Max Gildon – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Top 20 Prospects

Contributors – Brock Otten, Chapin Landvogt, Ethan Hetu, Viktor Fomich — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 18:14:17 +0000

NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 27: Florida Panthers left wing Grigori Denisenko (14) and center Aleksander Barkov (16) talk during the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers, held on April 27, 2021, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire)

1 - Mackie Samoskevich RW

As a member of the Chicago Steel in his draft season and as a Michigan Wolverine, it was easy for Samoskevich to get lost among a sea of other highly-drafted, highly-talented NHL prospects. Samoskevich's list of teammates read off as a top prospect list of their own, and Samoskevich's game has definitely benefited from playing alongside such talented players. But that being said, Samoskevich's profile still ultimately stands on its own two feet. Samoskevich is an offensive talent, a quality playmaker and someone who is always looking to drive play and put his teammates in positions to score. Samoskevich wasn't a centerpiece offensive player as a freshman at Michigan, and the night-to-night quality of his contributions fluctuated more than he likely would have liked. But when Samoskevich was at his best, he was driving play and taking over shifts. Like many offense-first prospects around his age, Samoskevich doesn't use the inside of the ice as well as he should. His offensive tendencies are in need of some refinement, and he'll need to get better at learning to accept creating some less-than-ideal offensive chances rather than holding on to the puck too long in order to find the perfect look. If he can introduce some habits in his game that will serve him well at the pro level, his path to the NHL will become much smoother. There's a talent package that should allow Samoskevich to become a capable contributor to an NHL scoring line, and even perhaps a play-driving one, but there's a good deal of development that needs to happen before Samoskevich can get there. – EH

2 - Grigori Denisenko LW

Selected 15^th overall in the 2018 draft, Denisenko’s progress has been much slower than many, ourselves included, who have expected future NHL stardom, could foresee. He has completed his second full, albeit truncated, season of play in North America. He made the jump from Russia after a full KHL season with modest production which was boosted by a strong WJC. His move the North America coincided with Covid and Denisenko found himself in no-man’s land until the NHL and then AHL started up in 20-21. That first season showed promise, but last season cast a bit of a shadow on his prospect status. Only suiting up once for a deep and high-octane Panthers team, Denisenko was left to grow in the AHL, where things were progressing along well enough until a mid-January blocked shot resulted in a broken kneecap, ending his season. Presumably fit to begin the upcoming campaign, Denisenko likely needs further AHL time to determine his ability to help the NHL squad. On the other hand, with multiple regulars having departed the club while Anthony Duclair appears to be out for perhaps the entire season, there seems to be a lower line job for the taking, should Denisenko be ready to take the next step this fall. – CL

3 - Justin Sourdif RW

It was a good final year for Sourdif in the WHL. A midseason trade saw him join the Edmonton Oil Kings where he played a key role in their WHL Championship victory. Unfortunately, a training injury kept Sourdif from suiting up for Canada again at the re-started WJC’s in August, however, he remains a key prospect for the Panthers moving forward. Sourdif has a very well-rounded game. He is extremely versatile. He can impact the game because of his speed, which he uses to be active in puck pursuit in all three zones. He can impact the game with his physicality and tenaciousness. He is skilled and can make plays at high speed. Sourdif loves to take on defenders one on one and will look to work his way into the middle of the ice. An intelligent playmaker, his confidence in his shot also improved this year, especially once he joined Edmonton and became more of a support player on a stronger team. His pro journey will begin this season with Charlotte and Sourdif should be an immediate impact player for the Checkers. Depending on how he deals with the size and strength of pro defenders, he could move quickly through Florida’s system. Sourdif projects as a middle six forward who can play a variety of different roles, likely starting out in a bottom six role before moving up. - BO

4 - Evan Nause D

Nause was an instrumental piece in Quebec’s organization last season. He plays a very effective game in all three zones of the ice and performs extremely well under pressure. Nause might not be the most skilled or flashiest player, but he’s very reliable, makes sound decisions at all times and makes everything seem effortless. The Panthers prospect will be playing once again this season with a scary Quebec Remparts team where they’ll look to make up for last season’s disappointing run by going all in with new acquisitions such as Justin Robidas to their already stacked offensive group. The focus this year for Nause will be to take yet another step forward as an offensive defender. He moves well and Florida will be looking for him to use his skating ability to be more aggressive with the puck to help create offensive opportunities for the Remparts. The former second round selection does look like a potential #4-6 defender for Florida in the future and someone who could be a fairly versatile depth defender. However, if the aforementioned offensive game continues to progress, there is a chance that his projection changes to be a more integral building block. - EB

5 - Michael Benning D

There has been a lot of conversation about the changing face of the “modern” NHL defenseman, and as speed and skill continue to be prioritized in blueliners, the idea of the prototypical defenseman being six-foot-four and ready to smash opposing forwards into the boards have begun to die out. There have been many faces of this new wave of modern NHL defensemen, and Michael Benning could be another name in the ever-expanding list of talented undersized defensemen who have impactful NHL careers. Benning, a longtime teammate of Edmonton Oilers prospect Carter Savoie, had always been a play-controlling, productive offensive defenseman. But when Benning got to the University of Denver, a team with championship aspirations, his old habits weren’t going to get him to where he needed to go. He needed to polish his game and add some more safety to a profile that was all about aggression and chance creation as a junior player. Benning’s sophomore season was a massive step up from his freshman offering, and he helped lead an extremely talented Pioneers team to an NCAA national championship. Benning’s offensive game is well-developed, and he has all the elements to his game that give him NHL upside as an offensive defenseman. He can skate and contribute in transition, he can see the offensive zone quite well and pairs poise and playmaking flair to be a strong offensive zone facilitator. Benning’s game in his own zone isn’t nearly as developed as his offensive game, and that could pose issues for his pro projection. But even if he doesn’t improve in his own zone, he should still have NHL upside as a puck-moving offensive defenseman who will work best when paired with a defense-first partner. - EH

6 - Aleksi Heponiemi C

A 2017 2^nd rounder, Heponiemi is a little engine that could. His 5’10” height has always been suboptimal, but his 155-pound body has only exacerbated the challenge of his sticking in the NHL. Nonetheless, he has continued to put up gaudy numbers. Drafted after putting up over one point per game in the WHL, he proceeded to top two PPG in his D+1 year, before returning to his native Finland as a 19-year-old, where he sported 46 points in 50 regular season outings. The past two seasons have seen Heponiemi find his level, hitting a wall in his production his first time out in the AHL, producing nicely with MoDo of the HockeyAllsvenskan in 20-21 before getting a 9-game debut with the Panthers (two points). Last season with the Charlotte Checkers, Heponiemi established himself as one of the most adept power play actors in the entire AHL. Few players could enter the opposition zone as fluently as the Finn and his puck prowess in all situations was clearly at another level. He is hitting a crossroads heading into this season, the last of his contract, as Florida is built to win and there is no indication that he is even seen as one of the first call-ups, save for a need for a power play specialist. Then again, few clubs have been able to turn players into unexpected offensive weapons in recent years better than the Panthers. – CL

7 - Vladislav Lukashevich D

The season had been pretty uneventful for Vladislav Lukashevich and not in a good way, as after being sidelined for eight months due to an undisclosed injury, he returned to game action midseason and looked rather rusty. Even though he still was able to get in a decent amount of MHL game action, he didn’t look like much of a difference maker there and it might be fair to consider his entire season a wash. 12 months after being drafted, Lukashevich is more or less in the same developmental place he was when the Panthers called his name: he has a great frame that still needs to add a good deal of muscle, solid skating and skill, but the whole is not yet equal to the sum of his parts. All signs are pointing towards another season spent mostly in the MHL junior league this season, which might be a bit disappointing, but is not unexpected after the season he had. Lukashevich will be expected to be one of the leaders of his team, which would be good for his development. It should also be added that it is the final year of his current contract and seeing how the Lokomotiv organization is strong on the blueline, it will be difficult to get opportunities there, possibly making the young player more likely to look favorably at a move to North America. - VF

8 - Max Gildon D

After a strong rookie season in the AHL in 2021, that saw Gildon named a member of the All-Rookie Team, last year was a big step backward for the former Hobey Baker candidate, thanks to a lower body injury that ended his season in December. This year, he will try to recover the momentum he had built previously as he looks to become a top defender for Charlotte. Gildon has a very intriguing athletic make-up. He skates pretty well for his size (6’3), protects the crease and defends with physicality, and shows well as a puck mover with good hands and vision. He may not be a natural powerplay quarterback or a highly creative player, but there is a good chance that he could develop into an all situations top four defender. Without question, Florida has openings in their third pairing and will be looking to promote a prospect or two to that role. Given his recovery from injury, Gildon would appear to be a long shot at one of those spots. However, if he rebounds well and performs like he did in his rookie AHL season, he could easily push his way to the top of a weaker farm system. - BO

9 - Nathan Staios D

An undersized defender, Staois is the son of former NHL defender Steve Staois. Playing for his father in Hamilton, the younger Staois was a standout in his final (overage) year in the OHL, helping the Bulldogs win an OHL Championship. His strong performance led to him being named the recipient of the Max Kaminsky trophy, awarded to the league’s top defenseman. Then following the conclusion of the Memorial Cup, the Panthers inked him to a contract as a free agent. Staois is a tremendous skater, something he relies on to be an impactful offensive defender. He gains the offensive zone with ease on most occasions at the junior level and is terrific at walking the line inside the offensive zone to keep plays alive. While undersized, he also competes hard in the defensive zone to make up for his lack of stature. However, there are some decision-making issues which could become amplified at the pro level. A high risk/high reward type of player, he will need to learn to pick his spots to activate better. Additionally, his defensive zone awareness and ability to win 50/50 battles in high traffic areas will need to improve for him to be effective at even strength in the AHL. Staois has terrific potential to be an impactful defender, but like any free agent signing, he may take time to reach it as a longer shot. - BO

10 - John Ludvig D

It was a tough year for Panthers’ defensive prospects at the AHL level last year. Max Gildon missed most of the year with a lower body injury and John Ludvig missed almost the entire season following hip surgery. He battled back to play in the last few games of Charlotte’s year, which was encouraging, but you can throw his performance in those games out the window. This coming season will be a fresh start for Ludvig to try to re-find the confidence he had as one of the WHL’s best defenders previously. The question is, how will this serious hip injury affect his skating ability and ability to improve it further? Entering the pro ranks, Ludvig’s skating was the area of his game that still needed the most work and now that might be difficult for him. However, the rest of his game is extremely solid. He has a booming point shot, putting his entire 215lbs frame behind it. He is poised with the puck and shows good vision in all three zones. He is an aggressive defender who clears the crease and makes opposing forwards work to gain touches, especially along the wall. This well-rounded game gives him an NHL projection, even if his skating never improves beyond average. Like organization-mate Gildon, Ludvig will be looking to rebound as one of Charlotte’s top defenders this season, helping to re-emerge as a top prospect in the Florida system. – BO

11 - Mack Guzda

A free agent signing by the Panthers this past season out of the OHL, Guzda showed massive growth in a year split between Owen Sound and Barrie. The big netminder has improved his quickness and agility and will get a chance to play in the AHL this year.

12 - Serron Noel

A power winger, Noel struggled to adapt to the pace of the pro game in his first full AHL season. There is some concern that his development has plateaued. However, this year should give Florida a better indication of his potential.

13 - Logan Hutsko

After four good years at Boston College, Hutsko’s first pro season was largely a success for Charlotte. An undersized scoring forward, Hutsko will have to put up numbers to be a valuable pro.

14 - Zach Uens

What Florida has in Uens remains to be seen. The athletic defender shows good potential at both ends, however finding a true role at the pro level may be difficult. More should be known after he turned pro this season.

15 - Matt Kiersted

While an older prospect, Kiersted was once a prize free agent signing out of UND. The competitive two-way defender may have limited upside, but he could be a full time NHL player in a depth role this coming season.

16 - Liam Arnsby

Drafted late in 2022, Arnsby is an aggressive, defensively oriented center. He hits like a truck and can play a variety of roles. Upgrading his skating will be key as he returns to the OHL with North Bay.

17 - Josh Davies

Like Arnsby, Davies was a late round pick in 2022 who projects as a bottom six NHL player because of his tenacity and high energy game. He will look to improve his offensive production with Swift Current this season (WHL).

18 - Marek Alscher

A suffocating defensive defender, Alscher was a solid presence for the Portland Winterhawks in his first WHL season. Is there room for him to grow as a puck carrier or is his ceiling limited?

19 - Henry Bowlby

There is not much in the way of offensive potential for the defensive minded forward out of Harvard, however he could one day play a depth role for the Panthers as a penalty killing fourth liner.

20 - Kasper Puutio

Admittedly, this list was solidified prior to the completion of the WJC’s where Puutio emerged out of nowhere to be named the tournament’s top defender. A former 5th rounder, he will look to carry over that success to the Liiga level this coming season.

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: FLORIDA PANTHERS – RANK: #20 – TIER IV

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 16:07:50 +0000

Florida Panthers

#20 Florida - The Panthers' system has the best goalie prospect around, and three more top 100 guys, but zero depth, a residual effect of the Tallon years.

TAMPA, FL - MAY 26: Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight (30) during Game 6 of the First Round of the NHL Play-offs between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning on May 26, 2021 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire)

Spencer Knight

Here is our runaway top goaltending prospect in the sport. This would have been the case even if the Panthers hadn’t shown us in the post-season that they were willing to play Knight in the net at the expense of Sergei Bobrovsky, their incumbent starter, signed to a very long-term contract, for a very big cap hit. In watching Knight over the past four seasons, it is safe to state here that he has no notable weak spots to his game. He is the embodiment of everything an NHL team hopes to see in any goalie prospect, the yardstick against which all others are measured. He fills up the net; He is very athletic; He is exceptionally square to the shooter; He steps up in the biggest moments; He avoids wasted movements; He anticipates the play masterfully; He can play the puck himself better than most NHL goalies; He avoids unforced second chances by the opposition.

We, at McKeen’s, liked him enough in his draft year to feel comfortable projecting him as a rare first round goaltender (although this is growing less rare every year, it seems), and he has only improved over two seasons with Boston College, topping a .930 save percentage each year. His brief, late-season and post-season cameos with Florida only maintained these impressions. Knight will be pushing Bobrovsky for playing time all season, and sooner than later, force Florida into a buyout. He is a star in the making. - RW

Anton Lundell

We don’t yet know whether Lundell will spend the season in the NHL, but we know that there is nothing left for him to figure out in Finland, where he finished his age 19 season as the fifth best scorer on a point-per-game basis of anyone who played at least 20 games. He also captained Team Finland to a Bronze Medal at the WJC, while tying for third overall in tournament scoring among all nations. Finally, he was Finland’s leading scorer at the World Championships. So, yeah, it’s pretty amazing that he was available at 12^th overall in last year’s draft, with all due respect to the 11 taken ahead of him.

Skating will never be his strong suit and is the primary reason why he wasn’t drafted higher, but he knows how to get himself into open space and then capitalize on any opportunities that develop once he gets there. Equal parts creator and finisher, he can seem faster with the puck on his stick than he is when empty-handed. He can seem to lack physicality, but that is a byproduct of his patience, as he prefers to wait for something to develop then to force an error with aggression. Further, he will play in the greasy areas, but lets the play come to him, rather than trying to hunt it down. Even if he doesn’t break into the NHL full time this year, Lundell has first line center upside, and it will be here sooner than later. - RW

Grigori Denisenko

Last summer Denisenko left the KHL with some believing it was too early for him to make the jump. On one hand he had a very good World Juniors that year, while on the other he really had not established himself as a full-time KHL player yet. Unable to secure a KHL loan to start the previous season, Denisenko had to wait for the NHL/AHL to start to play. Thankfully, it does not appear it had any long-term effect, as when the AHL season started he looked totally solid there, even earning a call-up to the NHL, making it to the total of seven NHL games in his debut North American season.

Next season will be quite critical for him in terms of his development as an NHL player. He has the skating ability, a great right-handed shot and the overall attacking skillset. He needs to put everything together consistently and live up to his potential as a top line NHL player. Not easy to predict if he will succeed, but the star potential is certainly there, which should make the Panthers organization and fans really hopeful that he does. - VF

Mackie Samoskevich

Michigan commit Mackie Samoskevich had a season of two halves. He had 10 points within four games, and after a three-point night on January 2nd, giving him 21 points in 14 games, things changed. He was held off the scoresheet for two games, and then was held out of the lineup due to injury for six weeks. When he returned, he still had his moments, but the frequency of his magic was gone, finishing the regular season with 16 more points in 20 games. While some of these inconsistencies can be chalked up to injury recovery, it does make Samoskevich a bit of a gamble as a first round selection.

His best two characteristics are his skating ability and playmaking sense. When healthy, he flies. His ability to get from his own to the offensive end is high-end, regularly forcing the defenses into mistakes. He can maintain that speed over longer distances, but also has the short-area quickness to win races for loose pucks within a zone, and the edges to turn those wins into news playmaking lanes. These are not player comparisons, per se, but you can see some elements of what has made players like Mathew Barzal and Jonathan Huberdeau so successful as NHLers when watching Samoskevich. He will attend the University of Michigan next season and will look to carve out a significant role on that incredibly deep team. Hopefully he is able to improve his consistency, add some muscle, and improve his play away from the puck in his time at Ann Arbor. - RW

Ty Smilanic

One of the biggest 2020 draft day fallers, Florida scooped Smilanic up in the 3^rd round, and the young forward is already making the Panthers feel good about the pick thanks to a very strong freshman campaign with Quinnipiac, tying for the team lead in goals. Perhaps if his draft year had not been inundated with multiple injuries, his potential would have been easier to spot. As is, he is a swift skater, has a well-rounded offensive game – even if he trended much more towards goals this year – and can be utilized in all situations, as his average of over 2.5 minutes of shorthanded ice time per game for the Bobcats indicates.

Currently utilized as a center, there is a school of thought that he would eventually have more value on the wing. There are also questions about how he will hold up when the going gets rougher, as he could seem to shy away from contact at times. Still filling out a lanky 6-1” frame, perhaps added bulk would give him additional assertiveness in the corners. Whatever the case, Florida has no reason to rush Smilanic in his development. He looks to have a middle six upside now, but we will be a lot smarter about his projection after a normal collegiate season next year, instead of playing the same three teams over and over again. Time is still needed, but he is facing the right direction. - RW

Max Gildon

One of the lesser-reported, funky side effects of COVID on the world of North American hockey was that three AHL franchises elected to keep their rinks shut throughout the season. One of those AHL teams was the Florida affiliate in Charlotte. As a result, the Panthers had to find contingency solutions to keep their not-ready-for-primetime prospects on the ice this year. The bulk of them played with Tampa’s affiliate in Syracuse, but a few required third or fourth options for ice time. Gildon was one of those whose solution required creativity, and he ended up spending the season with Edmonton’s farm club in Bakersfield.

Coming fresh out of the University of New Hampshire, his rookie pro season did not go according to plan but was nonetheless very successful. He was Bakersfield’s leading scorer among defenders, and by the season’s second half, was regularly playing upwards of 22 minutes per game, including a few games above 25 minutes of ice time. As an amateur, Gildon always demonstrated a raw, but tantalizing skill set, with an ideal frame, good mobility, solid puck skills, and a sort of intuition that would lead to excitement – at one end of the rink or the other. He still needs at least one more full AHL campaign before we begin to worry about finding him an NHL job, but his development has remained on the right trajectory since draft day. - RW

Serron Noel

It seems as though the last two years of Noel’s development have really plateaued after a promising start to his career as a prospect in the OHL. Under a point per game in his final season in the OHL, Noel was used sparingly on a deep Syracuse team in his first pro season last year in the AHL. The 6’5, 215lbs winger has an intriguing package of size and skill, but a lack of production (or at least a positive step forward) can often be alarming.

Noel skates well for a big player, especially linearly. Due to the power he generates North/South, Noel excels driving the net where he has the skill to finish off plays in tight. However, he still needs to add more dynamic layers to his stride to make him more effective moving through traffic, when he is not able to drive through defenders. Additionally, his play away from the puck needs to become more consistent, especially if he wants to carve out a career as a high end third line winger, which appears to be his likely high-end potential at this point. This coming season Noel will look to establish himself as a consistently productive AHL player who can stay in the lineup for the Crunch. Positive progression is a must this year after two relatively stagnant years. - BO

Evan Nause

An extremely well-rounded defender, Nause may not be flashy, but he is highly effective. After playing with Sioux Falls of the USHL two seasons ago (where he made the USHL All Rookie Team), Nause joined Quebec of the QMJHL this past year. Interestingly enough, he was drafted in the top ten twice in the QMJHL. First by Val-d’or in 2019 (sixth overall), then by Quebec in 2020 (fifth overall). This past year, there was a transition period at the beginning, but as the QMJHL season progressed, he seemed to look more comfortable with each passing month.

A strong skating defender, Nause uses his strong agility and four-way mobility to impact the game at both ends of the ice. He is comfortable and smooth moving backwards and laterally, allowing him to maintain a close gap when defending in transition. He is quick and fluid moving forward allowing him to escape forecheckers in order to create space for clean exits. Nause is also a highly intelligent defender. His exit passes always seem to hit the mark and it is rare to see him turn the puck over, even when he is trying to play with pace. One might wonder, then, why a 6’2 defender with such a well-rounded skill set would be drafted in the late second round. The answer is that Nause’s NHL potential may be limited to more of a secondary role (perhaps a #4-5) due to the fact that his puck skills are average, and his game is simplistic. If Nause’s offensive capabilities improve, he could look like a steal at the draft. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Cole Schwindt

This past year was supposed to be Cole Schwindt’s swan song in the OHL. He likely would have taken another step forward offensively, while leading the Mississauga Steelheads to a solid position in the standings. However, the OHL season was canceled due to the pandemic. Thankfully the Panthers found a place for Schwindt to play in the AHL with Syracuse, even if he played sparingly. Not exactly the banner year he would have likely had, but better than nothing.

Drafted as a potentially elite shutdown defensive forward, Schwindt’s confidence as an offensive player and playmaker has blossomed. He still has the qualities that you look for in a great shutdown forward (size, reach, awareness, skating ability), however Florida must have been really happy to see his play with the puck take such a positive step forward previously. In the AHL, Schwindt played the exact kind of role you would have expected, killing penalties, excelling in the defensive end, and engaging on the forecheck. However, offensively he struggled. This year, in his second AHL season, Schwindt should be an AHL regular, and the Panthers will likely get a better indication of whether he can develop into that elite third line forward, or whether he profiles as more of a depth piece. - BO

Justin Sourdif

After being selected in the third round by the Florida Panthers, Sourdif was returned to Vancouver (WHL) to resume his junior career as an 18-year-old, where he dominated in posting 34 points in just 22 games, showing another level of offensive upside that may not have been as apparent in his draft year. An athletic player with great skating abilities, Sourdif is able to blow by or bulldoze through opponents with equal ease thanks to his lower center of gravity. His release is powerful and can beat goalies from distance or from in front with a deft set of hands. His puck control is excellent, and he excels at going to the correct areas on the ice in order for the puck to find him – traits that should translate well to the pro level.

His awareness in all three zones is generally reminiscent of older players, which should endear him to coaches. He thinks the game well and can play center or wing and contribute on the powerplay or penalty kill. He struggles with consistency and needs to bulk up in order to withstand the rigours of the pro game. He will likely play one final season of junior as a 19-year-old in 2021-22, where he figures to be among the top scorers in the league. - AS

Aleksi Heponiemi

A former standout in the WHL, Heponiemi’s transition to pro hockey has not been seamless. The ultra-quick and creative playmaker has had some trouble adjusting to the strength requirements of the pro game. However, he remains a potential middle six forward for the Panthers and will get an opportunity to be a full time NHL player this season.

Matt Kiersted

One of the top prizes of the college free agent crop this past season, Kiersted has been a winner wherever he has played. After four solid seasons with UND, the strong skating, two-way defender has turned pro. He got into a few games with Florida last year and will look to crack the roster again this season in a third pairing role. However, some time at the AHL level may not be terrible for him either.

John Ludvig

A former standout for Portland of the WHL, the big, physical two-way blueliner had a very good first pro season with Syracuse last year. While the roster crunch (no pun intended) limited his game action, he proved that he could develop into a potential top four defender for the Panthers within the next few seasons, with a profile similar to the Maple Leafs’ Jake Muzzin.

Samuel Montembeault

The 2020/21 season was unquestionably a step backwards for the former third round selection, as he struggled in the AHL after getting a long look in the NHL the year prior. He will continue to serve as Florida’s top injury call-up and still has the chance to become Spencer Knight’s back-up in the future.

Michael Benning

A fourth-round pick in 2020, Benning may not be large (5’8, 180lbs) but he is an extremely talented offensive defender. He was an immediate impact player for the University of Denver as a freshman last season and will look to become one of the top offensive blueliners in college this season as a sophomore.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Top 300 Prospect Rankings

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 17:09:56 +0000

These are our final prospect ranking prior to the start of the season. As a subscriber you can download the list in an excel chart and can link to the player pages in the chart found here. As always, the rankings you see below are based on our 20-80 scouting system looking at five categories for skaters (Skating, Shot, Puck Skills, Hockey Smarts, Physicality) and six for netminders (Athleticism/Quickness/Speed, Compete/Temperament, Vision/Play Reading, Technique/Style, Rebound Control, Puck Handling). Our prospect team spent large portions of their last few months pre-COVID in the rinks, watching the players below and many others, and further work on video (Instat Hockey has been a terrific resource in recent days) before passing judgement on their future projections.

The 20-80 scouting system is meant to allow players from different leagues in different parts of the world to be compared to one another, such that grades on a player in the OHL can be directly compared to grades from an AHL player, and to grades of someone playing in the MHL.

PROSPECT CRITERIA

Players under 26 years of age as of the September 15th prior (Sep. 15, 1994) to the season in question who have appeared in less than 60 NHL games (30 for goalies) and less than 35 in any one season – or 25 last year (20 for goalies, 15 last season) are considered prospects

RANK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	ACQUIRED
1	Alexis Lafreniere	NYR	LW	19	6-1/195	`20(1st)
2	Tim Stutzle	Ott	C	18	6-1/185	`20(3rd)
3	Quinton Byfield	LA	C	18	6-4/215	`20(2nd)
4	Trevor Zegras	Ana	C	19	6-0/170	`19(9th)
5	Kirill Kaprizov	Min	LW	23	5-10/200	`15(135th)
6	Lucas Raymond	Det	LW	18	5-11/170	`20(4th)
7	Dylan Cozens	Buf	C	19	6-3/185	`19(7th)
8	Bowen Byram	Col	D	19	6-0/195	`19(4th)
9	Peyton Krebs	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`19(17th)
10	Jake Sanderson	Ott	D	18	6-1/185	`20(5th)
11	Moritz Seider	Det	D	19	6-3/185	`19(6th)
12	Jamie Drysdale	Ana	D	18	5-11/175	`20(6th)
13	Igor Shesterkin	NYR	G	25	6-1/190	`14(118th)
14	Alexander Holtz	NJ	RW	18	6-0/190	`20(7th)
15	Cole Perfetti	Wpg	LW	19	5-10/180	`20(10th)
16	Marco Rossi	Min	C	19	5-9/185	`20(9th)
17	Vasili Podkolzin	Van	RW	19	6-1/190	`19(10th)
18	Victor Soderstrom	Ari	D	19	5-11/180	`19(11th)
19	Nick Robertson	Tor	LW	19	5-9/160	`19(53rd)
20	Cole Caufield	Mtl	RW	19	5-7/165	`19(15th)
21	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	18	6-3/175	`20(11th)
22	Spencer Knight	Fla	G	19	6-3/195	`19(13th)
23	Philip Broberg	Edm	D	19	6-3/200	`19(8th)
24	Jack Quinn	Buf	RW	19	6-0/180	`20(8th)
25	Matthew Boldy	Min	LW	19	6-1/190	`19(12th)
26	Nils Lundkvist	NYR	D	20	5-11/180	`18(28th)
27	Seth Jarvis	Car	RW	18	5-10/175	`20(13th)
28	Ty Smith	NJ	D	20	5-10/180	`18(17th)
29	Grigori Denisenko	Fla	LW	20	5-11/185	`18(15th)
30	Barrett Hayton	Ari	C	20	6-1/190	`18(5th)
31	Alex Newhook	Col	C	19	5-10/195	`19(16th)
32	Thomas Harley	Dal	D	19	6-3/190	`19(18th)
33	Alex Turcotte	LA	C	19	5-11/185	`19(5th)
34	Vitali Kravtsov	NYR	RW	21	6-3/185	`18(9th)
35	Philip Tomasino	Nsh	C	19	5-11/180	`19(24th)
36	Connor McMichael	Wsh	C	19	5-11/175	`19(25th)
37	Dawson Mercer	NJ	C	19	6-0/180	`20(18th)
38	Ilya Sorokin	NYI	G	25	6-2/180	`14(78th)
39	Gabriel Vilardi	LA	RW	21	6-3/200	`17(11th)
40	Ryan Merkley	SJ	D	20	5-11/170	`18(21st)
41	Alexander Romanov	Mtl	D	20	5-11/185	`18(38th)
42	Kaiden Guhle	Mtl	D	18	6-2/190	`20(16th)
43	Samuel Poulin	Pit	LW	19	6-1/205	`19(21st)
44	K'Andre Miller	NYR	D	20	6-3/205	`18(22nd)
45	Scott Perunovich	StL	D	22	5-10/175	`18(45th)
46	Evan Bouchard	Edm	D	21	6-2/195	`18(10th)
47	Braden Schneider	NYR	D	19	6-2/200	`20(19th)
48	Juuso Valimaki	Cgy	D	22	6-2/205	`17(16th)
49	Cam York	Phi	D	19	5-11/175	`19(14th)
50	Anton Lundell	Fla	C	19	6-1/185	`20(12th)
51	Morgan Frost	Phi	C	21	5-11/180	`17(27th)
52	Owen Tippett	Fla	RW	21	6-1/200	`17(10th)
53	Albert Johansson	Det	D	19	5-11/165	`19(60th)
54	Liam Foudy	CBJ	C	20	6-0/175	`18(18th)
55	Kieffer Bellows	NYI	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(19th)
56	Arthur Kaliyev	LA	RW	19	6-2/190	`19(33rd)
57	Oliver Wahlstrom	NYI	RW	20	6-1/205	`18(11th)
58	Nils Hoglander	Van	RW	20	5-9/185	`19(40th)
59	Matias Maccelli	Ari	LW	20	5-11/170	`19(98th)
60	Tobias Bjornfot	LA	D	19	6-0/200	`19(22nd)
61	Jacob Bernard-Docker	Ott	D	20	6-0/180	`18(26th)
62	Connor Zary	Cgy	C	19	6-0/180	`20(24th)
63	Dominik Bokk	Car	RW	20	6-1/180	T(StL-9/19)
64	Ryan Suzuki	Car	C	19	6-0/180	`19(28th)
65	Dylan Samberg	Wpg	D	21	6-3/190	`17(43rd)
66	Jake Bean	Car	D	22	6-1/175	`16(13th)
67	Josh Norris	Ott	C	21	6-1/195	T(SJ-9/18)
68	Rasmus Kupari	LA	C	20	6-1/185	`18(20th)
69	Jakob Pelletier	Cgy	LW	19	5-9/165	`19(26th)
70	Drake Batherson	Ott	RW	22	6-1/190	`17(121st)
71	Jan Jenik	Ari	RW	20	6-1/180	`18(65th)
72	John-Jason Peterka	Buf	LW	18	5-11/190	`20(34th)
73	Kirill Marchenko	CBJ	LW	20	6-3/190	`18(49th)
74	Bode Wilde	NYI	D	20	6-2/195	`18(41st)
75	John Beecher	Bos	C	19	6-3/210	`19(30th)
76	Tyler Madden	LA	C	21	5-10/155	T(Van-2/20)
77	Jack Studnicka	Bos	C	21	6-1/170	`17(53rd)
78	Jake Oettinger	Dal	G	22	6-4/210	`17(26th)
79	Alex Formenton	Ott	LW	21	6-2/165	`17(47th)
80	Matthew Robertson	NYR	D	19	6-3/200	`19(49th)
81	Calen Addison	Min	D	20	5-10/180	T(Pit-2/20)
82	Ty Dellandrea	Dal	C	20	6-0/185	`18(13th)
83	Akil Thomas	LA	C	20	5-11/170	`18(51st)
84	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	18	5-10/180	`20(30th)
85	Ian Mitchell	Chi	D	21	5-11/175	`17(57th)
86	Jason Robertson	Dal	LW	21	6-2/195	`17(39th)
87	Hendrix Lapierre	Wsh	C	18	5-11/180	`20(22nd)
88	Brendan Brisson	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`20(29th)
89	Theodor Niederbach	Det	C	18	5-11/175	`20(51st)
90	Zac Jones	NYR	D	20	5-10/175	`19(68th)
91	Robert Mastrosimone	Det	LW	19	5-10/160	`19(54th)
92	Joe Veleno	Det	C	20	6-1/195	`18(30th)
93	Rodion Amirov	Tor	LW	19	6-0/170	`20(15th)
94	Jake Neighbours	StL	LW	18	5-11/195	`20(26th)
95	Julien Gauthier	NYR	RW	23	6-4/225	T(Car-2/20)
96	Justus Annunen	Col	G	20	6-4/215	`18(64th)
97	Egor Zamula	Phi	D	20	6-4/175	FA(9/18)
98	Shane Pinto	Ott	C	20	6-2/190	`19(32nd)
99	Noel Gunler	Car	RW	19	6-2/175	`20(41st)
100	Ridly Greig	Ott	C	18	5-11/165	`20(28th)
101	Jesse Ylonen	Mtl	RW	21	6-1/185	`18(35th)
102	Samuel Fagemo	LA	RW	20	6-0/195	`19(50th)
103	Mattias Norlinder	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`19(64th)
104	Olli Juolevi	Van	D	22	6-3/200	`16(5th)
105	Kristian Vesalainen	Wpg	LW	21	6-3/205	`17(24th)
106	Raphael Lavoie	Edm	RW	20	6-4/195	`19(38th)
107	Jan Mysak	Mtl	C	18	5-11/180	`20(49th)
108	Cayden Primeau	Mtl	G	21	6-3/180	`17(199th)
109	Pavel Dorofeyev	VGK	LW	20	6-1/170	`19(79th)
110	Morgan Barron	NYR	C	22	6-2/200	`17(174th)
111	Ville Heinola	Wpg	D	19	5-11/180	`19(20th)
112	Dylan Holloway	Edm	C	19	6-0/205	`20(14th)
113	Jack Dugan	VGK	RW	22	6-2/185	`17(142nd)
114	Alexander Khovanov	Min	C	20	5-11/195	`18(86th)
115	Jacob Perreault	Ana	RW	18	5-11/195	`20(27th)
116	Jake Evans	Mtl	C	24	6-0/185	`14(207th)
117	Adam Beckman	Min	LW	19	6-1/170	`19(75th)
118	Jett Woo	Van	D	20	6-0/205	`18(37th)
119	Nolan Foote	NJ	LW	20	6-3/190	T(TB-2/20)
120	Logan Brown	Ott	C	22	6-6/220	`16(11th)
121	Martin Kaut	Col	RW	21	6-1/175	`18(16th)
122	Jack Rathbone	Van	D	21	5-10/175	`17(95th)
123	Ozzy Wiesblatt	SJ	RW	18	5-10/185	`20(31st)
124	Ryan O'Rourke	Min	D	18	6-0/180	`20(39th)
125	Lukas Reichel	Chi	LW	18	6-0/170	`20(17th)
126	Jordan Harris	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`18(71st)
127	Lukas Dostal	Ana	G	20	6-1/170	`18(85th)
128	Egor Afanasyev	Nsh	RW	19	6-3/205	`19(45th)
129	Conor Timmins	Col	D	22	6-1/185	`17(32nd)
130	Lassi Thomson	Ott	D	20	6-0/190	`19(19th)
131	Eeli Tolvanen	Nsh	RW	21	5-10/175	`17(30th)
132	Kasper Simontaival	LA	RW	18	5-9/180	`20(66th)
133	Roni Hirvonen	Tor	C	18	5-9/165	`20(59th)
134	Thomas Bordeleau	SJ	C	18	5-9/180	`20(38th)
135	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	Ana	C	20	6-1/195	`18(54th)
136	Tyler Kleven	Ott	D	18	6-4/200	`20(44th)
137	Tyson Foerster	Phi	C	18	6-1/195	`20(23rd)
138	Helge Grans	LA	D	18	6-2/205	`20(35th)
139	Jonathan Dahlen	SJ	LW	23	5-11/185	T(Van-2/19)
140	Marat Khusnutdinov	Min	C	18	5-11/175	`20(37th)
141	Alexander Alexeyev	Wsh	D	21	6-3/200	`18(31st)
142	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	Pit	D	21	6-2/170	`17(23rd)
143	Topi Niemela	Tor	D	18	5-10/160	`20(64th)
144	Oskari Laaksonen	Buf	D	21	6-2/165	`17(89th)
145	Filip Hallander	Tor	LW	20	6-1/185	T(Pit-8/20)
146	Serron Noel	Fla	RW	20	6-5/205	`18(34th)
147	Martin Chromiak	LA	LW	18	6-0/185	`20(128th)
148	Shakir Mukhamadullin	NJ	D	18	6-3/180	`20(20th)
149	Mattias Samuelsson	Buf	D	20	6-3/215	`18(32nd)
150	Janne Kuokkanen	NJ	LW	22	6-1/190	T(Car-2/20)
151	Ryan Johnson	Buf	D	19	6-0/175	`19(31st)
152	Sean Farrell	Mtl	C	19	5-8/175	`20(124th)
153	Martin Fehervary	Wsh	D	21	6-1/190	`18(46th)
154	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	Buf	G	21	6-4/195	`17(54th)
155	Will Lockwood	Van	RW	22	5-11/175	`16(64th)
156	Isac Lundestrom	Ana	C	21	6-0/185	`18(23rd)
157	Michael DiPietro	Van	G	21	6-0/195	`17(64th)
158	Jonatan Berggren	Det	RW	20	5-10/185	`18(33rd)
159	Kevin Bahl	NJ	D	20	6-6/230	T(Ari-12/19)
160	Aliaksei Protas	Wsh	C	19	6-5/205	`19(91st)
161	Reilly Walsh	NJ	D	21	5-11/180	`17(81st)
162	Nick Abruzzese	Tor	C	21	5-9/160	`19(124th)
163	Tyler Tucker	StL	D	20	6-1/205	`18(200th)
164	Arseni Gritsyuk	NJ	RW	19	5-10/170	`19(129th)
165	Klim Kostin	StL	C	21	6-3/195	`17(31st)
166	Brayden Tracey	Ana	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(29th)
167	Joel Hofer	StL	G	20	6-3/160	`18(107th)
168	Joey Anderson	Tor	RW	22	6-0/195	T(NJ-10/20)
169	Yegor Spiridonov	SJ	C	19	6-2/195	`19(108th)
170	Sam Colangelo	Ana	RW	19	6-1/205	`20(36th)
171	Joey Keane	Car	D	21	6-0/185	T(NYR-2/20)
172	Jared McIsaac	Det	D	20	6-1/195	`18(36th)
173	Jamieson Rees	Car	C	19	5-10/175	`19(44th)
174	Ivan Morozov	VGK	C	20	6-1/180	`18(61st)
175	Rem Pitlick	Nsh	C	23	5-11/200	`16(76th)
176	Tyce Thompson	NJ	RW	21	6-0/170	`19(96th)
177	Michael McLeod	NJ	C	22	6-2/195	`16(12th)
178	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	LA	C	21	5-11/190	`17(41st)
179	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	19	6-0/165	`19(214th)
180	Antti Tuomisto	Det	D	19	6-4/190	`19(35th)
181	Brett Berard	NYR	LW	18	5-9/155	`20(134th)
182	Luke Evangelista	Nsh	RW	18	5-11/170	`20(42nd)
183	Joel Blomqvist	Pit	G	18	6-1/180	`20(52nd)
184	Joni Ikonen	Mtl	C	21	5-10/170	`17(58th)
185	Olivier Rodrigue	Edm	G	20	6-1/165	`18(62nd)
186	Lucas Elvenes	VGK	RW	21	6-0/175	`17(127th)
187	Anthony Angello	Pit	RW	24	6-5/205	`14(145th)
188	Tuukka Tieksola	Car	RW	19	5-10/160	`19(121st)
189	Declan Chisholm	Wpg	D	20	6-1/190	`18(150th)
190	Cole Koepke	TB	LW	22	6-1/195	`18(183rd)
191	Valtteri Puustinen	Pit	RW	21	5-9/185	`19(203rd)
192	Ty Smilanic	Fla	C	18	6-1/175	`20(74th)
193	Patrik Puistola	Car	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(73rd)
194	Justin Barron	Col	D	19	6-2/190	`20(25th)
195	Andrew Peeke	CBJ	D	22	6-3/210	`16(34th)
196	Michael Vukojevic	NJ	D	19	6-3/210	`19(82nd)
197	Alec Regula	Chi	D	20	6-3/200	T(Det-10/19)
198	Connor Corcoran	VGK	D	20	6-1/185	`18(154th)
199	Jeremy Swayman	Bos	G	22	6-1/190	`17(111th)
200	Pyotr Kochetkov	Car	G	21	6-1/175	`19(36th)
201	Mikey Anderson	LA	D	21	6-0/195	`17(103rd)
202	Carter Savoie	Edm	LW	18	5-9/190	`20(100th)
203	Samuel Walker	TB	C	21	5-11/160	`17(200th)
204	William Wallinder	Det	D	18	6-4/190	`20(32nd)
205	Jack Drury	Car	C	20	5-11/180	`18(42nd)
206	Emil Andrae	Phi	D	18	5-9/185	`20(54th)
207	Cal Petersen	LA	G	26	6-3/190	FA(7/17)
208	Jeremie Poirier	Cgy	D	18	6-0/200	`20(72nd)
209	Tarmo Reunanen	NYR	D	22	6-0/180	`16(98th)
210	Simon Holmstrom	NYI	RW	19	6-1/185	`19(23rd)
211	Aleksi Saarela	Fla	RW	23	5-11/200	T(Chi-10/19)
212	Anton Johannesson	Wpg	D	18	5-9/155	`20(133rd)
213	Lauri Pajuniemi	NYR	RW	21	6-0/185	`18(132nd)
214	Morgan Geekie	Car	C	22	6-2/180	`17(67th)
215	Shane Bowers	Col	C	21	6-2/190	T(Ott-11/17)
216	Sasha Chmelevski	SJ	C	21	5-11/190	`17(185th)
217	Ruslan Iskhakov	NYI	C	20	5-8/155	`18(43rd)
218	Cole Schwindt	Fla	RW	19	6-2/185	`19(81st)
219	Hugo Alnefelt	TB	G	19	6-3/195	`19(71st)
220	Nikita Okhotyuk	NJ	D	20	6-1/195	`19(61st)
221	Sampo Ranta	Col	LW	20	6-2/205	`18(78th)
222	Alexander Volkov	TB	LW	23	6-1/190	`17(48th)
223	Alexander True	SJ	C	23	6-5/205	FA(7/18)
224	John Leonard	SJ	C	22	5-11/190	`18(182nd)
225	Carl Grundstrom	LA	LW	23	6-0/195	T(Tor-1/19)
226	Dmitri Semykin	TB	D	20	6-3/200	`18(90th)
227	Cal Foote	TB	D	22	6-4/215	`17(14th)
228	Jean-Luc Foudy	Col	C	18	5-11/175	`20(75th)
229	Alex Barre-Boulet	TB	C	23	5-10/165	FA(3/18)
230	Tristen Robins	SJ	RW	19	5-10/175	`20(56th)
231	Max Gildon	Fla	D	21	6-3/190	`17(66th)
232	Nikita Alexandrov	StL	C	20	6-0/180	`19(62nd)
233	Michael Benning	Fla	D	18	5-9/180	`20(95th)
234	Justin Sourdif	Fla	RW	18	5-11/175	`20(87th)
235	Tanner Laczynski	Phi	C	23	6-1/200	`16(169th)
236	Eamon Powell	TB	D	18	5-11/165	`20(116th)
237	Kaedan Korczak	VGK	D	19	6-3/190	`19(41st)
238	Drew Commesso	Chi	G	18	6-1/180	`20(47th)
239	Nikolai Kovalenko	Col	RW	21	5-10/175	`18(171st)
240	Pius Suter	Chi	C	24	5-11/170	FA(7/20)
241	Wade Allison	Phi	RW	23	6-2/205	`16(52nd)
242	Bobby Brink	Phi	RW	19	5-10/165	`19(34th)
243	Lukas Cormier	VGK	D	18	5-10/180	`20(68th)
244	David Farrance	Nsh	D	21	5-11/190	`17(92nd)
245	Roby Jarventie	Ott	RW	18	6-2/185	`20(33rd)
246	Dmitri Voronkov	CBJ	LW	20	6-4/190	`19(114th)
247	German Rubtsov	Phi	C	22	6-2/190	`16(22nd)
248	Vitaly Abramov	Ott	RW	22	5-9/175	T(CBJ-2/19)
249	Alex Laferriere	LA	RW	19	6-0/175	`20(83rd)
250	Trey Fix-Wolansky	CBJ	RW	21	5-8/185	`18(204th)
251	Isaac Ratcliffe	Phi	LW	21	6-5/200	`17(35th)
252	Kale Clague	LA	D	22	6-0/180	`16(51st)
253	Landon Slaggert	Chi	LW	18	5-11/180	`20(79th)
254	Wyatt Kalynuk	Chi	D	23	6-1/180	FA(7/20)
255	Mikko Kokkonen	Tor	D	19	5-11/200	`19(84th)
256	Kevin Mandolese	Ott	G	20	6-4/180	`18(157th)
257	Daniil Tarasov	CBJ	G	21	6-5/185	`17(86th)
258	Evan Barratt	Chi	C	21	6-0/190	`17(90th)
259	Tyler Benson	Edm	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(32nd)
260	Yegor Korshkov	Tor	RW	24	6-4/215	`16(31st)
261	Hunter Skinner	NYR	D	19	6-2/175	`19(112th)
262	Riley Damiani	Dal	C	20	5-9/165	`18(137th)
263	Ryan McLeod	Edm	C	21	6-2/205	`18(40th)
264	Ilya Konovalov	Edm	G	22	6-0/195	`19(85th)
265	Will Cuylle	NYR	LW	18	6-3/205	`20(60th)
266	Evan Vierling	NYR	C	18	6-0/165	`20(127th)
267	Emil Heineman	Fla	LW	19	6-0/180	`20(43rd)
268	Zayde Wisdom	Phi	RW	18	5-10/195	`20(94th)
269	Hunter Jones	Min	G	20	6-4/195	`19(59th)
270	Ty Tullio	Edm	RW	18	5-10/165	`20(126th)
271	Jordan Spence	LA	D	19	5-10/165	`19(95th)
272	Dmitri Zavgorodny	Cgy	LW	20	5-9/175	`18(198th)
273	Alex Beaucage	Col	RW	19	6-1/195	`19(78th)
274	Matiss Kivlenieks	CBJ	G	24	6-2/190	FA(5/17)
275	Artyom Zub	Ott	D	25	6-2/200	FA(5/20)
276	Urho Vaakanainen	Bos	D	22	6-0/185	`17(18th)
277	Dmitri Samorukov	Edm	D	21	6-2/180	`17(84th)
278	Michal Teply	Chi	LW	19	6-3/185	`19(105th)
279	Colby Ambrosio	Col	C	18	5-8/170	`20(118th)
280	Mads Sogaard	Ott	G	20	6-7/195	`19(37th)
281	Jeremy Lauzon	Bos	D	23	6-3/205	`15(52nd)
282	Dennis Gilbert	Col	D	24	6-2/200	T(Chi-10/20)
283	Trent Frederic	Bos	C	22	6-4/215	`16(29th)
284	Lucas Carlsson	Chi	D	23	6-0/190	`16(110th)
285	Zack Macewen	Van	RW	24	6-3/205	FA(3/17)
286	Brandon Hagel	Chi	LW	22	6-1/175	FA(10/18)
287	Vasily Ponomarev	Car	C	18	5-10/180	`20(53rd)
288	Jakub Zboril	Bos	D	23	6-1/200	`15(13th)
289	Garrett Pilon	Wsh	RW	22	5-11/190	`16(87th)
290	Jeremy Bracco	Car	RW	23	5-9/180	FA(10/20)
291	Dylan Sikura	VGK	RW	25	6-0/170	T(Chi-9/20)
292	Kyle Capobianco	Ari	D	23	6-1/180	`15(63rd)
293	Sami Niku	Wpg	D	24	6-0/175	`15(198th)
294	John Farinacci	Ari	C	19	5-11/185	`19(76th)
295	Jackson Lacombe	Ana	D	19	6-1/170	`19(39th)
296	David Cotton	Car	LW	23	6-3/205	`15(169th)
297	Erik Portillo	Buf	G	20	6-6/210	`19(67th)
298	Jacob Truscott	Van	D	18	6-1/170	`20(144th)
299	Mikhail Berdin	Wpg	G	22	6-2/165	`16(157th)
300	Cam Hillis	Mtl	C	20	5-10/170	`18(66th)

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Florida Panthers Top 20 Prospects

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 12:47:18 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 Florida Panthers prospects for the 2020-21 season. You can read an organizational assessment prior to the draft in Ryan Wagman's article found here. Following the draft we provided a review on each teams performance based on our rankings found here.

Spencer Knight, G (13^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Hailed as the top goaltending prospect heading into college hockey last season, Knight has only solidified the hype, leading Boston College to a regular-season Hockey East championship and earning a spot on Hockey East’s All-Rookie team thanks to a solid save percentage, while playing in all but one game. He can clear the puck quickly and tracks it very well. He possesses a quick stick when clearing the crease and he has quick reflexes. He won’t make many “wow” saves, but that is a good thing as it means he isn’t being caught out of position. While there are many qualities of Knight’s game to like, there are two that indicate his high likelihood of becoming an NHL goaltender - his size and speed in the net. He is 6-3” and fills the net nicely, leaving few obvious holes. The game gets quicker at each level and his ability to keep up and even excel as a freshman is a good sign for his ability to adapt. While he is expected to return to school for another season, he is already not far from being ready for the next step. - JS

Grigori Denisenko, LW (15^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

The complete package offensively and with the potential to be one of the highest scoring players in the NHL, it is important to remember that it is hard for young Russian players to earn quality ice time in the KHL, regardless of player skill or production, and that was the case for Denisenko, who found himself in a bottom six role most nights with Lokomotiv. An exciting prospect because of the intensity he plays with, in combination with his high end skill level, he plays the game hard, brings a physical element, and loves to get under the skin of the opposition as a pest. While discipline can be an occasional issue, his ferocity is an integral part of his game as he looks to push the pace and attack the offensive zone. He has the speed, hands, and finishing ability, and the creativity to be one of the best players on the planet. Outside of discipline, Denisenko’s main knock is consistency. Given how hard he plays, he could easily start his NHL career in a checking line role and still find success, but he should be able to work his way up the lineup. – BO

Anton Lundell, C (12^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A big chunk of Lundell’s attractiveness is in the maturity of his game. He helps move the flow of the game in the right direction, winning a loose puck in his own end and dishing to a teammate better positioned to carry it up the ice; getting his stick on the puck as a forechecker, forcing a fumble; creeping away from coverage to make himself a target for a pass in a better spot; always being in the right side of the puck defensively; making the right pass out of pressure. I could go on. Lundell lacks flash, so a defender might shade away, but Lundell notices and makes the defender pay. He is effective in a high paced game thanks to his ability to process the game and anticipate. He is a very good puck mover. He is an accomplished finisher thanks to the accuracy of his wrist and snap shots. His top speed is fine, even if he lacks strong acceleration. His floor is in the NHL. The areas where he currently comes up short of awesome are all areas that can be improved with time. It is harder to teach what he already has. – RW

Owen Tippett, RW/LW (10^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 3)

Skilled winger Tippett has an exemplary attitude both on and off the ice and boasts a skill set and maturity level that even many seasoned players lack. He was on the cusp of making the Panthers’ roster last season as he was leading AHL Springfield in points as well as ice time among forwards. He has made one of the smoother transitions from the OHL to the AHL last season, perhaps only matched by Bruins’ forward Jack Studnicka in terms of performance and impact. His work ethic and shooting ability are both impressive, and his drive to make plays during special team’s situations makes him an asset. The only thing that needs slight work is Tippett’s defensive positioning but that will come with more time spent at the professional level. Overall, he is a fabulous forward and makes his presence felt every shift. The hope is that he stays healthy and continues to develop and by next season he should be making his NHL debut. - SC

Serron Noel, RW/LW (34^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

After such a strong post draft season in 2018-19, Noel disappointed last season. Not only did his offensive game and consistency regress but didn’t even earn a sniff at the WJC. A very big power forward, Noel still possesses NHL impact potential. He skates well for a bigger player, showing the ability to drive through defenders on the way to the net. His hands and finishing ability in tight are excellent. When he is on his game, he also makes a large impact physically, using size, reach, and skating ability to close in on opposing players quickly. Unfortunately, he can struggle to create his own scoring chances because his puck skills and overall agility both still require development. Additionally, his physical game took a step back, as the consistency of his engagement level without the puck was absent. Florida will have to be patient with Noel as he moves to the professional level this season. He still projects as a middle six power forward who can score, however he may need more time in the AHL than originally thought. – BO

Ty Smilanic, C (74^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Despite missing close to one third of his draft year due to an assortment of injuries and illnesses, Smilanic always returned to action quicker than expected, even if his performance was rusty. As a result, his skillset was demonstrated inconsistently. He occasionally flashed plus straight-ahead speed and quality edge work. He is very good at creating room for himself and is a cycle master. He also has the wherewithal to change speeds, keeping defenders at bay and generating space to move the puck around. He can drive the play with both his feet and his decision making. He was sometimes too deliberate with the puck, limiting his effectiveness. This trait left some to occasionally question his creativity and offensive upside, but with none of the issues being chronic in nature, we should expect him to get back to his previous upwards trajectory in short order with Quinnipiac. Smilanic has a very good head for the game and will be, at bare minimum, a very reliable player who can be trusted to give his all in all situations. With a touch more flash, he will have opponents on their heels regularly. – RW

Aleksi Saarela, C (Trade: Oct. 23, 2019. Originally: 89^th overall, 2015 [NY Rangers]. Previous ranking: 5)

Saarela has had a frustrating start to his North American career, good enough to earn call ups to the NHL but still not quite managing to stick for good. Now in his fourth organization (NYR, Car, Chi came first), he is a force when it comes to pure strength and stability on the ice, as he is an all-round skilled player. Despite being moved many times, he has done well at making the necessary adjustments needed to succeed since joining the Panthers’ system. Last season he finished second in forward points with the Falcons and managed to be a consistent member of their special teams as well. Next season he will have to do better at being present and not turning the puck over in the neutral zone. He is a good two-way player but he needs to avoid developing lazy habits in his own end or cheating and leaving too early when exiting the zone. Saarela deserves a break and has what it takes to be given a proper chance, where his skating, puck possession, and overall hockey sense can be put on show. He would make a decent addition to Florida’s bottom six. - SC

Cole Schwindt, C (81^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 6)

It was a breakout season for the Mississauga Steelhead center, who finished the year exceptionally well and has positioned himself for an even larger breakout next year. Schwindt has the body and make-up of a terrific third line center. He plays and excels in all situations. He protects the puck well through traffic, using his wide base and reach to keep defenders at bay. He plays with intensity in all three zones and has become one of the better two-way forwards in the OHL. Additionally, his skating has improved further, giving him more of an extra gear to aid in his ability to generate offense in transition, and to help him be more effective away from the puck. Next year, Schwindt should continue to improve and has to be considered one of the more underrated prospects currently playing in the Ontario Hockey League. The offensive upside may be somewhat limited, but his game is so well rounded that it is difficult to see him failing to become an NHL player in the future. - BO

Max Gildon, D (66^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 7)

A Texas product, Gildon spent his youth playing locally until he went to the USNTDP. He played in the WU-18 tournament, where he won a gold medal while scoring the most goals by a defenseman and being named to the tournament’s all-star team. The third-round pick signed with the Panthers after three years with the UNH Wildcats. Gildon has always been able to contribute offensively, and he led New Hampshire in scoring last season. He is a smooth skater with good stick handling skills. He is physical and isn’t afraid of taking a hit to play the puck, but because of his good defensive stick, he doesn’t need physicality to dislodge the puck from opponents. He appeared on the first power play unit and quarterbacked it well thanks to his vision and ability to cycle. He can weave through his opponents smoothly. He is gifted, but still raw, and needs a season or two in the AHL before hitting the NHL. – JS

Michael Benning, D (95^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Benning is a high upside puck moving defender with very intriguing offensive potential. He is at home on the point as a powerplay quarterback. His edgework is extremely crisp, creating power in his lateral movements. He can shift quickly without losing speed and get back into stride very smoothly, allowing him to spin off defenders to create passing and shooting lanes. He also shows well navigating traffic through the neutral zone as a facilitator in transition and is an overall aggressive offensive player. He is constantly looking to attack, leading the rush out of his own end. The question is whether Benning defends well enough to play consistently at even strength. He is undersized and has a tendency to get bullied in his own end, even if he is a willing combatant. He also plays a high-risk game, leaving him susceptible to being out of position defensively with the need to scramble. His overall game is quite raw, and it will be interesting to see how he handles a new challenge next year in the NCAA. – BO

Justin Sourdif, C/RW (87^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

While Sourdif’s offensive production doesn’t immediately jump out at you as elite, his even strength performance was quite strong, and right up there with some fellow WHL’ers who were taken in the first round. Sourdif perhaps gets lost in the shuffle because his physical tools leave some to be desired, but he is an extremely effective and well-rounded player. His speed and explosiveness are best summarized as average, however his brain operates more quickly and he can therefore play at a quicker pace. He is equal parts goal scorer and playmaker, and equally effective both with and without the puck. He possesses a strong wrist shot, a quick release, and is great at jumping gaps, anticipating openings before they happen. He can pick apart defensive zone coverage by changing pace and direction with the puck and has the hands and creativity to play through traffic. A strong two-way center, he uses his high IQ to apply pressure on both the forecheck and the backcheck. He is often the first forward back and is terrific at defending the middle, taking away shooting lanes in the slot. As he gains strength, second line center is not out of the question. – BO

Emil Heineman, LW (43^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Heineman came out of nowhere to light up the Swedish junior leagues in his draft year, scoring nearly a goal per game, and later looking at ease in a shorter cameo in the SHL. Time will tell if this was more a matter of skill blooming or simply being more physically mature than most of the competition, but he has some strong qualities. Heineman is an explosive straight-line skater who generates a great deal of speed coming down the wing. He is also a strong goal scorer with an NHL caliber wrist shot. He scores most often off the rush or with some room from the circles and understands how to slip behind defenders to get open. He is also a solid energy player who uses his speed to create havoc on the forecheck and who shows potential as a strong defensive forward. His puck skills, agility, and playmaking all level out as average, which probably limits his overall potential. That said, there is still enough there to suggest that, even if he doesn’t develop further as a goal scorer, he can be an effective NHL role player. – BO

Vladislav Kolyachonok, D (52^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 8)

Kolyachonok has everything you would look for in a future shutdown defender at the NHL level. He has good size. He skates extremely well, showing an explosive first few strides and fluid lateral movement. This helps him to not only shutdown the transition game of opponents, but he is so quick to close in on attackers and loose pucks that teams have trouble setting up in the defensive zone when Kolyachonok is on the ice. Offensively, he has a big point shot and he makes a strong outlet pass. On the other hand, he is not a creative player or someone that should be expected to put up large offensive numbers at the next level. Playing a smart, composed, and safe game, Kolyachonok projects as a possible second pairing, defensively oriented defender at the NHL level. He returns to Flint next year where he will look to continue to evolve as a two-way defender, perhaps gaining confidence in his ability to use his strengths as a skater to help lead the breakout. - BO

Aleksi Heponiemi, C (40^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

Heponiemi, who had a lot of success playing major junior and in the less gritty Liiga, had a very unkind season as he transitioned into the AHL this past season. As one of the lightest players in the AHL, he seemed to have difficulty holding onto the puck, often getting separated from it too easily and not winning his battles enough. Although still nifty and creative on the ice, there were certainly more limitations apparent as he took on a new league and level of play, with a lack of weight or the strength needed to be a strong puck carrier and offensive threat in the AHL. Of course there are always exceptions and players like Elias Pettersson who are exceptionally skilled, work hard, and who weigh under 180lbs, but those players are rare and for Heponiemi to prove himself as a great, he will have to get much stronger and dominant on the puck in another go-round in the AHL, to earn a callup as a bottom six forward. - SC

Eetu Luostarinen, C (Trade: Feb. 24, 2020. Originally: 42^nd overall, 2017 [Carolina]. Previous ranking: 10)

After playing top minutes with the Carolina Hurricanes feeder team in Charlotte and earning top power play ice time as well, the smooth skating forward was traded to the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline. Although he only managed to fit in five games before the COVID-19 break, Luostarinen brings starting line experience and strong skating and puck handling skills. He is not a terribly showy player, but his technical skills stand out when the puck is on his stick. He has the potential to make plays happen at the NHL level with the Florida Panthers as part of their quiet but deadly bottom six, however he needs to be better without the puck and more aggressive and physical when forechecking and battling. Luostarinen will start the season back in his native Finland with KalPa in the Liiga as European leagues are getting underway even while the game in North America is in wait-and-see mode, but expect to see him earn his first call up to the Florida Panthers later in the season. – SC

Kasper Puutio, D (153^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Despite spending much of his draft year on the worst team in the WHL, Puutio still managed to shine in his North American debut season. A slick skating puck mover, he combines high end agility and edge work to achieve solid speed and perfect crossovers, and as a result, his positioning is near flawless. Trusting in his wheels, he plays a very calm game, with tremendous poise. He generally makes the safe play in his own zone, but also has a knack for timing his plays such that he waits out the opposition to make a better pass than a more skittish defender would. The right-handed shot is more of a quick puck mover than a static blueline bomber. Without a lot of flash, he profiles as a potential #4/5 option on a solid team as long as he grows a little stronger, such that he can more vigorously defend his netminder’s crease. Puutio has returned to Finland for the 2020-21 season, back to the Karpat system he grew up in, and is now spending most of his playing against men in Liiga. – RW

Justin Schutz, LW (170^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 11)

The young forward wrapped up the 19-20 season, his first as a full-time pro, with DEL regular season champion Red Bulls Munich, where he joined the slightly younger JJ Peterka on an all-kid line. Were it not for the names on the back of the jerseys, you would hardly be able to tell the two players apart on the ice. Their skating and style of play is that similar in the grand scheme of things. Of average height, but solidly built, Schutz reads the game very well and plays as if he's doing exactly what his coach is telling him to do, leading one to believe that he wasn't allowed to demonstrate his full abilities. Solid hands and puck decisions are accompanied by strong skating attributes and a very solid work ethic. He proved to be very adept in 1-on-1 situations, often those along the boards, against men at the pro level. He will return to the Munich club for another season next year. - CL

Logan Hutsko, C/RW (89^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 12)

There is a lot to like about Hutsko, a former third-round draft pick. He went from Shattuck St. Mary’s to a key role in the middle of the USNTDP lineup. He also appeared in the World Hockey Classic U-17. As a freshman, he was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team and was awarded the Hockey East Rookie of the Year. He is a fast skater and makes his skating look effortless. He also drives the net hard. Hutsko has good stick handling abilities and played a regular role on BC’s power play. He is definitely more on the underrated side, however there is one big question mark surrounding his game that has seeing held him back— injuries. Hutsko has been injury prone throughout his career and missed nearly the entire 2016-17 season. He has had some bad luck, and whether or not he can stay healthy will decide ultimately what, if any, NHL career he can have. – JS

Devon Levi, G (212^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

It was quite the year for the 6-0” goaltender out of the CCHL. Not only was he the CCHL Top Goalie and MVP, but he was also honored as the CJHL top Goalie and MVP as the best player in all of Canadian Junior A. Levi also helped Canada East reach the final of the World Junior A Challenge, earning MVP at an event that features some of the best draft eligible players in the world. While he may not have the elite size that scouts are looking for, he makes up for it by utilizing his athleticism to cover his angles well, reading and reacting to the play as well as any goaltender available in North America last year. Outside of his height, he has practically everything a team might want in a goaltending prospect, not too dissimilar to Dustin Wolf from the 2019 draft class. A late bloomer who shows clear NHL qualities, Levi will head to Northeastern next year and be the starter for a top NCAA program. – BO

Samuel Montembeault, G (77^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 13)

Often times goaltenders need more time to come into their own and develop than do skaters and this may be just the case for Montembeault, who has spent exactly 25 games up with the Panthers over the years, and has experienced moderate success. It just does not feel like he is ready to make the full time jump to the NHL and still has more room to develop. He is agile, quick, and tracks the puck well but he is still missing aspects of his game where it comes to reading how quickly NHL plays develop. He has the potential to start more games in the NHL, but for now it is up in the air as to whether he is capable of being a starter or not, depending on his continued development. Let it be known that Montembeault certainly has the compete level and spirit to do so but the rest is up to his physical performance in net. - SC

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – FLORIDA PANTHERS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 4

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 19:33:33 +0000

Florida Panthers

One of the fun things about writing these little team essays to kick off each top 15 is that I get to discuss whatever interests me about a given team. Maybe they scout heavily from a particular geographic area, or they ignore an area altogether. Maybe the system is well-balanced, or particularly unbalanced.

The Florida Panthers have an excellent system. They have made some seriously funky selections over the years to raise the odd eyebrow. Some have worked out splendidly, or are in the course of doing so, like #11 Justin Schutz below, drafted out of the Red Bull Akademie playing in the Czech U18 league. Sometimes they don’t work out, like the majority of players they have selected in recent years who have taken the collegiate route. This clearly doesn’t apply to the likes of Spencer Knight, Max Gildon, or Logan Hutsko, all on this list, but too many of their collegiate prospects are in grave danger of not being worth an ELC once they exhaust their NCAA eligibility.

But these are not the points I wish to make about the exceptionally strong and deep Florida system. I also won’t spend too much time noting that the depth was significantly juiced through three trade acquisitions in the last 12 months which brought in top 15 prospects Aleksi Saarela, Eetu Luostarinen, and Chase Priskie, all three of whom have at one point belonged to the Carolina Hurricanes, but not all of whom were acquired directly from the Hurricanes.

The future is bright, Panthers fans. Enjoy it!

I want to instead talk about a Florida mistake. In recent years, many teams have been loading up on CHL prospects in the early rounds and using their middle/late round picks on collegians or Europeans. The CHL players are generally easier to scout accurately, while the others avenues can lead to more sleepers and late bloomers and the drafting team has more time to decide on offering a contract to a college-bound player or someone drafted out of Europe.

There are exceptions to the above paragraph of course. On the one hand, a team should absolutely draft top-level Europeans and college-bound players early. The Panthers do this regularly. Look on the list below. Their top two prospects, also known as their first-round picks in the two previous drafts, include a USNTDP alum who is now playing at Boston College, and a Russian playing at home. The team will reap the rewards of those picks for much of the next decade barring something truly unfortunate.

The other exception is drafting CHL players late if they are in their second or third year of draft eligibility. While the other developmental tracks tend to have more late bloomers, once in a while an 18 or 19 year old playing junior hockey in Canada makes a big leap and becomes worthy of draft consideration when he was an afterthought after his age-17 season. Whereas late rounders are generally lottery tickets and it makes sense to give organization as much lead time as possible before making a decision on a 17 year old headed to Michigan State, or Frolunda, if you feel an 18- or 19- year old from Kamloops or Rouyn-Noranda is a good bet to contribute at the professional level, than you should definitely use a pick on him, especially as you can sign him immediately (or within one year) and put him to work under your own coaches.

Not signing an overager draft pick is a massive failure at the draft table. Last year, the Panthers used their sixth and seventh round picks on two such 20-year-old players, in Greg Meireles of Kitchener and Matthew Wedman of Seattle. One COVID-19 interrupted season later, and the Panthers did not sign either of them. I am absolutely nit-picking about a system this deep, but what an avoidable waste of two draft picks.

BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 10: Boston College Eagles goaltender Spencer Knight (30) makes a glove save during the Beanpot consolation game between the Harvard Crimson and the Boston College Eagles on February 10, 2020, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Spencer Knight, G (13^th overall, 2019. Pre-season: 3)

The Florida Panthers took a big gamble in using their first-round pick on a goaltender. Goaltenders are very rarely drafted in the first round because they can be very difficult to project. Knight spent two seasons with the USNTDP and also recorded the best save percentage in the tournament while earning a U18 World Junior Championship bronze medal. Knight also earned a World U-17 gold medal and suited up again with the U.S. in the World Juniors this past year. At the WJC, he was named one of the U.S.’ top three players.

He was hailed as the top goaltending prospect heading into college hockey, a big expectation for a freshman goaltender. But Knight has only solidified the hype, leading Boston College to a regular-season Hockey East championship and earning a spot on Hockey East’s All-Rookie team thanks to a solid save percentage.

He can clear the puck quickly and tracks it very well. He possesses a quick stick when clearing the crease and he has quick reflexes. Knight won’t make “wow” saves, but that is a good thing - it means he isn’t being caught out of position.

While there are many qualities of Knight’s game to like, there are two that indicate his likelihood of becoming an NHL goaltender - his size and speed in the net. He is 6-3” and fills the net nicely. The game gets quicker at each level and his ability to keep up as a freshman is a good sign. While he is expected to return to school for another season, he is already not far from being ready for the next step. - JS

Grigori Denisenko, LW (15^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 1)

There is a reason why many consider Denisenko to be one of the top forward prospects on the planet; he is the complete package offensively and has the potential to be one of the highest scoring players in the NHL. After lighting up the last two World Junior Championships, Denisenko signed his NHL contract with Florida and will be heading to North America next season.

Some may point to Denisenko’s lackluster stats in the KHL and question why he is so highly regarded. It is important to remember that it is hard for young Russian players to earn quality ice time in the KHL, regardless of player skill or production, and that was the case for Denisenko, who found himself in a bottom six role most nights with Lokomotiv.

Denisenko is an exciting prospect because of the intensity he plays with, in combination with his high-end skill level. He plays the game hard, brings a physical element, and loves to get under the skin of the opposition as a pest. While discipline can be an issue at times, his ferocity is an integral part of his game as he looks to push the pace and attack the offensive zone. He has the speed, the hands, and finishing ability, and the creativity to be one of the best players on the planet.

The knock on Denisenko, outside of penalty issues, is his consistency. However, his potential remains sky high. It is highly likely that Dale Tallon and the Panthers are planning on Denisenko being a part of their lineup for the 2020-21 season. Given how hard he plays, he could easily start in a checking line role and still find success. However, eventually, he should be able to work his way up the lineup. - BO

Owen Tippett, RW/LW (10^th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 2)

For the Panthers organization which boasts one of the lower fan attendance marks in the NHL, drafting and choosing the right fresh faces is everything. Tippett is by far one of the strongest draft picks Florida has made, and he is an ideal candidate to grow into a top six forward for the team, and as a member of their core group and one of the faces of the organization. The skilled winger has an exemplary attitude both on and off the ice and boasts a skill set and maturity level that even many seasoned players do not have.

Tippett was on the cusp of making the Panthers’ roster this past season as he was leading the AHL Springfield Thunderbirds in points as well as ice time among forwards. He has made one of the smoother transitions from the OHL to the AHL last season, with only Providence Bruins forward Jack Studnicka at his level in terms of performance and impact.

His work ethic and offensive shooting ability are both impressive, and his drive to make plays during special teams’ situations makes him an asset to have on the ice. The only thing that needs slight work is Tippett’s defensive positioning but that will come with more time spent on professional level ice.

Overall, he is a fabulous forward and makes his presence felt every shift. The hope is that he stays healthy and continues to develop and by next season he should be making his NHL debut. - SC

Serron Noel, RW/LW (34^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 4)

After such a strong draft +1 season with the Generals in 2018/19, the expectations placed on Noel heading into this season were quite high. However, the year was a disappointment for him and his development. Not only did his offensive game and consistency regress (with both Oshawa and Kitchener), but he failed to earn an invite to the Canadian World Junior camp too, something that looked like a lock after his strong performance at the team’s summer showcase prior to the start of the season.

A 6-5” power forward, Noel still possesses the potential to be an impactful player in the NHL. He skates well for a bigger player, showing the ability to drive through defenders on the way to the net. His hands and finishing ability in tight are excellent. When he is on his game, he also makes a large impact physically, using his size, reach, and skating ability to close in on opposing players quickly to force turnovers.

Unfortunately, this season certainly brought to light some current limitations to his game. Noel can struggle to create his own scoring chances because his puck skill and overall agility are still areas that require development. Additionally, this year we saw his physical game take a step back, as the consistency of his engagement level without the puck was not present.

Many believed that a midseason deal to Kitchener would reignite his game, but it actually caused further regression. Florida will have to be patient with Noel as he moves to the professional level this season. He still projects as a middle six power forward who can score, however he may need more time in the AHL than originally thought. - BO

Aleksi Saarela, D (Trade: Oct. 23, 2019. Originally: 89^th overall, 2015 [NY Rangers]. Pre-season: 4 [Chicago])

For such a talented player, it has been a rather frustrating start to Saarela’s career in North America, constantly being good enough to earn call ups to the NHL but still not quite having what it takes to fully stay up with a club. The former third round New York Rangers draft pick was traded first to the Carolina Hurricanes, before stopping in the Chicago Blackhawks’ organization and now with the Panthers, spanning the last three of those teams in a single season.

Saarela is a force when it comes to pure strength and stability on the ice as he is an all-round skilled hockey player. Despite being moved many times, he has done well at making the necessary adjustments needed to succeed with the Panthers with their AHL affiliate in Springfield. Last season he finished second in forward points with Springfield and managed to be a consistent member of their special teams as well.

Next season he will have to do better at being present and not turning the puck over in the neutral zone. He is a good two-way player but he needs to make sure to not develop any lazy habits in his own end or cheating and leaving too early when exiting the zone. Saarela deserves a break and has what it takes to be given a proper chance, where his skating, puck possession, and overall hockey sense can be put on show. He would make a decent addition to Florida’s roster as part of their bottom six. - SC

Cole Schwindt, C (81^st overall, 2019. Pre-season: 9)

He plays and excels in all situations. He protects the puck well through traffic, using his wide base and reach to keep defenders at bay. He plays with intensity in all three zones and has become one of the better two-way forwards in the OHL. Additionally, his skating has improved further, giving him more of an extra gear to aid in his ability to generate offense in transition, and to help him be more effective away from the puck.

Next year, Schwindt should continue to improve and has to be considered one of the more underrated prospects currently playing in the Ontario Hockey League. The offensive upside may be somewhat limited, but his game is so well rounded that it is difficult to see him failing to become an NHL player in the future. - BO

Max Gildon, D (66^th overall, 2017. Pre-season: UR)

Gildon has always been able to contribute offensively, and he led New Hampshire in scoring this season. He is a smooth skater with good stick handling skills. He is physical and isn’t afraid of taking a hit to play the puck, but because of his good defensive stick, he doesn’t need physicality to dislodge the puck from opponents.

He appeared on the first power play unit and quarterbacked it well thanks to his vision and ability to cycle. He can weave through his opponents smoothly. He is gifted, but still raw, and needs a season or two in the AHL before hitting the NHL. - JS

Vladislav Kolyachonok, D (52^nd overall, 2019. Pre-season: 6)

Offensively, he has a big point shot and he makes a strong outlet pass. On the other hand, he is not a creative player or someone that should be expected to put up large offensive numbers at the next level. Playing a smart, composed, and safe game, Kolyachonok projects as a possible second pairing, defensively oriented defender at the NHL level.

He returns to Flint next year where he will look to continue to evolve as a two-way defender, perhaps gaining confidence in his ability to use his strengths as a skater to help lead the breakout. - BO

Aleksi Heponiemi, C (40^th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 5)

Although still nifty and creative on the ice, there were certainly more limitations apparent as he took on a new league and level of play, with a lack of weight or the strength needed to be a strong puck carrier and offensive threat in the AHL.

Of course there are always exceptions and players like Elias Pettersson who are exceptionally skilled, work hard, and who weigh under 180lbs, but those players are rare and for Heponiemi to prove himself as a great, he will have to get much stronger and dominant on the puck in another go-round in the AHL, to earn a callup as a bottom six forward. - SC

Eetu Luostarinen, C (Trade: Feb. 24, 2020. Originally: 42^nd overall, 2017 [Carolina]. Pre-season: 6 [Carolina])

He is not a terribly showy player, but his technical skills stand out when the puck is on his stick. He has the potential to make plays happen at the NHL level with the Florida Panthers as part of their quiet but deadly bottom six, however he needs to be better without the puck and more aggressive and physical when forechecking and battling.

Luostarinen will start the season back in his native Finland with KalPa in the Liiga as European leagues are getting underway even while the game in North America is in wait-and-see mode, but expect to see him earn his first call up to the Florida Panthers later in the season. - SC

Justin Schutz, KW (170^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: UR)

Of average height, but solidly built, Schutz reads the game very well and plays as if he's doing exactly what his coach is telling him to do, leading one to believe that he wasn't allowed to demonstrate his full abilities.

Solid hands and puck decisions are accompanied by strong skating attributes and a very solid work ethic. He proved to be very adept in 1-on-1 situations, often those along the boards, against men at the pro level. He will return to the Munich club for another season next year. - CL

Logan Hutsko, C/RW (89^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: UR)

He is a fast skater and makes his skating look effortless. He also drives the net hard. Hutsko has good stick handling abilities and played a regular role on BC’s power play. He is definitely more on the underrated side, however there is one big question mark surrounding his game that has seeing held him back— injuries. Hutsko has been injury prone throughout his career and missed nearly the entire 2016-17 season. He has had some bad luck, and whether or not he can stay healthy will decide ultimately what, if any, NHL career he can have. - JS

Samuel Montembeault, G (77^th overall, 2015. Pre-season: 8)

He is agile, quick, and tracks the puck well but he is still missing aspects of his game where it comes to reading how quickly NHL plays develop. He has the potential to start more games in the NHL, but for now it is up in the air as to whether he is capable of being a starter or not, depending on his continued development.

Let it be known that Montembeault certainly has the compete level and spirit to do so but the rest is up to his physical performance in net. - SC

Chase Priskie, D (Trade: Feb. 20, 2020. Originally: 177^thoverall, 2016 [Washington]. Pre-season: 13 [Carolina])

After finishing second overall for defensive points on the Charlotte Checkers, Priskie was traded at the deadline to the Panthers, after which he immediately recorded four points in five games with the Thunder, getting off to a good start with his new organization. Priskie never got an NHL chance with the Carolina Hurricanes, but if he continues next season the way he started with Springfield there is no doubt that he will be one of the first defensemen called up to the Panthers.

He is smart with the puck, physical, and a good playmaker, which makes him deadly on the attack. He would fit well into Florida’s bottom four when he earns his chance, and it would be interesting to see how his smarts adapt to the NHL game. Priskie plays with such passion and fearlessness that his first call up should go well helping the Panthers look good for picking him up. - SC

John Ludvig, D (69^th overall, 2019. Pre-season: UR)

Ludvig had an explosion of offense this year playing with a high paced, dynamic offensive group that boasted numerous highly talented players. His point per game pace is a sign there is some offensive tools in there but do not mistake that for the bread and butter of his game.

He is a heavy player with a stocky frame that he uses to control his own zone. He is a physical, bruising defender that has an eye to make the responsible play, with and without the puck. He fits the mold of a bottom pairing guy that could play up a pairing with a more dynamic partner.

He can move the puck and makes sound decisions in his own zone. His gap control in the neutral zone is excellent and he can push players to the outside by taking good angles and taking away space. He will jump into the rush but is always a trailer and is not an end to end rusher as his point totals may indicate. At the blueline he is a cautious decision maker who keeps pucks active and moving, rather than making a cross-seam back door pass that can be picked off. - VG

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NCAA East Region 2019-20 Season Preview: Hockey East and ECAC

Jashvina Shah — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 13:58:42 +0000

NCAA East Region Preview

While Hockey East and the ECAC are different leagues with different tendencies, both conferences see a gap between the top-tier teams and the bottom ones. The factors that separates the elite from the not-so elite are either excellent coaching or top-end talent. Primarily, teams need excellent coaching. Because you need a lot of top-end talent if you’re going to win on talent. As Herb Brooks said, “you don’t have enough talent to win on talent alone!”

There shouldn’t be too many surprises in the east this year, and teams that succeeded last year will mostly repeat this year.

MANCHESTER, NH - MARCH 29: Clarkson University Golden Knights forward Haralds Egle (18) breaks in on Notre Dame Fighting Irish goaltender Cale Morris (32) during a Northeast Regional semi-final between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Clarkson Golden Knights on March 29, 2019, at SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

ECAC

Brown: The Bears have hovered in the ECAC basement of a while now. They finished eighth in the regular season but got hot in the playoffs, beating Princeton and then knocking off top-seeded Quinnipiac in the quarterfinals. Brown fell to Cornell in the ECAC semifinals 6-0, but that was a case of them being bested by the better team. A trip to the ECAC tournament marked it a wildly successful season for Brown. The roster is more or less the same, ensuring a similar regular-season finish.

Clarkson: The Golden Knights were one of the strongest teams in the ECAC thanks to balanced offense and defense. It helped Clarkson take the short trip to Lake Placid, where it won the ECAC championship in overtime. The Golden Knights lost two key pieces in Nico Sturm, who potted 45 points, and Jake Kielly, who posted a .929 save percentage. Clarkson should be able to replace Sturm’s scoring output, especially with 40-point scorer Haralds Egle returning. While goaltending will be a question mark, the Golden Knights will still be one of the strongest teams in the league.

Drafted players: Nick Campoli (VGK), Dustyn McFaul (BOS), Kris Oldham (TBL), Anthony Romano (ARI)

Colgate: The Raiders slipped last season, their win total decreasing from 17 to 10. They finished 10th in the league and were swept by Union in the first round of the playoffs. The good news is, Colgate returns nearly the entire roster, and the experience should benefit them. The bad news is, the Raiders don’t have much to build on.

Cornell: The Big Red dropped the ECAC championship game in overtime after the referees failed to blow the whistle when the net dropped on goaltender Matthew Galajda. He was injured, so Austin McGrath took over for the rest of the game and throughout the postseason. McGrath helped Cornell to a regional win over Northeastern. Aside from losing a couple seniors, the Big Red will return their leading scorer, Morgan Barron, along with Galadja, making them one of the league favorites.

Drafted players: Matt Cairns (EDM), Matthew Stienburg (COL), Alex Green (TBL), Morgan Barron (NYR), Jack Malone (VAN), Misha Song (NYI)

Dartmouth: After finishing T-5th last year, the Big Green knocked off 12th-place St. Lawrence in the first round of the playoffs. With much of their roster returning, the Big Green should finish in roughly the same place, especially if Adrian Clark can build off his .910 save percentage from at last season.

Harvard: Adam Fox’s departure is unfortunate for the Crimson, since he not only led the team with 48 points but was also one of the best defensemen in the country. Harvard still has its offensive leaders, including Reilly Walsh and Casey Dornbach. Goaltender Michael Lackey also graduated, but he missed some of last season with an injury, opening up the net for Cameron Gornet. Gornet filled in well, and can put the Crimson in a prime spot for another top-four ECAC finish.

Drafted players: Jack Drury (CAR), Jack Badini (ANA), John Farinacci (ARI), Reilly Walsh (NJD), Nick Abruzzese (TOR), Mitchell Gibson (WSH), Jack Rathbone (VAN), Henry Thrun (ANA), Austin Wong (WPG)

Princeton: Just one season after winning the ECAC tournament, the Tigers struggled to repeat their success. Princeton’s top line of Ryan Kuffner, Max Veronneau and Alex Riche -- which combined for 107 points last season -- couldn’t bring the team past its lackluster goaltending hurdle. The trio, along with top defenseman Josh Teves, graduated, making the Tigers much weaker on both ends of the ice. Princeton’s success, or lack thereof, lies solely on goaltending. But most likely the Tigers will finish in the bottom half of the league.

Drafted players: Liam Gorman (PIT)

Quinnipiac: The Bobcats usually finish in the top half of the league and usually make the ECAC tournament. They finished first last year but were upset in the playoffs by Brown. Chase Priskie, another one of the top defensemen in the league, is gone. So is Andrew Shortridge and his .940 save percentage. The Bobcats are well-coached, though, and Odeen Tufto, who put up 42 points, will be back.

Drafted players: Keith Petruzzelli (DET), Karlis Cukste (SJS), Skylar Brind’Amour (EDM), Peter DiLiberatore (VGK)

RPI: The Engineers finished in 11th, just ahead of St. Lawrence and two points behind Princeton. RPI has struggled over the last few seasons, and most likely will this year as well. The team’s top five scorers are returning, although they didn’t score much to begin with. The goaltenders who played the most, Owen Savory and Linden Marshall, are also returning.

Drafted players: Todd Burgess (OTT), Simon Kjellberg (NYR), Will Reilly (PIT)

St. Lawrence: The Saints have struggled since Greg Carvel left for UMass. After earning just six overall wins and three conference wins, the school parted ways with Mark Morris and hired Brent Brekke. With a new coach, lack of elite talent and just a program-wide mess (the rink renovations are not finished, so the Saints are shifting their first few home games to a different rink.) Unless Brekke has magic powers, it seems likely the Saints will stay in the basement for the third-straight year.

Union: Union’s top two scorers graduated and the third, Liam Morgan, left after his sophomore season. Just one of the team’s top seven scorers is returning. On the other hand, Darion Hanson did have a .919 save percentage last season and, if he can replicate that, should keep Union in the middle third of the league.

Drafted players: Parker Foo (CHI), Jack Adams (DET)

Yale: Yale’s biggest loss was Joe Snively, who had 36 points last season, double that of the team’s second-place scorer. Corbin Kaczperski is the team’s sole returning goaltender. Like Quinnipiac, the Bulldogs are well coached and don’t often finish in the bottom third.

Drafted players: Curtis Hall (BOS), Jack St. Ivany (PHI), Luke Stevens (CAR), Phil Kemp (EDM)

Five Undrafted Free Agents to Watch from the ECAC

Haralds Egle, Clarkson
Odeen Tufto, Quinnipiac
Matthew Galajda, Cornell
Casey Dornbach, Harvard
Devin Brosseau, Clarkson

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 22: Massachusetts Minutemen forward Mitchell Chaffee (21) tries to put the puck past Boston College Eagles goaltender Joseph Woll (31). During the University of Massachusetts Minutemen game against the Boston College Eagles on March 22, 2019 at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire)

Hockey East:

Boston College: Despite winning just 10 conference games and finishing seventh in Hockey East, the Eagles surged late last season for a trip to the Hockey East tournament. Now the Eagles have that momentum plus an excellent incoming class that includes Spencer Knight, who’s expected to become a top goaltender. Alex Newhook and Matt Boldy will also be joining the team. It’s hard to predict how any freshman goaltender will fare, but Knight has the potential to boost BC back to the top.

Drafted players: Matt Boldy (MIN), Spencer Knight (FLA), Alex Newhook (COL), Drew Helleson (COL), Logan Hutsko (FLA), Jack McBain (MIN), Michael Karow (ARI), Graham McPhee (EDM), David Cotton (CAR), Aapeli Rasanen (EDM), Marshall Warren (MIN), Ben Finkelstein (FLA)

Boston University: Despite struggling last year the Terriers still managed to finish 5th in the league, but they will probably drop from that place. BU has struggled since David Quinn left for the NHL, and now they’ll be facing several additional critical departures including goaltender Jake Oettinger and the team’s leading scorers, Joel Farabee and Dante Fabbro. BU’s success, or lack thereof, will depend mostly on coaching, and then on contributions from the incoming freshman class and someone shining in net.

Drafted players: Trevor Zegras (ANA), Robert Mastrosimone (DET), Alex Vlasic (CHI), Cam Crotty (ARI), David Farrance (NSH), Domenick Fensore (CAR), Kasper Kotkansalo (DET), Jake Wise (CHI), Case McCarthy (NJD), Ethan Phillips (DET), Patrick Harper (NSH), Logan Cockerill (NYI)

Connecticut: Since joining Hockey East, the Huskies have fluctuated in the standings, taking advantage of years when the league has been weak. Though they finished ninth last year, they will benefit from having two of their top three scorers returning. Goaltender Tomas Vomacka, who took over the net with a .922 save percentage, will also be back.

Drafted players: Vladislav Firstov (MIN), Ruslan Iskhakov (NYI), Carter Berger (FLA), Jachym Kondelik (NSH), Kale Howarth (CLB), Tomas Vomacka (NSH)

Maine: Maine, far from its former glory, was able to finish sixth in the league. It is returning Mitchell Fossier, the leading scorer from last year with 36 points. But the Black Bears had a slew of early departures - including sophomore defensemen Alexis Binner and Brady Keeper. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who posted a respectable .919 save percentage, will be back, though.

Drafted players: JD Greenway (TOR), Jeremy Swayman (BOS), Patrick Shea (FLA), Matthew Thiessen (VAN)

UMass-Lowell: The River Hawks have been one of Hockey East’s most consistent teams in the last decade or so, and they finished fourth last year. UMass-Lowell’s offense lost its top two scorers, but the back end has usually been the team’s strength. Goaltender Tyler Wall, who is returning, carries a .921 save percentage into the season.

Drafted players: Seth Barton (DET), Logan Neaton (WPG), Tyler Wall (NYR), Andre Lee (LAK)

Massachusetts: After its most successful season in program history and a national championship appearance, the Minutemen were extremely lucky to only lose Cale Makar and Mario Ferraro early. Those are big names, but usually teams with surprising successful runs lose more players in the offseason. Yet UMass retained Mitchell Chaffee and John Leonard, who combined for 82 points. They also still have Marc Del Gaizo, who was the leading freshman defenseman in scoring with 29 points. That said, goaltender Filip Lindberg is the player to watch. His play was key in edging out Denver in the national semifinal and he limited Minnesota-Duluth to three goals, which is an accomplishment. If he repeats his .934 save percentage performance, the Minutemen should take a top spot in Hockey East.

Drafted players: Zac Jones (NYR), Marc Del Gaizo (NSH), John Leonard (SJS), Filip Lindberg (MIN)

Merrimack: With 16 freshman, Merrimack will have the largest rookie class in the country. The Warriors won just seven games last year, but it was Scott Borek’s first season in charge and it typically takes coaches around three-four years to settle in, start their own systems and recruit their own players.. The incoming class signals a roster changeover, so this will be one of those “rebuilding” years.

Drafted players: Patrick Holway (DET)

New Hampshire: It’s Mike Souza’s second year as head coach of the Wildcats, who are still transitioning to life without Dick Umile. They didn’t lose much and have two of their leading scorers as well as goaltender Mike Robinson, who posted a .913 save percentage, returning. While it isn’t fair to say the Wildcats are rebuilding, they’re stuck in stasis.

Drafted players: Max Gildon (FLA), Mike Robinson (SJS), Angus Crookshank (OTT), Benton Mass (WSH), Ty Tailor (TBL)

Northeastern: The Huskies have surged at times over the past five seasons. Last year they took advantage of BU and BC’s struggles, finishing second in the conference with 15 wins. But part of Northeastern’s success came from good defense and goaltending, which will suffer with the early departures by Jeremy Davies and goaltender Cayden Primeau. Since Primeau was a big part of Northeastern’s rise, it’s tough to see the Huskies repeating last year’s success.

Drafted players: Jayden Struble (MTL), Matt Filipe (CAR), Jordan Harris (MTL), Tyler Madden (VAN), Ryan Shea (CHI), Mike Kesselring (EDM), Riley Hughes (NYR), Aidan McDonough (VAN)

Providence: Following its second Frozen Four appearance in four years, the Friars also got hit with key offseason departures. Kasper Bjorkqvist, Jacob Bryson, Brandon Duhaime and Josh Wilkins all left early. Additionally, Hayden Hawkey, who posted a .920 save percentage, graduated. But Providence is always a well-coached, tough defensive team to play against, and the Friars will finish at the top of the league again.

Drafted players: Ben Mirageas (NYI), Max Crozier (TBL), Tyce Thompson (NJD), Michael Callahan (ARI), Jack Dugan (VGK), Patrick Moynihan (NJD), Jake Kucharski (CAR)

Vermont: The Catamounts finished 10th last year and probably won’t rise, unless goaltender Stefanos Lekkas can put up more than his .930 save percentage from last season, but that’s a lot to ask of a goaltender. Vermont saw a couple departures with Jake Massie and Liam Coughlin, but most of its players are returning.

Drafted players: Bryce Misley (MIN)

Five Undrafted Free Agents to Watch from Hockey East

Mitchell Chaffee, Massachusetts
Stephanos Lekkas, Vermont
Spenser Young, Providence
Mitchell Fossier, Maine
Patrick Curry, Boston University

NCAA: Hockey East Playoff Preview – Plenty of intrigue, top prospects, proud seniors and anything possible with slumping perennial powerhouses

Russ Cohen — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 13:36:55 +0000

This tournament started in 1984 when most of the current teams left the ECAC. For a time, the Hockey East Conference was a veritable powerhouse, particularly with Boston University and Boston College winning six titles between them between 1995-2012. Unfortunately for the teams here, the only national title out of Hockey East since that time was when Providence went the distance as an unlikely fourth seed in 2015.

In fact, the so-called powerhouses of BU and BC have both slumped horribly this year, finishing fifth and seventh, respectively, in the conference. Neither would be likely to make the nationwide tournament without winning the HE tournament.

Last year in this tournament Boston University pulled off that trick, beating Providence to take it all. That outcome seems unlikely this season but that’s why they play the games and TD Garden will provide a great atmosphere for the tournament finale.

The first round runs this weekend, with the top eight teams playing in best-of-three rounds, all at the home rink of the higher ranked team. The conference bottom feeders (Connecticut, Vermont, and Merrimack), have already ended their respective seasons.

1 UMass (Amherst) vs. 8 New Hampshire

UMass is the top team in the tournament for a few good reasons, namely all -world defenseman Cale Makar everywhere and goaltender Matt Murray in the net to stymie the opposition. Makar, the fourth overall pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2017 is “the man” for this team. He has 13 goals and 42 points in 34 games. He is the leading scorer on the team while undrafted sophomore right wing Mitchell Chaffee is second on the squad with 40 points while potting 16 goals. Murray has played in 26 games to the tune of a 2.04 GAA and a .922 save percentage.

The University of New Hampshire features goaltender Mike Robinson, who is a draft pick of the San Jose Sharks. This season he played in 29 games and posted a 2.32 GAA and a .920 save percentage, after barely getting ice time as a freshman. His last game of the season was a 4-0 loss but hopefully, that was just a tune-up. They may struggle for goals. Only senior forward Ara Nazarin and junior Liam Blackburn reached double-digits in goals. Sophomore defenseman Max Gildon could chip in some much-needed offense as well. This should be his last postseason with the team as he is expected to turn pro after his season ends.

The Minutemen swept the two games played between these teams in season and dominated all comers throughout the year, generally ranking in the top three nationally for much of the season. They were better at even strength and on both special teams, most notably the power play, with a success rate that was more than double that of UNH. The all due respect to the Wildcats, this series is a mismatch.

Prediction: UMass with the sweep.

2 Providence vs. 7 Boston College

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 17: Boston University Terriers forward Shane Bowers (15) stopped by Providence Friars goaltender Hayden Hawkey (31) on the doorstep during the Hockey East championship game between the Boston University Terriers and the Providence College Friars on March 18, 2018, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Terriers defeated the Friars 2-0. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

The Providence Friars, led by senior goalie Hayden Hawkey, beat BC for the regular season finale. Hawkey only gave up one goal and that could give him extra confidence rolling into this series. The Montreal Canadiens draft pick played in 35 games and posted a .923 save percentage. Penguins draft pick Kasper Bjorkqvist, a junior, led the team with 15 goals and he should pace the team. Edmonton Oilers senior prospect defenseman Vincent Desharnais could provide some surprising additional offense.

BC has the kind of defense that gives up too many shots. Junior goalie and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect, Joseph Woll, has to be near perfect to win this. He had 32 starts this year with a .917 save percentage. Carolina prospect David Cotton led this team in goals with 20 and points 31. Oliver Wahlstrom (New York Islanders) and Logan Hutsko (Florida) could provide the offense they need but they have sputtered over much of the season. Minnesota Wild draftee Jack McBain could provide some extra offense, but that is a lot to ask of a freshman center. This may be too big of a task for BC this season, even though they won the season series 2-1.

Both teams have reasonably strong power plays, but BC had a porous PK, whereas Providence had easily the best shutdown penalty kill in the conference. Further, the Friars have the much deeper offense attack, even if BC’s top players have greater NHL pedigree. Providence had seven skaters end the year with over 20 points to their credit, while only Cotton surpassed that bar for the Eagles. BC’s hope require its top players to play for one weekend how they had been unable to play with any consistency throughout the year.

Prediction: Providence in a sweep.

3 Northeastern vs. 6 Maine

The Northeastern Huskies won their last six in a row including their second consecutive Beanpot. They are a well-coached, dangerous team starring sophomore, all-world goalie Cayden Primeau, crushing dreams on a regular basis. The Montreal Canadiens draft pick had a 2.12 GAA and .932 save percentage in 31 games on the season. Jeremy Davies, a New Jersey Devils draft pick, is an excellent offensive defenseman who led the team in scoring with eight goals and 33 points in 32 games.

Undrafted right winger Zach Solow has been hot and ended the season with 14 goals. Freshman center Tyler Madden (Vancouver), has been excellent all season with 10 goals and 26 points in 31 games. He will also be a factor for sure. Of course, those were only three of the seven Huskies to eclipse 20 points on the year.

The Maine Black Bears coasted into the postseason with a 6-0 blanking of BU. Jeremy Swayman, the Boston Bruins draft pick, will be the man to beat between the pipes. In 33 games he had a .919 save percentage and he will need to play his best hockey of the season to send Northeastern packing. Red Wings prospect Chase Pearson was among the leaders of the UM offense with 16 goals and 29 points in 32 games. He trailed only junior left winger Mitchell Fossier, while sophomore defenseman Brady Keeper supports the attack from the blueline.

Although this series should not be as lopsided as the two profiled above, but Northeastern won both games between these two during the season and we see no reason for that streak to end now.

Prediction: Northeastern won’t need a third game to win.

4 UMass Lowell vs. 5 Boston University

The River Hawks tied Vermont in the season finale. Christoffer Hernberg, an undrafted Finn, has played well but Tyler Wall, the New York Rangers draft pick, has playoff experience too, meaning coach Norm Bazin has a tough call to see who gets the nod between the pipes. Wall is the likely favorite though, as he had a nice 2.06 GAA with a .922 save percentage on the year. This team has reached the Hockey East Championship game in five of the last six years, winning three of them.

Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick Ryan Lohin led the team with 26 points and was tied for the team lead in goals with 12. The junior center is hugely important to their offensive attack. Senior Ryan Dmowski had 12 goals as well. Sophomore forward Connor Sodergren has also been an offensive catalyst for them while blueliner Chase Blackmun could provide some clutch offense. This is a solid team. A terrific unit that will continue to be hard to beat once the playoffs begin.

Jake Oettinger, a former Dallas Stars first round pick, should get the nod in net for the Terriers. He started 32 games this year with a .927 save percentage but he hasn’t been the savior this team needs to have any hopes of moving on. The junior goalie has a lot of pressure on him. Patrick Harper (Nashville) has been disappointing, and the same goes for Shane Bowers (Colorado). David Farrance and Dante Fabbro, both Nashville prospects, with the latter being a former first rounder, will have to have great offensive games and Fabbro in particular will have to be a two-way beast, logging heavy minutes once again. Flyers first-round pick, freshman Joel Farabee, had 13 goals and 31 points in 32 games thanks to a strong second half but after him and Fabbro, the offense attack was pretty dry this year for the usual powerhouse squad.

Although BU has a number of players that are inherently more talented than any one player with UMass-Lowell, the River Hawks play a much more cohesive team game, especially as it concerns the back end.

Prediction: UMass Lowell wins and it may take three to do it.

This is one of the best tournaments in college hockey. There are a lot of top prospects and proud seniors who will lay it all on the line knowing they may not be back next season. Fans will see a lot of these players leave it all out on the ice and that makes for some very exciting games. If the first round goes according to our predictions, we can expect UMass (Amherst) to win the Massachusetts state battle in the semifinals, while Providence’s possession game will knock out Northeastern in the other semi. Look for the favorites to finish off Providence in the Conference final as well.

Dropping the puck on the 2018-19 NCAA season – Part 2 – Hockey East, NCHC, Big 10

Ryan Wagman — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 17:54:50 +0000

In yesterday’s look at the NCAA season that is slowly cracking open. We touched upon the Atlantic 10, WCHA, and ECAC conferences. While national champions have come from the latter two conferences in recent years, there is no doubting that the strength of the collegiate game lies in the three conferences discussed here.

Hockey East

While some of the more well-known traditional powerhouses are based in the northeast, the vaunted Hockey east conference had a down year last season and seem to be in line for a repeat (in relative terms) this year. There are teams that were also-rans last year and who will likely continue to be league doormats this year. Chief among those is Vermont. Outside of leading scorer, who left school early to sign an ELC with Tampa, the majority of last year’s roster has returned, but the roster was not a strong one. There are three players who have been drafted by NHL clubs on the roster, but none has yet made a strong case that they are worthy of high-level professional careers after leaving the Catamounts. If there is a player to watch, it is junior captain Matt Alvaro, the leading returning scorer. Despite their conference schedule opener, in which they shut out Boston University by a 4-0 total, Merrimack will be in tough to be a factor as the year draws out. Defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic, a Winnipeg draft pick, plays a strong two-way game, but each of the top four point getters from last year have moved on and the team will need younger players to step up and contribute in ways they never have. The early season results are promising, but it is far too early to assume the growth is real. That said, netminder Craig Pantano was strong in partial duty last year and may be the type of unsung hero the Warriors need to stay competitive. New Hampshire used to be a staple at the NCAA conference, but they have been on the outside looking in for each of the last five years. Unlike the other bottom feeding systems, the Wildcats have a few impressive players available to them. Sharks’ pick Mike Robinson barely played last year as a freshman, but he seems to have a grip on the job early on and has performed well so far. Athletic Panthers’ prospect Max Gildon leads the blueline, and senior captain Marcus Vela (San Jose) is the center-piece of the offensive attack. Joining the attack will be veterans Ara Nazarian, Liam Blackburn, and Charlie Kelleher.

In the next rung of teams in Hockey East, we can look at UConn. Still a relative neophyte to the upper rungs, the Huskies are only in their fifth season in the conference, after migrating from the Atlantic. They are an interesting team in that the majority of their players of note are European-raised players, including their top two netminders, Adam Huska (NYR) and Tomas Vomacka (Nsh), blueliner Philip Nyberg (Buf), and forwards Ruslan Iskhakov (NYI) and Jachym Kondelik (Nsh). A few scoring forwards of note who have not been drafted include a pair of juniors in big Benjamin Freeman and Alexandre Payusov. A seeming concussion sustained by Iskhakov in the season’s second game could be a big setback to the team if he is unable to recover in a speedy fashion. The Maine Black Bears were seemingly ready to get back on the upswing, if not quite reach the heights that the program has in the past thirty years, which has seen them crowned NCAA champs twice, and reach seven other Frozen Fours. Unfortunately, days before the opening game, defender Patrick Holway, a Detroit pick, left the team due to unstated personal issues. In his absence, the team will lean more heavily on senior Rob Michel, the team captain, and sophomore Brady Keeper, both of whom have two-way bonafides. Up front, the team will rely on Detroit pick Chase Pearson to generate offense, and he will be joined by freshman Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup, one of the top scorers in the USHL last year. More than anything, though, Maine’s hopes will rest on the crease work on Boston pick Jeremy Swayman, who was stellar as a freshman, earning Hockey East All-Rookie team honors and playing for Team USA in the WJC. He needs to be at least as good again for the school to have designs on a Tournament berth.

Next up are a couple of Massachusetts schools in UMass and UMass-Lowell. The UMass-Lowell River Hawks have been a solid contender ever since Norm Bazin took over the head coaching duties of a floundering program in 2011-12. They rarely get the press they deserve as they tend to lack in high profile, drafted players. With only four drafted players at present – only one of whom was taken before the sixth round, expect the team to be a sleeper again. Most of their top scorers return, led by Kenneth Hausinger, Ryan Dmowski, and Ryan Lohin (TB). The team has seen more turnover at the blueline, but Croix Evingson (Wpg) is slated to take a step forward, while Detroit pick Seth Barton has gotten his collegiate career off to a good start. Swedish puck mover Mattias Goransson could also garner NHL looks. Also, while Christoffer Hernberg had the lion’s share of the goaltending workload last year, Rangers pick Tyler Wall seems to have the coaches’ trust this time around. UMass Amherst does not have the recent success of Lowell to look back to, but they do have one of the top prospects in the collegiate game on the roster in Cale Makar (Col). The talented blueliner was strong last year, both as a freshman for the Minutemen as well as for Team Canada in the WJC, and should be even better this year, in what is likely his final season on campus. He is joined on the blueline by Mario Ferraro (SJ) and Marc Del Gaizo, both skilled puck movers. The forwards are less imposing as a group, but most of the big producers return from last year, led by Mitchell Chaffee, John Leonard (SJ), and Oliver Chau, who has missed the start of the season due to illness. A couple of exciting freshmen in Bobby Trivigno and Anthony Del Gaizo (Marc’s older brother), coming off strong USHL campaigns, make the team more of a scoring threat. Incumbent starting netminder Matt Murray returns, and he will be challenged by Finnish freshman Filip Lindberg.

Staying in the state of Massachusetts, powerhouses BC and BU have both gotten off to lousy starts to their respective seasons, but both have far too much talent up and down the roster not to expect brighter days ahead. Boston College may have the most deserved pessimism among the two, having scored only five goals in their first three games. Toronto pick Joseph Woll has as much talent as any collegiate netminder and he should keep the Eagles in most games, but he will need help. The most likely offensive presence is in the form of freshman Oliver Wahlstrom, a top draft pick of the Islanders and a pure sniper if such a beast exists. Another freshman with the burden of great expectations is Minnesota pick Jack McBain. Among returning forwards, Logan Hutsko (Fla), David Cotton (Car) and Graham McPhee (Edm) are the most consistent offensive threats. The talented and undersized Jacob Tortora could also take a step forward. The blueline lacks a true dynamic two-way threat, but Michael Karow (Ari) and Casey Fitzgerald (Buf) can both hold their own and Michael Kim is a good college player. Boston University also has a star between the pipes in Jake Oettinger, a former Dallas first rounder, who has been inconsistent, but with high end flashes in his collegiate career. The Terriers are deepest along the blueline, with five drafted players, all of whom deserve their high press. They are led by co-captain Dante Fabbro (Nsh), and supplemented by skill in David Farrance (Nsh) and Chad Krys (Chi), and more defensively centered defensemen, such as Cam Crotty (Ari) and Kasper Kotkansalo (Det). Up front, there are former first rounders including Shane Bowers (Col) and Joel Farabee (Phi) and later picks who are almost as talented in Patrick Harper (Nsh) and Jake Wise (Chi). Co-Captain Bobo Carpenter, a senior, has long been rumored to be a free agent contract beneficiary after graduation. While they have not done so yet, this team is chock full of players who can beat you on any given night.

Although Northeastern will no longer be able to rely on NCAA superstars Dylan Sikura or Adam Gaudette, they are still loaded with talent up and down the lineup and feature a stud netminder in Cayden Primeau (Mtl). An offensively inclined team, the attack includes assistance from the blueline in the form of Jeremy Davies (NJ), Ryan Shea (Chi), Eric Williams, and freshman Jordan Harris (Mtl). Even absent Gaudette and Sikura, the Huskies feature freshman Tyler Madden (Vancouver) and Matt Filipe (Car) up front, in addition to proven producers including Zach Solow, Brandon Hawkins, Grant Jozefek, and many more. In a conference full of outstanding goaltenders, it should be no surprise that our top ranked team, Providence, has one of their own in Hayden Hawkey (Edm), who is more than just a fantastic hockey name. Like with Northeastern, the Friars get a lot of offense from the blueline, led in their case by Jacob Bryson (Buf), Ben Mirageas (NYI) and Spenser Young. The Friars can also roll three solid scoring lines if everyone performs up to expectations. Philadelphia first rounder Jay O’Brien has been slow to start, but he should acclimate from the prep ranks to Hockey East in short order to take a place of prominence alongside player including Kasper Bjorkqvist (Pit), Brandon Duhaime (Min), Jack Dugan (Veg), Josh Wilkins, and Scott Conway. Any of the last four teams mentioned could feasibly end the year as Hockey East champions and pose legitimate title hopes. But if the last two seasons are any indication, they will have to prove they can hang with the titans from the Midwest.

National Collegiate Hockey Conference

For each of the past three seasons, when it came time to crown a national champion, the last team standing was a member of the NCHC conference. To give an idea at the depth of strength in this conference, the threepeat of sorts was accomplished by three different schools. One of those schools was not Miami University, although RedHawks were a finalist in 2009, their best ever finish. After three losing seasons, for them to threaten the powerhouses atop the conference once league play begins would be a shocker. Florida prospect Karch Bachman, one of the speedier players in the college ranks, may finally be ready to be a legitimate offensive contributor if his first few games are an indication. The team has some talent from the blueline as well, namely Grant Hutton, who is expected to have a few NHL options to choose from at the end of his senior season, and freshman Derek Daschke. The top new recruit though, and Miami’s big hope for the future, is Johnny Gruden, a top line player with the USNTDP last year and a fourth round pick by Ottawa. The team has a number of other solid players dotting the roster, but lacks much in the way of dynamic skill. A team with more higher end talent on the roster but a less cohesive team game is Nebraska-Omaha. Up front, there are offensively inclined forwards sch as Frederik Olofsson (Chicago), Steven Spinner (Washington) and Zach Jordan (watch out for this guy). Colorado pick Tyler Weiss should also be fun to watch, as he was often pigeon-holed into a bottom six role last year in the USNTDP, but his inherent skills suggest a higher ceiling. Pittsburgh draft pick Ryan Jones and Arizona pick Dean Stewart lead the blueline. Incumbent netminder Evan Weninger returns, but his position is not entrenched and Philadelphia prospect Matej Tomek will challenge after leaving North Dakota, where he never got a chance to play.

At this point, Western Michigan is probably also an underdog. Flyers’ prospect Wade Allison has dynamic scoring potential, and is one of, if not my absolute favorite player to watch in the college game, but he has not played since last January due to a lower body injury, and there are only rumors about the imminence of his eventual return. In his absence, St. Louis pick Hugh McGing will play a prominent role in the attack along with free agent Dawson DiPietro and Vegas pick Paul Cotter. Senior Colt Conrad is also auditioning for an NHL contract, after scoring at a point per game pace last year. From the blueline, the player to watch is Mattias Samuelsson, recently a second round pick of Buffalo’s. As he is more of a defensive defenseman, watch for smaller Cam Lee to add to the offense from behind. The squad will need more steadiness in net than they have received of late to launch a strong challenge for postseason play. Colorado College is a team on the rise, but it may be a year too soon to put them near the top. After four seasons with no more than eight victories, they took off with 15 wins last year, and should breach a .500 record this year with continued development from some of their key contributors. Netminder Alex Leclerc is too small to garner NHL interest, but is a very good collegiate goalie. Up front, Florida pick Chris Wilkie is ready to contribute after sitting out last season as a transfer. He joins a quarter of talented upperclassmen in Nicholas Halloran, Mason Bergh, Trey Bradley, and Westin Michaud. I also have my eyes on freshmen Benjamin Copeland and Erik Middendorf, both of whom were overlooked at the draft last year after strong seasons in the USHL. Although the forwards drive the Tigers’ attack, the defensive corps is not without talent, particularly in the forms of Kristian Blumenschein, and Benjamin Israel.

Three years removed from a championship, the North Dakota team that takes the ice today bears little resemblance to the title team. The only players of note with ties to the title are Dallas pick Rhett Gardner, a beefy two-way forward, and Hayden Shaw, a smaller, reliable and non-flashy defender. Hope and indeed expectations for continued contention is drawn from the Fighting Hawks’ recent recruiting classes. The blueline is receiving a talent injection from freshmen Jacob Bernard-Docker and Jonny Tychonick, who were ironically both drafted early by Ottawa last June. They join Colton Poolman, whose game is very reminiscent of brother Tucker’s. Versatile forward Grant Mismash, a Nashville pick, is expected to take his game up a notch up front. The team also needs to figure out which of Adam Scheel or Peter Thome (Clb) will take over as the starter from the departed Cam Johnson. Denver has more connections to their recent title, but now that Dylan Gambrell and Henrik Borgstrom have both turned pro, the core has changed. The team still has the makings of a contender though, with dynamic defender Ian Mitchell (Chi) set to be the main attraction. He is joined by a couple of freshmen blueliners of whom greatness is expected in Slava Demin (Veg) and Sean Comrie. Up front, the team will have to take a committee approach to scoring, as there is skill, but little of it is truly high end. There is a trio of drafted freshmen who could be better than anticipated in Cole Guttman (TB), Mathias Emilio Pettersen (Cgy), and Brett Stapley (Mtl). They join big game hero Jarid Lukosevicius. As with North Dakota, the Pioneers have to answers questions in net, as heralded recruit Filip Larsson is out indefinitely and Devin Cooley, who has taken the reins to start the season, is largely unproven.

The best hope for a fourth different NCHC championship in four seasons is St. Cloud State, which was actually the top ranked team in the country heading into the playoffs last year. There are teams in this conference with more NHL-bound talent than at St. Cloud State, but the Huskies do not lack in that regards either, while they fill in at the edges with a high caliber of support player. Former Montreal first rounder Ryan Poehling is ready to take the next step offensively and breach one point per game. Helping him to fill the nets are Patrick Newell, Robby Jackson, Blake Lizotte, and Easton Brodzinski. The blueline is similarly deep and skilled, led by tiny Jack Ahcan, Nick Perbix (TB), Jon Lizotte (no relation to Blake) and Jimmy Schuldt, who surprised many by ignoring the lure of the NHL after his junior season. Finally, in net, the team is equally comfortable going with David Hrenak (LA) or Jeffrey Smith, both of whom have displayed the ability to stop pucks at an above average rate in the NCAA. Of course, the NCHC could easily claim another title from a repeat champion. Last year’s champions, Minnesota-Duluth, were not expected to make a strong push, as they had a very young roster and were widely thought to be a season or two way from their “window”. Amazingly, only three of their top ten scorers from last year are gone. The blueline returns three sophomores who both spent time on the American WJC squad in Scott Perunovich (StL), Mikey Anderson (LA), and Dylan Samberg (Wpg). Netminder Hunter Shepard is still anonymous, despite his workhorse status on last year’s title run. Up front, former Dallas first rounder Riley Tufte is overdue to breakthrough, as he has been slowly refining his game to the point where he is nearly unstoppable down low. Helping out with the attack will be Peter Krieger, Nick Swaney (Min), and freshman Noah Cates (Phi). This year’s Bulldogs may be even better than last year’s champs.

Big 10

While last season saw the NCHC claim the crown for the third year in a row, it should not be forgotten that each of the other three teams in the Frozen Four came out of the Big 10. Of course, Michigan State was not one of those teams. The Spartans are now 11 years removed from their most recent title. They should see their wins total grow for the third year running, but are still not quite a challenger. They return nine of their top ten scorers from last year and Taro Hirose, Mitch Lewandowski, and Patrick Khodorenko are expected to lead the team once again. As promising as that trio is, it is unclear where the secondary scoring will come from. Starting netminder John Lethemon is good enough to keep MSU in games, but should not be expected to steal too many. After the Spartans, any team could reasonably reach the NCAA tournament, but some are less likely than others. Next up would probably have to be Penn State. It is easy to forget that the Nittany Lions have only been back in the NCAA for six seasons. Most of their top scorers from last year are returning, but the talent level is still something short of dynamic. Chicago pick Evan Barratt could be ready for the next step and Colorado pick Denis Smirnov is probably the most talented of the bunch. Upperclassmen Chase Berger, Brandon Biro, and Nathan Sucese are auditioning for NHL scouts and are productive, if not necessarily exciting players. The blueline is a relative weakspot, led as it is by Cole Hults (LA) and Kris Myllari. In net, Peyton Jones has had a nice career thus far, but it is unclear that he can be anything more than adequate at this level.

Since a pair of Frozen Four appearances earlier in the decade, Minnesota has been a bit of a hit-or-miss team. Last year saw a bit of both, but without second leading scorer Casey Mittelstadt on the team, the Golden Gophers could struggle once again to get back to the top. As always, they are exceptional recruiters, with this year’s star freshmen including Blake McLaughlin (Ana), Sampo Ranta (Col), and the draft eligible blueliner Benjamin Brinkman. Some of the returning players who could be critical include forwards Rem Pitlick (Nsh), Scott Reedy (SJ), Thomas Novak (Nsh), Brent Gates (Ana), and Tyler Sheehy along with blueliners Clayton Phillips (Pit), Ryan Zuhlsdorf (TB), and Tyler Nanne (NYR). In the early going it seems that last year’s backup netminder, Mat Robson, has surpassed former starter Eric Schierhorn. If Robson can maintain his performance over the full season such as he has in a part time role, the Gophers could be better than expected. The talent is here, but it needs to come together. Put anther way, Minnesota’s talent with Penn State’s structure could be a front runner. Wisconsin won 20 games in 2016-17 after combining for 12 victories in the two seasons prior, eliciting visions of grandeur. Unfortunately, the team sunk back down to 14 wins last year, prompting a rethink of the team’s standing. The Badgers are a team whose strength is on the blueline with five drafted players – all underclassmen - taking charge. Returning from last year are the physical Tyler Inamoto (Fla), the quiet puck mover Josh Ess (Chi), and offensively inclined puck rusher Wyatt Kalynuk (Phi). Joining them this season are a pair of USNTDP grads in checker Ty Emberson (Ari) and the dynamic K’Andre Miller (NYR), who has superstar potential. Veteran Peter Tischke rounds out the blueline corps. Up front, Wisconsin is not as exciting, but Sean Dhooghe, among the smallest high level players I have ever watched is a joy. Linus Weissbach (Buf) and Max Zimmer (Car) look like they will contribute and I have reasonably optimistic expectations of Tarek Baker as well. Like much of the conference, the Badgers are unsettled in net.

Notre Dame has been to the Frozen Four for both of the last two seasons, but the graduation of Jake Evans, the school’s number three scorer since the turn of the century, will have an impact. That said, the Fighting Irish are constantly restocking, so the team should be a strong competitor once more. Cale Morris was exception in net last year, winning the Mike Richter Award as the top goalie in the nation and will still be very good even if he takes a step back. Big Andrew Peeke (Clb) and mobile Matthew Hellickson (NJ) make a strong start to the blueline while veteran Bobby Nardella along with new recruit Spencer Stastney (Nsh) look like a good second pairing with two way capability. The top players up front include Callahan Burke, Cam Morrison (Col), and Dylan Malmquist. Even big Joe Wegwerth can overcome his stiff hands by being a tank in the opposing crease. Freshmen Jacob Pivonka (NYI), Graham Slaggert, and Alex Steeves could also go a long way to giving the Irish attack the needed depth to succeed. Ohio State does not have the flashy names that dot the rosters of most of the rest of the Big 10, but they have talent up and down the team and can win in many ways. They seem to be using a rotation in net, with both incumbent starter Sean Romeo and the younger Tommy Nappier in line to play a good amount. None of their key blueliners have been drafted, but any of Wyatt Ege, Grant Gabriele, Matt Miller, Gordi Myer, or Sasha Larocque can hurt you. There is a smattering of NHL interest up front, such as power forward Dakota Joshua (Tor), playmaker Carson Meyer (Clb) who transferred from Miami, smaller dynamo Mason Jobst and Hobey Baker candidate Tanner Taczynski (Phi). I could go on, but that might be enough to get back to the Frozen Four.

As good as Notre Dame and Ohio State are, not to mention Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Penn State, if the Michigan Wolverines get even halfway decent work in net, they could be the best team in the country. Quinn Hughes was a top ten pick last year by Vancouver and is as dynamic as blueliners get. This will be his last tune-up before moving to the NHL. First line center Josh Norris had a fine freshman season and then was one of the main pieces moving from San Jose to Ottawa in the Erik Karlsson trade. Will Lockwood (Van) is healthy again and provides an agitating, skilled presence. The Pastujov brothers, Nick (NYI) and Michael, provide strength and skill up front. Minnesota pick Nicholas Boka is a talented puck mover from the blueliner who can get the puck moving in the right direction when Hughes is catching his breath. Luke Martin (Car) and Joseph Cecconi (Dal) has shutdown qualities. Brendan Warren (Phi) can contribute offense while playing the tough minutes up front. Moving down the lineup there are other surprises in store as well. Ohio State may be a safer bet, but Michigan has the best chance among any team in the nation, to dominate any given night.

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.

Max Gildon – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Top 20 Prospects

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: FLORIDA PANTHERS – RANK: #20 – TIER IV

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Top 300 Prospect Rankings

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Florida Panthers Top 20 Prospects

Spencer Knight, G (13th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Grigori Denisenko, LW (15th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Anton Lundell, C (12th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Owen Tippett, RW/LW (10th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 3)

Serron Noel, RW/LW (34th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Ty Smilanic, C (74th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Aleksi Saarela, C (Trade: Oct. 23, 2019. Originally: 89th overall, 2015 [NY Rangers]. Previous ranking: 5)

Cole Schwindt, C (81st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 6)

Max Gildon, D (66th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 7)

Michael Benning, D (95th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Justin Sourdif, C/RW (87th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Emil Heineman, LW (43rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Vladislav Kolyachonok, D (52nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 8)

Aleksi Heponiemi, C (40th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

Eetu Luostarinen, C (Trade: Feb. 24, 2020. Originally: 42nd overall, 2017 [Carolina]. Previous ranking: 10)

Kasper Puutio, D (153rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Justin Schutz, LW (170th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 11)

Logan Hutsko, C/RW (89th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 12)

Devon Levi, G (212th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Samuel Montembeault, G (77th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 13)

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – FLORIDA PANTHERS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 4

Florida Panthers

Spencer Knight, G (13th overall, 2019. Pre-season: 3)

Grigori Denisenko, LW (15th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 1)

Owen Tippett, RW/LW (10th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 2)

Serron Noel, RW/LW (34th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 4)

Aleksi Saarela, D (Trade: Oct. 23, 2019. Originally: 89th overall, 2015 [NY Rangers]. Pre-season: 4 [Chicago])

Cole Schwindt, C (81st overall, 2019. Pre-season: 9)

Max Gildon, D (66th overall, 2017. Pre-season: UR)

Vladislav Kolyachonok, D (52nd overall, 2019. Pre-season: 6)

Aleksi Heponiemi, C (40th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 5)

Eetu Luostarinen, C (Trade: Feb. 24, 2020. Originally: 42nd overall, 2017 [Carolina]. Pre-season: 6 [Carolina])

Justin Schutz, KW (170th overall, 2018. Pre-season: UR)

Logan Hutsko, C/RW (89th overall, 2018. Pre-season: UR)

Samuel Montembeault, G (77th overall, 2015. Pre-season: 8)

Chase Priskie, D (Trade: Feb. 20, 2020. Originally: 177th overall, 2016 [Washington]. Pre-season: 13 [Carolina])

John Ludvig, D (69th overall, 2019. Pre-season: UR)

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

NCAA East Region 2019-20 Season Preview: Hockey East and ECAC

NCAA East Region Preview

ECAC

Hockey East:

NCAA: Hockey East Playoff Preview – Plenty of intrigue, top prospects, proud seniors and anything possible with slumping perennial powerhouses

1 UMass (Amherst) vs. 8 New Hampshire

2 Providence vs. 7 Boston College

3 Northeastern vs. 6 Maine

4 UMass Lowell vs. 5 Boston University

Dropping the puck on the 2018-19 NCAA season – Part 2 – Hockey East, NCHC, Big 10

Florida Panthers Prospect System Overview

Spencer Knight, G (13^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Grigori Denisenko, LW (15^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Anton Lundell, C (12^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Owen Tippett, RW/LW (10^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 3)

Serron Noel, RW/LW (34^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Ty Smilanic, C (74^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Aleksi Saarela, C (Trade: Oct. 23, 2019. Originally: 89^th overall, 2015 [NY Rangers]. Previous ranking: 5)

Cole Schwindt, C (81^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 6)

Max Gildon, D (66^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 7)

Michael Benning, D (95^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Justin Sourdif, C/RW (87^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Emil Heineman, LW (43^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Vladislav Kolyachonok, D (52^nd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 8)

Aleksi Heponiemi, C (40^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

Eetu Luostarinen, C (Trade: Feb. 24, 2020. Originally: 42^nd overall, 2017 [Carolina]. Previous ranking: 10)

Kasper Puutio, D (153^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Justin Schutz, LW (170^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 11)

Logan Hutsko, C/RW (89^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 12)

Devon Levi, G (212^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Samuel Montembeault, G (77^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 13)

Spencer Knight, G (13^th overall, 2019. Pre-season: 3)

Grigori Denisenko, LW (15^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 1)

Owen Tippett, RW/LW (10^th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 2)

Serron Noel, RW/LW (34^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: 4)

Aleksi Saarela, D (Trade: Oct. 23, 2019. Originally: 89^th overall, 2015 [NY Rangers]. Pre-season: 4 [Chicago])

Cole Schwindt, C (81^st overall, 2019. Pre-season: 9)

Max Gildon, D (66^th overall, 2017. Pre-season: UR)

Vladislav Kolyachonok, D (52^nd overall, 2019. Pre-season: 6)

Aleksi Heponiemi, C (40^th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 5)

Eetu Luostarinen, C (Trade: Feb. 24, 2020. Originally: 42^nd overall, 2017 [Carolina]. Pre-season: 6 [Carolina])

Justin Schutz, KW (170^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: UR)

Logan Hutsko, C/RW (89^th overall, 2018. Pre-season: UR)

Samuel Montembeault, G (77^th overall, 2015. Pre-season: 8)

Chase Priskie, D (Trade: Feb. 20, 2020. Originally: 177^thoverall, 2016 [Washington]. Pre-season: 13 [Carolina])

John Ludvig, D (69^th overall, 2019. Pre-season: UR)