Joshua Ho-Sang – McKeen's Hockey

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: New York Islanders Top 20 Prospects

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 19:53:03 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 New York Islanders 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. https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2020-nhl-draft-team-reviews-metropolitan-reviews/

Ilya Sorokin, G (78^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 1)

Sorokin required patience as he spent six years honing his game in the KHL, winning one Gagarin Cup, one Olympic Gold Medal, and three World Championship bronzes. On the smaller side, he makes up for it with high end athleticism and a complete unwillingness to give up on any puck. He likes to challenge shooters but is calm in his crease and does not overcommit his positioning. If he has any kryptonite, it is on shots over his right (blocker) shoulder, where he stopped only 67% of shots last year, per InStatScout; generally when he gets too low in his crouch when the play is too close to the crease. All other potential holes were covered up at least 86% of the time. The only part of his game which does not project to easily above average at the NHL level is his puck handling, which is at a fine level for European goalies, but not notable in North America. The only significant question about Sorokin’s projection revolves around whether he can sustain his elite level of play in a lengthy NHL season, as the 25-year-old has never played more than 40 league games in any one year. - RW

Kieffer Bellows, LW (19^st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 2)

Bellows is on the cusp for making the permanent break into the NHL. The power forward has outsized expectations to meet when it comes to his ceiling as a player. He is strong, physical, capable of winning battles, and hard on the puck, all of which makes him difficult to play against. This past season, he made his NHL debut, putting up three points in eight games. He has recently shown improvements in his discipline and has been able to find a better groove last season. With any luck he can keep developing, thinking quicker, and learning to move the puck faster in order to prove that he deserves a top six spot. He still needs to work on keeping his feet moving throughout his shifts, and finding that extra gear more often, as well as his two-way play in order to be a complete player. Consistency is key and if Bellows can maintain the same level of focus and intensity each game it will be hard to deny him. - SC

Oliver Wahlstrom, RW (11^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

A product of the USNTDP, Wahlstrom plays a good forechecking game and has an impressive overall skill set. That said, he has yet to live up to his first-round billing. He was not ready for the NHL last season, as he needs more experience to increase his production, build his confidence, and quicken his general pace. Wahlstrom is a mature player with respect to his age and often stood out at the U20 national team level in terms of how he carried the puck and got to the net, however playing at the NHL level has had him more frustrated than confident when the puck is on his stick. In the AHL, he has fared well, but was still not standing out as much as he should or could. With the rate at which he has been developing, if he does not put up a strong season this year, working on staying ahead of the play, he will be at risk of falling onto the trade block. He will need to focus on his two-way play without losing any of the skilled power forward traits that made him so exciting at the draft to earn another NHL opportunity. - SC

Bode Wilde, D (41^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

After starting the year in the AHL, but with very limited ice time, the Islanders sent Wilde back to the OHL to get appropriate minutes, but that, too, was cut short due to the pandemic. When he was able to play, he showed that his decision making still needs to improve and will likely be the key to him reaching his potential. He is still a risk taker who generates significant offense from the back end, but who also gives up his share of chances because of turnovers or lackluster coverage in transition. The increased pace of the AHL only exacerbated those flaws. On the other hand, Wilde retains a very high upside because of the raw tool set he possesses. He skates at a high level. He handles the puck at a high level. He has a terrific shot and scoring instincts from the back end. He flashes physical presence in the defensive end. At the top of his game, he can be a real difference maker, but the Islanders may have to be patient with him, as he gradually adapts his game to the pros. – BO

Simon Holmstrom, RW (23^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Holmstrom made the jump immediately from the draft to the AHL, where he did not look out of place as the season rolled along. He has a good work ethic and adapts well, which was evident in his growing confidence throughout the season. Holmstrom has the right mindset and maturity to make his NHL debut sooner than later, however he will still need to get a little stronger on the puck and more creative when trying to find open space. He already has the skating and puck handling ability to operate at the next level and these are small adjustments to be made considering right composure and attitude. Look to see him earn more special teams time as well next season. Should that happen, he will have more opportunities to carry the puck in game situations and get a better feel for setting up plays with the man advantage on the smaller, North American ice. He looks like a bottom six forward now, but that will only rise with more experience. – SC

Ruslan Iskhakov, RW (43^rd overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 6)

Ruslan Iskhakov was a gem of a find for the UConn coaching staff, who plucked him from Russia. That same year, Iskhakov was drafted in the second round, 43rd overall, by the Islanders. Before coming to UConn, he also spent a season and change playing in Slovakia as well as one season in the MHL, Russia’s top U20 league. He also represented Russia at the U-18 World Junior Championship. His defining characteristic is his speed – he is one of the fastest players in the East. However, his speed is still raw and could use some refining. At 5-8”, he is on the smaller side, but that is no longer a deal breaker in pro hockey. Despite his size, he is still aggressive and not afraid of playing a physical style. There is room in his game to mature and the speed of his hands to catch up with the speed of his feet. He is moving on from UConn to spend next season in Finland, with TPS. - JS

Joshua Ho-Sang, RW (28^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 7)

In a weird and controversial turn of events, Ho-Sang was loaned out last season club after requesting a trade when he was left off the opening night roster. He was not loaned to another league but rather a different NHL organization and affiliate with the San Antonio Rampage of the St. Louis Blues. Ho-Sang played just six games with the Rampage before being returned to the Islanders’ regular AHL club, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. It is no secret that Ho-Sang and management do not get along but for the talented and smooth skating forward next season is a make or break year. Due to his attitude on and off the ice it seems that the only way that Ho-Sang will be given any realistic chance is if he earns it, putting up a record year. He is not short on talent or offensive ability but the game is not played in one direction only and he will need significant work on his two way game before being given a shot at cracking the Islanders top six, that is if he doesn’t get traded first. - SC

Sebastian Aho, D (139^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 8)

For a defenseman, (“the other”) Sebastian Aho finished second in points for AHL Bridgeport this past season, sitting only one point behind Kieffer Bellows. He is a tremendously composed defender who carries the puck well and likes to set up plays. Aho makes carrying the puck look easy and his hockey IQ is very high which has him oftentimes setting up both breakouts and attacks making him an asset as a two-way player. Having not had a call up in over a season, the Islanders are making sure that he is better developed for the NHL game and this coming season should be a promising one for Aho who has proved to Bridgeport that he is up for a more challenging role with the NHL club. Aho has the potential now to be tried anywhere from the top pairing to the third as he is versatile and capable of playing well in all situations. - SC

Otto Koivula, LW (120^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 9)

Koivula is a big, bodied forward who moves well despite his size, possesses top quality hands, and a good shot. He finished with the Islanders last season, however with zero points to show after 12 games up in the NHL, there is a strong chance that he is likely to start back out in Bridgeport with the AHL’s Sound Tigers for the 2020-21 season. There is little that needs to be improved with Koivula in terms of skill but he will need to move the puck faster and learn to keep his feet moving better at the next level or else he runs the risk of falling behind the play again, instead of leading with his hands and strength. Koivula has a high ceiling if he can manage to put all the pieces to his game together and dial in to hit that extra gear next season should he get called back up to fill in on the Islanders’ bottom six. - SC

Anatoli Golyshev, LW (95^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 10)

A small winger, who nonetheless shows no fear in playing in front of the net, Golyshev’s place on this list is both a farewell and a reminder to Islanders brass that they still control the rights of a gifted offensive talent in Russia, who has provided more than respectable numbers over the last three seasons in the KHL, but has not yet signed an Entry Level deal at 25 years old. He is fleet of foot and likes to cut across the slot, creating passing lanes for his linemates to find him with. Golyshev plays with a surprising amount of jam for a player of his small stature, somewhat reminiscent of a player like Tyler Ennis. He has soft hands and impressive puck control and can be a solid half-wall quarterback on the power play, given his vision and accurate passing. Again, somewhat reminiscent of Tyler Ennis. Golyshev signed a four-year deal with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg last year, so he won’t be coming anytime soon. A small, but notable waste of a resource. – RW

William Dufour, RW (152^nd overall, 2020. previous ranking: NA)

Following a trade to Drummondville at midseason last year, Dufour’s game took off, making him one of the higher scoring QMJHL draft eligibles in the second half. In his final 15 games, he had 26 points (15 goals). He is a powerful winger with upside who combines strength, good hockey sense, a plus shot. The progression in his game from month to month has been extremely impressive, although skating is not a strength. He drives the net, and his shot is heavy and deceptive, allowing him to score from anywhere. It is also notable that he grew a full 10 inches in the space of two years, suggesting that he is still learning how to work within his maturing body and making one wonder what his game will be like when he fully adjusts to an evolving skill set. There might be more to see in Dufour than we have yet been able to witness. He has more sleeper potential than anyone else in this system. – Brock Otten

Alexander Ljungkrantz, LW (90^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Tall and rangy, Ljungkrantz was a depth player for Sweden’s entry in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last year and parlayed that experience into a top six role on a (relatively) experienced Brynas junior squad, scoring 15 goas in his first experience at that level and even earning a call up to the senior side, where he scored his first SHL goal during his three game stint. Ljungkrantz projects as a power forward project who is still waiting for the power element to develop. He skates well and has finishing skills, making him a solid net front presence. A top scorer at the U16 level, there is still hope that more will come at the senior level, and he will receive a lengthier opportunity to show what he can do against men this year after a very strong start to his return engagement at the U20 level. The main improvement that could turn him from a project to a player is the development and refinement of his instincts, which have given his game a tentative feel so far. – RW

Robin Salo, D (46^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 11)

Salo was the top defenseman for SaiPa in 2019-20 before being loaned to the SHL’s Örebro in the later part of the season. He logged big minutes and played with a lot of confidence with the puck. The improvement he made over the course of the season was quite impressive. He is now a well-rounded defenseman who plays an effective, mature game at both ends. He moves the puck well in transition, has good vision and shows offensive imagination. He has a precise wrist shot which he can unleash on the net through traffic. He reads the game really well without the puck, especially in the defensive zone. He uses strong positioning and a quick stick to maintain tight gap control. Skating is still not among his best attributes. The biggest issue is his stride which is clumsy and affects his mobility. He could be more explosive as well. Salo does not have one dominant trait, but he does many things well and his ability to read and anticipate the play are assets. - MB

Samuel Bolduc, D (57^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 12)

Bolduc is a tantalizing defenseman when you watch him at the point. He has a devastating slapshot that he fires with authority several times per game, and he skates well. He moves the puck well in the offensive zone and can distribute. He has excellent size for the pro game and looks to get even bigger as he fills out. However, while the size is a positive, he sometimes forgets that he is 6-4” and over 200 pounds, because he is not a physical defender. If he figures that out, he would be able to get off the bottom pair in terms of his potential, because he would use his solid raw power all over the ice to his advantage. His passing is inconsistent outside of the powerplay, and at times he struggles to recover from unforced errors, but all-around he has solid pro potential, as long as he learns to use his frame. He is signed to an entry-level deal and will start in the AHL next year. - MS

Reece Newkirk, C (147^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 13)

Newkirk’s competitiveness shines through in all he does on the ice. He is a hard forechecking, hard backchecking, meat-and-potatoes type of player that brings a consistent effort. As seen with his play last season he is able to play with skill players and carved out a role on a top line with Seth Jarvis most nights. Newkirk has improved across the board although his offensive talents will not be how he carves out a pro career. He isn’t a massive player, but he plays a heavy game for his size. He has solid vision and passing skills, that when added to his strong head for the game, make him a decent offensive player. He also reads open ice well, both finding it himself or taking it away defensively, reads breakouts well, and gets himself into places where he can be effective. He is a very effective players without the puck which helps him to generate more than his fair share of turnovers. – VG

Mitchell Vande Sompel, D (82^nd overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 14)

After playing a solid 70 game season in 2018-19, it was unfortunate that Vande Sompel spent the entirety of the 2019-20 season out with a serious arm injury. Despite being injured, he still remains on the prospect list as one of the Islanders top offensive defensemen outside of the NHL, capable of skating with the puck, passing, and getting into good shooting position. He has improved his defensive zone coverage a lot since his professional debut in the AHL and has turned into a more mature two-way player, especially compared to his offensively focused days in major junior. Next season, should Vande Sompel be healthy enough, will be a make or break year for him as he will need to prove that the smaller defender can withstand the rigors of the professional game, and is good enough to be called up and good enough to earn a bottom four spot in the NHL. - SC

Collin Adams, LW (170^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 15)

An undersized late bloomer, Adams needed an extra year in the USHL (which typically doesn’t play many already drafted players) before moving on to North Dakota. After struggling mightily as an underclassman, Adams took a huge step forward in both responsibility and production as a junior last year, nearly doubling his combined point total from the previous two campaigns. The former sixth round pick may never be more than a bottom line energy player at the highest level, he plays with a respectable combination of puck skills, playmaking chops, two-way responsibility and grit to earn some fans among decision makers. Before he can make his mark professionally, he will need to continue to demonstrate improvements in his game as a senior, and if he can’t add on any additional muscle to his lean frame, perhaps he can add an extra gear to wheels that are currently known more for edges than speed. – RW

Parker Wotherspoon, D (112^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 16)

More than any other player in this system, Wotherspoon fits the profile of the type that works his way through the minor leagues and finds a perch in the NHL. There is very little flash to his game, yet he gets results. He doesn’t have any real weaknesses, but on the other hand, nothing about his play really jumps out. He is dependable at both ends. He tends to make good decisions and moves the puck well enough and yet, here he is, three years after turning pro without a single NHL game to his credit. The Islanders still like him enough to have given him a two-year contract extension this offseason, making him a likely candidate to be dangled in the upcoming expansion draft. Perhaps the trade of Devon Toews to Colorado will open the door for Wotherspoon to finally make his NHL debut because his game isn’t changing much, one way or the other, at Bridgeport. - RW

Grant Hutton, D (Undrafted Free Agent. Signed Mar. 21, 2019. Previous ranking: 18)

The best way to look at Hutton is in comparison to Wotherspoon. Hutton is a bit bigger, but not exceptionally so. Both are roughly average skaters. Both are two-way blueliners with well-rounded, if unexceptional skill sets. Both were recently given two-year contract extensions. Both have produced at the AHL level, but neither has put up eye-opening numbers that would force their way up to the NHL. While Wotherspoon shoots from the left side, Hutton is a right-handed shot. And we rank Wotherspoon above Hutton mostly because the former is still 23 while the latter is 25, having spent the full four seasons playing collegiately for Miami (Ohio) before signing as a free agent with the Islanders. Neither blueliner projects as much more than a third pairing defender, and either could reasonably step up and step into the lineup in limited minutes right now. Neither is exciting, but both can play, and it stands to reason that at least one of them will get NHL time this year, if not both of them. - RW

J. Greer, LW (Trade: Oct. 11, 2020. Originally: 39^thoverall, 2015 [Colorado]. Previous ranking: 14 [Colorado])

A scrappy, all-situations forward who just completed his fourth season at the AHL level, Greer possesses a unique combination of size, shooting dexterity, and underrated offensive skill. Always game to push the pace from shift to shift, the 2015 second-rounder is adept at making soft plays with his hands for a big man and has enough physical tools to be useful off the puck, especially on offense, where he can operate down low as a cycle option or a net-front presence. Defensively he is reliable, as the 23-year-old can pin down forwards against the boards and effectively cut off defensemen from pinching against the wall. Without much skating speed aside from his average acceleration and decent topflight pace, or any standout attributes that make him a unique prospect, I don’t know how he would fit into an NHL roster. But then again, he is still only 23 and can make for a useful fourth-line player in the future for the cap strapped Islanders, who acquired him in the offseason from Colorado in exchange for AHL defender Kyle Burroughs. - TD

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – New York Islanders – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 22

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 16:58:00 +0000

New York Islanders

Just over two years ago, the Islanders hired Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello to be the organization’s President of Hockey Operations and General Manager. Within days, he hired Barry Trotz, fresh off a Stanley Cup Championship with the Washington Capitals, to be the team’s new head Coach. And while I am sure there were changes made here and there in Hockey Ops, many of the key players filling key roles for the franchise have stayed in the same roles they had under previous GM Garth Snow. These include Director of Professional Scouting Ken Morrow (in the role since 1992-93!!!), Director of Amateur Scouting Trent Klatt (carried the role from 12-13 – 14-15, and re-ascended to the top with Lamoriello’s return), and Head Coach at AHL Bridgeport, Brent Thompson (since 14-15).

I am not here to suggest that anyone should lose their jobs. I am here to suggest that there is a disconnect between the type of player the Islanders have been drafting, especially with top picks, and the way those players are subsequently developed internally and sometimes even brought up to the NHL.

If there is a theme among the upper crust of this system’s prospects, it is the abundance of highly skilled forwards being drafted, and those same forwards not developing well once they get to the AHL.

Let’s examine players who have graduated from Bridgeport since Thompson, who had a long professional career as a defensive defenseman, took over as Head Coach.

Adam Pelech – Big defensive defenseman spent one full season and two partials learning from Thompson before securing a full time NHL gig.

Ryan Pulock – Big defenseman with a top shelf point shot. First rounder took most of three seasons on the farm to get the call

Devon Toews – Two-and-a-half seasons as an offensive defenseman in the AHL before he broke through. In fairness, a big injury in his second year may have held him back

Michael Dal Colle – Former fifth overall pick was a dynamic scorer in junior hockey yet was stagnant for his first two seasons before finally acquitting himself in his third AHL campaign. Now almost a reasonable fourth liner in the NHL.

So, in six seasons, we have seen two first rounders make it, and two other later picks exceed expectations. It is not a very promising record of development, especially up front. For further proof of that, look at last year’s Bridgeport team. The forward units had four former first rounders to play with in Bellows, Wahlstrom, Holmstrom, and Ho-Sang, and ended up as the worst scoring team in the AHL. All four players have trended downwards since they were drafted, and especially since turning pro.

Perhaps they were overrated as amateurs and would not have progressed anywhere. Perhaps the Islanders need more help with skill development on the farm to help the forwards understand which tools will work best in the NHL. Or perhaps the organization needs better lines of communication between the AHL, scouting and the farm, such that the team is drafting players who fit in Trotz’ mold, and they are then being developed to reach those levels. Whichever is the answer, something needs to change to avoid continuing to waste talent. This coming offseason will give us all a better idea of what Lamoriello perceives as the problem, assuming he recognizes it as a problem at all.

UNIONDALE, NY - FEBRUARY 06: New York Islanders Left Wing Kieffer Bellows (20) during the third period of the National Hockey League game between the Los Angeles Kings and the New York Islanders on February 6, 2020 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

Ilya Sorokin, G (78^th overall, 2014. Pre-season: 4)

While neighboring Broadway is in the middle of the transition from Henrik to Igor, the team from Long Island/Brooklyn is approximately one year behind in their own transition, from a smorgasbord of goalies currently featuring Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Griess, to their own Russian phenom in Ilya Sorokin.

The 2014 third rounder required patience as he spent six years honing his game in the KHL, winning one Gagarin Cup, one Olympic Gold Medal, and three World Championship bronzes. His 2015-16 performance saw him put up the lowest GAA and second best save percentage of any KHL netminder in that six-year span.

At only 6-2” and a puck over 175 pounds, Sorokin is on the smaller side for a modern netminder, but he makes up for it with high end athleticism and a complete unwillingness to give up on any puck. Sorokin likes to challenge shooters, but he is calm in his crease and does not overcommit his positioning. If Super Sorokin has any kryptonite, it is on shots over his right (blocker) shoulder, where he stopped only 67% of shots this year, per InStatScout, generally when he gets too low in his crouch when the play is too close to the crease. All other potential holes were covered up at least 86% of the time.

The only part of his game which does not project to easily above average at the NHL level is his puck handling, which is at a fine level for European goalies, but not notable in North America. The only significant question about Sorokin’s projection revolves around whether he can sustain his elite level of play in a lengthy NHL season, as the 25-year-old has never played more than 40 league games in any one year. We will begin to find out the answer in 2020-21 as Sorokin is finally under NHL contract. - RW

Kieffer Bellows, LW (19^st overall, 2016. Pre-season: 8)

As the scoring leader for the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers this past season, Bellows is on the cusp for making the permanent break into the New York Islanders lineup. As a former first round pick and potential power forward, Bellows has big shoes to fill when it comes to his overall ceiling as a player.

He is strong, physical, capable of winning battles, and hard on the puck, all of which makes him a difficult opponent to play against. This past season, he made his NHL debut for a stint of eight games, putting up three points, which was good but the Islanders need to see more from him before making a full time commitment. Bellows will need to prove himself in camp in order to make the starting roster or else expect him to start back down with Bridgeport in 2020-21.

He has recently shown improvements in his discipline and has been able to find a better groove than last season. With any luck he can keep developing, thinking quicker, and learning to move the puck faster in order to be ready to fill one of the top six spots on the Islanders roster within the next two seasons. He still needs to work on keeping his feet moving and finding that extra gear more often, as well as his two way play in order to be considered a complete player. Consistency is key and if Bellows can maintain the exact same level of focus and intensity each game it will be hard to deny him a chance at becoming a prime asset in the NHL. - SC

EAST MEADOW, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 5: Oliver Wahlstrom of the New York Islanders (Photo by Bruce Bennett/NHL via Getty Images)

Oliver Wahlstrom, RW (11^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 2)

As a former USNTDP product, Oliver Wahlstrom plays a good forechecking game and is highly talented in the skill department. Despite having a brief stint in the NHL with the Islanders this past season, he failed to perform up to his first-round standard and did little to up his stats during that time. When the Islanders first brought him up it seemed as though his play was still a little too immature to match up with such a competitive group but with another season at the professional level it should help him to improve his production, build his confidence, and quicken the pace at which he moves the puck.

Wahlstrom is a mature player in terms of his own age group and often stood out at the U20 national team level for how he carries the puck and gets to the net, however playing at the NHL level has had him more frustrated than confident when the puck is on his stick. In the AHL with Bridgeport he has fared well but was still not standing out as much as he should or could be.

With the rate at that Wahlstrom is developing, if he does not put up a strong season this year and work on staying ahead of the play, he will be at risk of falling into prime trading territory. He will need to focus on his two-way play and prove to staff that he is the same highly skilled power forward they drafted in 2018 if he wants a chance at cracking the bottom six on Long Island. - SC

Bode Wilde, D (41^st overall, 2018. Pre-season: 5)

It was a bit of a tough season to evaluate Wilde’s development. He started the year in the AHL with Bridgeport but struggled in limited ice time. So, the Islanders sent him back to the OHL to play so that he could help Saginaw with a long run towards a Memorial Cup. After 11 games, the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

So, what have we learned about Wilde? For one, his decision making still needs to improve and will likely be the key to him reaching his potential as an NHL defender. He is still a high-risk taker who generates significant offense from the back-end, but who also can give up his share of chances the other way because of turnovers or lackluster coverage in transition. From all accounts, this was what he struggled with most at the AHL level, especially given the increase in pace.

On the other hand, Wilde remains a defensive prospect with a very high upside because of the raw tool set he possesses. He skates at a high level. He handles the puck at a high level. He has a terrific shot and scoring instincts from the back end. He shows flashes of being a physical presence in the defensive end. When he is playing at the top of his game, he can be a real difference maker.

Ultimately, the Islanders may have to be patient with Wilde. He will not be able to beat pro players with his athleticism the way that he does OHL players. It would be best to ease him into a role, allowing him to adjust to the pace until his decision-making approach adapts. – BO

Simon Holmstrom, RW (23^rd overall, 2019. Pre-season: 3)

Entering the North American professional system the same year as being drafted is uncommon when talking about European players who often settle for a year at home, playing in their respective leagues, or for Russian players often playing out KHL contracts first before coming over, however that was not the case for Sweden-born Simon Holmstrom, who was the Islanders first round pick in 2019. He made the jump immediately to the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers where he did not look out of place as the season rolled along.

He has a good work ethic and adapts well, which was evident in his growing confidence throughout the season. Holmstrom has the right mindset and maturity to make his NHL debut as soon as next season, however he will still need to get a little stronger on the puck and more creative when trying to find open space. He already has the skating and puck handling ability to operate at the next level and these are small adjustments to be made for a player with the right composure and attitude.

Look to see him earn more special teams time as well next season. Should that happen, he will have more opportunities to work on carrying the puck and getting a feel for setting up plays in power play situations on the smaller, North American ice. Look for Holmstrom at some point this coming season to hit the ice for the Islanders as part of a bottom six winger pairing. - SC

Ruslan Iskhakov, RW (43^rd overall, 2018. Pre-season: 11)

His defining characteristic is his speed – he is one of the fastest players in the East. However, his speed is still raw and could use some refining. At 5-8”, he is on the smaller side, but that is no longer a deal breaker in pro hockey. Despite his size, he is still aggressive and not afraid of playing a physical style. There is room in his game to mature and the speed of his hands to catch up with the speed of his feet. He is moving on from UConn to spend next season in Finland, with TPS. - JS

Joshua Ho-Sang, RW (28^th overall, 2014. Pre-season: 7)

In a weird and controversial turn of events, Ho-Sang was loaned out last season to a club after requesting a trade when he was left off the opening night roster. He was not loaned to another league but rather a different NHL organization and affiliate with the San Antonio Rampage of the St. Louis Blues. Ho-Sang played just six games with the Rampage before being returned to the Islanders’ regular AHL club, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

It is no secret that Ho-Sang and management do not get along but for the talented and smooth skating forward next season is a make or break year. Due to his attitude on and off the ice it seems that the only way that Ho-Sang will be given any realistic chance is if he earns it, putting up a record year. He is not short on talent or offensive ability but the game is not played in one direction only and he will need significant work on his two way game before being given a shot at cracking the Islanders top six, that is if he doesn’t get traded first. - SC

Sebastian Aho, D (139^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 10)

Having not had a call up in over a season, the Islanders are making sure that he is better developed for the NHL game and this coming season should be a promising one for Aho who has proved to Bridgeport that he is up for a more challenging role with the NHL club. Aho has the potential now to be tried anywhere from the top pairing to the third as he is versatile and capable of playing well in all situations. - SC

Otto Koivula, LW (120^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 16)

Koivula is a big bodied forward who moves well despite his size, possesses top quality hands, and a good shot. He finished with the Islanders last season, however with zero points to show after 12 games up in the NHL, there is a strong chance that he is likely to start back out in Bridgeport with the AHL’s Sound Tigers for the 2020-21 season.

There is little that needs to be improved with Koivula in terms of skill but he will need to move the puck faster and learn to keep his feet moving better at the next level or else he runs the risk of falling behind the play again, instead of leading with his hands and strength. Koivula has a high ceiling if he can manage to put all the pieces to his game together and dial in to hit that extra gear next season should he get called back up to fill in on the Islanders’ bottom six. - SC

Anatoli Golyshev, LW (95^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 9)

He is fleet of foot and likes to cut across the slot, creating passing lanes for his linemates to find him with. Golyshev plays with a surprising amount of jam for a player of his small stature, somewhat reminiscent of a player like Tyler Ennis. He has soft hands and impressive puck control and can be a solid half-wall quarterback on the power play, given his vision and accurate passing. Again, somewhat reminiscent of Tyler Ennis. Golyshev signed a four-year deal with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg last year, so he won’t be coming anytime soon. A small, but notable waste of a resource. - RW

Robin Salo, D (46^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank UR)

He moves the puck well in transition, has good vision and shows offensive imagination. He has a precise wrist shot which he can unleash on the net through traffic. He reads the game really well without the puck, especially in the defensive zone. He uses strong positioning and a quick stick to maintain tight gap control. Skating is still not among his best attributes. The biggest issue is his stride which is clumsy and affects his mobility. He could be more explosive as well. Salo does not have one dominant trait, but he does many things well and his ability to read and anticipate the play are assets. - MB

Samuel Bolduc, D (57^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 18)

However, while the size is a positive, he sometimes forgets that he is 6-4” and over 200 pounds, because he is not a physical defender. If he figures that out, he would be able to get off the bottom pair in terms of his potential, because he would use his solid raw power all over the ice to his advantage. His passing is inconsistent outside of the powerplay, and at times he struggles to recover from unforced errors, but all-around he has solid pro potential, as long as he learns to use his frame. He is signed to an entry-level deal and will start in the AHL next year. - MS

Reece Newkirk, C (147^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 17)

He isn’t a massive player, but he plays a heavy game for his size. He has solid vision and passing skills, that when added to his strong head for the game, make him a decent offensive player. He also reads open ice well, both finding it himself or taking it away defensively, reads breakouts well, and gets himself into places where he can be effective. He is a very effective players without the puck which helps him to generate more than his fair share of turnovers. - VG

Mitchell Vande Sompel, D (82^nd overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 14)

After playing a solid 70-game season in 2018-19, it was unfortunate that Vande Sompel spent the entirety of the 2019-20 season out with a serious arm injury. Despite being injured, he still remains on the prospect list as one of the Islanders top offensive defensemen outside of the NHL, capable of skating with the puck, passing, and getting into good shooting position.

He has improved his defensive zone coverage a lot since his professional debut in the AHL and has turned into a more mature two-way player, especially compared to his offensively focused days in major junior. Next season, should Vande Sompel be healthy enough, will be a make or break year for him as he will need to prove that the smaller defender can withstand the rigors of the professional game, and is good enough to be called up and good enough to earn a bottom four spot in the NHL. - SC

Collin Adams, LW (170^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

The former sixth round pick may never be more than a bottom-line energy player at the highest level, he plays with a respectable combination of puck skills, playmaking chops, two-way responsibility and grit to earn some fans among decision makers. Before he can make his mark professionally, he will need to continue to demonstrate improvements in his game as a senior, and if he can’t add on any additional muscle to his lean frame, perhaps he can add an extra gear to wheels that are currently known more for edges than speed. - RW

New York Islanders 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 12:27:55 +0000

The 2014 draft, while lacking in clear cut superstars, was very strong. Of the 30 players selected in the first round, only one, Conner Bleackley, has yet to appear in an NHL game. (As an aside, he took three years to become an AHL regular, and a depth one at that. He may never complete the circle.) These players are basically still 23 or 24 years old and already 34 players selected that June have played over 100 games in the NHL, with another 10 set to join them in 2019-20. 13 of the players have already accrued 100 points we well. (Another aside – only three netminders from that draft have appeared in the NHL, and none has played more than 10 games yet.)

The Islanders had two picks in that first round. Their own, at fifth overall, and the 28^th overall pick, which they acquired from Tampa Bay in exchange for a pair of second rounders. Among the more successful players available when the Islanders made their first pick, include William Nylander, Dylan Larkin, Nick Schmaltz, and David Pastrnak, among others. When the Islanders called out the name of Michael Dal Colle, no one flinched, as he was widely recognized as being among the top half-dozen prospects in the draft class.

At pick 28, the Isles had just missed out on Pastrnak, who lasted until pick 25 before Boston pounced, but played including Adrian Kempe, Ivan Barbashev, Marcus Pettersson and more. But again, no one flinched when Garth Snow and friends called out the name of Josh Ho-Sang. Like Dal Colle, Ho-Sang was a talented, high scoring winger from the Toronto area who played in the OHL who was widely seen as good value that late in the round.

Perhaps you can guess where this is going before you read on to the list below. Dal Colle and Ho-Sang are still here, so neither has ever played up to 35 games in a single season, or 60 games combined. The 28 games Dal Colle played in last year bring him to 32 for his career. Ho-Sang appeared in 10 games for the Islanders last year, a drop off from the previous two seasons, when he played in 21 and then 22 games, respectively.

The two young wingers seem to be moving in opposite directions as far as their careers are concerned. Dal Colle seemed to be in serious danger of flaming out, while Ho-Sang was the more mercurial talent. Scouting is an inexact science at the best of times and the red flags that scouts had identified in both players have been what has held each of them back.

For Dal Colle, blessed with ideal power winger size and an abundance of skill, the concern was that he played a somewhat passive game, rarely asserting himself to the max against his opponents. For Ho-Sang, the opposite was true. He was intelligent, but very head strong and very much a non-conformist, leading to him rubbing many evaluators the wrong way. Dal Colle may have figured it out last season, and he was accordingly rewarded with his best AHL season and a prolonged NHL stint. Ho-Sang, on the other hand, is still the same young man for whom some evaluators said was a “no-draft”. There was little to separate his 2018-19 season from the two previous ones.

Dal Colle may have saved his career, as young as he still is. Ho-Sang seems to need a change of scenery to be evaluated with a fresh set of eyes.

-Ryan Wagman

New York Islanders Defenseman Noah Dobson (45) (Photo by John McCreary/Icon Sportswire)

1 Noah Dobson, D (12^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 2) Dobson has everything you love in a defenseman as a prospect – great skater, great hockey sense on both ends, great puckhandler and passer, contributes offensively and defensively, and has the ideal size for the NHL level. He has the potential to make the Islanders as early as this coming season, and he has all the tools to make that happen. His skating, hockey sense and positioning could put him into the NHL right now without skipping a beat, and he has played a lot of hockey in the last two years – two Memorial Cup titles while playing 30-minutes-a-night, two Team Canada summer camps and a holiday season with Team Canada at the world juniors. Dobson only needs to fill out his frame to have a true impact at the NHL level, and he is set to be a top pairing defender for a long time. - MS

2 Oliver Wahlstrom, RW (11^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 1) Two years after selecting Kieffer Bellows in the first round, the Isles tapped a similar well in drafting Wahlstrom, a sniper from the USNTDP who put up great numbers in the Program, but was seemingly conflicted about the college track. Also like Bellows, Wahlstrom had one underwhelming season on campus before he turned pro. To Wahlstrom’s credit, he shows willingness to work in his own zone, but it will always be the quality of his shot, and his ability to get it off cleanly, that will determine his path to the NHL. He has slick mitts that aid in the shot preparation and release, as well as maintaining puck possession. The Isles should be patient with him, letting him round out his game in the AHL, but his upside is still first line. The hope is that he does not develop as a top six or bust player. - RW

3 Simon Holmstrom, RW (23^rd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Holmstrom is an elite skilled winger who I expect will get a good look at SHL hockey this season. That said, he is a top six or bust forward and plays for a top ranked team so he may need to start with the junior team. He actually is signed by the Islanders but will play in Sweden for at least another season. Holmstrom has an elite skillset and can control the pace of the game. He is a strong technical skater and with more strength in his legs he can see fast improvement. Against his peers you can see separation speed. He possesses both a good wrist shot as well as an elite playmaking potential. Injuries have slowed his development curve a bit. Last summer he couldn’t train properly, and he missed a big portion of the season due to multiple injuries. Holmstrom will be a long-term project for the NY Islanders but one that could be worth the wait. - JH

4 Ilya Sorokin, G (78^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 6) At age 24, Sorokin has gathered a lot of experience in the last few years and he can easily be considered one of the best goaltending prospects in the world. He posted stellar numbers over the past four seasons with CSKA Moscow and he will now play a final year in Russia before crossing the pond. He plays at such a level that should allow him to play in the NHL right away, even if period of adaptation will be needed in any case. Sorokin is a tall, calm goaltender who makes great use of his reach and is very athletic – both qualities that will help him to shine even in North America. It is expected that the Russian netminder will join the NHL lineup right away and the Islanders may even go with a rare Russian duo in net for the 2020-21 season with Sorokin and Varlamov as Greiss has only one more year left on his contract. - ASR

5 Bode Wilde, D (41^st overall, 2018. Last Year: 3) While there are some areas of his game that are best described as “developing,” Wilde possesses tantalizing potential because of his athleticism. Blessed with size, skill, and power, he blasts his way up ice and is virtually unstoppable when it comes to crossing the blueline on his rushes. He also possesses a terrific shot and scoring instincts for a defender. All of that said, he is a high risk/high reward player who can spend a little too much time in the offensive end and not enough in his own. Furthermore, his positioning in the defensive end will need to improve as he has a tendency to chase the puck or make poor reads. Wilde is an exciting prospect who could easily develop into a top pairing defender if his game settles down and he is able to improve defensively. - BO

6 Michael Dal Colle, LW (5^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 7) Dal Colle is not to be slept on despite his struggles to make an impact at the next level. For a fifth overall pick he has had a tough time adjusting to and reacting to the pace of the play as a professional. He is a highly skilled player, he can skate, shoot and do just about everything at the NHL caliber and he now brings a highly competitive edge to the game. Dal Colle succeeds and does fine at the AHL level and having managed a point a game average with Bridgeport last season he proved his ability to play at the professional level, however he only had 7 points in 28 games during his call up with the Islanders. The Islanders will need Dal Colle to step up his play this coming season to earn his bottom six spot with the chance of moving up the line up. - SC

7 Joshua Ho-Sang, RW (28^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 4) A strong skater and good passer, Ho-Sang is a power forward that can be relied upon to carry the puck deep and make creative plays. His work below the goal line is explosive and his passing is accurate which helps him stand out when he has the puck. Many of his goals scored may not be the prettiest but his tenacity around the net is admirable, he gets into the dirty spots and drives the net hard to create chances for himself. However, Ho-Sang will need to be more dependable as a two-way player if he wants a shot in the NHL with the Islanders again next season. With his experience in the NHL already, he knows what to expect and this coming season he should do much better with his zone coverage and timing as he continues to grow and develop his game. A quick note that he should also be mindful not to be too overzealous when with the puck to help him remain within team structure. - SC

8 Kieffer Bellows, LW (19^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 5) Bellows is a strong, dominant force on the ice with physical prowess and a highly competitive attitude. He plays to win and with an impressive amount of passion to compliment his natural scoring ability and skill set. He did not see the success he is used to in his first professional season with Bridgeport, managing only 19 points throughout 73 games along with 101 penalty minutes. He will need to have better control of his game next season and step up his play a bit to earn a spot at the next level. Bellows has great potential as a strong second liner with the Islanders, but he still has a lot of maturing to do before that can happen. Bellows is an offensive gift to any team, but a player of his skill has to be able to play well at both ends of the ice and his defensive positioning will also need small adjustments before he makes any further jumps. - SC

9 Anatoli Golyshev, LW (95^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 8) One of the KHL’s top wingers, Golyshev had a career year in 2018-19, with 19 goals and 40 points in 54 regular season games. He has further stepped up and his talent has removed some of the rougher edges, with a more concrete game and less wasted efforts. He is not big, but is very tough on his skates and can play bigger than his size, however he often prefers playing on the perimeter. Golyshev boasts a ton of raw talent, but there are two things that may concern the Isles. First is his adaptability – he recently signed a new four-year deal in Russia, with an out clause, but it is yet to be seen what it will be in two years. Second, he is very injury prone. He has never played all the regular-season games for Avtomobilist, and he is currently out for the first two months of 2019-20 with a lower body injury. - ASR

10 Sebastian Aho, D (139^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 11) The Swedish born Aho is a smooth skating and smart playing defenseman. Although not known for his shooting ability, he is accurate and his shots from the point are of quality. He is a strong passer and a creative playmaker which was notable in his second AHL season, as he finished second on Bridgeport with 37 assists. He still needs to work on his physical play and his timing when it comes to pinching and making the decision whether or not to play the puck. He has adapted well to the North American style of play and his progress over two seasons has been very good. Having already played up with the Islanders, Aho has yet to show his true potential and is barely pushing a bottom four ceiling. He will need to work on his composure and avoiding seeming too scrambly, and if he can polish up the positional aspects of his game, he will be on the right path to earning a more permanent NHL spot. - SC

11 Ruslan Iskhakov, RW (43^rd overall, 2018. Last Year: 13) Quicker than he is fast, the pint-sized Iskhakov adapted remarkably well to his first exposure to North American hockey and the smaller ice sheet. The number three scorer on a young Connecticut squad, despite missing some time in the first half after suffering a concussion from a massive open ice hit. He is most notable as a prospect for his playmaking ability and vision. His return to the ice after the hit and without a dropoff in production no less, tells us that he remains somewhat fearless and plays without hesitation. As with many players of his stature and ability, his defensive zone work often leaves something to be desired, leaving the fear that he could be top six or bust. Either way, the Islanders can afford to be patient with Iskhakov. - RW

12 Parker Wotherspoon, D (112^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 12) Wotherspoon’s second professional year with Bridgeport was an improvement to his rookie year as he cracked the 20 point margin and saw his confidence grow as a defenseman. He walks the line well and finds ways to creep down the sides to gain offensive ground with ease. He flies under the radar offensively but makes his presence known physically. He would benefit a little more with less time spent fighting and more time focusing on using his skill to prove himself on the ice rather than in the penalty box. For a skilled defenseman with a knack for passing he has the potential to gain a bottom four spot with the Islanders and be a physical force if he can learn to balance both aspects of his game and turn them into assets. Wotherspoon will also need to work on getting more shots to the net this coming season and proving that he is not just a good passer but a good shot as well. - SC

13 Jakub Skarek, G (72^nd overall, 2018. Last Year: 17) Skarek really impressed in the first half of the past Liiga season, but the level of his performances dropped off as the campaign progressed. He is a butterfly goalie with very good quickness and plenty of athleticism to boot. He shows great fluidity when moving laterally. He moves quickly and effectively post-to-post. He can make the occasional flashy, athletic save thanks to his quick reflexes and glove. Skarek has good vision as he tracks the puck well through traffic and bodies in front of the net, constantly keeping his eyes on the puck. He knows when to challenge shooters and be more aggressive in order to cut down the angle. The biggest downside in Skarek’s game is that he has a tendency to overcommit at times by dropping into the butterfly too early. He has high upside but must add consistency and prove that he can be a difference maker in big games. - MB

14 Mitchell Vande Sompel, D (82^nd overall, 2015. Last Year: 18) Vande Sompel is smooth skating, hard shooting, yet undersized defenseman who manages to get the puck to the net and rarely passes up the chance to shoot. He is a good skater and a hard worker, and his transitions are especially smooth which allow him to be quick and outwork opponents in races for the puck. He already has the mindset and the vision to be an NHL defenseman, but he still needs to be winning more boards battles and stay strong when protecting his own net. He will have to be harder on the puck and work on maintaining priority in the defensive zone, as Vande Sompel cannot get caught too deep forechecking or pinching if he wants to cut it as a bottom four defenseman at the next level. He may see the play well but his patience still has to improve and he will need to mature a small bit before he can make the jump any further. - SC

15 Mason Jobst, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Apr. 2, 2019. Last Year: IE) In terms of pure upside and dynamic ability, Jobst could rank higher on this list. His main drawbacks as a prospect are his size (5-8”, 185), and his age (25.5). A four year top collegiate scorer at (The) Ohio State, he plays a much bigger game than his listed measurements, willing and able to take big hits in order to complete a play. His stickhandling ability pops on nearly every shift and he is equal parts playmaker and finisher. His style of play gives him a number of avenues to reach and stick in the NHL, with attributes that would fit on any line, but considering his age, his window is limited. - RW

16 Otto Koivula, LW (120^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 9) Koivula is a massive forward and a very handy player to have in front of the net as his positioning is generally very good in all areas of the ice and his size makes his net positioning is very strong. He is not the greatest skater nor the most agile on the ice but he makes up for it with his hands and his uncanny ability to find open ice. He sees the play very well and has a good eye for making difficult passes in tight spots and from behind the net. Overall, he is a very clean and skilled player. For a big body, Koivula gets breaks and can move once he gets up to speed, however this takes him four to five strides too many to hit a top speed. He will need to find a way to get faster and gain a jump in his step in order to be considered a potential bottom six forward with the Islanders. - SC

17 Reece Newkirk, C (147^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Newkirk went through quite a transition last season from the one before, as he jumped from 11 points to 59, quickly moving him up the ladder and helping advance into the draft rankings. He is a bit on the smaller side with his size, but plays way beyond that in his type of play. He is a versatile player who is relied upon to play and produce in all situations. He is an energy guy who is confident, drives the net, and plays with an edge both hard and tough. He works extremely hard, competes at both ends of the ice and can contribute in multiple ways. Although he isn't the best skater, he projects as a bottom six forward with a scoring touch. - KO

18 Blade Jenkins, C (134^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 14) Jenkins is a power center who is aggressive and assertive with the puck. He is always in attack mode, looking to drive the net. And with his strength on the puck, he can be very effective below the hash marks, prolonging possession along the wall. The question is, are his hands good enough for him to play an offensive role at the NHL level? That remains to be seen and improving both his vision with the puck and his finishing ability will be areas of focus for him. He should have a good offensive season on a strong Saginaw team, but remains a long term project for the Islanders who could develop into a checking line role player down the road. - BO

19 Kyle Burroughs, D (196^th overall, 2013. Last Year: 19) Burroughs is a good playmaker and a decent all round player. He is not flashy nor one who particularly likes to carry the puck but is instead a stay at home defenseman who does well protecting his end of the ice. He has a mean streak and that streak saw him spending a lot of unnecessary time in the box. The irony is that when Burroughs is not in the penalty box, he serves as a great power play defenseman and can quarterback a play without problem. His ability to take one timers paired with his release make him an ideal blueliner to have on the point. With discipline and a little more urgency, he could be a bottom four defenseman but he will have to impress this season or he could see his chances at getting to the next level come to an end. - SC

20 Jacob Pivonka, C (103^rd overall, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) Son of Washington Capitals legend Michal Pivonka, Jacob will never reach his father’s scoring exploits, but he is still a prospect to pay attention to. A teammate of Wahlstrom and Wilde’s with the USNTDP, Pivonka played a depth forward role, one he reprised last year as a freshman at Notre Dame. Despite his piddly point totals, he has some playmaking ability and a nice enough shot release. What makes him noteworthy though is the maturity of his game and his reliability in his own zone as well as his faceoff ability. He is patient, reads the ice well and uses his stick nicely to break up opposing plays. Pivonka will need to add some extra offense to make it, but if he does, he could be a prototypical fourth line center and penalty killer in the NHL. - RW

AHL Report: Atlantic Division – Martin Necas (Charlotte), Joshua Ho-sang (Bridgeport), and Dryden Hunt (Springfield)

Jacob Stoller — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 23:16:04 +0000

Charlotte Checkers (Carolina Hurricanes)

RALEIGH, NC - JUNE 30: Carolina Hurricanes Martin Necas (88) skates with the puck during the Canes Prospect Game at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC on June 30, 2018. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire)

Based off sheer talent alone, Charlotte Checkers forward Martin Necas’ game is cut from an NHL-caliber cloth.

There’s little doubt that the Hurricanes have a future top-six forward In Necas, but a prospect’s first few years of pro hockey can be a delicate matter that must be handled with patience. In the NHL it’s all about winning, period. No ifs ands, or buts. If you’re a liability defensively, you’re going to be moved farther down the lineup or up top to the press box. Very few coaches have time for an unfinished product like Necas. And that’s fine. Very few Necas’ age are ready for the big leagues.

And that’s why after cracking the Hurricanes roster out of training camp—and suiting up for seven games in a third line center role—the organization sent Necas to the AHL for some more fine tuning.

Necas thought the demotion would be be temporary, but five months later, “I’m still here,” Necas told McKeen’s Hockey. “I would love to be up there but [for now] I’m trying to play my best and show them that I can play there.”

During his brief NHL stint, Necas was treading on the team’s third line role, starting the majority of his shifts in the defensive zone and clocking out at less than 10 minutes of ice-time per game.

“It was hard to play like that,” Necas admitted.

So down to the Checkers he went, and while Necas says he would’ve loved to stay in the NHL (like any other pro hockey player in the world), he knew he had some work to do. In reality, the demotion was a blessing in disguise for Necas.

Checkers head coach Mike Vellucci’s first task with Necas was to get his confidence back. To start things out, Vellucci shifted Necas to the wing in an effort to spark his offence.

“As an organization we wanted to make sure that he felt comfortable,” Vellucci told Mckeens Hockey. “This is his first year in North America. We wanted to make sure that he [was] put in a position to succeed and get acclimated to North American hockey.”

Eventually Necas would find his stride, prompting the Checkers to move him back down the middle. His 29 points in 42 games pegs him atop all U-20 scorers and he’s been put in prime positions—be it on even-strength or on the man-advantage—to succeed.

And for a player of Necas’ ilk—a smooth skating, skilled center with excellent vision—it is important to get those touches, no matter the level.

Furthermore, it also helps that the Checkers are sitting atop the AHL’s standings and poised for a lengthy playoff run. The experience of winning consistently, and getting some tough minutes in playoff contests, could pay off huge dividends for one of the Canes’ most promising prospects.

“I think winning is part of developing. Because if you keep going out and you’re not winning games—you don't see the end game. You don't see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Vellucci. “Winning is very helpful. Not only winning, but being a big part of why we’re winning.”

When dissecting the Hurricanes’ future, there can sometimes be this notion that Carolina must subtract from their strength (defense) to shore up their weakness (offence). That may hold true, in some regard, but the Hurricanes have options developing in their pipeline—and Necas is the most promising of the bunch.

Look out for Necas to don a Hurricanes sweater in 2019-2020.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers (New York Islanders)

(Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

Even as the New York Islanders continue their surprising surge over the metropolitan division, the team is in desperate need of some more secondary scoring. While it may be the easiest course of action to address the team’s lack of bottom six scoring, internally there are also some players down in Bridgeport that, on paper, appear to be ready for an extended look at the NHL level.

If you scroll down the teams depth chart, chances are the name Josh Ho-Sang will catch your eye.

Dating back to his minor midget days in Toronto when he played on a line with Connor McDavid, Ho-Sang has been in the spotlight a long time. The 23-year-old forward is a popular young player—with a personality as bold as his play on the ice— whose pure skill makes him a human highlight reel.

“He’s a kid that distributes the puck very, very well,” Bridgeport Sound Tigers head coach Brent Thompson told McKeen's Hockey. “He has that offensive vision and can distribute. If you were going to make a comparable—-I guess you could probably say he’s like a [Patrick] Kane-type player. There’s times where you say ‘Wow! How did he make that pass?”

Ho-Sang has produced 0.71 points per game throughout the bits and parts of three AHL seasons and through 39 games this year, he’s scoring 0.82 points per game (32 points). So why is it that Ho-Sang isn’t up in the big leagues and adding some scoring punch to the Isles’ lineup?

“There’s moments in games when you see that he wants to show everybody that he can [make the next level]. But then he gets in trouble in the games when he tries to do too much,” Thompson said.

Ho-Sang’s skillset is far superior to his AHL contemporaries, there is no question about that. The problem is, it seems as though Ho-Sang himself understands that and he will try to pull off a spectacular move every single time he touches the puck. That may have worked during his OHL days— where he was an over a point per game throughout 256 OHL games—but it is not going to always fly against professionals.

Ho-Sang has suited up for a combined 53 NHL games over the last three years and while he has had a couple bright spots over that span, recording a mere two points in 10 games with the Isles’ this year showcased the glaring decencies in his game.

“For coaches at any level, It comes down to trust. If you’re going out and scoring three or four

points a game, then maybe yeah you get some slack on the defensive side of things. But when you’re not, you need to be trusted by your coaches so that they can play you out there,” said an OHL head coach who used to coach Ho-Sang in Junior.

The concerning thing about Ho-Sang’s game is that, in the midst of the back-half of his entry-level contract, he has yet to adjust his game to the pro-level consistently. His game continues to fluctuate between red-hot, and ice-cold. Just before exploding with a five point performance against the first-place Charlotte Checkers on Sunday and earning the AHL’s player of the week, Ho-Sang was a healthy scratch for a three-game stretch.

Consistency continues to plague Ho-Sang.

Because of that, don't expect Islanders’ general manager Lou Lamoriello— the same guy who kept Maple Leafs forward Kasperi Kapanen down in the AHL for, arguably, a year and a half more than he should have so he could develop a strong defensive game— to bring Ho-Sang up anytime soon.

The clock is ticking on Ho-Sang.

Springfield ThunderBirds (Florida Panthers)

If you talk to those familiar with ThunderBirds forward Dryden Hunt, odds are they will all bring up the same thing when assessing Hunt’s game.

“You could see right from when Dryden was young that he had a wicked shot,” said Toronto Marlies forward Adam Brooks, a former teammate of Hunt’s during their WHL days in Regina.

In Hunt’s final WHL season, he scored 58 goals with the Moose Jaw Warriors.

“He’s transitioned [his shot] even better to pro, as you can tell by his output now,” one AHL opponent told McKeen's Hockey.

The X-factor in Hunt’s game has been his goal scoring prowess. His 19 goals on the year pegs him sixth amongst all U-24 scorers. But as good as Hunt’s shot has been throughout his hockey career, it has taken him quite a bit of time for the rest of his game to catch up to his shot as he has moved up the ranks.

In fact, he went undrafted and signed an entry-level contract with the Panthers as an overage player in the WHL after scoring 58 goals and 116 points during his last hurrah at junior hockey.

But over the last three years, Hunt’s game has rapidly progressed. He recorded 23 goals in his 2017-2018 season and he is currently in line to eclipse that this season, as he is on pace for 28 goals.

While Hunt has failed to produce at the NHL level thus far (he recorded one assist in just over 11 minutes per night, through 13 games), there is reason to believe he’ will get another shot with the big club this year. As the Panthers sit nine points out of a wild card spot, the team has started to wheel and deal and there is reason to believe they aren’t done just yet.

With that said, opportunity could be on the horizon for Hunt. But the Cranbrook B.C native has some work cut out for him before he can be deployed as an NHL regular.

Hunt’s not a one-trick pony—as he is a fine playmaker in his own right—but when you’re playing in the NHL you’re playing against the best of the best. Hunt has had to catch up to others before, but the NHL is a whole other animal. While he has improved his conditioning and speed over the last few years, Hunt has yet to get comfortable using his body to get to the greasy areas of the offensive zone to great offence.

In the NHL, Hunt will be playing against better defenseman, goalies and forwards than he is used to. His shot won’t be able to light the lamp every time, every game, or even every few weeks. With the Panthers nine points out of a wild card spot—and already starting to deal players such as Nick Bjugstad—there is a good chance Hunt could get another audition at the NHL level.

If he wants to stick around in the Sunshine state on a more permanent basis, he is going to have to find ways to produce in the big leagues.

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.

So Long Island, T – New York Islanders 2018-19 Season Preview

Robert Howard — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 18:04:21 +0000

REVIEW/STATE OF PLAY - For the second year in a row they missed the playoffs finishing seventh in their division. It was the first season for coach Doug Weight who took over after six seasons from Jack Capuano that culminated in back to back 100-point seasons before a stumble in 2016-17 that led to change.

The dominating story of the Islanders off-season was whether they would re-sign John Tavares. They elected not to trade him at the deadline for what would have been a rich return of pieces and prospects. The team made wholesale change hiring Lou Lamoreillo as president who then promptly removed long time GM Garth Snow - naming himself to the position. He very quickly signed reigning Stanley Cup champ coach Barry Trotz to a healthy contract after Washington low-balled him with a replacement in place. The hope that a commitment to strong management would be a deciding factor for Tavares, who ultimately could not resist playing in his hometown, and Lamoriello’s former employer.

Lou is left to pick up the pieces. He was quick to point out that the pieces he must play with are good and is not looking at a tear down. Indeed, he has been active and quick to sign veteran free agents, Leo Komarov and Valterri Filppula, as well as 28-year-old Jan Kovar out of the KHL and 26-year-old Tom Kuhnhackl out of the Penguins organization. Perhaps pacifying words and actions, but the team did have some bright spots last season.

Jordan Eberle

BLAZING BARZAL - None brighter that Matthew Barzal, NHL rookie of the year, leading the team in scoring with 85 points, one more than departed Tavares. He and recent signing Jordan Eberle along with 21-year-old Anthony Beauvillier formed a dynamic trio that was strongest down the stretch. They were put together as a group after 40 games and Beauvillier had 17 goals in 40 games and 29 points –while Eberle had 30 points in 40 games and Barzal had 48 points, including an astonishing 39 assists, in 42 games.

Tavares lined up with Anders Lee and Josh Bailey primarily, both of whom had career years. 28-year-old Bailey shattered last season career high with 71 points, leading the team with 31 power play points. Teamed with Tavares over 70% of 5v5 time and 80% on the power play 28-year-old Lee also topped a prior year best of 34 goals and breaking the 40-goal barrier – giving him 51 goals at even strength over the last two seasons. Whether they can even come close to those performances after replacing Tavares with either Brock Nelson or Valteri Filppula remains to be seen.

Brock Nelson was a disappointment after three straight 20-goal seasons. He is signed to a one-year deal with something to prove. The addition of two veteran centers in Kovar and Filpulla will challenge push him, perhaps to the wing. Both Filppula and Kovar are also on one -year contracts and will be motivated.

EXPENSIVE BOTTOM OF ROSTER - Filling out the third line with Komarov, 31-years-old and signed for three seasons at $3 million AAV along with Ladd and likely Filppula. Once considered the NHL’s best fourth line, the combo of Casey Cizikas (27), Cal Clutterbuck (30) and Matt Martin (29) are re-united after Martin was acquired from the Maple Leafs. This leaves the Islanders invested in the bottom half of their line-up with over $20 million in cap space. It is only possible with Beauvillier and Barzal on the top line on entry level contracts. The bet is they are competitive most nights and the kids develop, but hardly seems like a rebuilding structure.

They are similarly locked in on defense with Nick Leddy, Johnny Boychuk and Thomas Hickey all signed for four years representing $14 million in cap space. Leddy had an off year but has been a solid contributor, led the team in ice time and should rebound. They have offensive threat Ryan Pulock signed for the next two years and he had an effective rookie season despite time in the press box early scoring 32 points in 68 games, highlighting his offensive promise. He received only 1:40 of power play time a game and is due for more. His partner Hickey also had to assert himself into the line-up after being a healthy scratch early in the season, before establishing himself as a regular and scoring 20 points in the final 42 games. His 25 even strength points were second only to Leddy. Trotz will want to build on that chemistry with Pulock.

In net they defaulted to Thomas Greiss at 32-years-old and added Robin Lehner to a one-year contract for $1.5 million as either a trade chip, or a surprise that can challenge for the starting role.

OUTLOOK - There are a lot of questions – Can Barzal keep forward momentum through a sophomore season in which he is the number one center? Who fills the role on a second line and how badly do Lee and Bailey miss JT? The Islanders remain in search of a game plan, the future or now, but expect a regression in the coming season.

New York Islanders Prospect System Overview

Tom Dorsa — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 18:02:04 +0000

With the best draft class (technically, tied with Detroit) among all NHL clubs this year in terms of talent acquired, it stands to reason that we take a few moments to discuss it and its significance in the grand scheme of the Islanders’ organization both now and in the near future.

With six of the eight picks made by the Islanders in June featuring on the below list, including each of the top three prospects, one aspect of how this draft class will impact the Islanders going forward is fairly clear. A more subtle aspect to the impact is what the draft class says about the direction the Islanders will be taking under new President of Hockey Operations and GM Lou Lamoriello.

Previously, under the direction of Garth Snow, the Islanders actually did an alright job at the draft, getting a good number of their top picks into the NHL, and often in impactful roles. While not every pick worked out (see Reinhart, Griffin, and Dal Colle, Michael), he otherwise had a remarkably successful run on draft day, both in the first round, and in subsequent rounds. For proof of the latter, see the 2008 and 2009 draft classes, which included Jared Spurgeon, Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, and Anders Lee, none earlier than the fourth round.

Lamoriello is better known for his long, Hall of Fame stretch at the helm of the New Jersey Devils, but it is perhaps more instructive to look at the two drafts he presided over as the General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, even though Mark Hunter and Kyle Dubas, his two senior-most executives with a hand in scouting, are not following him to Long Island.

Though those two draft classes in Toronto (2016-2017) have seen only one player, Auston Matthews, play a game in the NHL, they showed a mixture of skill and sandpaper, mobility and size. Seven players in the Toronto top 20 are members of those two draft classes, including their top prospect and three of their top five.

As small a sample size as two draft classes is, Lamoriello’s Long Island sample of one draft is naturally smaller. So what can we see? Of the four forwards drafted, size was not a concern. Two forwards stand 6-1”, and one measures in at 5-8”. The three blueliners he selected all top out bigger, standing between 6-2”, and 6-4”. The one goalie also has good size, but that is a pretty universal benchmark among young goalies as the days of smaller netminders is rapidly disappearing into the mist of history.

In all honesty, we cannot deduce what the next generation of Islanders draft hopefuls will look like based on the eight players selected this year. The fact that they selected the best skilled players they could in the first two rounds bodes well, but it could also be a matter of letting the chips fall where they did, and picking up the pieces, as he had spent barely a month with the team before draft day. There is a very good chance that the picks made were more a reflection of the scouting reports left over from the previous regime’s scouting staff than any input brought forth by Lamoriello, or any other new hires in particular. We should applaud the injection of talent right now, and remain open minded about how things shake out next June in Vancouver.

Oliver Wahlstrom

1 Oliver Wahlstrom, RW (11th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) Oliver Wahlstrom's superb puck-handling allowed him to become an internet sensation in his boyhood, and is perhaps still the most dynamic skill the first-round pick has to offer at 18 years old. The Islanders spent their highest 2018 pick on the electric U.S. National Team Development scoring forward (26-22-23-45), wowed by his near elite puck-protection skills and lethal shooting touch. Graded as perhaps the best shooter in the draft class, he has the raw shooting skill to be a goal-scoring phenom at the NHL level. His skating ability is deadly when used at full capacity, as his speed and cutting can leave defenders helpless, but he does tend to coast and not exert full effort from time to time. Physically, Wahlstrom needs to improve on his assertiveness with his sturdy, bulky body, as he could really make an impact in that aisle. A Boston College commit, his time in the NCAA should be very brief.

2 Noah Dobson, D (12th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) A major part of the Acadie-Bathurst team that won the QMJHL and the Memorial Cup, Noah Dobson headlines an Islanders prospect core loaded with defensemen. A highly-intelligent, point-producing blueliner (67-17-52-69 last season), he has a diverse set of skills that transcends any defensive scheme and competition level, playing a game that looks like it will easily translate to the pro ranks. The puck-moving 18-year-old makes great reads, always puts the puck in the right place, and has exceptional hockey sense and defensive awareness that rivals even Rasmus Dahlin, the draft's number-one pick. His shot is great (the 17 goals from the blue line speak for themselves), as is his willingness to play a physical brand of hockey. He is not a dynamic skater, but serviceable in his own right; he is mobile and athletic, but does not routinely dazzle onlookers with his speed and cutting. His ceiling may not be as high as his 2018 draft peers, but his floor is as lofty as any.

3 Bode Wilde, D (41st overall, 2018. Last year: IE) If his game comes to fruition and he reaches his All-Star ceiling, Bode Wilde will go down as a certifiable steal in the coming years. Projected as a mid first-rounder in the weeks approaching the 2018 draft, Wilde slipped to the Islanders, to which he brings his graceful skating, heads-up decision making, and versatility. A wondrous straight-line skater, he does everything with such impeccable precision at full speed, retaining the ability to pivot and cut with grace almost effortlessly. His skating pays off defensively, where his gap control and backwards-to-forwards transitions display top-pair potential. A right-shooter, Wilde will be a weapon in all three zones, with a good shot from the point to make him a decent goal-scoring contributor. His defensive-zone efforts need major improvement (physical assertiveness, attentiveness to moving forwards, and more), but when that comes along, he could emerge as a formidable NHLer.

4 Joshua Ho-Sang, RW (28th overall, 2014. Last year: 3rd) It has been four years since Joshua Ho-Sang infamously said he would become the best player from the 2014 draft class. Though he has been treated somewhat unfairly coming up through the ranks with the Islanders, we are still waiting for the former Windsor Spitfire to emerge. He still has the raw skill that made him a first-round pick back in 2014, most notably his skating ability and his exciting, flashy puck-handling capabilities. He is well above average in driving offensive plays, as his passing, creativity, and effectiveness with entering the zone and maintaining possession are unlike nearly any on the Islanders roster. When the 22-year-old was with the NHL club last season, it seemed like he was creating chances every time he stepped on the ice, despite playing with lesser linemates. His defensive deficiencies and off-ice troubles are detrimental to both Ho-Sang and the Isles, but with new management and new coaching entering the fold, he has a fresh start and a chance to impress again.

Kieffer Bellows

5 Kieffer Bellows, LW (19th overall, 2016. Last year: 7th) Much like Wahlstrom, Kieffer Bellows comes from the U.S. National Development Team and specializes in puck play and a fatal shooting touch. The Edina, MN native tallied 41 goals in just 56 games for WHL Portland with that skillset, and used that offensive firepower to be the most dangerous player on the ice for Team USA's World Junior entry last season with nine goals in seven games. Unlike Wahlstrom, the 20-year-old is more of a trailer than a pacesetter and does not possess blazing skating speed, but uses positioning away from the puck and the smarts to get open to score a bounty of goals at any level. He causes disruption in the neutral zone and on the forecheck, and also plays center frequently enough to perhaps project as an NHL middle-six pivot. As he turns pro this season, he will have to prove that he can score goals at higher competition levels, unlike his underwhelming lone NCAA season.

6 Ilya Sorokin, G (78th overall, 2014. Last year: 4th) One of the game's top goalies outside of North America, Ilya Sorokin has put up ridiculous numbers as the starter for CSKA Moscow, one of the KHL's top clubs. Putting up goals against averages of 1.06, 1.61, and 1.59 over the past three seasons, the former third-rounder has clear, raw talent. An extremely composed netminder, the 6-2" 23-year-old has excellent reactions, mobility, and lateral quickness to complement a solid, strong upper-body. He is as focused on the job at hand he is as athletic, and his mental toughness in the crease continues to make big strides. Under contract in the KHL for two more seasons, Sorokin is already 23 and if the Islanders want the Russian star to come aboard, they might have to buy him out of his KHL deal. The problem is they need the goaltender more than the goaltender needs the Islanders.

7 Michael Dal Colle, LW (5th overall, 2014. Last year: 5th) As recently as a couple of years ago, Islanders management dreamed of Michael Dal Colle potting 40 goals on John Tavares' wing. Now, the young winger is a symbol of disappointment, and has been anything but an NHL-quality player. His game revolves exclusively around his near-elite shot, a force for accurate, strong snipes from all around the offensive zone, but his game is so concentrated on scoring that when he cannot produce points, he disappears. He lacks the skating speed to generate scoring chances on his own, and his smarts are not enough to contribute regularly. He still has plus size, great hands, and again, an NHL-caliber wrist shot. On the last year of his ELC, it is a make or break year for the former fifth-overall pick.

8 Anatoli Golyshev, RW (95th overall, 2016. Last year: 12th) Drafted as an overager back in 2016, Anatoli Golyshev is like Sorokin in that he is a very intriguing, mysterious Russian with NHL-quality skill playing over in the KHL. The 23-year-old winger is a great shooter with enough speed and agility to create his own shot with his skating, and has playmaking skills that are headlined by a variety of quick, effective passes and nifty offensive vision. His lack of size (5-9", 172 lbs) is masked completely by his creativity with the puck, which rarely puts his body in harm's way. He bounced back from a down season the year prior in his homeland by leading Yekaterinburg in goals and points in 2017-18. Whether he will come to North America after all is still an open question, but judging by raw talent, he is more than ready to make an impact on Long Island.

9 Otto Koivula, LW (120th overall, 2016. Last year: 20th) With a big body, some reliable skill, and the maturity that earned him -- a fourth-rounder playing overseas -- an ELC at just 20 years old, Otto Koivula leaped from 20th to 9th in the Islanders prospect rankings. An ability to stick in the Liiga at such a young age is impressive on its own, but the winger has put up two solid seasons from a production standpoint to earn that pro consideration with the Isles. What the left-hander does well is use his great size (6-3", 220 lbs) to create space for himself to release his heavy, accurate wrist shot, while he is also very tough to play with against around the corners. On the other hand, he is a borderline horrid skater with no straight-line speed, awful technical skating skill, and a clear lack of athleticism; this impacts his upside heavily, and as he debuts in North America with AHL Bridgeport, is something to keep an eye on.

Devon Toews

10 Devon Toews, D (108th overall, 2014. Last year: 8th) An extremely fast, graceful skater since his Quinnipiac days, Devon Toews was an AHL All-Star two seasons ago and has all the makings of an NHLer. However, a shoulder surgery ended his 2017-18 season before he could make a splash on the Islanders' roster. How he can respond is the question, but the answer starts with his unmatched pure skating speed; he might have the fastest high gear of any Isles prospect. He is a strong puck-mover, has good two-way senses, and is very calm and reserved with the puck. On one side, he could be the ideal replacement for the departing Calvin de Haan, and on the other, he is 24 and his offensive numbers are probably a tad inflated by his maturity in a league ripe with 21-year-olds. If his offensive game translates to the NHL, he has top four potential.

11 Sebastian Aho, D (139th overall, 2017. Last year: 17th) Widely known as the “other Sebastian Aho”, the defenseman made a great impression on the Islanders brass as a 21-year-old overager in the 2017 draft and broke the NHL roster for 22 games last season. He put up good numbers in the NHL and below, where he led all Bridgeport defensemen in goals (nine) and points (29). He is an excellent skater by both technical skills and pure speed, and grades as average or above in puck skills and smarts. His undersized body inhibits his physical game tremendously, but he is fast and intelligent enough to mostly make up for his tiny frame in the defensive zone. In reality, Aho should have been drafted sooner than the fifth round in his fourth year of eligibility. He will likely start the season in Bridgeport but has a chance for promotion in short order.

12 Parker Wotherspoon, D (112th overall, 2015. Last year: 10th) A leading offensive force from the blueline on some poor Tri-City teams, Parker Wotherspoon was a prolific defensive scorer in the WHL. The leader in points (10-56-66) among WHL defensemen in his final junior year (2016-17), the former fourth-rounder made the transition to the AHL last season as a member of the Sound Tigers, with which he had cups of coffee in the previous two seasons. At first, it was a disastrous debut, being a healthy scratch in 15 of the first 30 games, but he found his groove with his good skating, two-way discipline, and skills to a spot on both the power play and penalty kill units before the end of the season. The 21-year-old has no special assets, but is around average or above in every attribute that makes for an NHL-caliber player. However, and through no fault of his own, Wotherspoon is a while away from any real NHL impact; the Islanders' top-six seems set up already and he is behind both Aho and Toews on the depth chart.

13 Ruslan Iskhakov, C (43rd overall, 2018. Last year: IE) Ruslan Iskhakov is the first true center on this prospect rankings. If you still have John Tavares on your team, that would not be an issue, but the Islanders are thin in that position now without their former franchise cornerstone. No pressure, Ruslan. The undersized forward with absurd numbers in the Slovakian and Russian junior leagues comes to North America to play for UConn of the NCAA this season, looking to build towards an eventual career in the NHL. A creative and visionary playmaker, he is dangerous with the puck on his blade and is very difficult to strip of possession. His passes are crisp and to the tape and his play around the boards, despite a slight 5-8" frame, is pretty solid. Unfortunately, he lacks the quick acceleration and smooth skating of the typical undersized forward, and does not have much of a shot. Maybe with UConn, he can improve his foot speed amid a faster competition level.

14 Blade Jenkins, LW (134th overall, 2018. Last year: IE) If you were to draft players annually based exclusively on their energy levels, high-end motors, and inexhaustable tenacity, Blade Jenkins would be a top ten selection. A tireless and speedy skater, he produced offense at a reasonable clip for OHL Saginaw this year but looks to be more valuable as a blazing, tough forechecker with infectious spark. The 18-year-old is a gift on the defensive side when playing back there, as the left-shooting winger has good enough size to pin forwards up against the boards and steal pucks away with his athleticism. His offensive upside has not been fully explored, as he has pretty decent hands and good vision, but tries to create scoring chances solely with speed and needs to be better at slowing the game down and sustaining possession. Jenkins is lightning, and with some key players graduating from Saginaw, the Spirit staff can catch it in a bottle with the Jackson, Michigan native playing top-six offensive minutes.

15 Linus Soderstrom, G (95th overall, 2014. Last year: 6th) Drafted as a potential goaltender of the future back in 2014, the Islanders will see Linus Soderstrom in the pro ranks for the first time this season as he starts out with Bridgeport. The 22-year-old broke out in 2016-17 with HV71, helping them to an SHL championship with a 1.34 GAA, .943 Sv%, and 18 wins in 22 games. Last season was a struggle though, as he missed most of the season after surgery and came back in March with a SV% under .900 and a GAA more than double that of the season prior. He is an aggressive netminder who minimizes second chances with good rebound control and the ability to cut down angles well. He has plus athleticism and is very technically sound, moving from side to side almost robotically. Though he is behind Sorokin in terms of potential in the crease, he has the Russian beat as far as his timeline for NHL-readiness goes, he just needs to get back to 100% health and take it from there.

Ben Mirageas

16 Ben Mirageas, D (77th overall, 2017. Last year: 11th) One of several fleet-footed, defensive-minded defensemen deep in this prospect ranking, Ben Mirageas had a formidable freshman campaign for Providence, where he displayed his solid stay-at-home skillset and an improved capability to chip in offensively. He can skate the puck out of his zone and into the offensive side with ease or spark breakouts with quick, decisive passing, all while remaining disciplined and never stretching too far one way or another. At 6-1", size is no issue for the left-hander, and he uses it well to control the line and force forwards to the outside. What remains to be seen is what version of Mirageas turns pro, and how his well-rounded though non-dynamic game translates to the next level when the time comes.

17 Jakub Skarek, G (72nd overall, 2018. Last year: IE) One of the top goaltender prospects coming into the 2018 draft, Jakub Skarek had an up and down year and still netted a third-round selection, which really says a lot. He flopped at the World Juniors, a worrisome sign in a best-on-best tournament, but had superb stats in the Czech Extraliga -- a men's league -- at 18 years old. The goaltender has great vision and demonstrates insane reflexes between his athleticism and low-to-the-ice, Jonathan Quick-esque style. He is a smart and composed competitor, capable of massive workloads and facing tons of shots. Skarek has loads of starter potential, but could also be a spectacular bust, and the Islanders will give him plenty of time to sort things out.

18 Mitchell Vande Sompel, D (82nd overall, 2015. Last year: 14th) Mitchell Vande Sompel is exactly what the Islanders need most; a fast, puck-moving defenseman with relentless offensive pressure and skill. He was rewarded for his success in his first AHL season with a trip to the All-Star Game, earning a spot with seven goals and 22 assists in his rookie pro season. A brilliant and gifted skater, he is one of the more underappreciated players in the Islanders system; he has great hockey IQ, is comfortable playing the puck under immense pressure, and packs a physical punch in spite of his 5-10" frame. His defensive awareness away from the puck is what needs the most work; often he looks lost out there if he is not directly defending the puck carrier, and can get beat on cuts and passes. He also has plenty of experience playing on the wing from his days on the OHL, which may be something revisited going forward.

19 Kyle Burroughs, D (196th overall, 2013. Last year: 18th) A seventh-round pick, the fact that Kyle Burroughs is still here is somewhat miraculous, and he is only getting better and tougher with age. A brawny, intelligent blueliner who is always willing to sacrifice himself for the betterment of the club, the right-hander has groomed himself into a top-four role with Bridgeport out of nowhere. He is a long shot to ever make the NHL in a permanent capacity due to limited upside, poor skating, and a lack of skill, but his penalty kill toughness and physical tenacity has wowed AHL coaches. His ceiling is NHL bottom-pair/seventh d-man, but his floor is someone who assists in the development of the numerous young, left-handed defensemen coming up for New York. There is no way to lose for the Isles.

20 David Quenneville, D (200th overall, 2016. Last year: 15th) A historically gifted offensive dynamo from the blueline with WHL Medicine Hat, David Quenneville joins Bridgeport as a 20-year-old right-hander looking to prove the doubters wrong. With 80 points in his final WHL season last year (tops among WHL blueliners), he broke the all-time Medicine Hat defenseman scoring record with 214 points over four seasons. The issue here is that at 5-8" and without breakneck speed, he will have trouble cracking an NHL roster, but his plus stickhandling skills, sensational vision, and natural hockey IQ definitely help his case. His lack of physical stature and foot speed will hinder his NHL chances, but going by statistics, the most comparable CHL players over his age group are Mikhail Sergachev, Samuel Girard, and Ivan Provorov. Clearly, there's upside there.

New York Islanders – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 20:21:25 +0000

In a series of trades, a Canadian blogger named Kyle MacDonald went from being the proud owner of a single red paperclip to being the owner of a house. In a parallel series of trades, an American NHL General Manager named Garth Snow has gone from entering the draft with next to nothing, to walking away with some of the best young talent the New York Islanders have to offer.

For example, in 2014, Snow was getting angsty towards the end of the first round. A few talented players were still in the board for longer than they likely should have been. Sensing an opportunity, he struck a deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Islanders received the number 28 pick from Tampa, in exchange for the two second rounders that they were holding. The two second rounders were used on lower upside blueliners, a reasonable proxy for what Snow could have done with those picks. Instead, he was in a position to select Joshua Ho-Sang, a highlight reel forward who can rub traditionalists the wrong way, but does so while creating reams of offense.

Pleased with the results of this approach, Snow literally doubled down in 2015. Going into the 2015 draft, not only did the Islanders not have a first round pick in hand, they also were without a second rounder. Both picks had been traded to Buffalo 18 months previously as part of the package that sent Thomas Vanek to Long Island for a regrettable stay.

Not one to simply drift, Snow began to roll. First, he decided that 2013 fourth overall pick Griffin Reinhart was not going to pan out as he had hoped two years ago, and shipped him to Edmonton for the 16th overall pick. Still not done piling up, he sent a second and third round pick to Tampa Bay (it pays to know your audience) in exchange for the 28th overall pick.

Wrapping up a two-year plan of audacity, Snow traded Griffin Reinhart and picks that turned into Dominik Masin, Jonathan Macleod, Mitchell Stephens and Anthony Cirelli for three picks that were used on Joshua Ho-Sang, Mathew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier. With all due respect to the four young man currently trying to work their respective ways up through the Tampa Bay organization, and Reinhart, who did not pan out in Edmonton and has since been drafted by Vegas in the recent expansion draft, when it comes to draft day trading, Garth Snow has basically been turning paper clips into houses.

The downside to this strategy is that it is not sustainable. In 2016, the Islanders entered draft day without picks in the second or third round due to earlier trades and were not able to acquire any, limiting the organization from growth. The situation was even direr this year, as the team did not have a first rounder, forced to trade it away, along with a solid blueline prospect in Jake Bischoff, to Vegas in order to coerce the expansion team not to select some of their prized young NHL players.

So while Snow has been wily in pulling off two neat tricks to pick up a trio of exciting young forwards, he has also found that entering the draft without his full complement of selections will just as often (if not more often) leave you empty-handed.

New York Islanders prospect Mathew Barzal (13) (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

1 Mathew Barzal – Among the handful of players in the discussion for top prospect, Barzal has been allowed to develop in the WHL after threatening to make the NHL in each of the last two seasons. Instead of sulking, he was among the top scorers in the WHL both seasons by rate and finished his junior career winning a playoff MVP, by guiding Seattle to the Memorial Cup. He is an incredible skater with the best hands of any prospect. He can carry the puck through the neutral zone as if he is in a pylon drill. He should be a top six NHL scorer in short order.

2 Joshua Ho-Sang – Although dogged by off-ice criticism wherever he has gone, from questioning coaching decisions, to his choice of uniform number 66 to an unfortunate sleeping-in incident, Ho-Sang is an incredibly exciting talent offensively. A very skilled skater who oozes puck skills, he can be absolutely electric to watch. Will have a chance to make the NHL roster out of camp on potential alone, but needs to show he can be more calculated with his risk taking.

New York Islanders Defenceman Ryan Pulock (6) (Photo by Your Dennis Schneidler/Icon Sportswire)

3 Ryan Pulock – Although not the fastest skater out there, Pulock has one of the hardest point shots outside of the NHL. When he can step into one, defenders quite literally turn around, hoping it does not hit them in an unpadded area. When he carries the puck over the blueline, he likes to fake a windup and then skate around defenders who flinch. Strong, if not bone-crunchingly physical. Has nothing left to prove in the AHL.

4 Ilya Sorokin - One of the top goalies in the KHL for two years running, Sorokin just signed a three year extension with CSKA and bringing his projections to fruition will have to wait. He is an incredibly athletic netminder who grades out as above average in every category worth scouting a goalie on. Strong technical play allows him to cover the entire net. While he is not perfect (he is, after all, a goalie) there are no easy areas for opponents to exploit.

5 Michael Dal Colle – One of the most frustrating prospects in the game. Blessed with great size and the ability to create offense from nothing with his great hands and nose for the net, he is unfortunately cursed with a complete lack of aggression. All too often is outworked for the puck by smaller, less gifted opponents. It is not even that he coasts in his own zone, as he does show commitment there on occasion. It is that his intensity levels will waver to extremes. Not too late to be a star, but needs to bring it more often.

6 Linus Soderstrom – His SHL numbers explode from the page. No goalie in the SHL had a better GAA and only one netminder stopped a greater percentage of shots faced. An aggressive goalie who is extremely technically competent, he also brings plus athleticism and play reading to the ice, minimizing second chances. Would be the clear goalie of the future in most systems. Although signed to an ELC, the Isles have already loaned him back to HV71 for the season.

June 24, 2016: Keiffer Bellows dons his Islanders sweater after he was selected as the 19th pick in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire.)

7 Kieffer Bellows – At his best, Bellows is an active winger, causing disruption in the neutral zone and a threat to score every time he gets space in the slot to unleash a very hard wrist or snap shot. At his worst, he is hot-headed and selfish, taking himself out of the play due to a gripe of some kind, or being called for unnecessary penalties. He is a solid skater with good puck skills. The type of player who would be best served playing more games, he is leaving Boston University for Portland of the WHL.

8 Devon Toews – A dynamic defenseman, Toews had an excellent rookie pro season with Bridgeport. Although his offensive game is his calling card, he is feisty without the puck, keeps solid gaps and is trustworthy on the penalty kill. He has very quick hands and is a strong skater. The type of blueliner that looks natural when joining or leading a rush. On a team with a shallower pool of defenders in front of him, Toews would already be knocking on the door of the NHL.

9 Scott Mayfield – A big, big defenseman, Mayfield is on this list because he was not called up early enough last year to lose his prospect eligibility. The Isles value him highly enough to use one their protection slots on him, fearful that Vegas would grab him otherwise. Not without a modicum of offensive skill, his game is most notable for the heaviness he brings to the play. He makes life tough on opponents, with and without his gloves.

10 Parker Wotherspoon – A strong offensive defenseman, Wotherspoon has improved his offensive output each year across his four WHL seasons. Often overlooked in a usually uncompetitive Tri-City squad, he lacks any one outstanding tool, but grades as average or better across the board. Solid positionally, he is slightly better when his team has the puck than without, but plays enough of a two-way game to inspire an open-mind when it comes to his future projection.

11 Ben Mirageas – It was easy to ignore Mirageas when he played for a moribund Bloomington team, but upon his trade to eventual Clark Cup champion Chicago, his game took off. A very intelligent defender in the stay-at-home tradition, he has great instincts for when to close the gap and take out the body facing him. A very mobile backwards skater, his offensive upside is limited, but he minimizes mistakes with and without the puck and there are worse ways to use a slot on a third pairing.

12 Anatoli Golyshev – A great shooter with enough speed and agility that allows him to avoid putting his tiny body in harms’ way, Golyshev is either generally showcasing his dynamic offensive capabilities, or completely disappears from the proceedings. Had a down year overall for Yekaterinburg in the KHL, but has already proven that he could be a high-end, if very inconsistent goal scorer. Whether or not he will come to North America (and when) is an open question.

13 Robin Salo – The Islanders top draft pick this year, Salo is a bit plodding, a relative rarity for a modern blueliner, Salo earns praise for a heavy and accurate slapshot as well as above average ability to read the play, both contributing to a notably mature overall game. A decent puck mover, he also plays a more physical game than his measurements would indicate. His upside is not as high as you want from your top draft pick, but only a slight uptick in his skating would allow him to achieve bottom pairing potential.

14 Mitchell Vande Sompel – An offensive catalyst from the blueline for a Memorial Cup winner in his draft year, Vande Sompel has been unable to build upon his early successes in the two subsequent seasons. He was actually showing prolific goal scoring ability in the first half of last season before being traded from Oshawa to London, but he enters pro hockey having made quieter strides in his defensive game. Also showing more patience before taking his shot.

15 David Quenneville – Small by undersized defenseman standards, Quenneville, whose older brother John is a top prospect in the New Jersey system, missed over a third of last season with a broken leg suffered in blocking a shot. When he was on the ice, he was among the most dynamic offensive blueliners in the WHL with well over one point-per-game. Not as fleet of foot as other small defenders, Quenneville’s greatest attribute is easily his plus puck skills.

16 Eamon McAdam – Although McAdam had an up-and-down rookie pro season split between the AHL and ECHL, he still flashed some of the potential that convinced Islanders’ scouts to select him in the third round in 2013. He has quick reflexes and a strong glove hand. Fairly steady in the crease, his movements are controlled and he has the ability to read the shooter and the puck mover. The future Islanders crease is crowded, but McAdam should not be counted out.

17 Sebastian Aho – After being passed over at the draft three times, the Islanders finally put a claim in on “The Other Sebastian Aho.” In truth, he likely should have been drafted years ago. He is certainly very small and slight with a non-existent physical game, but all of the tools are there. He is an excellent skater, who grades out well with his shot and puck skills. With nothing left to prove in the SHL, Aho is going to be in the AHL this year.

18 Kyle Burroughs – A brawny and intelligent blueliner, Burroughs lacks much in the way of upside, but has come a long way and has established himself as at least a top four defenseman in the AHL. Not a great puck carrier, he at least is capable of moving it around in the offensive zone. Likewise, his point shot lacks much zip, so he should not be viewed as a potential power play contributor. That said, he is a willing shot blocker and lane clogger and could be groomed as a third pairing penalty killer.

19 Arnaud Durandeau – A shifty, undersized skills player, Durandeau found himself in the spotlight by spending much of his draft year on a line with first overall pick Nico Hischier. A strong playmaker and plus skater, he plays an agitating game, but to ill effect as he lacks the size to be a physical force. Has the hockey IQ to play in a variety of situations and will be tested this year as his top linemate will likely have moved on to the NHL.

20 Otto Koivula – Despite being a pretty poor skater, Koivula managed to put together a strong rookie season in Liiga, on the back of his heavy and accurate wrist shot in tandem with impressive puck control that allows him to generate offense in tight spaces. While he plays a clean game, he has a very heavy frame and is tough to play against along the boards and in the corners. If he can improve his skating by even half a grade, he has middle six NHL potential. Easier said than done.

In spite of their handful of high end prospects at the top of this list, the Islanders overall prospect pool is disappointingly shallow. For a team that has found success at the NHL level (as measured in postseason success) very hard to come by, they tend to trade away picks and other young assets at an alarmingly high rate. Looking at the big picture, they might realize that those two things are strongly correlated.

NHL Prospect Watch: Metropolitan Lights

Ryan Wagman — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 17:13:05 +0000

As I sit in Notre Dame’s beautiful Compton Family Ice Complex, watching the Fighting Irish take on the Providence Friars, I am reminded of the annual rush for NHL teams to sign the best of the NCAA world’s undrafted free agents. Last year, in this very arena, I watched Jimmy Vesey stake an early claim to the Hobey Baker Award as well as an NHL deal with the New York Rangers. There don’t look to be many highly sought-after players this year from either of these two teams, unless undersized Irish blueliner Jordan Gross leaves school early, but I am reminded of another of last year’s UFA class. One of the finalists behind Vesey for college hockey’s highest honor was St. Cloud State offensive defenseman Ethan Prow (Pittsburgh, UFA, 2016 – D, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)).

Not the most stand-out player on the Baby Pens as a rookie professional, Prow is at least proving he belongs, which not every NCAA grad can, whether drafted into affiliated hockey, or brought in as a free agent. Prow’s appeal to NHL teams was his smoothness. He brought a nice combination of skating, puck skills and sound hockey sense to the ice. His shot was somewhat lackluster and his physical game was negligible. I can safely report that Prow has learned how to bring those same attributes to the ice in the AHL. He can skate well for this level and plays the puck calmly and efficiently. He is still comfortable carrying the puck from his own zone into the offensive end. He is not the primary offensive weapon for WBS, but he is seeing some time on the penalty kill, hinting that development of his off-puck game has been a critical element of his first year in the system.

In addition to bringing the same attributes that earned him the praise of scouts with the Huskies, Prow has added a small physical edge to his game. He has not grown, per se, listed at 6-0”, 185, but he knows when smaller players are on the ice. He will not hesitate to take on those smaller players and show them who is bigger. He will use his body against other average sized players as well, but not as aggressively. When it comes to crease battles, he is still mostly ineffectual. In summary, his physical game has gone from negligible to relatively insignificant. Baby steps. Not to worry, though. He wasn’t signed to bring brawn to the Penguins blueline. He was signed as a puckmover with offensive instincts and so far, so good.

22 September 2015: New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Graves (58) warms up before an NHL preseason game

Ryan Graves (New York Rangers, 4/110, 2013 – D, Hartford (AHL))

A few weeks ago, in this space, we discussed Arizona’s towering blueline prospect Kyle Wood. The conclusion there (not that there really is a conclusion when discussing prospects. Only expected conclusions yet to be determined.) was that Wood had everything necessary to be a strong defender in the NHL other than skating prowess. So here, in the Rangers system, we have Graves, a defender cut from much the same cloth.

Now Graves did not have nearly the same offensive impact in his first year in AHL Hartford as Wood is having now with Tucson. But he was impressive. He is massive (6-4”, 220), plays a smart game and has a gigantic slapshot. I am talking mask-cracking. He had decent offensive totals as a rookie, but not enough to pave a path to Broadway. Now, almost as important as the inherent traits a player brings to his game in the ice, I look for improvement. It will almost never be linear, but it must be present. Graves is showing that. Last year, he put up 21 points in 74 games for the Wolf Pack. He has 22 in his first 49 this year.

Graves is still not a great skater, but plays a style of game that is suitable for relatively slower blueliners. He relies on a quicker partner to blaze a trail and then he comes up in support. In his own zone, he sticks to a smaller zone for coverage. He actually can get up to a good top speed if he has a long race, but the acceleration is not there for him to be relied upon as a puck carrier most of the time. As such, he will be forced to chip the puck off the glass when a clean outlet pass is not available to him as he will struggle to clear a packed defensive zone on his feet. His trailing tendency also comes to the fore on offense, where he can join the rush from behind and take advantage of drop passes to endanger the life and limbs of opponents. Still only 21 years of age, Graves has time yet to make his mark. His skating, while a hindrance, is not at the level of deal breaking. He is simply a player in search (in need) of a specific role to play. The rest of his game is present enough for him to find it eventually.

Andrew Peeke (Columbus, 2/34, 2016 – D, Notre Dame (Hockey East))

Sticking to the blueline for now, in Andrew Peeke, the Blue Jackets have drafted a potential shut down defender. Listed at 6-3”, 210, the Florida native plays a very heavy game. When he lines an opponent up for a hit, that opponent will be going down. These are not the explosive, highlight-reel open ice jobs, but more subtle pancakes.

Drafted in the second round last summer out of the USHL’s Green Bay program, Peeke has been enjoying a strong freshman year with the Irish, even contributing a slightly surprising amount of offense, with 13 points through 31 games. He is not used much for his puck skills, playing often with a more seasoned and naturally talented offensive blueliner in Jordan Gross, but he can contribute when the opportunity arises. For example, although he isn’t much for pinching, he can step nicely into a shot. Standing by the blueline, whether he lets off a wrister or a slapshot, they have impressive heft and velocity and can be trouble for defenses.

His specialty is in his own end, however. Even without hitting opponents, Peeke makes his presence felt. He keeps decent gaps – although I would like to see him use his stick more aggressively – and he is well-schooled at clogging lanes, getting in the way of countless passes and shots. He still needs at least two more years in South Bend, where ideally his offensive game will have a chance to develop, but there is a lot to like with Peeke.

Joshua Ho-Sang (New York Islanders, 1/28, 2014 – RW, Bridgeport (AHL))

In his first year in the professional ranks, former first rounder Joshua Ho-Sang is no stranger to controversy, much of it at least partially of his own making. The young Sound Tiger has long held a reputation from playing by his own rules, which referred to both his mind-boggling creativity on the ice, as well as his all too frequent disciplinary concerns off of it. The Islanders famously got a taste of the latter when he slept in on one of his first days at rookie camp in the summer of 2015 and was immediately cut from camp.

After a slow start to his rookie pro season, Ho-Sang is letting the Isles organization in on his on-ice wizardry as well. As I write these words, Ho-Sang has just put up seven points in his two games this weekend, bringing his season totals to a respectable 32 in 44 games. As with his time in junior hockey, Ho-Sang is earing most of his points through playmaking instead of finishing. He is a very aggressive player. Between his creativity with the puck and his high end speed, he can be absolutely electrifying to watch. On the downside to this on-ice powers is a tendency to take too many risks. There is a fine line to be drawn between confidence and over-confidence and Ho-Sang flits back and forth across that line.

While he should definitely spend the rest of this season in the AHL with Bridgeport, Ho-Sang is the type of player who could certainly benefit from the change in coaches in Brooklyn. Current interim head coach Doug Weight represents the best case scenario for what Ho-Sang’s NHL career could look like. It requires some taming and a lot of patience, but if his recent play is any indication, he is now on the right path.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 06: Philadelphia Flyers Winger Taylor Leier (58) looks for a pass December 06, 2016, (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire)

Taylor Leier (Philadelphia Flyers, 4/117, 2012 – LW, Lehigh Valley (AHL))

While the ethos of the Broad Street Bullies is obsolete, it may be fair to say that work ethic is a close relative. That is why, even though all of the brightest lights of the Flyers system (especially with Konency in the NHL) are blueliners, I will use this space this week to write about Taylor Leier, a tireless winger who is most known for his work in his own zone. The one-time (surprise) member of a Team Canada entry at the WJC, Leier is a power forward in a small forward’s body.

He is aggressive in all three zones, and effective in each. Now in his third year in the AHL, with NHL stints in the last two of those, Leier is starting to gain in confidence and impact in the offensive end. From 31 points in 73 games as a rookie, he improved to 49 points in 71 games last year. This year, he has 28 points in 34 AHL games, a pace that would have led to 57-58 points in 70 games, had he not had a 10 game trial with the Flyers in December.

In spite of the slow and steady increase in his offensive production, Leier is what he is. A reasonable bottom six energy line winger who can produce a modicum of offense. Beyond his utility in defensive situations, including heavy usage on the PK, he shows good offensive zone vision and some playmaking touch. With left wingers Chris VandeVelde and Pierre Edouard Bellamare both slated for unrestricted free agency after this season, Leier has earned an opportunity to stake his claim to a full time NHL role.

Blake Coleman (New Jersey Devils, 3/75, 2011 – C, Albany (AHL))

For an uninspiring system, it is only fair that we talk about an uninspiring prospect. Coleman’s name has been bandied about for a long time by Devils’ fans, but this is really his first full year of professional action, at age 25. The former third round pick out of Plano, Texas took his full four years at Miami before turning pro, only to miss all but 14 games as rookie due to injury. 33 points in 46 games this year has been impressive enough that he earned his first NHL call-up, a five game stretch in mid-January.

The Texan (hockey writers only get so many chances to call players “The Texan”) is a tad undersized, but plays a feisty game. What he lacks in strength (which also manifests itself in a subpar shot), he makes up for in energy and aggression. He is often used the primary forechecker, applying pressure on opponents across 200 feet of ice. That said, unlike Leier above, Coleman does not play as a miniature power forward. He is more aptly referred to as a pest. He does have some offensively redeeming qualities as well. His AHL scoring exploits are largely the product of a good pair of mitts. He can maintain possession of the puck under pressure and can help his teammates make plays.

Coleman is a late bloomer. In another system, he would probably be completely under the radar. In a thin Devils’ system, he sticks out. The Albany Devils are one of the better teams in the North Division of the AHL, but the majority of their contributors (outside of the netminders) are either not prospects at all, or lesser prospects than Coleman. If the Devils decide to sell off pieces before the deadline, Coleman should get more NHL experience before the season is out.

Chandler Stephenson (Washington Capitals, 3/77, 2012 – C, Hershey (AHL))

In preparing for this article, I did not set out intending to find smallish forwards with low upside, but safe, dependable and energetic games. It just sort of worked out that way. The AHL rarely has young players with cathedral ceilings for too long. They either get called up right away (if they aren’t placed in the NHL right out of amateur hockey), or they have very notable flaws, like Joshua Ho-Sang, profiled above.

Stephenson is either a strange case, or a sign of my own growth as a player evaluator. Perhaps both. His numbers between this year and last are practically identical, yet I see different, far more attractive player. Last season, I saw a defensive forward who did nothing especially well and profiled as an up-and-down guy. He had 28 points in 46 regular season games with Hershey and nothing in a nine game trial with the Capitals. In the AHL postseason, he added six points in 17 games. This year is more of the same in the points department. He has 30 points in 49 games for the Bears in addition to three games, no points, in the NHL.

So what has changed? I see now that he is not only a defensively responsible forward, but one that constantly makes smart, understated decisions on the ice. He is the type of player that has announcers gushing about “the little things”. Whether it is knowing when to get rid of the puck, or to hold on to it for another half second to prevent a quick break by the opponent or allow a teammate to shake free on the far side. Also, like the cheesy 80s movie where the nerdy girl takes off her glasses and the protagonist suddenly realizes that she is pretty, the shackles have been taken off, or I was blinded by the defensiveness, but Stephenson can skate. I mean, he can fly out there. A smart player with hot wheels will always get chances in the NHL. If the Capitals decide not to bring back Daniel Winnik next year, Stephenson should be ready to compete for that spot.

David Cotton (Carolina Hurricanes, 6/169, 2015 – C, Boston College (Hockey East))

Another Texan! Drafted out of a Boston area prep school Cotton was essentially a project pick. Huge with some puck skill, but prep players are notoriously difficult to project due to the uneven (being kind) level of competition in the high school ranks. Cotton spent the following year with Waterloo of the USHL and I was not impressed over a few viewings. Despite being one of the bigger players on the ice, he had a relatively low impact for the Black Hawks, with only 30 points in 48 games and only two assist over nine playoffs contests.

So I was a little bit surprised by how well he came out of the games as a freshman for Boston College, scoring at a higher rate against better competition. Perhaps he just missed Massachusetts? Reviewing my notes from last year, I don’t think I missed anything from Cotton. He was a rough skater and rarely drove play. What is different this year is that he is now in a position where what he can do is able to be utilized. The big Texan has really good hands, softer that you might expect just looking at him, and can make skill plays with the puck, whether that is stickhandling through traffic or receiving difficult passes and turning those into scoring opportunities in a blink. Away from the puck, he is also making use of what he has, using his large frame to clog lanes or tie up (and take down) opponents.

I am not ready to say that this project has paid off. For one thing, I want to see that his skating has truly improved. He is still only a freshman and will need at least two more full seasons with BC to have a good idea of the type of player he will become, but I am ready to say that I was too low on him next year. No longer an afterthought, Cotton is now one to watch in the Hurricanes’ system.

Joshua Ho-Sang – McKeen's Hockey

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: New York Islanders Top 20 Prospects

Ilya Sorokin, G (78th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 1)

Kieffer Bellows, LW (19st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 2)

Oliver Wahlstrom, RW (11th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

Bode Wilde, D (41st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Simon Holmstrom, RW (23rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Ruslan Iskhakov, RW (43rd overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 6)

Joshua Ho-Sang, RW (28th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 7)

Sebastian Aho, D (139th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 8)

Otto Koivula, LW (120th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 9)

Anatoli Golyshev, LW (95th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 10)

William Dufour, RW (152nd overall, 2020. previous ranking: NA)

Alexander Ljungkrantz, LW (90th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Robin Salo, D (46th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 11)

Samuel Bolduc, D (57th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 12)

Reece Newkirk, C (147th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 13)

Mitchell Vande Sompel, D (82nd overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 14)

Collin Adams, LW (170th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 15)

Parker Wotherspoon, D (112th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 16)

Grant Hutton, D (Undrafted Free Agent. Signed Mar. 21, 2019. Previous ranking: 18)

J. Greer, LW (Trade: Oct. 11, 2020. Originally: 39th overall, 2015 [Colorado]. Previous ranking: 14 [Colorado])

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – New York Islanders – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 22

New York Islanders

Ilya Sorokin, G (78th overall, 2014. Pre-season: 4)

Kieffer Bellows, LW (19st overall, 2016. Pre-season: 8)

Oliver Wahlstrom, RW (11th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 2)

Bode Wilde, D (41st overall, 2018. Pre-season: 5)

Simon Holmstrom, RW (23rd overall, 2019. Pre-season: 3)

Ruslan Iskhakov, RW (43rd overall, 2018. Pre-season: 11)

Joshua Ho-Sang, RW (28th overall, 2014. Pre-season: 7)

Sebastian Aho, D (139th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 10)

Otto Koivula, LW (120th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 16)

Anatoli Golyshev, LW (95th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 9)

Robin Salo, D (46th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank UR)

Samuel Bolduc, D (57th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 18)

Reece Newkirk, C (147th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 17)

Mitchell Vande Sompel, D (82nd overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 14)

Collin Adams, LW (170th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

New York Islanders 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

AHL Report: Atlantic Division – Martin Necas (Charlotte), Joshua Ho-sang (Bridgeport), and Dryden Hunt (Springfield)

Metropolitan Division Training Camp News

So Long Island, T – New York Islanders 2018-19 Season Preview

New York Islanders Prospect System Overview

New York Islanders – System Overview

NHL Prospect Watch: Metropolitan Lights

Ilya Sorokin, G (78^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 1)

Kieffer Bellows, LW (19^st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 2)

Oliver Wahlstrom, RW (11^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

Bode Wilde, D (41^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Simon Holmstrom, RW (23^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Ruslan Iskhakov, RW (43^rd overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 6)

Joshua Ho-Sang, RW (28^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 7)

Sebastian Aho, D (139^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 8)

Otto Koivula, LW (120^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 9)

Anatoli Golyshev, LW (95^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 10)

William Dufour, RW (152^nd overall, 2020. previous ranking: NA)

Alexander Ljungkrantz, LW (90^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Robin Salo, D (46^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 11)

Samuel Bolduc, D (57^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 12)

Reece Newkirk, C (147^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 13)

Mitchell Vande Sompel, D (82^nd overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 14)

Collin Adams, LW (170^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 15)

Parker Wotherspoon, D (112^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 16)

J. Greer, LW (Trade: Oct. 11, 2020. Originally: 39^thoverall, 2015 [Colorado]. Previous ranking: 14 [Colorado])

Ilya Sorokin, G (78^th overall, 2014. Pre-season: 4)

Kieffer Bellows, LW (19^st overall, 2016. Pre-season: 8)

Oliver Wahlstrom, RW (11^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 2)

Bode Wilde, D (41^st overall, 2018. Pre-season: 5)

Simon Holmstrom, RW (23^rd overall, 2019. Pre-season: 3)

Ruslan Iskhakov, RW (43^rd overall, 2018. Pre-season: 11)

Joshua Ho-Sang, RW (28^th overall, 2014. Pre-season: 7)

Sebastian Aho, D (139^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 10)

Otto Koivula, LW (120^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 16)

Anatoli Golyshev, LW (95^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 9)

Robin Salo, D (46^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank* UR*)

Samuel Bolduc, D (57^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 18)

Reece Newkirk, C (147^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 17)

Mitchell Vande Sompel, D (82^nd overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 14)

Collin Adams, LW (170^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)