Linus Nassen – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: 2023 European free agent frenzy – 25 players you may see in the NHL or AHL next season

Chapin Landvogt — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 19:07:58 +0000

2023 European free agent frenzy

It happens every year. The springtime rolls around and the time period between the various European league playoffs and the ensuing men’s World Championship sees a good handful or more of usually mid-20s European free agents added to the deck by NHL teams, sometimes even getting 2-year deals in the process. This year should be no different. However, no-one should be expecting an Andrey Kuzmenko to result from this year’s crop. The prize gem of last spring’s group, Kuzmenko has become an instant contributor to the Canucks attack and is currenting steering his way towards a 40-goal season.

Scoring hasn’t really been the name of the game for most of Europe’s top leagues this year and even those who have been impressively notable, most particularly forwards Dmitri Jaskin and Antti Suomela - each having been the regular season top scorers for the KHL and SHL respectively - had just returned back to Europe after having been in North America for no less than this past season. Nonetheless, there are players who have moved into the spotlight and are looking like viable depth options for NHL clubs. Below are a number of names you should keep an eye on over the next few months.

You can bet your bottom dollar that several will be found in NHL or AHL rinks next winter.

Get ‘em while they’re hot

Växjö's Hardy Häman Aktell celebrates after 1-0 during quarter-final three in the SHL between Växjö and Luleå on March 20, 2023 in Växjö.
Photo: Jonas Ljungdahl / BILDBYRÅN /

Hardy Haman Aktell (SWE) - D - 24 - 6’4”, 196 lbs. - SHL

A 2016 4th rounder of the Nashville Predators, we can’t see any situation in which Haman Aktell goes unsigned by an NHL team this spring unless he simply wishes to play elsewhere. For those who have followed his evolution the past 4+ seasons, the lanky defender brings everything you’d want from a player you’d look to sign with the goal of having him step right into your line-up in a lower line capacity next season. His NHL upside is, well, uh, the sky's the limit. He has shown the ability to do a bit of everything in all three zones and it’s thoroughly legitimate to think he could be logging big minutes within a few seasons of his NHL debut. This season has been his big arrival in the SHL after incremental growth into a stud defenseman for one of Europe’s top leagues. His size and mobility are top-flight and now he’s added PP quarterback to the resume. After a 36-point, +23 regular season (51 games), he’s clipping at a PPG in three playoff games thus far. Look for him in an NHL rink next season, although some AHL seasoning may be the course of preference for the team signing him. Maybe.

Samuel Johanesson (SWE) - D - 22 - 5’11”, 176 lbs. - SHL

Drafted by Columbus as an overager in 2020, Johanesson has already hit free agency and has decided to burst onto the scene in a point-producing capacity to coincide with this newfound status. Lost a bit in the numbers game for Rogle two straight seasons after a promising draft year, it was thoroughly understandable that Columbus had little incentive to sign him. Now the righty shot has put up 35 points in 55 games thus far, effectively blowing any prior showings out of the water. The confidence he’s shown in being a two-way defensive asset has us feeling like now would be just the right time to introduce him to the challenges of the AHL to see just what his future holds. It’s not inconceivable that if everything goes right, he’s just a few years away from being a poor man’s Klingberg.

Valtteri Pulli (FIN) - D - 22 - 6’6”, 225 lbs. - Liiga

The only non-Swede in this section of the European UFA list, Pulli is a surefire signing this spring. He’ll get his shot in North America via the AHL and remains a project, one that offers a world of size and some pretty good wheels for a man in such a body. You’d want him to be a physical force, but he brings an all-round game and likes to engage himself in the offensive zone. His 18 points in 56 games have been just fine for a player getting in his first full season of pro hockey and someone has thankfully let him know that a pokecheck can be highly effective when you’ve got that size. He may prove moot having him on this list by publishing as his signing with the San Jose Sharks seems all but official just now.

Oskar Stal Lyrenas - RW - 24 - 6’1”, 185 lbs. - SHL

Oskar’s name may be the most unique, but certainly not the sexiest name on this list. Nonetheless, for those watching, there have been too many moments this season where the game just seemed to evolve around Stal Lyrenas and his creativity. In the midst of his second full season of SHL hockey after years of plodding development in the HockeyAllsvenskan, Stal Lyrenas has popped in 15 goals and 33 points in 52 total SHL games in a primarily second line role. Again, his hockey sense and the means by which play seems to gravitate around him while he’s on the ice is what has him sought after right now despite the somewhat average production. Normally, we’d say teams would like to wait it out another season to see if he can top things off with an even bigger 23-24, but those following closely must know that he needs to be grabbed now before the cat’s out of the bag.

The usual suspects

Rickard Hugg (SWE) - LW/RW - 24 - 5’10”, 190 lbs. - SHL

Even when he was putting up 73 points for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL in 18-19, it didn’t feel like Hugg was going to be an NHL option any time soon. There were just too many detractions with regard to his skating, awareness, and wherewithal. Fast forward to this season, where he’s wrapping up his second straight season of 40+ points with a top SHL club, and we’re seeing a young man who is forcing himself into the conversation. There’s a lot of drive to the net in Hugg and his presence on the ice is constantly creating more space for his teammates, for whom he’s got a good eye. And that can go a long way on the smaller ice surfaces around North America. But is he ready to give up a nice gig in a top European league to give it another shot overseas, one that would surely begin in the AHL? He’s got a number of current teammates who spent time in the AHL only to return to the shinier lights of the SHL…

Patrik Karlqvist (SWE) - RW - 30 - 6’1”, 216 lbs. - SHL

A long time high-scoring minor leaguer in Sweden, Karlqvist made waves last season by putting up 52 points in 49 games in his first ever SHL season. He wavered a bit in the playoffs with just 3 points in 10 games, but his team was the underdog hit of the postseason. Now he’s topped that output last season with 61 points in 52 games this season. Oh, and a tough first round out in the pre-playoffs nonetheless saw him add 5 goals and 6 points in 3 games. There’s nowhere left to go but up for Karlqvist, who’s keen sense of timing and magnificent shot make him a constant threat in what is traditionally a rather low-scoring league. He’s older now, so it’s unlikely anything happens, but this guy can simply score. He’s got a Andreychuk presence around the net with a Hoffmann-style shot from the face-off circles.

Konstantin Okulov (RUS) - RW - 28 - 6’0”, 181 lbs. - KHL

The tricky winger has been on the map for several years now and has been big come playoff time in 3 of the last 4 seasons, currently chipping in 7 assists in 9 games in this postseason to boot. In fact, he’s now coming off his best ever regular season with career highs of 36 assists and 54 points. There’s a clever hockey player here who knows how to generate offense. Is this the year he comes over and tests his mitts in North America? He’s arguably as NHL-ready as any established pro outside of North America.

Jiri Smejkal (CZE) - LW/RW - 26 - 6’4”, 223 lbs. - SHL

The aforementioned Karlqvist’s winger, Smejkal is coming off a fantastic debut in the Swedish SHL. His size and nose for the net (24 goals in 52 games) allowed him to have a bull-in-the-China-shop impact this season. His game includes some bang, but also a refreshing amount of skill. We thought he’d be a hot topic for an NHL team last season after his 25-goal, 45-point outburst in 44 Liiga games, and now he’s only reinforced that impression with his practically repeat performance in the stronger SHL. Also, you’ve got to think that if a Radim Zohorna keeps getting an NHL contract, then Smejkal’s has got to be right around the corner.

Adam Tambellini (CAN) - C/RW - 28 - 6’4”, 195 lbs. - SHL

Son to Steve, brother to Jeff, we wrote about Tambellini’s SHL exploits last year at this time. With Rogle having gone through a tough season this year after being heaped with expectations in the pre-season, Tambellini has continued to be steady and was a key figure in righting the ship just in time for the playoffs. His 23 goals and 49 points in 55 games has been instrumental for a club that features as much impact youth as any on the continent and Tambellini continues to display a strong use of his size and a terrific shot, which is deadly on the power play. He’s getting up there in age, so it’s looking like it’s now or never for another shot at the NHL - or the choice to continue a comfortable life as an impact player in Europe.

Off the beaten path

Isac Brannstrom (SWE) - LW/RW - 24 - 5’10”, 176 lbs. - SHL

The older brother to Ottawa Senators prospect Erik Brannstrom, Isac has been plugging away in the SHL for six seasons now, seeing his production increase every year (2 points, 10, 18, 22, 24, 29) while buzzing all around the ice and becoming a truly effective defensive zone catalyst for an always competitive Lulea. Many of his points are of the highlight reel variety, showing off creative hands and timely bursts of speed. A year or two of AHL seasoning and a team should have a reliable two-way forward for the bottom six. Will Brannstrom be up to giving it a shot?

Grigori Dronov (RUS) - D - 25 - 6’3”, 201 lbs. - KHL

After seven years of KHL hockey, with much of last season being lost to injury, Dronov is at that point in his development where a team would have every reason to believe they’d be adding a Zub/Zaitsev/Lyubushkin type of player to their line-up. In the midst of his best season ever (10 goals, 23 points in 50 games), he’s also been a cog in his team’s current playoff run, which has been surprisingly successful in knocking out Avtomobilist in a 7-game first round bout. An all-rounder with a fine first pass, his possible impact in North America simply won’t be known until he comes over. He does appear to have the goods to be a bottom three defenseman at the NHL level.

Waltteri Merela (FIN) - F - 24 - 6’2”, 196 lbs. - Liiga

Never drafted and never having played outside of Finland, Merela made a bit of a name for himself last season in Finland after transferring to Tappara, with whom he accumulated 22 goals, 52 points, and a +38 rating over 72 total games. It was a hard ask for him to keep up at that pace, but he did chip in 33 points in 41 games this season while looking like a more finely developed pro. Expect there to be some interest as one of the more raw, but sturdy players on the market. And he’s very happy being a goalmouth presence, hanging around the net and keeping things active in the slot, which is never a bad thing.

Marcus Sylvegard (SWE) - RW/LW - 23 - 6’0”, 190 lbs. - SHL

Thickly built and from one of Sweden’s more colorful hockey families, Sylvegard has exploded this season playing with former NHLer Carl Soderberg. With 18 goals and 45 points in 55 games to date, the righty shot has become a power play weapon and real buzzsaw around the net. Always playing with a chip on his shoulder, there’s plenty of feistiness to go around, but he’s no world beater in the skating department. We’d love to see how his game looks in an AHL rink and think his jump in production is indicative of what’s to come moving forward.

Time for another look

David Bernhardt (SWE) - D - 25 - 6’4”, 209 lbs. - HockeyAllsvenskan

A former Philadelphia Flyers draft pick, Bernhardt was never signed and never otherwise played in North America. Despite some force-feeding into the SHL with a nice season along the way (14 points in 53 games as a 20-year-old), the well-built defender decided to spend the better part of two seasons in Liiga action, where he never popped. Looking for a new lease on life, he joined MoDo of the HockeyAllsvenskan last season and enjoyed immediate success as the team’s PP blueliner, topping a 14-goal, 44-point regular season with another 12 points in 13 postseason games. There has been no step back this year with Bernhardt upping the ante to the tune of 19 goals, 51 points, and a +26 rating in 52 regular season games, placing him 5th overall in league scoring. This young man is as ready for AHL action as an overlooked college player who then explodes in the ECHL. The size and skillset are there. The right coaching could be the decisive difference on a path to the NHL. Or he’ll be suiting up for an SHL club next season.

Dominik Lakatos (CZE) - F - 25 - 5’11”, 179 lbs. - Czech Extraliga

A 2017 6th rounder of the New York Rangers, it’s been a long time since Lakatos was a nice little plugger for his nation’s WJC squad at the 2016 event. He’s now spent the absolute bulk of his career in the Czech Republic, having come up in the powerhouse program of Liberec. With the exception of a 15-game outlier in Finland, Lakatos has been true to his native country and has developed into one of the few top scorers in the top league under 30 years of age. Already a free agent to be had as a 44- and then 39-point scorer for Vitkovice the past few years, he’s put his stamp on the league with a 47-point, +20 campaign this year, taking place in 51 games. Word is, he’s got a strong shot at being part of the upcoming Worlds and if the NHL doesn’t come knocking with a likely 2-way contract, then his next stop may be in Sweden or Switzerland.

Linus Nassen (SWE) - D - 24 - 6’0”, 183 lbs. - Liiga

We’ve always liked the Swedish defender’s mobility. His passing game has never really been in question, especially when breaking out of his zone. His two seasons of WHL play were fine, but he didn’t necessarily leave an impression that screamed “future NHLer”. Now several years of lower line layman work in the SHL have been followed by two strong seasons of Liiga action, even if this season’s workload led to a drop in stats for a struggling club. Most importantly, Nassen has turned into a pro player who can manage a defensive unit and constantly set his forwards in motion with a strong transitional game. This would seem the right time for Nassen to be given a shot at the AHL level with his sights set on a Sebastian Aho (the Swedish one) type of role in the NHL down the line.

Sami Niku (FIN) - D - 26 - 6’1”, 196 lbs. - Liiga

It feels a bit weird mentioning this player who spent the past five seasons being on the cusp of the NHL, getting into 67 games of action along the way. A two-way defenseman who can be quite the all-rounder on his good days, Niku even had 6 assists for Montreal in 13 games as late as last season. As such, it should come as no surprise that he excelled with 9 goals and 42 points in 54 games of Liiga action this year. He’s also a top candidate for Finland at the upcoming Worlds. If he were in a situation like Haman Aktell, we’d have no doubt that he’d probably have a good handful of suitors at this point. Clearly though, Niku isn’t heading back to North America without a guarantee of an NHL role next season.

Michael Spacek (CZE) - 25 - C/RW - 5’11”, 187 lbs. - Swiss NL

Also, a former Winnipeg Jets draft pick, Spacek spent several years in the WHL and then plugged away for three seasons in the AHL, never getting an NHL shot. He returned to Europe in the 20-21 season and has done nothing but make noise for whichever team he’s played for. With 50 points in 57 games last season for Frolunda of the SHL, he was one of the top scorers in the league. He’s just kept trucking with another 50 points in 50 games for Ambri-Piotta this season. In addition, he’s been a contributing mainstay on the Czech national team since returning to Europe, so one has to wonder what it’s going to take for Spacek to see NHL ice at some point.

Hidden gems?

Vladimir Alistrov (BLR) - LW - 22 - 6’3”, 190 lbs. - KHL

A former WHLer who went undrafted, Alistrov headed back to Belarus after his 2-season Canadian junior career and has been brought along slowly by his home country Dinamo Minsk of the KHL. This past season marked the first in which he was given a top 9 role up front and he responded in kind with 15 goals and 33 points in 73 total games. Big, sturdy, fully in tune with the North American style of play, Alistrov is starting to bloom. And that’s what teams look for after scouting kids who they decided not to spend a draft pick on at an earlier stage. One need look no further than his former teammate Ilya Usov who was signed by Tampa Bay last spring.

Oscar Flynn (CZE) - F - 23 - 5’9”, 160 lbs. - Czech Extraliga

Before, Flynn stood out in the Czech Republic due to his English name and miniature size on the ice. Nowadays he’s standing out due to his play and the unexpected points he’s been putting up. Shifty and creative, Flynn loves firing off one-timers or creating spaces to thread the needle. He’s also quite the feisty player and regularly lets emotion be a guiding trait in his game. The combination of sound to impressive skating, his willingness to shoot, and both the gumption and agility to negate any size issues should have him on the map for a few clubs looking for offense anywhere they can get it. His 24 goals, 42 points, and +11 in 58 games are career highs, but he’s been playing pro hockey for the better part of six seasons now.

Leon Huttl (GER) - D - 22 - 6’0”, 176 lbs. - DEL

Having gotten his first sniff of pro hockey at the age of 16, Huttl has taken steps each and every season since. Now the righty shot has advanced to being a top pairing defenseman on the DEL’s 2nd best team. In only his second full DEL season, Huttl has astounded hockey Germany with a master class in shutdown ability while having more than doubled his offensive contributions from the season prior, where he already suited up for the national team in various tournaments. He’s currently boasting 6 goals, 26 points, and a +27 rating in 57 total games and hardly a soul in expert circles can imagine anything other than his participation at the upcoming Worlds. Especially exciting is that he’s simply looking a good step ahead of the competition in reading plays, anticipating opponent decisions, and sniffing out opposition opportunities - and that in a league filled with former NHLers and AHLers. The word is out, so we wouldn’t be surprised in the least to see a team add him by the conclusion of the World Championship.

Adam Najman (CZE) - F - 22 - 5’11”, 185 lbs. - Czech Extraliga

Najman is an interesting case, because he’s one of these players who we’ve seen at the U18 Worlds and WJC, yet hasn’t been much more than a role player despite having always played up a level as a junior player and gone through the strong Liberec hockey factory. Now he’s spent time in the minors and was given a lower line role in the top league for several years, and suddenly it’s all gone click this winter. The author of 11 goals, 41 points, and a +18 rating over 56 games thus far this season, Najman has partnered up with the aforementioned Flynn to be one of the youngest dynamic duos on the continent. Of average size, he does have an older brother in the league who is 6’2” and 216 lbs., so it certainly looks like there’s room for additional muscle on his current frame. But rarely do you see a player just past draft eligibility break out in this concrete a manner. We’ve certainly seen players of this nature brought over to see if a few seasons of AHL time can’t push them into NHL contention.

Wojciech Stachowiak (GER) - LW - 23 - 6’1”, 187 lbs. - DEL

A little bit of USHL play once led to a spot at Michigan State, but it was clear by his sophomore year that he was ultimately going to need another path to pro prominence. He quickly joined Ingolstadt of the DEL, for which he’s been a decent lower line role player for the past few seasons. And then 23-24 happened. Stachowiak was given a bigger role in light of injuries and hasn’t looked back, not only becoming a key contributor up front (16 goals and 35 points in 59 games thus far), but a trusted all-round presence for Ingolstadt, which finished second overall in the regular season. Crafty, intelligent, and displaying surprisingly soft hands, Stachowiak has promptly entered consideration for Team Germany at the upcoming Worlds. He’s been one of the most impressive arrival stories in a DEL season full of arrival stories.

Jakob Stenqvist (SWE) - D - 25 - 6’2”, 179 lbs. - SHL

You often wonder how players slip through the cracks of the talent watch, but they do and plenty of clubs around in Europe and the KHL are watching closely every year to grab such players. Stenqvist is currently completing his 7th season of pro hockey and the righty shooting Stenqvist has steadily gone from impact player in the HockeyAllsvenskan to impact player in Liiga to impact player in the KHL, and is now impacting the SHL as well to the tune of 25 points in 52 games. In fact, if it weren’t for socio-political reasons, he’d still be in the KHL, where he impressed with 24 points in 38 total games last season. A fluid player known for implementing an intelligent game, he gets involved and moves the puck with the hands of a playmaking forward. All the while, he’s very active in his own zone, particularly in pinning opponents to the boards or freeing up pucks for a quick transition. He’s certainly a finished product at this point, so it’d be interesting to see what a sojourn to North America would mean for his future.

Filip Varejcka (GER) - 22 - 6’0”, 190 lbs. - DEL

Imagine being one of many promising offensive products coming out of the Red Bull Juniors program, being a top scorer at a lower level U18 worlds, then being brought along slowly but surely by your nation’s top DEL club, only to find yourself on the top line come playoff time. Such has been the path of a one Mr. Filip Varejcka, who is doing all this despite heavy competition from drafted teammates such as Julian Lutz and Justin Schutz. Now, he’s definitely been a role player for the better part of the regular season for several seasons now, but he’s come around as a power forward who combines strong offensive smarts with sound defensive play and a good chunk of physicality, gaining a reputation as a take-no-prisoners combatant. His 12 points in 40 regular season games are but whiff when compared to his 5 points in 3 postseason contests thus far. The scouting community follows the teams funded by the Red Bull concern closely and Munich is coming off one of the most dominating regular season performances in league history. They know who Varejcka is, even if you may be seeing his name right here for the first time.

SIDENOTE:

Above and beyond the players listed above, both the Swiss NL and KHL are chock full of former NHLers, NHL draft picks, AHLers, Canadian juniors, and college hockey players, not to mention former European free agent signings of NHL teams that have since returned to Europe. These leagues also employ a large number of established pros who you’ll also see playing for their respective national teams. Many players in both of these leagues were in the NHL in recent years or players on the bubble who were top scorers in the AHL. Naturally, any number of these players could of course still be in the sight lines of NHL teams or maintain the connections that would see them return to a franchise in the coming months.

Florida Panthers 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 11:33:07 +0000

In looking through the Florida system, we were struck by how the system has a clear top three and a second clear tier with the players ranked four through six below. After that, we had around 20 players to choose from and myriad orders which we could have used to line them up.

That, in and of itself, is not that unique. Most teams have a top rung and second rung (sometimes a third) before the muddy middle. When I continued to look at those top Panthers, I further noticed that the top three consisted of the team’s three most recent first rounders. Their next three consisted of the team’s three most recent second rounders. The muddy third tier was from all over the place, including later round picks, undrafted free agents, and players of an older vintage.

It is often said about drafts that a team can win a draft with their late round picks, but an early round bust can definitely lose the draft for the team. For all intents and purposes, it seems that the Panthers have not lost any of their recent drafts, but it is equally questionable if they have won them either.

In fact, I would argue that they have not yet won a draft in the Dale Tallon era. The last late round pick to have any appreciable impact on the NHL roster was MacKenzie Weegar, who rose from a seventh round overage flier to a competent #6/7 NHL defender. So kudos to Florida for taking the plunge on Weegar, but they will need a few of those hits to build the organizational depth that they have long needed as they have sought to establish themselves as perennial contenders.

If there is anything that help that aspect it is that a lot of the third tier of prospects in the system are already experienced AHLers. There may not be any top half of roster players among the lot, but netminder Samuel Montembeault (#8) has already spent a few games with the Panthers, and blueliner Riley Stillman (#13) also had a brief cameo.

If the Panthers aim to get back into the postseason, they will also need entry level salary players to fill up the bottom six forward group and the bottom defensive pairing. That might mean more time in the show for Stillman, or for fellow blueliner Thomas Schemitsch (#10), or perhaps one of Jonathan Ang (#11) or Cliff Pu (#16) take a big step forward in their respective second pro seasons. A more likely player to make the jump would be one of Dryden Hunt (#7) or Rodrigo Abols (#18), both of whom were free agent signings. Hunt was a high scoring WHLer who signed directly out of junior hockey three years ago, while Abols signed this offseason as a free agent out of Sweden.

The Panthers have made plenty of big waves this offseason with the hiring of new head coach Joel Quenneville and free agent signings headlined by star netminder Sergei Bobrovsky (which makes it odd that three of their top 20, including their recent first round pick are netminders), defender Anton Stralman and winger Brett Connolly, with no shortage of others to back them up. But this is the NHL and the NHL is a cap league and without viable players on cheap salaries, the aforementioned free agents will be left without the support needed to win consistently.

-Ryan Wagman

Florida Panthers right wing Owen Tippett (74) (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

1 Grigori Denisenko, LW (15^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 3) Denisenko had a stellar performance at the latest WJC, leading the whole tournament with nine points – tied with his potentially future teammate Aleksi Heponiemi. The former first-round pick is a very gifted player with excellent skating and smooth hands – qualities that allow him to control the play in the offensive zone. He also has an excellent, hard shot and overall excellent puck skills. He is very dangerous in open ice as he can either pass the puck or bury the chances with his great nose for the net. He is not a physical player nor is his defensive game his forte, thus he is strictly a top six player and his success will mostly depend on how he develops his game in the offensive zone. He already said that he intends to move to NHL at the end of the coming season, but all things considered, it may be better for him to postpone his plans for a further year or two. - ASR

2 Owen Tippett, LW/RW (10^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 2) Once considered a relatively one dimensional goal scoring winger, Tippett has done a good job of rounding out his game in the OHL the last few seasons. While his ability to put the puck in the net will be his ticket to an NHL career, he has improved his play away from the puck and his patience with it to become a player who can make an impact even when he is not scoring. With good size and skating ability, Tippett is at his best when he is attacking North/South, hunting for opportunities to unleash his terrific wrist shot. He can have a tendency to float in the offensive zone and needs to be more willing to attack between the dots. He will look to show off a better two way game in hopes of cracking Florida’s roster this year. Long term, he has the skill set to be a top six, goal scoring winger and powerplay threat. - BO

3 Spencer Knight, G (13^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) As a general rule, I am opposed to using first round picks on netminders. The bust rate is simply too high and the development timeline is simply too long. In judging the strength of Knight as a prospect, we should note that we are not considering the Panthers’ decision to lock up free agent goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a big money, seven year contract around one week after using their first rounder on Knight. By any measurement, Knight has been an elite goalie for his age group. He is a phenomenal athlete, plays a mature, refined technical game, and delights in playing the puck up the boards. His play seems to pick up a notch when the action is toughest although he can slack when getting ready for a shot off a zone entry, and he has never carried a full starting netminder’s workload. He has the tools to be a high end NHL starter, but only time will tell if he can reach it. With Bobrovsky in tow, the Panthers will give him plenty of time. - RW

4 Serron Noel, RW/LW (34^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 4) Noel is a unique prospect because of his combination of size, power, and athleticism. He loves to push the pace, using his explosive skating stride to enter the offensive zone and attack the net. He is so strong and as such, he is also difficult to stop when working the cycle. His hands, shot, and vision with the puck all continue to evolve too, making him a potentially dominant force offensively and physically at the OHL level. While his stride possesses a ton of power, he can still struggle with his balance and his cuts. His ability to receive passes at full stride and make moves East/West with the puck on his stick are also areas requiring growth. Noel is a potential future power forward top six winger for the Panthers who should have an excellent final year in the OHL upcoming. No doubt he is a project, but with patience, he could be a very good NHL player. - BO

5 Aleksi Heponiemi, C (40^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 5) Heponiemi had a fantastic season with Karpat in the Liiga an was nominated for the circuit’s Rookie of the Year Award. A nifty stickhandler with excellent vision and offensive awareness, he is a natural playmaker who can finish, too. His shot has improved quite a bit, he has the ability to pick his spots and be a dual threat in the final third. While not fast, Heponiemi is highly agile on his skates and can make shifty moves to evade defenders. He needs to start using his size to his advantage more often and become tougher to play against as far as the physical game is concerned. However, I see big offensive potential and game-breaking abilities in Heponiemi’s skill set. If he can adjust his game to the NHL, he could be a first or second line player for the Panthers. - MB

6 Vladislav Kolyachonok, D (52^nd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Kolyachonok is noted first for his mobility, which should be considered well above average. His four way mobility and his explosiveness are major assets both offensively and defensively. The second thing he is noted for is his work ethic, on and off the ice. A mature player, he is committed and focused and should improve upon his weaknesses with time, such as his decision making with the puck. He can currently be baited into turnovers and does not utilize his skating ability well enough to escape forechecks. What Kolyachonok’s offensive ceiling is remains to be seen. A better idea of that should be given this coming season, his second in the OHL. More comfortable and with an improved roster around him, Kolyachonok should emerge as a quality powerplay QB and offensive defender to go with being a staunch defender of his own end. Long term, he profiles as an all situations second pairing defender who can eat up large minutes on the penalty kill. - BO

7 Dryden Hunt, LW (Undrafted free agent, signed Mar. 2, 2016, Last Year: 7) A late bloomer, was passed over in the draft twice, even though he was well above one point per game in his second go-round. In his overage season in the WHL with Moose Jaw, he absolutely exploded, leading the league in goals and winning the league Player of the Year award, which he capped off by signing an Entry Level deal with the Panthers. Since turning pro, Hunt has improved his relative weakness, his skating, to the point that he is around average. His offensive tools all play up thanks to his well honed instincts and sense of positioning. He has adapted well to the pro game and did not look too out of place in the NHL over as prolonged run last year. There is a new coach in town now, but he should have a chance to fight for a bottom six role. - RW

8 Samuel Montembeault, G (77^thoverall, 2015. Last Year: 9) An agile netminder who has steadily improved his performance in each season since he was drafted, Montembeault has generally been the kind of goalie who looks better than his numbers. That said, he held his own in a challenging circumstance taking over the net for a foundering Panthers squad late last year. He tracks the puck well and exudes a mature sense of calmness in between the pipes, but gives up more second chances than you would like to see in your starter. Once seen as the goalie of the future in Florida, the big money, big dollar signing of Sergei Bobrovsky, coupled with the use of a mid-first round pick on top goalie prospect Knight means that Montembeault will never again have a great opportunity to win an NHL job than he does right now, as Bobrovsky’s backup. - RW

9 Cole Schwindt, C/RW (81^st overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) A rangy pivot, Schwindt is a very committed two-way player who uses his length to be very disruptive in the neutral zone and in the defensive end. This makes him a very effective penalty killer. With a wide skating base, Schwindt also can be difficult to separate from the puck below the hash marks as he puts defenders on his back. He was a point per game player down the stretch following the trades of Owen Tippett and Ryan McLeod out of Mississauga, but how much offensive upside he possesses is unknown. His overall skating power, his ability to create in transition, and his composure/creativity with the puck all rate out average at this current time. He will still have a few years to improve these areas and will be a focal point of Mississauga’s offense during that time. - BO

10 Thomas Schemitsch, D (88^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 20) Schemitsch has steadily improved his game and his production over the three years of his entry level deal, a period which started with him barely able to get out of the ECHL. He is a big man who moves around relatively well for his size. He also packs a big shot from the point. Where his growth has been most notable has been in his ability to read the game, as he now shows commendable awareness in all three zones, allowing to use space to his advantage with frequency. Despite his size advantage he is not an overly physical defender and he could still stand to play a more consistent game. The Panthers believe in him enough to keep him around, but it is up to Schemitsch to take that next step and force his way onto the NHL roster, where he could provide value on the third pairing. - RW

11 Jonathan Ang, C (94^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 6) A brilliant skater, Ang’s hands are almost as quick as his legs. The question he has always been asked about is his offensive ceiling. For as much as his speed allows hi to be one step ahead of the play and very difficult to contain, his numbers have never really stood out. He finally surpassed the point-per-game mark in his final season in junior, but not by a whole lot. His first taste of professional hockey was a return to that sense of frustration. He flashes the tools that got him drafted, but not consistently and he struggles to finish what he starts. Another aspect of his development that Ang needs to work on is his overall physique. He is not tall and he is very lean, which allows him to get outmuscled when he tries to play in tighter spaces. The speed will keep him on the radar as a potential bottom six player, but he has a ways to go to get there. - RW

12 Greg Meireles, C (168^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Meireles used a very strong second half to his OHL season to get drafted in his final year of eligibility. He profiles best as a jack of all trades kind of forward who can be utilized in a variety of different situations. His speed and tenaciousness make him an effective forechecker and penalty killer. His vision and hands make him an effective playmaker who loves to set up shop behind the net and near the half wall, where he can use his strong balance and lower body to keep plays alive and tire out opposing defenses until holes open up. It can often be difficult to predict how the skill sets of these older breakout CHL players translate to the pro level, but as of right now, Meireles does look like someone who could potentially be a 3rd or 4th line forward for Florida within the next couple of years. - BO

13 Riley Stillman, D (114^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 15) Son of longtime NHLer Cory Stillman, Riley’s professional rookie season was somewhat nondescript, although it ended with the young blueliner making his NHL debut. He has roughly average size, but plays a strong, physically imposing game. He has never had much presence in the offensive end – even in the OHL – but he is an accurate and sharp passer. His ultimate ceiling will depend on him proving that he can continue to excel in his own end, against better and better competition. He is the type of player that would have been more valued 10-20 years ago, when defensive defensemen were highly valued. That said, he is in an organization that may be more in line with the old school approach under GM Dale Tallon than many others and he might still have a chance to prove that he is worthy of a regular role on the third pairing by 2020-21. - RW

14 Ryan Bednard, G (206^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 17) Drafted out of the NAHL four years ago, Bednard has seen his game on a steadily upward trajectory since becoming a part of the Florida Panthers’ extended family. After one year with Youngstown of the USH and three seasons at Bowling Green State, the big netminder is turning pro. Big and hard-nosed, Bednard is an impressive athlete for his size, and is capable of filling up the net admirably. His save percentage improved continuously with BGSU, from .882 as a freshman, to .916 as a sophomore and ended up at .927 during his final, junior, year on campus. Unlike the younger Knight above, Bednard still has a few rough parts of his game that need to be ironed out. He needs to make better decisions about when and how to play the puck, while also improve his rebound control. The Florida crease may be crowded, but he should be ready to compete for the backup slot in the NHL within about two seasons. That may also be his ceiling. - RW

15 Santtu Kinnunen, D (207^th overall, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) Kinnunen is an intriguing right-shot defenseman who plays with a lot of poise He has a high-panic threshold and moves the puck really well from the backend. His offensive vision and ability to consistently move the puck into good spots makes him an efficient player. He also makes smart decisions with possession in the offensive zone. He is mobile and has improved his skating, especially his first few strides have become quicker. He uses a good stick to break up plays before moving the puck in transition. He is physically raw an needs to get much stronger. All things considered, Kinnunen was a smart late round gamble for the Panthers in 2018 because his development has clearly been on an upward trajectory over the past few seasons and he has not yet reached his peak. - MB

16 Cliff Pu, RW (69^th overall, 2016 [Buffalo]. Last Year: 14 [Carolina]) It isn’t often that you get a player traded twice before his 21^st birthday, but here we are. Pu moved from Buffalo to Carolina before his professional debut as part of the return for Jeff Skinner. His time in the Carolina system was, to be blunt, rancid and the Hurricanes sent him to Florida at the trade deadline for future considerations. He only appeared in 14 more games on the year, split between the ECHL and the AHL. Despite his debut struggles, Pu is an incredibly quick skater and can be very effective on the rush. What held him back last year was his awareness of game situations, putting himself into unfavorable positions and not being able to capitalize on his natural speed. It is too early to give up on him, but he needs to do better. He could scarcely do much worse. - RW

17 Owen Lindmark, C (137^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) One of the lesser heralded members of the star-studded 2018-19 USNTDP class, Lindmark joined teammate Spencer Knight as a future Florida Panther when the South Florida team made him a fifth round pick. The Oklahoma native played a bottom six role for the most part with the program, earning his spot through forechecking and backchecking heavily and helping out on both special teams’ units. He is a fine skater who also shows some passing touch with the puck, but Lindmark has never given any indication that he should be relied upon one day as an offensive force. Headed to the University of Wisconsin, as part of another much ballyhooed recruiting class, he remains unlikely to get much time in an offensive role, but his safe, smart game, coupled with solid physical tools, should make it easy for him to reach his NHL ceiling, even if that ceiling is only on the fourth line. - RW

18 Rodrigo Abols, C (184^th overall, 2016 [Vancouver]. Last Year: Not ranked [not affiliated]) A big center who combines skills with a powerful style. Abols works hard and is really strong close around the net. He showed early promise in Latvia and had okay production in the CHL which got him drafted as a 20-year-old in 2016. He needed some time to adjust to the SHL but had a strong overall season with 18 goals in 45 games. He scores goals almost exclusively from close range. He plays an intense, energetic game and uses his size and hands to win loose pucks and to capitalize on rebounds. He is helped by his agile skating as well. He doesn’t have the tools to be a top six center in the NHL has enough to be a good scorer on a lower line. Next season, he will play for Springfield in the AHL. - JH

19 Benjamin Finkelstein, D (195^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 18) After flying under the radar for two years at St. Lawrence, Finkelstein took a step back to spend half a season with Waterloo of the USHL, winning the league’s Defenseman of the Year award in a scintillating 23 game performance. He returned to the collegiate ranks last year with Boston College, and performed reasonably well despite missing around half the year to injury. He is an exciting puck mover with some playmaking abilities, but also looks after things in his own zone, despite being significantly undersized. He is especially notable defensively as a shot blocker. He will be returning to campus for his senior season this year, giving Florida officials one last look before they have to decide whether he can be developed as a bottom half of the lineup defender despite his physical shortcomings. - RW

20 Linus Nassen, D (89^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 14) Nassen had his most offensive season to date although his offense isn’t going to be what gets him into the NHL. He is a solid defender who breaks up plays well despite not being over physically. He is very good with his stick and does well defending against the rush. With a goalie that made the first save so frequently in Ottawa draft pick Mad Sogaard, he was highly successful at retrieving the puck and making the first play to initiate a sound breakout. He could be an effective 5/6 who helps keep the puck out of his own net but doesn’t generate a much beyond his own blue line. Nassen’s next steps will be back in Sweden for SHL team Vaxjo.- VG

WHL Playoff Preview (Eastern Conference): Prince Albert dominates but Vancouver hot down the stretch

Kevin Olexson — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 18:12:54 +0000

After another exciting season in the Dub it took one final game to finalize this year’s playoffs. The Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers finish the season tied forcing a one-game playoff, the seventh in WHL history, to move on and play the Victoria Royals.

The Blazers made up a seven-point deficit in the last week and a half of the season, going 5-0-1 to tie Kelowna and earn a home tie-breaker game. They came in riding some momentum and sported a 6-3-1 record against the visiting Rockets this season. The Blazers were led by 16-year-old rookie goaltender Dylan Garand, who put aside 27 out of 28 shots, and forwards Connor Zary, Zane Franklin, Brody Stuart, and Captain Jermaine Loewen to earn their biggest win of the season. Next year’s Memorial Cup hosts have some work to do, as this is only the second time in the Rockets tenure that they have missed the playoffs.

The Prince Albert Raiders were far and away the top team in the Dub this year finishing with a 54-10-2-2 record for a league leading 112 points. The Vancouver Giants finished with the second-best record after going on a real tear in the last quarter of the season, as they surpassed the Everett Silvertips for the best record out of the BC and US divisions erasing a 16-point deficit. The Edmonton Oil Kings finished the season as the hottest team down the stretch winning their last 10 games to edge out the Lethbridge Hurricanes by two points for the division title.

As the quest to represent the WHL in this year’s MasterCard Memorial Cup begins, the Eastern Conference matchups look like this:

Eastern Conference

Brett Leason. Photo by Robert Murray/WHL.

The top seeded Prince Albert Raiders open their playoff series against the Red Deer Rebels boasting the best overall record, and head in to the postseason with a 7-2-1 record, where the Rebels stumbled in with a 4-5-1 record down the stretch finishing with 33 wins and 72 points. These teams played four times this season, with the Raiders taking three of the four games, losing only their first meeting of the season in Red Deer. All four games were decided by one goal, including a 2-1 shootout win by the Raiders in their most recent game played in Prince Albert.

The Raiders led the league in goals scored and finished the season with the second-best goals against. They are loaded up front with Brett Leason (36-53-89), San Jose prospect Noah Gregor (43-45-88), Montreal prospect Cole Fonstad (29-44-73), Ottawa prospect Kelly Parker (35-32-67), and Dante Hounen (29-38-67) who was acquired from the Victoria Royals and put up 31 points in 28 games with the Raiders.

The Rebels are led by Buffalo pick Brandon Hagel (41-61-102), Reece Johnson (27-26-53), and a couple of acquisitions in Cameron Hausinger (21-33-54) who put 37 points in 40 games, and Dallas pick Brett Davis (20-30-50) who produced 31 points in 41 games. On the back end, the Raiders are more than solid with Brayden Pachal (15-36-51) with 51 sporting an amazing +76, his partner Zach Hayes (3-24-27) with an equally impressive +71, Sergei Sapego (10-33-43) with a +42, and Max Martin (6-35-41) showing a +45. They have Washington Capitals 2018 first round selection Alexei Alexeyev with 43 points in 49 games, who is dealing with something but should be available, and Dawson Barteaux (7-27-34) to work their blue line.

In goal, Ian Scott has had a stellar season for the Raiders, going 38-8-1-2 with a 1.83 GAA, and a save percentage of 0.932 posting eight shutouts. The Rebels are back stopped by Ethan Anders 28-22-4-1 with a 3.09 GAA and a save percentage of 0.907 and two shutouts.

The Raiders seem to have the edge in most of the categories, but every game has been extremely close, and Red Deer was a top team last year, and anything can happen in the playoffs.

Pick - Raiders in 5

Kirby Dach

The Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors are set to meet as the second and third seeds in the East. The Blades have dominated the Warriors this year going 5-1 against them, including a 5-3 win near the end of the season. These are two good teams meeting, with lots of talent and players to watch.

At forward the Blades are led by top prospect Kirby Dach (25-48-73) who is slated to be a top five pick in this year’s draft, Max Gerlach (42-32-74), Washington prospect Eric Florchuk (21-29-50), and acquisitions Ryan Hughes (30-39-69) who had 29 points in 25 games, and Gary Haden (31-35-66) who scored 62 points in 55 games. The Warriors are led by line mates Tristan Langan (53-60-113) who topped 50 goals and sports a +43, and Justin Almeida (33-78-111), finishing second and third respectively in league scoring. Rookie Brayden Tracey scored 36 goals and put up 81 points in his first season with the Warriors.

On defense, both clubs have some nice features, as the Blades boast Dawson Davidson (13-62-75) and Nolan Kneen (6-39-45) with 25 points in 33 games since being acquired. One of the Warriors strengths is in their D-line, with Montreal prospect Josh Brook who scored 75 points in only 59 games, and Vancouver Canucks draftee Jet Woo (12-54-66).

In goal, Nolan Maier (36-10-6) backstops the Blades with a 2.64 GAA, a 0.910 save percentage, and four shutouts. The Warriors have used more of a committee approach as goalies Adam Evanoff (19-10-2-1) with a 2.62 GAA and a 0.916 save percentage, and Brodan Salmond (21-10-4-1) with a 2.73 GAA and 0.906 save percentage have shared the crease duties all season.

This should be a very good series to watch, and these teams are similar and should put forth an entertaining series. The Blades have dominated the regular season series, and have been the better club, and are headed in to the playoffs on an 8-2 run, but the Warriors enter on a three-game winning streak and will give them trouble, and make them earn it.

Pick - Blades in 6

Matthew Roberston, Edmonton Oil Kings

The central division winning Edmonton Oil Kings will host the Medicine Hat Tigers in the next matchup, and really seem to have the edge after going 5-0-1 against the Tigers this year, although all the games were relatively close except for one game which was a 5-0 final.

The Oil Kings Trey Fix-Wolansky (37-65-102), a Columbus Blue Jackets pick has led the charge all season and is definitely a player to watch. He is supported by Vince Loschiavo (37-25-62), Quinn Benjafield (15-39-54), and then 2019 draft prospects in Josh Williams, Vladimir Alistrov, and Jake Neighbours who will carry the load. The Tigers will rely on James Hamblin (33-44-77), Ryan Jevne (32-36-68), former Edmonton player Brett Kemp (33-27-60) who scored 21 points in 24 games for MH, and Ryan Chyzowski (27-28-55) to provide the scoring.

The Oil Kings defence is led by Conner McDonald (19-31-50), and Matthew Robertson (7-26-33) who is eligible for this year’s draft. The Tigers defence is led by Florida Panthers pick Linus Nassen (7-39-46) who will log a lot of minutes in this one. In goal, the Oil Kings have Dylan Miskew (28-11-2-3) between the pipes, who finished the season strong with his 2.53 GAA and 0.914 save percentage. He will battle the Tigers rookie Mads Sogard (19-8-2-2) with a 2.64 GAA and a 0.921 save percentage.

Even with the Oil Kings dominance throughout the regular season against the Tigers, it has been a close series and pretty equally matched. The Oil Kings ride an 11-game winning streak into the playoffs and look they have gotten hot at the right time. I like the forward depth for the Tigers and the defensive edge for the Oil Kings, and with two strong goaltenders this should be a close series. I feel it has upset potential, and despite the regular season series results, I think that Sogard can make a big difference and possibly steal this one.

Pick - Tigers in 7

Dylan Cozens

The last of the Eastern series is a central division matchup, with the Lethbridge Hurricanes playing the Calgary Hitmen. Once again, the Hurricanes dominated the season series by a 5-1 mark and scored handily as they averaged six goals a game in the series. Lethbridge has an abundance of offence, with five players who scored over 80 points, and will be a handful for the Hitmen.

The Hurricanes acquired forward Nick Henry (29-65-94) from Regina earlier this season, and the Colorado Avalanche prospect rolled on to lead the club in scoring as he put up 54 points in 44 games. Alongside of Henry, the Hurricanes also acquired Jake Leschyshyn of the Golden Knights (40-41-81) from the Pats, and he stepped in nicely as he had 49 points in 44 games. Top prospect Dylan Cozens (34-50-84), who is expected to go very early in this year’s draft, and Hurricanes Captain and Pittsburgh Penguins property Jordy Bellerive (33-50-83) filled the net regularly against the Hitmen, as Cozens had nine points in six games, and Bellerive had 13 in six. Joining them is Jake Elmer (39-42-81), who also had a very nice season and was able to knock 10 points in 6 games against the Hitmen.

As for Calgary, they have some offence as well, with line mates Mark Kastelic (47-30-77) and James Malm (34-43-77) leading the way. Malm, acquired from the Vancouver Giants put up a point a game against Lethbridge, while Kastelic scored nine points. They will be joined by Carson Focht (26-38-64), Kaden Elder (27-33-60) who was picked up from last year’s WHL champion Swift Current Broncos, Riley Stotts (19-38-57) , and Jake Kryski (19-27-46) to try keep pace with the Hurricanes.

On defense, the Hurricanes are led by Cale Addison (11-54-65), the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect will play a major role in this series and should have a good showing. He will be joined by hulking Ukranian defender Igor Merezheko (4-31-35) who will be responsible to shut down the Hitmen forwards. For Calgary, Russian defenseman Yegor Zamula (10-46-56), who was signed by the Philadelphia Flyers, and Belarussian Vladislav Yereomenko (7-26-33) will work with Dakota Krebs (4-21-25), as they have their work cut out to try and keep the Hurricanes forwards at bay, and hopefully keep the scoring to a minimum.

This will be an even more interesting series in the net, as both teams have rookie goaltenders that will duel against one another. Both goalies have been rather impressive thus far. Carl Tetachuk of Lethbridge put up a record of 24-9-1-1, with a GAA of 2.88 and a save percentage of 0.909 and two shutouts. His counterpart in Calgary, Jack McNaughton, went 25-14-3, with a GAA of 3.25 and a save percentage of 0.888, while posting two shutouts.

The Hurricanes finished the season going 9-1 down the stretch, while Calgary comes in with a 6-4 record to finish. The strong offence and forward depth of the Hurricanes should propel them to win the series, but the real story will be which 17-year-old goaltender will outplay the other, and even though McNaughton has played well down the stretch, his numbers against Lethbridge have not been good, going 1-2 against them, with a GAA of 5.16 and a save percentage of 0.838.

If the Hitmen can keep it close, and their special teams play, which was much better than the Hurricanes this year, seem to click, then they could make a good series out of this. The Hurricanes do have the experience after losing the Eastern Conference Championship two years in a row and should be extra motivated to get going for another chance.

Pick - Hurricanes in 6

LINK TO WESTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEW HERE

WHL 2018-19 Season Preview

Kevin Olexson — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 13:22:04 +0000

Another exciting season is underway in the WHL, and 2018-19 should be a good one. The 2017-18 season ended with the WHL’s Regina Pats hosting the 2018 Memorial Cup, in which they were defeated 3-0 by the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the final. This season, the Kelowna Rockets have been awarded the 2020 Memorial Cup, and as the host team, trying to retool and rebuild in transition, they have a bit of work to do before then.

The WHL had some great players move on, including prolific scorers, dynamic defenders, and some top goaltenders. Now the next draft class of players is developing into prominent roles with their respective clubs, and will see more of the spotlight and new opportunities as we head towards the 2019 draft in Vancouver.

Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks.

The WHL was dominated primarily by the US and Eastern Division, but there will be a change in the power and balance with all of the player turnover. The US division has established itself as the strongest division over the past few years and there is no reason to think that this season will be any different. It is likely that this division will boast five playoff teams as well. Along with the three seeded division teams, two other teams will battle for the conference wild card spots. The Portland Winterhawks and Spokane Chiefs should battle for the top spot in the division. The Hawks look poised to take the division, under the leadership of the Vegas Golden Knights first franchise pick Cody Glass, who will challenge for the WHL scoring title this season and be one of the best players to take the ice in the league. The Hawks lost two top defenders in Dennis Cholowski (Detroit) and Henri Jokiharju (Chicago), as well as forwards Skyler McKenzie (Winnipeg) and Kiefer Bellows (NYI). They have a solid supporting cast, and overage forward Joakim Blichfeld (SJ) and defender Brendan DeJong (Car) will flourish this season. They also boast two top draft prospects in defenders --Clay Hanus and John Ludvig who should produce on the back end.

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, photo by Larry Brunt/Spokane Chiefs

The Chiefs are set to push for the division title with plenty of offense even after losing Edmonton prospect and team leader Kailer Yamamoto, and graduate Hudson Elynuik (Toronto Marlies). They will be led by LA Kings prospect Jaret Anderson-Dolan (who will surely be one to watch after he returns from the NHL), Sharks prospect Jake McGrew, a nice complement of 19-year-old players, and New Jersey Devils first round selection Ty Smith who will step up his game. This season the Chiefs will also show off prospect Luke Toporowski, who will contribute with a larger role for the club.

The Seattle Thunderbirds, Tri-City Americans, and Everett Silvertips will follow up jockeying for position. The T-Birds are building and are looking to improve after a big changeover in players. The load will be shouldered by Nolan Volcan and Zach Andrusiak, who will play as 20-year- olds this season and lead the team offensively. Jared Tyszka (Montreal) will lead the blue line, and help draft eligible prospect Jake Lee. Secondary scoring will come from Noah Philp, Matthew Wedman and eligible prospect Dillon Hamaliuk. Tri-City will be anxious to get back prospects Michael Rasmussen (Detroit), and defensemen Juuso Valimaki (Calgary), but it may take some time, if they return at all. Aside from that they will have a solid set of forwards led by Kyle Olson (Anaheim), Nolan Yaremko, and top draft eligible prospect Sasha Mutala. The defence is young and could be shaky, meaning that the offence and goaltending will both have to be better. The Everett Silvertips have had the biggest turnover, losing scoring leaders Patrick Bajkov (Florida) and Matt Fonteyne, as well as elite goaltender Carter Hart (Philadelphia). They will get back forwards Riley Sutter (Washington) and Connor Dewar (Minnesota) to lead the attack. Goaltender Dustin Wolf is a top prospect and played admirably behind Hart last season. He will have his chance to be in the spotlight and shine this year. Wyatte Wylie (Philadelphia) will lead the blueliners the depth of which is a strength of this team.

Milos Roman. Photo by Chris Relke/Vancouver Giants

The B.C. division took a step back, as the powerhouse teams have slipped. Now the Vancouver Giants seemed poised to sit atop the division along with the Victoria Royals. The Giants lost forwards Tyler Benson (Edmonton) and Ty Ronning (NYR), but have a great follow up with James Malm, Brayden Watts, and prospect Milos Roman (Calgary) to lead their offence. The Giants also have a great stable of defensemen, including Alex Kannok-Leipert (Washington), Dylan Plouffe, and a definite 2019 first round selection in Bowen Byram. The goaltending is also sound with the tandem of Arizona Coyotes pick David Tendeck and highly touted prospect Trent Miner who has put up great numbers with his play between the pipes.

The Victoria Royals will also challenge for the division title, as they have a good nucleus of players, solid goaltending, and great coaching. They lost a lot of firepower in Tyler Soy (San Diego Gulls) and Matthew Phillips (Calgary), but will be led by Dante Hannoun, Dino Kambeitz, and Kaid Oliver. The back end is good with Scott Walford (Montreal), Lane Zablocki (Detroit), and Ralph Jarrett. The Royals will be backstopped by one of the top goaltenders in the league in Griffin Outhouse who will help them with their push for another division title.

Kyle Topping of the Kelowna Rockets. Photo by Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets

The Kelowna Rockets, Kamloops Blazers, and Prince George Cougars round out the division, as they will jockey for the third spot and possibly a wild card. The Rockets, after winning the bid to host the 2020 Memorial Cup will have to step things up, as this season looks a bit rough for them. They lost a good portion of their team, and top players Cal Foote (TBL), Dillon Dube (Calgary), Kole Lind (Vancouver), Carsen Twarynski (Philadelphia), have graduated and the team is in transition. They do however show five top rated prospects this season including Kyle Topping, who surprisingly went unselected in last year’s draft and will lead the team offensively this season. Top prospect and projected first rounder Nolan Foote will bear a larger role and be relied on to provide some much needed offence along with Leif Mattson. The Rockets are known for turning out defensemen, and they have top rated prospects in Kaden Korczak and Lassi Thomson in the works. In goal they have Roman Basran, another top prospect who pitched a shutout in his first ever WHL game, and will share backstop duties with James Porter.

The Kamloops Blazers are looking to take a step up after going through many changes last season. The Blazers seem like they are in rebuild mode, but they will be led by Jermaine Loewen returning from the Dallas Stars. The Blazers have some young players on their roster, and the back end will be anchored by Nolan Kneen, who should be in store for a big year. The Blazers could very well surprise a lot of teams, especially if returning goaltender Dylan Ferguson (Vegas) can put up solid numbers as he should be busy. The Cougars are also in the midst of a rebuild, as they unloaded many of their assets to finish at the bottom of the division. They have a young team without any returning NHL draftees on it, but will be led by defenders Joel Lakusta, Ryan Schoettler, Rhett Rhinehart, and forwards Ethan Browne and import Vladislav Mikhalchuk. They have a top rated goalie prospect in Taylor Gauthier between the pipes, and he looks to face a lot of shots behind a weak defence.

The battle of the Central Division should come down to the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers, followed by the Red Deer Rebels and Edmonton Oil Kings, leaving the Kootenay Ice and Calgary Hitmen battling for the wildcard positions.

Calen Addison. Photo by Robert Murray.

The Hurricanes seemed primed and ready, as they welcome back their leaders from other camps and tryouts. The offence will certainly be dynamic with Jordy Bellerive (Pittsburgh) returning, and prospect Dylan Cozens - who will definitely be an early first round pick in next year’s draft - leading the charge as they both push for the WHL scoring title as well. The secondary scoring will be in the hands of eligible prospect Logan Barlage, Taylor Ross, and Kelti Jeri-Leon. On the back end, Calen Addison (Pittsburgh) returns to beef up this blue line and contribute from the point. The goaltending looks solid with Reece Klassen, who should have a good nucleus of defence in front of him to help him put up good numbers. Medicine Hat should also be able to keep up with Lethbridge on the offensive side of things, as they also have some firepower up front. Ryan Chyzowski and Josh Williams are one of the top tandems in the league, and Williams is a likely first round selection in the upcoming draft. Captain James Hamblin will also provide some scoring punch, as they also show a very balanced group of forwards.

The Tigers lost offensive defensemen David Queneville (NYI), meaning defenders Linus Nassen (Florida) and Dylan Macpherson will have to step into bigger roles to help fill that void. The goaltending will be fine with Jordan Hollett (Ottawa) stopping pucks on the back end, but the defence is young. The Rebels also have some nice players returning, and coach Brett Sutter will be happy with Brandon Hagel and Jeff DeWit coming back to lead the forward group. The Rebels also welcome back Alexander Alexeyev (Washington) and Dawson Barteaux (Dallas) to the group, as they should both have very productive seasons. The Rebels have two players of note for draft hounds with import center Oleg Zaytsev and goaltender Ethan Anders, who should both improve this season with expanded roles.

The Edmonton Oil Kings have also been in a rebuild mode, and are looking to take the next step of their transition. They have a young team who will be led by Trey Fix-Wolansky (Columbus), along with veterans Quinn Benjafield and Vince Loschiavo to play along side of draft eligible prospects David Kope, Vladimir Alistrov, and Brett Kemp. On defence, a top prospect and projected first round selection Matthew Robertson leads the blue line with fellow draft-eligibles Jacson Alexander and Conner McDonald. The Oil Kings also have some young goaltenders in their net, and could help this team move up the ranks with some solid play.

Riley Stotts. Photo by Candice Ward/Calgary Hitmen.

Calgary will have forwards Jake Kryski and Riley Stotts (Toronto) back, along with defenseman Vladislav Yeryomenko (Nashville) who will all take larger roles and provide leadership for their maturing team. The Hitmen have a hulking defender on the radar as Jackson Van De Leest is a top draft-eligible prospect. The Kootenay Ice have been developing and rebuilding for a few years now, and they are showing a lot of youth, and a top end talent in Peyton Krebs (yet another definite first round selection). He will be joined by Brett Davis (Dallas) to lead the charge for the young ICE team. They will rely on Jonathan Smart to anchor and lead their group of defensemen as this team looks to improve and make a surge for a playoff spot.

The Eastern Division standings will look different. This division has been hit the hardest as the top teams from last season have had major overhauls, and return depleted rosters. After being defeated in the Memorial Cup Final, the Pats have lost forwards Sam Steel (Anaheim), Cameron Hebig (Edmonton), and Matt Bradley from their impressive lineup of scorers. They will be led this year by Jake Leshyshyn (Vegas), Nick Henry (Colorado), Austin Pratt, and eligible prospect Koby Morrisseau to carry the load. On defence, losing Josh Mahura (Anaheim), Cale Fleury (Montreal), and Libor Hajek (TBL) opens the door for Aaron Hyman to take a leadership role, and allow eligible prospects Nikita Sedov and Jonas Harkins to play larger parts and flourish on an experienced team. In goal, they have Max Paddock, who should get some consideration, as he backstopped the Pats to the Memorial Cup final as a rookie netminder and looked good in the process.

Cole Fonstad

It looks like the Prince Albert Raiders are ready to take a major leap and push for the division crown. The Raiders are loaded up front with players to watch in Cole Fonstad (Montreal), Noah Gregor (SJ), undrafted Brett Leason, and returnee Kody McDonald leading the way. They have an experienced blue line with Sergei Sapego, Max Martin, and Brayden Pachal ready to deliver in larger roles. Goaltender Ian Scott (Toronto) is ready to be one of the top tenders in the DUB this season and lead this team. They will battle with the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Saskatoon Blades for the division crown in what should be an exciting division to follow. The Wheat Kings will also boast a stellar offence and solid goaltending. With last seasons leading scorer Ty Lewis (Colorado) eligible to return, which would add even more scoring punch to this already impressive lineup of forwards.

Ty Smith

Stelio Mattheos (Carolina), Connor Gutenberg, Cole Reinhart, and draft eligible Luka Burzan will lead the charge for the Wheat Kings. The defence will be led by Schael Higson and Chase Hartje, with youngsters Braden Schneider and Jonny Lambos getting increased minutes. Las Vegas prospect Jiri Patera will handle duties in net, and looks to be very solid for the Wheaties, which will also help push them to the top of the division. The Saskatoon Blades have also made enormous strides this year, and will take a step up as well. They have some great prospects on the roster that will make their way to the draft this spring. They also have a forward group that can fill the nets with Max Gerlach, Eric Florchuk, and Josh Paterson returning to support Kirby Dach. Dach will be a prolific scorer and early first round pick at the draft. He will be joined by import defensemen and fellow top prospect Emil Malysjev who will settle in to a prominent role by playing with the likes of Dawson Davidson and Jackson Caller. The Blades also feature a top goaltending tandem with top prospect Nolan Maier who will carry the load this season after a stellar rookie season, and Dorrin Luding, who has looked very impressive in his appearances.

Jett Woo

The Moose Jaw Warriors will find themselves in the mix as well with Justin Almeida (Pittsburgh) back in the fold, and leading the way as one of the top players in the Dub. Almeida will take the reigns of the offence after the loss of Jayden Halbgewachs (SJ), Brayden Burke (Arizona), and Brett Howden (NYR). He will be joined by Ryan Peckford, who looked promising last year despite being passed over in the draft. He will look to make amends for that with a good showing this year with an increased role on this club. He will be joined with fellow prospect Brayden Tracey and veteran forward Tristan Langan. The back end will miss top defender Kale Clague (LAK), but will be in good shape with a strong core as Josh Brook (Montreal) and Jett Woo (Vancouver) are back there. In net, the Warriors have Adam Evanoff who was great in a limited role in his rookie season, and will get to display his skills this year in a main role. He will share time with ex-Kelowna Rocket Broden Salmond who will add some experience.

Last but not least, last seasons WHL Champion Swift Current Broncos will be hit the hardest of all teams. They have lost most of their scoring, and are in a definite rebuilding mode. Gone are the likes of Glen Gawdin (Calgary), Aleksi Heponiemi (Florida), Giorgio Estephan (Buffalo), Matteo Gennaro, Beck Malenstyn (Washington), and their leader in Tyler Steenbergen (Arizona). The defence was also depleted by losing Colby Sissons (NJ), and surprisingly undrafted Artyom Minulin (who will miss lots of time with offseason surgery). This team will be led by Max Patterson, Alec Zawatsky, and defender Connor Horning. The Broncos are young, and will be in development mode for the next few seasons. Goaltender Joel Hofer (St. Louis) is the only player that has NHL labelling, and will be extremely busy throughout the year and will face a whole lot rubber. He will have to hone his skills and stop a lot of pucks, but is unlikely to steal many games for this team.

Florida Panthers Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 18:32:48 +0000

So as not to bury the lede, I will note within the opening sentence of this overview of the Florida Panthers’ system that it is simply not overly impressive. There are some truly high end talents at the top, but the quality of their talent drops sharply after the first three players, and then drops even more precipitously after the next next two. The rest of the top 20 prospects here are OK, but all essentially qualify as system depth.

When the brief, bright rule of analytics was deposed in Florida, it was supposed to mark a return to first principles, namely GM Dale Tallon’s experienced scouting eye. After all, he was widely heralded as the architect of the mini-dynasty in Chicago. He was the Blackhawks’ Director of Player Personnel from 1998-2002. He was an Assistant General Manager for the following three seasons and the GM for four, finally leaving the organization after spending the 2009-10 season – their first as Cup winners - as a Senior Advisor.

Of course, Tallon was not responsible for every draft pick over the 1998-2009 period, but he certainly had a big say in the manner. So how good was his track record at scouting amateurs?

The Hawks’ first two drafts with Tallon as Director of Player Personnel were pretty bleak. The only two players to exceed 100 NHL games were Steve McCarthy and Michael Leighton. 2001 yielded Tuomo Ruutu and Craig Anderson, while 2002 brought in Anton Babchuk, Duncan Keith, James Wisniewski, and Adam Burish.

At that point, if we are to credit Tallon for the players taken, additional credit must also be given for finding talented players in the later rounds. To that light, in his three seasons as an AGM, the Hawks drafted better in the later rounds than in the first. Their three first rounders in that era were Brent Seabrook, Cam Barker, and Jack Skille. One outright success, one outright failure, and a relative disappointment. Thankfully, in that same time period, later round picks included Corey Crawford, Dustin Byfuglien, Dave Bolland. Bryan Bickell, Troy Brouwer, and Niklas Hjalmarsson, among the many other players who have already largely been forgotten.

As the head honcho, he famously drafted Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane at the top of the draft in consecutive years, but also selected Kyle Beach and Dylan Olsen with first rounders. The only players after the first round to reach 100 NHL games in those four draft classes were Ben Smith, Brandon Pirri, Byron Froese, and Marcus Kruger.

Of course, we don’t really know how much credit or blame goes to any one person when it comes to the draft. For all we know, the team could have been hoping to draft Hugh Jessiman in 2003, but fell back on Seabrook after Jessiman went two picks earlier to the Rangers. Along a similar hypothetical, they could have been hoping that Marcus Johansson slipped to them at 28 in 2009, before he was taken off the board at 24 by Washington leaving the Hawks with a Plan B of Dylan Olson.

Bringing this back to the Panthers, who have employed Tallon as GM for seven of the past nine years. Florida has had very little success after the first round in Tallon’s time, with only Vincent Trocheck, Logan Shaw, and Iiro Pakarinen reaching 100 games so far, and only one of those in the Sunshine State. While he experienced some successes in his time in Chicago, his Panthers’ successes have been more faltering. Others will join them, but I am not yet convinced that the tea would not have been better off with the so-called Computer Boys.

Henrik Borgstrom

1 Henrik Borgstrom, C (23^rd overall, 2016. Last Year: 1^st) A mild surprise when Florida selected Borgstrom is the first round in 2016 in his second year of eligibility, the only surprise now is how he went undrafted in his first go-round. Sure, he was gangly, but over one assist per game in the Finnish U18 league was telling. Since being drafted, he has been a two-time NCAA (West) All-American, finishing his two-year collegiate career at Denver with one championship and one finalist slot in the Hobey Baker voting. Borgstrom is a superstar in the making. He is still slight and not strong in the corners, but every other aspect of his game grades out as high end, if not near elite. His offensive instincts are in the absolute upper echelon of all drafted prospects.

2 Owen Tippett, LW/RW (10^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 2^nd) Owen Tippett began last year with the Panthers, but the 18-year-old wasn’t really ready and was returned to the OHL after seven games, in which he scored once. Outside of inexplicably not making Canada’s WJC squad, his post-draft year was as expected. Tippett brought his dynamic offensive game to the Mississauga Steelheads, finishing three points off the team lead despite missing 17 games. He is a fantastic skater with a high end shot and mesmerizing puck skills. He is not as strong off the puck as he is on it, but that part of his game is improving. While he is not a forceful player in the physical sense, he is stocky and strong enough to withstand pressure at the highest levels. He will get another chance to make the Panthers out of camp as the alternative is still a return trip to the OHL.

3 Grigori Denisenko, LW (15^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Another exquisite puck handler in the Florida system, Denisenko is more abrasive than the two players ranked higher, but also further away from contributing in the NHL. With limited experience internationally (14 games at the U18 level – although he did not play at the WU18s) or in the KHL (only four postseason games), his high-speed puck handling, full of silky dangles and accurate passing ability, suggest that the style of game will translate over time to higher levels of competition. He is also a fine skater, owning an explosive first few steps, a smooth stride, and agility. Where there are still questions about Denisenko’s game, involve his seeming lack of interest away from the puck, and his ability to play physical while toeing the disciplinary line.

4 Serron Noel, RW/LW (34^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Whereas the three players listed above are all notable for their offensive gifts, Serron Noel is more of a throw-back player in that the most notable things about him is his size, as the player who just turned 18 stands a menacing 6-5”, 205. Noel is more than just a big power winger, as his hands are quite soft for his size (or any size, to be honest) and the same can be said about his ability to motor around the ice. He plays very well without the puck and exhibits good vision in all situations. He plays a physical game without being reckless or looking to punish indiscriminately. As part of his growth curve, he needs to be more selfish, as he will often pass up a scoring chance to give the puck to a teammate, but the collection of tools suggests a strong future.

Aleksi Heponiemi

5 Aleksi Heponiemi, C (40^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 9^th) A playmaker extraordinaire, Heponiemi was drafted by the Panthers after leading all WHL rookies in points. He followed it up with an even more impressive showing, leading the WHL in assists in both the regular season and playoffs. His success is partly puck skills and partly creativity. Physically, he is the antithesis of Noel above, as Heponiemi is both short (5-10”) and slight (under 150 pounds). He moves well enough, although not exceptionally and he can finish, although that has never been his game. Shortly after the conclusion of his season, he signed a two-year pact with Karpat, in Finland’s Liiga, and the bigger ice may better suit his development, giving him more time to fill out before taking on the North American pros.

6 Jonathan Ang, C (94^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 8^th) The first player on this list to be drafted after the first two rounds, Ang has slowly, yet steadily improved in the two seasons since Florida selected him in the fourth round. That improvement was more notable in the first half of last season, as he was often the only offensive generator on a struggling Peterborough squad. A high-end skater who is just as talented as a scorer as he is creating for others, he can contribute up and down the ice, suggesting his game is not necessarily locked in as a top six or bust player. Still developing from a physical perspective, Ang has more bite than his frame might suggest, although that will not be the focus of his game going forward.

7 Dryden Hunt, LW (UDFA: Mar. 2, 2016. Last Year: 15^th) Indicative of the lack of drafting success outside of the elite range in the last few years, the top prospect in the Florida system who has already spent significant time with the organization’s AHL affiliate was acquired as an undrafted free agent. Hunt was a bit of a late bloomer, but peaked in his last year in the WHL, being named the Top Player in the league and earning an ELC from the Panthers. He since made tangible strides in his two years in the AHL, nearly doubling his scoring rate year over year. While he is not the greatest skater, he does everything else at an average or better level. While he didn’t do much in his first AHL call up last year, he is likely to receive another chance this year, and I would expect to see more.

8 Maxim Mamin, LW/RW (175^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 12^th) Taken in the sixth round two years ago as a 21-year-old, Mamin came over to the AHL after one more year in Russia and acclimated immediately. In fact, he was so impressive with Springfield – scoring at a better clip than he had since his final season in the MHL - that he ended up playing 26 games in the NHL in his first season over in North America. As he did not produce this much offense in Russia, it is likely that his production would have dipped in a larger sample, but his skating prowess, coupled with his inherent puck skills are strong enough that he would not look out of place in a bottom six role right now. He can contribute secondary scoring as well as a moderate physical presence.

Samuel Montembeault

9 Samuel Montembeault, G (77^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 3^rd) As the top goalie prospect in the Panthers’ system again, Montembeault continues to pass the so-called “eye-test” but comes up wanting in the performance test. He has plus athleticism, and seems to track the play well, but was far more prone to allowing more pucks past him then his partners. In other words, his .896 save percentage this year with Springfield pales in comparison to Harri Sateri’s .927 mark. The individual components of his game, bar puck handling, all grade out well, so it could just be a matter of time for acclimatizing to the better releases of the AHL compared to the QMJHL. More will definitely be expected of him this year.

10 Patrick Bajkov, RW/LW (UDFA: Mar. 9, 2018: Last Year: IE) After going undrafted twice, the Panthers inked Bajkov to an ELC last March as he neared the end of what ended up as a 100-point season, followed by a run to the WHL finals. While he is a fine skater with solid puck skills, Bajkov has achieved what he has thanks to very impressive hockey IQ. Under the tutelage of defense-oriented coach Kevin Constantine, he has earned trust through both his offensive results and his reliability in all zones. Think of Dryden Hunt above, but a touch less in the offensive side of his game, replaced by greater impact off the puck.

11 Anthony Greco, LW/RW (Nov. 21, 2017. Last Year: IE) Not all paths to prospectdom are the same. There are the high-end draft picks like Tippett and Denisenko, above. The more modest picks like Ang, and Montembeault. The guys who took longer to get there, like Borgstrom, drafted in his second year of eligibility. There are guys like Hunt and Bajkov, who are not drafted at all, but sign as free talents at age 20. And then there’s Anthony Greco. After four years at Ohio State, he got a try-out with one AHL club and then was signed to an AHL deal with Springfield. One year turned to two, and sensing that he was finally learning how to weaponize his shot and that his puck skills were approaching a real strength, the Panthers extended an ELC his way, a few months after his 24^th birthday. Greco will never be a superstar, but he might be a decent player. Not many saw that coming.

12 Jayce Hawryluk, RW (32^nd overall, 2014. Last Year: 6^th) The Panthers’ 2014 draft class started off strong, as they took Aaron Ekblad with the first overall pick. No one else from that class has yet seen the NHL. Hawryluk is the only other one who even merits a top 20 prospect slot. A fine skater who plays with a large chip on his shoulders, it is apparent that the offensive heights he reached as a junior have not made their way to the pro game. He has a nose for the puck and can contribute in a secondary form, but he lacks the dynamism to play in a top six role. With more focus on his defensive responsibilities, a fourth line role on the wing o even in the middle may yet be attainable.

13 Max Gildon, D (66^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 7^th) If you were paying attention, you may have noticed that the first 12 players on this list included 11 forwards, one netminder and zero blueliners. Max Gildon is the best in the Florida system. He is a big skater, with a booming point shot. He can also flash plus with his other tools, including puck skills and skating ability to boot. His flashes of hockey smarts are rarer, though. Born and raised in Texas, he may simply need more time at a new level to acclimate. The second half of his draft year with the USNTDP was much better than the first after all. Perhaps a second season with the University of New Hampshire will see him take a step forward. If not, many in this organization will be frustrated.

14 Linus Nassen, D (89^th overall, 2016. Last Year: not ranked) Before moving to the WHL, Nassen spent part of his first post draft year in the SHL with Lulea, where, as is typical for teenagers in Sweden’s tip league, he didn’t do all that much. While injuries hampered his first season in North America, when healthy, the slight blueliner showcased strong skating ability, good puck skills and impressive hockey IQ. Consistent with his lack of muscle, his point shot failed to impress, and he could not show power in the corners, but there is a hope that Nassen could develop into a decent, puck moving, transitional defender. At press time, it was still unclear where he would be playing in 2018-19, but both AHL and SHL are possibilities.

Riley Stillman

15 Riley Stillman, D (114^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 14^th) With a father who played over 1,000 games in the NHL, Stillman has a good model to follow. He showed glimpses of that ability in the last few years, but his performance in the OHL playoffs with Hamilton last year, helping take the team to a championship and Memorial Cup appearance, indicated that he was ready for the next step. A good skater who plays a steady physical game, the rest of his tools grade out around average, but work in tandem to form a solid likely bottom pairing blueliner who can sometimes play up. If the pace of the AHL does not overwhelm him, he may be a quick study.

16 Logan Hutsko, C/RW (89^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) At this stage in his career, Logan Hutsko’s back story is far more well-known than what type of player he is. He missed time in his age 16-17 season with a broken neck and missed most of his first draft eligible year with a broken kneecap and various complications in the healing process. Finally healthy, he led Boston College in scoring as a freshman, getting himself squarely back on the prospect radar. His skating is fine, but the rest of his tools are currently closer to OK than anything else. He is a great story but needs to keep performing to be more than that.

17 Ryan Bednard, G (206^th overall, 2015. Last Year: not ranked) A very athletic goaltender who excels at minimizing second chances, Bednard took over the crease at Bowling Green Sate as a sophomore and did a fine job of keeping pucks from getting behind him. He has near ideal size and the agility in his lower body will give him a chance to continue to receive chances as he moves up the ladder. He guards the line well but has tended to let things snowball on bad days. One particular area in which he needs improvement is his decision making when it comes to playing the puck. He can get it up the wall to a teammate, but all too often misjudges the available time.

18 Benjamin Finkelstein, D (195^th overall, 2016. Last Year: not ranked) In his prep days, Benjamin Finkelstein was a world-beater for Kimball Union. But he was tiny and nearly 200 other names were called out before the Panthers spoke his. He was very impressive at St. Lawrence University as a freshman but left the school mid-way through his sophomore year due to unstated personal reasons., spending the second half of last year with Waterloo of the USHL, where he was so overwhelming from the perspective of the scoresheet, he was named Defender of the Year for the league. He has great vision and passing skills, well suited for quarterbacking the powerplay, but there are enough open questions about his mobility at his size for me to want to see his production hold up after he gets to Boston College, and later, the pro game.

19 Tyler Inamoto, D (133^rd overall, 2017. Last Year: 13^th) A teammate of Max Gildon’s with the UNSTDP, Inamoto was a physical bomber where Gildon was a wild stallion. Inamoto struggled at time as a freshman at Wisconsin as he stilled relied on a big physical game, leading to poor positioning and reads. He has never shown the hands or instincts to be a big offensive producer from the blueline, but at lower levels, his physical game was intimidating enough to create a genuine fear factor in opponents. He will have to adjust to the college level, with stronger, more mature opponents, and show some modicum of skill to continue progressing, but it is too early to close the book on him.

20 Thomas Schemitsch, D (88^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 19^th) A former third round pick, Schemitsch’s career has not progressed as hoped, but to his credit, the 21-year-old defender did take a big step forward last year, his second as a pro. His 10 goals scored from the blueline were his highest total since his draft year. He also demonstrated that he could mentally keep up with the pace of the AHL, after being relegated to the ECHL for half of his first season as a professional. Entering the final season of his ELC, the Panthers will be wanting to see Schemitsch take another step forward. His physical presence and relative youth suggest there may be more to come but the onus is on him to access whatever latent skills he has.

NHL Draft Review and Grades: Florida Panthers

Grant McCagg — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 13:06:32 +0000

June 24, 2016: Henrik Borstrom picked by the Florida Panthers in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire.)

The selection of an undrafted 1997-born Swede who needs plenty of work on his strength and defensive game was the biggest surprise of the first round, with the possible exception of Frederic. Henrik Borgstrom is a lanky center with high-end puck skills and a decent skating burst…there have to be concerns that he’s still such a weak and raw prospect given that he’ll be 19 at training camp. Expect him to be a few years away.

Adam Mascherin was also an early pick at 39, if less surprising. His weight loss for the combine was a positive as it was one of the main concerns along with his size. He certainly has the shot and offensive skills to compete for an NHL job in a few years. Linus Nassen was picked higher than anticipated as well.

RND	PICK	RNK	PLAYER	POS	CTY	HT/WT	TEAM
1	23	79	Henrik Borgstrom	C	FIN	6-3/175	HIFK Helsinki (Fin)
2	38	58	Adam Mascherin	LW	CAN	5-9/205	Kitchener (OHL)
3	89	NR	Linus Nassen	D	SWE	6-0/170	Lulea (Swe)
4	94	65	Jonathan Ang	C	CAN	5-11/165	Peterborough (OHL)
4	114	99	Riley Stillman	D	CAN	6-0/180	Oshawa (OHL)
6	175	NR	Maxim Mamin	C	RUS	6-1/185	CSKA (Rus)
7	195	NR	Ben Finkelstein	D	USA	5-9/185	Kimball Union (USHS-NH)

Jonathan Ang of the Peterborough Petes was selected by the Florida Panthers at the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo, NY on Saturday June 25, 2016. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

The two best value picks came in the fourth round when the Panthers snagged OHLers Jonathan Ang and Riley Stillman. Ang is undersized and not known for his willingness to get his nose dirty, however he’s one of the draft’s best skaters and has untapped offensive potential. Stillman rose on many team’s draft rankings in the last months of the season due to his steady play on the blueline. Maxim Mamim and Ben Finkelstein were not under any consideration for McKeen’s list.

Adam Mascarin at the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo, NY on Saturday June 25, 2016. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

Grade: D: A team with two top 40 picks should be able to leave the draft with at least one surefire NHL prospect – the Panthers may not get much return from this group. Mascherin looks like the best bet and he’s 5-9.