Joshua Maniscalco – McKeen's Hockey

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Pittsburgh Penguins Top 20 Prospects

Rachel Howard — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 20:45:09 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 Pittsburgh Penguins 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.

Samuel Poulin, RW (21^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Poulin is a well-rounded offensive player, who has looked dominant at times in his junior career with Sherbrooke. It is hard to find fault in his game: great skater, great puckhandler, excellent hockey mind, deadly shooter, plays the whole ice and strikes on the counterattack. He plays with intensity and with a strong work ethic to find the seam and attack. His reads are top-notch. He is at home anywhere on the ice because of his great balance and strong physical play. He is already at a solid size at 216 pounds yet can still move quickly. He is a strong forechecker, and finishes his hits, setting an example for his teammates. It is not difficult to foresee a path to the NHL for Poulin, as he has all the tools. The sky is the limit for the winger, who has passed every test in the Q with flying colours. A top line do-it-all forward to carry the torch in the waning years of Crosby and Malkin era is not out of the question, and a very solid middle-six winger is at the very least in his sights. - MS

Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D (Trade: Jun. 29, 2019. Originally: 23^rd overall, 2017 (Arizona). Previous ranking: 2)

A prospect who is not nearly as flashy as other top ranked players is the quiet, yet dangerous Joseph, acquired from Arizona in the Phil Kessel trade. In his rookie professional season, he brought poise, calmness, high hockey IQ, and strong skating to the blueline for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He is very accurate and smart when it comes to passing and is a good two-way defenseman, offering dependable coverage in the defensive zone and strong puck carrying abilities and passing in the offensive zone. Still a lightweight, Joseph will have to keep working on getting bigger and stronger in order to be able to move opponents off the puck and win important battles as well as avoiding being easily separated from the puck himself. Overall, there is nothing wrong with the way Joseph plays and he has much to offer in terms of smarts and individual composure and skill. Look to see him earn his first NHL call up next year and add depth to Pittsburgh’s bottom four. – SC

Joel Blomqvist, G (52^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

With the possible exception of his ability to harness rebounds, there is no one trait in which Blomqvist stands out among goaltending prospects. He has an uncanny ability to push shots with his blocker, pads, or stick to the corners. Thankfully, there are no major chinks in his armor, which made him one of the top netminders in the 2020 draft class after Yaroslav Askarov. In every aspect you could look in a goalie, he grades out well. He is a good skater and is steady on his feet. He is calm and patient in the paint, not changing his demeanor in traffic or when staring down a breakaway. He tracks the puck well and does a good job of reading the shooters. He does a good job of knowing when to stay tall and when to drop into a butterfly. He can even handle the puck as needed. He is set to play against men this season in Finland. With skaters, we generally preach upside. With goalies, the risk is high enough that there is merit looking for steadiness. Blomqvist has it. – RW

Anthony Angello, C (145^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 3)

At 6-5”, Angello is one of the bigger forwards in the pro ranks and he carries himself well, finding ways to get to the net with ease. He uses his size to win battles and clean up garbage around the net, although he needs to also be careful of penalties when he throws his body around. Angello is a good puck handler and a good skater but he needs to be more aware in the neutral and defensive zones, and he cannot afford to turn the puck over or make bad passes, because he recovery ability is not the greatest. He could see NHL powerplay action in time, but he will have to earn another call up and capitalize on that opportunity as a bottom six forward first before being considered for regular special teams’ duties. He is an asset based on size alone and once considering his skills it will be safe to say that he will be receiving additional NHL opportunities, with a good chance of staying up for good. - SC

Valtteri Puustinen, RW/LW (203^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Puustinen is a very crafty and skilled winger. He can be unpredictable with the puck and pull off great plays to surprise opposing defensemen and goalies. He has some nice creativity to his game. He reads the game at a high level and sees the ice well. He does not try to force plays. His skating is an asset – with quick first few strides and he is light on his skates. He is quick to pucks. If he improves his shot and finishing ability, he will be even more dangerous offensively, particularly on the power play. He is dependable without the puck and does not leak defensively, but his puck play has impressed me the most. Puustinen has improved significantly over the last few seasons and has developed from a promising junior player into a solid NHL prospect. Assuming he keeps improving, it won't be too long until he moves to North America. Eventually, he could become a versatile middle-six NHL winger, one who can contribute in a lot of ways. Whether he manages to become one is far from a sure thing, but he has a chance. – MB

Jonathan Gruden, RW (95^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 18)

A former NTDP member, Gruden left Miami University after his freshman season in order to join the London Knights this year. Gruden operates well as an offensive support player. He controls the wall well, keeps his feet moving in the offensive zone, and possesses the vision and awareness to find those soft spots in coverage. While his skating ability, skill level, and physical skill set would be deemed average, he is successful at the OHL level due to his high-end IQ. As such, Gruden projects best as a bottom six forward at the NHL level. At the pro level, there may certainly be an adjustment period as his skating and strength improve to the level that they need to in order for him to succeed in a “grind it out” role against men. - BO

Nathan Legare, RW (74^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Légaré has potential to truly establish himself as a power forward in the pro game, but his skating is not yet good enough to ensure success. The bulky bruiser has good size for the next level and finishes his checks when he gets there. He can be a strong forechecker on a defense that does not move the puck quickly. He also has an excellent shot, including both a booming slapshot and a wrist shot from closer range. His effort is never questioned, and his feet stay moving, but his skating is only average for the junior level. As a positive, Légaré plays well with talented linemates, especially ones that can time his skating with their playstyle. He needs to be put in a position to use his shot effectively, and he is a strong player in the half-court offense when speed isn’t as much of a factor as are awareness and positioning. He will need to continue to develop an elite-level hockey sense and the awareness to be able to compete with his skating deficits. With improvements, he could be a power forward who can score, but his skating will need to take a few strides to get there. - MS

Jordan Bellerive, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 16, 2017. Previous ranking: 6)

After a scary fire-related accident had the Penguins concerned for their prospect’s health, as of the beginning of last season, Bellerive managed to come back in good shape and perform well in his professional rookie season in the AHL. As a player with a stocky build, he is solid on the puck and carries it well, he can win battles and knows how to use his body when protecting the puck. As his points were nearly evenly divided for goals and assists in major junior, his points this past season in the AHL saw no changes in breakdown, proving that he is capable of making the right plays, seeing the ice well and contributing with good individual efforts as part of his transition to the professional ranks. With his work ethic he should be able to find the extra speed needed to keep up at times for next season in order to earn some time up as part of Pittsburgh’s bottom six. - SC

Will Reilly, D (217^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

The Pittsburgh draft pick spent four years at RPI maturing his game after playing a few seasons of junior hockey in the OJHL and the BCHL. The seventh-round draft pick has proven that he can contribute offensively. He was named the OJHL top prospect in 2014-15 as a 17-year-old. He isn’t the fastest defenseman, but he can still skate with smooth strides and can join the rush as a winger, allowing him to create opportunities for his teammates. He served as a captain during his senior season and played on the second penalty kill unit. Reilly is a steady defensive presence and knows when to join the rush and when to hang back. He can be physical, blocks shots and has a quick defensive stick. His passes are crisp and clean. At 22 years old, there is still some room for Reilly to grow. - JS

Kasper Bjorkqvist, RW (61^st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 8)

Despite having only played six games this past season in the AHL, former Providence College captain Bjorkvist had strong showings when he was able to play. He managed to handle a good amount of ice time, including time of the penalty kill, and even earned one goal. He stands out as a good skater, a good two-way player with plus awareness on the ice due to his constant motion and ways of finding open ice. He still needs to work on his passing and his puck movement while in the attacking end, as turnovers need to be eliminated which have been a consequence of poor passing decisions and accuracy. Hopefully, Bjorkvist can work towards completing a full season next year, coming back healthy and ready to play in order to make an impact in the AHL before a call up to Pittsburgh as a positionally sound and physically ready-to-play forward capable of handling a bottom six role at the highest level. - SC

Santeri Airola, D (211^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 9)

Airola is a mobile defenseman with very good acceleration. He can carry the puck up the ice and skate away from pressure – the puck does not slow him down. He is an effective puck transporter and can gain the offensive zone with speed. He makes a firm first pass, and both his short and long-range passes are accurate. He is very active in the offensive zone, both with and without the puck. His shot lacks power, but it is accurate, and he is not afraid to use it. He needs to add velocity to be able to score more goals, though. He handles the puck well and plays with his head up. He has work to do on his defensive game. He can be a bit inconsistent with his defensive zone coverage. He also needs to improve his defending in small spaces and get much stronger. He will compete for ice-time on Ilves' Liiga team next season. - MB

Drew O’Connor, LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 10, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

O’Connor was one of the biggest free agent signings of the year. An undrafted player, he epitomized late bloomer development, leaving school after playing his sophomore season at 22 years of age. He played prep school hockey in New Jersey followed by the T1 elite hockey league and went to the NCDC before finally heading to Dartmouth. After being named to the All-Ivy Second Team as a freshman, he was named the Ivy League player of the year this year. O’Connor is always a scoring threat and appears all over the ice. He earned first unit power play time and led the Big Green in scoring. He has a big frame and moves well for a skater of his size, using his speed to blow past opposing defenders. He was able to score this year despite teams often double teaming him to neutralize the threat. He needs to work on protecting the puck better before he will have a chance at the NHL. – JS

Chase Yoder, C (170^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Yoder has never been a big scorer, even playing U16 hockey in the Dallas area, but he has proven himself to be a viable and important member of the USNTDP in his two years in the program. For starters, he is an excellent skater, with plus edges and great acceleration. Most of the scoring chances he manages to work his way into come from that skating power. Another plus feature of his game is his aggressiveness. He is slight but plays a very feisty brand of hockey. The third trait that helped convince the Penguins to draft him was his brain. The Providence commit is a very good defensive forward and can play the tough minutes. His hands aren’t bad, but they aren’t what will help push him to the NHL in time. Yoder reads the game well and that maturity will help him adapt to the next level, even if his ceiling will remain low for the duration of his development due to the lack of offensive tools. – RW

Sam Miletic, LW/C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 25, 2017. Previous ranking: 11)

Passed over in the draft despite having played a key role for one of the top ranked teams in the CHL with the London Knights, where the bulk of that team was drafted and some now play in the NHL, the work Miletic has put up to keep his level of competition up high enough to attract the eye of the Pittsburgh Penguins is impressive. Finishing fourth in points last season with the Baby Penguins in the AHL, it is clear to see that he was a good signing choice with a strong presence on the left wing. Playing on both special teams units, Miletic was given more responsibility last season and has proven that his skating ability as well as the quick and methodical way he moves the puck is more than enough to prove himself at the AHL level. Look for him to earn his first call up to Pittsburgh to fill a bottom six spot in the coming season. - SC

Cam Lee, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 17, 2020. Previous ranking: 12)

A Nova Scotian who played prep hockey in New York State before moving on to the USHL, Lee was a potential NHL draft pick by his second year of eligibility, when his power play strength had him finish the year as a third-team All-Star in the league. He went unselected and instead spent the previous four seasons doing the same thing for Andy Murray’s Western Michigan. In those four years, Lee has developed a more robust two-way game, capable of contributing on both special teams’ units. He lacks any one standout tool, but does everything well enough, and occasionally even above average. He skates well and is comfortable carrying the puck up the ice. He has a hammer of a one-timer. He reads and recognizes the play well, allowing him to protect the puck. Should he make another quick transition to the pro game, Lee could soon be vying for third pairing minutes in the NHL. - RW

Judd Caulfield, RW (145^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 13)

A big winger who has never been a big point producer, Caulfield has flashed a robust enough total package both in his years with the USNTDP and now at North Dakota, to hold out some hope that he could yet develop into more than a fourth liner at the highest level. Even if he never finds a better use of his soft hands, or his smooth wheels – the latter being rather impressive at his size – he has always more than earned his keep on the roster through his two-way play and particularly his defensive reliability. He is a high IQ, meat-and-potatoes winger who can play a shutdown role. If his lack of offensive production turns out to have been a lack of confidence as opposed to a lack of creativity (although we suspect his issue is the latter), he could produce enough to eventually play higher up the lineup. For now, he is a safe, if unsexy prospect still a few years away from the pros. - RW

Clayton Phillips, D (93^rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 14)

After Phillips could not get out of the third pairing over a season and a half with the University of Minnesota, he transferred to Penn State where the situation was much the same. The burgeoning two-way defender who made the USHL’s top rookie team in his draft year lacks the big tools to do more than flash the occasional big moment. He reads the play well, is patient with the puck and recognizes opportunities to impact the game in the offensive end. On the other hands, he is small and is not a fleet enough skater to overcome the size deficiency with ease. He can show some cleverness with the puck but falls short of dynamic and his shot is not powerful enough to project as a power play option. There is still some hope that he could carve out a depth role at a higher level, but he needs a big season to be assured of an NHL contract after completing his collegiate eligibility. – RW

Jesper Lindgren, D (Trade: Aug. 25, 2020. Originally: 95^th overall, 2015 [Toronto]. Previous ranking: 15)

After playing his first full season in North America as part of the Toronto Marlies blueline squad, Jesper Lindgren has now been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, along with Kasperi Kapanen. For an undersized defenseman, he brings a good skill set with good skating and puck handling. He is solid at starting plays and does well at managing gap control and defending in his own end. Offensively, Lindgren is dependable at getting pucks deep and moving the puck accordingly across the blueline, becoming a more team focused player than a strictly shot-first. He will offer the Penguins organization a lot in the future as he continues to develop, although it is uncertain as to where Lindgren will fall as his development has been so slow to date. Not to say he is bad but rather just in need of a few tweaks to bring his game up a level. At the rate the Penguins are drafting and with the depth of their prospect system, Lindgren should get a chance to play up sometime in the next season (if he remains in North America) as part of the Penguins bottom four. – SC

Calle Clang, G (77^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

An unorthodox goaltender who plays a hybrid style and is aggressive in challenging shooters, Clang excelled for Sweden internationally last year while playing in the shadow of the more hyped Jesper Wallstedt (2021 eligible). Clang has good size and was one of the top goaltending options out of Europe in the 2020 draft class, albeit not as promising as Joel Blomqvist, who the Penguins drafted in the round before they selected Clang. Clang may be able to rise up this list in future seasons, as he has plus athleticism and mobility, and he always rises to the occasion in tough situations, but he will also need to improve in a number of areas that are currently weak, including his tracking ability, his rebound control, and his ability to play the puck when called upon. To Clang’s credit, he has performed well in limited opportunity so far this year in his first experience of men’s hockey, playing in Sweden’s second pro league. – Brock Otten

Joshua Maniscalco, D (UFA: Aug. 21, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

The third member of this top 20 to have been signed as an undrafted free agent out of the college ranks in 2020, Maniscalco’s inclusion in the list is as much a reflection of the utter shallowness of the Penguins’ system as it is a reflection of his own actual prospects to develop into a viable NHL’er. A former depth player with the USNTDP (not unlike Chase Yoder and Judd Caulfield, above), Maniscalco took an extra year in the USHL, with Dubuque, before moving on the Arizona State, where he truly blossomed as one of the better offensive defensemen in college hockey, finishing sixth in NCAA in defenseman scoring. A right-handed shot, he has overcome some of the lack of discipline he demonstrated in his junior days, while showing a full set of decent, if unspectacular tools. The key for hi to improve his stock as a prospect will be to shore up his play away from the puck and prove that he can be reliable. He is definitely a good gamble for a system that rarely uses all of its draft picks. - RW

Second Chances Part Two: Promising U.S. based prospects re-entering the 2019 NHL Draft

Brock Otten — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 15:23:26 +0000

The art of scouting is an imperfect science. For various reasons, players get missed. Maybe said player was on a bad team and was subsequently under scouted. Maybe said player worked through injuries in his draft year and as a result could never fully show what he was capable of. Or maybe said player did not get the ice time required to shine.

On the other hand, players can be skipped over because scouts felt that they just were not good enough. But teenagers are far from a finished product on the ice. Their games mature just as their minds and bodies do. That is why it is critical to track players as they move through their second and third years of draft eligibility. For North American players with birth dates from January 1st to September 15th, they will be eligible for three NHL drafts. For players with birth dates from September 16th to December 31st, they will be eligible for two NHL drafts. And for European players (in European leagues), extend that eligibility by one year in both cases.

In recent years, we have had a major shift in drafting philosophy, with more teams selecting players in their second and third years of eligibility. For one, these players are finding success at the NHL level, such as we have seen with Cam Atkinson, Mike Hoffman, Ryan Dzingel, Brandon Montour, and Connor Hellebuyck, to name just a few. Secondly, teams can draft more polished products who have shown a steep progression curve. And thirdly, in the case of draft and follow NCAA bound players, NHL teams will have a few years longer to decide whether they want to sign said players to one of their precious 50 contracts inside the limit.

Last year, seven “re-entry” candidates went in the first three rounds alone; Scott Perunovich, Sean Durzi, Seth Barton, Joey Keane, Logan Hutsko, Nathan Smith, Connor Dewar. And a total of 46 were taken in the draft overall. That is just a shade over 20% of all players drafted; one fifth were outside of their first year of eligibility.

In 2019, we have several high-profile re-entries who look poised to be NHL draft selections. This includes Brett Leason of the Prince Albert Raiders (and Team Canada at the WJCs) who could even be a first round pick come June. This series of articles intends to highlight some of the candidates who could be part of that 20% this year broken into the CHL, US based and Europe based prospects. We continue with prospects in the US. The prospects in the CHL can be found here.

United States Hockey League

Matej Blumel. Photo by Hickling Images.

Matej Blumel - Forward - Waterloo Black Hawks

A Czech forward, Blumel has been a star in the USHL this year, among the leading scorers in the league, already surpassing last year’s totals in under half the games played. Blumel was also recently a standout at the WJAC’s (U19), where he led the Czechs in scoring. He is currently committed to the University of Connecticut for next season, and should be an NHL draft pick this year if he continues his strong production in the USHL to end the year.

"Matej is a player who is used a lot on the penalty kill, even if he doesn't play with much of a physical aspect. He is at home in the slot, where he jumps into the play well to receive passes for scoring opportunities. Is a very shifty skater who has good edge work, allowing him to make crisp cuts. Is a creative passer who looks almost dynamic at times.” (Ryan Wagman)

Matt Brown. Photo by Hickling Images.

Matt Brown - Forward - Des Moines Buccaneers

A USHL rookie after playing last year in the NAHL, Brown has found himself among the leading scorers in the league. The UMass-Lowell commit, may be undersized at 5-9”, but if there is a league who has had their undersized scorers translate to the NHL lately, it’s the USHL. Brown also recently helped the U.S. capture gold at the WJAC’s. In his final year of draft eligibility, he stands a very good chance of being drafted in 2019.

“Brown’s skating is an asset. He possesses great wheels with both speed and edgework. He can create offense off the rush but I am not one hundred percent sold on his hands. But his hustle and energy are impressive. Even though his goal numbers are impressive, I see him as more of a playmaker.” (Ryan Wagman)

Luke Johnson. Photo by Hickling Images.

Luke Johnson - Defense - Sioux City Musketeers

Johnson is another player in his final year of draft eligibility who is having a fantastic USHL season. He serves as the captain of Sioux City and is among the highest scoring defenders in the league. The Providence commit also starred for the U.S. at the WJAC alongside Brown, leading the tournament in defenseman scoring. Like Brown, he has positioned himself well to hear his name called in June.

“Johnson is an excellent powerplay quarterback and passer. He has great wheels and agility. Also has very good positioning in his own end for a smaller puck mover. Smart kid and distributes pucks fairly which is tough to do on that roster. Johnson serves as team captain in Sioux City and plays in late/close situations. Not physical but doesn’t shy away from corners.” (Steve Kournianos, The Draft Analyst)

Max Crozier. Photo by Hickling Images.

Max Crozier - Defense - Sioux Falls Stampede

This Providence commit was passed over last year after playing with Nanaimo of the BCHL. But Crozier jumped to the USHL for this season and his offensive production has increased as a result. He leads Sioux Falls in defenseman scoring and is the highest scoring 2000 born defender in the league. At 6’2, 190 pounds, Crozier also has terrific size, and judging by the fact that he’s top 10 in penalty minutes, he likes to use it to play pretty aggressively.

“Crozier is a very good breakout passer who is engaged on offense and looks to drop down low. He consistently makes thread-the-needle passes board-to-board to set up great chances. As a puck carrier, he is strong and tough to knock off puck. Crozier is a very good skater with good straight-line speed. He turns quickly and looks to make home-run plays from his own end upon retrieval. Powerplay quarterbacking skills need some work as he can turn puck over close to own line due to painting himself into corner. Also shows some sloppy, lackadaisical play on breakouts that lead to break-ins.” (Steve Kournianos, The Draft Analyst).

Ronnie Attard. Photo by Hickling Images.

Ronnie Attard - Defense - Tri-City Storm

One of the unsung heroes of the aforementioned U.S. team that captured Gold at the WJAC’s. Attard played a shutdown role and was responsible for stymying Russia’s high powered attack in the finals. The Western Michigan commit also serves as the captain for Tri-City and has one of the highest point per game averages among defenders in the USHL. Like Crozier, Attard is a big kid at 6-3”, 200 pounds and that will definitely draw interest from the NHL come June.

“Attard is a physical blue liner but plays aggressive in the offensive zone and often pinches deep. He will also joins the rush, but his mobility is only average. As alluded to, not just a stay-at-home type as he possesses very good vision and passing. Has ideal size and was excellent at the WJAC.” (Steve Kournianos, The Draft Analyst)

Andre Lee. Photos by Hickling Images.

Andre Lee - Forward - Sioux Falls Stampede

Lee is a Swedish born dual citizen who is playing his first season in the USHL after coming over from the Farjestad program. He possesses great size at 6-3” and his 10 goals are among the leaders on Sioux Falls. Lee has a UMass-Lowell commitment for next year and was recently impressive at the USHL Top Prospects game where he helped Team West win 5-3.

“Lee is a big player who skates well. This skating ability is a tremendous asset on the forecheck. He uses his long reach very well and his hustle/energy consistently makes him a nuisance to play against. Not super skilled from an offensive stand point, but his package of size, skating ability, and energy gives him potential as a pro player.” (Ryan Wagman)

NCAA

Adam Scheel - Goaltender - University of North Dakoka

Former US NTDP goaltender who has bounced around since graduating from the program. Played in the BCHL last year where he was a 2nd team All Star for Penticton. This year as a freshmen at North Dakota, he has been one of the best goaltenders in the NCAA. The 6-3” netminder has really turned his game around and he has to be in consideration to be drafted in his third and final time through the draft.

“Scheel was brutal with the NTDP and was a backup in the big games. Big, butterfly style and plays aggressive. He will challenge above the crease and has excellent tracking abilities, but gets beat short side and five hole. However he has quick pads and excellent post-save quickness and recovery. Scheel loses the net sometimes during powerplays but plays his odd-mad rushes and breakaways very well, usually forcing the pass more than the shot because he doesn't give much room.” (Steve Kournianos, The Draft Analyst)

Marc Del Gaizo - Defense - UMass Amherst

Was one of the best defenders in the USHL last year for Muskegon but went undrafted, likely due to the fact that he’s a 5-9” defender. But he just continues to produce, this year as a freshmen at UMass, one of the best teams in the Nation. He’s near the top in scoring among first year defenders, even leading in goal scoring (over the likes of first rounders K’Andre Miller and Jacob Bernard Docker, who are having great seasons themselves). That ability to quarterback the powerplay has transitioned well and he could find himself on the draft radar just as Scott Perunovich was last year.

“Starred for the NJ Rockets previously to playing in the USHL and NCAA. Del Gaizo is good with the puck. Fast, avoids defenders and still holds on to the puck. He makes good, safe clears and excels on the powerplay. He really knows when to rotate and creep in to try and get a goal with a fast release on his wrist shot. He is also accurate passer.” (Russ Cohen)

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 28: Arizona State Sun Devils defenseman Joshua Maniscalco (24) skates with the puck during the college hockey game between the Clarkson Golden Knights and the ASU Sun Devils on December 28, 2018 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire)

Joshua Maniscalco - Defense - Arizona State University

Another defender who is up near the top in defenseman scoring, Maniscalco has been a critical component to Arizona State’s surprise success this year. The 6-1”, 200 pound defender is in his final year of eligibility and will hope to become the third NHL draft pick on the Sun Devils roster.

“An imposing defender with a heavy shot. Strong and mobile with an improving stay-at-home defensive game, the blueliner plays a similar game to former NTDP’er and Rangers’ prospect Ryan Lindgren. Big-time hitter and owns low slot and makes forwards pay for trying to establish position. He is a low-risk puck distributor who will get his points off rebounds of his shot or stretch passes. Maniscalco is a strong PK option and his bomb helps on the PP.” (Steve Kournianos, The Draft Analyst)

NAHL

Zach Stejskal - Goaltender - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

Stejskal is a massive goaltender at 6-4”, 215lbs, but he struggled mightily in the USHL last year with Central Illinois and the former highly touted goaltending prospect ended up going undrafted. He bounced to the NAHL for the 2018-19 year and the move has paid off. He has been one of the best in the league this year, a league that has become a bit of a goaltending factory of late (see the aforementioned Hullebuyck). With a Minnesota-Duluth commitment in his back pocket, he’ll be looking to add an NHL affiliation too.

“Zach Stejskal has a big (6-5”, 212 pounds) frame, so he's able to cover a lot of net. Has a great attitude and is well liked in the locker room. Is capable of dominant performances in games with an NHL style and body type- very high upside. Has really improved upon his consistency and has very excellent mobility in the crease area. Zach is a very athletic goaltender that has great angles and continues to work on controlling pucks, rebounds which he will continue to develop at the college level and beyond. Zach is a hard working very coachable goalie.” (Tom Kowal, Head Coach/GM, Wilkes Barre/Scranton)

*Special thanks to Jiri Vitek, Thomas Roost, Tom Kowal, Steve Kournianos, and the entire McKeen’s scouting team for their contributions to this article.

USHL Playoff Preview: New format, wild results

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 20:21:45 +0000

Looking to add more drama to its postseason, this season is the first in which the USHL has extended the playoffs through the addition of a best-of-three wildcard round, adding two teams to the festivities from each conference. Whereas the league had previously included only the top four from each conference in the playoffs, this year, the fifth and sixth teams received an extra chance as well.

The new setup sees the top two teams from each conference receive a bye week while the third through sixth teams played up to three games in three nights, all at the home arena of the higher ranked squad.

Perhaps in opposition to expectations, the wild card round saw three upsets in its four series. In the Eastern conference, third seed Muskegon fell in three games to sixth seed and defending champions, Chicago, a series capped by a game three overtime winner. Meanwhile, the fifth seed, Dubuque, won the first two games in Green Bay, negating the need for a winner-take-all finale.

In the Western Conference, third seed Fargo eliminated sixth seed Tri-City in short order, winning their two games by a combined score of 8-1. Fourth seed Sioux Falls feel to fifth seed Lincoln in three games. Like with the Muskegon-Chicago series, the home team won the first game, before dropping the next two, with the finale going to overtime.

The Conference semifinals begin tonight (Friday, April 20, 2018) with Youngstown hosting Dubuque, with the other three series beginning tomorrow evening.

Eastern Conference

Team USA (1) vs Chicago Steel (6)

This matchup may not be the mismatch the seeds suggest that it is. During the regular season, Team USA’s league games are effectively split between the USNTDP U17 and U18 squads. This arrangement was great for development, but usually pretty bad for the standings. Since rejoining the USHL in 2009-10, the USNTDP split team has only reached the postseason twice, and not since the 2011—12 season. Of the players who led this team during the regular season. Most of the top contributors will be unavailable for the postseason, as the bulk of the U18 squad, and some of the better U17 players, are currently in Russia representing flag and country at the World Under 18 Championships.

The leftover players are still very talented on the whole, but lacking in high impact. The players most likely to push the USNTDP onward are 2019 draft prospects Ryder Rolston, Matthew Boldy, and Trevor Zegras up front, and Henry Thrun from the blueline. All three forwards were point per game players in the regular season and are potential high end prospects for next year.

Jack Dugan, photo by Hickling Images.

The Steel are led by one of the top drafted prospects in the league in Jack Dugan, a Vegas pick and one of the best non USNTDP draft prospects for this year in Blake McLaughlin. The two made up two-thirds of a great top line over the first half of the season, but were split up around mid-season after a coach firing reminiscent of what took place in Flint of the OHL last year. They also have a very promising 2019 prospect of their own in Robert Mastrosimone. Steel games have been high event games this year. Only the USNTDP has scored more and no other playoff team (including the ousted wild-card entrants) have surrendered more. That said, if they stick with Finnish import Oskar Autio in net, they have a very good chance of getting to the conference finals.

Blake McLaughlin.

Draft eligible players to watch: For Chicago, pay attention to Blake McLaughlin. After exploding in the first half of the season, his production slowed measurably in the second half, but he scored twice in the wild card round. He is a dark horse pick in the late first round or early second round. For the US squad, Erik Middendorf is one of a select few who were not taken to Russia for the WU18 tournament. He is a decent two-way player who can skate. The Colorado College commit could be taken in the seventh round if he shows some offensive punch here.

Prediction: As they played Autio throughout the wild card round, I expect the status quo to remain for the best of five here. Chicago in five.

Youngstown Phantoms (2) vs Dubuque Fighting Saints (5)

Representing Exhibit A in why the Western Conference was the stronger one this year, both combatants here surrendered more goals than they scored this year, not something you would expect from a playoff team, much less the second seed from the East. Both teams have veteran rosters, with Dubuque bringing more size, although Youngstown plays a rougher game. The Phantoms somewhat make up for the time they spend in the penalty box by having a fairly strong penalty kill. Dubuque has been much more mediocre when it comes to special teams this year.

Alex Steeves

The Fighting Saints could have been much stronger this year, as their rosters includes three players drafted by NHL teams in Casey Staum (Mtl), Cole Guttman (TB) and Santeri Virtanen (Wpg). Unfortunately, injuries have meant that Dubuque has spent the majority of the season without any of the three and are not expected to have those players now either. Their offensive attack will be spearheaded by forwards Quinn Preston and Alex Steeves, the latter of whom is draft eligible. Joshua Maniscalco, a former USNTDP member, has been very productive from the blueline as well. Their goaltending looks to be a weakspot, despite Cole Weaver’s great work in shutting down Green Bay in the Wild Card round.

The Phantoms have more offensive weapons at their disposal, including Matthew Berry, Chase Gresock, and Michael Regush. They lack much offensive punch from their defensive corps, although midseason acquisition Michael Callahan has provided solid puck movement. The teams’ biggest strength, however comes from their stoppers. They likely expected to have Chicago draft pick Wouter Peeters claim the starters job this year – and he has been pretty good - but Russian import Ivan Prosvetov has been even better. No matter which netminder they choose for the playoffs, they will have a clear edge over Dubuque in the crease.

Curtis Hall. Photo by Hickling Images/courtesy of the USHL.

Draft eligible players to watch: From Dubuque, it can only be Alexander Steeves. The Notre Dame commit has a big engine and real offensive juice. The team’s leading scorer (seventh league-wide) always wants the puck on his stick and knows what to do when he gets it. From Youngstown, the pre-season pick would have been Curtis Hall, but he has shown that his lack of puck skill severely limits his upside. My personal favorite here is the goalie Prosvetov, who can absolutely dominate at his best. But he may not get the nod as Peeters is also very good. So I will pick Michael Callahan. He is not an exciting prospect, but the Providence commit does a lot of things quietly well.

Prediction: Youngstown in four. Between the top notch goaltending and the more diverse offensive attack, they will be tough to beat, especially under the assumption that Dubuque continues to play shorthanded.

Western Conference

Waterloo Black Hawks (1) vs Lincoln Stars (5)

The Waterloo-Lincoln series should be closer than the two teams’ relative place in the USHL standings would suggest. They both scored a hair under 200 goals on the season, although Waterloo has a team-level GAA of around 0.25 better. A factor that should play a role here is special teams play. Both teams are strong on the penalty kill, with Lincoln’s 84.7% kill rate coming second in the USHL. Waterloo, at 83.8% was not far behind. On the power play, however, the Black Hawks more than make up for the shortcoming when down a man. They had the league’s second best man advantage, scoring 23.6% of the time. Lincoln could only convert on 15.6% of their power plays.

That Waterloo power play was a result of some strong offensive talent. Draft eligible Jack Drury is by far the league’s top power play producer with 12 goals and 22 assists coming on the man advantage. The team captain sees the ice well and knows how to take advantage of the extra space a power play brings. Speedy Ben Copeland, veteran Jackson Cates and midseason addition Benjamin Finkelstein (Fla) make them hard to stop.

The goalie battle is also strong here. Both teams feature drafted goalies, on the roster with Matej Tomek (Phi) playing for Waterloo and Tomas Vomacka (Nsh) for Lincoln, but there is no guarantee that either of the latter get the nod. In the wild-card round, the Stars went with normal backup Derek Schaedig, after a rough outing in game one by Vomacka. The Black Hawks also have Jared Moe, one of the better draft eligible goalies in the league pushing Tomek for playing time.

Paul Cotter

Draft Eligible Players to Watch: From Waterloo, pay attention to Drury. His offensive output has been fantastic and has the requisite hockey IQ expected from a legacy player (Son of Ted Drury) and Harvard commit. The question hanging over his prospect value is whether he can produce enough at even strength. From Lincoln, keep an eye on Paul Cotter, who scored the overtime winner in game 3 of the wild card round. He is a good skater with a nice shot and outstanding questions about his upside.

Prediction: Waterloo in four. Lincoln is the most penalized team in the league, with a gap of 129 minutes between them and the runners-up. That will really hurt them as the Black Hawks can take advantage, and will take advantage, over and over again, presuming Lincoln continues to play their brand of hockey.

Omaha Lancers (2) vs Fargo Force (3)

This series promises to be the exact inverse of the above-discussed matchup of Team USA and the Chicago Steel. While the other series should be full of end-to-end rushes, and blaring goal sirens, Omaha vs Fargo is a matchup of the two stingiest teams in the league. Fargo surrendered 133 goals on the season, while Omaha allowed only 143. Both teams enter hot, with Fargo having won five in a row and nine of ten, while Omaha is riding an eight game winning streak.

The goaltending on both sides is stellar. The expected starter for Omaha, Zach Driscoll, finished second in the league with a .934 save percentage. Fargo’s Strauss Mann came in third, at .932. Should, for any reason, either team need to turn to its backup, Fargo’s Ryan Bischel came in fifth in save percentage and Omaha’s Vincent Purpura finished eighth. Omaha’s offensive attack is led by undersized Czech veteran Filip Suchy, who came in second in league scoring with 69 points. Noah Cates (Phi) and Cole Gallant also both finished with over 50 points. Cates, in particular, is a talented player of the puck. Fargo only had one 50 point scoring in Grant Hebert, but Danish import Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup would have also reached that plateau were it not for time missed for the WJC and a subsequent injury. Fargo also has a number of defensemen who can contribute to the attack, including Ty Farmer, Spencer Meir, and Robbie Stucker (Clb).

Both teams are good on the PK, sharing identical 83.5% kill rate. On the power play, we see some separation. Omaha was very good this year, scoring on 19% of their man up opportunities. Fargo, on the other hand, put everyone to shame, with a USHL high 24.5% power play success rate. Neither team is overly penalty prone, though, so this element may be diminished in significance during this series.

Draft Eligible Players to Watch: Fargo has an older roster on the whole, without any first time eligible players of note. That said, 20 year old Danish winger Schmidt-Svejstrup turned a lot of heads with his goal scoring exploits at the beginning of the season. He lacks pace and likes to fly the zone early, but he knows how to get himself into scoring position. He finished the season with 26 goals in 40 games. On Omaha, Ryan Savage had the most pre-season hype, but has been largely disappointing. Defenseman Travis Mitchell plays a muscular, disruptive style on the blueline, and could be a late round pick, but the real player to watch is left winger Jack Randl. The Michigan commit has promising offensive touch and will be relied upon in the second wave of attack for the Lancers.

Prediction: This is the closest matchup of the round. Omaha wins in five, thanks to better offensive depth. Lots of close, one goal (or two, with the latter being an empty netter) decisions.

Should the first round proper prediction play out, the Conference finals will pit Waterloo against Omaha in the West and Youngstown against Chicago in the East. In that scenario, I see Omaha shutting down Waterloo and Youngstown outscoring Chicago to set up a Clark Cup matchup between Omaha and Youngstown. In this battle of second seeds, Omaha proves the old adage that “defense wins championships” and brings home their eighth Clark Cup championship, and their first since 2007-08.

Joshua Maniscalco – McKeen's Hockey

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Pittsburgh Penguins Top 20 Prospects

Samuel Poulin, RW (21^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D (Trade: Jun. 29, 2019. Originally: 23^rd overall, 2017 (Arizona). Previous ranking: 2)

Joel Blomqvist, G (52^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Anthony Angello, C (145^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 3)

Valtteri Puustinen, RW/LW (203^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Jonathan Gruden, RW (95^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 18)

Nathan Legare, RW (74^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Jordan Bellerive, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 16, 2017. Previous ranking: 6)

Will Reilly, D (217^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

Kasper Bjorkqvist, RW (61^st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 8)

Santeri Airola, D (211^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 9)

Drew O’Connor, LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 10, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Chase Yoder, C (170^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Sam Miletic, LW/C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 25, 2017. Previous ranking: 11)

Cam Lee, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 17, 2020. Previous ranking: 12)

Judd Caulfield, RW (145^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 13)

Clayton Phillips, D (93^rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 14)

Jesper Lindgren, D (Trade: Aug. 25, 2020. Originally: 95^th overall, 2015 [Toronto]. Previous ranking: 15)

Calle Clang, G (77^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Joshua Maniscalco, D (UFA: Aug. 21, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Second Chances Part Two: Promising U.S. based prospects re-entering the 2019 NHL Draft

USHL Playoff Preview: New format, wild results

Joshua Maniscalco – McKeen's Hockey

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Pittsburgh Penguins Top 20 Prospects

Samuel Poulin, RW (21st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D (Trade: Jun. 29, 2019. Originally: 23rd overall, 2017 (Arizona). Previous ranking: 2)

Joel Blomqvist, G (52nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Anthony Angello, C (145th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 3)

Valtteri Puustinen, RW/LW (203rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Jonathan Gruden, RW (95th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 18)

Nathan Legare, RW (74th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Jordan Bellerive, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 16, 2017. Previous ranking: 6)

Will Reilly, D (217th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

Kasper Bjorkqvist, RW (61st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 8)

Santeri Airola, D (211th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 9)

Drew O’Connor, LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 10, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Chase Yoder, C (170th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Sam Miletic, LW/C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 25, 2017. Previous ranking: 11)

Cam Lee, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 17, 2020. Previous ranking: 12)

Judd Caulfield, RW (145th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 13)

Clayton Phillips, D (93rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 14)

Jesper Lindgren, D (Trade: Aug. 25, 2020. Originally: 95th overall, 2015 [Toronto]. Previous ranking: 15)

Calle Clang, G (77th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Joshua Maniscalco, D (UFA: Aug. 21, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Second Chances Part Two: Promising U.S. based prospects re-entering the 2019 NHL Draft

USHL Playoff Preview: New format, wild results

Samuel Poulin, RW (21^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D (Trade: Jun. 29, 2019. Originally: 23^rd overall, 2017 (Arizona). Previous ranking: 2)

Joel Blomqvist, G (52^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Anthony Angello, C (145^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 3)

Valtteri Puustinen, RW/LW (203^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Jonathan Gruden, RW (95^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 18)

Nathan Legare, RW (74^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 5)

Will Reilly, D (217^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

Kasper Bjorkqvist, RW (61^st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 8)

Santeri Airola, D (211^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 9)

Chase Yoder, C (170^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Judd Caulfield, RW (145^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 13)

Clayton Phillips, D (93^rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 14)

Jesper Lindgren, D (Trade: Aug. 25, 2020. Originally: 95^th overall, 2015 [Toronto]. Previous ranking: 15)

Calle Clang, G (77^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)