wrist shot over a goalie’s shoulder, but Lindberg has mostly established himself as a defensive forward who can kill penalties. He is likely in line for an NHL cameo or two this year.

20 Adam Johnson, LW (UFA: Jul. 6, 2017. Last Year: 16^th) The number two scorer in the USHL in 2014-15, Johnson was passed over on draft day for a third time. Moving to Minnesota-Duluth, he was close to a point-per-game as a sophomore before impressing Pittsburgh decision makers with a strong showing at their rookie camp. Johnson is on the small side and is not as fast as he needs to be, but he has a chance because he has great vision and has proven himself capable of setting up a play out of nothing for a linemate. He lacks the skill to play a top six role and is too old (24) to expect much growth, while not playing a style usually seen on the bottom six. He may be a tweener, but there is enough here to keep an eye on.

Pittsburgh – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 20:44:21 +0000

Like many long time contenders, the Pittsburgh Penguins tend to enter draft day with fewer than their regularly allotted number of picks available. 2012 was the last time they had at least seven picks at the draft. Despite this handicap, the Penguins have managed to not only continue thriving, but to thrive with a lineup that is constantly being renewed with homegrown talent.

Even more interesting is that the homegrown talents that have played key roles on the past two Stanley Cup winners were not even particularly highly regarded on draft day. In fact, a roll call of first round picks made by the Penguins since taking Jordan Staal second overall in 2006 is not very encouraging. Angelo Esposito (2007, 20th overall), Simon Despres (2009, 30th), Beau Bennett (2010, 20th), Joe Morrow (2011, 23rd), Derrick Pouliot (2012, 8th), Olli Maatta (2012 22nd), and Kasperi Kapanen (2014, 22nd). From that August group of seven, only Maatta played a direct role in either Cup. An argument could be made to include Kapanen, who was a big part of the return sent to Toronto in exchange for Phil Kessel, but for the most part, high recent picks were of little consequence to the emergent dynasty.

That is not to say that players drafted by the Penguins in that timespan were not of great value though. It is very possible that the team would have won one or zero Cups in the past two years without Bryan Rust (2010, 80th overall), Tom Kuhnhackl (2010, 110th), Scott Wilson (2011, 209th), Matt Murray (2012, 83rd), Jake Guentzel (2013, 77th). A closer look at these five players plus free agent signing Conor Sheary (UDFA, 2015) begins to reveal the secret (non-Crosby/Malkin division) of their success. The Penguins scout one subsection of the hockey world very heavily and master it. In their case, that scouting takes place at the college and pre-college levels. Rust, Wilson, Guentzel and Sheary were all collegians prior to turning pro. All four, each somewhat undersized, were undervalued at the draft due to their size and their general lack of exposure, playing in lower profile leagues (Rust and Guenztel were USHL players, Wilson played in the OJHL, and Sheary played in the New England high school ranks before going to UMass-Amherst.

Looking at the Penguins system today, two items of note stick out. First, it is an incredibly shallow system with only 33 players who even qualify under our prospect guidelines of having a birthdate no older than September 15, 1991, and having fewer than 60 NHL games, or 35 in a single season (30 and 20 respectively for netminders) under their belts. Most clubs have closer to 40, if not more.

The second noteworthy item concerning the Penguins system is that it slants very heavily toward NCAA experience. Of the 33 official prospects in the system, fully 20 of them were, are or will be in college. Compare to seven who were acquired out of Europe, five out of the three CHL leagues, and one who signed as a professional free agent. The Penguins have long understood that the best value to be had in the middle and latter stages of the draft is those late bloomers who are on the collegiate path. This understanding has played a sizeable role in two parades.

Daniel Sprong

1 Daniel Sprong – In spite of the conclusions drawn above, the one truly dynamic prospect in this system was drafted out of the QMJHL. With the possible exception of 2017 1st overall pick Nico Hischier, Sprong may have been the most talented player in the Quebec league over the past two seasons. His shot is near elite, he has great speed and his play off the puck has made tangible strides since being drafted. Had the Penguins not decided to bulk up the bottom six, he would be favored to break through now.

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA - APRIL 24: Sweden's Filip Gustavsson, 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/HHOF-IIHF Images)

2 Filip Gustavsson – Technically strong and a very mature reader of the play, Gustavsson, the Penguins top pick in the 2016 draft, made tangible strides in his game in 2016-17. After switching from a 75/25 split in his games between the Swedish junior ranks and the SHL respectively to the reverse, his numbers in both circuits went up. He also featured as the backup for the Swedish WJC squad. Although signed to an ELC, Gustavsson will continue to play in Sweden for at least one more year.

3 Zach Aston-Reese – After signing Hobey Baker Award candidate Ethan Prow (more on him later) as an undrafted free agent last year, the Penguins signed Hobey finalist Zach Aston-Reese this year, with even higher expectations. Never a big scorer in his USHL days, Aston-Reese exploded in his junior year at Northeastern and kept on rising in his senior season. He has a hard shot and plus puck skills, which combined to see Aston-Reese end the year tied for the NCAA scoring lead. His time in the AHL may be brief.

4 Tristan Jarry – In addition to two-time Stanley Cup winner Matt Murray starting in Pittsburgh, two time WHL champion and one time Memorial Cup winner Tristan Jarry is waiting in the AHL to be the backup. He is a very athletic goalie with strong ability to read to read the play. His game took big strides in the AHL this year, exhibiting more calmness between the pipes without harming his solid movements.

5 Dominik Simon – Drafted as a double overager out of the Czech league, Simon immediately came over the AHL and proved to be a near elite scorer in the North American minor pro league with 94 points across his first two seasons. He is an above-average finisher who also grades out well for his skating and his puck skills. Like Sprong, Simon’s short-term prospects may have been hurt by Pittsburgh’s move to added bulk.

6 Josh Archibald – Another victim of the Ryan Reaves revolution, Archibald is nonetheless clearly part of the Penguins future plans as the organization awarded him a two year contract extension this offseason. More of a high IQ two-way winger than a scoring threat, his best tool is clearly his speed, which he brings in spades. Although his AHL production has improved, he will never be a big scorer at the NHL level, but can provide help to an energy line and a PK unit.

7 Zachary Lauzon – The Penguins top pick this year, Zachary Lauzon shows promising ability in his own zone and plays a somewhat heavy game, but lacks the skillset that has made his brother Jeremy a prospect of note in the Boston system. It is not that he lacks for skills, and he does demonstrate confidence when playing the puck, but it is hard to see him ever being relied upon for offensive support.

8 Kasper Bjorkqvist – A great scorer in the Finnish junior leagues, Bjorkqvist was not able to dominate play quite as easily at the NCAA level with Providence. Part of his freshman struggles may have been due to injury, which limited him to 30 games with the Friars. He still flashed a strong snap shot with a tricky release and the occasional fancy dangle. Also has some nascent physicality to his game. It is fair to expect more as a sophomore.

9 Niclas Almari – A smart and mobile defender with great vision, Almari made solid strides in the offensive components of his game this year, his first playing among men. Splitting the season between the two top Finnish leagues, Miiga and Mestis, he plays a mature game. What he lacks in flash, he makes up for in execution and competence. He will not be a threat as a goal scorer, but can provide assistance in keeping the puck moving in the right direction.

10 Anthony Angello – A 6-5” project, Angello had a disappointing sophomore season with Cornell, scoring less and taking too many penalties, but still flashes the occasional ability to take over a shift that suggest that with more consistency of effort, he could find himself much higher on this list in future seasons. He skates well for his size and has a good shot and solid puckhandling skills.

11 Jeff Taylor – After a strong two-way career with one-time NCAA champion Union College, defenseman Jeff Taylor is finally turning pro. Although not flashy, he has come within spitting distance of one point per game in two of his four college campaigns, all the while competing well on defense with poise and a good stick. The Penguins have five NHL blueliner locked up for at least three more years each, but Taylor is a strong in-house candidate to compete for that sixth slot.

12 Frederik Tiffels – Drafted after a strong freshman season at Western Michigan, Tiffels was unfortunately never able to improve upon those numbers. Despite that mild disappointment, the German national moves very well, accelerating strongly and shows a willingness to crash and bang along the boards and behind the net. He also flashes occasional fancy stickwork. He turned pro this summer.

13 Connor Hall – A decent skater when he is healthy enough to take the ice, Hall’s development has been hampered greatly by injuries thus far. After playing only 39 games for the Kitchener Rangers in his draft year, he was limited to a mere 17 games this year. Solid in his own zone, he has yet to show that he will be able to produce much in the way of offense, even when healthy. He is expected to be recovered from his mid-year shoulder surgery for the start of next season.

14 Clayton Phillips – A plus puck player who can handle himself in his own zone despite middling size. Phillips shows best when transitioning the puck out of his own zone. He is patient on the puck, calm and makes precise passes. He has a high panic threshold, which helps minimize his size deficiency. Although not a big point producer, there is plenty of value in having a mobile defenseman who can clear the zone.

15 Teddy Blueger – Drafted out of the famed Shattuck St. Mary’s prep school in 2012, Latvian Blueger spent a full four seasons at Minnesota State-Mankato before turning pro last year. He showed a promising, if limited, two-way game as a rookie AHLer last year. He was trusted to kill penalties and has good hands, useful for both faceoffs and playmaking.

16 Adam Johnson – Around two months after signing Zach Aston-Reese as an NCAA free agent, the Penguins bought Johnson away from his last two years at Minnesota-Duluth after a very good sophomore season that ended in an NCAA title game and then an eye opening rookie camp. The former USHL scoring champ was often the first player to get things going offensively for the Bulldogs. An average at best skater, his plus offensive instincts allow his entire game to play up.

17 Ethan Prow – A powerhouse offensive defenseman at St. Cloud State, Prow signed as a free agent with the Penguins last year but struggled to recreate much offensive impact as a rookie with Wilkes-Barre Scranton. He can skate well and plays physically against mid-sized and smaller players, but the pace of the pro game seemed to set him back. Already 24 years old, this year is a critical one for him.

18 Linus Olund – A double overaged draft pick out of Sweden, Olund improved from one point in 23 games for Brynas in 2015-16 to 15 points in 39 games this year. He is good on his feet, with an above average shot and good hockey sense. On the downside, he avoids physical play. He is expected to return to Brynas for a third season this year.

19 Jean-Sebastien Dea – A solid skater who forechecks and can provide secondary offense at the AHL level, Dea’s game has seemingly plateaued in the last year. He could likely perform passably in a fourth line, energy role, although it is more and more unlikely that it happens in Pittsburgh.

20 Thomas Di Pauli – A plus skater with good puck skills and a decent shot, Di Pauli signed with Pittsburgh as a free agent last summer after not signing with Washington, who had originally drafted him in the fourth round of the 2012 draft. He improved year over year at Notre Dame, but his rookie pro season was a washout, as injuries limited him to 21 largely ineffective games.

A system as shallow as Pittsburgh’s is hard enough to write about as is, but the fact that they traded away their first round pick – as well as another forward in Oskar Sundqvist who would have slotted in their top ten, in exchange for one of the last goons in the game in Ryan Reaves, makes it even harder. They have done a great job of scavenging late bloomer and underappreciated talent from the NCAA ranks in recent years, but there is no guarantee that that strategy can continue to succeed at similar rates.

Brian Dumoulin and J-S Dea among Rookie Tournament standouts for Pittsburgh

David Burstyn — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 21:07:57 +0000

LONDON, ONT. -- A look at five Pittsburgh Penguins prospects who made an impact at the Maple Leafs Rookie Tournament; headlined by third-year pro Brian Dumoulin. The Biddeford, Maine native showed that he is close to being NHL ready and will have opportunities with blueliners Olli Maatta and Derrick Pouliot recovering from injury.

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Brian Dumoulin -- Displayed good poise and the ability to spearhead rushes as his play with the puck was very confident .. an upright skater with good short bursts of explosiveness up the ice .. first passes were generally accurate .. walked the line effectively at the point - and with purpose as he was used extensively on the power play .. demonstrated a capacity to get his shots through traffic - and was smart enough to sense when to unload his slap shot or a timely-placed wrister .. will have to continue tightening up in the defensive zone .. his expansive reach helps bails him out of trouble as he is a healthy stickchecker however he was also prone to some costly giveaways and the odd lapse in judgment .. needs to play with more assertiveness and finish checks utilizing his 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame .. wore the letter and played in all situations .. on the cusp of cracking the NHL as a viable third-pairing defenceman.

Scott Harrington -- Boasts modest size and a good skill set however his skating has not seen the kind of improvement that is/was needed in order to become an NHL regular .. struggled with lateral cuts and also showed that he misses a top-end gear .. capable of manufacturing rushes up ice, averaged about two end-to-end forays in each contest however his game would be more suited as a two-way defenceman who pushes up pucks rather than carrying them into the zone .. his reverse skating is not quite polished either .. showed good offensive fortitude when plays were developed down low to jump off the line and into the slot .. known for his defensive abilities, yet lost his man and missed assignments on a few occasions .. will require further grooming at the AHL level as he is not quite ready.

Jean-Sebastien Dea -- Undrafted free-agent signing assumed the first-line centre duties and played extremely well all camp getting on the scoreboard in all three games .. shifty and very agile .. displayed an ability to make a series of plays in the slot while showing little fear in attacking danger zones despite his diminutive stature .. tenacious and determined - he stayed with plays and was always 'dialled in' and working to get into better scoring positions .. a crisp passer, highly aware and intuitive .. doesn’t panic in the presence of a scoring opportunity .. showed off a quick snap shot, scoring a handful of goals off rebounds .. darty skater, who is not only deceptively fast but also quite elusive and difficult to track/check .. will need some AHL grooming to work on his defensive game but all signs indicate that he could push for a roster spot sooner rather than later.

Anton Zlobin -- Rode shotgun to Dea and played with solid intensity however only inside the offensive zone .. possesses good speed and an active stick and is equipped with a decent set of soft hands .. can be wildly inconsistent however .. needs to focus on developing his play in the neutral and defensive zones as he is more of a one-dimensional player - based on these performances .. slippery and elusive, but doesn't necessarily like to get hit .. there's skill here yet he isn't enough of a complete player to be considered a key part of the Penguins immediate plans.

Tristan Jarry -- Played okay against Chicago as he showcased his athleticism and compact butterfly style .. very economical in his movements, slides across well and is not caught out of position .. his lateral mobility is understated as he does not appear to be moving fast yet is always in position .. reads and reacts properly - showing good anticipation in correlation to the play .. boasts extremely quick pads as he can kick aside shots with ease .. his 'down low' coverage is a primary strength to his game .. however, he looked awkward when having to defend against players who were aggressively crashing his crease .. still needs to add strength to fend off those types of plays .. will get a good chance to compete for the starting duties for Team Canada at the WJC.

Scouting Huskies: J-S Dea, Mathieu Lemay

Rick Springhetti — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:25:06 +0000

Among the surprises in the QJMHL this season, the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have had a few players really emerge and and take a step forward. At the top of the list are a pair of forwards, Jean-Sebastien Dea and Mathieu Lemay who are handling large minutes, and often against the opponent’s best lines.

Jean-Sebastien Dea (C, 2013), Rouyn-Noranda

Went undrafted in first year of eligibility, and responded with a fantastic start to this season highlighted by 15 goals in his first 9 games (9-15-8-23) .. displays much improved focus and intensity compared to last year .. steadily learning to better use his tools more effectively .. possesses quick hands and impressive stick control which gives him the ability to release shots rapidly and win a good deal of his faceoffs (season faceoff mark sits at 54.3 %) .. likes to dart in and out of the crease quickly when he sees scoring chances .. demonstrates excellent hand-eye coordination that helps corral passes effectively .. boasts decent speed, yet looks quicker by keeping his feet moving at all times .. turns are sharp and controlled .. can be an asset defensively against skilled players as he pressures the puckcarrier effectively, however can have a very difficult time against physical players .. biggest issue for him is size and strength .. at 6-foot-0 and 160 pounds, he is quite undersized and can have a tough time winning battles for position .. size and strength issues also affect his capacity to take advantage of second and third scoring chances .. logs a lot of minutes with Rouyn-Noranda, one of the QJMHL clubs who travel the most miles - and the strain of it all is starting to show as he did not have a great month of January .. likely gets an invite to a pro camp unless he can re-elevate his game back to the levels of the first half of the season.

Mathieu Lemay (RW), 2013, Rouyn-Noranda

An average skater - stride is a bit choppy, yet he still manages to get to where he needs to go quickly enough .. takes pride in his defensive game and will sacrifice himself for the good of the team .. could improve his stick position and placement .. knows where players are on the ice when the puck is in his zone and manages to react fairly quickly .. not afraid to use his body to make a play .. will block shots when he has the chance or simply get out of the way if he doesn’t think he has the chance to get to it effectively .. steadily gaining more confidence in himself and will now initiate contact against opponents .. won’t contribute much offensively .. not very smooth with the puck, he has trouble handling the puck when moving at quick speeds .. also has difficulty corralling passes and making plays .. tends to drop his head when moving the puck which hampers his peripheral vision .. his shot is rather weak as well - and he will usually just try to get it to the net .. limited player in what he can do but still quite useful to a team with a strong system.

Team Canada auditions Jean-Sébastien Dea

Carl Lemelin — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 09:38:07 +0000

The Subway Super Series kicks off tonight in Blainville-Boisbriand with Team Russia taking on the QMJHL All-Stars.

Jean-Sébastien Dea of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies soared onto Team Canada's radar thanks to a breakout opening quarter, and will be aiming to parlay his success into a World Junior roster spot, similar to what Barrie's Tanner Pearson did last year.

The undrafted Laprairie, Quebec native currently sits tied with Nathan MacKinnon (Hal) and Josh Currie (PEI) for the league lead in goals with 18 - one more than he scored as a rookie in `11-12 (50-17-15-32).

Along with MacKinnon, the other key draft eligibles on display tonight include Val d'Or sensation Anthony Mantha and Cape Breton's William Carrier, who is being groomed as a shutdown operative.

Unfortunately, the 'Q' stars will be without top prospect Jonathan Drouin of the Halifax Mooseheads, out due to injury, while teammate Zachary Fucale and steady Val d'Or blueliner Matt Murphy won't play until Game 2 in Val d'Or.

McKeen's correspondent Carl Lemelin files this report on Dea and Swiss winger Sven Andrighetto in a game against Drummondville which, incidentally, saw Rouyn's two-headed machine held off the scoresheet for the first time this season.

It also marked the end of a 10-game consecutive points streak for Dea in which he tallied 20 points (9-11-20).

Subway Super Series schedule: Nov 05 vs QMJHL (Blainville-Boisbriand, QC), Nov 07 vs QMJHL (Val-d’Or, QC), Nov 08 vs OHL (Guelph, ON), Nov 12 vs OHL (Sarnia, ON), Nov 14 vs WHL (Vancouver, BC), Nov 15 vs WHL (Victoria, BC)

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Jean-Sébastien Dea (C, 2013), Rouyn-Noranda - unable to showcase his full offensive arsenal against a tough, well-coached Drummondville team .. in a very physical affair with plenty of animosity shown between the combatants, Rouyn spent much of the contest shorthanded thanks to 10 penalties .. light, darting-type centerman .. clever and nimble enough to avoid most heavy collisions, however can be easily knocked off the puck when contact is initiated .. a sound and efficient skater .. changes directions swiftly without telegraphing his intentions, displaying excellent control of his edges .. generates effortless power from an economical stride .. biggest weapon is an elite wristshot and snapshot .. rang the cross-bar in the opening period coming in off the right wing, and firing blocker-side on the goalie from what appeared to be a seemingly impossible angle .. gets impressive velocity from a minimal, compact wind-up .. selected in the third round of the 2011 QMJHL Midget Draft .. must work diligently to add muscle and mass to a lean six-foot, 160-pound frame .. his lack of size and upper-body strength will always make defending a challenge .. `94-born forward went undrafted this past summer, however NHL teams won't overlook him again, especially if his freakish shooting percentage (42.9%) continues.

Sven Andrighetto (RW, 2013), Rouyn-Noranda - double-shifted all night long, including first-unit penalty-killing duties, a testament to the quality of his all-around game .. possesses a high hockey IQ on both sides of the puck .. makes quick decisions and very few mistakes .. thwarted a 2-on-1 against in the first period, while on the power play, by staying in the passing lane and timing his approach as the puckcarrier's shooting angle closed off .. a deft passer .. anticipates the game impressively - always seems to know where he is going before the puck gets to him .. shoots with purpose and precision, rarely missing the net, albeit without great velocity .. plays with a shorter stick, resulting in a hunched-over skating style from which he only generates average speed .. does posses quick feet however, which provides the agility needed to manoeuvre in tight quarters, with the short stick helping to protect the puck in traffic .. showed off a non-stop motor and very high compete level .. finishes checks with surprising authority for his size and is not easily separated from the puck .. listed at just five-foot-nine, his lack of size will still be an issue at the next levels - even if he plays a brave game and doesn't get intimidated battling against bigger foe.