Oskar Lindblom – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 18:05:11 +0000

Review: In the entirety of NHL history, a defenseman has reached the 100-point milestone just 15 times. Erik Karlsson accomplished that feat in 2022-23, but despite recording 25 goals and 76 assists with San Jose, the Sharks finished near the bottom of the league with a 22-44-16 record. How did a team featuring one of the all-time greatest individual performances out of a defenseman do that bad? For starters, despite having an elite offensive blueliner, the Sharks’ overall defense was terrible, finishing 25th in 5-on-5 expected goals against (191.27). Some teams can mask a poor defense with good goaltending, but not the 2022-23 Sharks. James Reimer and Kaapo Kahkonen were a truly horrendous netminding duo, combining for a 3.64 GAA and an .886 save percentage. San Jose also had just four forwards breach the 40-point milestone and none reach 70 points, so even with Karlsson’s offensive efforts, the Sharks ranked 25th in goals per game (2.84). Without any help, Karlsson’s efforts ultimately just served to lower the Sharks’ chances of getting elite prospect Connor Bedard in the lottery and keeping them out of the top-three in the 2023 NHL Draft.

What’s Changed? The Sharks clearly need to rebuild and to that end, they dealt Karlsson to Pittsburgh over the summer, receiving a package that primarily included draft picks, but also resulted in San Jose getting veteran forwards Mikael Granlund and Mike Hoffman as well as defenseman Jan Rutta. The Sharks also acquired goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood from New Jersey to replace Reimer, who left as a free agent, and they accepted Anthony Duclair from Florida, who the Panthers moved mostly for cap purposes, but should get a chance to re-establish himself as a top-six forward in San Jose.

What would success look like? Another terrible campaign is probably in their best interests. The Sharks have failed to make the playoffs for the past four years, but they’ve been slow to fully commit to a rebuild, which has arguably only served to extend their period of pain. Even the 2023-24 squad is likely to be in that awkward position of being both bad and full of veterans. At least if they struggle, that’d position them to get another high draft pick and keep their focus squarely on the future. The veterans may be moved for further picks at the trade deadline.

What could go wrong? Things can’t get much worse in San Jose. Arguably, the worst-case scenario would actually be if the veteran cast of Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, Hoffman, Granlund and Duclair – the youngest of which is Duclair at 28 – do just enough to keep the Sharks out of the top-five in the next draft.

Top Breakout Candidate: Sharks fans looking for some reason to watch the 2023-24 campaign should pay attention to William Eklund. Taken with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft, Eklund has high-end potential and is coming off an encouraging campaign in which he recorded 41 points in 54 AHL contests along with two goals and three points in eight games with the Sharks. He has a chance to make the Sharks out of training camp and serve in a top-six capacity.

Forwards

Tomas Hertl

A power forward with soft hands, 29-year-old Hertl topped 60 points last season for the third time in his career. He is not especially fast but is excellent at using his size to protect the puck and extend plays in the offensive zone. Hertl is strong on faceoffs, winning more than 53.0% for his career and has been an effective play driver for the Sharks even if the supporting cast is suspect. Hertl could use some better goaltending behind him. He had a Corsi percentage of 52.5% and an expected goals percentage of 52.7% and yet the Sharks were outscored 68-53 with him on the ice in those situations. Hertl does not look for his own shot often enough. He had a nine-game stretch from March 4 through March 20 during which he recorded 35 shots on goal, putting four into the net, but that pace of shot generation was atypical and did not last. He followed up that stretch with 20 shots on goal in his next 11 games. Hertl started the season slowly, with four points (1 G, 3 A) in the first 10 games, but followed that up with 31 points (12 G, 19 A) over his next 25 games. Even with a shaky supporting cast, Hertl can be expected to contribute 25 goals and 65 points for the Sharks.

Logan Couture

The 34-year-old who has logged 927 regular-season games for the Sharks just put up 67 points (27 G, 40 A), tying the second highest single-season point total of his career. In November, he had an eight-game stretch during which he produced 11 points (7 G, 4 A). Couture can generate some offensive production, but he has a track record of mediocre possession numbers, and 2016-2017 was the last time that the Sharks outscored the opposition during 5-on-5 play with Couture on the ice. Oddly enough, he has become worse in the faceoff circle, which is unusual. Most players take some time to get accustomed to taking faceoffs in the league and get better as time goes on. In his first five seasons, Couture won 51.7% of his draws. Since then, he has won 46.6% and he took 1,349 faceoffs last season, easily the most of his career. Couture is at the age when age-related decline could start to have an impact, but 25 goals and 55-60 points should be within range for him because he is still going to play a major role in San Jose.

Anthony Duclair

An Achilles injury limited Duclair to just 20 games last season and he managed just two goals, but he contributed 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in 20 playoff games and scored a career high 31 goals and 58 points the year before, so there is reason to be hopeful for a rebound in his production in a full season in 2023-2024. When he is on his game, Duclair uses his speed to get out ahead of the play and will cut hard to the net, where he is very comfortable finishing with a deke. While Duclair’s offensive game continues to soar, his play away from the puck has suffered, so that is an area of focus for the 2023-2024 season. Duclair played just 20 games last season and somehow had a 17-game goal-scoring drought, scoring in his second and 20^th games of the season. The Sharks are Duclair’s seventh NHL team, but they also offer a quality opportunity for a bounce-back season and if he could contribute 45 points, that would be a relatively strong bounce-back performance.

Mike Hoffman

A six-time 20-goal scorer, the 33-year-old winger nevertheless scored just 14 goals for Montreal last season, his lowest total since 2013-2014. Hoffman’s shooting percentage dropped in his two seasons with the Canadiens, to 9.6%, after scoring on 12.0% of his shots before that, so there is a chance that he could get a boost in his finishing rate. Even in a modestly productive season, Hoffman had a 14-game stretch during which he tallied 13 points (2 G, 11 A) and that occurred while he scored on just 5.3% of his shots. One thing to watch with Hoffman is how much ice time he gets in San Jose. He is entering the final season of his contract, and if he scores, there might be teams interested in acquiring him before the trade deadline, so the Sharks will have some incentive to put Hoffman in a position to succeed. Of course, success is a relative term at this stage of Hoffman’s career. If he finishes the season with 15 goals and 35 points, that will have to be considered a success.

Mikael Granlund

Although he is a veteran with four 50-point seasons to his credit, Granlund is coming off a miserable season which he finished by scoring five points (1 G, 4 A) in 21 games with the Penguins after he was acquired from Nashville at the trade deadline. He started the season much better, contributing 10 points (1 G, 9 A) in 11 games for the Predators. The 31-year-old playmaker can play center and wing though with the Sharks’ influx of wingers this offseason, Granlund may be needed more in the middle of the ice. His shot generation, which was never his strong suit in the first place, has collapsed to less than 1.50 shots per game in the past three seasons and that really needs to change if he is going to have a positive impact. The move to San Jose will give Granlund a chance at a fresh start, albeit with a team that is likely to be fighting an uphill battle most nights. A 45-point season should still be well within his grasp, with the expectation that he can earn quality ice time on a team that lacks proven forwards.

Alexander Barabanov

The 29-year-old winger has played just three NHL seasons, and barely saw the ice when he played with Toronto in his first season, but Barabanov did record a career high 47 points (15 G, 32 A) in 68 games last season. He may have been the beneficiary of San Jose’s limited depth on the wings, as he ended up playing more than 18 minutes per game, but Barbaranov does not generate a lot of shots and his lofty percentages suggest that he does not have a lot of room to expect an increase in his production. He finished last season strong, tallying 19 points (9 G, 10 A) in his last 23 games, but that production came on just 38 shots on goal, which is not enough to expect those numbers to be sustainable. He should be able to go for 40 points again this season, but if newcomers eat into his ice time, his point totals could dip, too.

Kevin Labanc

Coming off an injury-shortened 2021-2022 season, Labanc contributed 33 points (15 G, 18 A) but he found himself on the doghouse, too, despite providing solid defensive play. From January 11 through March 11, a span of 16 games Labanc had one assist and averaged just 11:04 of ice time per game. His ice time and production picked up after that but with the Sharks acquiring a lot of new wingers in the offseason, Labanc is going to be facing a challenge for ice time in 2023-2024, which seems weird for the returning player who led Sharks regulars in Corsi percentage and expected goals percentage last season. At his best, Labanc is a strong passer with a heavy shot, one that he should try to utilize more frequently. Labanc accrued 56 points during the 2018-2019 campaign, but it feels like he is a long way from that now. A more reasonable expectation for this season is in the 35-point range but there is probably more upside for Labanc if he gets traded to a team that could use his skill in their top six.

Filip Zadina

The Red Wings had enough after Zadina managed just seven points (3 G, 4 A) in 30 games, but that frustration had been building for quite some time. He compiled 68 points in 190 games with the Red Wings, scoring 12 of his 28 goals on the power play, so the sixth pick in the 2018 Draft was given chances to produce and the numbers just weren’t there. Can he resurrect his career in San Jose? For Zadina, it’s worth a try and for the Sharks, they might as well buy low on him and see if he can recapture any of the form that made him such a highly touted prospect. Zadina’s most productive season in Detroit saw him produce a modest 24 points (10 G, 14 A) in 74 games in 2021-2022 and exceeding that might be the most reasonable target for his first season in San Jose. There is a world in which he secures a regular spot on a scoring line and possibly doubles that point total, but there is also a world in which the influx of wingers to San Jose leaves Zadina on the lineup bubble and then the point total could collapse.

Fabian Zetterlund

Acquired from the Devils as part of the Timo Meier trade, Zetterlund had a miserable start to his San Jose career, managing zero goals and three assists in 22 games for the Sharks, but doesn’t tell the whole story. Zetterlund had an expected goals percentage of 37.8% and San Jose was outscored 16-7 during 5-on-5 play with Zetterlund on the ice. At the start of the season, Zetterlund had an instant impact for New Jersey, scoring 13 points (5 G, 8 A) in his first 20 games for the Devils, but he could not keep that pace, following it up with zero goals and five assists in his next 20 games. Zetterlund is a sturdy winger who can battle down low to create scoring chances, but it remains to be seen if he has the ability to score enough to stay in the top half of the lineup. With so many players competing for spots on the wing in San Jose, Zetterlund has a wide range of outcomes, which could mean playing in the top six, or falling out of the lineup entirely. Given the uncertainty, expecting 25-30 points seems about right.

Nico Sturm

A reliable checking center, Sturm landed a bigger role in San Jose last season, playing a career high 14:44 per game and finishing the season with career highs of 14 goals and 26 points. Sturm has good size and won 55.8% of his faceoffs last season, so there is a role for him to fill. That role may not be appreciated as much on a team that is likely to be in a lottery position at season’s end. Even if he tends to play in more of a defensive role, Sturm is not shy about crashing the net to score greasy goals. He scored five goals during an eight-game stretch in October, which may have set unrealistic expectations, because he could obviously not continue that pace. With a secure spot in the Sharks lineup, Sturm could be expected to produce 25 to 30 points from his primarily defensive role.

Defense

Mario Ferraro

While he has never produced more than 17 points in an NHL season, Ferraro has played more than 21 minutes per game for each of the past three seasons and has put up more than 120 hits and 120 blocked shots in each of the past two. He is a strong skater whose defensive impact has declined, so he could use a rebound season to get back on track. While Ferraro’s peripheral stats are strong, he could be in the mix for more of an offensive role, mostly because someone has to take on the minutes that used to belong to Erik Karlsson. Although Ferraro’s career high is 17 points, he has been sharing a blueline with the likes of Karlsson and Brent Burns, both of whom are no longer in San Jose. Without any proven options ready to step into a bigger role on the Sharks blueline, Ferraro could take advantage of the opportunity and might have a chance to produce 25 to 30 points. It says something about the state of the Sharks defense that the blueliner who might have the greatest impact had a 24-game stretch last season during which he recorded a single assist.

Matt Benning

The 29-year-old blueliner played a career high 19:40 per game for the Sharks last season, finishing with a career best 24 points (1 G, 23 A). While those are not eye-popping numbers by any means, Benning is a proven commodity on the Sharks blueline and that will give him a chance to play a significant role in 2023-2024. Benning plays a heady game, thriving on smooth skating and good decision making with the puck, but has not been given a big role in his NHL career. Looking at the competition for playing time in San Jose, Benning is as good a bet as any to handle a more significant role. During a 10-game stretch in November and December last season, when he was playing nearly 21 minutes per game, Benning accumulated nine assists, so that small sample does suggest there could be some offensive potential if he gets consistent minutes. While that might be the case, expecting anything more than 25 points could be considered optimistic.

Kyle Burroughs

A 28-year-old who has played a total of 95 games, Burroughs showed enough potential in Vancouver last season to land a three-year contract with San Jose. He is not big, but plays an aggressive game, putting up 165 hits in 48 games for the Canucks. He is also not afraid to drop the gloves, when necessary. On San Jose’s rebuilding blueline, there will be a chance for Burroughs to earn a bigger role than he has ever had before in the NHL. He was effective enough in his limited role with Vancouver and if he continues to play with that edge to his game, that could give him him the inside track to a top-four role with the Sharks. Although Burroughs has just 11 points in 95 career games, he is poised to get what is, for him, an unprecedented opportunity on San Jose’s rebuilding blueline. It might not result in even 20 points, but Burroughs could also deliver 250 hits and 125 blocked shots over the course of a full season.

Goaltending

Mackenzie Blackwood

The San Jose Sharks just haven’t been able to figure out what to do in net lately. The Pacific Division team doggedly refused to move on from a floundering Martin Jones for almost too long, then went through a quick succession of short-term band-aids in James Reimer, Adin Hill, and Kaapo Kahkonen before trading for MacKenzie Blackwood this off-season. The hope, almost certainly, is that Blackwood will be able to reset his game and his mindset after struggling to produce in New Jersey amidst a rash of injuries.

There’s a potential for success there. Blackwood was far from what a playoff-bound New Jersey needed last year – he struggled with even more injuries, and prospect Akira Schmid proved he was more than ready to take over as an NHL regular to tandem with Vitek Vanecek. But his game style, which utilizes his bigger frame to take up space in the net and doesn’t require a lot of aggressive challenging or puck-handling, could be a better fit for San Jose than either Adin Hill or Kaapo Kahkonen’s more movement-reliant game play styles. And since Hill didn’t shine for San Jose (and Kahkonen will be back this season but didn’t do much to inspire confidence last year) it’s worth considering that moving in the other direction stylistically could work out in the team’s favor. Add in the fact that Blackwood performed much closer to his expected output last year than Kahkonen – he was near the middle of the pack across the league in terms of expected goals numbers, while Kahkonen was nearly at the bottom of the league altogether – and there’s reason to hope that this change in scenery will be exactly what Blackwood needs. Now, he just needs to prove he can stay healthy.

Projected starts: 40-45

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – SAN JOSE SHARKS – NHL Player Profiles

Scott Cullen – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 21:24:48 +0000

SAN JOSE, CA - FEBRUARY 14: San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl (48) and San Jose Sharks right wing Timo Meier (28) talk during a timeout during the NHL game between the San Jose Sharks and the Edmonton Oilers on February 14, 2022 at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Matt Cohen/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Timo Meier

An elite shot generator who had everything come together in 2021-2022, Meier had career highs in goal (35) and points (76) while launching 4.23 shots on goal per game, the highest rate of his career and fifth highest rate in the league. There had been signs of this kind of performance before, but last season Meier was a consistent force throughout the season and it’s not easy to generate shots and points at that rate, especially for a team that is struggling. Now that sets a new level of expectations for what he might be able to accomplish in the future, but if the Sharks are going to become a more competitive franchise, they will likely need more of the same from Meier. Furthermore, if he puts up another season like he did last season, there ought to be greater league-wide recognition for his performance because he was outstanding last season. Tempering expectations, Meier should be a reasonable bet for 30 goals and 65 points this season, with the understanding that if he can maintain his elite shot rates that he could very well be a point-per-game player.

Tomas Hertl

After committing to stay in San Jose with a new contract, Hertl responded by scoring 30 goals for the second time in his career and his 64 points also represented the second highest total of his career. A powerful and skilled center, Hertl also recorded a career high 105 hits and played a career high 19:56 per game. It was a very productive campaign, and he did all of this despite starting more of his shifts in the defensive zone, which does not seem like an ideal use of his talents. Hertl is solid defensively, that’s not the point, but the 28-year-old’s offensive skills set him apart to a greater degree, so it might make more sense to focus his efforts there, when possible. Hertl should be able to produce 25 goals and 60 points, with room to elevate further depending on his durability and how well his supporting cast in San Jose performs.

Logan Couture

The 33-year-old center continues to deliver solid results, and he put up 23 goals and 56 points last season while driving play in a positive way, at least relative to his teammates. Couture’s shot rate of 2.58 shots per game last season was his highest since 2017-2018, the season when he scored a career-high 34 goals, but he has established a level of productivity in the league, surpassing 20 goals nine times and topping 30 goals three times. The main question for the Sharks will be for how much longer can he produce at a first line level? He is under contract for five more seasons, and it seems unlikely that he will avoid decline in that time, but he is coming off a strong season and should be in position to be a productive scoring center again, good for at least 50 points, maybe even more.

Alexander Barabanov

After starting his NHL career as a spare part with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Barabanov has found stability in San Jose, producing 46 points in 79 games since joining the Sharks. Some measure of that production may reflect opportunity more than his own individual improvement, because Barabanov’s most common Sharks linemates have been Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier, so that is about as favorable as it gets for a Sharks winger. Barabanov also happens to be a relatively reluctant shooter, so having him in a playmaking role with the team’s top two goal-scorers does offer a stylistic fit. It’s hard to pin down a forecast for Barabanov because he seems so heavily dependent on linemates that are better players, so if he was to get bumped from the top line, his value could drop dramatically. As such, the reasonable play would be to expect 30 points from Barabanov, with the understanding that he has potential upside that could take him higher.

Kevin Labanc

A skilled 26-year-old winger, Labanc had stumbled since busting out for a career high 56 points in 2018-2019 and he had managed just six points in 21 games before he had to undergo shoulder surgery and that ultimately left him sidelined for the rest of the season. In his last eight games before surgery, Labanc had zero points and was averaging just 10 minutes of ice time per game, so he was at a relative low point. He has the playmaking skill to play in a top six role but after some injuries and inconsistency he will have to earn his way back into a significant spot with this team. Labanc could do it, because he has the puck skills and the shot to be a point producer in the National Hockey League but, coming off shoulder surgery, it is not going to be easy to get back to his previous level of production. If Labanc produced 35-40 points and managed to stay healthy, that would be a positive outcome, but there is a path to even more points if he could get back to his early career form.

Oskar Lindblom

Although the Philadelphia Flyers stuck with Lindblom while he recovered from Ewing’s Sarcoma, he had not been able to recapture his previous form, so the Flyers bought out the final year of his contract. That presented an opportunity for the Sharks to buy low on a 26-year-old winger who had shown real promise early in his NHL career. It is a worthwhile risk to take because Lindblom’s defensive play is solid enough, which raises the floor on his level of contribution, but if the 26-year-old can get his scoring touch back then he might have a chance to score 15 goals and 30 points to provide a favorable return on investment.

Luke Kunin

Picked up in a trade with the Nashville Predators, Kunin is a feisty winger whose on-ice results aren’t great, but teams that want guys who will go to battle are interested in players like Kunin because he hits a lot and will drop the gloves, if need be. He does have some level of skill, scoring 38 goals in 183 games across the past three seasons, but the challenge for the Sharks is taking the parts of Kunin’s game that they like and figuring out how to improve his possession results because, among the 232 forwards that have played at least 2000 5v5 minutes in the past three seasons, Kunin ranks 231^st in relative Corsi. If he can overcome those underlying numbers, Kunin could produce 15 goals and 25-30 points, while potentially adding huge hit totals – he had 223 hits last season, the first time in his career that he had more than 90 hits in a season.

Nick Bonino

A reliable veteran who struggled quite a bit last season, Bonino went 18 games without a point to start the season, though he ended up scoring eight goals in his last 15 games to finish with more respectable numbers. Still, 26 points in 80 games was the 34-year-old’s lowest per-game production since his rookie season of 2010-2011. Bonino tends to have the deck stacked against him, starting most of his shifts in the defensive zone, and even with his sound defensive play, his possession numbers have been terrible the past two seasons. Given his age, it’s fair to wonder if he will be able to turn that around. Setting an expectation for 15 goals and 30 points is reasonable enough, provided Bonino can maintain a top nine role.

Noah Gregor

A 24-year-old winger, Gregor has started to make his mark in the NHL by generating shots at a high rate but has not been able to finish his chances, scoring on just 6.4% of his shots on goal in his career. If he can’t finish at a higher rate, then Gregor will have to provide energy and physical play in a depth role. It is still relatively early in Gregor’s NHL career, so he will face a challenge from others just to secure a spot in the lineup, but if Gregor can play on a consistent basis, 25 points could be in his sights, and his scoring numbers could spike if he ever learns how to finish. He had scored 14 goals and 40 points in 43 AHL games, so it’s not like he is unfamiliar with the objective when he gets into the offensive zone. It has just proven to be difficult for him to finish his opportunities in the NHL.

DEFENSE

Erik Karlsson

Following a down season in 2020-2021, Karlsson bounced back in a big way last season. While he wasn’t peak Karlsson, he still put up 35 points in 50 games. Of course, injuries have played a bigger part in Karlsson’s career in recent seasons, as he has not played 70 games in a season since 2017-2018. Since 2013-2014, Karlsson has scored 497 points which ranks fourth among defensemen. His 0.82 points per game ranks second among defensemen (behind Cale Makar). With Brent Burns getting traded to Carolina, Karlsson should have a bigger role quarterbacking the Sharks power play, so if Karlsson could manage to stay healthy, he might have his best offensive production in several seasons. Try 45 points with potential for more if Karlsson manages to stay healthy. That health risk is not something to be ignored, either, since Karlsson has missed more than 10 games in four of the past five seasons.

Ryan Merkley

The 2018 first-round pick reached the National Hockey League last season and played 39 games for the Sharks. While he has potential, with the ability to generate offensive chances, he is also a work in progress when it comes to his play without the puck. That could leave him in a battle for a regular spot in the lineup, but the 22-year-old also offers offensive potential and that might hold some value for the Sharks. Merkley has 30 points, though just two goals, in 63 AHL games, so he has a little bit of an offensive track record that should offer more hope than the six points in 39 games that he scored for the Sharks last season.

Mario Ferraro

A bundle of energy who plays hard, which is exactly what the Sharks are trying to establish as their team identity. The 23-year-old was one of 11 defensemen to record at least 140 hits and 140 blocked shots last season, even though he was limited to 63 games after suffering a broken fibula. There is still room for improvement, with regard to how he can generate offense and how he defends the blueline. If Ferraro could produce more than 20 points that would count as progress, but that also might be enough, along with his hit and blocked shot totals, to give him fringe fantasy value in deep leagues.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic

There was a time when Vlasic was a premier shutdown defender but that is in the rearview mirror now and the 35-year-old’s role has been reduced significantly in recent seasons. He played a career-low 15:13 per game last season and is now an expensive depth defenseman. San Jose has been outscored 141-91 with Vlasic on the ice during 5-on-5 play in the past three seasons, so it’s understandable that his role is getting reduced and that reduced role limits what kind of scoring might come from Vlasic. Anything more than 15 points would be relatively surprising.

GOALTENDING

James Reimer

The San Jose Sharks quickly cleared up any lingering questions that fans might have had regarding their goaltending tandem positions a few weeks before training camp was set to open, dealing Adin Hill to the Vegas Golden Knights and leaving James Reimer with only backup Kaapo Kähkönen as his second-in-command.

The Sharks remain a hard team to figure out from a goaltending perspective, because they just can’t seem to put it all together – although Reimer, who will be 35-years-old before the season wraps up, has been their most successful option over the last handful of years. His .911 save percentage in all situations was peppered with consistently good games and very few poor ones, similar to the games that Antti Raanta posted for Carolina in Reimer’s old spot on the east coast; like Raanta, Reimer played a season that didn’t challenge for any Vezina nods but gave his team a known and consistent entity to play behind each night. Reimer’s game still has a few of the rough edges that have lingered as a tribute to the unorthodox development path he took – he didn’t receive formal goaltending coaching until later in his adolescence, giving him a style that relies more on his instincts than monotonous style and predictable footwork. But while he lacks some of the finesse of goaltenders who had earlier formal training, his affable personality shines through in how seamlessly he integrates himself into a team’s defensive system; he seems to rarely find himself fighting against those playing in front of him, and his lack of inconsistency over the last five or six seasons make it easy to trust that he’ll get the job done in the back while his teammates can focus their games more on offense. His biggest risk area remains his health; while he hasn’t missed extensive time recently, his laundry list of injuries over his career keep him firmly encamped among the goaltenders who will always need a reliable number two just in case the team is left without their services for a stretch.

Projected starts: 50-55

Claude-Busting – Philadelphia Flyers 2018-19 Season Preview

Robert Howard — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 17:45:42 +0000

REVIEW/STATE OF PLAY - Things were looking bleak as December began. The Flyers were in 28^th place in the NHL with an 8-11-7 record. They had finished out of the playoffs three times in the last five years and bowed out in the first round twice. From that point everything fell into place and they posted an impressive 34-15-7 over the last 56 games to finish third in the Metropolitan and clinch a playoff berth.

GIROUX AND COUTURIER DOMINATE - The surge was fuelled by a brilliant season from a top line anchored by Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier, tethered together for 80 percent of their ice time at 5v5. The first third of the season was spent with Jakub Voracek and the last half spent with 21-year-old Travis Konecny. Giroux topped 100 points to finish second in league scoring, and fourth in Hart Trophy voting, while Couturier finished second in Selke voting and shattered career highs with 31 goals and 76 points.

Konecny flourished beside Grioux and Couturier scoring 20 goals in 43 games (43-20-14) from January 1^st. Konecny benefitted from a high shooting percentage of 13.6% but progress made heading into his third NHL season is cause for optimism, particularly if he remains on the top line.

Jakub Voracek scored a career high of 85 points. A force throughout the season, he was consistent regardless of center, seeing time with Couturier at first, Filppula briefly and rookie Nolan Patrick for the last 33 games. Voracek scored at almost a point a game while together (33-12-18-30) while 19-year-old Nolan Patrick a respectable 19 points (33-9-10-19) while displaying consistency. The played the last 22 games with 21-year-old rookie Oskar Lindbolm flanking them.

The veterans returning to their superstar status after two sub seasons was a big story line, the most exciting aspect of the 2017-18 season was the number of youthful players that are developing into the next generation of stars. Nolan Patrick and Travis Konecny represent potentially high-end additions to the offence.

Shayne Gostisbehere

BRIGHT YOUNG STARS ON DEFENSE - Two very bright young stars on the blueline helped power the surge in offense, contributing significantly from the back end. The Flyers received 50 goals from the blueline which is the most since 1992-93, 30 from 25-year-old Shayne Gostisbehere and 21-year-old Ivan Provorov combined. Gostisbehere received Norris trophy votes (10^th) while scoring 65 points - the most by a Flyers blueliner since 93-94. Provorov tied for the lead league in defense goal scoring with 17, and in even strength goals 15^th. He placed 10^th in the league in time on ice, killing penalties and playing the power play at a tender young age.

As a team they saw a leap in goals scored from 212 (18^th) to 237 (12^th) and are transitioning with high end young talent in the line-up and resurgent veterans. They still boast a strong prospect system that should include more promotions in the future. None more anticipated than Carter Hart in goal. He will join the AHL this season after being named best goaltender in the Western Hockey League for the third straight season, and second in three years as the best goaltender in the CHL. He is the future, but unlikely it is this season.

The Flyers have been stockpiling the goaltending cupboard for some time and a source of concern over recent seasons. This season is no exception with veterans Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth holding down the cage. Elliott is the presumed number one, but Neuvirth can mount a challenge. Both are free agents at the end of the season and should be motivated but the problem is neither are particularly healthy, and both went through injuries last season. Should a call be made, 6’6” prospect Anthony Stolarz is likely most ready out of Lehigh in the AHL, or Alex Lyon who appeared in 11 games with the big club last year.

SPECIAL TEAMS CONCERNS - Special teams need further improvements. Given their firepower one would assume their power play would be better than 15^th (20.7%). Their penalty kill is dreadful finishing 29^th in the league (75.8%) and they lose Valteri Filppula - who was key penalty killer for them. Finishing 22^nd in save percentage underscores their challenge in net.

To help the power play they signed free agent James Van Reimsdyk bringing a 30-goal scorer with one of the best net front presences in the NHL. He joins fellow teammate Wayne Simmonds, in the last year of a contract, in providing elite skills in that unique specialty and making goaltender miserable. Former first round pick Simmonds may find himself a trade chip with apparent replacement Van Reimsdyk signed for five years at a $7 million AAV. If playoffs are in reach they may use him as their own rental. He endured an injury filled campaign, but has been a model of health, only missing 14 games in the previous ten seasons and it is too early to suggest his style of play is catching up to him.

In the off-season they added 27-year-old defenseman Christian Folin giving them a right shot option on defense. Andrew MacDonald and Radko Gudas will be the other regular. Serviceable if not spectactular. The youth movement was further by rookies 22-year-old Travis Sanheim and 23-year-old Robert Hagg. Sanheim saw 49 games worth of actions. Folin’s addition buys them some more development time.

OVERVIEW - The Flyers seem to have the best of both worlds, high end prospects already in the NHL, a pipeline brimming with more, and a veteran core that performed at their peak. Can all the elements come together in the next few seasons for a serious run while making a generational shift? Questions in goal and whether the veterans can repeat last season heroics will determine whether they are a playoff team but they looked unbeatable down the stretch and were tied for 5^th in the league from December on.

Philadelphia Flyers Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 17:44:44 +0000

The name of the game in Philadelphia is depth. Even after graduating Nolan Patrick, Travis Sanheim and Robert Hagg to the NHL last year, the Flyers’ system is still bursting at the seams with prospects of all shapes and sizes, high ceilings and high floors and every position. Were it not for severe injuries, Anthony Stolarz and Samuel Morin might also have graduated from this list last year.

The amazing thing with this system is that it may be even deeper by this time next year. Despite having many players who might be ready to contribute in the NHL, barring injuries, there is seemingly only one spot up for grabs to start the year, with one of Oskar Lindblom or Danick Martel primed to grab a bottom six job on the left wing. Sanheim and Patrick should consolidate their spots as full time NHLers and the rest will likely continue to marinate in nearby Lehigh Valley.

Unlike some teams, the Flyers do not prioritize one geographical region over another when it comes to scouting. They are truly equal opportunity for their scouting staff. Looking at where their prospect played last year, we see two in the QMJHL, five from the OHL, three in the WHL, five in the USHL, one American high schooler, six playing college hockey, eight Swedes, and three Russians. I suppose one could point out that Philadelphia lacks any players from Finnish extract. The Flyers’ Finnish scout, Juuso Riksman, must be frustrated.

Beyond sheer depth, one area where Philadelphia has focused on more than any other team over the length of the Ron Hextall regime (starting in 2013-14) is in drafting netminders. The irony of that focus is clear in that Hextall himself was the last consistently above average goalie employed by the Flyers and he hasn’t strapped on the pads since before the turn of the century. There are three netminders listed among Philly’s top 20, but each of the eight whose rights they currently control would be in contention for the top 20 with a less top-heavy organization.

Of course, a good number of the players in the Philadelphia system will not see the light of day in the NHL. Some are not high priority prospects and others could see their primes passed by as they fall victim to the numbers game. For example, the Flyers draft heavily from Europe, and are not at all averse to leaving prospects overseas to develop there, only bringing them over when it is clear the player is ready, or especially well-suited to the North American game. Lindblom fits the latter description as does Mikhail Vorobyov, who did not make the cut here (but would elsewhere). The one other European prospect who is playing in the AHL, Radel Fazleev, was actually drafted out of the WHL, so doesn’t really count there. Others, namely the 12 present and future collegians, will be given as much time as they need and/or want on campus before Philadelphia will offer them an ELC.

Whether it is star players or role players, the Flyers have it all. If the system is not as highly vaunted next year, it can only be because Hextall cashed in a few chips from his reservoirs in trade for NHL talent during the season.

Joel Farabee

1 Joel Farabee, LW (14^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) More than any other player in this system, Farabee, the first of two first round picks made by the Flyers this year, has the tools and temperament to be a force at both ends of the ice. He gets very high grades for his skating ability, puckhandling skills, and the hockey IQ needed to make it all work. Were Farabee two inches taller and/or 20 pounds heavier, he would not have been available at 14, but considering the size of his two older brothers, he may yet get up there. A stronger playmaker than a goal scorer, he has nevertheless showed a promising finishing touch at every level and every setting at which he has played. Heading to BU next year, Farabee may be one and done and should not need more than two years on campus before turning pro.

2 Carter Hart, G (48^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 9^th) Goalies are notoriously difficult to project. But there are not many goalies who put up GAAs below two for two consecutive seasons in the WHL. He also topped that benchmark leading Canada to WJC Gold last year. Carter Hart was named league MVP in his final season with Everett, which he can add to his three consecutive (a record) Del Wilson Trophies, as the top WHL netminder. Although he is on the small side for modern goalies, Hart is a phenomenal athlete, read the game like a pro, and has a daunting competitive instinct. He has a very strong technical game as well. In short, he is the type of goalie teams make room for once they are ready.

3 Morgan Frost, C/LW (27^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 8^th) His selection in the first round of the 2017 draft was fairly surprising, but 12 months later, the Flyers are laughing. Frost leapt from 62 points in 67 games in his draft year to an eye opening 112 points in the same number of games the following year. Although he is a strong skater with an NHL shot, Frost truly excels in his puck handling abilities and through a very high hockey IQ. Really, the only place where he is not at least above average is in his physical game. Even there, while he will always be on the small side, he has begun to play with more jam and there is no reason why he should not be able to hold his own. He might get an NHL opportunity to kick off the season, but another year in the OHL would suit him best.

4 Wade Allison, RW (52^nd overall, 2016. Last Year: 7^th) Despite missing over one third of last season with a lower body injury, he still nearly led Western Michigan in scoring and finished sixth in the nation in points per game with 1.36. As successful as he has been through most of two seasons in NCAA and considering his mature build, he might be ready to contribute at the NHL level this year, but is expected to return to WMU, where he will wear the ‘A’ on his chest. He plays a hard-charging style, with plus speed, a good shot and a keen understanding of the game and how to be effective. He projects as a shift disturbing secondary scorer and fan favorite. Presuming a fully healthy junior season, he will likely turn pro upon its conclusion.

German Rubtsov

5 German Rubtsov, C (22^nd overall, 2016. Last Year: 4^th) Although Rubtsov’s point totals in the QMHL were underwhelming, a relatively healthy season and a solid showing for Team Russia at the WJC means that we cannot be truly disappointed by the former first rounder’s development. He is also still young enough that we should put more stick in his tools than his production in his first full season in North America. Rubtsov has game breaking speed and is a pinpoint passer. While he does not generally play a very aggressive game, he knows how to use his average sized frame to good effect. The upside may not be more than middle six center, but he is still trending in that direction.

6 Isaac Ratcliffe, LW (35^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 5^th) A physical specimen at 6-6” and over 200 pounds, Ratcliffe took a promising step forward in his first post-draft season, breaching 40 goals in the process for an improving Guelph squad. A decent skater for his size, he makes his impressions in the OHL through the inability for defenders to handle him in the dangerous areas of the ice. He skates well enough for his size, but his ability to get the puck on the net – and often enough, in the net – will be his ticket to the NHL. Somewhat unfortunately, for as big as Ratcliffe is, he does not play a heavy game. He has enough finesse to make it, but learning to better use his bulk will help him.

7 Adam Ginning, D (50^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) A very big young man, Ginning skates quite well for his size, and uses his big frame exceptionally in his own end. His positioning is advanced, and he can control a gap with the best of them. Not just big, he is strong and once he gets in on the hands of an opposing forward, he does well in shutting down the rush. On the other hand, Ginning offers little to his team’s offensive game. He will rush with the puck and his hands lack subtlety. The Flyers have been down this path before with Samuel Morin, although Ginning has flashed hints of offensive instincts. The floor is high here, but it isn’t far from the ceiling.

8 Jay O’Brien, C (19^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Last year, the Flyers shocked insiders with the selection of Morgan Frost in the first round. History repeated itself this year when they popped Jay O’Brien with their second first rounder. There was no doubt that O’Brien was the most talented prep player in the 2018 draft class, but few other organizations, if any, saw him as a first-round talent. He certainly has a full kit of high end offensive tools, from a lethal shooting repertoire, to some fancy puck handling moves and above average offensive instincts to go with them. He gets to a nice top speed, although his first few steps lack in bite. The challenge with scouting a player like O’Brien is that he was so much better than his competition, and rarely played at higher levels, that it is very hard to know how much it will translate. We’ll find out next season at Providence.

9 Philippe Myers, D (UDFA: Sep. 21, 2015. Last Year: 3^rd) Philippe Myers’ drop from 3^rd in the Flyers’ system to 8^th is less a sign that he has regressed than it is a matter of the Flyers drafting well and other players simply improving more. To a lesser extent, Myers did not hit the ground running in his AHL debut, although in the big picture he was fine between a few questionable decisions. The undrafted signee is a big player who skates like a much smaller one. He is generally competent with the puck and more than that off of it. He offers an imposing physical presence, even if he is not a snarling beast on the blueline. It is still amazing that he made the type of step he did immediately after going undrafted in his age 17/18 season.

Pascal Laberge

10 Pascal Laberge, C (36^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 12^th) Despite production that could best be described as disappointing, Laberge still flashes the tools that had the Flyers excited to use a second-round pick on him two years ago. Both the shot and his puck skills grade out very highly and he skates well to boot. He should be able to find a role that fits at the pro level, as he is known to receive regular shifts on the PK and plays a solid all-around 200-foot game. Assuming his concussion troubles can be a thing of the past, Laberge probably ends up as a top nine player, able to contribute to the offensive attack, but lacking the killer instinct to take advantage of all opportunities that come his way.

11 Tanner Laczynski, C (169^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 16^th) Somewhat of a late bloomer when the Flyers used a sixth-round pick on Laczynski in his second year of draft eligibility, the budding playmaker’s game has turned up a few notches in the two seasons since going to Ohio State. After finishing fifth in team scoring as a freshman, he led the Buckeyes as a sophomore, with a four-point edge on the runner-up. Through hard work, he has also turned a former weakness – his skating – into at least an average tool, without any degradation to his other tools. His puck skills are still his selling feature, but he has also taken strides as a finisher and shows an advanced understanding of the game. This is what a sleeper looks like.

12 Alex Lyon, G (UDFA: Apr. 5, 2016. Last Year: Unranked) In many other systems, Alex Lyon, who signed with the Flyers as an undrafted free agent after a dominant three year run at Yale, would be considered a likely goalie of the future candidate. With Philadelphia, he is aiming for future backup rights, as Carter Hart is one of the best goalie prospects in the sport. Lyon is an aggressive goalie, quick with a poke check and enjoys playing the puck. He is an above average athlete for the position and does a good job at preventing juicy rebounds. As part of his second pro season, he earned a callup to the 11 and held his own in an 11-game trial. With two veterans in the system with one year remaining in their contracts, his chance for a full time NHL job will arrive soon enough.

13 Oskar Lindblom, LW (138^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 6^th) To his eternal credit, Oskar Lindblom produced at a fair clip in his first full season in North America and spent 23 games in the NHL as a reward for his efforts. While we maintained faith in players like Pascal Laberge and German Rubtsov for their tools, excusing so-so production, Lindblom is almost an inverse. Outside of high end puck skills, none of his tools grade out as much above average. He is a strong player despite roughly average size and he is very comfortable playing the net front. He forechecks heavily and his overall intensity might be the key in overcoming his physical abilities. As mentioned above, there may be an NHL job in Philadelphia with his name on it this season.

14 Carsen Twarynski, LW (82^nd overall, 2016. Last Year: Unranked) Like Lindblom above, Carsen Twarynski is an intense, net-front winger who uses his brawn and willingness to take punishment as a means to rack up the goals. With 45 of those last year for Kelowna, it seems to be working. Twarynski is a solid skater, who has decent hands and clearly knows how to finish, although the offensive package does not seem like enough to profile as a top six winger in the pro ranks. He did score a goal for Lehigh Valley in a five-game run at season’s end, but needs a full season of the same to prove that last year’s number were not a stone fluke.

David Kase

15 David Kase, C (128^th overall, 2015. Last Year: Unranked) In his third year after being drafted, former fifth round pick David Kase finally left his native Czech Republic for improved competition in Sweden and impressed enough with Mora that the Flyers extended an ELC offer to the speedy center. This is not a dynamic offensive weapon, but Kase has enough puck skills to go along with his high-end skating ability to suggest a middle six role in his future. He also demonstrates enough hockey sense to overcome his slight frame. He will, of course, need to prove that he can handle the AHL first, but he is trending in the right direction.

16 Jack St. Ivany, D (112^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Like Tanner Laczynski above, St Ivany, a product of the growing Southern California youth hockey scene, was not really ready in his first season of draft eligibility. He would flash intriguing tools on the blueline, but the whole was less than the sum of the parts. In his second go-round, he added a more dynamic element to his game, improving his offensive output from 10 to 36 points in close to the same playing time. He has a big, strong frame, and moves well for his size. He can contribute at both ends of the ice and his offensive tools grade out as roughly average for a blueliner. He also uses his size well without getting into penalty trouble. Not expected to join Yale until 2019-20, St. Ivany is a longer-term project.

17 Samuel Morin, D (11^th overall, 2013. Last Year: 14^th) Morin, already rated as a disappointment for a former fairly high first round pick, suffered through a very frustrating, very painful season in 2017-18, as a series of injuries limited him to 20 games between the regular season and the postseason, including two regular season contents for the Flyers. Next season figures to be more of the same, as a torn ACL suffered in the AHL postseason is expected to keep him out of action until February. Morin will always have awe-inspiring size but serves as a reminder that a “safe” prospect is not really safe is his upside is so low that a failure to develop even a little bit will make him not good enough for a regular NHL role. Injuries don’t help either.

18 Nicolas Aube-Kubel, RW (48^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 19^th) Small, but feisty, Aube-Kubel may be a tweener. He has enough skill to play top six minutes at a solid level for the AHL but lacks the tools to do so in the NHL. To his credit, the former second rounder has upped the tenacity from a game that already was known for energy in juniors, without diminishing his productiveness at all. He skates well and seems to have a good head for the game in all situations, but lacks the creativity to be a driver of the offense at the highest level. The floor is good enough for an NHL job, but is most likely that of a fourth liner who could help on the penalty kill.

19 Mark Friedman, D (86^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 20^th) It is easy for a player like Friedman, lacking in size or in any standout tools, to be overlooked. There is always someone else with higher expectations, more highlight reel plays to his name. But Friedman has met every challenge thrown his way this far in his career, whether in the USHL, the NCAA, and now, the AHL. He is a fluid skater, who gets an edge from his first few steps, and he moves the puck at a smart clip. His reads are fairly mature and he has a good sense of when to ump in deep into the offensive zone attack. A right-handed shot, he has established himself as one to watch and a potential injury replacement in the NHL as soon as this year.

20 Anthony Stolarz, G (45^th overall, 2012. Last Year: 13^th) We have already looked at Wade Allison, Samuel Morin and Philippe Myers, critical components of the Flyers’ prospect depth, who missed large chunk of last year with injury. So, it is only right that we spare a moment’s thought for Stolarz, the former second round pick whose strong 2016-17 season had him on the verge of an NHL backup job, but was limited to only four games total, between the AHL and ECHL, last season. He still has the ideal size you look for in a modern day netminder, standing a towering 6-6”, 209 lbs., but already 24 years old, this may be his final chance to claim an NHL future, if not in Philadelphia, then elsewhere.

Philadelphia – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 07:32:34 +0000

To paraphrase an old axiom from the days of legitimate voter fraud, the Philadelphia Flyers draft early and draft often. With 28 selections over the last three draft classes, including two top ten selections, the Flyers have rebuilt a system that had been lackluster at best and now ranks as one of the deepest and most impressive in the game.

Even with two of the better players of those three drafts already bonafide NHLers, this system has players for every position and every role. There are seven forwards who can all lay some claim to having top six upside. That is not to say that they will force out the dynamic NHL duo of Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek, but they will add significant breadth to the Flyers’ attack once they are ready to produce. The backhalf of the top ten – and looking deeper than them as well – has many more forwards who have games well suited for bottom six roles.

Looking at the blueline, and considering that the Flyers already have an awesome pair of young ones who have already graduated in Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov, there is much more on the way. Near the top of this list there are two – Philippe Myers and Travis Sanheim – who both have second pairing upside and look relatively near to being ready. Further down the list, we rank two other defenders who have NHL upside, but players like Robert Hagg or David Bernhardt, who would likely have fit into many other organizational top 20s, also could play in the NHL in some role.

Even with the above, it almost feels silly to suggest that the blueline might be the weakest positional area in the system. The players are good, some very good, but it is true that the Flyers are not deep in blueliners who have not yet graduated to NHL roles.

Finally, that leaves us with the goaltending. The Flyers, always known for being a goalie graveyard, have stockpiled goalie after goalie, trusting the eye of their GM, himself a longtime NHL netminder, to pick ones with high-end potential. Even though the team does not have an incumbent of great standing for the top level, it is rather difficult to say with any certainty which of their prospects is the heir-apparent, or even which is most ready to break through. We ranked Carter Hart ahead of Felix Sandstrom in the rankings, but there was very little space between the two.

Anthony Stolarz has looked sharp in limited NHL action, but if push came to shove, we would not bet too much cash that if the Flyers had a long term need at the position this year, they would not call up Alex Lyon instead. Beyond that, it would not be totally surprising if any of their other three netminders – Matej Tomek, Kirill Ustimenko, or Ivan Fedotov – eventually emerges as the best NHL player, although it is reasonable to note for now that they are all further away.

Patrick Nolan of the Brandon Wheat Kings, photo by

1 Nolan Patrick – Favored to be the 2017 first overall pick since before the 2016 draft, Patrick lost nearly half of his draft season to groin and shoulder injuries and still had many expecting him to go first overall. The Flyers did not mind one bit when he dropped to second. A strong, big-game player, he had the highest hockey IQ of anyone in the draft. Skating, shooting, and puck skills are also all high end. Assuming health, he should be able to step right into a middle six role with the Flyers, and has first line upside.

2 Travis Sanheim – The former first round pick had a solid, if unspectacular first full season with Lehigh Valley of the AHL. A good two-way defenseman who is just as comfortable quarterbacking a power play as he is guarding the slot on the penalty kill, he has fantastic puck skills for a blueliner. Could stand to be more aggressive in his own zone, but has enough of a well-rounded skill set coupled with above average hockey IQ that his path to the NHL should not be long.

3 Philippe Myers – One of the best underdog stories of recent prospect lore. Myers was undrafted in his first year of eligibility, despite great size, due to poor production (8 points in 60 games). He impressed in rookie camp and earned an ELC from Philadelphia, going back to the Q to reward the Flyers for their faith, he finished his junior career as a point-per-game defender. Between his size, hockey sense, awareness, and poise on the puck, he looks like a future second pairing option.

4 German Rubtsov – After suffering a facial injury playing for Russia at the WJC, Rubtsov elected to stay in North America and spent the rest of his first post-draft season with Chicoutimi in the QMJHL. He acclimated very quickly to the CHL game, especially considering the injury situation. He has great offensive instincts and is very creative. Plays with some sandpaper that allows him to play bigger than his size. Has magic in his hands.

5 Isaac Ratcliffe – A raw, physical specimen, Ratcliffe combines ideal power forward size with burgeoning puck skills with the willingness and ability to be effective in front of the net. While his draft year numbers do not leap off the page, it is important to remember that he was playing on a horrible Guelph team. He is a solid skater, but can be inconsistent in his pace. Shows strong anticipation and soft hands. His ceiling is very high.

6 Oskar Lindblom – The former fifth round pick continued to take big strides in his development in his third full season in the SHL, leading Brynas in scoring. He is excellent with the puck along the boards and around the crease and does a great job of finding soft spots in coverage for himself or his teammates. Paired with a skilled center, he has enough complementary skills to be a strong option on a second line in the NHL. May get that chance this year.

7 Wade Allison – After emerging as if out of nowhere in his draft year at Tri City of the USHL, Allison continued to play his game without a hitch as a freshman at Western Michigan. Playing a power forward game, he stays heavily involved in all three zones. He has enough speed in his hands and feet to draw penalties and can contribute to the offense as a shooter or creating for others on the cycle. Could stand to cut down on the penalties caused by his aggressive style.

8 Morgan Frost – Somewhat of a surprise as a first round pick this year, Frost has three main selling points in his skating speed, his puck skills, and his hockey intelligence. A heads-up player who earns his keep on both sides of the puck, he is already a reliable penalty killer. When he is on the ice, the puck is generally glued to his stick until he is ready to move it along. He will need to increase in strength and round out his game more, but he has the building blocks for a good middle six forward.

9 Carter Hart – If you like Hart, he is one of the better goaltending prospects in the game. If you have doubts, you point to the extreme defensive system employed by Everett as an aid to his stellar WHL numbers. Only moderately sized for a modern netminder, he makes up for it with great athleticism, reassuring calmness in net and excellent ability to read the play and track the puck. He has one more year of WHL eligibility before he will turn pro.

10 Felix Sandstrom – If not for Hart, Sandstrom would get a lot more attention in the Flyers’ system, especially after improving his numbers across the board in the second season with Brynas of the SHL as well as a strong showing in his second WJC. Above average across the board, he is not a goalie who can carry a team on his back, but he will also not let his mates down if they play solidly in front of him. He will continue his development next year in Sweden.

11 Jordan Weal – Undersized and quicker than he is fast, Weal was finally given a chance to take his game to the NHL last year after proving that he could score at a point-per-game pace in the AHL. 8 goals in 23 NHL games suggest that he is more than a dreaded 4A player and he is in line for a full season with the Flyers, likely on the second line. He has very impressive puck skills and a keen understanding of the flow of the game.

12 Pascal Laberge – Laberge maintains a spot in the solid middle of the Flyers deep prospect list as he still flashed high end offensive potential in a season fraught by concussions and off-ice issues outside his control. He has very soft hands, and is a shifty skater who can change directions in a flash to deke out defenders and netminders. He sees the ice very well in the offensive zone and is as strong shooting as he is setting up others. Look for a big bounce-back campaign.

13 Anthony Stolarz – As difficult as it would seem to trap a 6-6” netminder, Stolarz is trapped. From below, the Flyers have drafted, among others, Carter Hart and Felix Sandstrom since using a second round pick on Stolarz in 2012. That duo is earmarked for the future. From above, Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth are both signed to multi-year NHL deals. Stolarz, who has an impressive combination of compete and play reading ability is effectively trapped.

14 Samuel Morin – The first thing that stands out when watching Samuel Morin is..well, Samuel Morin. He is huge. 6-6”, and broad as well. The former first round pick is strong on his feet, which is especially impressive at his size, but has been slow to develop. His offensive game is very limited and he does not play as aggressive a game as you want to see from a player of his stature. At his best, he is safe and intelligent. At his worst, he is 6-6”.

15 Mike Vecchione – One of the prize NCAA free agents of the year, Vecchione was both a key contributor to Union’s surprise NCAA championship team in his freshman season and the team captain for the past two years. A fast skater who was dynamic offensively was a faceoff ace as well. Although not tall, he is stocky and incredibly strong. He may not have the impact of former teammate Shayne Gostisbehere, but he will be an asset in Philadelphia.

16 Tanner Laczynski – A somewhat surprising inclusion in Team USA’s gold medal winning WJC squad, Taczynski had a very strong freshman season with Ohio State. Showing more willingness to shoot the puck, he is still stronger and more effective when stickhandling and looking to set-up a teammate. Not the best skater, he has nevertheless improved since his time in the USHL. Only one year on, he is already looking like a sixth round steal for the Flyers.

17 Taylor Leier – A relative anomaly in a system chock-full of players with as-yet-untapped potential, Leier is what he is. A strong secondary scorer with Lehigh Valley, he succeeds through his unrelenting aggression in all three zones. He has done well enough in callups to the NHL on both of the last two seasons and should see more NHL time this year. Strong enough defensively to play on the PK.

18 Mikhail Vorobyov – One of the biggest surprises for Team Russia at the last WJC, Vorobyov was everywhere, seemingly picking up an assist on every second goal his nation scored. A strong puck mover, his most notable traits are his hockey IQ/vision and his physical game. He has above-average size and uses it effectively to ensure he can play wherever he wants to. The Flyers signed him to an ELC after his first full KHL season ended and he will spend this season with Lehigh Valley.

19 Nicolas Aube-Kubel – After a stellar junior career with Val-d’Or, Aube-Kubel struggled mightily in his first full AHL campaign. He is still a very good skater and was very consistently reliable away from the puck, demonstrating good hockey sense, but the best that could be said of his ability to impact the game offensively was that there were flashes. We will be looking to see more out of him in his follow-up season.

20 Mark Friedman – An offensively inclined blueliner, Friedman is a strong skater who looks strong when beginning to rush the puck out of his zone thanks to his plus acceleration. He plays a physical game despite being undersized and has improved that aspect of his game by dint of taking fewer minor infractions. Does not have the shot to profile as a serious power play QB, but moves the puck around well enough to play there for the second unit.

Despite avoiding blueliners in the draft for the past two years, the Philadelphia Flyers still have strength at all positions in their system. Further adding to their case for the top tier of systems in the league is that their talent will arrive in multiple waves, with some ready now, some needing another year of development in the AHL and some who are further down the road, but no less bright for the distance.

Scouting Reports: Sweden – Timothy Liljegren, Elias Pettersson, Oskar Lindblom, Lias Andersson, Felix Sandstrom

Jimmy Hamrin — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 13:08:03 +0000

McKeen's Hockey welcomes Jimmy Hamrin. Jimmy lives in Sundsvall, Sweden, where he also was born. His hockey background is mostly as a writer/blogger and analyzer (both in text and broadcasting) in Sweden. Jimmy has had sporadic scouting assignments at the pro elite level in Sweden and also as a U16 scout for a Sweden-based agency. He started to write about Sweden-based prospects for hockeyprospectus last season. Twitter: @jimmyhamrin

A note on the 20-80 scale used below. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.

Timothy Liljegren	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: D, Shoots R	H/W: 6-0", 190 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Rogle BK, SHL (16-1-4-83-4)
	Rogle BK J20, SuperElit (9-5-1-6)
	TImra IK, Allsvenskan (5-0-1-1)

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA - APRIL 16: Sweden's Timothy Liljegren #19 lets a shot go during preliminary round action against the U.S. at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Skating: Liljegren is a strong skater. He has great balance on his skates and good lower body strength. He doesn’t seem to need much energy to skate fast. He accelerates with ease and great control. His top speed is excellent and already at an NHL level. The agility is good and he can move smoothly across the offensive blueline or make quick turns along the boards with the puck. If there is something he could develop extra it is his ability to move quickly from forward skating to backward skating, which is hard at elite senior level but sometimes he gets beaten or caught out of position that way. Grade: 65

Shot: Liljegren has a quick wrist shot with a quick release. Sometimes his shots tend to get blocked often but he is also pretty good of getting the shots through the traffic. He can one time his slap shots with great power and has scored goals that way, even at senior level. At junior level his shot is really dangerous suggesting that when he becomes more comfortable at senior level he can become a great threat from point. Grade: 60

Skills: Liljegren has quick hands and good control of the puck at high speed. He can deke his way through and surprise his opponents. Across the blueline he is really comfortable and can fake and deke to get open space for a shot. He uses his body well with quick turns and faking to fool his opponents. He can make both great breakout passes as well when decides to pass the puck. Grade: 65

Smarts: If there is any question mark on Liljegren’s potential is that he yet has not shown to have elite potential in his decision making on the ice and he does not seem to commit to the team strategy in individual games and situations. Often, he seems to want to do too much on his own and he does not always make smart decisions, either offensively or defensively. Most of it can probably be related to a lack experience as a 17-year-old defenseman at elite senior level but I still want to put a question mark on this. With all that said, Liljegren is still a smart player, especially in the offensive part of the game where he really can see the ice well and create nice plays. Grade: 55

Physicality: Liljegren is strong for his age. He is strong on the puck, he has great balance and lower body strength. He can get knocked of the puck but mostly he can skate away from physical contact holding off his opponent with one arm and using his lower body strength and good skating ability. He is not a typical physical defenseman but has nice timing in his hits on open ice. In his own zone and along the boards he could show more aggression and determination. Grade: 55

Summary: Liljegren is a raw talent with really high potential in his game. He can become a top pair defenseman in the NHL in the future, but it is not a sure thing. He needs to show a better understanding of the whole game and he needs to figure out how to use his talents best to reach his full potential. Before this season, he was a consensus choice as a top 2 player in the upcoming draft but he has had a tough season. It started with him missing the first half with mononucleosis and then he has been playing for the worst team in the SHL with big pressure of not losing games rather than trying to win them leaving Liljegren with few opportunities to use his full potential. He has been benched for trying to play his game in situations where the team needed him to play a safe game. That led him to play some games in Allsvenskan where he was the best player on the ice some games and made too many mistakes in other games. For my part, I like the potential and I like that he is trying to use his potential to win games for his team since that is probably the best way to learn and develop, even if it means making mistakes from time to time. Defenseman usually needs more time than forwards to figure out how to use their potential in the smartest way. If you want an exciting offensive defenseman in your pipeline, Liljegren is a good top 10 pick in the upcoming draft, maybe even top 5. That said, he does not currently look to be NHL-ready on day one.

Elias Pettersson	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: C, Shoots L	H/W: 6-1", 160 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Timra IK, Allsvenskan (31-13-19-32-8)
	Sweden U20, WJC (6-0-1-1)

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA - APRIL 15: Sweden's Elias Pettersson #21 skates with the puck while Latvia's Vlads Vulkanovs #13 defends during preliminary round action at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Skating: At first glance, Pettersson does not look like a fast player. He moves almost in slow motion in his body movements but when he gets tested with his skating he rarely gets beaten to the puck or caught on a breakaway. He has long strides and his strides gets him far nor does he need explosive movements to reach high speed. On breakaways he can, without moving explosively, create bigger room between him and chasing defenders. The best asset in his skating abilities is his agility. He can make quick turns that fool his opponents. The balance on his skates is good even if his agile moves can fool even himself and sometimes causing him to trip. Grade: 55

Shot: Pettersson’s wrist shot is really good. His accuracy is tremendous and he has developed his ability to shoot the puck quicker this season. He can score from many angles and uses his shot in a smart way. He rarely uses his slap shot but when he does he usually hits his target. He is more of a passer than a shooter but he has the potential of being a good goal scorer even though he will probably be a great playmaker first. Grade: 60

Skills: Pettersson is a really creative and effective player. He has great puck skills in both deking and passing the puck. He is very dangerous controlling the right slot on a power play and making precise passes and setting up teammates for great scoring chances. He has great control over the puck and can fool any opponent when he is given the space to do so. He can also control the puck at top speed and on a breakaway. He has many moves and is effective on penalty shots. Grade: 65

Smarts: In his best games, I would want to put an even higher grade here. Pettersson sees the ice almost always better than any other player on the ice. He has fast decision making and it is almost like he has a sixth sense knowing everything that is going on. The reason his grade here is not even higher is that he goes through slumps in his game where he seems to not make decisions as good as he usually does. He can be overly creative rather than making more simple plays when those are needed or would be more effective. Defensively he is smart as well. He backchecks well and reads the defensive side of the game well. He detects danger and can respond accordingly. He can be used effectively as both center and a winger. Grade: 65

Physicality Pettersson is still a skinny teenager that has grown about six inches the last three years. Obviously, he has to muscle up to play in the NHL. He did have a tough time being as effective on the smaller rinks at WJC as he is in the bigger rinks in Sweden. He has good balance on his skates but can too easily get pushed around by bigger opponents. He is at least cognizant of his lack of strength. He does not try to push back when he is caught and instead he saves energy and just stands against the board with his good balance and keeps the puck on his skates and when the opponent loosens up his grip, Pettersson beats him with a quick surprising move in the next move. He rarely hits opponents and if he does they are usually proactive hits to protect the puck on his stick, where he can be effective. Grade: 40

Summary: Pettersson is a mesmerizing player with a great skill set and an even greater hockey IQ. He is a playmaker that can score and he can play both center and winger, although I like him more as a center. His WJC showed that he has yet to figure out the physically tighter and faster North American game. His playing at that tournament was better than his stats though as he was a bit snakebitten. He has the potential to become a first line player in the NHL but he will need a couple of years to grow into his body and get stronger and more consistent. This season in Allsvenskan he has been really consistent in his production. He has been a big riser on many rankings. I can see him becoming one of the best players in the draft if he reaches his full potential but the question might be if he is too far from being NHL ready for top picking GMs to take a chance on him as high as top 5-10.

Oskar Lindblom	2014 Draft (138th - Philadelphia Flyers)
Position: LW/RW, Shoots L	H/W: 6-1", 190 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Brynas IF, SHL (38-13-21-34-14)

Skating: Lindblom is a good skater and has good balance and agility but lacks an extra edge in his top speed. He is pretty quick and moves fast in short distances and often beats his opponents to loose pucks. He is strong on his skates and rarely gets knocked off the puck when he carries it. He has the speed to transport the puck from his own end to the offensive end in games. Grade: 55

Shot: Lindblom is a good goal scorer with a good wrist shot and a quick snap shot. He scores most of his goals from close range but can score from outside the slot as well. On a power play he is best used in the slot or close around the net. He is good at finding deflections and is strong in getting shots on goal in high traffic. Grade: 55

Skills: Lindblom is really good with the puck along the boards and around the crease. He has good control in tight areas and has nice deking skills. His passing of the puck is good and often precise. He has the ability to create good scoring chances out of almost nothing. Grade: 60

Smarts: Lindblom is a really smart offensive player that has a nice sense of finding scoring chances with a great ability to be at the right spot at the right time. He also sees his teammates well when he has the puck and continually makes smart plays with it. Even though he is the best point producer on his team he is not the player that drives the line in all zones. He is more a player that finds the smart plays without the puck and then creates quickly when he gets the puck. He is an offensive player first but he takes care of his defensive duties as well. He is a smart forechecker that reads his opponents well and creates steals that way. Grade: 60

Physicality Lindblom has good size and great balance. He is good at covering the puck and making offensive hits “Forsberg style”. He is strong along the boards and thanks to that ability he is a dangerous player from behind the net. He is not a physical player but he is strong enough to be able to use his strength to win puck battles at a high level. Grade: 55

Summary: Lindblom is not quite an elite offensive talent that has taken nice steps in his development every year since he was drafted by Philadelphia. I could really see him playing regularly in the NHL next season. He needs to play in a top six role to be effective but I believe that he is good enough to do so. He is a good complementary player in an offensive line that can be effective with an elite centremen that drives the play. Lindblom is the player you want to have around the crease in the modern NHL. He has the speed, the technical skills, the smarts and the balance to be an effective slot player in the NHL.

Lias Andersson	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: C, Shoots L	H/W: 5-11", 200 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	HV71, SHL (29-5-4-9-16)
	HV71 J20, SuperElit (3-2-0-2-2)
	Sweden U20, WJC (7-3-0-3-6)

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA - APRIL 16: Sweden's Lias Andersson #26 plays the puck while USA's Zachary Walker #15 looks on during preliminary round action at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Skating: Andersson is a fast and powerful skater that can use his skating to drive the play. He has great lower body strength and rarely get knocked off the puck and has shown great ability to translate his game to the SHL level already. He is agile and quick in tight situations as well. Grade: 60

Shot: The HV71 teenager has a very good shot. He often scores from distance and he shoots the puck fast with a quick release. He is also very good at shooting the puck undetected and you often don’t see his shot coming. He most often uses his snap shot and is effective with it. Grade: 60

Skills: Andersson has good puck control and is strong on the puck. He is a solid passer as well. For an elite talent, he lacks some creativity and high talent puck skills though. He is more an effective simple play center than a puck wizard. With that said I would not grade his puck skills as average or below average. He has good hand-eye coordination and he does not need the passes to be right on his blade. He is good at retrieving and quick getting control of bad passes and puck bounces. The way he can quickly shoot from those pucks is also impressive. Grade: 55

Smarts: Andersson is a good two way center that takes care of his team’s needs and he can be used in various roles. He can play both PK and power play and do it well. On a power play he is best served as a shooter in the slot. He works hard and can adept fast to a team’s system. He both forechecks and backchecks well. For that he deserves a good grade but the lack of elite creativity puts the grade lower than elite. He is solid and very mature for his age but not a standout player. Grade: 55

Physicality: This is a strong player. He is not especially tall but has a nice stature and already weighs approximately 200 pounds. He has great balance and is strong in puck battles. He does not shy away from those battles and often wins them. He is driven and intense in his game and tough to play against in that way. Grade: 55

Summary: Lias Andersson is a good bet to make the NHL on a regular basis. Depending on his future development I can see him becoming anything from a second line center to a bottom six center for an NHL team and being effective in any of those roles. He has the offensive drive, the shot and good enough skills to suggest him reaching the level of being a second line center at the highest level. He lacks the high end offensive talent necessary to be a first line center. For the upcoming draft I would be surprised if he is not a first round pick and would look about righ anywhere in the top 20. He is a safer bet than Liljegren or Pettersson as he is not as raw and is a bit further ahead in his development as of today but he does not have the same level of top skills and high end potential as those two.

Felix Sandstrom	2015 Draft (70th - Anaheim Ducks)
Position: G, Catches L	H/W: 6-2", 190 lbs
Stats to date (GP-GAA-SV%)	Brynas IF, SHL (14-2.22-.907)
	Sweden U20, WJC (6-2.17-.915)

Athleticism/Quickness/Speed: Sandstrom moves quickly in the crease. He is fast at getting himself into the right position as well as in moving sideways and has decent reaction speed. The athleticism could be a bit better, though. He is not particularly strong on edge plays, meaning that he is not strong in making saves when he is out of position. All in all, he moves well and is a quick enough goalie to reach the NHL. Grade: 55

Temperament/Compete: Sandstrom has great focus. He rarely loses his game and had consistently good performances as a starter for Sweden at the WJC. Still, he has not shown that he is a goalie that can come up and totally steal a big game. He can display anger at referees at times but stays calm in game situations and can shake off an ugly goal or rough play in his crease. Grade: 55

Vision/Play Reading: Sandstrom is good at keeping his eye on the puck and moves adroitly with the puck. His quickness sideways is helped tremendously by his ability to read cross ice passes. His calmness is also derived from his ability to read plays and he rarely is surprised by the approach taken by his opponents. Grade: 55

Style/Technique: The Brynas netminder is a butterfly goalie with consistent technique. He holds his glove low in his basic position leaving the high net open for shooters. As with most goalies playing that way it can be deceiving because they tend to cheat in getting the glove high and thus opens up a gap between his arm and legs. The same goes for when he gets down on his knees. Positionally, he moves the same way in the same situations. He has a plan for every common situation and is schooled well that way. He rarely chases the puck and rarely moves outside the crease. On shots from long range he stands at the top of the crease and he backs in closer towards the goal line depending on how the close the shot is ultimately fired. Sometimes, he misjudges those situations and does not get as far out as he needs to and leaves too much net open. He is strong with his paddle down when forwards crash the net or when the puck is near him in high traffic. He needs to work on more details in his game, such as getting his smaller movements to be both tighter and more flexible when he needs to be. Grade: 55

Rebound Control: In stressed situations, he tends be more of a puck stopper than a puck grabber. His glove hand is pretty quick though and he is good at holding on to the puck. All in all, his rebound control is good. Opponents usually need to get high pressure on Sandstrom for him to lose control of where the puck is going. Grade: 55

Puck Handling: He rarely leaves his crease. He has good control with his stick but he keeps it to short simple passes. Grade: 45

Summary: Sandstrom is one of the best goalie prospects in Sweden right now. As a junior he shares the work load evenly with a veteran goalie in the SHL and was Sweden’s number one goalie in the WJC. I see Sandstrom eventually making the NHL but probably not as a regular starter. He lacks the edge plays and the ability to completely shut down an opponent. Goalie prospects are harder to project than skaters, partially as they have more room for improvement and their prime usually arrives later in their careers. Sandstrom’s strength are in his consistent movements and in his ability to keep his focus and to track where the puck is heading. He is not ready for NHL now and if he takes the step over to North America next season he would probably need to see a season or two in the minors before stepping in at the big league level. Philadelphia has a pretty deep goalie pool of prospects as well, which should allow Sandstrom as much time as he needs to hone his development.

McKeens Hockey releases its preliminary 2014 NHL Draft list

McKeen's Staff — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 14:09:03 +0000

Fresh off the heels of an exciting 2013 NHL Draft, McKeens Hockey releases its first look at the top names for the 2014 NHL Draft in our preliminary list. This will change and come into focus as the season gets underway in September and our first official ranking will follow once we have had a chance to do more scouting.

Unlike the 2013 draft, where the focus was on Seth Jones and Nathan MacKinnon, there are a 5 or 6 names to consider for the 1st overall ranking. Players like William Nylander and Jakub Vrana will make the push from overseas, while the CHL will have a significant impact as well, with players like Sam Reinhart, Aaron Ekbald and Leon Draisaitl also in the mix for the first overall slot. The OHL has the potential to be one of the heaviest scouted areas in 2014, with 10 players in McKeens players in the initial rankings, which puts them tops among all development leagues.

The 2014 NHL Draft scouting season starts early for scouts, with the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Tournament and U20 camps starting up in Lake Placid next week, scouts are already preparing to get early looks at the top names available.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	William Nylander Altelius	C	Sodertalje (Swe)	5-10/170	01-May-96
2	Sam Reinhart	C	Kootenay (WHL)	6-0/185	06-Nov-95
3	Nick Ritchie	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/210	05-Dec-95
4	Leon Draisaitl	C	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-1/195	27-Oct-95
5	Roland McKeown	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-1/185	20-Jan-96
6	Ryan MacInnis	C	NTDP (USA)	6-3/170	14-Feb-96
7	Aaron Ekblad	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-3/210	07-Feb-96
8	Jakub Vrana	RW	Linkopings (Swe)	6-0/180	28-Feb-96
9	Haydn Fleury	D	Red Deer (WHL)	6-3/205	08-Jul-96
10	Anton Karlsson	LW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-1/190	03-Aug-96
11	Jared McCann	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-0/175	31-May-96
12	Michael Dal Colle	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/175	20-Jun-96
13	Brycen Martin	D	Swift Current (WHL)	6-1/180	09-May-96
14	Nick Schmaltz	C	Green Bay (USHL)	5-11/170	23-Feb-96
15	Jake Virtanen	LW	Calgary (WHL)	6-0/190	17-Aug-96
16	Alexis Pepin	C	PEI (QMJHL)	6-2/195	24-Apr-96
17	Sam Bennett	C	Kingston (OHL)	6-0/170	20-Jun-96
18	Jack Glover	D	NTDP (USA)	6-3/185	17-May-96
19	Joshua Jacobs	D	Indiana (USHL)	6-2/195	15-Feb-96
20	Blake Clarke	LW	Brampton (OHL)	6-1/190	24-Jan-96
21	Kaapo Kahkonen	G	Blues (Fin)	6-1/195	16-Aug-96
22	Sonny Milano	C	NTDP (USA)	5-10/170	12-May-96
23	Adrian Kempe	C	MoDo (Swe)	6-1/170	13-Sep-96
24	Alex Tuch	C	NTDP (USA)	6-3/225	10-May-96
25	Mason McDonald	G	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-3/175	23-Apr-96
26	Jacob Middleton	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-3/195	02-Jan-96
27	Oskar Lindblom	RW	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/185	15-Aug-96
28	Kasperi Kapanen	LW	KalPa (Fin)	5-10/165	23-Jul-96
29	Joshua Ho-Sang	C	Windsor (OHL)	5-11/160	22-Jan-96
30	Matt Schmalz	LW	Sudbury (OHL)	6-5/190	21-Mar-96