Sergei Kalinin – McKeen's Hockey

NHL Prospect Watch: New Jersey Devils

Ryan Wagman — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 20:36:49 +0000

Readers of this column have been privy to some excellent farm systems and some dull ones. This week we scrape the bottom of the barrel with the New Jersey Devils. Ranked dead last in the offseason by Hockey Prospectus (http://www.hockeyprospectus.com/top-ten-prospects-30-the-new-jersey-devils/), they have done nothing this year to change that, although the upcoming Entry Draft may move things in the right direction. Previous long-term scouting direction David Conte was let go last year and the team immediately drafted two of its better prospects in Pavel Zacha and Mackenzie Blackwood and supplemented those additions with a few free agent signings such as Joseph Blandisi, Sergei Kalinin, Kenny Appleby, and Vojtech Mozik, the first two of whom have already proven his worth in the NHL. The organization’s AHL team in Albany had a fantastic season before bowing out in the seventh game of the second round, but their success was mostly on the backs of veteran hockey pros, the true prospects few and far between on that roster.

Pavel Zacha, C, Sarnia (OHL) (6^th overall, 2015)

While I generally avoid writing about CHL prospects, I will make an exception in Zacha’s case for two reasons. First, the system is pretty lean. There is only so much of interest that can be said about future up-and-down guys. Secondly, I have something to say about him. Zacha is a very good prospect, with a full set of physical tools that would lead some – many – to expect future greatness. He’s a very good skater, while his shot, puck skills and off puck play all grade out as above average. His physical game is exceptional. And yet he produces offense at a rate much lower than would be expected. Essentially, there is something that has prevented the Czech import from putting it all together and dominating to the extent that his natural gifts suggest. In his draft eligible year, he put up 34 points in 37 OHL games, a total which many (including the Devils) brushed off as being due to suspensions, injuries, acclimatization to North America and the WJC. This year, one year older, wiser and more experienced, he produced 64 points in 51 games. Better, but not commensurate with normal expectations for top ten picks at forward in the Draft +1 year. Also, he was once more a relative non-entity for the Czech Republic at the WJC with only a single assist across three games. Zacha ended the season with a short stint with Albany.

In my viewings of the 19 year-old, I have seen a player with clear high end talents, but who plays hockey as if they were all somehow miscalibrated, and out of sync. Every is done at a high pace and with intensity, but lacking precision, with passes just missing his teammates and Zacha fumbling too many of his teammates reciprocal passes. Through his general aptitude and talents, he is always around the play, but all too often makes flawed decisions, leading to too many instances where he ends up chasing a play that he had very recently been in front of. Zacha is still very likely to end up as a solid second line forward – he can play both center and left wing – but until he learns to slow the game down, which will also lead to reduced time spent wallowing in the penalty box, he will not reach the heights envisioned for him on draft day last year.

Brandon Baddock, LW, Edmonton (WHL) (161^st overall, 2014)

Sticking with the CHL for a few more moments, Baddock deserves notice both for his play as well as his contractual status. Drafted in 2014, the big winger has yet to sign an ELC and has only a few more weeks to do so before the Devils will surrender his rights. Never a big scorer, he has produced at a rate only slightly above one point every other game since being drafted by the Devils. Thankfully, Baddock was not drafted for his scoring potential.

He was drafted for his energy game. Baddock is a player who can work the cycle and succeed along the boards. A good skater with decent top speed, he has enough in his wheels to recover and race back to catch a streaking opponent and break up a rush. His physical game, combined with a modicum of skill has been enough to occasionally take over shifts at the WHL level. His skill level is enough to play a simple north-south game. He may be no more than a bottom six energy/grinding player going forward, but there is enough there to be more than worth the Devils’ while to give him an ELC and keep him in the organization – especially considering their paucity of alternatives.

Steve Santini, D, Boston College (NCAA) (42^nd overall, 2013)

Of the five collegians whose player rights are currently owned by the Devils, three spent last season playing at Boston College. Santini spent three seasons at BC before signing his ELC with New Jersey in April, shortly after the Eagles were eliminated in the semifinals of the NCAA Frozen Four. His junior season was his best as a collegian as he stayed healthy and finished the year with a career high 19 points. Santini appeared in one year-end game in the NHL and then went off to represent America at the World Championships in Russia. He is currently (as of this writing – eight games in) the only active player on the American roster without a point).

Clearly, offense is not his bag. Santini will fire in wrist shots from the point. They have decent carry, but will very rarely be enough to evade the netminder and hit twine. He never scored as a member of the USNTDP and potted five goals in three seasons at BC. He can carry the puck through the neutral zone and will occasionally sortie behind the opposing icing line to help support a rush, but he circles back to the blueline as soon as possible. What the Devils have in Santini is a potential shutdown blueliner with minimal ability to impact the game in the opposition’s end. He can be a prominent penalty killer. Santini maintains tight gaps on opposing forwards and finishes his checks every time. With the Devils lacking experience on the blueline outside of Andy Greene, they may be inclined to bring in one or two veterans to supplement Adam Larsson, Damon Severson and Jon Merrill. If so, Santini will be afforded time to develop his game in the AHL. Being patient with prospects is always a benefit to their evolution, but Santini will not need much of it to get to his expected NHL role.

Alexander Kerfoot, RW, Harvard (NCAA) (150^th overall, 2012)

A scoring sensation in the BCHL, Kerfoot went to Harvard and most recently could be found to Jimmy Vesey’s right, where his speed worked to open up the ice for his illustrious linemate. Undersized at 5-10”, 175, Kerfoot has never figured out how to score at the NCAA level, with close to 75% of his collegiate points earned as assists. In fact, he scored only four goals last season alongside the Hobey Baker winning Vesey.

Kerfoot has quick hands and is a thrill to watch him carrying the puck through the neutral zone. He will often shade to his off-wing when carrying and he does tend to end his rushes by dumping the puck in deep more than I would ever recommend, but his speed is hard to teach. The Devils are wise to leave him in Harvard for his senior year (I also doubt Kerfoot would have left the Ivy League school early) to see how he produces without a talent like Vesey beside him. Even if he does not increase his goal scoring, will he be able to maintain the better than point per game he has had for the past two seasons? Further, even though he has put on close to 20 pounds since enrolling, he is still notably weak. His physical game is non-existent and his lack of upper body strength prevents him from getting too much zip on his shots. If he lets himself try to create more often and gains just a bit more strength, he could be a keeper. If not, current Devils GM Ray Shero will feel no responsibility for the player selected while he was still in charge of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Nick Lappin, RW, Brown/Albany (NCAA/AHL) (UFA, signed Mar. 8, 2016)

A well under the radar player when he signed as an undrafted free agent in early March, Lappin was never able to lift the Brown program above the second half of the ECAC standings in his four years with the Bears. The Devils were impressed enough with the Illinois native, who exceeded one point per game twice in his collegiate career, and sent him to the AHL, where he got in 23 games between the regular season and playoffs scoring eight times.

What New Jersey signed in Lappin is a winger with a good shot – both in terms of its strength in a vacuum as well as his willingness and ability to get it off at opportune moments. He knows how to use defenders as a natural screen to shield his intentions. Lappin is a decent skater, with respectable top speed, but not quite enough to be able to blaze by many defenders to the outside. He will come to the fore once his team is in possession in the offensive zone, finding gaps in coverage to collect passes and unleash his wrist shot on a goaltender in flux. He also displays a commendable two-way game, with persistence in puck recovery and good presence in all three zones. He is by no means a sure thing as an NHL’er, but his quick start in the AHL lends credence to the scouts who advocated on his behalf in the organization. He projects as a middle six player who will be usable in all manpower situations down the road. I fully expect him to exceed his father’s total of seven NHL games as soon as the 2016-17 season. A good find for the scouts.

Scott Wedgewood, G, Albany (AHL) (84^th overall, 2010)

As incumbent NHL backup Keith Kincaid struggled last season to a .904 save percentage, looking especially bad when he was forced to take on the bulk of starts in the absence of starter Corey Schneider, there is room in New Jersey to consider handing the reins to a new #2. Wedgewood, in stopping over 93% of shots in the AHL last year, his fourth professional season, is primed to make the New Jersey think twice and thrice before the 2016-17 season kicks off. Wedgewood made his NHL debut and kicked things off with a bang, allowing only one goal in his first two games, which included a shutout of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Wedgewood, in spite of his copious professional experience, is the same age as the aforementioned Lappin. He moves well from post to post, anticipating passes well through a solid tracking game. He is a pure butterfly netminder who stays low in his crease. He will move to the top of the paint when the puck is at the point, but will not challenge the shooter much more than that, not counting breakaway situations, as he prefers to give himself room to slide from side to side in case of a pass. His legs are quick when needing to las out for kick saves as well. The graduate of the now defunct Plymouth Whaler program is not exceptional at any facet of the game, but outside of some mild deficiencies in tracking the puck through screens (perhaps through his position deep in the crease) his game would work well in a backup slot in the NHL. I would support the Devils giving him the support job next season. He is what he is at this point and that is an upgrade on Kincaid, albeit not someone who will ever threaten for the starter’s job – a good thing as the Devils have a pretty good one already. If the Devils don’t go with Wedgewood, he may lose his chance to make an impact in this organization, as they have a few promising goalies on the way up in the aforementioned Appleby and Blackwood.

The Devils have a few more players of interest who spent this past season with Albany, but none who project as more than roster depth. Reese Scarlett and Vojtech Mozik could each spend some time in the NHL in bottom pairing defense roles. Scarlett is more of a puck mover with decent mobility, while Mozik is stronger in his own end, taking out his man and making simple, short passes to begin the transition. Blake Pietila is an energy winger who plays in dirty areas and has a high enough hockey IQ to earn some time on the PK. Ryan Kujawinski is a two-way guy with an above average shot. As mentioned earlier, Albany’s success this season was mostly the result of a veteran, non-prospect lineup. As Shero and his team put their stamps more on the roster, expect the prospect depth to grow and gain in attractiveness.

Top Ten European Players Coming to the NHL in 2015

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 21:09:10 +0000

Last summer I wrote a piece called the Top Ten European Players Coming to the NHL and other than ranking Jiri Sekac to low and Petri Kontiola to high it worked out pretty well. In an attempt to improve on the first installment of this annual piece and help you identify some potential sleeper fantasy hockey players to target in upcoming drafts, here is my top ten list for the 2015-2016 season

1. Artemi Panarin, LW - Chicago Blackhawks

Age 23 5’11, 170 lbs Contract:$812,500Panarin is the clear number one player on this list after having a great season in the KHL and at the World championship where he scored ten points in ten games. He is a sure-fire top six option in Chicago this upcoming season and the trade of Patrick Sharp only cements that tremendous fantasy option. Panarin is only 23 years old and has signed a two year contract with a cap hit of $812,500 according to General Fanager which makes him extremely attractive in keeper leagues with a salary cap.

Projection: 50 points

2. Steve Moses, RW - Nashville Predators

Age 25 5’9” 172 lbs Contract:$1 million

The American born Moses was undrafted into the NHL but at age 25 has plenty of international experience and finished seventh overall in KHL scoring last season while producing two points in seven games for USA at the World Championship. Moses is another small player who has great sped and is a pure sniper. Moses will have his work cut out for himself if he is to earn a top six role with the Predators over proven NHL talent such as James Neal, Craig Smith and Taylor Beck on the right wing. Moses signed a one year one million dollar contract with the Predators and will become a UFA next summer so he represents a gamble as a boom or bust player. If he fails to crack the roster you will have wasted a draft pick, a roster spot and some cap room unless you can send him to waivers. If he produces he could see a significant jump in pay as a UFA next summer.

Projection: 30 points

3. Sergei Plotnikov, LW/RW – Pittsburgh Penguins

Age 25 6’2” 205 lbs Contract: $925,000

Plotnikov plays a very physical game which should help ease his transition to North American hockey, but his skating is a concern. He is not as prolific a scorer as Panarin but should find a home on the Penguins top nine making a career in front of the net and digging pucks out of the corners. His contract is only for one year but he is a RFA after that and at 25 represents a very good fantasy option in keeper leagues. In a league that scores peripheral stats like hits and penalty minutes I would bump him up over Moses.

Projection: 30 points

Re Plotnikov from 30 Thoughts .... I like That stop/start comment is important. pic.twitter.com/gkaoKXjTZK

— Gus Katsaros (@KatsHockey) July 9, 2015

4. Alex Burmistrov, RW Winnipeg Jets

Age 23 6’1” 180 lbs Contract: $1,550,000

Burmistrov was a first round (eighth overall) selection of the team from the Atlanta era. Burmistrov is a highly talented winger, a typical Russian sniper. The knock on him is his lack of any form of a physical element and poor defensive responsibility. In terms of fantasy hockey as long as he is scoring points he has value. The question is will he earn the Coaches confidence enough to see playing time relevant enough to produce?

Projection 30 points

5. Viktor Tikhonov, C Chicago Blackhawks

Age 27 6’2” 189 lbs Contract: $1,040,000

The Grandson of Legendary Russian star of the same namesake, this will be Tikhonovs’ second attempt in the NHL. The former first round pick of the Coyotes from 2008 should fit in on the Hawks third line behind countryman Artem Anisimov. Tikhonov is a versatile forward who is responsible defensively but there is some question to how high his offensive upside is.

Projection: 25 points

6. Sergei Kalinin, C/RW New Jersey Devils

Age 24 6’2” 190 lbs Contract: $925, 000

Kalinin perhaps has less offensive upside than his Russian counterparts ahead of him on this list but the Devils are desperate for some youth up front and despite suffering a scary head injury earlier in the season the Devils signed the Russian forward. He has NHL size and is a versatile player that represents a good depth two-way option for the Devils. His fantasy upside is questionable but he is worthy of a late round gamble for sure.

Projection: 25 points

7. Joonas Kamppainen C Boston Bruins

Age 27 6’2” 209 lbs Contract: $792,500

Kemppainen is already 27 years old and as such a veteran to pro hockey and should be NHL ready to assume a role on the Bruins bottom six as a role player. He has the size and all-around game to succeed in the NHL and has some offensive upside as well as evident in his nine point performance in eight games at the World Championship for Finland. His contract is a one year deal that sees him as a UFA at terms end.

Projection: 20 points

8. Evgeni Medvedev, D Philadelphia Flyers

Age 32 6’3” 187 lbs Contract: $3,000,000

Medvedev will join a very crowded Flyers blue line that consists of six under contract NHL defenders and top prospects such as Ivan Provorov, Samuel Morin, Robert Hagg, Travis Sanheim and Shane Gostisbehere who are all going to challenge for playing time. Medvedev will have no time to adjust to the smaller ice and North American game. He is a tall but slight defender who is very experienced and smooth skating two-way defender with a nice long active stick. Could be an excellent mentor for Provorov.

9. Markus Hannikainen, LW Columbus Blue Jackets

Age 22 6’1” 189 lbs Contract: $717,500

In the short term, Hannikainen projects to play on Lake Erie in the AHL as he adjusts to the smaller ice and North American game. In the long term, he has top six potential in the NHL. At this point, he is an investment in deep keeper leagues and any NHL action he sees this season should be considered a bonus.

Projection: 5 points

10. Andreas Martinsen, C/W Colorado Avalanche

Age 25 6’3” 220 lbs Contract: $742,500

Martinsen is a big physical forward who loves to drop the gloves and crash the net, old time hockey style. He should adjust to the North American style quickly and his skating skills are not a liability as well. While his fantasy value is primarily going to come from hits and penalty minute contributions, his five points in 12 playoff games in Germany offer some hope his skill set can pass at the NHL level. Expect Martinsen to play the majority of his games with San Antonio this season and hope he can fight his way onto the Avalanche roster.

Projection: 1 point

Honorable Mention: Derek Ryan (Carolina Hurricanes) led the SHL in scoring last season with 60 points and was named the league MVP. At 28 years old his potential is limited and he is what he is, a 5’10 170 lbs winger. Vojtech Mozik (New Jersey Devils)has some time to spend in Albany before he will pass several promising young defenders on the Devils defense depth chart, but the potential is there. Eetu Laurikainen (Edmonton Oilers) played junior hockey in the WHL but went undrafted in the NHL. Given the Oilers lack of depth in goal he is worth mentioning, but is a long term project.