Nathan Legare – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Top 20 Prospects

Contributors – Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt, Arlo Schulz — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 20:21:01 +0000

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 27: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Samuel Poulin (22) looks on during the third period in the preseason NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Columbus Blue Jackets on September 27, 2021, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

1 - Owen Pickering D

To describe Pickering's progress and development over the past few years as "stratospheric" would still be something of an understatement. After all, it's not often that you see a prospect get picked as late as the 9th round of the WHL Bantam Draft only to get selected in the 1st round of the NHL Entry Draft three years later. Even more amazing, the 6'5" defender still seems like he's just scratching the surface of what he can accomplish and how good he can ultimately become. Growing up, he honed his mobility and puck control as an undersized blueliner, but he didn't lose those skills as he underwent a massive growth spurt in his mid-teens. While he is still filling into his new body right now, defensemen with his combination of size and mobility are hot commodities, so the Pens are likely thrilled to have landed Pickering at 21st overall in 2022. He moves around the ice effortlessly; he is comfortable having the puck on his stick in full flight and he thinks the game reasonably well in all three zones. While he might not currently be as polished as some other top prospects, his Swift Current team is rebuilding and is already giving him loads of ice time in all situations as their number-one defenseman. That kind of role and workload should be a big boon to his long-term development, getting the reps that will help him gain experience. The Broncos are also primed for big playoff pushes in the upcoming years, which will provide him with valuable learning opportunities. Few prospects have the raw, unrefined potential that Pickering possesses, and that will make him a fascinating player to continue following as his career moves forward. - DN

2 - Samuel Poulin LW

The powerhouse Penguins haven’t drafted in the first round very much in recent years, but Poulin is one of those rare selections (from 2019). His first pro season last year has to be considered a successful one. Upon first glance, his point totals likely won’t excite you, but his 37 points actually placed him second in scoring on a low scoring Wilkes-Barre team. The stocky power winger was able to translate his high energy, pesky game to the pro level rather seamlessly. He is always in attack mode, hungry for the puck on the forecheck and backcheck. Poulin is more than just a run of the mill checker, though. He can attack the offensive zone with pace and create off the rush with soft hands. His strength on the puck is one of his best qualities as he can be difficult to knock off stride and separate from the puck. Poulin also has a goal scorer’s touch, especially in tight. He projects as a versatile middle six winger who can play in any situation for the Penguins in the future, perhaps even working alongside Sidney Crosby at some point in the twilight of his career. However, that is not likely to be next season given the Penguins depth at forward. Poulin will return to Wilkes-Barre for another season, hopefully improving his offensive production further. He should then be ready for a full-time gig in 2023-24, just in time for several middle six contracts to come off the books in Pittsburgh. - BO

3 - Joel Blomqvist G

Pittsburgh’s 2^nd round selection in 2020, Blomqvist has spent two straight seasons seeing fairly limited time in Liiga play while racking up outstanding GAAs and save percentages. After his initial pro season in Finland in 20-21 saw most of his playing time and success coming in second tier Mestis, he saw his role grow with Kärpät this season, ultimately climaxing in the postseason during which he accumulated an astronomic 1.10 GAA and .950 save percentage over seven games, which followed a 1.32 GAA and .940 save percentage in 20 regular season contests. He ended the season with a single game cameo for Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate. Although not terribly large, he makes the most out of his 6’2 frame. A thinking man’s goaltender, Blomqvist stands out for being calm and controlled in his movements. His technical skills indicate that he’s very well-schooled. His performances have been very consistent thanks to strong composure, puck-tracking abilities, and a fantastically accurate understanding of when to commit himself in making his saves. Blomqvist remains unsigned at this time and is once again scheduled to suit up for Kärpät in Liiga play, with the starter’s job on his plate. AN ELC with the Penguins should come soon, where he will be able to challenge fellow Finn Filip Lindberg for future time in the NHL crease. – CL

4 - Pierre-Olivier Joseph D

The Penguins are going to be facing quite the predicament this training camp when it comes to Joseph. The talented puck mover is no longer exempt from waivers, which means that if he does not make Pittsburgh’s roster, they will have to make him available to other NHL teams. Given his pedigree as a prospect, it seems unlikely that he would pass through waivers unclaimed. A former first round selection of Arizona, he was acquired in the Phil Kessel trade in 2019. Joseph has improved in each of his three pro seasons thus far and the time is now for Pittsburgh to clear a path for him to make the big club and play regularly. His best asset is his mobility. Joseph is an extremely fluid mover whose game is completely built around his ability to cover the ice effortlessly. He is a skilled puck mover who can quarterback the powerplay and lead the attack in transition. Given the age of Pittsburgh’s puck movers, it would be smart for the Penguins to see what they have in Joseph. When drafted, his defensive game and presence was a work in progress, however this has improved to the point where he is no longer a defensive liability. There would likely still be growing pains at the NHL level, however the reward is potentially worth the risk. The new one-way, two-year contract the Penguins gave Joseph this offseason points to him being a part of this team long term, but either way, he should be an NHL player next season finally - BO

5 - Drew O'Connor LW

A free agent signing out of Dartmouth College a few years ago, O’Connor has emerged as one of Pittsburgh’s top young prospects and players. He has split the first two years of his pro career between Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre, performing at a near point per game mark in his AHL time. He started off red hot with Pittsburgh to start the season, but then had some problem with injuries and he struggled to re-find that form. O’Connor is a big winger with a big shot who can play a power game. He is strong down low and near the crease and is difficult to separate from the puck. He also skates quite well, especially North/South, allowing him to compete hard for space and clear paths for linemates. At the NHL level, his physical play and two-way game have been fairly inconsistent, but that should improve as he gains confidence at the level. Armed with a one-way contract, O’Connor should start the year with Pittsburgh, barring a poor training camp. Playing time will be hard to come by given the team’s depth, but the Penguins really like what he can offer and there is a chance that he makes some veterans expendable. His NHL potential is not likely extremely high, but in a weak system, he stands out. - BO

6 - Valtteri Puustinen RW

One of the keys to Pittsburgh’s sustained success has been their ability to find gems later in the draft and through the undrafted free agent market. Insert 5’9 Finnish winger Valtteri Puustinen, a seventh-round selection by the Pens in 2019. After two successful Liiga campaigns, he made his North American pro debut last year and it was an extremely successful one. He led Wilkes-Barre in scoring and even caught the eye of the Penguins coaching staff in his lone NHL game following a brief call-up. Puustinen is a highly intelligent offensive player. He has a very clear understanding of how to play without the puck, sliding in and out of coverage and showing great anticipation. He also has a very strong shot that allows him to be dangerous from anywhere on the ice. The combination of these two things makes him the perfect complementary winger on a scoring line. Somewhat undersized, it will be interesting to see how Pittsburgh employs Puustinen in the future. His talents would likely be wasted in a checking line role, so look for them to wait until an opening occurs on a scoring line before they give him a true audition. Look for him to be one of Pittsburgh’s top call-up options this coming season, especially if someone inside their top six goes down. - BO

7 - Filip Hallander LW

Hallander only just completed his first pro season in North America, but he has had a pretty strange career already. A second-round selection by Pittsburgh in 2018, Hallander was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Kasperi Kapanen deal. A year later, the Penguins reacquired him in the famous Jared McCann deal (in which McCann was then lost to Seattle from Toronto in the expansion draft). At this point, Pens management and scouts are likely pretty certain in what they have in Hallander. His offensive upside is rather limited. He is not exceptionally skilled. His production in the SHL and at the AHL level last year prove that. However, he does have a skill set built for a bottom six role. He skates pretty well. He has positional versatility. He is very responsible defensively and can excel in a penalty killing role. The Penguins will definitely be grooming Hallander to be a bottom six player, perhaps even in a shutdown defensive role. How long it takes him to realize that potential remains to be seen. He will likely play out the entire year in the AHL in hopes of improving his confidence and ability with the puck, so that he is ready for the pace in the NHL. Pittsburgh is likely to be patient with him in hopes that he can develop a little further as an offensive player. - BO

8 - Lukas Svejkovsky C

Svejkovsky had an eventful 2021-22 season. In his overage year, he got dealt midseason from Medicine Hat to Seattle, where he helped the Thunderbirds embark on a somewhat surprising run to the WHL finals and earned himself an entry-level contract with the Penguins in the process. Amazingly, he finished the season as the Tigers points leader despite only playing half a season for them. A 2020 4^th rounder, Svejkovsky is an undersized but creative, shifty forward. With a penchant for producing points at every level, Svejkovsky skates well and is engaged in all three zones. He does well with the puck on his stick, able to create opportunities sometimes out of nothing. His knock will always be lack of size, and the question is whether or not the son of former NHLer Jaroslav will be able to overcome this. He doesn’t possess any elite skills that stand out, and although he’s creative with the puck and responsible without it, there aren’t many NHL regulars of his stature that don’t compensate with high-end skill elsewhere. That being said, he acquitted himself well at the junior level and now is slated to move to the pro ranks in 2022-23 with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre. He will likely need some time to adjust, and it will be interesting to see how he does playing against much bigger opponents. - AS

9 - Filip Lindberg G

A former NCAA standout and champion with UMass, Lindberg was a free agent signing by Pittsburgh last offseason. His season got off to a great start with Wilkes-Barre before he suffered an ankle injury in November that ended his freshman professional campaign. So, what the Penguins truly have in Lindberg remains to be seen. The 6’1 Finnish netminder is an excellent athlete. His play tracking ability is extremely impressive because of how quick he is post to post. As such, he has a penchant for the highlight reel save, taking away the bottom part of the net with ease. The Penguins goaltending development team will be working hard with him to harness his natural athleticism, improving the finer technical components of his game. In reality, Lindberg is probably the closest thing the Penguins have to a top goaltending prospect at the pro level right now and he will be splitting time with Dustin Tokarski in Wilkes-Barre. Tokarski likely serves as the team’s top call-up and that means Lindberg can focus on staying healthy and improving over a full year of pro. Whether he has the potential to be an NHL starter or not remains to be seen, with more being known after this current season on the farm. - BO

10 - Jonathan Gruden C

Much like Filip Hallander, Gruden is being groomed as a potential checking line player by the Penguins. Since being drafted out of the U.S. NTDP, his development path has not been conventional. He started at the University of Miami but left school early to join the London Knights of the OHL, where he was solid as a point per game player in his lone season. Since then, he has improved over two pro seasons with Wilkes-Barre, establishing himself as a top-notch high energy forward. Like Hallander, Gruden is not the world’s most skilled player, but he makes up for it with extreme tenacity. He competes consistently for pucks and has transformed himself into a fantastic forechecker and someone who wins the majority of his 50/50 puck battles. His ability to outwork defenders and sustain pressure deep in the offensive zone is an admirable trait. Additionally, Gruden is a strong defensive presence who takes a physical approach and proudly makes himself difficult to play against. The key for him will be to continue to improve his skating and speed so that he can be just as effective in that role at the NHL level. Pittsburgh will be looking for him to improve yet again at the AHL level this upcoming season before his waiver eligibility runs out the following year. - BO

11 - Nathan Legare

A big, physical, hardworking winger, Legare is coming off of his first pro season with Wilkes-Barre, where he played more of a depth role. The Pens will be looking for him to use his big shot more often this season.

12 - Zam Plante

We liked Plante’s potential to be an impactful middle six energy player heading into this year’s draft. Improving his athleticism will be a must, but he’ll have several years to do that. He likely spends another year in Chicago (USHL) this year before heading to UMD after that.

13 - Tristan Broz

It was tough for Broz to break into a deep lineup at the University of Denver this past season, but he did play a depth role for the NCAA champions. The power forward loves attacking the net and should see an increase in responsibility and production as a sophomore.

14 - Jordan Frasca

Frasca used a strong overage year as a springboard to earn an ELC from Pittsburgh this season. The big center offers intriguing upside as a two-way stalwart at the pro level, but how his skill set translates (especially in terms of pace) is a mystery.

15 - Taylor Gauthier

Another free agent signing by the Pens, Gauthier has been one of the WHL’s best goaltenders for a few seasons now. However, due to his average size, there has been a reluctance to draft/sign him previously. Pittsburgh took a chance, and he will start his pro career this season.

16 - Isaac Belliveau

The 6’2 defender will return to the QMJHL for his overage season in hopes that he can continue to improve his four-way mobility and confidence with the puck.

17 - Raivis Kristians Ansons

There is a lot to like about this Latvian winger. He was great in a supporting role this season, helping Saint John capture the Memorial Cup. His versatility will impress pro coaches and he should be an immediate top nine player for Wilkes-Barre this season.

18 - Sergei Murashov

An athletic netminder, Murashov was a fourth-round selection by Pittsburgh in 2022. Playing in the Lokomotiv program, he will try to break through into the KHL level this season, at least partially.

19 - Ryan McCleary

The right shot defender showed great progression in Portland this past season, playing heavy minutes for a strong team. Pittsburgh will be looking for continued improvement in his skating ability before potentially signing him at some point this season.

20 - Corey Andonovski

A free agent signing by Pittsburgh out of Princeton, Andonovski will be groomed as a potential defensive specialist and penalty killer. The big winger is intelligent, physical, and an improving skater, qualities that could make him a great fourth liner in the future.

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – RANK: #29 – TIER VI

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 11:21:33 +0000

Pittsburgh Penguins

#29 Pittsburgh - See above. This system has a severe lack of real NHL-level talent.

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 19: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Samuel Poulin (22) looks on during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Columbus Blue Jackets on September 19, 2019, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Samuel Poulin

While perhaps harsh, Poulin failed to meet expectations last season, splitting time between Sherbrooke (who he spent his entire QMJHL career with previously) and Val-d’Or. He seemed to have a hard time finding his role on a very deep Foreurs team, used to having to be the focal point of the attack. That being said, he still performed very well in the playoffs as he scored 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points in 15 games.

He has not lost any of his offensive qualities including his excellent shot, his scoring touch, as well as a high-quality game of finesse paired with an imposing physical presence. He remains a player who is physically ready to move on to the pros and he does possess an impeccable work ethic. His high-end hockey sense makes him a likely NHL player in some capacity. He still has a great chance to establish himself as a first- or second-line winger in the NHL where he will score a significant number of goals if paired with a quality center or playmaker. - BB

Pierre-Olivier Joseph

The former first round pick and key piece in the Phil Kessel return is coming off of a very successful sophomore professional season. Not only did Joseph emerge as one of Wilkes/Barre’s top defenders, but he helped Pittsburgh out greatly as an injury fill-in, seeing time in all situations and excelling in a largely third pairing role.

Drafted because of his impact on the transition game, Joseph remains a standout in this area because of his high-end mobility. A strong puck carrier, he has learned to refine his decision-making approach and has become a very reliable puck mover. Joseph has also learned to be more physically assertive in the defensive end and has become a strong transitional defender too. A now well-rounded defender, Joseph has a chance to be a quality second pairing contributor for the Penguins. This coming season, he will battle for a third pairing spot on the Pens, however, his strong performance at the NHL level last year should give him good odds to spend the majority of the 2021/22 season in the big leagues. - BO

Filip Hallander

Originally drafted in the second round of the 2018 draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, then part of the trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs for Kasperi Kapanen, Hallander is now part of the Penguins organization once again while being the key return of a deal that saw Jared McCann moved to Toronto. The move may prove to be a true blessing for his NHL ambitions. Part of what was a considerable prospect logjam in Toronto, Hallander now finds himself in a prime position to be on the NHL radar within the next two seasons and admittedly, with an organization that is very much in need of what he brings to the table.

Extremely competitive and very adept at being aware of not only where his teammates are, but of how plays are developing, Hallander is coming off his best season as a Swedish pro. Playing in a career-high 58 games between the regular season and playoffs, he collected a total of 15 goals, which was third on the team and just one behind the actual goal-scoring leaders, including NYR prospect Nils Lundkvist. Furthermore, he appeared to find a smoother form of skating that allows him to transition more quickly and work his way around opponents. Hallander is at a point in his career where he could push for a lower line role with the Penguins this fall, as he very well understands his job in all three zones and is already a strong forechecker, attributes that were pivotal in him being named to Sweden’s national team for this past World Championships (one point and +2 in five games). He is already signed and although time spent in the AHL may be his most immediate future, a good showing there would all but guarantee a call-up at some point in the upcoming season. - CL

Tristan Broz

A late blooming two-way force, Broz entered the 2021 draft as a highly versatile forward with a strong all-around game. While he has never generated the hype of some of this year’s other Minnesota natives, he has been on a slow, but steady upward trajectory since spending his age 14 season at Shattuck St. Mary’s. More a playmaker than a shooter, he plays a flash-free game that grows more impressive with each subsequent viewing of mistake free, efficiently play-driving hockey. Although none of his individual tools grade out as below average, everything plays above its baseline level thanks to Broz’ hockey sense. He is very hard to play against, backchecking very tight to his man, and pushing the opposition to the outside lane, without a clear way from them to break into the slot. He has proven himself capable in all situations and having a positive impact there. His offensive game is similarly efficient.

His solid frame should continue to fill out during his time at the University of Minnesota, which in turn, should allow him to continue to be strong in the corners, where he already excels at the USHL level. It should also be expected that his skating will tick upwards with increased strength. After two to three seasons with the Gophers, Broz should be ready to turn pro and continue his slow and steady march to a middle six role in the NHL with the Penguins. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Radim Zohorna

When the Penguins signed Zohorna out of the Czech league last offseason, the expectations were quite low. He was already on the older side as a prospect at 24. His production in the Czech league, even following a breakout season, was modest. At best, he looked like organizational depth. However, he blew those expectations out of the water by not only performing extremely well in the AHL, but by playing well for the main club in a brief stint to cover injuries.

The 6’6, 230 lbs forward looks every bit an NHL player. His skating ability has been much better than originally advertised and, in combination with his reach and strength, this makes him a very dangerous offensive weapon. He loves to drive wide on defenders before cutting to the middle, using his frame to protect the puck. He is more than that, though. He can play any of the three forward positions. He can play the penalty kill. He is responsible at both ends and his effort level is high. How Pittsburgh continues to find these diamonds in the rough is remarkable, but it would appear that they have done it again. Zohorna enters training camp with a good chance to earn a fourth line role, even with the additions of Brock McGinn and Danton Heinen. While Zohorna’s top end potential remains a bit of a mystery, he does look to have staying power in the league. - BO

Joel Blomqvist

A second-round selection in 2020 by the Penguins, Blomqvist had a fairly successful first full pro season in Finland, playing mainly out of the Mestis (second Finnish tier) level. He also won his first two Liiga games with Karpat and was the third goalie for Finland at the World Junior Championships. Blomqvist is a calm and composed goaltender with advanced technical skills. He reads and tracks the play well, rarely overcommitting and making the most of his 6’2 frame to eat up space. He may not have the elite level athletic ability you look for, but his vision and consistency help to make up for it.

The 2021/22 season should be an even better one for Blomqvist. He likely emerges as the starter in Karpat in his first full Liiga season and has the inside track at the starter’s job for Finland at the World Juniors. After that, there is a good chance that he signs his ELC and comes to North America. By then, the Penguins could have an opening for the back-up role behind Tristan Jarry, of which Blomqvist and the newly signed Filip Lindberg would have the inside track. Blomqvist’s performance this season should give us a better indication of his high-end upside. - BO

Jordy Bellerive

Jordy Bellerive was a lethal scorer in Junior that went undrafted but worked his way into an entry level deal with the Pens a few seasons ago with his speed, consistent effort and willingness to do anything to win. His scoring and play driving ability make him someone who could contribute to a bottom six role with the potential to have low double digit goal totals.

He plays a physical brand of hockey and is most effective playing a north/south game where his feet and strength give him an advantage on the forecheck. He is an effective cycle player who has some good small area skills coming off the wall. His vision as he curls off the wall is quite good even though he hasn’t found much success as a playmaker in the AHL to this point. His shot is fine, but his shot selection is what stands out the most. He is a player that gets in tight, can play a net front game and make some skill plays within that context. It would be a reach for him to make the Penguins out of camp this year, but as the season wears on if he is effective during the season at the AHL level it is not out of the realm of possibility that he sees an NHL game or two. At this point, his high-end projection is probably as a third line forward. - VG

Anthony Angello

Entering his final year of prospect eligibility, Angello finally looks ready to claim a regular NHL job, hopefully sparing himself the indignity of aging out of prospectum. A big, rangy forward who spent three years at Cornell before turning pro, he has seen his game improve steadily over three seasons since signing with Pittsburgh, which originally selected him in the fifth round back in 2014. At the time, he was seen as more of a pure power forward type, not scoring often in the USHL, but spending a ton of time in the penalty box.

The ensuing years have seen Angello add a greater element of danger to his offensive game, while also refining his physical game so that he has retained the fear factor while staying on the right side of the line when it comes to infractions. This isn’t to say that he is now a powerhouse power forward, but that he should be able to contribute at least some depth scoring from a bottom six role in the NHL, with an expected peak in the range of 20-25 points in a full season. The remaining range in his expected future value comes from proving to his coaches that he is worthy of special team time. Angello played some on the power play in the AHL, but the penalty kill was a foreign land. That might remain the case, but even if he can just play regularly, he will be a great success based on where he was drafted. - RW

Valterri Puustinen

A standout in Liiga the last two seasons, the undersized forward has signed his ELC with the Penguins and expectations are high heading into his first pro season in North America. Starring for HPK, Puustinen has been among the highest scoring young players in Finland, finishing with the highest point per game average of any U22 player in Liiga action in 2020/21. The 5’9 winger is certainly ready for his next challenge.

While Puustinen is slightly on the shorter side, he is ultra-quick and dynamic with the puck. He loves to push the pace and excels on the powerplay with his ability to control the half wall. The Penguins have to be hoping that his offensive skill set translates so that they can get a badly needed injection of youthful skill into their lineup. The question is, how will Puustinen adjust to the smaller ice surface, given his lack of stature? Will he be able to find consistent success playing through the middle or will he be kept to the perimeter? He should start the coming season in the AHL, barring a real standout performance at training camp, however, with a good start he could see NHL action by midseason as an injury call up. - BO

Nathan Legare

Nathan Légaré continues his good progress. He was an important factor in the success of his junior team in Val-d'Or. Surrounded by a ton of talent on the Foreurs, Legare was able to really focus on improving his offensive skills this past season. He went from being a player who excels in pressure and forecheck, who works well physically in one-on-one battles and who possesses a heavy shot, to a player with a little bit more of a cerebral game.

He still has work to do on his skating in order to be a consistent offensive contributor at the pro level. Even if his skating never improves, he still has a good chance to be a bottom six forward due to his strong offensive instincts and well-rounded game. Who wouldn't want a versatile power forward who can score, play hard, forecheck well, and who plays a smart two-way game? Don't be surprised to see him turn out to be a good third line winger in the NHL. Legare will turn pro this season and play with Wilkes-Barre, hopefully playing an immediate middle six role for the Penguins AHL team. Given the lack of depth in the system, he could move quickly to the main club if he performs well. - BB

Drew O'Connor

A free agent signing by the Penguins out of Dartmouth last season, O’Connor’s first pro season was a success split between the AHL and the NHL. The big power winger has the potential to be an impact bottom six player as early as this coming season.

Filip Lindberg

A standout at UMass in a platoon role, the former Minnesota Wild draft pick left college after his junior year in order to become a UFA. Signing with Pittsburgh, he gets a chance in a weaker system to prove that he can be an NHL goaltender. His athleticism is his calling card, and he could be the starter in Wilkes-Barre this season.

Mark Friedman

Claimed off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers last season, Friedman performed well for Pittsburgh in a third pairing role in limited action. So much so that he could contend for a permanent spot in the lineup this season. The former Bowling Green product is unspectacular, but a reliable decision maker with the puck.

Calle Clang

Clang, a third-round selection in 2020, is coming off a very good season with Kristianstads IK of the Allsvenskan where he was named the league’s top junior player. This season, Clang will try to earn a spot on Rogle in the SHL, a team that finished second in the SHL last season. The 6’2 netminder looks like someone who could possibly provide competition to Joel Blomqvist in the Pittsburgh crease in the future.

Cam Lee

Also a free agent signing by the Penguins out of college last season (Western Michigan), Lee’s first pro season had some ups and downs. The 6’0 defender is a wonderful skater and puck mover, but he must find greater consistency in the defensive end. Pittsburgh will be looking for improvement in this area in 2021/22 as he assumes a top pairing role with Wilkes-Barre.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 24

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 16:19:38 +0000

Pittsburgh Penguins

It is time to talk about the East Coast Hockey League. In all my years of writing about the hockey development world, I might never have written more than a half sentence about the third highest professional league in North America, but it’s time. Of course, I am not alone in essentially ignoring the circuit. The third highest professional circuit in baseball, AA, actually receives more press than the penultimate league, AAA. So why the difference in hockey?

While the path from amateur to MLB is due for a massive shakeup, helped along by the side effects of COVID-19, but historically, a drafted player would advance from Rookie Ball to Short-season ball, to Low A, to High A, to AA (ECHL), to AAA (AHL) to MLB (NHL). Top prospects can sometimes skip levels, maybe starting their pro careers in Low A, or jumping from Short-season Ball to High A. Often times, the best ones, the ones who make sudden leaps in their progression, skip over AAA altogether. That leaves the second-best level of baseball in North America to be filled by players who project to the bottom fifth of an MLB roster, or players on their way back down. The most advanced, highest ceilinged prospects are often found in AA ballparks.

Not so with hockey. For starters, not every team even has an ECHL franchise. The league currently has 26 teams, one of which (the Norfolk Admirals) is independent. While the AHL has rules regulating how many seasoned veterans can suit up on each team, the ECHL does not, which makes the league more of a home for dreamers than prospects and not as much of a development stage for the future of the game. That is not to disparage the players in the league, but to simply point out that its players are by and large not fighting to move up the ladder as much as they are fighting to remain employed as players.

Some teams though, use the ECHL as an entry point to the NHL path. The Maple Leafs under Kyle Dubas as one such team, with Newfoundland being a first stop in the pros before a job in Toronto with the Marlies and then the Maple Leafs. Pittsburgh is another such team. The Penguins have a franchise in Wheeling, West Virginia, less than 60 miles southeast of Pennsylvania and more than four hours drive closer than their AHL club in Wilkes-Barre Scranton. They often put some of the organization’s rawer prospects there to start their pro careers, where the Penguins brass can keep a close eye on their progress. Some players who we considered – but ultimately decided against – for this list spent a good chunk of this past season with the Nailers, including Jan Drozg, Justin Almeida, and Emil Larmi.

I sincerely wish that more clubs would use their ECHL affiliates as development league, as opposed to glorified taxi squads for their AHL clubs. Hockey as a sport would be richer if more players could legitimately pursue their dreams of reaching the top. Until that happens, we have a tremendous challenge in adequately judging players who have spent their seasons on the Coast. The context of the league is almost foreign to real development in hockey that what a younger player of promise does there cannot be compared apples-to-apples against a rookie pro in lesser minutes at the AHL level. So just because we have left Drozg, Almeida, and Larmi off the current top 15, it doesn’t mean that they won’t, or can’t get there next year. It means we are less confident in what we have seen through the lens of the ECHL.

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

A year without playoff hockey for Poulin robbed Sherbrooke Phoenix fans of an encore performance of his post-season last year. Poulin has looked dominant at times in his junior career with Sherbrooke and is a very well-rounded offensive player. It is hard to find fault in the forward’s game: great skater, great puckhandler, excellent mind for the game, deadly shooter, plays the whole ice and strikes on the counterattack.

He plays with intensity and with a strong work ethic to find the seam and attack. His play reads are top-notch, and he has the pedigree to play at a high level from his NHLer father. He is at home anywhere on the ice because of his great balance and strong physical play. He is already at a solid size at 216 pounds and can move quick at that size. He is a strong forechecker, and finishes his hits, setting an example for his teammates.

So smitten by his game, the Penguins invited him as a black ace in the bubble for the play-in qualifying round. It is not difficult to foresee a path to the NHL for Poulin, as he has all the tools and seems to have a great toolbox, too. He showed his character by captaining the Phoenix this season to the league’s best record. The sky is the limit for the winger, who has passed every test in the Q with flying colours. Poulin was one of the players with the highest floors in the draft last year, and that is still true. A top line do-it-all forward to carry the torch in the waning years of Crosby and Malkin is not out of the question, and a very solid middle-six winger, like his father, is at the very least in his sights. - MS

Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D (Trade: Jun. 29, 2019. Originally: 23^rd overall, 2017 (Arizona). 2019 Rank: 3)

The last few seasons for the Penguins organization has been barren in terms of earning top level draft picks. With the Penguins still feeling the draft consequences of winning cups, their prospect system is one of the more quiet ones in the entire NHL, which is also synonymous with being dull and lacking flash. An example of a prospect who is not nearly as flashy as others is the quiet, yet dangerous Pierre-Olivier Joseph, acquired from Arizona in the Phil Kessel trade.

In his rookie professional season, he brought poise, calmness, high hockey IQ, and strong skating to the blueline for the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He is very accurate and smart when it comes to passing and he is a good two-way defenseman; offering dependably good coverage in the defensive zone and strong puck carrying abilities and passing in the offensive zone. As a lightweight still, Joseph will have to keep working on getting stronger and bigger in order to be able to move opponents off the puck and win important battles to avoid being easily separated from the puck.

Overall, there is nothing wrong with the way Joseph plays and he has much to offer the Penguins when it comes to smarts and individual composure and skill. Look to see him earn his first call up to the NHL in his second professional season next year in order to add depth to Pittsburgh’s bottom four. Be mindful that it is imperative that he work on getting bigger and stronger to avoid injury as he seeks to move up a level. - SC

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA – SEPTEMBER 12: Anthony Angello of the Pittsburgh Penguins. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)

Anthony Angello, C (145^th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 11)

Angello had a brief stint with Pittsburgh this past season, playing eight games and earning his first NHL goal and spending four minutes in the penalty box. At 6-5”, he is certainly one of the bigger forwards in both the AHL and NHL and for a big body he carries himself well and finds ways to get to the net with ease. He uses his size well to win battles and clean up garbage around the net but that being said, he needs to also be careful of penalties when he throws his body around.

Angello is a good puck handler and a good skater but he needs to be more aware in the neutral zone and the defensive end, and he cannot afford to turn the puck over or make bad passes, because despite being a good skater for his size he is not the fastest. With big shoes to fill for the Penguins organization when their big guns retire, some of that weight will most likely be transferred to Angello as one of their top prospects and most physically ready to play at the NHL level. He could see NHL powerplay action, but he will have to earn another call up first and capitalize on that opportunity as a bottom six forward first before being considering for regular special teams duties.

He is an asset to any team based on size alone and then after considering his individual skills it will be safe to say that he will definitely make an NHL appearance again within the next two seasons, with a good chance of the opportunity morphing into a permanent placement. - SC

Valtteri Puustinen, RW/LW (203^rd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Puustinen had an impressive season with HPK in the Liiga. He started the season really well and he was able to build confidence off his strong performances. He maintained a high level of play throughout the season. He even earned a call up to the Finnish national team. He is a very crafty and skilled winger. He can be unpredictable with the puck and pull off great plays to surprise opposing defensemen and goalies.

Puustinen has some nice creativity to his game. He reads the game at a high level and sees the ice well. He does not force the game, which I like. Skating is an asset – his first few strides are quick, and he is light on his skates. He is quick to pucks. If he improves his shot and finishing ability, he will be even more dangerous offensively, particularly on the power play. He is dependable without the puck and does not leak defensively, but his puck play has impressed me the most.

Puustinen has improved significantly over the last few seasons and has developed from a promising junior player into a solid NHL prospect. Assuming he keeps improving, it won't be too long until he moves to North America. Eventually, I could see him become a versatile middle-six NHL winger, one who can contribute in a lot of ways. Whether he manages become one is far from a sure thing, but he has a chance. The Penguins have a possible late-round steal in their hands. - MB

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA – SEPTEMBER 12: Nathan Legare of the Pittsburgh Penguins (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)

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

Légaré has more potential than most out of the QMJHL to truly establish himself as a power forward in the pro game, but the questions surrounding him persist: will he be a good-enough skater to have success beyond the Q? Légaré’s point totals this year were right around where they were a year ago, but with much less weaponry in the Drakkar’s quiver, he became a focal point for opposing teams, and his goal totals dropped.

The bulky bruiser has good size for the next level and finishes his checks when he gets there. He can be a strong forechecker on a defence that does not move the puck quickly. He also has an excellent shot, be it a booming slapshot from deep or a wrist shot from the circle. His effort is never questioned, and his feet stay moving, but his skating is average at the junior level with those attributes.

As a positive, Légaré plays well with talented linemates, especially ones that can time his skating with their playstyle, and with Pittsburgh, he had a great camp last season. He was put in a position to use his shot effectively, and he is a strong player in half-court offence when speed isn’t as much of a factor as are awareness and positioning. He will need to continue to develop an elite-level hockey sense and awareness to be able to compete with his skating at the higher levels. With improvements, he could be a power forward who can score, but his skating will need to take a few strides to get there. - MS

Jordan Bellerive, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 16, 2017. 2019 Rank: 6)

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

Will Reilly, D (217^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

He served as a captain during his senior season and played on the second penalty kill unit. Reilly is a steady defensive presence and knows when to join the rush and when to hang back. He can be physical, blocks shots and has a quick defensive stick. His passes are crisp and clean. At 22 years old, there is still some room for Reilly to grow. - JS

Kasper Bjorkqvist, RW (61^st overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 8)

He still needs to work on his passing and his puck movement while in the attacking end, as turnovers need to be eliminated which have been a consequence of poor passing decisions and accuracy. Hopefully, Bjorkvist can work towards completing a full season next year, coming back healthy and ready to play in order to make an impact in the AHL before a call up to Pittsburgh as a positionally sound and physically ready-to-play forward capable of handling a bottom six role at the highest level. - SC

Santeri Airola, D (211^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 18)

He needs to add velocity to be able to score more goals, though. He handles the puck well and plays with his head up. He has work to do on his defensive game. He can be a bit inconsistent with his defensive zone coverage. He also needs to improve his defending in small spaces and get much stronger. He will compete for ice-time on Ilves' Liiga team next season. - MB

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

O’Connor is always a scoring threat and appears all over the ice. He earned first unit power play time and led the Big Green in scoring. He has a big frame and moves well for a skater of his size, using his speed to blow past opposing defenders. He was able to score this year despite teams often double teaming him to neutralize the threat. He needs to work on protecting the puck better before he will have a chance at the NHL. - JS

Sam Miletic, LW/C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 25, 2017. 2019 Rank: 15)

Finishing fourth in points this season with the Baby Penguins in the AHL, it is clear to see that he was a good signing choice with a strong presence on the left wing. Playing on both special teams units, Miletic was given more responsibility this season and has proven that his skating ability as well as the quick and methodical way he moves the puck is more than enough to prove himself at the AHL level. Look for him to earn his first call up to Pittsburgh to fill a bottom six spot in the coming season. - SC

Cam Lee, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 17, 2020. 2019 Rank: IE)

He lacks any one standout tool, but does everything well enough, and occasionally even above average. He skates well and is comfortable carrying the puck up the ice. He has a hammer of a one-timer. He reads and recognizes the play well, allowing him to protect the puck. Should he make another quick transition to the pro game, Lee could soon be vying for third pairing minutes in the NHL. - RW

Judd Caulfield, RW (145^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 9)

He is a high IQ, meat-and-potatoes winger who can play a shutdown role. If his lack of offensive production turns out to have been a lack of confidence as opposed to a lack of creativity (although we suspect his issue is the latter), he could produce enough to eventually play higher up the lineup. For now, he is a safe, if unsexy prospect still a few years away from the pros. - RW

Clayton Phillips, D (93^rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)

On the other hand, he is small and is not a fleet enough skater to overcome the size deficiency with ease. He can show some cleverness with the puck but falls short of dynamic and his shot is not powerful enough to project as a power play option. There is still some hope that he could carve out a depth role at a higher level, but he needs a big season to be assured of an NHL contract after completing his collegiate eligibility. – RW

Jesper Lindgren, D (Trade: Aug. 25, 2020. Originally: 95^th overall, 2015 [Toronto]. 2019 Rank: UR)

He will offer the Penguins organization a lot in the future as he continues to develop, although it is uncertain as to where Lindgren will fall as his development has been so slow to date. Not to say he is bad but rather just in need of a few tweaks to bring his game up a level. At the rate the Penguins are drafting and with the depth of their prospect system, Lindgren should get a chance to play up sometime in the next season (if he remains in North America) as part of the Penguins bottom four. - SC

QMJHL 2019-20 Season Preview: Early returns show parity, competition at top of standings

Mike Sanderson — Sat, 05 Oct 2019 13:01:36 +0000

Sorry, QMJHL friends, but the penthouse is overbooked.

Five teams have won four or more games to start this young 2019-20 season, and all five of those teams are within two points of each other.

The defending champion Rouyn-Noranda Huskies would not likely be anyone’s top pick as the best team for a second year, with all the movement of players this past summer. Missing stalwarts like Joël Teasdale, Félix Bibeau, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, Peter Abbandonato and, for the moment, Noah Dobson has not slowed the Memorial Cup titleholders this season, as Vincent Marleau is tied for the league lead in points and Tyler Hinam has made huge strides in his game.

Netminder Zachary Emond has lost his first regulation game in over a season this year, but he has been solid with a 5-1 record to lead all goalies in wins.

While one would be remiss to expect that hot play to continue, the Huskies are at the top of the heap once more as the season rumbles into its third week. A repeat of their 59-win season of a year ago seems unlikely, as they will look to maximize return of their remaining current assets for future gains, but they can get the accolades while they are hot.

More expectedly in the Western Conference, the Sherbrooke Phoenix are in second place. The Phoenix boast an older lineup and the league’s top drafted player from last June’s NHL entry draft in Sam Poulin, who is looking to build on a strong first camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

His ability to take over a game at the left wing position and shut a team up or shut them down has been chronicled a lot with his strong playoff last season, and the Phoenix are looking to form their team around their captain’s strengths as they look poised to break team records for their best season in franchise history.

Alexis Lafreniere

Out east, the top three teams boast one potential surprise and two predicted top teams – the Rimouski Oceanic, the Cape Breton Eagles and the Charlottetown Islanders.

Rimouski enters the year with the most pressure to salvage results out of this season than any other team in the entirety of the Canadian junior league. They have potential top pick Alexis Lafrenière for this season and likely no more, and will attempt to build a contender around their wunderkind for a third season in a row. Last year, they were swept in the third round, and their regular season results will not matter this year. They have considerable pressure to be a contender this year, or the Lafrenière-led team will be considered a failure.

Lafrenière already has four multi-point games in his five games played so far this season. He has not skipped a beat. They also boast a strong starting goalie in Colten Ellis, and good offensive depth around the prodigal right winger, but their defence corps at this point is worse than last season’s edition, and Serge Beausoleil will feel the pressure to make moves at Christmas time to form a strong unit.

The Eagles are no longer Screaming, but they will provide plenty of emotions for their fans this year in Cape Breton. New ownership, a new coach in Jake Grimes, and a new outlook gives new life to one of the deepest teams in the QMJHL. While the team is lacking in top-end talent, they have plenty to be excited about throughout the lineup in forwards Mathias Laferrière, Shawn Boudrias and the impeccably named Ivan Ivan.

The team is lacking in a top star up front and a top defenceman on the back end, but the market is there for both of those holes, and they have a great goalie in Ottawa prospect Kevin Mandolese. A possible strong defender is still on the shelf, as overager Antoine Crête-Belzile is still recovering from post-concussion symptoms from a knock late last season.

Charlottetown is always in the mix as long as coach Jim Hulton is in the fold, and this season is no exception. The Islanders may not stay in this position all season long, but they have one of the best goalies in the league in Matt Welsh, who can steal games by himself, and a team that always stays committed to the game plan. Xavier Bernard on the back end is no slouch, and neither is the solid pivot Nikita Alexandrov.

The league’s best potential team is just behind the big five in Chicoutimi. The Saguenéens are in the best position to be contenders this season – a good mix of veterans, a very strong young core of Hendrix Lapierre, Théo Rochette and William Dufour, and three first round picks to make moves if they choose.

Of course, since many of their core players will not age out next season, they can choose which year in the next couple they want to load up their team.

If they choose this season, they have captain Harvey-Pinard and Ethan Crossman up front with Memorial Cup experience, an underrated goaltender in Alexis Shank and a solid-if-unspectacular defence group led by Artemi Knyazev. The Sags have a lot going for them this season, and the world is their oyster in terms of what they choose to do.

Another potential contending team is in Moncton, as the Wildcats made a move in the summer to set themselves up for a run this season. They acquired goaltender Olivier Rodrigue to start games for them this season, and the 19-year-old is likely AHL bound after the season. This turns this season into an important one for the Wildcats, who lost Jeremy McKenna and Jonathan Aspirot to pro contracts.

There is a chance they may receive both players back from their pro teams, but even with the veteran boosts, the Wildcats are still missing an impact defender to be a true contender. That blueliner could be Boston Bruins pick Axel Andersson, who is in limbo in Providence, but until he is physically in the uniform, no one knows for sure.

The draft this June will be interesting for another New Brunswick team: the Saint John Sea Dogs. The Dogs are the most polarizing team to predict this season, as they have many young potential stars in their lineup, but their core is still very young. Last season’s youngest team in the CHL is still wet-behind-the-ears, but the talent in undeniable, led by blueliner Jérémie Poirier.

Poirier will lead a defence corps with five 17-year-olds in the fold, including fellow draft prospects William Villeneuve, Joona Lehmus and Charlie Desroches. Up front, Josh Lawrence and Brady Burns return and along with Alex Drover and Dawson Stairs taking important roles, all at 17, they look to be setting themselves up for a bright run. Joshua Roy, the league’s top pick in the Q draft in June, is also on the team, taking a regular shift and having an impact in his first year in the league.

The Sea Dogs could catch lightning in a bottle or could crash and burn in their inexperience, but will provide must watch attention for draft watchers trying to catch the next NHL players from the QMJHL.

Last season’s Memorial Cup hosts in Halifax are not the team they were last season. This year, they are more of a one-line unit than a fleshed out juggernaut, led by forwards Benoît-Olivier Groulx, Raphaël Lavoie and Maxim Trepanier.

Jared McIsaac starts the year on the shelf for a considerable amount of time, leaving potential first rounder Justin Barron as the undisputed number one defender on the unit; a huge boon to his development. It is not the start new head coach Jean-Jacques Daigneault would have hoped for in taking the job, but he could really make a name for himself as a coach if Barron thrives in this environment.

It is expected that the Mooseheads will make some moves for the future during the mid-season trading period in which they kiss any or all of Lavoie, Trepanier, Groulx and McIsaac goodbye, which would dramatically alter the skills of this team in the second half.

Also looking ahead to the future is the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, who saw the fruits of their building labors tumble and sputter in a first-round upset to Moncton last spring. Nathan Légaré and Gabriel Fortier could be available to the highest bidder as the Drakkar hope to begin anew with a new coach in Jon Goyens, who has an excellent record of development at the midget level.

Goyens’s Lac-Saint-Louis teams have a reputation for producing many QMJHL players and pros, including Mike Matheson, Jonathan Drouin, Joe Veleno and Anthony Duclair. The Drakkar will have a chance to rebuild in his image, and he has earned it with his success at the midget level.

Drummondville will also be looking to cast off veterans in favour of younger players, as they hope to look to future years. The for-sale sign is on stars like Xavier Simoneau and Thomas Pelletier, while it has been rumoured that draft hopeful Dawson Mercer already has a new home lined up at Christmas when the trading period opens in late December.

In closing, here is a top-ten of QMJHL prospects to watch this season:

Alexis Lafreniere, Rimouski – his hype precedes him, but he’s absolutely worth it.

Hendrix Lapierre, Chicoutimi – missed some time last year with injury but hoping to make up for lost time.

Justin Barron, Halifax – Dobson-like skater and potential dominator on the back end.

Vasily Ponomarev, Shawinigan – a fitness freak in an optimal position to make things happen with lots of ice time.

Mavrik Bourque, Shawinigan – impressed on an offensive-weak Shawinigan last year with his skills and poise.

Theo Rochette, Chicoutimi – An early season injury sidelines him in a critical year, but will have plenty of opportunities.

Dawson Mercer, Drummondville – do-it-all two-way winger who skates well and can play all situations.

Jérémie Poirier, Saint John – great size and skating ability, is already a top-pairing defender in his draft year.

Lukas Cormier, Charlottetown – undersized, but excellent skater who can always make something happen offensively.

Noah Delémont, Acadie-Bathurst – great skater, great hockey sense and ability to handle minutes, especially internationally.

Pittsburgh Penguins 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 13:03:53 +0000

The worst systems in the game usually are handicapped by a combination of a shortage of picks and a pronounced shortage of high end picks. Those teams are often perennial contenders and had traded those picks – and sometimes players who still retain the sheen of youthful promise – in exchange for players that are more able to assist in the present need to fortify a contender. In other words, they abide by the maxim that a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush.

The Penguins most definitely meet both problems head on. The last time they had their full complement of seven picks was back in 2012. In the seven ensuing drafts, they have only made a pick on day one twice. One of those first rounders was made just this year, as the Penguins added a big-bodied, mature power winger in Samuel Poulin. The other first round pick Pittsburgh made in that span, Kasperi Kapanen, selected with the 22^nd pick in 2014, was traded to Toronto in the Phil Kessel trade, before he ever suited up in Pittsburgh.

Outside of those two first rounders, likely the most skilled player selected by Pittsburgh in the past seven drafts was the Dutch Dangler, Daniel Sprong. The skilled winger did play in 42 NHL games for the Penguins, before he, too, was sent away, shipped to Anaheim in a one for one deal for blueliner Marcus Pettersson. In fairness to GM Jim Rutherford and company, Sprong wasn’t traded so much for a veteran, as Pettersson was also very young, as much as they deemed Pettersson to be a better fit on the main squad than Sprong. Pettersson actually equaled Sprong’s rest of season point totals, albeit in ten additional games. For a defenseman deemed a stay-at-home type though, neither the Penguins not their supporters should be dismayed by the sell off of one of their top young talents.

Other Penguins’ draft picks of recent vintage who have played at least 100 NHL games, but are long out of the Pittsburgh system include Derrick Pouliot, and Stanley Cup champ Oscar Sundqvist. On the other hand, in the past seven drafts, the only current NHL Penguins are Jake Guentzel and Dominik Simon. Even on a winning team, you would expect a better hit rate than that.

One other way that the Penguins may be hampering their draft and development efforts is by how limited their selection pool is. The draft (and sign) extensively from the QMJHL, the WHL, the college bound ranks and Finland, but ignore Russia – the only player drafted out of Russia since the selection of Malkin was netminder Alexander Pechursky in 2008, and the OHL – only two Ontario based picks in the last seven years, neither of whom was ever offered an ELC.

For as heavily as the Penguins supplement their prospect base with undrafted free agents, four of whom grace the list below, there is a distinct lack of upside in any of them, and in fact, in the system as a whole. Even if the team hopes to remain a top competitor in perpetuity, they will need to change their approach to player acquisition to continue to surround Crosby and Malkin with suitable teammates.

-Ryan Wagman

CRANBERRY, PA - JUNE 28: Pittsburgh Penguins Prospect Forward Samuel Poulin (18) during the Pittsburgh Penguins Development Camp 3-on-3 Tournament on June 28, 2019 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, PA. (Photo by Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire)

1 Samuel Poulin, RW (21^st overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) One of the more complete players in the draft this past June, and one of the more pro-ready players, Poulin has many qualities NHL coaches will love right out of the box. Poulin is the son of former NHLer Patrick, and his hockey sense proves that. His ability to shoot or pass with equal aplomb and his abilities to use his teammates are all at a high level. His defensive play on the backcheck and in transition is noteworthy. His skating is strong, especially his balance, as he can anchor himself along the wall under pressure. He plays a two-way game, does not skip on the details and can carry a team on his back, like his Sherbrooke team in the playoffs with 14 points in 10 games. Poulin will be a strong winger who can play all situations and be a reliable two-way threat for a long time. - MS

2 Calen Addison, D (53^rd overall, 2018. Last Year: 2) Addison is a dynamic offensive weapon from the back end. He has a great ability to generate offense and push the pace of play with his skating and knack for jumping into the rush. Back-to-back 65 point seasons have shown that he has the puck skills and vision to make key offensive plays. Defensively he gets in trouble once the puck is in his own zone. He rarely kills penalties, or is on for key defensive zone draws, he can be physically overmatched and struggles to protect the front of the net or break up the cycle game. If the Penguins are patient with him he could develop like Tory Krug, a powerplay specialist and on a 3rd pairing at even strength until he is better prepared to handle tougher assignments. - VG

3 Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D (23^rd overall, 2017 [Arizona]. Last Year: 4 [Arizona]) The former Charlottetown Islanders captain has seen his game grow leaps and bounds since he joined the QMJHL in 2015-16. Joseph’s best two assets are his work ethic and his hockey sense. He rarely makes a bad decision and, most importantly, knows his limitations. He has blossomed into a leader by both his words and his example, and his effort is contagious for other players. He is slight for the pro game at 168 pounds, but he is as adept at defending positionally as he is physically, and has figured out how to read many schemes with the puck to best attack from the back end. He is poised and strong at moving the puck and patient to allow the defense to open up to his benefit. While he may not have any truly elite traits, he does not have many weaknesses. He is a future solid, dependable, middle-pair blueliner. - MS

4 Filip Hallander, C (58^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 3) Hallander is starting to look like a good second round pick, not Jake Guentzel-in-the-third good, but good. The 18 year-old played his first season in the SHL and was one of the best forwards on his team. He is a smart power forward with nice hands and skills. He works hard in all three zones and reads a forecheck very well. When he creates scoring chances, he often does so through winning the puck over for his team and going hard to the net. The knock on him so far is that he hasn’t got any tools that are elite other than his compete level and forechecking. The skating, shot, and puck skills are slightly above average, but non are elite. As a future NHLer he isn’t an elite producer, but he can play and contribute in various roles. He is strong on the PK and around the net on a power play. Next season he will play in SHL again. - JH

5 Nathan Legare, RW (74^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Légaré has the shot to become a sniper at the NHL level. 45 goals as a draft-eligible player in any league is impressive, and the fact that his goal totals jumped from 10 to 45 made it even more impressive. He was a triggerman on a strong Baie-Comeau powerplay and can hammer a one-timer swiftly to the net. Having said that, many of his goals are scored in front of the net off rebounds or small set-ups, using his superior size and strength at the QMJHL level. His hockey sense and physicality is strong, but his skating holds him back. He knows where to go, but often gets there late, and is more effective in zone set-plays rather than off the rush. His agility, edgework and acceleration all need work. For this reason, it is hard to project his impact going forward, but his shot is impossible to deny. - MS

6 Jordy Bellerive, C (Undrafted free agent, signed Sep. 16, 2017. Last Year: 11) Bellerive is a player who can play the game in any style. He is happy to drive the net and work hard to create his offense but he has a shot that can beat goalies cleanly from distance. He works his tail off in both zones and often generates additional chances from chasing down the play. He makes good passes both in transition and below the dots. He camps out around the net and will take a beating to make a play. He has good puck skills in tight where he makes subtle plays that catch defenses off-guard. He may never reach beyond a third line player at the pro level but his effort is consistent enough that he could excel in that role. - VG

7 Emil Larmi, G (Undrafted free agent, signed Jun. 2, 2019. Last Year: IE) Larmi put together three strong seasons for HPK in the Liiga including a championship win in 2019 before signing an entry-level contract with the Penguins. He is a competitive goalie with great reflexes and the ability to make highly athletic saves. He plays an aggressive and intense style in net. He likes to challenge shooters to cut down angles and he is very effective in doing so. He is mentally strong, remains unrattled even when allowing a soft goal and can bounce back quickly. Larmi's positioning can be a slight issue at times, but his athleticism and quickness help him quite a bit on those occasions. It remains to be seen how he adapts to the North American game, but the 1996 born netminder has definitely shown NHL potential. -MB

8 Kasper Bjorkqvist, RW (61^st overall, 2016. Last Year: 6) While Bjorkqvist has progressed nicely in his three years in North America, increasing his point totals from 9 to 23 to 30 with NCAA Providence, the versatile Finnish winger enters the pro ranks with rawness and inconsistency still running through his game. He uses his solid size to play near the opposing crease and has a plan for the puck when he gets it, resulting in quick touches and quickly released shots. At his best, he has a nice shot an can play or pass the puck well, but he can go for prolonged stretches at less than his best, effectively becoming a non-factor in the play. He is also not as aggressive as his strength would allow. He will need some time to continue developing in the AHL, but if he can play a more steady game, he could find a home as a bottom six winger in the NHL within two years. - RW

9 Judd Caulfield, RW (145^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) The fact that their fifth round pick from the most recent draft ranks ninth in this system – and no one has claimed him to a steal, either on draft day or in the weeks since – is another point of concern for the Pittsburgh system. Caulfield is a heart and soul player, a big winger with good speed and surprisingly deft hands, although lacking in the overall game or creativity to turn those hands into weapons with any frequency. He has a heavy side and can be a penalty kill asset, but is definitely more of a supporting piece than the type who can drive a line or force an opposing team to game plan around him. Heading to play for his home town University of North Dakota, he has a ways to go to reach his third line upside. - RW

10 Justin Almeida, C/LW (129^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 12) Almeida is an undersized forward with excellent playmaking skills. He is a pass first player that can hold onto the puck for an extra second, creating spacing for his teammates and his passes. His skating is OK, but for a smaller guy you would like him to have better breakaway speed. Where his speed is noticeable is in how quickly he can process what to do with the puck. His shot is very accurate even though it lacks in power. He often seems like he will have a long, successful offensive career at the AHL level, and in the right situation could find top six minutes in the NHL one day. - VG

11 Anthony Angello, C (145^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 4) In his first professional season, Angello fared well applying his NCAA experience to the AHL. He is a massive forward who plays an equally strong and physical game. By managing 29 points last season, he proved that he was a good fit for Wilkes-Barre and also ensured he would not be looked over in the Penguins ranks. Angello has the hands to match his size which makes him a difficult opponent, however he would be even more threatening if he were that much faster. His general speed is not what is hurting his chances but rather his reaction time and the missing jump to his game. Saying that his large frame is the cause for the missing spark in his stride is not good enough when a player comparable in size such as Colton Parayko seems to have little problem with speed. Angello will have to push harder and find a higher gear if he wants a chance at cracking the bottom six. - SC

12 Teddy Blugers, C (52^nd overall, 2012. Last Year: 7) Blugers is set to start his next professional season up with the Pittsburgh Penguins which is well deserved. He is a naturally skilled forward whose game is nothing special but fast paced and efficient enough to get the job done. His shot and quick release make him especially deadly when given the puck in a scoring position as he can adapt quickly to get quality scoring chances. Blugers needs to make sure to keep his feet moving in the corners and not rely so much on teammates to do his dirty work below the goal line. If he can up the pace of his aggressive play in all areas of the ice to match the NHL pace then he will stand a better chance at earning a bottom six roll with the Penguins next season and into the future. - SC

13 Jan Drozg, LW/RW (152^nd overall, 2017. Last Year: 15) Drozg is more ready-now than most on this list in terms of joining the pro ranks. He isn’t that physical but he has great balance and is not afraid to carry the puck into danger zones and take abuse. He can be a buzz saw in pursuit of the puck, and can pass quickly and accurately, including cross-zone and stretch passing. His playmaking skills are very strong, as is his hockey sense offensively. His defensive game is adequate, and his skating is fine, but both will need to improve to have an effect at the NHL level. Drozg’s play elevates with the stature of the game, and he will be a feature for Team Slovenia as long as he wants to be, but his deficiencies will need to improve to become a secondary scoring option at the NHL level. - MS

14 Niclas Almari, D (151^st overall, 2016. Last Year: 9) Almari was part of the gold-winning HPK team in the Liiga and showed stable improvement in many aspects of the game this past season. The Penguins fifth round pick is mobile and skates well backwards. He can move the puck well and start offensive transitions with long-range passes. He has good offensive vision and puck skills. That all said, there are some question marks around his game. In juniors, Almari displayed decent offensive abilities and potential but he hasn't been able to make a similar impact at the pro level. He plays a solid, yet unspectacular game at both ends of the ice, without much flash or physicality. He could end up being a third-pairing NHL defenseman at best, unless he makes major strides in his game in the coming years. - MB

15 Sam Miletic, LW/C (Undrafted free agent, signed Sep. 25, 2017. Last Year: 10) Miletic had a good transition into the AHL with 35 points in 49 games and only 14 penalty minutes. He is a good offensive player whose speed helps him stand out from other players. His strong skating helps propel him to the net and with his strength he drives the net with ease and can easily lead a breakout. Whereas he was able to regroup with time and space to quarterback breakouts at the major junior level, at the professional level breakout execution time is a lot more limited, leading to more turnovers, and he will need to adapt to the fast pace better in order to not fall behind the play. Miletic will most likely settle into a top six spot next season with Wilkes-Barre and that should improve his play enough to get to a similar role with the Pens down the line. - SC

16 Adam Johnson, LW (Undrafted free agent, signed Jul. 6, 2017. Last Year: 20) Johnson is a nifty offensive player with slick hands and nasty pickpocketing ability. He is skilled and can adapt to playing with various lines. As his scoring pedigree in both the NCAA and USHL show, his ability to read the play and alternate between being the shooter or the playmaker has improved greatly. The only somewhat underdeveloped part of his game is his two-way play and defensive end coverage. In the meantime, Johnson will have to touch up his play in the defensive end and work on his awareness in his own zone. He has what it takes to make the NHL squad and to play at the highest level but he may not yet be ready for a permanent spot in the bottom six. The Penguins have tough competition for their forward roster and he will have to continue to put up points and work hard to cement his spot. - SC

17 Sam Lafferty, C (113^th overall, 2014. Last Year: Not ranked) Lafferty is an enjoyable player to watch, especially as he never takes a shift off and wins a fair percentage of the draws he takes. Last season with Wilkes-Barre he did well putting up 49 points in 70 games and stepping up to stand out amongst a rather average team. He is a good playmaker and a good passer, and his creativity will certainly be a contributing factor to his success at a higher level. Although Lafferty is a great passer he could do well at shooting more and being a little more selfish with the puck to prove himself as an even greater offensive threat. He has a lot of potential at clocking a bottom six spot in the NHL and even growing from there, as his work ethic and his outside the box way of thinking will certainly get him to the next level. - SC

18 Santeri Airola, D (211^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Airola had an impressive season for SaiPa U20 and showed promise with the U19 national team as well. The smallish right0-shot defenseman is offensively gifted and skates very well. He can travel with the puck through the neutral zone as his hands enable him to keep up with his quick feet. He is agile, shifty on his skates, and can accelerate quickly from a standstill. Airola has many attributes that make him a good power play quarterback for a junior player: poise, mobility, and distribution skills. He is not afraid to take responsibility on the ice either. He needs to work on his defensive game, particularly to become more assertive in his own zone and improve his angling. He is a late bloomer whose development is trending upwards, yet he is still, at this point, a long shot to make it to the NHL. - MB

19 John Marino, D (154^th overall, 2015 [Edmonton]. Last Year: 10 [Edmonton]) Four years after the Edmonton Oilers took Marino in the sixth round, Pittsburgh sent a future sixth rounder to Central Alberta for his rights, and immediately signed him to an ELC. While Marino was a two way threat in his junior level days, he has evolved into more of an own-zone specialist over three years at Harvard. He has decent size, but is rather strong and rangy and plays a physical game. He reads the play well and plays instinctively. He lacks the offensive elements to his game to profile as more than a third pairing defender who could get some time on the PK, but that’s pretty good value for the sixth round. - RW

20 Ryan Jones, D (121^st overall, 2016. Last Year: 18) Drafted in his third year of draft eligibility, Jones had parlayed a strong second season with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL to a spot on the NHL radar. While he hasn’t been that bad with Nebraska-Omaha over three seasons, he is strongly suggesting that his draft year performance was more a matter of an older player beating up on younger kids than a true breakthrough. He is a tough blueliner with some capability of nullifying opponents in his own zone, but his offensive contributions are somewhat meagre, leaving his upside as a sixth or seventh defender at the highest level. Barring a last minute change of heart by Pittsburgh, he will be returning to Omaha for his senior season, and his last chance of earning an NHL contract. - RW

McKeen’s 2019 NHL Group Mock Draft – Round Three of Three

McKeen's Hockey — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 23:20:29 +0000

If you have read round one found here: McKeen’s 2019 NHL Group Mock Draft – Round One of Three or McKeen’s 2019 NHL Group Mock Draft – Round Two of Three you can skip the intro and dive straight into the picks below.

Mock NHL Drafts are always fun for those immersed in analyzing eligible prospects all season long, but can also always provide some interesting insights ahead of draft day. The exercise of compiling our McKeen's NHL Draft Rankings are not an attempt to predict the order of the NHL draft but to the rank the prospects by their potential in the NHL. Every NHL team will have a different draft list in Vancouver, reflecting not only team need, but also players they are targeting and feel strongly about.

A group mock draft with a dozen participants representing two or three teams will reflect that dynamic better than an individual picking the players they feel a team will want. That list inevitably reflects that individual's list, hunches and preferences. McKeen's utilizes input from our team in rinks around the world in coming up with our season ending ranking and it will be more balanced as a result. In a mock, the scouts and analysts are free to target the players that impressed them this season, while trying to match the player to an organizational need. As in the NHL on draft day there will be surprises, risers and fallers from the rankings.

Have fun. Subscribers can link to the player page for more detail by clicking on the player's name. If you are not a subscriber you can learn more here.

We will be doing three rounds in total. The participants, in no particular order, in the draft were:

Brock Otten - Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers
Ryan Wagman - Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, Winnipeg Jets
Russ Cohen - New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders
Mike Sanderson - Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres
Jimmy Hamrin - Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning,
Tom Dorsa - Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues
Iain Morrell - Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators
Shaiyena Cote - Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks
Vince Gibbons - Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks
Kevin Olexson - Vancouver Canucks, Arizona Coyotes
Robert Howard - New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins
Gus Katsaros - Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs
Benoit Belanger - Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins

Thank you all for an amazing season.

Pick - Team - PLAYER (Rank) - POS - TEAM- HT/WT, DOB - Nation

63. Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa) - Arseni Gritsyuk (48) - RW - Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr) - 5-10/170, 15-Mar-01 - Russia - I feel like this is the perfect territory to draft a guy like Gritsyuk. He has potentially dynamic pure skill, but he is a long-term project and his lack of size could be concerning. Home run pick, for sure, but this is a good place to gamble for Colorado. - Tom Dorsa

64. Los Angeles Kings - Jordan Spence (106) - D - Moncton (QMJHL) - 5-10/165, 24-Feb-01 - Canada - I said “Solidify the future at the defense”, so…why not an other D? Spence is a riser in this draft. He is a really good distributor who plays with a lot of poise with the puck. He is a good puck mover and carrier. He possesses excellent mobility and skating abilities. - Benoit Belanger

65. Philadelphia Flyers (from New Jersey via Edmonton) - Kaedan Korczak (68) - D - Kelowna (WHL) - 6-3/190, 29-Jan-01 - Canada - After drafting two forwards, Philly goes for a defenseman. Korczak will need some time, but is an interesting defenseman for a future third pair. A low risk second round pick. - Jimmy Hamrin

66. Detroit Red Wings - Michael Vukojevic (71) - D - Kitchener (OHL) - 6-3/210, 8-Jun-01 -- Canada - Hard nosed, stay at home defender who played key minutes for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL this year. His mobility has really improved and he has a great head on his shoulders. This is the type of player that Detroit should be targeting with some of these mid rounds picks. They need to be tougher to play against. - Brock Otten

67. Buffalo Sabres - Nathan Legare (83) - RW - Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) - 6-0/205, 11-Jan-01 - Canada - The draft is lean on power forwards, but Légaré is one of them, and his 45 goals this season is nothing to sneeze at, either. Légaré brings a big, imposing physical presence and a strong, pro shot to the Sabres. He battles in front and is solid with tip-ins, and can bang bodies on the forecheck. His biggest weakness is his skating, as it does not allow him to react as he would like to on the rush or to adjust to the play. His forechecking is often effective, but late, and he is a non-factor on the rush in either sense. He impacts the play in the zone when the puck is already there, and will need to improve his skating to have success when all the bodies are his size. Having said that, he is a boom-or-bust who can produce as long as the speed does not overwhelm, or he improves his skating. He also needs someone to get him the puck to be at his most effective. - Mike Sanderson

68. New York Rangers - Pyotr Kochetkov (55) - G - HK Ryazan (Rus 2) - 6-1/175, 25-Jun-99 - Russia - In his third season of draft eligibility Kochetkov burst into the spotligh,t stealing the starting goaltending job for Russia at the WJC, then earning the title of best goaltender in the tournament while winning Bronze. Turning 20 the day after the draft mitigates some concerns of drafting goaltenders early as he is further along in his development and less of a risk. The upside is tantalizing however as the Rangers look to a new era in goal. - Robert Howard

69. Florida Panthers (from Edmonton) - Ilya Konovalov (123) - G - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL) - 6-0/195, 13-Jul-98 - Russia - Named KHL rookie of the year after an amazing season for Lokomotiv gives the Panthers a close to NHL-ready goalie who could eventually be an NHL starter. This is a guy who should not be flying under the radar as much as he has, even if he’s old for the draft class. - Brock Otten

70. New Jersey Devils (from Anaheim) - Hunter Jones (92) - G - Peterborough (OHL) - 6-4/195, 21-Sep-00 - Canada - Goaltender Hunter Jones is the kind of big goalie NHL teams want in their system. He's a good guy on and off the ice. He stood out at the combine and was picked to play in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. - Russ Cohen

71. Vancouver Canucks - Anttoni Honka (80) - D - JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin) - 5-10/180, 5-Oct-00 - Finland - Canucks wanting defensemen select Honka, a right handed offensive minded Finnish defender. He may not have large size, but his abilities to move the puck and quarterback a power play help. The Canucks have had good luck with Finnish players, and like what they see from the younger brother of Dallas Stars defensemen, Julius Honka. - Kevin Olexson

72. Philadelphia Flyers - Semyon Chistyakov (98) - D - Tolpar Ufa (Rus Jr) - 5-10/170, 7-Aug-01 - Russia - Back to skills for Philly. A smallish mobile defenseman with good puck skills. high risk but also a possible high reward here. - Jimmy Hamrin

73. Minnesota Wild - Ryder Donovan (82) - C - Duluth East (USHS-MN) - 6-3/185, 4-Oct-00 - USA - Duluth, Minnesota native brings decent tool set with size, speed, athleticism. Longer-term project will need time to develop at Wisconsin. - Iain Morrell

74. Arizona Coyotes (from Chicago) - Alex Beaucage (138) - RW - Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL) - 6-1/195, 25-Jul-01 - Canada - The Coyotes select another winger who can finish plays and put the puck in the net. Beaucage netted himself 39 goals to go along with his 40 assists. He has decent size, and comes with an abundance of skill and potential. - Kevin Olexson

75. Nashville Predators (from Florida) - Jayden Struble (111) - D - St. Sebastian's (USHS-MA) - 6-0/195, 8-Sep-01 - USA - Athletic defender stood out at the NHL Scouting Combine with top marks in five of 18 tests. Cumberland, R.I., native will attend Northeastern University. - Iain Morrell

76. Arizona Coyotes - Dustin Wolf (143) - G - Everett (WHL) - 6-0/155, 16-Apr-01 - USA - The Coyotes jump in here to select arguably one of the best goalies in junior hockey. Wolf has put up incredible numbers for Everett this season, and after being groomed behind, and learning from Carter Hart, he is now ready to shine in the spotlight. He plays on a team with a dynamic defensive system, but even with that, he still has to make the saves and keep the pucks out of the net. Also notable, is how his stats are considerably better than Harts, and the stats don't lie - this kid is impressive. - Kevin Olexson

77. Montreal Canadiens - Graeme Clarke (63) - RW - Ottawa (OHL) - 5-11/175, 24-Apr-01 - Canada - Opinions on Clarke depend on how you view his shoulder injury in November; either you see it as a blip on the radar and his inconsistency is an issue, or you see him having fought through it all winter to bring together a strong playoff for a great 67’s team. Clarke had 10 of his 23 goals by the time of his shoulder injury, 22 games in, and developed into a bit of a sharpshooter, with his 23 goals complemented by just 11 assists. His stickhandling is very strong, but could be stronger with a little more speed. Despite that, he is finding the right areas to be as a goal scorer and exploiting them. His defensive game needs work, but if his offensive game continues to progress, he will still be a net positive player in the pros. - Mike Sanderson

78. Colorado Avalanche - Henry Thrun (58) - D - NTDP (USA) - 6-2/190, 12-Mar-01 - USA - Insanely smart and disciplined, Thrun projects to be a bottom-four defensive defenseman, but is a surprisingly stellar skater for someone of his size and deployment. To me, the Harvard commit is one of this Draft’s safest picks, as his low-side is still depth shutdown d-man and penalty killer. - Tom Dorsa

79. Vegas Golden Knights - Yegor Chinakhov (49) - RW - Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr - 6-0/175, 1-Feb-01 - Russia - Although an undersized forward, Chinakhov brings experience playing in the MHL as well as a good shot and good composure on the ice. The Golden Knights are no strangers to strong undersized forwards and with the addition of fellow Russian Nikita Gusev, Chinakhov would be no exception to the offensive roster talent. - Shaiyena Cote

80. New Jersey Devils (from Dallas) - Marcus Kallionkieli (102) - LW - Sioux City (USHL) - 6-2/195, 20-Mar-01 - Finland - Marcus has a blend of goal scoring and toughness. He has a good wrist shot. He’s able to play on the rush and deliver the goods and he’ll play with aggression. - Russ Cohen

81. Columbus Blue Jackets - Jackson Lacombe (78) - D - Shattuck-St. Mary's (USHS-MN) - 6-1/170 9-Jan-01 - USA - Columbus picks for the first time in the latter half of the third round after going all in for the playoffs. They pick what they hope is a home run pick out of the powerhouse Shattuck-St. Mary's program in Jackson Lacombe who has flashed some exciting potential in his game. - Robert Howard

82. Vegas Golden Knights (from Winnipeg) - Ilya Nikolayev (61)- C - Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr) - 6-0/190, 26-Jun-01 - Russia - Nikolayev is a nifty centreman whose puck carrying ability and passing make him a good team player. He brings a gritty side to the game and plays with a fearlessness that may see him make the jump over to North America sooner than his fellow third round draft classmates. - Shaiyena Cote

83. Ottawa Senators (from Pittsburgh via Vegas) - Billy Constantinou (84) - D - Kingston (OHL) - 6-0/185, 25-Mar-01 - Canada - A right-handed shot, Constantinou is a gifted skater and talented puck handler. He owns some raw tools that offer some more upside than other picks in this area. He was traded mid-season as the main offensive threat for the mighty IceDogs to bottom dwelling Kingston for the final two-thirds of the season and the Sens hope that kept him under the radar as a result - Gus Katsaros

84. Toronto Maple Leafs - Cole MacKay (96) - RW - Sault Ste Marie (OHL) - 5-10/190, 13-Jun-01 - Canada - The Maple Leafs again bolster the wing with a pick from GM Kyle Dubas's alma mater Sault Ste. Marie. He is a high IQ right wing that can score goals and stickhandle. - Gus Katsaros

85. Edmonton Oilers (from NY Islanders) - Maxim Cajkovic (113) - RW - Saint John (QMJHL) - 5-11/185, 3-Jan-01 - Slovakia - Maxim Cajkovic season was somewhat underwhelming but being here at 85 is a windfall for the Oiler’s. He was the best player on a bad team where he led them in goals, assists and points. He was used in all situations and got plenty of ice time on the PK and the PP. His -33 looks bad but only two players on his team, who played at least 50 games, had a better plus minus than him. His skating is his biggest asset as he can play with pace. At the international level he has shown he can produce against top level competition as well. Much like Krebs there is untapped offensive potential due to the lack of line mates and overall team talent. - Vince Gibbons

86. Vegas Golden Knights (from Nashville) - Valentin Nussbaumer (142) - C - Shawinigan (QMJHL) - 5-11/165, 25-Sep-00 - Switzerland - With a successful year in the QMJHL with Shawinigan, Nussbaumer let his presence be known on the scoresheet and in front of the net. He is a dynamic and hard worker, he would be a good pick for Vegas as an eventual addition to the Chicago Wolves roster with hopes of then moving up to round out Vegas' third line. - Shaiyena Cote

87. Los Angeles Kings (from Washington) - Artemi Knyazev (112)- D - Chicoutimi (QMJHL) - 5-11/180 - 4-Jan-01 - Russia - The more D the Kings choose, the more chance they have to hit a home run. He is a dynamic offensive defenseman who play with a lot of confidence. He likes to join the rush. He can hold up his end in a physical game. Could turn out as a good two-way defenseman and he has loads of upside to his game. - Benoit Belanger

88. Calgary Flames - Jake Lee (216) - D - Seattle (WHL) - 6-1/215, 13-Jul-01 - Canada - Jake Lee is not going to wow you with his offensive game but there is subtle parts to his game that show he can be a solid puck mover. He is a defense first defender with great size and a pretty good skating stride. His offensive production was good in the early part of the season but 20 year old returnees limited his PP time in the second half of the season. He may never be a top powerplay defender but he will certainly be on the other side of special teams. He is physical and uses his size well either to stick check or engage in physically. He competes hard along the wall and in front of his net where he plays with a real edge. Lee isn’t just a slab of meat though, he gets around the ice pretty well for a big man. His gap control and overall defense in his own zone is noticeable on every shift. - Vince Gibbons

89. Tampa Bay Lightning - Antti Saarela (100) - C - Lukko Rauma (Fin) - 5-11/185 - 27-Jun-01 - Finland - Another smart skilled player that Tampa can give time to develop. Unusual for them to pick two nordic players, but sometime they need to break that barrier. - Jimmy Hamrin

90. Carolina Hurricanes - Vojtech Strondala (85) - C - Slavia Trebic (Cze 2) - 5-7/155, 17-Dec-00 - Czech -Martin Necas may have been the only Czech player drafted by the Hurricanes since 2008, but I wouldn’t expect them to wait the better part of a decade to return to the Central European nation. Strondala is tiny, but feisty, and is a creative passer and stick-handler who has already had some success playing against men in the Czech second division. Having selected a few “safer” prospects for Carolina already, and with three second rounders to their credit, the Hurricanes can afford to gamble on a high upside (relatively) high bust potential player in Strondala. - Ryan Wagman

91. San Jose Sharks - Oleg Zaitsev (66) - C - Red Deer (WHL) - 6-1/185, 7-Jan-01 - Russia - If your two picks are 41st and 91st you aren’t in great shape to start rebuilding. Luckily for the Sharks they have a few very good young players in Hertl and Meier who can bridge them to a time when they have first round picks again. Long term, a guy like Oleg Zaitsev, a responsible two-way center that has some pretty solid hands and speed, is a solid pick. He has good size and is very strong on the puck. He may not have the dekes and fakes of some higher skilled players in the draft but he has strength to carry the puck to the net. His vision is good and he is very responsible defensively which make him a solid bet as a bottom six center that kills penalties and can play up in the line up a bit as - Vince Gibbons

92. Boston Bruins - Daniil Gutik (91) - LW - Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr) - 6-3/180 31-Aug-01 - Russia - The historic of the Bruins with the Russians is not pretty good but Daniil Gutik would be my pick. He plays a solid power winger game, he is a good puckhandler with good offensive instinct. He possesses good hockey sense - Benoit Belanger

93. St. Louis Blues - John Farinacci (101) - C- Dexter (USHS-MA) - 5-11/185, 14-Feb-01 - USA - A long term project with Harvard on the radar, Farinacci could be a mid-round steal as his skating and shot both grade out as above average tools. A high school product, there are concerns that his immature mental game and lack of physicality will hurt him in higher levels of competition, but he should be a four-year NCAA player and work out his flaws. Perhaps an NHL depth scoring role is his future. - Tom Dorsa

McKeen’s Choice Awards: QMJHL

Michael Sanderson — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 12:04:53 +0000

Mike Sanderson’s QMJHL Choice Awards

The 2019 NHL Draft is upon us, and there are many QMJHL hopeful among those vying for spots to be picked in Vancouver later this month. Let’s take a look at some of the more intriguing prospects available from the Quebec league with a “best-of” article.

Best Hockey Sense – Samuel Poulin, Sherbrooke Phoenix

Poulin has the most NHL-ready game among QMJHL hopefuls, and it will translate to the pro game. Poulin, son of former NHLer Patrick, has no true weakness in his game, and much of that is amounted to his ability to be in the right place at the right time consistently to drive the offence or force turnovers.

Also considered: Jakob Pelletier, Nikita Alexandrov, Maxence Guénette, Alex Beaucage

Most Skilled – Raphael Lavoie, Halifax Mooseheads

Lavoie has the most tantalizing package of skill available from the eastern-most Canadian junior league. He can fire off a shot in traffic, is a great skater using his long frame, and towers above opponents. His playoff performance helped solidify his position as the top QMJHL prospect, and even though his Memorial Cup play tapered off a bit, he is still the best available from the Q.

Also considered: Samuel Poulin, Jakob Pelletier, Maxim Cajkovic

Jakob Pelletier. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

Hardest to Play Against – Jakob Pelletier, Moncton Wildcats

Pelletier has the heart of a lion, despite his smaller frame. He is constantly in the grill of the opposition, and spends his shifts in the dangerous areas on a constant basis. He drives the forecheck and drives to the net on offence, and has had success doing so against bigger opponents even through he stands at 5’9”.

Also considered: Raphael Lavoie, Samuel Poulin, Nathan Légaré, Nikita Alexandrov

Best Playmaker – Jakob Pelletier, Moncton Wildcats

Pelletier is not the most traditional playmaker out there; he creates often without the puck on his stick, using his body or his stick to poke pucks away to set up scoring chances, but he has the puck handling, passing and hockey sense to play the playmaker role superbly when asked. He is the driving force on any line he’s on, with or without the puck, and he sets up plays for his teammates, either with a quick or calculated pass, or a shot to a teammate.

Also considered: Samuel Poulin, Raphael Lavoie, Mikhail Abramov, Xavier Simoneau, Alexei Sergeev

Best Skater – Jordan Spence, Moncton Wildcats

Spence adds a different dimension to Moncton’s attack when he is carrying the puck because his skating ability with the puck is so strong. He is a fast-skating stickhandler, and, paired with his smart passing, keeps teams on their heels with the Wildcats on offence. His skating can get him into trouble sometimes, as he can skate his way in and out of danger, but as he matures, he’ll have a better idea of control of his skating speed. In terms of raw skating ability and potential? Spence is tops.

Also considered: Alex Beaucage, Nikita Alexandrov, Jakob Pelletier, Raphael Lavoie

Nathan Legare. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

Best Shot – Nathan Légaré, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Légaré is the true sniper of this draft class. He hunts goals and finds them, as his 45 goals shows. His nose for the net is his calling card, and he has a strong one-timer. He has strong hands in tight and his body is already NHL-sized at 6’0” and over 200 pounds , which should indicate his skills will translate moving forward. His skating is a concern.

Also considered: Raphael Lavoie, Alex Beaucage, Jeremy McKenna, Maxim Cajkovic, Brooklyn Kalmikov

Best Stickhandler – Valentin Nussbaumer, Shawinigan Cataractes

Nussbaumer has moves for days, and did not get the best chance to display them on an offensively-challenged Shawinigan squad this season. His hands are very quick and his legs keep up with his hands in tight, allowing him to turn on a dime with the puck and stay shifty in any position on the ice. His hands gave him more space to move around this season despite a slight frame.

Also considered: Mikhail Abramov, Yegor Serdyuk, Xavier Simoneau, Raphael Lavoie, Jakob Pelletier

Best Body Checker – Nathan Légaré, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

There are not many power forwards in this QMJHL class; as usual, the Q crop is loaded on offence and finesse, and light on physicality. Légaré grinds out for his goals in front of the net, and does smash when called upon, but his skating ability makes it tougher for him on the forecheck.

Also considered: Brent Budgell, Jakob Pelletier, Samuel Poulin

Best Defensive Forward – Samuel Poulin, Sherbrooke Phoenix

Poulin is very good in all the skills you want in a defensive forward – great skater, solid checker, great back-checker who can hound for loose pucks, strong positionally and active on every shift. His hockey sense pays off without the puck as well as with it.

Also considered: Jakob Pelletier, Raphael Lavoie, Maxim Cajkovic

Maxence Guénette

Best Defensive Defender – Maxence Guénette, Val-d’Or Foreurs

There are not many defensive-first defenders in the QMJHL draft this season, so the crown goes to one of the best two-way defenders instead. Guénette is very smart in his own end and eats a lot of minutes for Val-d’Or. He is responsible, a great skater with great gap control, and does not get overwhelmed with offensive pressure. He can skate his way out of trouble and rarely errs in his decision-making.

Also considered: Justin Bergeron, Thomas Pelletier

Best Offensive Defender – Jordan Spence, Moncton Wildcats

Spence’s skating separates him from the pack, but it’s his passing ability that takes the cake here. He was a powerplay quarterback from day one in the league at the start of the season. His offensive instincts are also strong. He can set up one-timers on a platter and allow his teammates to score in many ways. His shot is improving, but underwhelming at this point. Remember, This was Spence’s first season in the QMJHL, drafted as a plus-one in last June’s QMJHL draft.

Also considered: Artemi Knyazev, Justin Bergeron, Maxence Guénette

Fastest Skater – Raphael Lavoie, Halifax Mooseheads

This award is not so much for how fast Lavoie can be, but for how few strides it takes Lavoie to get to where he needs to go. At 6’4”, his skating stride is smooth enough that he only needs a couple of strides to get where he needs to go, and that makes him a faster skater than most in the class.

Also considered: Jordan Spence, Jakob Pelletier, Maxim Cajkovic

Best Goalie – Colten Ellis, Rimouski Oceanic

Ellis may have this spot by default; he is the only one of two draft-eligible goaltenders to be a playoff starter for his team, and his team went further than Jonathan Lemieux’s Val-d’Or squad. Ellis was the Telus Cup-winning goaltender for the Cape Breton West Islanders in 2017, and he has been a starter in the QMJHL for the past two seasons for the Oceanic.

He has grown into a 6’1” frame that had some worried he was too small, but he is quick and fast with the glove. He still has issues with shots up high, but he has improved in that area, and he shows pro speed and reads, especially post-to-post. He is a bit of a project, but he grabbed the Oceanic starter’s job a year ago without experience, and could make another leap forward as well.

Also considered: Jonathan Lemieux

MCKEEN’S 2019 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: Final Rankings – Top 217 Plus 100 Honourable Mention

Iain Morrell — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 17:52:23 +0000

MCKEEN'S RELEASES FINAL 2019 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS

KOSICE, SLOVAKIA - MAY 13: USA's Jack Hughes #6 and Finland's Kaapo Kakko #24 shake hands following a 3-2 overtime win for team USA during preliminary round action of the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship at Steel Arena on May 13, 2019 in Kosice, Slovakia. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

American center Jack Hughes or Finnish Winger Kaapo Kakko?

That is the decision facing the New Jersey Devils who won the draft lottery for the second time in the past three seasons and hold the top pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Hughes (5-foot-10, 170 pounds) led the USA Hockey National Team Development Program under-18 team in scoring while setting the NTDP career record for assists (154) and points (228) in two seasons (110 games) with the program.

He earned the highest Overall Future Projection (OFP) score of 64.50, as per the 20/80 grading system developed by McKeen's Director of Scouting Ryan Wagman.

Skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ, physicality - these are the attributes measured for skaters using the 20/80 grading system to arrive at an Overall Future Projection (OFP) score.

Six areas are assessed for goalies: athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling.

BROADWAY KAAPO

Kakko (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) earned the next highest OFP score at 64.00.

The Turku, Finland native will go to the New York Rangers with the second pick, their highest draft position since taking Brad Park in 1966 before expansion (1967-68).

Kakko led Finland with six goals while winning gold at the 2019 World Championships at just 18 years, 102 days old to become the youngest player in IIHF history to win gold at the Under-18, Under-20, and WM (World Men) levels, supplanting Connor McDavid of Canada (19 years, 130 days) from the record books.

The Chicago Blackhawks have the number three pick with the top defenseman Bowen Byram of the Vancouver Giants next on the McKeen's OFP scale (63.40).

Seven players in total received OFP scores of at least 60.00 this season, up from five in 2018 - and just two in 2017 when the Devils selected Nino Hischier first overall.

The next five spots in the rankings are all centers - Kirby Dach of Saskatoon (63.20 OFP), Dylan Cozens of Lethbridge (61.40), the NTDP duo of Trevor Zegras (61.25) and Alex Turcotte (60.00), and Peyton Krebs of Kootenay (59.65).

ALL AMERICAN

Spencer Knight. Photo courtesy of the USNTDP.

Spencer Knight of the NTDP is the top-rated goaltender available (55.75 OFP) at No. 32 in the McKeen's rankings.

Knight will likely go in the opening round of what will be a record haul for the U.S. National Team Development Program as upwards of eight players could be taken in the top 31 selections.

As for past records, the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) had four players taken in the opening round of the 1979 NHL Draft - as did the Toronto Marlboros (OHA) in 1972 and the Montreal Junior Canadiens (OHA) in 1969.

Along with Hughes (1st), Zegras (6th), and Turcotte (7th), wingers Matthew Boldy and Cole Caufield are ranked at No. 12 and 13 on the McKeen's list, with defenseman Cam York at No. 17 and center John Beecher at 30th.

Caufield (5-foot-7, 165 pounds) scored 14 goals at the U18 World Junior Championship, tying Alex Ovechkin's single-tournament goals record. However, the United States lost in a shootout to Russia in the semi-finals.

There are also four others in the program ranked in the 32 to 62 range (second round) - all defensemen - Marshall Warren (35th), Alex Vlasic (54th), Henry Thrun (58th) and Drew Helleson (62nd).

In total, 16 players from the NTDP are ranked among the top 100.

SWEDE GOLD - SWEET SEIDER

ORNSKOLDSVIK, SWEDEN - APRIL 23: Swedens Philip Broberg #4 makes a pass during preliminary round action against Russia at the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Fjallraven Center on April 23, 2019 in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden. (Photo by Steve Kingsman/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Sweden won a first-ever gold medal at the U18 World Juniors.

Four blueliners on that Swedish team are first-round candidates led by Philip Broberg of AIK, named 'Top Defenceman' at the U18 tournament, and Victor Soderstrom of Brynas, ranked No. 9 and 10 respectively on McKeen's.

U18 captain Tobias Bjornfot of Djurgardens is ranked 19th and Albert Johansson of Farjestads is 26th.

Following Dominik Bokk's selection in 2018 (25th to St. Louis), Germany will produce another first-round pick this year in Adler Mannheim defenseman Moritz Seider.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound, right-shot blueliner displayed impressive skills and maturity for his age while appearing at the 2019 World Championships (5-2-0-2).

Seider earned an OFP score of 57.50 and is ranked No. 15.

He will become the highest-selected German-born player at the NHL Draft since the Edmonton Oilers took Leon Draisaitl third overall in 2014.

Here are our final 2019 NHL Draft Rankings. They are a culmination of a season’s worth of prospect analysis and coverage on mckeenshockey.com and the tremendous work put in rinks and looking at screens and numbers from our committed team. Enjoy!

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	Nation
1	Jack Hughes	C	NTDP (USA)	5-10/170	14-May-01	USA
2	Kaapo Kakko	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-2/195	13-Feb-01	Finland
3	Bowen Byram	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jun-01	Canada
4	Kirby Dach	C	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/200	21-Jan-01	Canada
5	Dylan Cozens	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-3/185	9-Feb-01	Canada
6	Trevor Zegras	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/170	20-Mar-01	USA
7	Alex Turcotte	C	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	26-Feb-01	USA
8	Peyton Krebs	C	Kootenay (WHL)	5-11/180	26-Jan-01	Canada
9	Philip Broberg	D	AIK (Swe 2)	6-3/200	25-Jun-01	Sweden
10	Victor Soderstrom	D	Brynas (Swe)	5-11/180	26-Feb-01	Sweden
11	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	SKA-1946 St. Pete. (Rus Jr)	6-1/190	24-Jun-01	Russia
12	Matthew Boldy	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/190	5-Apr-01	USA
13	Cole Caufield	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-7/165	2-Jan-01	USA
14	Raphael Lavoie	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-4/195	25-Sep-00	Canada
15	Moritz Seider	D	Adler Mannheim (DEL)	6-3/185	6-Apr-01	Germany
16	Simon Holmstrom	RW	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	24-May-01	Sweden
17	Cam York	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/175	5-Jan-01	USA
18	Alex Newhook	C	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/195	28-Jan-01	Canada
19	Tobias Bjornfot	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	6-0/200	6-Apr-01	Sweden
20	Philip Tomasino	C	Niagara (OHL)	5-11/180	28-Jul-01	Canada
21	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-2/190	26-Jun-01	USA
22	Ryan Suzuki	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/180	28-May-01	Canada
23	Samuel Poulin	LW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/205	25-Feb-01	Canada
24	Thomas Harley	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-3/190	19-Aug-01	Canada
25	Ryan Johnson	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-0/175	24-Jul-01	USA
26	Albert Johansson	D	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/165	4-Jan-01	Sweden
27	Robert Mastrosimone	LW	Chicago (USHL)	5-10/160	24-Jan-01	USA
28	Connor McMichael	C	London (OHL)	5-11/175	15-Jan-01	Canada
29	Matthew Robertson	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/200	9-Mar-01	Canada
30	John Beecher	C	NTDP (USA)	6-3/210	5-Apr-01	USA
31	Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	Magnitogorsk (KHL)	6-1/170	26-Oct-00	Russia
32	Spencer Knight	G	NTDP (USA)	6-3/195	19-Apr-01	USA
33	Bobby Brink	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/165	8-Jul-01	USA
34	Brett Leason	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-4/200	30-Apr-99	Canada
35	Marshall Warren	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/170	20-Apr-01	USA
36	Egor Afanasyev	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	6-3/205	23-Jan-01	Russia
37	Ville Heinola	D	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/180	3-Feb-01	Finland
38	Nolan Foote	LW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Nov-00	Canada
39	Samuel Fagemo	RW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-0/195	14-Mar-00	Sweden
40	Nick Robertson	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	5-9/160	11-Sep-01	USA
41	Nils Hoglander	RW	Rogle (Swe)	5-9/185	20-Dec-00	Sweden
42	Jamieson Rees	C	Sarnia (OHL)	5-10/175	26-Feb-01	Canada
43	Jakob Pelletier	LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-9/165	7-Mar-01	Canada
44	Antti Tuomisto	D	Assat Pori (Fin Jr)	6-4/190	20-Jan-01	Finland
45	Lassi Thomson	D	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	24-Sep-00	Finland
46	Michal Teply	LW	Bili Tygri Liberec (Cze)	6-3/185	27-May-01	Czech
47	Brayden Tracey	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-0/175	28-May-01	Canada
48	Arseni Gritsyuk	RW	Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr)	5-10/170	15-Mar-01	Russia
49	Yegor Chinakhov	RW	Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr)	6-0/175	1-Feb-01	Russia
50	Mattias Norlinder	D	MoDo (Swe Jr)	5-11/180	12-Apr-00	Sweden
51	Karl Henriksson	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-9/165	5-Feb-01	Sweden
52	Vladislav Kolyachonok	D	Flint (OHL)	6-1/185	26-May-01	Belarus
53	Nikola Pasic	RW	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	16-Oct-00	Sweden
54	Alex Vlasic	D	NTDP (USA)	6-6/200	5-Jun-01	USA
55	Pyotr Kochetkov	G	HK Ryazan (Rus 2)	6-1/175	25-Jun-99	Russia
56	Albin Grewe	RW	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/190	22-Mar-01	Sweden
57	Trevor Janicke	C	Central Illinois (USHL)	5-10/195	25-Dec-00	USA
58	Henry Thrun	D	NTDP (USA)	6-2/190	12-Mar-01	USA
59	Yegor Spiridonov	C	Stalnye Lisy Mag. (Rus Jr)	6-2/195	22-Jan-01	Russia
60	Patrik Puistola	LW	Tappara (Fin Jr)	6-0/175	11-Jan-01	Finland
61	Ilya Nikolayev	C	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-0/190	26-Jun-01	Russia
62	Drew Helleson	D	NTDP (USA)	6-3/195	26-Mar-01	USA
63	Graeme Clarke	RW	Ottawa (OHL)	5-11/175	24-Apr-01	Canada
64	Ronnie Attard	D	Tri-City (USHL)	6-3/210	20-Mar-99	USA
65	Mads Sogaard	G	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-7/195	13-Dec-00	Denmark
66	Oleg Zaitsev	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/185	7-Jan-01	Russia
67	Isaiah Saville	G	Tri-City (USHL)	6-1/190	21-Sep-00	USA
68	Kaedan Korczak	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Jan-01	Canada
69	Adam Najman	C	Benatky nad Jizerou (Cze 2)	5-11/175	23-Jan-01	Czech
70	Mikko Kokkonen	D	Jukurit (Fin)	5-11/200	18-Jan-01	Finland
71	Michael Vukojevic	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-3/210	8-Jun-01	Canada
72	Patrick Moynihan	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	23-Jan-01	USA
73	Michael Gildon	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	21-Jun-01	USA
74	Judd Caulfield	RW	NTDP (USA)	6-3/205	19-Mar-01	USA
75	Vladislav Firstov	LW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-1/180	19-Jun-01	USA
76	Hugo Alnefelt	G	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-3/195	4-Jun-01	Sweden
77	Gianni Fairbrother	D	Everett (WHL)	6-0/195	30-Sep-00	Canada
78	Jackson Lacombe	D	Shattuck-St. Mary's (USHS-MN)	6-1/170	9-Jan-01	USA
79	Ethan Keppen	LW	Flint (OHL)	6-2/210	20-Mar-01	Canada
80	Anttoni Honka	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	5-10/180	5-Oct-00	Finland
81	Roman Bychkov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	5-11/160	10-Feb-01	Russia
82	Ryder Donovan	C	Duluth East (USHS-MN)	6-3/185	4-Oct-00	USA
83	Nathan Legare	RW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-0/205	11-Jan-01	Canada
84	Billy Constantinou	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-0/185	25-Mar-01	Canada
85	Vojtech Strondala	C	Slavia Trebic (Cze 2)	5-7/155	17-Dec-00	Czech
86	Case McCarthy	D	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	9-Jan-01	USA
87	Simon Lundmark	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-2/200	8-Oct-00	Sweden
88	Zac Jones	D	Tri-City (USHL)	5-10/175	18-Oct-00	USA
89	Erik Portillo	G	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-6/210	3-Sep-00	Sweden
90	Daniil Misyul	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/180	20-Oct-00	Russia
91	Daniil Gutik	LW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/180	31-Aug-01	Russia
92	Hunter Jones	G	Peterborough (OHL)	6-4/195	21-Sep-00	Canada
93	Michael Koster	D	Chaska (USHS-MN)	5-9/175	13-Apr-01	USA
94	Aliaksei Protas	C	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-5/205	6-Jan-01	Belarus
95	Blake Murray	C	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/190	5-Jul-01	Canada
96	Cole MacKay	RW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-10/190	13-Jun-01	Canada
97	Trent Miner	G	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/185	5-Jan-01	Canada
98	Semyon Chistyakov	D	Tolpar Ufa (Rus Jr)	5-10/170	7-Aug-01	Russia
99	Leevi Aaltonen	RW	KalPa (Fin Jr)	5-9/175	24-Jan-01	Finland
100	Antti Saarela	C	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/185	27-Jun-01	Finland
101	John Farinacci	C	Dexter (USHS-MA)	5-11/185	14-Feb-01	USA
102	Marcus Kallionkieli	LW	Sioux City (USHL)	6-2/195	20-Mar-01	Finland
103	Andre Lee	LW	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-4/200	26-Jul-00	Sweden
104	Kirill Slepets	RW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	5-10/165	6-Apr-99	Russia
105	Shane Pinto	C	Tri-City (USHL)	6-2/190	12-Nov-00	USA
106	Jordan Spence	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/165	24-Feb-01	Canada
107	Keean Washkurak	C	Mississauga (OHL)	5-10/185	16-Aug-01	Canada
108	Owen Lindmark	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/195	17-May-01	USA
109	Matej Blumel	RW	Waterloo (USHL)	5-11/200	31-May-00	Czech
110	Jack Malone	RW	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/190	13-Oct-00	USA
111	Jayden Struble	D	St. Sebastian's (USHS-MA)	6-0/195	8-Sep-01	USA
112	Artemi Knyazev	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-11/180	4-Jan-01	Russia
113	Maxim Cajkovic	RW	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/185	3-Jan-01	Slovakia
114	Matvey Guskov	C	London (OHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-01	Russia
115	Nikita Okhotyuk	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-1/195	4-Dec-00	Russia
116	Valeri Orekhov	D	Barys Astana (KHL)	6-1/190	17-Jul-99	Kazakhstan
117	Zdenek Sedlak	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	6-2/205	23-Mar-00	Czech
118	Alexander Yakovenko	D	Muskegon (USHL)	5-11/175	22-Feb-98	Russia
119	Yannick Bruschweiler	C	GC Kusnacht Lions (Sui 2)	5-10/175	29-Aug-99	Switzerland
120	Ilya Mironov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/200	15-Mar-01	Russia
121	Albert Lyckasen	D	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-10/180	29-Jul-01	Sweden
122	Keegan Stevenson	C	Guelph (OHL)	6-1/185	31-Dec-00	Canada
123	Ilya Konovalov	G	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	6-0/195	13-Jul-98	Russia
124	Cole Schwindt	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-2/185	25-Apr-01	Canada
125	Domenick Fensore	D	NTDP (USA)	5-7/155	7-Sep-01	USA
126	William Francis	D	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	6-5/210	16-Nov-00	USA
127	Simon Gnyp	D	Kolner (Ger Jr)	5-11/180	10-Sep-01	Germany
128	Tuukka Tieksola	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	5-10/150	22-Jun-01	Finland
129	Ethan Phillips	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-9/150	7-May-01	Canada
130	Linus Pettersson	RW	MoDo (Swe)	5-7/145	11-Apr-00	Sweden
131	Matias Maccelli	LW	Dubuque (USHL)	5-11/170	14-Oct-00	Finland
132	Anthony Romano	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-11/185	7-Oct-00	Canada
133	Nikita Alexandrov	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/180	16-Sep-00	Germany
134	Arturs Silovs	G	HS Riga (Lat)	6-4/205	22-Mar-01	Latvia
135	August Hedlund	G	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-4/185	7-Jan-00	Sweden
136	Nicholas Porco	LW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/175	12-Mar-01	Canada
137	Joe Carroll	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-2/200	1-Feb-01	Canada
138	Alex Beaucage	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/195	25-Jul-01	Canada
139	Luke Toporowski	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/180	12-Apr-01	USA
140	Sasha Mutala	RW	Tri-City (WHL)	6-0/200	6-May-01	Canada
141	Harrison Blaisdell	C	Chilliwack (BCHL)	5-11/180	18-Mar-01	Canada
142	Valentin Nussbaumer	C	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-11/165	25-Sep-00	Switzerland
143	Dustin Wolf	G	Everett (WHL)	6-0/155	16-Apr-01	USA
144	Ondrej Psenicka	RW	Sparta Praha (Cze Jr)	6-5/195	7-Jan-01	Czech
145	Juuso Parssinen	C	TPS Turku (Fin Jr)	6-2/205	1-Feb-01	Finland
146	Mitchell Brewer	D	Oshawa (OHL)	6-0/205	20-Mar-01	Canada
147	Lukas Parik	G	Liberec (Cze Jr)	6-4/185	15-Mar-01	Czech
148	Grant Silianoff	RW	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	5-11/170	4-Jan-01	USA
149	Josh Nodler	C	Fargo (USHL)	5-11/195	27-Apr-01	USA
150	Bryce Brodzinski	RW	Blaine (USHS-MN)	6-0/195	9-Aug-00	USA
151	Colten Ellis	G	Rimouski (QMJHL)	6-1/190	5-Oct-00	Canada
152	Rhett Pitlick	LW	Chaska (USHS-MN)	5-9/160	7-Feb-01	USA
153	Dillon Hamaliuk	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-3/190	30-Oct-00	Canada
154	Aleksei Sergeev	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-9/185	22-May-00	Russia
155	Jack York	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/190	17-Sep-00	Canada
156	Jacob LeGuerrier	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/200	22-Nov-00	Canada
157	Zach Uens	D	Wellington (OJHL)	6-1/180	13-May-01	Canada
158	Josh Williams	RW	Edmonton (WHL)	6-1/195	8-Mar-01	Canada
159	Elmer Soderblom	RW	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-6/220	5-Jul-01	Sweden
160	Kyle Topping	C	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/185	18-Nov-99	Canada
161	Albin Sundsvik	C	Skelleftea (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	27-Apr-01	Sweden
162	Cameron Rowe	G	NTDP (USA)	6-2/200	1-Jun-01	USA
163	Filip Lindberg	G	Massachusetts (HE)	6-0/180	31-Jan-99	Finland
164	Liam Svensson	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr 18)	6-3/195	2-Feb-01	Sweden
165	Xavier Simoneau	C	Drummondville (QMJHL)	5-6/170	19-May-01	Canada
166	Pavel Gogolev	RW	Guelph (OHL)	6-0/175	19-Feb-00	Russia
167	Danil Antropov	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-1/185	20-Dec-00	Canada
168	Daniel D'Amico	LW	Windsor (OHL)	5-9/185	26-Jan-01	Canada
169	Vladimir Alistrov	LW	Edmonton (WHL)	6-2/175	12-Feb-01	Belarus
170	Reece Newkirk	C	Portland (WHL)	5-11/175	20-Feb-01	Canada
171	Sergei Alkhimov	LW	Regina (WHL)	6-0/210	3-Jul-01	Russia
172	Adam Beckman	LW	Spokane (WHL)	6-1/170	10-May-01	Canada
173	Alexander Campbell	LW	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/150	27-Feb-01	Canada
174	Taylor Gauthier	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/195	15-Feb-01	Canada
175	Max Crozier	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-1/195	19-Apr-00	Canada
176	Santeri Hatakka	D	Jokerit (Fin Jr)	6-0/175	15-Jan-01	Finland
177	Kalle Loponen	D	Hermes (Fin 2)	5-10/185	13-Mar-01	Finland
178	Eric Ciccolini	RW	Toronto Jr Canadiens (OJHL)	5-11/160	14-Jan-01	Canada
179	Aku Raty	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	5-11/170	5-Jul-01	Finland
180	Arvid Costmar	C	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-11/180	7-Jul-01	Sweden
181	Matt Brown	LW	Des Moines (USHL)	5-9/180	9-Aug-99	USA
182	Sven Leuenberger	C	Zug (Sui)	5-10/185	18-Feb-99	Switzerland
183	Jasper Patrikainen	G	Pelicans (Fin)	6-0/175	1-Jul-00	Finland
184	Jack Williams	G	Springfield (NAHL)	6-3/175	21-Jun-01	USA
185	Mikhail Abramov	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	5-10/160	26-Mar-01	Russia
186	Ben Brinkman	D	Minnesota (B1G)	6-0/215	4-Oct-00	USA
187	Chris Giroday	D	Green Bay (USHL)	6-1/175	13-Dec-00	Canada
188	Petr Cajka	C	Erie (OHL)	6-0/170	11-Dec-00	Czech
189	Mark Kastelic	C	Calgary (WHL)	6-3/215	11-Mar-99	USA
190	Kevin Wall	RW	Chilliwack (BCHL)	6-0/190	1-Feb-00	USA
191	Lucas Edmonds	RW	Karlskrona (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	27-Jan-01	Sweden
192	Carter Gylander	G	Sherwood Park (AJHL)	6-5/175	5-Jun-01	Canada
193	Ethan de Jong	RW	Quinnipiac (ECAC)	5-10/170	12-Jul-99	Canada
194	Wiljami Myllyla	RW	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	6-0/170	9-Apr-01	Finland
195	Yaroslav Likhachyov	RW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	5-10/170	2-Sep-01	Russia
196	Layton Ahac	D	Prince George (BCHL)	6-2/195	22-Feb-01	Canada
197	Alfred Barklund	D	Orebro (Swe Jr)	6-2/200	21-Oct-00	Sweden
198	Radek Muzik	LW	Lulea (Swe Jr)	6-3/180	25-Mar-01	Sweden
199	Marcus Pedersen	RW	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	6-2/165	25-May-01	Sweden
200	Filip Koffer	RW	Pardubice (Cze Jr)	5-11/175	4-Mar-01	Czech
201	Henri Nikkanen	C	Jukurit (Fin Jr)	6-3/200	28-Apr-01	Finland
202	Marc Del Gaizo	D	Massachusetts (HE)	5-9/190	11-Oct-99	USA
203	Tag Bertuzzi	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-0/200	18-Feb-01	Canada
204	Martin Hugo Has	D	Tappara (Fin Jr)	6-4/190	2-Feb-01	Czech
205	Jet Greaves	G	Barrie (OHL)	5-11/165	30-Mar-01	Canada
206	Mason Millman	D	Saginaw (OHL)	6-1/175	18-Jul-01	Canada
207	Janis Jerome Moser	D	Biel-Bienne (Sui)	6-0/160	6-Jun-00	Switzerland
208	Nick Abruzzese	C	Chicago (USHL)	5-9/160	4-Jun-99	USA
209	Logan Barlage	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-4/200	7-Jan-01	Canada
210	Carter Berger	D	Victoria (BCHL)	6-0/200	17-Sep-99	Canada
211	Nando Eggenberger	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/205	7-Oct-99	Switzerland
212	Tyce Thompson	RW	Providence (HE)	6-1/180	12-Jul-99	USA
213	Nolan Maier	G	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-0/175	10-Jan-01	Canada
214	Massimo Rizzo	C	Penticton (BCHL)	5-10/180	13-Jun-01	Canada
215	Matthew Steinburg	C	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	6-1/185	7-Oct-00	Canada
216	Jake Lee	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-1/215	13-Jul-01	Canada
217	Luke Bast	D	Brooks (AJHL)	5-9/170	20-Nov-00	Canada

100 HONOURABLE MENTION IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	Nation
HM	Nathan Allensen	D	Barrie (OHL)	5-11/180	3-May-01	Canada
HM	Ethan Anders	G	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/175	26-Sep-00	Canada
HM	Nicklas Andrews	D	Des Moines (USHL)	5-10/185	6-Jul-01	USA
HM	Tyler Angle	C	Windsor (OHL)	5-9/165	30-Sep-00	Canada
HM	Marcel Barinka	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-0/165	3-Jan-01	Czech
HM	Roman Basran	G	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/195	26-Jul-01	Canada
HM	Luke Bignell	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/170	3-Nov-00	Canada
HM	Mathieu Bizier	C	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-1/185	13-May-01	Canada
HM	Oscar Bjerselius	C	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/185	18-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Kaden Bohlsen	C	Fargo (USHL)	6-3/190	10-Jan-01	USA
HM	Samuel Bolduc	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-3/210	9-Dec-00	Canada
HM	Jakob Bondesson	D	Rogle (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	22-May-00	Sweden
HM	Cole Brady	G	Janesville (NAHL)	6-5/165	12-Feb-01	Canada
HM	Alex Brannstam	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/170	3-Jun-01	Sweden
HM	Lynden Breen	C	Central Illinois (USHL)	5-9/165	31-May-01	USA
HM	Jonas Brondberg	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe Jr)	6-4/190	26-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Jeremie Bucheler	D	Victoria (BCHL)	6-4/200	31-Mar-00	Canada
HM	Brett Budgell	LW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	5-11/190	1-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Luka Burzan	RW	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/190	7-Jan-00	Canada
HM	Felix Carenfelt	LW	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	13-Feb-00	Sweden
HM	Luke Cavallin	G	Flint (OHL)	6-1/190	29-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Filip Cederqvist	LW	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe)	6-1/185	23-Aug-00	Sweden
HM	Cole Coskey	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/190	1-Jun-99	USA
HM	Braden Doyle	D	Lawrence Academy (USHS-MA)	5-11/170	24-Aug-01	USA
HM	Justin Ducharme	LW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-10/180	22-Feb-00	Canada
HM	Nathan Dunkley	C	London (OHL)	5-11/195	3-May-00	Canada
HM	Pontus Englund	D	Timra (Swe Jr)	6-3/205	15-Jul-00	Sweden
HM	Lucas Feuk	LW	Sodertalje (Swe Jr)	6-0/185	19-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Parker Ford	C	Sioux City (USHL)	5-8/170	20-Jul-00	USA
HM	Ethan Frisch	D	Fargo (USHL)	5-11/190	29-Oct-00	USA
HM	Maxim Golod	LW	Erie (OHL)	5-11/175	18-Aug-00	Canada
HM	Jacob Gronhagen	C	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-6/215	18-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Maxence Guenette	D	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	6-1/180	28-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Hugo Gustafsson	C	Sodertalje (Swe 2)	5-10/160	23-Feb-00	Sweden
HM	Mack Guzda	G	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-4/215	11-Jan-01	USA
HM	Aidan Harper	G	Skipjacks HC 18U (USPHL)	6-2/170	28-May-01	USA
HM	Ludvig Hedstrom	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	14-Apr-01	Sweden
HM	Konsta Hirvonen	LW	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	5-11/165	1-Nov-00	Finland
HM	Eric Hjorth	D	Linkopings (Swe Jr 18)	6-3/190	8-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Samuel Hlavaj	G	Lincoln (USHL)	6-4/185	29-May-01	Slovakia
HM	Krystof Hrabik	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-4/220	24-Sep-99	Czech
HM	Rickard Hugg	C	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/190	18-Jan-99	Sweden
HM	Aaron Huglen	RW	Roseau (USHS-MN)	5-11/165	6-Mar-01	USA
HM	Aarne Intonen	C	TPS Turku (Fin Jr)	5-11/180	17-Jul-01	Finland
HM	Michal Ivan	D	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-1/185	18-Nov-99	Slovakia
HM	Dylan Jackson	RW	Dubuque (USHL)	5-9/175	6-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Ty Jackson	C	Dubuque (USHL)	5-7/150	6-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Taro Jentzsch	C	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/155	11-Jun-00	Germany
HM	Samuel Johannesson	D	Rogle (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	27-Dec-00	Sweden
HM	Wilson Johansson	RW	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	11-Oct-00	Sweden
HM	Brooklyn Kalmikov	C	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-0/165	21-Apr-01	Canada
HM	David Karlstrom	C	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	12-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Mans Kramer	D	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-2/180	6-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Jami Krannila	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-10/160	3-Oct-00	Finland
HM	Grayson Ladd	D	Windsor (OHL)	6-1/175	1-Mar-01	Canada
HM	Martin Lang	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	5-11/170	15-Sep-01	Czech
HM	Oscar Lawner	LW	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/185	13-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Jonathan Lemieux	G	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	6-0/185	8-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Hugo Leufvenius	LW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/230	26-Mar-99	Sweden
HM	Ethan Leyh	LW	Langley (BCHL)	6-0/190	7-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Josh Lopina	C	Lincoln (USHL)	6-1/175	16-Feb-01	USA
HM	Emil Malysjev	D	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/190	1-May-01	Sweden
HM	Matias Mantykivi	C	SaiPa (Fin Jr)	5-11/160	21-Jun-01	Finland
HM	Jeremy McKenna	RW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/175	20-Apr-99	Canada
HM	Billy Moskal	C	London (OHL)	6-0/185	22-Mar-00	Canada
HM	Derek Mullahy	G	Dexter (USHS-MA)	6-0/180	20-Mar-01	USA
HM	Kim Nousiainen	D	KalPa (Fin Jr)	5-9/170	14-Nov-00	Finland
HM	Zachary Okabe	RW	Grande Prairie (AJHL)	5-8/165	4-Jan-01	Canada
HM	Oliver Okuliar	LW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/190	24-May-00	Slovakia
HM	Quinn Olson	LW	Okotoks (AJHL)	5-10/170	9-May-01	Canada
HM	Xavier Parent	LW	Halifax (QMJHL)	5-8/170	23-Mar-01	Canada
HM	Tommy Pasanen	D	Sioux City (USHL)	6-3/220	30-Jul-01	Germany
HM	Thomas Pelletier	D	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-2/195	23-Aug-01	Canada
HM	Andrew Perrott	D	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-11/205	24-Aug-01	USA
HM	Kari Piiroinen	G	Windsor (OHL)	6-0/175	1-Jul-01	Finland
HM	Lukas Pilo	D	Orebro (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	7-Sep-99	Sweden
HM	Garrett Pinoniemi	C	Holy Family Catholic (USHS-MN)	5-11/150	15-Jun-01	USA
HM	Mason Primeau	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-5/205	28-Jul-01	Canada
HM	Kirby Proctor	D	Des Moines (USHL)	6-3/190	19-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Liam Ross	D	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/195	13-May-01	Canada
HM	Henrik Rybinski	RW	Seattle (WHL)	6-0/175	26-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Nikita Sedov	D	Regina (WHL)	6-1/185	5-May-01	Russia
HM	Egor Serdyuk	RW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	5-10/160	3-Jun-01	Russia
HM	Nikita Shashkov	LW	Sibir Novosibirsk (KHL)	5-11/180	26-Mar-99	Russia
HM	Ryan Siedem	D	Central Illinois (USHL)	6-2/190	25-Feb-01	USA
HM	Samuel Sjolund	D	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-1/175	19-May-01	Sweden
HM	Hunter Skinner	D	Muskegon (USHL)	6-2/175	29-Apr-01	USA
HM	Dominik Sojka	C	Banska Bystrica (Svk Jr)	6-5/210	16-Feb-01	Slovakia
HM	Kyen Sopa	RW	Niagara (OHL)	5-9/185	30-Sep-00	Switzerland
HM	Tyler Spott	D	Green Bay (USHL)	5-10/170	17-Jun-00	Canada
HM	Matthew Struthers	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-2/210	26-Dec-99	Canada
HM	Roope Taponen	G	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	6-0/165	14-Mar-01	Finland
HM	Jacob Tortora	LW	Barrie (OHL)	5-6/165	25-Jul-99	USA
HM	Bobby Trivigno	LW	Massachusetts (HE)	5-8/155	19-Jan-99	USA
HM	Eric Uba	RW	Flint (OHL)	6-0/195	17-Dec-00	Canada
HM	Max Wahlgren	RW	MoDo (Swe)	6-1/185	9-May-01	Sweden
HM	Carl Wang	D	Sodertalje (Swe Jr)	6-2/195	28-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Matteus Ward	G	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	6-0/170	7-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Lukas Wernblom	C	MoDo (Swe 2)	5-9/170	22-Jul-00	Sweden
HM	Jonathan Yantsis	RW	Kitchener (OHL)	6-2/210	28-Apr-99	Canada

QMJHL: Scouts debate the top 10 for the 2019 NHL Draft

Benoit Belanger and Mike Sanderson — Mon, 20 May 2019 20:33:15 +0000

Benoît: To complete our evaluation of QMHJL prospects for the next draft, Mike and I came up with a list of the top 10 prospects.

We did not agree on each player or their rank, but we came to a consensus. These are only players who are in their first year of eligibility. An overager like Justin Bergeron is not on the list, as it is more difficult to predict where they may fall.

We also chose a player who is not in the top 10, but who is possibly a very good pick; our hidden prospect pick of the draft.

RK	Player	P	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	Raphael Lavoie	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-3/195	25-Sep-00
2	Samuel Poulin	LW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/205	25-Feb-01
3	Jakob Pelletier	LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-9/165	7-Mar-01
4	Nathan Legare	RW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-0/205	11-Jan-01
5	Jordan Spence	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/165	24-Feb-01
6	Artemi Knyazev	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-11/180	04-Jan-01
7	Maxim Cajkovic	RW	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/185	03-Jan-01
8	Nikita Alexandrov	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/180	16-Sep-00
9	Alex Beaucage	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/195	25-Jul-01
10	Valentin Nussbaumer	C	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-0/165	25-Sep-00

Raphael Lavoie

Benoît: The differences were very minimal in our personal lists. I had Samuel Poulin before Raphael Lavoie, but I understand that with the playoffs that Raphael Lavoie had, it is tough to place him otherwise. Even Pelletier could have been in the mix to be first on this list. Positions 1-2 and 3 are not far apart.

Mike: Jakob Pelletier had a second great regular season while Poulin was solid on both ends of the ice, but Lavoie struggled at times throughout the year. Once the playoffs started, Pelletier hurt his ankle, missed some games and never returned to full health. In his absence, Poulin had an excellent playoffs and Lavoie’s was even better. The Q’s top potential prospect led the playoffs in scoring while being the most consistent Moosehead in setting a new team record for playoff goals.

Poulin has the highest floor of any player from the QMJHL this season; his father was a long-time NHLer, his game fits the mold up and down the lineup, and he is already strong off the puck. It is a fair pick to have him above Lavoie, but it would be a minority opinion. Lavoie’s offensive skills are above any other player from Quebec.

At times this season, I have been guilty of having Pelletier neck-and-neck with Lavoie due to the former’s work ethic and the latter’s inconsistency, but Lavoie’s offensive game shone through in the playoffs and Pelletier’s offensive game needs more help from his linemates. Lavoie has proven in the playoffs that he can create and score by himself, a major question answered for his future.

Nathan Legare

Beyond the top three, there is some separation, as Benoît alluded to. We put Nathan Légaré, the thick power forward from the Drakkar, next. His size allows him to dominate in front of the net, and he has the game that would allow him to take it to the next level. His 45 goals jump off the page, and he has a great shot.

After that, we see our first blueliners. Jordan Spence is a remarkable story. Undrafted into the QMJHL in his first year of eligibility, Spence went to the Maritime Junior A ranks, where he led the league in assists for defencemen and would win the rookie of the year award. The Wildcats picked him in the second round last June, and he did not disappoint in his Q rookie season, winning defensive rookie of the year in the league and leading all rookies in assists with 43. His skating is elite and he is not afraid of dishing off the rush. His skating does hide some deficiencies in his game, but as he grows more into his body, he has the ability and desire to round out his game. At the very least, he should become a very good powerplay player.

Artemi Knyazev took over the offence from the back end for Chicoutimi immediately on joining the Sags at the start of the year. His passing ability is excellent, and his offensive instincts are very solid.

Benoît: The other player for whom there was a greater divergence was Maxim Cajkovic. Personally, I have him a little higher in this top 10, and would have put him at five or six. It’s true that if we only look his season with the Sea Dogs, we can be disappointed. He may not be the player who will lift others, but more a very good complement. Moreover, internationally, we see it. He has a lot of success with the national team. I remain convinced that he has the assets to succeed and that his stats will break out in the future.

Otherwise, I have a small preference for Alex Beaucage over Nikita Alexandrov, but I will not make a big deal about it. If he was born 24 hours earlier, Alexandrov would have been part of last year's draft. Would he have been drafted last year? I doubt it.

Mike: Alexandrov grew a ton between last year and this year, and was a different player this season. His lower body is much stronger and his stride is improved dramatically from last season, and that’s what puts Alexandrov over Beaucage. Alexandrov showed his future in the pros is not just as a scorer, but he can bump and grind as well.

Benoît: Finally, we had fun choosing a hidden card, a player who is not in our top 10 but we like. Mike will take care to explain his choice, but I want to let you know that I was very close to taking the same player as him! I’m a bit biased, since this player has played for the organization where I’m part of the coaching staff.

My choice stopped on Xavier Simoneau. He’s not the biggest, nor the one who put the most points on the board, but I think he’s the kind of player that will explode in the next few years. His competitiveness on the ice and his energy, combined with excellent skills, make him a formidable player offensively. He did not have the same ice time and the same opportunities (for example on the power play) as other players since he was playing on a stacked team. With the departure of many of these players, I think we will see a breakout of this diminutive forward.

Maxence Guénette

Mike: My extra player to watch in the upcoming draft is Val-d’Or’s Maxence Guénette. He was a very good blueliner on a not-great Foreurs team this season, playing with the likes of St. Louis’s David Noel, and saw his minutes increase a lot this season. With more minutes comes more responsibility, and his all-around game is tantalizing. He skates very well in all three zones and at 6’1”, he could see even more growth into his body to improve physically. He already has an excellent first pass and poise with the puck, and with the right development, he could be a solid top-4 option for a team in about four years. His growth in the Q so far has shown he is coachable and motivated, and nothing is more motivating than an NHL contract.

Nathan Legare – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Top 20 Prospects

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – RANK: #29 – TIER VI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 24

Pittsburgh Penguins

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

Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D (Trade: Jun. 29, 2019. Originally: 23rd overall, 2017 (Arizona). 2019 Rank: 3)

Anthony Angello, C (145th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 11)

Valtteri Puustinen, RW/LW (203rd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

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

Jordan Bellerive, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 16, 2017. 2019 Rank: 6)

Will Reilly, D (217th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Kasper Bjorkqvist, RW (61st overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 8)

Santeri Airola, D (211th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 18)

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

Sam Miletic, LW/C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 25, 2017. 2019 Rank: 15)

Cam Lee, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 17, 2020. 2019 Rank: IE)

Judd Caulfield, RW (145th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 9)

Clayton Phillips, D (93rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)

Jesper Lindgren, D (Trade: Aug. 25, 2020. Originally: 95th overall, 2015 [Toronto]. 2019 Rank: UR)

QMJHL 2019-20 Season Preview: Early returns show parity, competition at top of standings

Pittsburgh Penguins 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

McKeen’s 2019 NHL Group Mock Draft – Round Three of Three

McKeen’s Choice Awards: QMJHL

Mike Sanderson’s QMJHL Choice Awards

Best Hockey Sense – Samuel Poulin, Sherbrooke Phoenix

Also considered: Jakob Pelletier, Nikita Alexandrov, Maxence Guénette, Alex Beaucage

Most Skilled – Raphael Lavoie, Halifax Mooseheads

Also considered: Samuel Poulin, Jakob Pelletier, Maxim Cajkovic

Hardest to Play Against – Jakob Pelletier, Moncton Wildcats

Best Playmaker – Jakob Pelletier, Moncton Wildcats

Also considered: Samuel Poulin, Raphael Lavoie, Mikhail Abramov, Xavier Simoneau, Alexei Sergeev

Best Skater – Jordan Spence, Moncton Wildcats

Also considered: Alex Beaucage, Nikita Alexandrov, Jakob Pelletier, Raphael Lavoie

Best Shot – Nathan Légaré, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Also considered: Raphael Lavoie, Alex Beaucage, Jeremy McKenna, Maxim Cajkovic, Brooklyn Kalmikov

Best Stickhandler – Valentin Nussbaumer, Shawinigan Cataractes

Also considered: Mikhail Abramov, Yegor Serdyuk, Xavier Simoneau, Raphael Lavoie, Jakob Pelletier

Best Body Checker – Nathan Légaré, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Also considered: Brent Budgell, Jakob Pelletier, Samuel Poulin

Best Defensive Forward – Samuel Poulin, Sherbrooke Phoenix

Also considered: Jakob Pelletier, Raphael Lavoie, Maxim Cajkovic

Best Defensive Defender – Maxence Guénette, Val-d’Or Foreurs

Also considered: Justin Bergeron, Thomas Pelletier

Best Offensive Defender – Jordan Spence, Moncton Wildcats

Also considered: Artemi Knyazev, Justin Bergeron, Maxence Guénette

Fastest Skater – Raphael Lavoie, Halifax Mooseheads

Also considered: Jordan Spence, Jakob Pelletier, Maxim Cajkovic

Best Goalie – Colten Ellis, Rimouski Oceanic

Also considered: Jonathan Lemieux

MCKEEN’S 2019 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: Final Rankings – Top 217 Plus 100 Honourable Mention

MCKEEN'S RELEASES FINAL 2019 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS

QMJHL: Scouts debate the top 10 for the 2019 NHL Draft

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D (Trade: Jun. 29, 2019. Originally: 23^rd overall, 2017 (Arizona). 2019 Rank: 3)

Anthony Angello, C (145^th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 11)

Valtteri Puustinen, RW/LW (203^rd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

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

Will Reilly, D (217^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Kasper Bjorkqvist, RW (61^st overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 8)

Santeri Airola, D (211^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 18)

Judd Caulfield, RW (145^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 9)

Clayton Phillips, D (93^rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)

Jesper Lindgren, D (Trade: Aug. 25, 2020. Originally: 95^th overall, 2015 [Toronto]. 2019 Rank: UR)