Ryan Poehling – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Immediate reaction to the Artemi Panarin trade, Charlie Coyle leads the surging Blue Jackets, Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich producing for the Blues, and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 16:10:00 +0000

New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, immediate reaction to the Artemi Panarin trade, Charlie Coyle leads the surging Blue Jackets, Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich producing for the Blues, and so much more!

#1 Moving to Los Angeles should be an interesting situation for Artemi Panarin, who has been one of the most productive forwards in the league. Since 2019-2020, he has 607 points in 482 games which ranks sixth in the league. That suggests that he should be able to keep scoring, even on a team that has its own troubles generating offense. It remains to be seen which Kings players Panarin will play with, but it would seem to be a possibility that Panarin could skate on a line with Quentin Byfield, who is a strong player but has been struggling to score this season.

#2 The prospect going to the Rangers in the Panarin trade is Liam Greentree, the 26th pick in the 2024 Draft. He is a 6-foot-3 winger who should have a chance to compete for a spot in the near future with the rebuilding Rangers, though his production has dropped – from 119 points in 64 games last season to 45 points in 35 games in the OHL this season. Gabriel Perreault and Brennan Othmann are the top forward prospects getting looks with the Rangers now so, depending on how the Rangers rebuild is handled, Greentree could have a chance to play in the NHL relatively soon.

#3 When the Blue Jackets replaced Dean Evason as head coach with Rick Bowness, it turned the season around. The new coach bounce has lifted the Blue Jackets to 10 wins in the past 11 games, and centre Charlie Coyle has been one of several Blue Jackets to elevate his play. In those 11 games, Coyle has 16 points (8 G, 8 A) and 31 shots on goal. He is skating on a line with Cole Sillinger and Mathieu Olivier at even strength, but Coyle is getting first unit power play time, and he has scored three power play goals in the past 11 games.

#4 Surrounding an injury that kept him out of action for three weeks, Blues right winger Jordan Kyrou was held without a goal in 13 straight games, dropping his value for fantasy managers. In his past eight games, however, Kyrou has started to heat up, producing 12 points (5 G, 7 A) with 29 shots on goal. He has scored more than 30 goals in each of the past three seasons and while that’s not as likely this season (he has 13 goals in 47 games), Kyrou is a proven scorer who could have real value down the stretch.

#5 With Robert Thomas injured, the Blues have shifted Pavel Buchnevich to the middle of the ice, and in his past seven games, Buchnevich has nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 22 shots on goal. He has played some centre for the Blues, despite being terrible on faceoffs (winning 35.5 percent of his draws with St. Louis), but, as a skilled playmaker, he does seem to be connecting with Kyrou, improving the fantasy value for both of them.

#6 An upper-body injury kept Dallas Stars centre Matt Duchene out of action for nearly a couple of months, and it took him some time to get up to speed after returning. Duchene had just 11 points (4 G, 7 A) through his first 26 games, but since then he has recorded nine points (6 G, 3 A) with 13 shots on goal during a six-game point streak. He is starting to click on the power play, with three power play goals in those six games after he had one power play point in his previous 26 contests.

#7 There have been many times during this season that we have pointed out the value of Pittsburgh Penguins winger Anthony Mantha, yet he’s still available in a significant percentage of leagues. In his past nine games, Mantha has 12 points (6 G, 6 A) with 17 shots on goal. He has hit 20 goals for the fourth time in his career, and with 42 points, he is six points away from tying his career high, which was set in 2017-2018 and matched in 2018-2019. The towering winger has moved up the depth chart and is skating on Sidney Crosby’s wing and getting first unit power play time for the Penguins.

#8 Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann has landed in trade rumours recently, as the Maple Leafs are on the outside looking in at the playoffs and he has an expiring contract. He is certainly not hurting his trade value with his play, putting up seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 20 shots on goal in his past seven games, making the most of his chance to skate with Auston Matthews and Max Domi on the Leafs’ top line. If McMann is traded, he may not have such a prime scoring role, but he has proven that he can put the puck in the net, generate shots on goal, and add some hits for good measure.

#9 After spending most of last season in the American Hockey League, Kailer Yamamoto is back in the NHL this season with the Utah Mammoth. That hasn’t been particularly relevant for fantasy managers for most of the season, but he does have eight points (5 G, 3 A) and 12 shots on goal in his past seven games, which makes him worth considering even if it’s as a short-term pick up. Yamamoto is skating with Barrett Hayton and JJ Peterka on Utah’s second line, which does help to make him at least a little bit interesting.

#10 As the Seattle Kraken seek more consistent scoring, they are getting quality production from their captain, Jordan Eberle. The veteran right winger has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 13 shots on goal in his past seven games and his 38 points (20 G, 18 A) lead the Kraken. Eberle has exceeded 25 goals in a season twice in his career, most recently in 2013-2014, so he’s on pace for one of his best goal-scoring campaigns. He is skating on the Kraken’s top line with Matty Beniers and Jared McCann and they are having success, but it also highlights how the Kraken could use more game-breaking offensive talent.

#11 Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn is 36 now, so not the player that he was during his peak years, but he can still bring it in short bursts. Following a 12-game point drought, Benn has erupted for eight points (2 G, 6 A) in his past four games. The trouble is that he only has five shots on goal in those four games – and only had a dozen in the previous 12 – so it’s very difficult to trust that his production is sustainable.

#12 A fresh start in Pittsburgh has paid off for winger Yegor Chinakhov, who was acquired from Columbus earlier in the season. Chinakhov has eight points (5 G, 3 A) and 21 shots on goal in his past eight games, with his ice time going up over 15 minutes per game in that stretch, as he skates on Pittsburgh’s second line with Tommy Novak and Evgeni Malkin. Chinakhov’s 1.31 goals per 60 minutes ranks 13th among skaters to play at least 500 five-on-five minutes.

#13 With the Vancouver Canucks lacking options down the middle of the ice, especially in an offensive role, Teddy Blueger is stepping into a more offensive role. Blueger played two games in October before getting injured and recently returned to the lineup, putting up seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 17 shots on goal in eight games. He has also played 16:23 per game which is a couple of minutes more per game than his typical average, and he’s having some success skating with wingers Conor Garland and Liam Ohgren.

#14 Utah Mammoth defenceman Sean Durzi can get overlooked because he’s not running the top power play, but he’s always been a quality puck-moving defender so there are times that his offensive production starts to take off. In his past seven games, Durzi has produced six points (2 G, 4 A) with nine shots on goal and 12 blocked shots – those blocked shots providing real value for fantasy managers as a complement to his increased scoring.

#15 With injuries sidelining Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish, the Anaheim Ducks have needed other centres to fill the void. Enter Ryan Poehling, a checking centre who has moved between veteran wingers Chris Kreider and Troy Terry. Poehling has six points (2 G, 4 A) and seven shots on goal in his past six games and while that shot rate is low, he is playing more than 17 minutes per game which is up by more than a couple of minutes per game over his previous average time on ice. Once the Ducks are healthy, Poehling will fill more of a defensive role, but it’s encouraging to see a player successfully handle a bigger role when given the chance.

#16 One of the statistical areas to consider for possible positive regression is to find players that have struggled with low on-ice shooting percentages. This isn’t a blanket issue because players who tend to skate on fourth lines, for example, are likely to have lower on-ice shooting percentages, but if a player is playing in a scoring role and still running low on-ice shooting percentages, that might be a player due for better puck luck. Some notables with low five-on-five on-ice shooting percentages this season include Marco Kasper (5.8%), Jonathan Drouin (6.0%), Jesper Bratt (6.1%), Dougie Hamilton (6.2%), Conor Garland (6.3%), Nico Hischier (6.4%), Kevin Fiala (6.5%), and Quinton Byfield (6.6%).

#17 Of course, it works the other way too, so when players have benefited from high on-ice shooting percentages, the odds are greater that they will run into some regression towards the mean. Some of the more notable players with high, and possibly unsustainable, five-on-five on-ice shooting percentages entering the Olympic break include Ivan Demidov (16.1%), William Nylander (16.0%), Oliver Kapanen (16.3%), Brayden Point (15.0%), Macklin Celebrini (14.8%), Mark Scheifele (14.3%), Jamie Benn (14.1%), Kyle Connor (14.0%), Gabriel Vilardi (13.9%), Nikita Kucherov (13.7%), and Cole Hutson (13.7%).

#18 This doesn’t mean that these players can’t remain productive, only that it’s very difficult to maintain this kind of lofty on-ice shooting percentage over the long haul. In the past three seasons, among players with at least 1500 minutes of five-on-five ice time, the leaders in on-ice shooting percentage are Kucherov (12.3%), Vilardi (12.2%), Points (12.1%), David Pastrnak (12.0%), and Hutson (11.8%).

#19 With Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen injured, Alex Lyon becomes even more important between the pipes for the Buffalo Sabres. Lyon has been excellent, posting a .912 save percentage this season, but if Luukkonen is going to miss time beyond the Olympic break, then Lyon and Colten Ellis will have to fill the void for a Sabres team that now expects to reach the playoffs.

#20 Calgary Flames left winger Jonathan Huberdeau is going to miss the rest of the season due to hip surgery. The veteran winger did have four points (2 G, 2 A) and 12 shots on goal in his last five games, but that followed a stretch of zero points in nine games. It has been a difficult season overall, with Huberdeau producing 25 points (10 G, 15 A) in 50 games and with the Flames looking like they will have an eye towards next season, Huberdeau’s absence will create more opportunities for others. Yegor Sharangovich and Connor Zary are likely to see expanded roles, which could make them viable fantasy contributors down the stretch.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Hot Russian scoring wingers Ovechkin, Kuzmenko to Michkov, plus Jackson LaCombe, Matthew Knies, Nazem Kadri and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 19:56:10 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 11: Los Angeles Kings Left Wing Andrei Kuzmenko (96) exchanges words with a Referee during a Los Angeles Kings game versus the New York Islanders on March 11th, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Rob Curtis/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Russian scoring wingers from Alex Ovechkin to Andrei Kuzmenko to Matvei Michkov, plus Jackson LaCombe, Matthew Knies, Nazem Kadri and much more!

#1 While he is obviously rostered in every fantasy league, it’s worth paying respect to Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin as he is on the cusp of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record. It’s well worth noting that Ovechkin scored 31 goals in 79 games last season and considering he would be 39 years old this season, it was reasonable to wonder if he might finally be slowing down. Despite averaging a career-low 17:46 of ice time per game, Ovechkin has scored 39 goals in just 59 games. He is scoring on a career-high 18.0 percent of his shots, which plays a big part, but he has also increased his per game shot rate despite his ice time going down by 87 seconds per game. He is skating on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson at even strength and holds down the same spot in the left-wing faceoff circle on the power play that he has forever. Can he get the three goals he needs in the final seven regular season games? It seems likely.

#2 The Philadelphia Flyers have only played three games under interim head coach Brad Shaw, but it does appear that the change behind the bench has been beneficial for star rookie Matvei Michkov, who has put up seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 13 shots on goal in those three games. He now has 11 points (4 G, 7 A) with 21 shots on goal during a six-game point streak. Michkov’s ice time per game has jumped to 19:10 per game under Shaw, after averaging 16:18 per game under John Tortorella. It’s a small sample, but the early returns are positive.

#3 Sticking with the theme of high-scoring Russian wingers, it looks like the Los Angeles Kings have unlocked the talents of Andrei Kuzmenko, who has 10 points (4 G, 6 A) in his past eight games, thriving on the top line with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe. Kuzmenko is also getting first unit power play time in Los Angeles, and he scored 39 goals in his first NHL season in 2022-2023, so he has shown that he has the skill, but now it looks like he’s getting a prime opportunity in Los Angeles.

#4 Anaheim Ducks defenceman Jackson LaCombe has emerged as a star this season. It might get overlooked because he is doing it for a young Ducks team that is on the outside looking in at the postseason, but LaCombe has taken on big minutes on the Ducks’ blueline and had eight points (3 G, 5 A) during a six-game point streak that was snapped in Thursday’s 4-1 loss at Calgary. LaCombe has 43 points (14 G, 29 A) in 68 games while averaging nearly 22 minutes of ice time per game. It has been a massive leap forward from his rookie season and the 24-year-old blueliner from the University of Minnesota is going to be a fixture on Anaheim’s defence for years to come.

#5 Second year Toronto Maple Leafs left winger Matthew Knies continues to improve and he makes the most of his excellent opportunity to skate on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Knies has seven points (2 G, 5 A) and 18 shots on goal in his past seven games. The sweetener for fantasy managers is that Knies has recognized the impact that he can bring with his physical play, and he has 23 hits in those seven games and 174 hits for the season, which adds to his appeal.

#6 As the Calgary Flames try to stay in the playoff hunt, veteran centre Nazem Kadri is leading the charge. In his past nine games, Kadri has 11 points (8 G, 3 A) with 35 shots on goal. He is skating on a line with Yegor Sharangovich and Martin Pospisil at even strength, but Kadri is a power play threat, producing 20 of his 59 points with the man advantage.

#7 Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe is not known as an offensive defenceman, having scored a career-high 28 points last season, but he has been playing with more confidence recently, and it has led him to record six assists in his past seven games. For a player who has 135 blocked shots and 118 hits, that bit of offensive production suddenly makes McCabe worth considering for fantasy managers.

#8 This has not been a banner season for the Nashville Predators in general, and for right winger Luke Evangelista, specifically. However, he is getting a decent shot to produce late in the season and has eight points (3 G, 5 A) with 13 shots on goal in his past eight games. He is playing on Nashville’s top line with Ryan O’Reilly and Michael Bunting, which is a good position with more ice time for him but also reflects the kind of lineup that the Predators are rolling out down the stretch.

#9 Although this has been yet another disappointing season for the Buffalo Sabres, they have been able to give Ryan McLeod a chance to handle more responsibility, and he has proven that he can handle it. In his past 14 games, McLeod has 17 points (5 G, 12 A) with 25 shots on goal. He has been averaging fewer than 16 minutes per game before seeing his ice time increase to over 20 minutes per game over that 14-game span. His linemates, Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka, are sufficiently skilled to bring out the best in McLeod and Quinn is finding his footing after an otherwise forgettable season. Quinn has nine points (4 G, 5 A) during a five-game point streak. Peterka has 19 points (8 G, 11 A) and 38 shots on goal in 17 games since the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

#10 Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann has not scored quite as much this season, tallying 18 goals for the Kraken after producing 96 goals in his first three seasons with Seattle, but he is picking up points down the stretch. In his past six games, McCann has delivered nine points (1 G, 8 A) with 20 shots on goal. McCann has helped to snap Andre Burakovsky out of a season-long slump. In his past eight games, Burakovsky has nine points (3 G, 6 A), which is a far cry from the 24 points (8 G, 16 A) in 65 games that he had before that point.

#11 When the Carolina Hurricanes traded Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars, it was somewhat forgotten that the ‘Canes had also acquired veteran winger Taylor Hall, and he would remain in Carolina. In 11 games since the trade deadline, Hall has contributed 12 points (7 G, 5 A) with 24 shots on goal and Hall has been in the position to shoot more on the power play and four of those seven goals have come on the PP. Staying in Carolina, but at the other end of the experience spectrum, rookie right winger Jackson Blake has taken on a bigger role and has eight points (3 G, 8 A) with 21 shots on goal in his past eight games. Blake has landed a spot on Carolina’s top line, skating with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, a real chance for Blake to finish the season strong.

#12 After missing much of the season, Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner has long been a productive player, contributing enough to have fantasy appeal even without elite scoring numbers. He had missed more than half of this season while recovering from shoulder surgery, but since returning to action, he has contributed 18 points (6 G, 12 A) with 47 shots on goal in 18 games. He also has 33 hits and 13 blocked shots, providing the peripheral statistical value that goes above and beyond point production.

#13 The story of this season for the Chicago Blackhawks is naturally one of disappointment, as they have 52 points in 75 games, putting them in 31st place. But there have been some silver linings, most notably the breakthrough season for veteran forward Ryan Donato. In his past 30 games, Donato has piled up 35 points (16 G, 19 A). For a player with a previous career high of 31 points, Donato has taken his game to a new level and some of that can be attributed to receiving extra ice time on a team that is lacking skilled forwards, but Donato’s 59-point season (so far) should change expectations for him moving forward.

#14 Veteran Philadelphia Flyers centre Ryan Poehling has established himself as a capable checking centre, but one with relatively low offensive output. He scored a career-high 28 points last season and after missing some time with injuries this year, it did not look like he would surpass that, but suddenly Poehling has 10 points (7 G, 3 A) in his past 10 games, which has lifted him to 25 points (11 G, 14 A) in 62 games. He does not have a significant power-play role but is getting more than 15 minutes of ice time per game now, so he may find his way to a new career high in points.

#15 With J.T. Miller traded and Elias Pettersson injured, the Vancouver Canucks have turned to Pius Suter as their No. 1 centre and even if that seems above and beyond his profile, Suter has stepped into that responsibility. In his past eight games, Suter has averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time per game, producing 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 16 shots on goal. He has set career highs with 22 goals and 42 points, which shows that he can be a useful source of complementary offense.

#16 Another player making the most of his opportunities in what is otherwise a disappointing season for his team is Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie, who has 10 points (5 G, 5 A) while averaging more than 19 minutes of ice time per game in his past eight games. He is playing on the Bruins’ top line, with Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak, as well as getting first unit power play time and has set career highs with 27 goals and 46 points.

#17 As a late-season addition, there might be value in Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Dante Fabbro. He does not have a significant power-play role but is paired with Zach Werenski on the Blue Jackets’ top pair. In his past four games, Fabbro has contributed seven points (2 G, 5 A) with eight shots on goal while playing more than 20 minutes per game. With 23 points (7 G, 16 A), Fabbro is one point away from matching his career high, set in 2021-2022 when he was with Nashville. The move to Columbus this season does seem to have rejuvenated his career.

#18 Every season, there is an influx of players coming out of college hockey and while they obviously provide great hope for the future, some might have an immediate impact down the stretch and into the playoffs. For example, Ryan Leonard has joined the Washington Capitals after accruing 49 points (30 G, 19 A) in 37 games for Boston College. He is starting on the Capitals’ second line with Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas and has averaged 15 minutes of ice time per game in his first two NHL contests. Some others to keep an eye on: Gabriel Perreault with the New York Rangers, Jimmy Snuggerud with the St. Louis Blues, and Oliver Moore of the Chicago Blackhawks.

#19 The Pittsburgh Penguins have recently called up Rutger McGroarty from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL, where he had 39 points (14 G, 25 A) in 60 games. The best part for McGroarty is that he has been slotted in at left wing alongside Sidney Crosby on Pittsburgh’s top line, so it’s hard to ask for a better situation as a 21-year-old winger trying to establish that he can play in a top six role in the NHL. In his first two games since rejoining the Penguins, McGroarty has picked up a couple of points with six shots on goal and six hits all while playing more than 17 minutes per game.

#20 Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord is coming off a 24-save shutout against Vancouver earlier this week, but he has hit a rough patch since the 4 Nations Face-Off. Prior to Wednesdays’ shutout against the Canucks, Daccord had started 13 games since the break, winning five while managing a save percentage of .882, which does not compare too favourably to the .915 save percentage that he had in his first 38 starts of the season. From the files of too little, too late: Philipp Grubauer does have a .925 save percentage for the Kraken in four starts since getting recalled from the AHL.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Perfetti, Mittelstadt and Tippett stepping up – Vasilveskiy returns + plus much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 17:03:03 +0000

CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 19: Casey Mittelstadt #37 of the Buffalo Sabres brings the puck up ice during the second period against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on November 19, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help make decisions when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, Cole Perfetti, Casey Mittelstadt, and Owen Tippett are among the forwards elevating their play, Andrei Vasilevskiy nears his return, and a couple of Masons are offering up solid production.

#1 As a rookie last season, Winnipeg Jets winger Cole Perfetti contributed 30 points (8 G, 22 A) in 51 games, before he was sidelined by an upper-body injury. His 0.59 points per game ranked third among rookies and that appears to be the launching pad because he has continued his career ascent in his second season. He has 13 points (5 G, 8 A) and 29 shots on goal in his past 13 games. He is skating with Nikolaj Ehlers and Vladislav Namestnikov on the second line, but Perfetti is also in a reliable role on Winnipeg’s top power play unit.

#2 With Tage Thompson out, the Buffalo Sabres need others to step up offensively, and Casey Mittelstadt is an interesting option. He has 13 points (2 G, 11 A) in his past 15 games and played a career high 23:21 in Buffalo’s overtime loss at Washington on Wednesday. Mittelstadt is working with Buffalo’s promising young wingers, with sophomore J.J. Peterka and rookie Zach Benson on his flanks.

#3 Last season was a breakout campaign for Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett, as he put up 49 points (27 G, 22 A) in 77 games, finally realizing his potential as a shot generating goal scorer. In his past six games, Tippett has put up eight points (5 G, 3 A) with 19 shots on goal. He is on the top power play but has an interesting line combination in Philadelphia, with Cam Atkinson on the right side and Ryan Poehling at centre. Poehling, who has been a fourth line centre for most of his NHL career, is taking advantage of this opportunity and suddenly has five points (2 G, 3 A) in the past four games.

#4 The Tampa Bay Lightning have stated that goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is on the brink of a return from back surgery. He is ahead of the initial timeline of 10 weeks that was announced in late September, but Tampa Bay has managed to tread water with Jonas Johansson as the starting netminder. Johansson recorded back-to-back shutouts in late October, and it looked like he was somehow more effective than anyone could have anticipated, posting a .925 save percentage in seven starts. As his sample size increased, however, it became more apparent that Johansson was not up to handling a starter’s role. In 10 starts since those shutouts, he has a .871 save percentage, so the Lightning will surely be happy to get Vasilevskiy back between the pipes. At the same time, since he is recovering from back surgery, the Lightning might not be able to lean on Vasilevskiy as much as they have in previous seasons. Since the 2019-2020 season, Vasilevskiy has started 217 games. Only Connor Hellebuyck (245) and Jacob Markstrom (220) started more games in that time.

#5 Seattle Kraken right winger Oliver Bjorkstrand had a respectable first season in Seattle in 2022-2023, but his 45 points in 81 games (0.56 points per game) was a dip in per-game production compared to his previous three seasons in Columbus. It appears that the pendulum is swinging back in Bjorkstrand’s favour as he has tallied 18 points (7 G, 11 A) in his past 17 games. On a Kraken team that depends on depth, Bjorkstrand is a valuable complementary scorer, so valuable that he is now leading the Kraken with 19 points in 21 games.

#6 After signing as a free agent in Dallas, left winger Mason Marchment struggled last season, finishing with 31 points (12 G, 19 a) in 68 games. He didn’t exactly burst out of the gate this season, either, with zero points in his first five games, but he has found his range since then, contributing 10 points (4 G, 6 A) and 27 shots on goal in 13 games. There are some limits to Marchment’s offensive upside, in part because he does not have a role on the power play, but he is making the most of his even-strength minutes on a line with veteran scorers Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin.

#7 A third-line winger does not typically provide a lot of fantasy value, though in deep leagues that mileage may vary. Winnipeg’s Mason Appleton has been thriving on a line with Nino Niederreiter and Adam Lowry and it is resulting in more offence than Appleton has typically provided in his career. In his past 13 games, Appleton has 11 points (5 G, 6 A) and 25 shots on goal. He is also playing 17 minutes per game over that stretch, which is a step up from previous seasons – he played a career-high 16:01 per game last season.

#8 Although he has bounced around a lot in recent seasons, New York Rangers defenceman Erik Gustafsson seems to have found a nice fit on Broadway. Known primarily as a power play quarterback and puck moving defenceman, Gustafsson has excellent possession numbers (53.8 CF%) to go with 12 points (3 G, 9 A) in 17 games. This is not altogether unusual for him – he had 42 points in 70 games with Washington and Toronto last season – but Gustafsson seems to have what the Rangers need in a depth defenceman. While many teams seek out bangers to handle third pair minutes, Gustafsson is decidedly not that kind of player, and that could contribute to why he has moved around so much, but he has been very effective with the Blueshirts.

#9 Acquired from the Los Angeles Kings as part of the three-way deal sending Ivan Provorov to Columbus, Sean Walker has maximized the opportunity presented to him in Philadelphia. Walker tore his ACL in 2021-2022, playing just six games, and when he returned last season, he was stuck in a part-time role with the Kings. Moving to Philadelphia, however, has opened the door for Walker to handle much more responsibility. He is averaging more than 21 minutes of ice time per game, and has six points (1 G, 5 A) with 14 shots on goal in his past five games.

#10 There are some tough times in Chicago right now. Rookie Connor Bedard is living up to lofty expectations, scoring 16 points (10 G, 6 A) in 17 games, but his veteran supporting cast has been decimated. Taylor Hall is out for the season with a torn ACL, Andreas Athanasiou is on the injured list, and Corey Perry was scratched for vague “organizational reasons”. Lukas Reichel and Philipp Kurashev are the latest to get a look on Bedard’s wings and Kurashev is an intriguing option, as the 24-year-old forward has put up 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in 11 games this season.

#11 Gustav Nyquist is riding a six-game point streak for Nashville, scoring eight points (1 G, 7 A) in the process. He is in an excellent place to produce, skating on the top line, with Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg, as well as holding down a spot on Nashville’s top power play unit. He is a skilled offensive player who succeeds in a supporting role. In a small sample with Minnesota late last season and into the playoffs, he had 10 points (1 G, 9 A) in nine games. Given the opportunity to play with quality talent in Nashville, 34-year-old Nyquist is showing that he still has the playmaking chops.

#12 Predicting goaltending performance is a challenge at the best of times, but 38-year-old New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick is making a mockery of the idea that past performance or aging curves have a place in the game. Over the previous five seasons, Quick had a .897 save percentage in 197 games. He had established that he was a below-average goaltender most of the time. In seven games for the Rangers this year, he has a .940 save percentage and a 5-0-1 record. It’s hard to gain a ton of value from a goaltender that is very clearly the backup on his team, and it’s risky enough to take a shot on a 38-year-old riding a hot streak, but in desperate times, it might be worth considering Quick, no matter how unlikely that might have seemed at the start of the season.

#13 A slow start puts the Calgary Flames’ season in peril, but it looks like Nazem Kadri is doing his part to help the Flames climb out of their early season hole. Kadri had zero goals and one assist through eight games to open the season, but has 11 points (3 G, 8 A) with 33 shots on goal in 11 games since. He is currently on a line with Dillon Dube and rookie Martin Pospisil, which is not exactly a surefire path to success, but it should be noted that Pospisil has five points (3 G, 2 A) and 26 shots on goal in his first nine NHL games.

#14 Seattle Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen is another player who started slowly but has turned things around. He had zero goals and two assists through eight games but has been scoring at a point-per-game clip since, registering 13 points (5 G, 8 A) with 34 shots on goal in the past 13 games. He seems to have found a good place, skating on the left wing with Yanni Gourde and Bjorkstrand.

#15 Tampa Bay Lightning right winger Nikita Kucherov is obviously one of the premier offensive players in the game, but the 30-year-old playmaker has added a new dimension to his game – he is shooting and scoring a lot more. In November, Kucherov has recorded 51 shots on goal in 10 games, scoring seven times. His 13 goals in 19 games this season is the highest per-game (0.68) goal scoring rate of his career.

#16 Looking to buy low on players that are getting the shots but can’t seem to find the net? Matthew Tkachuk, Nathan MacKinnon, Cole Caufield, Adam Fantilli, and Jakub Vrana are all averaging at least three shots on goal per game in November, while scoring on less than six percent of their shots. Obviously Tkachuk and MacKinnon are going to carry a lot of value already, but their goal-scoring slumps could help make their acquisition cost more palatable. Fantilli is interesting because the Blue Jackets have been a mess lately, but he is still generating chances and that should start to materialize into goals as he continues to mature.

#17 There are four defencemen that have recorded at least 20 hits and 20 blocked shots in November: Radko Gudas, Jacob Trouba, Moritz Seider, and Mackenzie Weegar. Tyler Myers has 19 hits and 25 blocked shots, so he just missed the cut off. Gudas has also added four points (2 G, 2 A) in his past six games.

#18 Colorado Avalanche centre Ross Colton has picked up five points (3 G, 2 A) in the past five games. He has limited upside given his role with the Avalanche but has scored 38 goals in the previous two seasons and has six goals in 18 games this season. In deep leagues, that might be enough, at least when he is riding a hot streak.

#19 After seeing Nicklas Backstrom step away from the Washington Capitals, it’s fair to wonder whether T.J. Oshie is going to be able to get back to his previous form. The 36-year-old winger scored Wednesday against Buffalo to snap a nine-game scoreless drought, during which he had just 14 shots on goal. Oshie is still averaging more than 17 minutes of ice time per game, and still has his role on Washington’s top power play unit, so he is getting opportunities, but the production is lagging.

#20 Carolina’s Michael Bunting has zero goals and two assists in his past seven games and has been dropped to the fourth line. He played a season-low in 9:22 in Carolina’s win over Edmonton on Wednesday, and it’s not easy to climb that Hurricanes depth chart, with Teuvo Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov holding down spots on the top two lines and Jordan Martinook excelling in a checking role on the third line. For the time being that might make it prudent for fantasy managers to let Bunting go and circle back around if his situation improves.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 20:36:32 +0000

REVIEW: Philadelphia was a disaster in 2021-22, posting a 25-46-11 record, and not much was expected of them in 2022-23 either. Despite that, the Flyers got off to a strong start, going 5-2-0 through Oct. 27 and 7-3-2 through Nov. 8. Carter Hart was a big part of that initial success, posting a 6-0-2 record, 1.97 GAA and .946 save percentage through his first eight starts. The good times didn’t last though. Philadelphia ranked 23rd in expected goals against (182.51) in 2022-23, and Hart could only elevate the Flyers for so long. By the end of the season, the goaltender had a 2.94 GAA and .907 save percentage in 55 contests. The Flyers also didn’t have much going for it offensively, in no small part because Sean Couturier (back) and Cam Atkinson (neck) missed the entire campaign. Not that the Flyers would have been an elite offensive force even with them, but those key injuries contributed to Philadelphia ranking 29th in goals per game (2.68). The Flyers did have additional stretches where they were more than the sum of their parts, such as a 9-3-0 run from Dec. 29-Jan. 21 and a 5-0-1 stretch from March 17-30, but it was a mostly miserable season resulting in a 31-38-13 record.

What’s Changed? James van Riemsdyk left as a free agent and Tony DeAngelo was bought out but given van Riemsdyk’s former $7 million annual cap hit compared to his 29 points last year and DeAngelo’s horrendous defense, those moves feel like addition through subtraction. What’s more painful in the short-term is the loss of Ivan Provorov, who was traded to Columbus as part of a three-team deal that primarily brought picks and prospects to Philadelphia.

What would success look like? This isn’t a team built to compete yet. In an ideal scenario where Couturier and Atkinson return next season while young forwards Owen Tippett, Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee and Noah Cates make strides in their development then the Flyers’ offense will be…less bad.

What could go wrong? Yeah, even under optimal circumstances, there’s not a lot of hope for this team in 2023-24, and unfortunately things could end up far from the ideal. Most notably, Couturier hasn’t played since Dec. 18, 2021, so who knows if he’ll be available this year or what he’ll be like if he does play. Meanwhile, Hart is coming off an up-and-down campaign, and he’s had a hit-or-miss career. The Flyers have a poor track record with goaltenders, and as much as they want Hart to be the long-term solution in Philadelphia, they might have to go back to the drawing board.

Top Breakout Candidate: The fans in Philadelphia need someone to latch onto and give them hope for the future. Perhaps Tyson Foerster will fill that role. Taken with the 23rd overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, he’s coming off a superb campaign in which he had 48 points in 66 AHL contests along with three goals and seven points in eight games with the Flyers. Foerster will enter training camp in the mix for a middle-six spot, and it’s worth keeping an eye out how he does in that battle.

Forwards

Sean Couturier

Signing an eight-year contract extension before the start of the 2021 season, Sean Couturier hasn’t played a game for the Flyers since December of that year. He started the year on injured reserve after recovering from back surgery and a herniated disc pushed his timeline back even further. He began skating in October, but another setback led to his second back surgery that ultimately ended his season. Perhaps no news is good news as far as his availability goes for this upcoming season. It’s become less about what the Flyers will get out of Couturier when he comes back, but hoping they can get him back playing regularly again. It’s hard to believe he’s only 30-years-old because he was on the same 2011 team that Mike Richards and Chris Pronger were a part of. Playing an important defensive role on the Flyers since his rookie season, the wear-and-tear of the NHL has done a number on Couturier’s body and the hope is that a season of recovery will help him more in the second half of his career. The Couturier they get post-multiple surgeries might not be the same workhorse they’ve relied on for years, but this is something the Flyers should address in their rebuild.

Travis Konecny

John Tortorella is known for going to the extreme with how much he plays his top guys and Travis Konecny ended up being in that group. Playing more minutes per game than he ever had before, Konecny had every opportunity to show that he can be one of the best wingers in the league and while that’s a high bar to clear, he still had his best NHL season to date. Often the Flyers’ best option for offense, Konecny showed that his two previous seasons were a fluke and that he can produce if given the opportunity. He eclipsed his previous season’s goal total before New Year’s and finished at a rate closer to his career average. Enjoying time on both special teams’ units, he was a menace in front of the net and as a shorthanded threat on the Flyers new aggressive penalty kill. His speed is always going to make him a factor and even more on a Flyers team that spent a lot of time in their own zone. It opened the door for him to create more offense off counterattacks and it caught some teams off-guard, as he did have the green light to poach for more offense if he wanted to. Aside from missing 20 games with an injury, this is the season Philadelphia was hoping to get out of Konecny.

Owen Tippett

While Konecny was the Flyer’s best player, Tippett was their most exciting. Noticeable whenever he was on the ice, he finally got a consistent role in the top-six and had that breakout season. It was long awaited, as he could never really find a role with Florida and his ceiling looked like a guy who could provide some pop-gun offense off the rush once every few games. He’s still a shoot-first player, but he also had excellent chemistry with Philly’s more skilled players. Showing some major progress as far as his off puck play and looking for an extra play instead of just aimlessly firing blanks at the net. Benefitted from some of the same situations as Konecny where he scored off counterattacks after surviving defensive zone shifts, which is why the two were placed on different lines after connecting on some goals early. Tippett was one of the better players in the league in terms of turning zone entries into scoring chances. Still not a great finisher on his own despite scoring 27 goals, but makes up for it in volume, leading the Flyers in shots per 60 minutes. One of the few players on the team who shattered his expectations this year.

Morgan Frost

The Flyers had a few young players who were in the “prove it” bucket and Morgan Frost had maybe the highest ceiling of the bunch. A dynamic player in junior and an excellent playmaker, injuries and lack of ice time for him to make his mark so far. His game is more about precision than speed and it can be tough to work that in sometimes, especially on a rebuilding team. He is good at entering the zone through traffic but prefers setting up a cycle or dropping the puck off rather than attacking the net directly. The Flyers struggled to find any spot for him early in the year, playing him lower in the lineup and Frost obviously struggled to produce. Once December rolled around, Frost got more minutes and it became easier to play his game, forming some great chemistry with Owen Tippett. He finished the season on a strong note, but the Flyers are still left wondering what they have in him. He is a good, skilled player but there is always the question of “can we do better?” which is always a gamble with prospects. Right now, Frost proved that he is an NHLer, but more of a complementary piece.

Scott Laughton

Considered the heart and soul of the Flyers, Laughton had a career season in some ways, eclipsing the 40-point mark for the first time and playing the top line center role on some nights. A solid role player for most of his career, he had the trust of the Flyers coaching staff more than almost anybody. Not only was he the only player on the team to wear a letter, he was also used in all situations. He reaped the benefits, getting the opportunity to play with some better players and collecting more points in the process, most notably on special teams. He plays with a high motor, and it made him a great fit on the Flyers aggressive penalty kill, where he tallied seven shorthanded points. Lost minutes as the season went on as the Flyers were auditioning younger players and this season should follow a similar timeline. Depending on Couturier’s health, Laughton is more suited for a third line role, but he is still one of their more reliable options, especially at center, and could continue to play a big role on this rebuilding Flyers squad.

Cam Atkinson

Another player who was expected to miss time and ended up sidelined for the entire season, Atkinson will be an important piece for raising the tide in the Flyers lineup. A consistent scorer almost every year, he plays with a lot of energy and can fill a lot of different roles in the lineup. He’s a shoot-first player that can work with a finesse player like Morgan Frost and can play the tougher minutes with Cates or Couturier if he needs to. The Flyers also have a void of experience in their lineup with veteran James van Riemsdyk departing in free agency. Atkinson taking over his minutes should soften the blow. He was projected to play opening night until a nagging neck issue that eventually led to surgery in December ended his season. You never have to worry about effort with him, it’s just a matter of how effective he can be after not playing a game for a full year.

Joel Farabee

It’s a little surprising that Farabee didn’t miss a single game last season considering he was less than six months removed from disc replacement surgery. The aftereffects of it were noticeable on the ice rather than in his results. He ended the year with a career high in points, but it was also the first time in his career he played a full 82 games. Farabee was also one of Philly’s players they expected to take a step forward, but his play plateaued more than anything. He got consistent minutes in the top-six, although rarely with the same linemates and had bursts of production mixed with prolonged dry spells. The issue is that there’s not really one area of the game he is great at. He’s tenacious on the puck and creates most of his goals through steals and turnovers where he just needs to make a move or two to score. Outside of that, he had a lot of quiet shifts. He only shoots the puck at an average rate and is just an okay playmaker, so scoring is his one upside at the moment. This is where a full off-season where he’s not recovering from surgery might do him good. As one of the Flyers signed long-term, they are hoping he has another level to his game.

Noah Cates

Some fans might have said “who” when they saw Noah Cates on Selke ballots. The rookie surprised even some Flyers fans with how quick he ascended in the lineup, going from a fringe player to centering Travis Konecny’s line by the middle of the year. Known more for his defensive game in college, this is what kept him in the coach’s good graces through the first half of the season. He wasn’t scoring a lot of points or generating much offense, but he wasn’t making a lot of mistakes either. This was also while playing some tough minutes at a new position, as he was primarily a winger in college. He turned a corner in the second half of the year, scoring 24 of his 38 points after January, book-ended by a strong month of March where he had eight points in 13 games. Playing in the top-six will help that, but the promotion was well-earned. The Flyers were in dire straits for a defensive center in the absence of Sean Couturier and Cates gave them some hope that he might be one in the future. He had elite defensive results in terms of preventing scoring chances and shots. It might be tough for him to repeat that next season, but Cates should have the inside track for the 2C job in Philly next year.

Wade Allison

It’s hard to believe that Allison was drafted all the way back in 2016 because last year was technically his first full pro season. Injuries were an issue in college, and he played only 53 games over two seasons both in the AHL and NHL before making the Flyers out of camp this year. He still looked very raw to put it lightly. He was easy to notice during their games because he’s a big winger that plays a straight-line game, usually crashing the net, blocking a shot or laying a hit into somebody. There was a lot to like about him, but not much in the way of results. Allison struggled to produce consistently, and it was tough for him to make his mark otherwise, as he’s not a great passer or someone that can keep a cycle going. He’s mostly there to make the final shot or go to the net. It made his game one-dimensional but the saving grace for him is that he was creating chances, averaging more relative to his ice-time than any other Flyers forward. The downside is that he’s an older prospect and the Flyers will be looking to upgrade if this is as good as it gets with him. His size and tenacious approach to the game makes him an intriguing player to watch going forward, though.

Defense

Rasmus Ristolainen

Along with John Tortorella, his longtime defensive coach Brad Shaw arrived in Philadelphia this year and one of his tasks was rebuilding the game of Rasmus Ristolainen. An analytics punching bag for his entire career, Ristolainen typically had some of the worst on-ice stats in the league in terms of giving up goals and scoring chances against. Fixing this was one of their top priorities, as he is going to be a Flyer for a long time and has the physical tools to be a good defenseman, or at least not one of the worst in the league statistically. The solution was simplifying Ristolainen’s game, having him be less physical and using his reach more than his body to disrupt plays instead of hunting for hits. He still has limitations, especially with the puck, but it is less of a fire drill in the defensive zone when he is on the ice now compared to years past. He was also properly slotted in the lineup for the first time in his career, only playing 19-20 minutes a game instead of regularly leading the team in ice-time. In terms of building for the future, getting Ristolainen’s game pointed in the right direction is a good first step.

Travis Sanheim

A strange trend over the past couple of years has been Travis Sanheim not being on the ice for many even strength goals against despite the Flyers struggles. In the past two seasons, he has been either first or second in on-ice goals against per 60 despite posting some ugly possession numbers during those years. With Provorov traded to Columbus, he is the lone remaining member of the Flyers old defense corps and is in the first year of a long contract extension. The Flyers’ more talented defensemen have always been on the left side, so Sanheim’s had the burden of covering up for some flawed defense partners over the years. He has the most complete skillset to mesh with everyone, so he’s their best option for the job on the second pair. It makes it tough for him to play the puck-moving game he was drafted for, but he adapts well and can eat minutes while keeping things in check at five-on-five. Will show flashes of skill and can be a dynamic threat on offense when he gets to jump into the play. Flyers de facto No. 1 defenseman heading into next year.

Cam York

The 2019 first round pick had to wait his turn, spending the first half of the season in Lehigh Valley before getting the call-up. Wanting to see what he could do; he was immediately put on the Flyers top pair with Ivan Provorov in a sink or swim situation. Playing on his offside, some aspects of the game were tough for him. York didn’t get to show much of his puck-moving skill in the defensive zone because of this, as Provorov handled most of the workload there while York stayed in coverage or provided support on breakouts. From the red line in, things were a little easier. He got to play similar to how he did in college, always looking to jump in or activate from the point and there was some trial and error. Not creating much offense in volume but showing some of the flash that made him a first-round pick. He has excellent edgework and is a great passer who can thread the needle through coverage. The Flyers tried to optimize this skillset while protecting him in the defensive zone and it worked to a point. This year, the training wheels will be coming off with Provorov gone and the Flyers having in their top-four. York showed he can be a useful player in controlled situations, now it’s about thriving in all situations.

Sean Walker

One of two players coming back to the Flyers in the Ivan Provorov deal, Sean Walker is hoping a change of scenery can help extend his NHL career. Part of the Kings previous prospect core, he proved that he belonged in the NHL, but became redundant with the rest of LA’s defense corps. Losing an entire season to a knee injury did him no favors, but the Kings had a lot of players of a similar ilk; a mobile defenseman who fits into that 5/6 mold rather than a true top-four. His skating will be a welcome addition to the Flyers blue line, as he can get up into the play and give the team’s rush offense a different look. The downside is he isn’t that dynamic when joining the rush, making safe plays and doing more to maintain possession rather than breaking the game open. There’s a place for that in the lineup, especially on a Flyers team looking for NHL depth. Sometimes all you need from your third pair is a guy who can make a breakout pass consistently and Walker can certainly fill that role.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – NHL Player Profiles

Jesse Marshall – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 21:12:57 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 10: Pittsburgh Penguins Left Wing Jake Guentzel (59) skates during the third period of the NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 10, 2022 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby opted for surgery in September of 2021 in order to address a nagging wrist injury that had been bothering him over the course of several years. He did not make his season debut until October 30^th and went into the Covid-19 protocol immediately after, delaying his full return until mid-November. Having to play a bit of catchup with timing and conditioning post-surgery, Crosby scored just four goals through his first 18 games and was off to a bit of a slower start than usual. What followed was a tear of 27 goals in 53 games and a 1.35 points per game pace to end the season. Crosby has never finished a year below a point-per-game average, and it does not look like that’s going to change anytime soon. With the return of some of his familiar counterparts and a clean bill of health to his name, Crosby looks to get back to usual ways of \manipulating the pace of the game to create passing lanes that enable him to use his otherworldly vision and puck distribution abilities to his advantage. His connection with Jake Guentzel continues to evolve into a dynamic offensive partnership that enhances the work of both players regardless of the third wheel. While his game has evolved over time, Crosby is as lethal with the puck on his stuck as he has ever been. Head coach Mike Sullivan will continue to lean on the Crosby unit for his most difficult matchups and he aims to continue to be the main distributor of the top power-play unit. Crosby’s work in the boards and net front area with his low center of gravity and puck control abilities remain hallmarks of his game, while his backhand shot and pass from his flat blade continue to be as lethal as ever.

Jake Guentzel

It was a season of shaking narratives for Jake Guentzel. He showed he can perform without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the lineup, registering 10 points in 12 games to carry the Penguins in their absence. He also proved he can still get it done in the playoffs, registering 10 points in seven playoff games after a string of difficult performances in years prior. It was Guentzel’s second time cracking the 40-goal plateau and his first season over a point per game average. An elaborate offensive toolbox is becoming the hallmark of Guentzel’s game. He boasts an underrated shot with a deceptive release, high-quality puck distribution ability and understanding of the game that enabled him to hit a career-high 44 assists last season, and most notably a ghost-like ability to remain unmarked in the offensive zone. Guentzel has become the encyclopedia example of “Hockey IQ” as he exploits the smallest areas of time and space to his advantage. Guentzel’s shot-quality generation rates were 2^nd on the team behind Sidney Crosby. His 1.30 goals per 60 minutes at even-strength lead all Penguins last year. His consistency in finding the scoresheet was remarkable as he registered points in 20 of 21 games through December and January of 2021-22. Guentzel will look to build off this career year and will be granted every opportunity to do so alongside Sidney Crosby on the top line and power-play unit for the Penguins. A dynamic offensive talent, Guentzel’s toolbox seemingly gets deeper year after year. A bit of added muscle and weight was a boost to his game last year and should continue to pay dividends moving forward.

Bryan Rust

Bryan Rust has become one of the most dynamic offensive threats in the Penguins forward group and was rewarded for that in the offseason with a six-year deal worth a total of $30.75 million dollars. Deployed in any manner of situation at even-strength, Rust eclipsed the 20-goal mark for the third consecutive season and his 58 points in the regular season was a career high. A utility-like presence in the top-six, the coaching staff has deployed Rust alongside both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for extended periods of time depending on the perceived need of the respective centers at any given moment. Rust continues to exhibit a high level of competency around carrying the puck into the offensive zone with possession and using that to generate shots and high-quality passing attempts to his teammates. A menace around the net-front area, Rust can be found in all the traditional goal-scoring areas. While he does not boast any one overwhelming skill offensively, his hockey sense combined with his quickness and nose for the net make him a menace in the offensive zone. His shot has developed a quick release with pinpoint accuracy. Rust repeatedly shows the ability to hit the net from awkward and compromised positions and had a high number of deflections from around the mouth of the net last year. Rust will look to establish a bit more in the way of consistency in the coming season. For instance, he registered 21 points in 10 games in January of 2022, but only 3 points in 13 games in April of 2022. His shooting percentage varied wildly over the course of the year, and he suffered some missed time due to injury. Overall, Rust has proven to be a valuable presence anywhere he appears within the top two lines.

Evgeni Malkin

Evgeni Malkin will look to take advantage of a clean bill of health going into this season as he was sidelined until January of 2022 as he recovered from summer knee surgery. He ended the year over a point per game in the regular season and rounded out at a goals-per-60 rate that was 2^nd on the team to Jake Guentzel. While his contract negotiation came down to the wire, Malkin re-signed a four-year, $24.4 million dollar contract extension to round out the return of the Penguins core for additional runs at a Stanley Cup. Malkin’s shot remains a high-powered howitzer and he continues to be a high-level puck distributor with quality puck distribution capabilities to his linemates. Power remains the essence of his game and despite his knee injuries he is still a strong skater with great lateral mobility despite some of his injuries. Malkin’s ability to carry the puck in the zone successfully has taken a hit in recent years and his bullish approach with the puck on his stick may require revisiting at his age. Service time has been another concern for Malkin. He enters this season with his knee surgery behind him and a full summer of a traditional training schedule. Malkin has made it very clear that when he is in the lineup, he is a force to be reckoned with at even-strength and on the power-play. It would not be unreasonable to expect a renaissance-like season from him if he can remain healthy. It is a safe bet to assume he will remain the de-facto quarterback on the Penguins top power-play unit.

Rickard Rakell

Arriving via trade in March of 2022 from the Ducks for Zach Aston-Reese, a 2^nd round draft pick, and goaltending prospect Calle Clang, Rickard Rakell played 19 games for the Penguins in the regular season finishing with 13 points and a variety of roles played throughout the lineup. When all is said and done, the expectation is that Rakell will appear somewhere within the Penguins top-six forward group this season, either alongside Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin. This sets Rakell up to have a year of career-highs in multiple offensive categories. Rakell’s time with Crosby last year proved to be most fruitful. Rakell played a wrecking-ball role in the vein of a Chris Kunitz on the top line, opening space in the tough areas of the ice for Crosby and Jake Guentzel to work their magic offensively. Regardless of what center he appears with; Rakell has shown a willingness to retrieve pucks and take advantage of the open space that can come with playing alongside one of Crosby or Malkin. Rakell also showed a penchant for individual scoring chance creation in his own right, showcasing some high-level stickhandling and puck-carrying capabilities in his time with the Penguins. Fresh off signing a new six-year, $30 million dollar contract, Rakell figures to be a fixture within the top two lines and second power-play unit of the Penguins. It would not be unreasonable to see his goal-scoring ability receive a significant bump this season given the change in his environment. While he may play a puck support and retrieval role, he will have plenty of opportunities to showcase his heavy wrist-shot playing alongside two playmaking centers.

Jason Zucker

Jason Zucker has simply not been able to stay in the Penguins lineup for any considerable period. He missed half of the regular season in 2021-22 and when he was in the lineup it was a story of being unable to convert prime scoring chances. Zucker finds himself in the right place at the right times and boasts some good numbers regarding zone entries and his ability to distribute the puck on the fly but has not been able to maintain any ability to deposit his chances in his time with the Penguins. Zucker is a strong skater with a great ability to angle away time and space and force the opposing breakout into bad decisions. His ability to retrieve pucks and gain the zone have been strong, but he has lacked an ability to effectively distribute the puck in the offensive zone and has struggled to get it into the hands of his teammates. His shot is strong, and his one-timer may be the hallmark of his offensive abilities. More than anything, Zucker needs to stay in the lineup and establish some level of consistency in his performances. His shooting percentage suffered immensely last year, and it is reasonable to expect that will change if he can remain a volume shooter. Zucker will be afforded the opportunity to crack the Penguins top-six forward group again this year this season. Remaining in the lineup will be the biggest focal point for Zucker as he has proven he is an extremely capable player that fits into the Mike Sullivan system despite his lack of availability. The scoring chances will be available to aid an increase to his finishing ability.

Danton Heinen

Danton Heinen is not a household name by any means, but he did a lot with a little ice time last year and controlled the game at even-strength for the Penguins. Heinen’s 57% share over the raw scoring chances while he was on the ice at even-strength put him top five among Penguin forwards in that regard. A volume shooter, Heinen’s approach to play was simple but effective for his first year in Pittsburgh. Heinen put up solid performances through all three zones in his debut year with Pittsburgh. His defensive play was sound, he boasted quality returns in moving the puck up ice and into the offensive zone of attack, and he ended the season on the cusp of the 20-goal mark with 18 total in all situations. Heinen returns to Pittsburgh on a one-year, $1.1 million dollar deal that reportedly saw him take less money in the face of more lucrative offers to remain with the Penguins. Heinen did not find the scoresheet with a lot of consistency last season and went through a few dry patches, but his utility in driving play, controlling most of the scoring chances in the game, and playing sound defensive hockey make up for any lapses he experiences in the scoring department. Heinen is a safe bet to repeat or hurdle last season’s performance given his environment and will continue to be used in a Swiss army knife fashion by Mike Sullivan and the coaching staff. That utility often includes appearances in the top-six forward group where he experiences success alongside Evgeni Malkin in particular.

Kasperi Kapanen

A great summation of Kasperi Kapanen’s dismal 2021-22 campaign is the fact that he scored two more points than he did the prior season in 39 more games. Kapanen took a step back across the board and struggled to find the back of the net with any level of consistency. While he gained the offensive zone with possession on a frequent enough of a basis, these were often fruitless ventures that saw him miss the net on poorly selected shots, bypass opportunities passing opportunities, or simply lose possession of the puck for a turnover. It was not just that Kapanen struggled to score, it is that the peripheral statistics of play-driving and controlling the game at even-strength were also unkind to him. There was a brief reunion between Kapanen and Evgeni Malkin once the latter returned the lineup from knee surgery, but the sparks never flew from a chemistry perspective and Kapanen ended up sliding down the lineup as his goal-scoring droughts grew more and more frequent. The expectation is that Kapanen will play more of a support role outside of the top six forward group this season and that may net him a level of competition and deployment that enables him to control the play more than he did last year. A better grasp of the even-strength game would net him a greater total of scoring opportunities to work his way out of his slump. Kapanen was brought back on a two-year contract at a $3.2 million average per year. He will need to out-pace his performance in 2021-22 in order to make his cap value worth it.

Jeff Carter

Jeff Carter’s initial impact for the Penguins upon arriving via trade from Los Angeles was stout and promising. Carter looked like a player renewed and that momentum carried over into the start of 2021-22. In the absence of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Carter stormed out of the gate as the top line center and general manager Ron Hextall responded with a two-year contract extension worth a total of $6.25 million dollars. Carter’s performance took a precipitous turn downhill from that point forward. Carter spent much of his even-strength ice time hemmed in the defensive zone. There was a struggle to consistently create offense and elongate shift time spent in the offensive zone. While Carter’s skating is not what it once was, it also is not a detriment to his game. He still possesses a tricky shot that is deceptive, hard, and difficult to track. Carter remains a difficult element to manage in front of the net and in the battle areas of the ice. He did not play a major role transitioning the puck out of the defensive zone or into the offensive zone. At his peak, Carter is a strong element on the cycle that can still take advantage of shooting opportunities in a variety of locations of the ice. The issue remains that his ability to control the play at even-strength has diminished in a significant fashion. Carter heads into the 2022-23 season at 38 years old. While he will not need to serve in the elevated role required of him last year due to injury, there’s hope that he can level his performance with mitigated minutes and sensical deployments.

DEFENSE

Kris Letang

It was a renaissance year for Kris Letang on the blueline for the Penguins. He set career highs in assists with 58 and total points with 68. He finished seventh in Norris Trophy voting in his 16^th year in the National Hockey League. Letang managed his highest ice time averages since the 2018-19 season and showcased his high levels of conditioning by playing over 25 minutes per night on average. Letang shot the puck a lot more than usual last year and landed among the top ten defensemen in the league with regards to gross shot volume, seemingly sacrificing power for accuracy in his shots to achieve that result. Despite the difficult nature of his deployments, Letang was able to control shot-attempts and raw scoring chances with a high level of regularity. A priority for management in the offseason, Letang signed a six-year contract worth a total of $36.6 million dollars that will likely round out his career as a member of the Penguins. Expect Letang to continue to be used in high leverage situations with a great deal of confidence from the coaching staff. He orchestrates most of the movement up ice on the breakout of the power-play. Letang’s skating is still the backbone of his game, and it enables him to take risks offensively and provide positive impacts to the teams’ offensive outputs as a result of that mobility and chance-taking. Letang’s defensive work in transition is not what it was once, but he maintains an aggressive gap in one-on-one situations. Letang shows no signs of slowing down and his training regimen has enabled him to play 78 games last season despite his big minutes.

Jeff Petry

Jeff Petry makes his way to Pittsburgh via a trade that sent defenseman Mike Matheson and a fourth-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for Petry and forward Ryan Poehling. The Penguins wanted to get bigger and more physical on the blueline and they accomplish that in Petry without having to sacrifice anything in the way of offense. Landscape wise, it is going to be a much different environment for Petry. He will likely feature in similar role at even-strength, playing a puck carrying role on the second defensive pairing. While he does not produce the same type of elite play-driving offensive results he once did, he is still extremely competent with the puck on his stick and is a boost to the teams’ offensive goals. He will have an opportunity to work steadily alongside Evgeni Malkin’s unit, giving him a high-quality offensive-minded center to work with. A potential partnership between Petry and Marcus Pettersson would give Petry a steady, defensive-minded partner to enable him to focus on offensive outputs and carrying the puck on the breakout. Petry is coming off a year where his goal-scoring and offensive performance took a hit. A new landscape should bring about a return to success offensively. He still has a powerful, accurate shot that he uses with a high level of regularity and will sneak low into the offensive zone to put it to use. Petry is still a strong skater that can defend forwards off the rush with a great deal of success. The Penguins will look for him to use his size to provide a stern presence in the home plate area of the net.

Brian Dumoulin

Brian Dumoulin will be returning to the lineup having suffered an MCL injury in the playoffs. That is a notable mention because Dumoulin has suffered a variety of lower body injuries over the course of the last several years that have seemingly impacted his mobility and ability to keep a strong gap in defensive coverage. Dumoulin’s hallmark, a strong style of skating with great individual defensive coverage in the neutral and defensive zones, has taken a hit over time and attrition has made its mark in his game. For the first time last season, Dumoulin was removed from Kris Letang’s side on the Penguins top defensive pairing. While that may not be a true harbinger of things to come, it is a testament to the theory that something seemed a bit off with the Penguins defensive guru last season. Dumoulin will look to enter the year healthy and shake some of the nagging problems that have bothered him over the course of the last few years. At his best, he is still a wet blanket over the other team’s best offensive forwards. His patient and reliable approach to defense enables his more offensively gifted counterparts to take chances and risks in the offensive zone. Dumoulin is not afraid to use the body, but physicality has never been the backbone of his defensive game. His strong skating and pivot-ability in transition, combined with his long reach and active stick, make him a difficult player to move past for transitioning forwards. Those will be the elements Dumoulin looks to recapture as last year was an inconsistent performance from in him protecting his own blueline.

Marcus Pettersson

Marcus Pettersson is becoming the Penguins even-strength defensive specialist. While his game lacks a lot of flash and offensive utility, Pettersson produces great returns in preventing defensive zone entries from opposing forwards and can competently move the puck into the hands of safety. His strong skating and heads-up approach to the game in the defensive and neutral zones gave him the ability to control the game at even-strength last season. Pettersson controlled over 54 percent of the quality shots taken while he was on the ice at even-strength. His offensive skills have never been the focal point of his game, but he is a competent passer who can handle and distribute the puck adequately enough to find himself in the assist column on a regular basis. Pettersson’s hallmarks are a strong defensive gap that he uses to keep opposing forwards in front of him. He is a strong transition skater and can manage quick changes from offense to defense in a hurry without losing himself in the fray of the game. He has a good shot that is accurate and well-placed albeit used infrequently. Pettersson took on an elevated role in the post-season from an ice time perspective and that may be a harbinger of things to come with Jeff Petry in the fold alongside him. While lacking the pizzaz of some of his counterparts, Pettersson brings a unique and necessary defensive-minded focus to the Penguins defensive core that is more well-known for its ability to join the rush and play offense.

GOALTENDING

Tristan Jarry

Every year, it seems like there’s a tertiary storyline floating around the NHL theorizing that this season will be the final season of Pittsburgh’s Crosby-Malkin window. But while they certainly don’t have Vezina-caliber goaltending at the helm under now-established starter Tristan Jarry, the Surrey, BC native certainly doesn’t get enough credit for what he does for the team.

Jarry has quietly racked up six years in net for the Penguins now, logging his heaviest workload yet this past year and performing perfectly up to expectations in the process. He quieted concerns that he was following the Matt Murray decline timeline by bouncing back soundly from his mediocre 2020-21 season, posting a .919 save percentage and logging quality starts in over 62 percent of his games. The biggest contributor to his return to form was his consistency; while he had been sitting well above average in his quality start percentage the year prior as well, Jarry eliminated the stretches of poor performances by seeming to clean up his ability to get rattled by bad goals. He posted one fewer game with a sub-.850 save percentage than he had recorded the year prior, despite playing in nearly twenty more games – and while a closer look at his overall numbers from the last few seasons reveals that he never fell out of the top half of performers in the league, he shot back into the top ten with the outcomes he posted last year in particular. Now, he’ll get a chance to show that he can repeat that success for the Penguins this year, which could be one of the last years that Casey DeSmith backs him up before the team potentially takes a look at what a younger option like Joel Blomqvist to be his number two.

Projected starts: 55-60

McKeen’s Fantasy Prospects Rankings

Peter Harling — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 18:44:56 +0000

Ranking prospects can be difficult. There are many factors to consider. Adding another layer as impactful as fantasy hockey value can make a big impact on rankings.

As a fantasy GM, it can be difficult to distinguish between NHL value and fantasy value. What a NHL team values and ranks high on their depth chart, may not resonate with your needs as a fantasy GM trying to build a dynasty.

To help you rank prospects for your fantasy league, I have ranked the top 30 forwards, 20 defenders and ten goalies.

For the skaters, I only considered players under 25-years-old and with less the 50 career regular season games played. For goalies, under 25-years-old and less than 25 career games played.

There are many scoring categories in fantasy hockey, but for purposes of this list, I am only considering goals and assists, and keeper dynasty leagues.

Some of the factors that I took into consideration for the rankings include a wide range. Some examples are draft pedigree, age, production at the pro level to date (NHL, AHL, Europe) and opportunity to make the roster. The last one is a big one as I place a lot of value in two factors.

What are the players long term upside, or potential or offensive ceiling?

What is the expected arrival date for the player to break into the NHL?

I have also broken this list of the top 60 prospects up positionally as all fantasy leagues have positional requirements. Depending on your league the positional value may increase or decrease based on scoring.

For goalies, I rank them based on how soon I expect them to arrive in the NHL and score them on win expectations.

ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 10: Anaheim Ducks Left Wing Trevor Zegras (46) in action during a game against the Los Angeles Kings played on March 10, 2021 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire)

Forward Rankings

1. Cole Caufield, RW - Montreal Canadiens

The Hobey Baker Award winner made his debut in the playoffs and is the early favorite for the Calder. He will become a 50-goal scorer.

2. Trevor Zegras, C - Anaheim Ducks

The WJC MVP dominated the AHL and is ready to become the Ducks number one center.

3. Alex Newhook, C - Colorado Avalanche

Turned pro and made his NHL debut including some playoff games. He’s too good for the AHL already and will force his way into a top six role.

4. Marco Rossi, C - Minnesota Wild

A lost season to injury and sickness will be difficult to overcome. But not impossible. Look for Rossi to challenge for the first line center position out of training camp.

5. Philip Tomasino, C - Nashville Predators

Tomasino has dominated at every level he has played, OHL, WJC, AHL. He will make his NHL debut this season and could quickly earn a top six role.

6. Anton Lundell, C - Florida Panthers

Signed his ELC this summer and will be coming to North America after developing his offensive game in the Liiga. Viewd as a two-way player in his draft year he may have been underrated for fantasy purposes.

7. Nick Robertson, LW - Toronto Maple Leafs

Breaking into the Leafs top six is a tall order, but Robertson is a proven goal scorer that has earned the opportunity.

8. Quinton Byfield, C - Los Angeles Kings

Byfield still has a year of OHL eligibility, his playing options are either in the OHL or with the Kings. If the OHL played last year he would have been there but took full advantage of the opportunity in the AHL and looks NHL ready.

9. Morgan Frost, C - Philadelphia Flyers

A gifted offensive producer has done so in the AHL but has yet to translate that to the NHL. This year should be the 22-year-olds breakout season

10. Peyton Krebs, C - Vegas Golden Knights

The Knights are thin down the middle opening the door wide for Krebs to step into the number one pivot role. He may need one more year of seasoning.

11. Matt Boldy, LW - Minnesota Wild

After a solid sophomore season and outstanding WJC, Boldy signed his ELC and produced over a point-per-game in the AHL. The Wild could have multiple Calder candidates.

12. Dylan Cozens, C/RW - Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres may not have a good track record of developing prospects but Cozens already has 41 games of NHL experience and will be a top six player for a long time.

13. Alex Turcotte, C - Los Angeles Kings

A full season of pro hockey in the AHL, but has yet to play a NHL game. The Kings are taking their time in developing Turcotte which will pay off in the long run.

14. Lucas Raymond, LW - Detroit Red Wings

The Wings fourth overall pick is coming to North America but knowing how the Wings like to over ripen players, look for Raymond to spend a full season in the AHL before he is inserted into the first line.

15. Eeli Tolvanen, LW - Nashville Predators

The expectations for Tolvanen have gone up and down, and the Preds have been patient. Now is the time for the sniper to show offensive consistency.

16. Grigori Denisenko, LW - Florida Panthers

Split time between the NHL and AHL in his first season in North America, and may require a little more development in the AHL

17. Connor McMichael, C - Washington Capitals

Benefited from the Pandemic cancelling the OHL, which allowed him to play in the AHL where he showed he was ready for the next level.

18. Alexander Holtz, RW - New Jersey Devils

Goal scoring winger will require more seasoning before he is NHL ready but riding shotgun for either Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier has a lot of upside potential.

19. Cole Perfetti, C - Winnipeg Jets

Saw action in the AHL, WJC and World Championship. Where will he play next year? His options are back to the OHL or make the jump to the NHL. He may be a year or two away, but “Goal” Perfetti will have an impact when he arrives.

20. Barrett Hayton, LW - Arizona Coyotes

Hayton has bounced between the AHL, NHL and even Liiga in the past two years, not to mention some international tournament play as well. Wherever he plays, AHL or NHL next year, it would be good for his development to play on one team and get a big role.

21. Samuel Poulin, LW - Pittsburgh Penguins

Almost made the cut last year but was returned to junior as the QMJHL was open for business. Poulin will turn pro next year, and the Penguins desperately need some youth.

22. Seth Jarvis, C Carolina Hurricanes

Jarvis began the year in the AHL and was doing great. Then the WHL resumed play and he was returned and will likely payout his final season in the WHL before returning to pro full time.

23. Vitali Kravtsov, RW - New York Rangers

Bouncing back-and-forth from Russia to North America is cause for concern, but Kravtsov rebound nicely in the KHL. Expectations are he is an NHL player now but will need to produce to hold that position.

24. Vasili Podkolzin, RW - Vancouver Canucks

Canucks fans are excited for the Russian winger, but this may be a case where his NHL value exceeds his fantasy value.

25. Joe Veleno, C - Detroit Red Wings

The wings are developing Veleno slowly but steadily. The big question is what will his upside be? Is he a good second line center, or a great third line guy?

26. Arthur Kaliyev, LW - Los Angeles Kings

Arguably a boom or bust fantasy player. Kaliyev is a goal scorer, and a very good one. But he needs to score to contribute and make the NHL.

27. Alex Barre-Boulet, C- Tampa Bay Lightning

With the two-time Stanley Cup Champions forced to make some offseason roster moves for salary cap compliance, Barre-Boulet could be the benefactor of a vacated top six position.

28. Ryan Poehling, LW - Montreal Canadiens

After his incredible NHL debut, Poehling has been developing in the AHL and is close to NHL ready. Don’t count on too many more three goal games, but his AHL time is coming to an end.

29. Jack Studnicka, C - Boston Bruins

Studnicka played in 20 regular season games with the Bruins and if the Bruins lose David Krejci in the offseason look for Studnicka to fill the void.

30. Riley Damiani, C - Dallas Stars

Wrapping up the top 30 with a sleeper. Damiani had a monster AHL rookie season with 36 points in as many games and was named the AHL Rookie of The Year. He has some players to leap over to get an NHL roster spot, but Don’t think he can’t do just that.

SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 14: Anaheim Ducks Defenceman Jamie Drysdale (34) skates with the puck during the NHL hockey game between the Anaheim Ducks and the San Jose Sharks on April 14, 2021 at the SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire)

Defense Rankings

Jamie Drysdale - Anaheim Ducks

Made the NHL out of his draft year and is poised to take the reigns as the Ducks top defender. He could be a Calder candidate

2. Evan Bouchard - Edmonton Oilers

Bouchard could be lethal on the power play with McDavid and Draisaitl. Barrie signed until 2024, but the Oilers will be looking to Bouchard to quarterback their powerplay in the future.

3. Bowen Byram - Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche have a deep blueline, but Byram has number one defender upside. Look for Byram and Makar to be 1A and 1B

4. Moritz Seider - Detroit Red Wings

Seider is making GM Steve Yzerman look pretty good for drafting him when he did. There was some surprise the draft floor when his name was called sixth overall.

5. Jake Bean - Columbus Blue Jackets

His 44 NHL games played is almost enough to disqualify him from the list, almost. Now in a new home in Columbus and new opportunity.

6. Scott Perunovich - St. Louis Blues

Perunovich lost the season to injury, but at this time last year I was predicting him to make the Blues to start the season and end it as a top four player and PP quarterback.

7. Rasmus Sandin - Toronto Maple Leafs

With three Leaf defenders making over $5 million, there is only one opening for a top four in Toronto. Sandin is poised to secure that job

8. Nils Lundkvist - New York Rangers

The exile of Anthony DeAngelo opened the door for Lundkvist. After leading the SHL in defense scoring and being named the top defender in the SHL, it is time for him to debut on Broadway.

9. Caled Addison - Minnesota Wild

Addison had a great rookie year in the AHL posting 22 points. Look for the Wild to embrace their youth next year and Addison will be in their mix with Rossi and Boldy.

10. Cam York - Philadelphia Flyers

York has been a dominant player for USA and at the NCAA level with Michigan. He is ready to take his game to the pro level and should dominate for a season in the AHL before making an impact in the NHL.

11. Victor Soderstrom - Arizona Coyotes

Soderstrom played all over the map last year, seeing games in Allsvenksen, the WJC, AHL and making his NHL debut. The departure of OEL opens the door for Soderstrom and Chychrun to inherit the top pairing duties

12. Pierre-Olivier Joseph - Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins will soon need to turn to their young players as the Crosby-Malkin era winds down. Joseph is by far their top prospect in defense

13. Ryan Merkley - San Jose Sharks

The former first overall OHL Draft pick has tremendous fantasy and offensive upside. The concern is he could be more like other recent OHL grads Sean Day due to poor defensive decision making, or Tony DeAngelo with off ice problems. A boom-or-bust prospect.

14. Thomas Harley - Dallas Stars

The Ryan Suter signing will block Harley out of the top four for now, but he will play his way into it in a year or two.

15. Conor Timmins - Arizona Coyotes

After losing a development season in 2018-19 to injury, he was surpassed on the Av’s depth chart by Cale Makar and Bowen Byram. A fresh start on a rebuilding team with less roster blockers increases his fantasy value tremendously.

16. Jake Sanderson - Ottawa Senators

One of the biggest 2020 draft risers, Sanderson fantasy stock has cooled off during his freshman season in the NCAA where he scored two goals and 15 points in 22 games at the University of North Dakota. It was a solid freshman season, but his sophomore year should be more impressive.

17. Ville Heinola - Winnipeg Jets

Heinola has spent the past two years bouncing between the NHL, the AHL, the WJC and Liiga. Odds are he is a full time Jet this year competing for top four minutes

18. Alex Alexeyev - Washington Capitals

The big Russian defenseman has spent the past five years in North America (minus 55 KHL games due to COVID). He may have one more year of AHL development ahead of him, but like the Penguins, the Caps will be looking to some of the kids to make an impact soon.

19. Braden Schneider - New York Rangers

It was a great season for Schneider producing over a point-per-game in his final junior campaign, he was impressive for Canada at the WJC and made the Men’s World Championship Team Canada as well. A full AHL season is likely next before he breaks the Rangers roster.

20. Wyatt Kalynuk - Chicago Blackhawks

Seth Jones will get all the minutes he can handle as the Hawks top defender, but don’t sleep on Kalynuk who posted nine points in 21 games with the Hawks last year, and another ten in only eight AHL games. He’s a player.

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 16: Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman (1) stares down a shot during a game between the Boston Bruins and the New York Islanders on April 16, 2021 at TD garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Goalie Rankings

1. Spencer Knight - Florida Panthers

After a dominant NCAA sophomore season highlighted with a Team USA WJC Gold Medal, and a Hobey Baker nomination, Knight made his NHL debut and was getting playoff starts over Bobrovsky. It’s simply a matter of time (immediately or next season) before he is an NHL All-Star

2. Yaroslav Askarov - Nashville Predators

Pump the brakes if you think the Pekka Rinne retirement means Askarov instantly becomes a NHL starting goalie. He needs more development time for that, but it will happen soon enough.

3. Cayden Primeau - Montreal Canadiens

One could argue that a large part of why Montreal chose to expose Carey Price and his contract in the expansion draft is because they know what they have coming down the pipe with Cayden Primeau. That is the next franchise goalie.

4. Justus Annunen - Colorado Avalanche

With both Darcy Kuemper and Pavel Francouz in the final years of their contracts, Annunen could inherit the crease to a Stanley Cup contending team if he has a strong full season in the AHL. His resume to-date suggests this is highly probable.

5. Jeremy Swayman - Boston Bruins

Swayman fantasy hockey stock is soaring after his sparkling NHL debut posting a 7-3-0 record with a 1.5 GAA and .945 SV%. The fact that the future of Tuukka Rask is in limbo doesn’t hurt either.

6. Pyotr Kochetkov - Carolina Hurricanes

The Canes crease had a complete makeover this summer with the additions of Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta on two-year contracts. This buys the 22-year-old Kochetkov some extra development time before he becomes the team’s starting goalie.

7. Lukas Dostal - Anaheim Ducks

The 2020 Liiga Best Goalie Award winner was too dominant in the Liiga and when the AHL resumed, he was brought over to North America. He quickly became the Gulls top goalie. The 21-year-old should get a full season of development in the AHL with John Gibson as the Ducks starting goalie, for now.

8. Daniil Tarasov - Columbus Blue Jackets

The 6-5 Russian goalie has posted impressive stats in the Liiga and the KHL before making his AHL debut last season. His 4-2 record in the AHL was a good indication that he can play in North America as well.

9. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen - Buffalo Sabres

At the time this was written, the Buffalo goalies under contract are Craig Anderson and Aaron Dell. One can only assume they will add a legit starting goalie, or they are chasing the Shane Wright lottery. Either way, don’t expect to see much of UPL in the crease this season as he would be best served playing top minutes in the AHL

10. Joel Hofer - St. Louis Blues

The Blues have invested for a long time with Binnington in the crease. This gives Hofer all the time he needs to develop in the AHL.

AHL: Eastern Conference Team by Team Update

Shaiyena Cote — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 12:33:34 +0000

LAVAL, QC - FEBRUARY 05: Laval Rocket center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (45) waits for a faceoff during the Utica Comets versus the Laval Rocket game on February 05, 2020, at Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

After the All-Star Break and past the halfway point in the 2019-20 season, all 16 teams in the AHL’s Eastern Conference have begun the race for a playoff spot. Out of 16 teams only half will make the cut, four in the North division and four in the Atlantic division. Every team has prospects and each team has one who has made an impact thus far. Here is a run down on those particular prospects’ from the AHL East.

NORTH DIVISION

Belleville Senators (Ottawa)

Despite the Ottawa Senators occupying the basement in the NHL’s Atlantic Division, their AHL feeder team Belleville are off to a strong second half of the season. Belleville currently sits atop the North Division. They also lead the way in rookie talent with two in the top five for rookie scoring and two top prospects in the top five for scoring across the entire league. Ottawa has an underrated prospect system and the Baby Sens have really stepped up this season as a hard act to follow for any other teams welcoming rookie talent.

Currently Belleville’s top five point leaders all fall under the age of 22 with many of them on a teeter totter of call ups and demotions from the big club. Rookie Josh Norris leads the way in the prospect pool, not by points but with his overall playing ability. Norris has made a tremendous transition from NCAA to the AHL with both his puck skills and passing ability enabling him to stand out. His two way play has developed tremendously over the first half of the season which has helped him to adapt to the pro level and will enable him to make the necessary adjustments to playing with Ottawa.

Binghamton Devils (New Jersey)

A struggling yet young club, Binghamton has had a shaky start to the second half of the season. With frequent roster moves both the parent club in New Jersey and Binghamton themselves, the AHL club has been feeling the pressure considering both clubs sit at the bottom in their standings. Binghamton has yet to find their groove in special team play and their offensive attack struggles in terms of getting the puck deep.

With New Jersey loaning forwards Jesper Boqvist and Joey Anderson back to Binghamton things may improve on the offensive end with a boost from the likes of these two. However things looking up for prospect Nathan Bastian who continues to steadily improve his play as a right winger on the farm. His full potential is still untapped and with his size and skill his future looks bright as long as he keeps exploring his creativity while driving to the net.

Cleveland Monsters (Columbus)

The Monsters are not seeming so scary this season with more losses than wins, and they will need a drastic turn around if they even want to consider a playoff run. Cleveland has simply been having a difficult time formulating plays and getting the puck deep. After losing several key forwards to trades and call ups to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Cleveland has been struggling ever since.

There is one bright spot however, in their youngest player, Trey Fix-Wolansky, who may also be one of the smallest players in the league. Despite his size, Fix-Wolansky was a force to be reckoned with last season as a point leader in the WHL and now brings his high intensity drive and skill to the AHL in his rookie season.

Laval Rocket (Montreal)

Montreal’s prospect system seems to be rolling out high-end, offensive prospects such as Ryan Poehling as well as composed, hard hitting defenseman such as the likes of Cale Fleury. Although not the prettiest of teams to watch, the Rocket de Laval have proven able to get the job done efficiently enough in even strength play. Laval could do with improving their power play as shots do not come easily for them, as they have much circulation of the puck but not enough quality shots, if any. Poehling moving up and down to Montreal frequently is showing that the Habs consider him worthy of getting the first shot at any forward call ups.

On the contrary, 2018 third overall pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been struggling to find a place in Montreal’s improved lineup and has been having an equally hard time adjusting to the minors, with average even strength ice time and special team play limited to the power play only. Currently tied for fourth place in the North division, Laval will have to work on better capitalizing on the man advantage if they want the last playoff spot.

Rochester Americans (Buffalo)

With the accumulated experience that Rochester has on their roster it comes as little surprise to find them in second place in the North. The Americans have few players that still fall into the prospect category which could be either good or bad for their big club in Buffalo. The good thing for now is that due to the leadership on Rochester, the Amerks have a strong team structure which is evident on the ice in special team situations. They do well at killing penalties and have the lowest goals against in the North division, coupled with the fact that they have two rookie goaltenders sharing the position between the pipes.

With Buffalo Sabres’ goaltender Linus Ullmark injured and Jonas Johansson up, more pressure has been placed on rookie goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to start. Luukkonen fills the net with his size and does well at staying composed. Having played at a professional level already in the Finnish Liiga, he has adjusted well to the shot quality and remains calm. Although there is still much for Luukkonen to learn, he appears to have what it takes for a promising future ahead of him as a starting goaltender.

Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay)

Despite being off to a moderately good start the Tamp Bay affiliate Syracuse Crunch sit at a disappointing 6th spot in the standings compared to their top ranking last season. To say that goaltending has been a little lackluster is an understatement with the most goals against in the entire AHL East. It is safe to say that the Crunch will have to find a way to improve their defensive performance.

The Crunch have a good balance of defensive and offensive prospect talent, which with a big sister club such as the Lightning, will prove to be crucial in the coming years should Tampa Bay want to keep up their league dominance. An underrated story comes from prospect Alex Barré-Boulet, having already picked up 44 points through the first half of the season and an AHL All-Star nod, he has proven himself as a top forward and a skilled, fast skating playmaker.

Toronto Marlies (Toronto)

With many developments in the Maple Leafs’ system and player movement across all levels including their ECHL affiliate, from the Newfoundland Growlers to the AHL Marlies to the Maple Leafs, it’s easy to see that Toronto takes full advantage of their prospect system. Due to these changes (both the NHL and AHL teams changed coaches in-season) however, it has been hard for the Marlies to keep their lineup cohesive and their lines working alongside their mid-season shift in bench staff.

With prospect Timothy Liljegren bouncing back and forth between the Leafs and the Marlies, it’s safe to say that his days in the AHL are numbered for good as well as his time as a top prospect. Instead look to Yegor Korshkov to take the lead prospect role. Although still new to the North American game, Korshkov has quickly learned how to get to the net. He uses his size well, plays an even 200 foot game and is capable of putting the puck in the net. With tight cap space he may be just what the Maple Leafs are looking for in a young forward.

Utica Comets (Vancouver)

The Utica Comets, AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, soared to the top spot early on with a strong start on the back of what seemed like an unstoppable winning streak, however things slowed as the other teams caught up and a race for first spot transpired. The Comets now sit in third in the North division and with an energetic lineup it is no surprise that even after slowing down before the holidays they are still expected to make playoffs.

They generate a lot of chances from the outside and breakout efficiently. These breakouts are often led by defensive prospect Olli Juolevi who has come back from injury better than ever. Juolevi, who was labelled as a dud before the start of the season, now has quite the comeback story to follow and a point to prove to all his doubters. His passing ability, along with his overall skill, prove deadly and he reads the play well. He has the maturity to move up to Vancouver should he stay healthy.

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NY Islanders)

To say that Bridgeport has had a shaky year is an understatement. With a barely 110 goals for, the New York Islanders’ affiliate are in last place in the entire AHL in offense. An embarrassing statistic that can only be matched with poor special team execution and inexperience from a younger squad. With ‘01 Simon Holmstrom and ‘00 Oliver Walhstrom up front, the Sound Tigers have a few of the youngest forwards in the AHL East in their lineup.

With movement up and down from Wahlstrom and former Sound Tiger Kieffer Bellows looking to make a more permanent jump to the Isles, there is room to shine light on Otto Koivula, who is making the most out of a low scoring team. Koivula has a lot of potential if he can find a way to produce in the same fashion as he did last season. It is rare to find a 6-4” forward who moves the way Koivula does and with hands to match. His hockey IQ is high and he plays a physically mature enough game to manage with the Islanders at some point. The remainder of the season for Bridgeport however, has to be better on all fronts.

Charlotte Checkers (Carolina)

The defending Calder Cup champion Charlotte Checkers started off slowly but that did not phase the Checkers in the least. With one of the top ranking power plays in the league it is easy to see that once Charlotte clicked as a team they were quickly on the move from there. Moving a solid four spots in a month going into the December break, the Checkers went from a comfortable 8th spot into 4th following a spate of victories.

The Carolina Hurricanes are known for their Finnish players and their affiliate are no exception to that rule with prospects Janne Kuokkanen and Eetu Luostarinen leading the way. Kuokkanen, in particular, has had a standout first half with a team leading 39 points. He is dynamic, quick and plays with a determination that makes him hard to shake. He is utilized in all situations and plays a good two way game, he has a few small adjustments to make but overall should be a strong consideration for a call up in the near future.

Hartford Wolf Pack (NY Rangers)

Along with the New York Rangers, their AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack have an equally young team, as the Rangers have a blueline that currently averages 24 years of age with three 21-year-olds having already made the jump or working on making a more permanent jump to NHL style play. Hartford was one of the teams in the Eastern conference to get off to a flying start, leading the pack out of the gate until recently when rival Hershey stole the lead from them.

After going back to the KHL in Russia for a 14 game stint, forward Vitali Kravtsov came back with better focus and more commitment than ever, proving that he is deserving of his status as a former top ten pick. A real shining star for Hartford has been defensive prospect and first year rookie Joey Keane, who has been solid and reliable during the first half. He can shoot, skate and collects himself well enough to play a mature game. With his patience and know-how, he plays as though he is a seasoned veteran which is what got him the invite to the 2020 AHL All-Star Showcase. Respect goes to Keane for his quick adaption to the fast pace of the AHL and the way he has stepped up to the plate to play a role in all situations.

Hershey Bears (Washington)

The first place Hershey Bears have been a steady, consistent team over the first half and have adapted well to losing their top forward Mike Sgarbossa early in January. With a less than impressive power play and a mediocre penalty kill it is safe to say that Hershey is simply a tough even strength team. Often finding themselves with a one goal margin separating them from their opponents, it has been a challenging season so far and perhaps requiring more work than might have been necessary, with only 22 regulation wins, and many games being unnecessarily forced into overtime because of poor lead protection.

With a packed Washington Capitals system and inconsistent play from much of the young talent it seems as though there is a distinct separation between veteran production and rookie production in Hershey. Hidden in the shadows of high picks, undrafted defensive prospect Bobby Nardella is shining on the power play, and with almost a point per game record, he is one of the most consistent offensive defensemen for the Bears with shots in every game. Despite his small stature, his composure and ability to read the play easily surpasses those of his cohorts. Nardella has the skill, skating ability and IQ to attempt a shot at the Capitals but his size may still be of concern.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia)

The first half of the season for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms was up and down from a good start to a slippery slope and the Phantoms now sit second from the bottom. Lehigh started strong with prospects Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost dominating at the AHL level but both have since been shipped out to Philadelphia. Lehigh Valley is another team that deals with many transactions throughout the season as Philadelphia does well at utilizing their prospects. Regardless, their defensive play needs work and turnover control is lacking.

With their two top prospects up with the big club, additional responsibilities have been given to players like Maxim Sushko, who in his first professional season carries a +11 rating despite being on a team that has more goals against than goals for. Sushko has learned to use his speed in all situations and has become a good enough two way player to earn a call up to Philadelphia at some point. However, Lehigh cannot only rely on their young forward talent if they expect to grind out enough points to qualify for a wild card playoff spot.

Providence Bruins (Boston)

The Boston Bruins are known for their playoff showings and the star veteran names dotting their roster, however with the outrageously fast pace of their prospects coming up it comes as little surprise that their AHL affiliate in Providence sits in the top four of the Atlantic division. Providence is not the biggest, nor the best puck moving team but they have skaters and energy which combine to make them deadly in even strength play.

With an average age of a hair over 24 years of age, the Baby Bruins are one of the youngest teams in the division. Rookie forward Jack Studnicka leads the entire league for short-handed goals with six. Studnicka can fly, with hands to match, and the only aspects of his game still needing some development are timing and awareness. At times he tries to do too much but after a season under his belt at the professional level he will be trusted to play more than just penalty kill. Capable of winning puck races, his physical play will need to be a bit better when he makes the jump to Boston so he can win puck battles and not just races.

Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida)

The Springfield Thunderbirds have been on unstable ground for a few weeks now, as in early December they had successfully made up ground and briefly managed to reach third spot in the Division but with mediocre special team play and sloppy zone entries, they have been spending more time in their own zone than they would like. With solid offensive lines, the problem seems to be on the defensive end, as breakouts are getting intercepted with too much frequency and pucks are being turned over with regularity. It is not for a lack of talent, and in fact Springfield has more than enough of that to produce but they need to work on bettering all forms of execution.

For 2017 first round pick Owen Tippett, the adjustment to the professional ranks has gone well. The winger currently leads the Thunderbirds in points with 40 and sits third in rookie scoring and 15th across the entire league for points. Should the Florida Panthers call him up however, it will be a the blow for Springfield which so heavily relies on his skills and playmaking ability. With size, patience, good hockey sense and the right amount of confidence paired with a top level shot, Tippett is ready to move up to the NHL, and it is only a matter of time before he makes the move.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh)

With the Pittsburgh Penguins struggling on and off with injuries, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL have been forced to adapt along with the loss of players on the parent club. W-B/S is currently tied with Providence for fourth spot in the Atlantic despite having been in first place at the start of the season. With few prospect eligible players in the lineup, the Baby Pens lean on their many seasoned players for support and know how.

W-B/S keeps turnovers low in the neutral zone and their breakouts are good. On the other hand, their play in the offensive end is simply average. At times it even appears as though they are not putting forth maximum effort when attacking which is perhaps why Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is known as a defensive team. Rookie defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph adds skill to the team’s defensive play, as he is a good skater with composure, and he has been playing it safe rather than getting into more of the offensive action so far this season. In the QMJHL, Joseph was known as a shooter and a strong passer, and he will have to show more of what had him drafted in the first round if he wants a chance at a call up. Confidence will come for the rookie pro, but his work ethic will need to intensify heading into the back half of the season.

Montreal Canadiens 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 12:04:55 +0000

In Marc Bergevin’s first year as the General Manager of the Canadiens, he was taking over an organization in disarray and in desperate need of a refresh. They were less than two months away from a draft that was expected to pivotal in the club’s future, what with having the third overall pick.

Given only six weeks or so to prepare, institutional knowledge would be pivotal and that first Bergevin draft class skewed conservative. That top pick was used on a mercurial talent by the name of Alexander Galchenyuk, who has since had a tumultuous career, but is still young and talented as he moves to his third NHL team this year in Pittsburgh. Of the other six picks made by the Habs, only fifth rounder Charles Hudon has played in the NHL. He has had his moments, but has yet to really establish himself in any significant way.

It was in his third draft that a Bergevin trait first emerged. That is, the Habs, perhaps more than any other team, are willing to draft players from far off the beaten path. By “the beaten path”, I refer to the CHL leagues, the USHL/USNTDP, the NCAA and leagues in Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Some would argue for the inclusion of Switzerland and the Czech Republic among beaten path sources of amateur talent, but Montreal hasn’t drafted a single player from those hockey federations since Bergevin took the helm, so I will stay on the fence about that.

Of course, Bergevin and the Canadiens do draft from the beaten path sources plenty. In fact, their first picks since 2014 have come from (sequentially): WHL, WHL, OHL, NCAA, Finland, and USNTDP. But he has also been sure to appease his notoriously hard working scouts who search far and wide for talent.

In 2014, out of six picks, Montreal selected a player from the AJHL in the fifth round, and the OJHL in the seventh round. The former looks like a ECHLer at best, but the latter, Jake Evans, just missed the top ten below. In 2015, with only five picks, Montreal stayed pretty traditional, with four players from the CHL leagues, and one from Sweden. The top two picks are both listed below and the latter three picks are no longer Montreal property.

Bergevin dipped back into the scouting wilds in 2016 , drafting Casey Staum from Hill-Murray high school in Minnesota. Staum spent the past three years in the USHL, failing to live up to his high school hype and the Habs’ rights to him expired. After an orthodox 2017 draft haul, Bergevin went off the deep in 2018. With 11 picks, Montreal used two middle rounders on high schoolers, including Jordan Harris (listed below) from New Hampshire, and Jack Gorniak from Wisconsin. They also drafted Brett Stapley from the BCHL with their last pick.

That was only a prelude to their most recent draft class, featuring four deep cuts. The high schoolers are already a bit old hat, but both prepsters are listed below anyway. It was the other two picks that really proved Montreal’s commitment to leave no stone unturned. In the fifth round, they selected goalie Frederik Dichow from the Danish second tier league. Players are rarely drafted out of Denmark, but it happens. The kicker came with Montreal’s last pick. Hulking defenseman Kieran Ruscheinski was drafted out of the Alberta Midget Hockey League, a AAA league that had never had a player drafted directly from its ranks before. I have no idea how Ruscheinski will develop (next stop, the BCHL), but I applaud the Canadiens for their efforts.

-Ryan Wagman

Montreal Canadiens center Ryan Poehling (25) (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

1 Cole Caufield, RW (15^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) The comparison to Alex DeBrincat is obvious, but also pretty apt. Like the aforementioned, Caufield is mite-sized and has put the puck in the net at every stage of his development, including an awe-inspiring 72 times in 64 games for the USNTDP last year. He may be small, but he is built solid, with his leg strength serving as a springboard for the rest of his game. He can score from anywhere in the offensive zone and on a wide variety of shot types. He skates well, too, getting to a nice top speed and enabling him to sneak up on defenses. He has exceptionally soft hands for receiving passes and making them work and he reads opponents like my father reads the obits: figuring out at a glance if he has somewhere to go. Not every short goalscorer will be the next DeBrincat. Caufield might be better. - RW

2 Nick Suzuki, C (13^th overall, 2017 [Vegas]. Last Year: 2 [Vegas]) Suzuki went out on top in his final year of junior eligibility, helping the Guelph Storm capture an OHL championship. He is a crafty playmaker who can really keep the puck on a string in the offensive end. He is not the biggest, but he can put defenders on his back as he cuts to the net and with his processing speed, he rarely forces plays or commits turnovers. His shot is another underrated component to his game, which helps to keep defenders honest and makes him a multi-faceted offensive weapon. He is likely to see some action with Montreal at some point this coming year but may still need a year of development in the AHL first. The big question is whether Suzuki sticks down the middle as a pro or shifts to the wing. That will likely depend on how much further he can improve his skating and whether his intensity level without the puck increases. He is a potential building block for Montreal in the very near future. - BO

3 Ryan Poehling, C (25^th overall, 2019. Last Year: 2) There are two sides to Poehling’s game. The first side is seen most frequently; he is a high IQ, two-way center. This Poehling makes all of the little plays that lead to possession dominance. He gets the puck out of danger without fuss. He wins faceoffs. He kills penalties. He wins puck battles. Once in a while, he flashes slick stickhandling to help generate a scoring chance, but more of his points come from plays that won’t make the evening sports recap. The other Poehling comes out when the spotlight shines brightest. Witness his eight-point performance at the WJC last year, which included a performance for the ages against Sweden. Or look at his NHL debut in the final game of the year against Toronto. He only scored a hat trick before pitting the shootout winner. Which Poehling will Montreal get. Probably the former, but that still makes for a great middle six center. - RW

4 Jesse Ylönen, RW (35^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 5) Ylönen is an agile and fast skater with terrific acceleration. He has great quickness in his first three strides and generates speed through quick crossovers. A finesse player, he has quick hands, impressive stick skills, and a wide range of dekes in his repertoire. He can be deceptive, creative, and unpredictable with the puck. Ylönen is a precision shooter with an accurate, quick wrist shot and a goal-scorers blade. He has added lower-body strength and improved his board play since his draft year. He still must become more committed and tenacious defensively, as well as improve his defensive zone coverage, but the ceiling is high here and he could end up being a high-scoring winger in the NHL. - MB

5 Cayden Primeau, G (199^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 9) Prior to reaching Northeastern, Primeau was a big, talented, but terribly inconsistent netminder in the USHL. In two years with the Huskies, his save percentage was above .930 and he won the Mike Richter Award of the top collegiate goalie as a sophomore last year. A smart netminder who anticipates at a high level, he is comfortable playing above the paint and has a mature sense of positioning in the crease, helping him to limit rebounds and second chances. His legs are very strong, giving him great post-to-post coverage, while also being able to close the five-hole in a snap. A workhorse at the lower level, Keith Primeau’s son is going to be groomed for an NHL role behind Carey Price. He has the tools to be an NHL starter, but that upside is as much about opportunity and timing as skill. - RW

6 Alexander Romanov, D (38^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 17) Born to a hockey family, Romanov is a rock-solid defenseman with exciting two-way abilities who was awarded Best Defenseman honors at the last WJC despite being an underaged participant. He spent the whole season with Gagarin Cup champions CSKA Moscow, and even scored his first KHL goal. He is an adept defensive player, but he needs to be less passive offensively and be less scared of erring with the puck. He doesn’t have the strongest shot, but he has good instincts and can pass the puck well. At this point, he is a blue-chip prospect for the Habs, but he needs to bulk up and be more involved in the offensive part of his game. Romanov has top-pairing potential, but as with many other Russian prospects, he will need a bit more seasoning before crossing the Atlantic to join his NHL organization. - ASR

7 Josh Brook, D (56^thoverall, 2017. Last Year: 11) Brook had one of the more productive seasons for a blueliner in recent memory. He more than doubled his point production with an impressive 16 goals and 59 assists in just 59 games while playing top pairing minutes against many of the top lines in the WHL. He has a very nice offensive tool kit with a good hard slap shot, excellent passing skill and vision, and a collection of feigns and dekes that enable him to open up defenses from his position. He can take the puck down low and drive the net, and skates well enough that he is dangerous when joining the rush. He is an intelligent player who manages the puck well, particularly under pressure at the offensive blue line, where he makes smart reads on pinching and play along the wall. There has been enough development in his offensive game to think he can be an effective power play quarterback while also playing effective top four minutes in the NHL. - VG

8 Noah Juulsen, D (26^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 7) For a smooth skating defenseman who can shoot from just about anywhere on the ice, Juulsen has not had the same amount of success in the pro ranks as he had during his major junior days with Everett in the WHL. He has struggled to adjust to making the right plays at the professional level and often tries to do too much when he is without the puck, which makes him easy prey as he sometimes bites too quickly. He is not the most mobile defender and his actions seem even more stiff and mechanical when he begins to think too much. He will have to work on trusting himself with and without the puck and working on his timing a bit more. Juulsen has the skill to be a bottom four defenseman in the NHL but right now his game will just need to mature a bit more before returning back to the Canadiens. - SC

9 Otto Leskinen, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed May 7, 2019. Last Year: IE) Leskinen put together an excellent season with KalPa in the Liiga and even got to represent the Finnish national team over the course of the season. A mobile defenseman, he skates well both backwards and laterally. He is light on his skates and there is little wasted motion in his stride. Leskinen has the abilities to be an impactful player offensively. He can make a crisp first pass or carry the puck up into the zone. He has a hard slap shot and a wrister with a very quick release. He is a purposeful shooter and can pick his spots well from the point. His main remaining issues are his overall defensive game and a lack of physical presence and toughness. However, he is a skilled, modern defenseman whose style of play suits today's NHL well. - MB

10 Mattias Norlinder, D (64^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Norlinder’s chances of becoming a regular NHL defenseman are good, in fact very good for a third-round pick. He isn’t elite with the puck but makes nice plays. He reads the game well and has shown himself able to adapt to higher levels rather easily. His biggest tool is exceptionally strong skating. He skates fast and with ease. He can carry the puck quickly out of danger and create offensive attacks for his team. He came up late in Allsvenskan and impressed highly. He chose to stay in Allsvenskan for the full season this year, which could be a smart move. He will receive big minutes on one the best teams in the league and has a good shot to make Sweden’s WJC team. Norlinder’s potential stretches to that of a third or second pair NHL defenseman. - JH

11 Jake Evans, C (207^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 4) Evans is an elite level passer who can make crisp on-the-tape passes in the most difficult of situations. He is a really solid player and has a good jump to his stride and energy to his game. In his professional debut after completing a full four years at Notre Dame, he managed a good season, tallying 45 points in 67 games. The way he sees the ice is unique and a player of his caliber will certainly go far and could be considered a contender for a top nine spot in Montreal’s organization in the future. Evans has the full package, and he just needs to muster up more grit and stay consistent with his play and he will be set to dawn a Canadiens jersey soon. Getting more shots off would also help him to better prove his usefulness in offensive situations instead of always resorting to passing. - SC

12 Joni Ikonen, C/RW (58^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 10) Ikonen is a skilled and tenacious forward who can play both center and the wing. He can be a dual threat in the final third but is more of a shooter than a playmaker. He will take puck to the net and can score flashy goals. He has fantastic puck handling skills, offensive instincts, and can take advantage of any extra space and room that is given to him. He plays an intense and energetic game, hunts pucks and competes in every shift. On the downside, he is on the smaller side and has occasional troubles against bigger and stronger opponents, especially along the boards. Considering everything, Ikonen is an intriguing prospect with the skills and the will to be a difference maker in North America. - MB

13 Gianni Fairbrother, D (77^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Last season was a comeback season for Fairbrother, as he battled his way back from a separated shoulder to have an impressive season with Everett. He is a solid two-way defender who logs a lot of minutes and plays in all situations. He skates really well, has a good shot, and moves the puck nicely. Aside from that, he has decent size, plays with an edge, and has a strong physical presence. He has been brought up in a strong, structured defensive system, and that is a real prominent element in his game. He plays a safe and steady game and seems to do all of the little things right. He projects to be a mid-range defender with the potential to move up. - KO

14 Jayden Struble, D (46^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) The first prepster drafted in 2019, Struble saw his stock rise drastically after a dominating performance at the Draft Combine. He brings a magnificent mix of two-way smarts and a booming shot from the blueline to the Montreal system. Taken out of St. Sebastian’s High School in Massachusetts, the left-hander displayed an exceptional all-around package in his senior year, noted by his insane vision and explosive playmaking skills. He is also as smart defensively as he is on offense, exhibiting tight gaps in zone entries and incredible timing and anticipation in one-on-one defense. He is a solid skater, and he could stand to use his muscular and stocky build more against the boards. As he transitions to NCAA hockey with Northeastern, he will begin to prune out his skilled but still very raw game. - TD

15 Cale Fleury, D (87^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 8) Fleury is solid defenseman whose offence takes much of the spotlight from his defensive play. He can shoot and pass with ease and has made a good transition to the positional play needed at the professional level, always seeming to be in good shooting position. Speed is lacking in his game as is his ability to adapt to changing pace, and often times he can be one of the last ones back due to his lack of awareness which can lead to odd man rushes. When pressured, he can make rushed passes to relieve himself of the puck- many of which he misses on. He will need to work on making better passes instead of throwing the puck away even if that means taking a hit to do so. Fleury has the offensive skill and shot to be a bottom four defenseman with Montreal, but he will have to cover his ice better and work on maintaining focus throughout the whole game. - SC

16 Jordan Harris, D (71^st overall, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) Currently considered a top candidate to play for Team USA at the 2020 WJC, Harris is a fast skating, understated puck moving defenseman who spent the last season helping to keep the crease clear for Cayden Primeau. His defensive game is very advanced despite last year being his first playing high level hockey, having come to campus directly from a New Hampshire prep school. He shows flashes of offensive ability, but it has been rare enough to lead to questions about his upside. Those who like him think he will take over a bigger offensive role this year, after Jeremy Davies turned pro (Nashville). Those who are more bearish see a third pairing defender at best who might be hard pressed to establish himself in the NHL at his peak. This season will be telling. - RW

17 Jacob Olofsson, C (56^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 6) Olofsson took a step in his overall speed last season, but that was about all he improved. He played top six minutes in SHL but wasn’t able to impose himself on the game. He is a good puck transporter all the way up to the offensive blue line but he doesn’t seem to have the tools to create good things after the entry. He often loses control of the puck and doesn’t use his size to protect it. He is physically soft in a way that it hinders his overall game. At the WJC last year he was used as a winger and it became even more obvious that he had a hard time winning puck duels. Olofsson’s foundation as a player is good, but he will need to take big steps in many aspects to remain an interesting NHL prospect. He will play on a better SHL team this season and hopefully that will help him take the next step. - JH

18 Allan McShane, C (97^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 12) McShane is actually a very similar player to Suzuki. He excels as a playmaker down low because of how well he sees the ice and because his hands can create space for himself. He anticipates play in the offensive zone without the puck very well, again, pointing to his top-notch hockey sense. On the downside, the physical tools are rather limited at the moment. His skating will need to continue to improve and he still needs to be more aggressive playing through the middle of the ice and attacking traffic. He does not likely have the toolbox to be a bottom six player, so he will need to be a top six player in the NHL in order to carve out a career. - BO

19 Cam Hillis, C (66^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 13) Hillis is coming off of a tough season that saw him battle through injuries and miss Guelph’s lengthy playoff run. Even so, the Guelph Storm have already named him Captain for the 2019-20 season, which speaks volumes about his character. Like McShane, Hillis lacks top physical tools, such as high-end skating ability, size, and athleticism. Then again, he plays the game with his heart on his sleeve and excels as a playmaker because of his tenacity on and off the puck. As he gets stronger, his offensive production should jump greatly. With improvements to his skating, Hillis could develop into a quality third line center for Montreal, although not in the near future. - BO

20 Rhett Pitlick, LW (131^st overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) An undersized scoring winger, Pitlick is another example of the Canadiens opting to draft skilled long-shot players over their safer, lower-ceiling counterparts in recent seasons. He comes from a family rich in NHL talent and is primed to continue the tradition. An absolutely dominant skater, he is capable of blowing past defenders by merely gliding on his edges, while his acceleration does not lag at all, as his short legs generate a lot of quick power and stride speed. Though he can be outmuscled, he will never be outworked, as his determination is matched only by his scintillating puck skill and elusiveness. His only game-breaking flaw is his riskiness with the puck, but an imminent jump to the NCAA level with the University of Minnesota will help immensely and assist him in approaching his middle-six playmaking forward potential. - TD

MCKEEN’S 2019-20 YEARBOOK: Top 25 Rookies

Ryan Wagman — Sun, 08 Sep 2019 19:01:27 +0000

Projected Top 25 NHL rookies for the 2019-20 season. The top ten are ranked and the final 15 are listed alphabetically.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) (Photo by Russell Lansford/Icon Sportswire)

Cale Makar, D, Col

As a freshman, Makar was very good for UMass and excellent for Team Canada at the WJC, making the tournament All Star team. As a sophomore, he more than doubled his offensive output, winning the Hobey Baker Award on his way to taking the Minutemen to their first ever Frozen Four. He joined Colorado for the postseason and played a key role in getting the Avalanche to the second round. He could be on the first pairing by Canadian Thanksgiving.

Quinn Hughes, D, Van

Like Makar, Hughes got his toenails wet in the NHL at the conclusion of an excellent sophomore season in the NCAA, in his case with Michigan. He may be more protected this year in the NHL but will have every opportunity to play big offensive minutes and quarterback the Vancouver power play.

Kaapo Kakko, RW, NYR

In the big picture, we prefer the player ranked next, but Kakko is readier right now to impact the Rangers’ fortunes. He has already excelled against men in the Liiga and in the World Championships, scoring six times on the way to a Gold Medal in the latter. He will be competing with Vitali Kravtsov for a top six job right away.

Jack Hughes, C, NJ

One of the most offensively dynamic players ever to play for the USNTDP, Hughes also played in the World Championships, but in a more muted role than Kakko. Older brother Quinn is more likely to play a critical NHL role this year, with Jack slated for third line duties in New Jersey, but Jack is also a superstar in the making.

Sam Steel, C, Ana

We thought Steel would earn an NHL job last year, but Anaheim let him spend most of his first season as a pro in the AHL, where he excelled in both the regular season and the playoffs. He also held his own in limited NHL duty, with 11 points in 22 games. The Ducks are ready to turn to the youth now, and Steel is first in line.

Joel Farabee, LW, Phi

There is a tangible risk that Farabee spends the season, or the bulk of it, in the AHL, but there is also the greater likelihood that his high-end hockey sense, well-rounded skill set and non-stop motor convince the Flyers’ brass that he makes them a better team right now and that playing in the NHL even before he has reached full physical maturity will not harm him long term.

Erik Brannstrom, D, Ott

A WJC All Star for the Silver Medal winning Sweden side, Brannstrom also excelled as a teenaged blueliner with Chicago in the AHL, before being shipped to Ottawa as the prime return in the Mark Stone trade. He will have experienced competition to make the NHL roster out of camp, but the Senators have only one blueliner (Chabot) who is clearly better right now.

Martin Necas, C/RW, Car

Like Brannstrom above, Necas excelled in the AHL as a teenager both before and after a strong WJC performance for his homeland. The winger was also a rock in the AHL playoffs and was one of Charlotte’s leading performers in their run to a Calder Cup. Necas has a good shot to play top six minutes for the Hurricanes from day one and has the tools to stick in the role.

Elvis Merzlikins, G, Clb

Twice named the Goalie of the Year (Jacques Plante Trophy) in Switzerland, Elvis is finally coming to Columbus. His primary competition for the Blue Jackets’ starting job is Joonas Korpisalo, so there is a good chance he finishes much higher in the Calder voting once the season is over. He has more professional experience than anyone here and the tools to succeed are in his pocket as well.

Adam Fox, D, NYR

Traded twice in the last year, Fox steadily was a top offensive blueliner in the college ranks. Drafted by Calgary before moving to Carolina in the Dougie Hamilton trade, he was traded to the Rangers for two early-ish picks. His quarterbacking skills are NHL ready, but he has to prove that the rest of his game will hold up. There is a third pairing spot with his name on it.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (86) (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

The Next 15 Candidates are Listed Alphabetically

Drake Batherson, C/RW, Ott

After impressing mightily as a rookie pro last year, including a strong 20 game stint in the NHL, former WJC hero Batherson has a good chance to spend the full season with the torn down Senators. Not the most physically gifted, he is a pure play driver with potentially high-end offensive instincts.

Mackenzie Blackwood, G, NJ

After struggling for two seasons as a pro, Blackwood turned the corner in his third go-round, holding his own for a volatile Binghamton squad and then showing well in New Jersey while Corey Schneider was out. Goalies sometimes take longer, but he has shown all of the tools since his days as a workhorse for OHL Barrie. Playing time will again be dependent on Schneider’s health.

Evan Bouchard, D, Edm

Excelling again with the London Knights is not news for Bouchard. A point per game postseason performance for AHL Bakersfield was. His pace may keep him from reaching the ceilings expected from the blueliners ranked in the top 10, but the rest of his game grades out very well and will give him a long NHL career, likely starting this year.

Maxime Comtois, LW, Ana

Comtois was stunning in an early season job in the NHL, before an injury allowed the team to reevaluate what would be best for his future and returned him to the QMJHL where he scored 31 times in 25 games. He has an NHL frame, and should be in line to compete for a bottom six role out of camp, and better equipped to keep it this time.

Thatcher Demko, G, Van

The Canucks have moved slow with Demko, giving him most of three seasons in the AHL as they cycled through numerous guys in the NHL. He may have received a longer look with the Canucks last year were it not for injury. Jacob Markstrom is ahead of him on the NHL depth chart, but that shouldn’t be for too long.

Noah Dobson, D, NYI

Unlike the defensemen listed in the top ten, Dobson has a traditionally big frame. He is also not a pure, new-age blazing fast puck mover. But he is a future defensive lynchpin. After two consecutive Memorial Cup titles with different teams, he is ready for the NHL. His challenge for now is forcing the Islanders’ hands, as there are seven NHL vets in front of him on the depth chart.

Dante Fabbro, D, Nsh

Like Cale Makar, Fabbro moved to the NHL at the conclusion of his collegiate year and the former first rounder had a regular shift in the postseason as well. Fabbro’s game is less exciting than Makar’s, but his all-around skills and hockey sense made it easier for David Poile and company to trade P.K. Subban to New Jersey and clear room on the roster for the talented rookie.

Cody Glass, C, Vgk

The last remaining member of the Vegas Golden Knight’s inaugural first round of drafting, Glass was several levels too good for the WHL last year and jumped with both feet into the AHL at the end of his junior eligibility, helping take the Chicago Wolves to the Calder Cup final. His frame has filled out since the draft and he has enough hockey sense to play in any role.

Carl Grundstrom, LW/RW, LA

After a strong 15 game cameo late in the year with the Kings, after moving over from Toronto as part of the return for Jake Muzzin, Grundstrom is expected to make the NHL roster out of training camp this year. He plays a heavy, but clean, game and will help prolong offensive zone time for LA, even if he is not going to be a primary play driver.

Denis Gurianov, RW/LA, Dal

Former first rounder Gurianov was looking for all intents and purposes like a bust after two middling years in the AHL. He upped everything by two or three notches last year, becoming an offensive force at times, although his NHL time (21 games) was less impressive. He should have another prolonged chance to prove he is ready for the big time.

Taro Hirose, LW, Det

Most of the players on this list were high-end draft picks. Hirose is the only one who was never drafted. Three years as one of the top offensive threats in the NCAA have a way of changing things. Quicker than he is fast, he plays a dynamic offensive-oriented game. The seven points in his first 10 NHL games is unlikely to be sustainable, but his tools are NHL ready.

Victor Olofsson, LW, Buf

After four years of steadily improving play in the SHL, Olofsson fit right in as an AHL rookie, with nearly a point per game with Rochester. His brief stint with Buffalo also left a positive taste in the mouth, putting him in line to fight for a bottom six role this year as long as he demonstrates that he can play inside the dots consistently.

Ryan Poehling, C, Mtl

Poehling was already accomplished as a two-way player when Montreal used a first-round pick on him, but over the last two seasons, his offensive game has taken positive steps as well, suggestive of a higher upside than was once imagined. He won’t score three goals every game as he did in his NHL debut, but he can contribute in a middle six role and his defensive play is strong enough to keep him on the roster even if he doesn’t produce.

Alexandre Texier, C/LW, Clb

A great skater, there was risk involved when Columbus used a second-round pick on the Frenchman, particularly as he was playing in the French league. He has spent the past two seasons playing in the Liiga, and his offensive game flourished last year, culminating with him playing for the Blue Jackets in their postseason run, scoring twice. After so many free agents left the team, the path is clear for him to spend the full season in the NHL.

Eeli Tolvanen, LW/RW, Nsh

Consider this a bet on the tools. After a fantastic teenage season in the KHL, Tolvanen came back to North America and was only OK in a season spent mostly in the AHL. He was not as consistently assertive as he is at his best. There is a pathway to a bottom six role in the NHL to start for the Finnish sniper, but it will not be handed to him. He will have to work.

NCAA Playoffs (Pt.2) – St. Cloud State (top national seed) vs (4) American International College – West Regional, Denver vs (3) Ohio State – West Regional, Notre Dame vs (2) Clarkson – Northeast Regional

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 14:04:24 +0000

As the NCAA rudely does not split the regional tournaments based on geographic point of origin, while Russ and I cover the various conferences according to geography, our previews are based on matchups instead of isolated regional looks. No matter, it should make for a better Frozen Four.

St. Cloud State (top national seed) vs (4) American International College – West Regional

Ryan Poehling (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

Last year, the St Cloud State Huskies entered the NCAA tournament as the top seed in the nation, with the reward of a soft entry into the one-and-done hunt for glory against Air Force, the Atlantic Hockey champions. It was a rout. The Falcons shocked the college hockey world, taking out the Huskies with a 4-1 scoreline, a final punctuated by two late empty netters. So SCSU fans must currently be experiencing a rotten sense of deja-vu as they once again enter the tournament as the top seed in the nation, and for their trouble, get to kick things off against the Atlantic Hockey champs from AIC.

For the underdog Yellow Jackets, 2018-19 was not only the college’s first AH title, but also their first season with a winning record since 193-94, back when they were a DIII school. Swedish junior netminder Zacharias Skog has been a workhorse for AIC, with solid if not stellar numbers (2.75 GAA, .896 SV% in 33 games). The Yellow Jackets spread the offensive attack around, with seven skaters contributing at least 20 points, led by junior Blake Christensen, whose 46 points (sixth nationally) are AIC’s best single season total since entering DI.

As lovely a story as American International have, and as neat a storyline as a repeat first round upset for St. Cloud State would be, who are we kidding? AIC is an offensive team, and their 3.26 goals per game average was ninth nationally. No matter, as the Huskies finished second with 4.08 per match. You want defense? St. Cloud State allowed only 2.18 goals against per game (11^th nationally), while AIC surrendered 2.95 per game (37^th in DI). The Huskies were also significantly better on both special teams units. And of course the top seed in the land played in the NCHC, a traditional powerhouse, while I can’t remember when (if ever) Atlantic Hockey placed more than the obligatory conference tournament winner in the NCAA national tournament.

Kings’ draft pick David Hrenak should play in net, as he typically played in three quarters of his team’s games as a sophomore. The Huskies had ten players put up at least 20 points on the season. Leading scorer Patrick Newell is a natural playmaker with a good first few steps who might have just enough skill to entice an NHL team to give him a contract despite his lack of size. Blueliner Jimmy Schuldt is also expected to receive an NHL offer and has been tied to Montreal already. He doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, but does everything well enough to work in a whole-greater-than-the sum-of-its-parts sort of way. Everyone knows Ryan Poehling, former Montreal first rounder and multiple time member of the American WJC squad. His collegiate numbers don’t pop, but his hands are NHL ready. An X-factor for the Huskies could be freshman Nick Perbix, a former Tampa Bay sixth rounder. The big blueliner uses his frame and long reach well along the board and throughout the defensive zone, while being pleasantly surprising in the offensive end.

Prediction – St. Cloud State erases some demons and wipes the floor with AIC. The Yellow Jackets score twice (once after the game has been effectively decided) to keep some sense of pride.

Denver vs (3) Ohio State – West Regional

While 2017 champs Denver are the two seed, 2018 Frozen Four participant Ohio State likely would have had the honors if they had only made it to the Big 10 Finals, instead of being knocked out in the semis by Penn State. Denver, on the other hand, ended their conference tournament with a nice consolation match, beating Colorado College in the third place match, after being eliminated by Minnesota-Duluth.

This game has the potential to be a very low scoring affair, as both institutions finished the year in the top 14 nationally in goals allowed per game, at 2.08 (Denver) and 2.31 (Ohio State). The Buckeyes were the better offensive team though, outscoring the Pioneers on a per-game average by 0.27 goals per game (3.09-2.82).

If OSU wasn’t dissuaded by his rough Big10 tournament showing, big Tommy Nappier should get the nod in net as his fantastic .934 save percentage far overshadowed crease-mate Sean Romeo’s .902, as the latter’s play seemed to regress this year after a solid junior campaign.

The Buckeyes have a multi-faceted attack, blending big, powerful skaters (Dakota Joshua) with small waterbugs (Mason Jobst, Carson Meyer) and one of the top playmakers in college hockey in Tanner Laczynski to blend it all together. They feature one of the deeper lineups in college hockey, with talented players at all positions. The aforementioned Jobst and Nappier are both free agent candidates.

Moving to Denver, former championship hero Jarid Lukosevicius is joined by the likes of Mathias Emilio Pettersen, Liam Finlay, and Cole Guttman up front, while Ian Mitchell leads the charge from behind. The latter may be ready to turn pro after the tournament, as the former Chicago second rounder has been a consistent producer throughout his two years on campus.

What the Pioneers lack in terms of scoring depth (only five 20 point producers on the roster), they make up for in net, now that former Detroit draftee Filip Larsson is back and healthy after missing the early part of the year to injury. Then again, Denver could turn to Devin Cooley, a lanky sophomore who held down the fort while Larsson and who actually put up better numbers, although the latter point is only marginal. Either could lock down the crease and the difference would be minimal.

Ohio State plays with a full rink press and should have the edge on the shot counter, but volume will not be enough as they will need to generate quality, high-danger scoring chances to beat Denver, no matter which netminder gets the nod. To their credit, they have the playmakers to make it happen.

Prediction – Ohio State wins in a terse, one-goal game.

Notre Dame vs (2) Clarkson – Northeast Regional

But for the vagaries of single elimination hockey, Notre Dame, who made it to the Frozen Four finals last year, would not have made the tournament at all, despite a reasonable full season record, had they not won the Big10 conference tournament, conveniently located in their home rink. Clarkson, on the other hand, ended a good year on a high note, winning the ECAC tournament title in a thrilling overtime finish against Cornell.

For as much as Notre Dame is clearly the higher profile hockey club, the Fighting Irish enter the tournament as a nominal underdog against the higher ranked Golden Knights. While ND is still able to keep the puck out of their own end, thanks largely to star netminder Cale Morris, an athletic goalie who tracks very well and could be convinced to leave campus one year early, their ability to light the lamp at the other end has not recovered from the graduation of Jake Evans after last year. Big winger Joe Wegwerth, long the butt of my criticism in years past, was actually leading the offensive attack in the first third of the season, before his year, and collegiate career, were ended due to a knee injury.

Notre Dame has relied on an offense by committee, and the team’s leading scorer – and two of the top four – have actually come from the blueline. Undersized Bobby Nardella has always had more offensive flair than defensive and has developed into a top collegiate player, even if his pro prospects are more likely to peak in the AHL than the AHL. Blueline mate Andrew Peeke, a Columbus pick, better combines offensive and defensive play as he has a big body, covers in his own end, and has developed his instincts for jumping into the rush rather nicely. The team has some nice forwards such as free agents Dylan Malmquist and Cal Burke, but the forward corps is more notable for Colorado pick Cam Morrison’s failure to take steps forward beyond solid.

German center Nico Sturm is the man for Clarkson and, along with second line pivot Devin Brosseau, are the main scouting draws for the Golden Knights. Both players combine offensive ability with good size, and Sturm in particular has demonstrated two-way reliability in the recent past. Netminder Jake Kielly is also a likely future pro and is coming off his second straight season with a 0.929 save percentage and a GAA in the 1.80-1.90 range. He is a technically strong netminder with plus athleticism. Both teams in this matchup are defensively strong, but Clarkson is fourth nationally with a GAA more than 0.25 goals per game stingier than Notre Dame’s. The Fighting Irish will need to be beneficiaries of more than their fair share of power play opportunities to tilt the odds in their favor, even while acknowledging that the reverse (more PP opportunities for Clarkson) would be fateful as the ND PK is middle of the pack.

Prediction – Clarkson makes it past the first round for the first time in eleven years

Minnesota-Duluth (2^nd seed nationally) vs (4) Bowling Green State – Midwest Regional

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 28: Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs defenseman Scott Perunovich (7) takes a shot during the college hockey game between the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs and the Minnesota State Mavericks on December 28, 2018 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire)

No matter how this matchup ends (you can probably guess), this season is a big success for Bowling Green State, as they had not appeared in the NCAA tournament since 1989-90 and are a long ways removed since their championship team in 1983-84. On the other hand, we have the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, who are in their fifth straight tournament, a stretch which includes last year’s title run and narrowly misses an additional championship, way back in 2010-11. History is clearly on the side of the Bulldogs. The numbers are not as clear.

Bear in mind for a moment that it is difficult to fairly compare team-wide stats across different teams from different conferences. The competition is vastly different. While UMD was regularly squaring off against the likes of St. Cloud State, Denver, North Dakota, Western Michigan, and Colorado College, outside of Minnesota State, Bowling Green got to feed off of the Alaska schools, Alabama-Huntsville, Michigan Tech, Ferris State and other undermanned teams. But the numbers are fun to look at. UMD finished 11^th nationwide, scoring 3.11 goals per game. BGSU finished 8^th at 3.30. On the other side of the ledger, UMD was sixth nationally in goals allowed per game at 2.00, while the Falcons were second only to Minnesota State, surrendering a paltry 1.82 per contest. The two teams split the special teams battle, with Duluth having the more potent power play and Bowling Green the stingier penalty kill.

Minnesota-Duluth is the more prospect laden team and most prospect hounds are familiar with former Dallas first rounder Riley Tufte and former second round blueliners Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg) and Scott Perunovich (St. Louis). Perunovich tied for the team scoring lead with unheralded sophomore center Justin Richards, the latter of whom played a depth role in last year’s title run. Perunovich can be a bit of a one-way defender, but he goes that well (offense, clearly) well. Another fun bulldog to watch for is Minnesota draft pick Nick Swaney, whose tenacious play belies his lean frame. The puck skills also give him a fun factor. Philadelphia pick Noah Cates may have had a greater impact in Team USA at the las WJC than he typically does for UMD, but he grinds and plays with strong pace.

On the other hand, the Bowling Green lineup is relatively anonymous on the national level, but both Max Johnson and Brandon Kruse, the latter a Vegas draft pick, exceeded 40 points this year, and the lack of star power is not an indication of a lack of talent. Defender Alec Rauhauser has a long history of starting the attack from the blueline and his offensive knowhow and extra-large frame could lead to NHL offers, while netminder Ryan Bednard was spectacular as a junior and may be coerced to leave school early to sign with Florida, which drafted towards the end of the 2015 draft. No disrespect to UMD goalie Hunter Shepard, who too the reins on last year’s title run, and was recently named MVP of the Bulldogs charge to the NCHC tournament title, but BGSU might have a slight edge between the pipes.

Prediction: I smell an upset here. There always seems to be one fourth seed which eliminates a regional first seed. There is no reason why it shouldn’t be Bowling Green State knocking off the defending champs from Minnesota-Duluth.

As we do not know which schools will go on from the first round of the NCAA tournament to the regional finals and the Frozen Four after that, we have provided predictions of the first round, so know is the time to double down and see the tournament through to the, at least for one school, glorious finish.

Presented without comment:

West Regional Final: St. Cloud State over Ohio State

Northeast Regional Final: Clarkson over UMass (Amherst)

East Regional Final: Northeastern over Minnesota State (Mankato)

Midwest Regional Final: Quinnipiac over Bowling Green State

Frozen Four Semifinals: St. Cloud State over Clarkson

Frozen Four Semifinals: Northeastern over Quinnipiac

NCAA Championship: NORTHEASTERN over ST. CLOUD STATE