Prospect Info: Carolina Hurricanes Pre-Draft Prospect Ranking - Top 15

[NotOpie]

Sparked by a conversation on another thread, I thought it might be a good exercise to rate/rank our prospect pool. In my case I'm going to use some combination of "best chance to get to the NHL", "highest potential impact in the NHL", and "opportunity to get the the NHL the soonest". I'm not going to include guys like PDG or McGinn given that they are already, borderline NHL'ers.

Here's my list as of this second (we all know how changeable things are):

1. Haydn Fleury
2. Aleksi Saarela
3. Valentin Zykov
4. Jake Bean
5. Lucas Wallmark
6. Janne Kuokkanen
7. Julien Gauthier
8. Nicolas Roy
9. Warren Foegele
10. Roland McKeown
11, Callum Booth
12. Trevor Carrick
13. Andrew Poturalski
14. David Cotton
15. Matt Filipe

Honorable Mentions:

A - Spencer Smallman
B - Alex Nedeljkovic
C - Jeremy Helvig

A couple of quick comments....while I think Zykov gets to the show sooner and more consistently than Saarela, I believe that, ultimately, Aleksi has the greater upside. Even though Jake Bean has been inconsistent in international play, what he did on a pretty poor Hitmen team this season after coming back from injury was impressive. Interestingly enough, I'd likely have Kuokkanen ranked a bit higher, but I believe he will miss out on making the big club next season and therefore end up back in Finland for a year....which might be the best thing for him at this juncture.

Click to read more...

 

[geehaad]

I would think that the "sooner" piece of the rating muddies the water without enough value to keep it as a comparative.

 

[NotOpie]

I would think that the "sooner" piece of the rating muddies the water without enough value to keep it as a comparative.

Could be....the list is mostly "fantasy" value type of stuff.

But, I'd still say, today, Fleury is our best prospect. It might be Bean or Gauthier or Kuokkanen in a couple of years, but Fleury is knocking on the door of the show. Same with Wallmark and with his evolution from a distributor to a scorer, he's changed his trajectory too.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

4. Jake Bean
11. Callum Booth
12. Trevor Carrick
14. David Cotton
1. Haydn Fleury
15. Matt Filipe
9. Warren Foegele
7. Julien Gauthier
6. Janne Kuokkanen
10. Roland McKeown
13. Andrew Poturalski
8. Nicolas Roy
2. Aleksi Saarela
5. Lucas Wallmark
3. Valentin Zykov

 

[MinJaBen]

4. Jake Bean
11. Callum Booth
12. Trevor Carrick
14. David Cotton
1. Haydn Fleury
15. Matt Filipe
9. Warren Foegele
7. Julien Gauthier
6. Janne Kuokkanen
10. Roland McKeown
13. Andrew Poturalski
8. Nicolas Roy
2. Aleksi Saarela
5. Lucas Wallmark
3. Valentin Zykov

I think I would have Filipe ahead of Fleury, but that is just my opinion.

 

[NotOpie]

4. Jake Bean
11. Callum Booth
12. Trevor Carrick
14. David Cotton
1. Haydn Fleury
15. Matt Filipe
9. Warren Foegele
7. Julien Gauthier
6. Janne Kuokkanen
10. Roland McKeown
13. Andrew Poturalski
8. Nicolas Roy
2. Aleksi Saarela
5. Lucas Wallmark
3. Valentin Zykov

I see what you did there...

 

[geehaad]

4. Jake Bean
11. Callum Booth
12. Trevor Carrick
14. David Cotton
1. Haydn Fleury
15. Matt Filipe
9. Warren Foegele
7. Julien Gauthier
6. Janne Kuokkanen
10. Roland McKeown
13. Andrew Poturalski
8. Nicolas Roy
2. Aleksi Saarela
5. Lucas Wallmark
3. Valentin Zykov

Jake Bean at the top of the list. Typical "shiny new toy" ranking.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Off the top of my head, skaters only.

Stevens
Elynuik
Roy
Lorentz
Gauthier
Fleury
Carrick
Cotton
Foegele
Filipe
Bean
McKeown
Zykov
Kuokkanen
Wallmark
Saarela
Tolchinsky

Not sure I captured all the key prospects so I may be coming up short as I get near the bottom of the list.

Goalies I'd go:

Helvig
Booth
Altshuller
Lafontaine
Ned

 

[DaveG]

1 - Haydn Fleury
2 - Jake Bean
3 - Julien Gauthier
4 - Aleksi Saarela
5 - Nic Roy
6 - Janne Kuokkanen
7 - Valentin Zykov
8 - Lucas Wallmark
9 - Roland McKeown
10 - Callum Booth
11 - Warren Foegele
12 - David Cotton
13 - Matt Filipe
14 - Alex Nedeljkovic
15 - Andrew Poturalski

hm: Jack LaFontaine, Hudson Elynuik

 

[NotOpie]

1 - Haydn Fleury
2 - Jake Bean
3 - Julien Gauthier
4 - Aleksi Saarela
5 - Nic Roy
6 - Janne Kuokkanen
7 - Valentin Zykov
8 - Lucas Wallmark
9 - Roland McKeown
10 - Callum Booth
11 - Warren Foegele
12 - David Cotton
13 - Matt Filipe
14 - Alex Nedeljkovic
15 - Andrew Poturalski

hm: Jack LaFontaine, Hudson Elynuik

I do like Jack LaFontaine a lot. It will be interesting to see what happens in Michigan. I think the three-headed monster that was their goaltending situation this past season is no more.

 

[DaveG]

Yeah, that was two freshmen and a senior, so that's no more. The other Freshman was an undrafted 21yo as well so Jack will probably start getting more starts as the season progresses next year.

I haven't followed UM's recruiting but it doesn't sound like they're bringing another high-end G in this year.

 

[Unsustainable]

Forwards:
1: Saarela
2: Roy
3: Goat
4: Zykov
5: Kuokkanen

D:
1: Fluery
2: Bean
3: McKeown

Goal:
1: Booth
2: Needsaspellacheck

 

[NotOpie]

Despite some things that I heard Aho's daddy said about Kuokkanen returning to Finland this Fall, it appears now that Janne has signed his ELC, he can play wherever he wants. So I'm guessing that means in Charlotte at worst.

 

[Roboturner913]

Elynuik has to be climbing the ranks fast after the season he just put up. He sounds like a mega-sized version of his dad - good skater, heavy wrist shot, instinctual offense.

I'd say in terms of who's probably most ready to play and contribute right now:

Fleury
Zykov
Wallmark
Carrick
Saarela
McKeown

Are probably the guys with a realistic shot at making the team. Zykov and Wallmark seem ready for 4th line roles. Fleury is probably more than capable of being your 3rd-pair anchor right now.

I think we probably really need Saarela to come in and be a 20-goal winger right off the bat. He's probably the guy most capable of doing it at the moment. But if he doesn't show that ability, he's probably not a complete enough player to stick.

 

[NotOpie]

Elynuik has to be climbing the ranks fast after the season he just put up. He sounds like a mega-sized version of his dad - good skater, heavy wrist shot, instinctual offense.

I'd say in terms of who's probably most ready to play and contribute right now:

Fleury
Zykov
Wallmark
Carrick
Saarela
McKeown

Are probably the guys with a realistic shot at making the team. Zykov and Wallmark seem ready for 4th line roles. Fleury is probably more than capable of being your 3rd-pair anchor right now.

I think we probably really need Saarela to come in and be a 20-goal winger right off the bat. He's probably the guy most capable of doing it at the moment. But if he doesn't show that ability, he's probably not a complete enough player to stick.

Elynuik has the size and skill set to be one of those big centers we like/need. But he is incredibly raw and inconsistent. I have also heard that he can be pretty solid on defense, he doesn't always put in the effort there.

I agree on who from the prospect pool is likely to be in Raleigh next season. I'd add Saarela as an outside shot, but he's going to have to address staying healthy.

 

[DaveG]

Literally the only ones I'd say are likely to be in Raleigh next season are Fleury and Wallmark.

Zykov, Saarela, Roy, Foegele, and Goat will all be fighting for the same spot IMHO.

Everything else I see being filled by players currently outside the org.

 

[NotOpie]

Literally the only ones I'd say are likely to be in Raleigh next season are Fleury and Wallmark.

Zykov, Saarela, Roy, Foegele, and Goat will all be fighting for the same spot IMHO.

Everything else I see being filled by players currently outside the org.

I certainly think that Fleury and Wallmark have the easiest path (assuming they keep up their trajectory) and I think it is against Bill Peters' nature to have a bunch of rookies on a team that he probably feels needs to compete for a playoff spot. But my sense is there's going to be a 3rd line forward slot that might get filled with a youngster. I believe that the odds on favorites for that slot would be McGinn, PDG, Zykov, and Saarela. Sure other young'uns will be scrapping for a look, but those are the guys I think have the best shot.

Frankly, I think that, as of today, we have a 1RW slot, either a 1C or 3C slot, a 3LW slot, a 4C, and a 4RW slot open. On defense we basically need a 3rd pairing. I agree that Wallmark is probably pencilled in for the 4C role and Fleury for the 3LHD role. My guess is that GMRF is looking to fill one of the 1st line roles via trade. My belief is that he'll target either the RW or C on the 1st line, but not both. If he fills the 1C role from outside the organization, then Rask moves into the 3C role. If not, I wouldn't be surprised to see him fill the 3C role via UFA (Bonino?). The wings on the 3rd and 4th lines are going to be a crap shoot (and 3LW is where I think Zykov has his best shot). In the end I think PDG, McGinn, and maybe even a returning Viktor Stalberg fight for that 4th line wing.

But, hey, this is just me spit-balling...

 

[DaveG]

Ahh see I already consider McGinn a regular as well as PDG, even if they only play 4th line roles next year they've basically made the team IMHO.

I look at it right now like:

Skinner - Rask - Stempniak (unless claimed)
Aho - Staal - Lindholm
xxxxx - xxxxx - Teravainen
McGinn - Wallmark - PDG/Nordstrom

Slavin - Faulk
Hanifin - Pesce
Fleury - xxxxx
Dahlbeck

Darling (if he signs)
Ward/Lack



FWIW I think we re-sign one of PDG or McGinn (likely PDG) and they and Nordy are who we expose, rather then Stempniak. So in effect I see a top 9 Wing spot and the #3 C spot being in play right now. We can also pick up another boost to the lineup like Stalberg pretty easily in free agency knocking one of the guys down to the #13 forward spot and be fine, but I see the kids that aren't regulars yet (Zykov, Saarela, Roy, Goat, maybe Foegele and others) being in play for that last forward slot after we add someone else either at the draft via trade or in free agency.

 

[Vagrant]

1. Jake Bean
2. Haydn Fleury
3. Julien Gauthier
4. Nicolas Roy
5. Janne Kuokkanen
6. Aleksi Saarela
7. Hudson Elynuik
8. Lucas Wallmark
9. David Cotton
10. Roland McKeown
11. Callum Booth
12. Matt Filipe
13. Alex Nedeljkovic
14. Valentin Zykov
15. Trevor Carrick


Few guys just missing out on my list were overage types like Spencer Smallman, Steven Lorentz and Warren Foegele. I prefer Smallman the most of the three. These are dime a dozen guys in most every system in the league, but there's a chance one of them can gain some traction in Charlotte next season. I couldn't handicap them any more than to say that Smallman checks a lot of boxes for character and knowing his slotting. That's a huge plus mark in my book.

We also have a few guys with the "too early to tell" label in Luke Stevens, Max Zimmer, Jack Lafontaine, and Jeremy Helvig. Most of the '16 draft guys except the top 3 picks, who all had really good seasons. Max Zimmer is one to watch for me because of how his role is going to increase with Wisco next season. Haven't heard much of anything about Luke Stevens.

Really encouraged by reports I have heard about Callum Booth, but as usual the qualifier of goalies being voodoo applies here. I don't think Nedeljkovic's train wreck of a season totally writes him off as a prospect by any stretch, but I do think Booth leapfrogged him with a really impressive Junior season. Again though, you don't know anything about a goaltender until his first year of professional hockey. My temperance of expectation is expressed in the rankings.

It seems like I have Zykov a lot lower than most. I don't fully believe his call up last year was meritorious as much as it was a look-see similar to what Tolchinsky received later in the season. I just don't know what exactly he's supposed to be at the next level and that gives me problems. His footspeed probably isn't good enough for the NHL and his production in the AHL isn't exactly.... awe inspiring. I think he's one of those guys that may try Europe before he can get enough seasoning to be whatever he could be in the NHL.

As far as Andrew Poturalski is concerned, if he ever plays a regular shift for the Hurricanes we've done a poor job at developing or in free agency. At 23, you're probably looking at the best version of Poturalski that you're going to get considering that smallish offensive players usually reach their floor much quicker. If pressed, there might be a future for him if he takes a Riley Nash approach and improves his defensive game to the extent that he's a valuable commodity on that front but with as far as he needs to go to get there, I am highly skeptical.

Hudson Elynuik is a player that I have higher than most because of his growth this season in his complete game. Great bloodlines, projectable frame, and a decent enough skater for his size to be able to make those attributes play up. I have no idea what happened with the Charlotte PTO, but I think a lot of people probably saw that as a negative against his stock. Since I don't know the reason for it, I'm going to assume that an explanation exists other than "We hate you, go home."

Trevor Carrick still remains a consideration for me because I think an NHL career isn't unreasonably out of his grasp with his skillset. He had a terrible year, but he wouldn't be the first to come back from that. Not all of your defensemen are going to pan out, but with the shooting ability Carrick has, he's going to get some chances.

Saarela's friction with his Finnish club gives me some pause as well as his declining a WJC invite while playing games in Liiga. He could have a perfectly valid point on both of those things, but there's a LOT of smoke to the fire of this kid thinking quite a bit of himself in ways you don't want. I haven't ever seen a player playing games in his home league decline a WJC invite on the basis of injury. I think he knew that the skill level on that team was going to be significantly worse than the year prior and wanted nothing to do with it. However, the skill is just off the charts. That makes him worth the gamble.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Not an easy ranking for sure. Very much depends on what and where you prefer upside vs close to ready.

1. Jake Bean
2. Haydn Fleury
3. Julien Gauthier
My first three I wouldn't be too upset in any order, though I do prefer Gauthier 3. Everyone after that I could see in almost any order and not blink an eye.
4. Nicolas Roy
5. Roland McKeown
6. Aleksi Saarela
7. Janne Kuokkanen
8. Lucas Wallmark
9. Matt Filipe
10. Callum Booth
11. Valentin Zykov
12. Hudson Elynuik
13. David Cotton
14. Alex Nedeljkovic

Then everyone else in whatever long shot order. Be interesting to see how many picks we make and how much this might change. Not a lot of sure things, but still seems to be a pretty healthy pipeline.

 

[Breakdowns]

One question for you guys- why do you all rate Bean as our top prospect? I mean he is good, and with a lot of potential, but I am not sure he should be our top prospect. At WJC he didnt look to good, and there is still a chance he will not even make NHL, because he needs to improve a lot to play at this level.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I'll throw my ring into the hat to 3 years from now I can see how far off I was.

1. Haydn Fleury
2. Jake Bean
I'd be ok swapping Fleury for Bean
3. Julien Gauthier
4. Nicolas Roy
I'm not convinced there is much separation between Gauthier and Roy. From what I've seen, Goat is a better skater and shooter, but I like Roy's overall game better. Roy was the better player between the two in the WJC in the games I saw. Skating is the concern though.
5. Aleksi Saarela
6. Janne Kuokkanen
7. Roland McKeown
Toss-up on these 3. I put Saarela at the top of these 3 simply because of his shot, which stands out (assuming he can stay healthy). I know McKeown struggled in the AHL, but I still like him as a prospect.
8. Hudson Elynuik - based on stats watching only/other posters, never seen him play so
9. Lucas Wallmark - Looks like he'll be given a shot to be a bottom six NHLr.
10. Trevor Carrick - We sometimes forget about him (and McKeown) because of how quickly Pesce, Slavin and Hanifin developed, but for a late round defenseman, he's developed fairly well. Not sure he'll ever make the NHL (at least with Carolina), but that's the case for a lot of this list.

I skipped goalies all together as they are such a crap shoot.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

One question for you guys- why do you all rate Bean as our top prospect? I mean he is good, and with a lot of potential, but I am not sure he should be our top prospect. At WJC he didnt look to good, and there is still a chance he will not even make NHL, because he needs to improve a lot to play at this level.

I'll give you my $0.02 on why I have him rated high. From what I've seen of him, read of him and heard of him, he has a skill set (mainly offensive) that really does not exist anywhere within the organization. Secondly, his skills match very well with how the game is played today, meaning he's an excellent skater, has very good on ice vision/awareness, can jump into the play, and is good in transition. He's a scoring threat from the back end, but more in the mold of an Erik Karlsson than a Justin Faulk (I'm not saying he has the potential of Karlsson, just that's more his style from when I've watched him). For those reasons, I think his high end potential is greater than any other prospect we have.

That said, I understand your point. Maybe it's unwarranted but I do have more concerns that he's a higher risk for achieving his potential. IIRC, someone mentioned how underwhelmed they were when seeing him at camp this fall. His defensive game still needs work and he's still on the small side for an NHL defenseman. I get that he's around 170-175lbs (173 at the combine), but he looks very slight out there. He's not short though. I think he's a few years away from getting to the NHL, and frankly, with Slavin, Hanifin, Fleury and maybe even Carrick, the Canes have the luxury of letting him develop his game. We really won't know what we really have in Bean for quite a few years.

 

[RodTheBawd]

Bean has HOF potential and a really decent chance of getting there.

 

[CandyCanes]

Need more Josh Wesley on your lists guys, come on.....