Zack22
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- Dec 6, 2016
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NYI top 20 prospects
This is the first time we are updating our top 20 prospects since 2020. It is clear a lot has changed. From the last time I did a prospect list to now I have committed to rebuilding this team’s prospect list into hopes of becoming a future a contender. I am satisfied to say that our prospect list is much improved from 2020.
1. William Eklund (New)
We were lucky enough to acquire Eklund last year in a move which sent Sam Girard the other way. Eklund showed strong promise in his nine games in the NHL then had another decent season in the SHL. We believe Eklund still has the upside of a top-six winger. All signs point to him playing in the NHL next season but nothing will be confirmed until the season starts.
2. Kent Johnson (New)
We were quite pleased to see some of the improvement in Johnson’s game this year. He finished his season with the wolverines producing 37 points in 32 games. Johnson’s skating looked improved as well as his ability to make some simple reads. Like Eklund, we expect Johnson to play in the NHL this year continuing on his short 9 game stint at the end of last year. There is a chance Johnson ends up sticking at centre, however it is more likely he succeeds on the wing.
3. Brad Lambert (New)
Lambert is the new kid in town. After selecting him with the highest pick our regime has ever had, there are high expectations for Lambert. While his production was poor this year playing in Liiga, we are gambling on his skill and speed combo. We expect him to play in the WHL next year for Seattle, and hopefully as a centre.
4. Kaiden Guhle (1)
Although Kaiden Guhle may have moved down the list from the last time our list was updated, he has done nothing but improve his game. When he was drafted, Guhle was already one of the strongest defenders in the WHL, but since he was drafted he has improved both his skating and his offensive awareness making his projection a strong top-four defenceman. He will also be looking to fight for a spot in the NHL on the Canadiens this year.
5. Sebastian Cossa (New)
The lone goalie on this list, we have high expectations of Cossa to become our franchise goaltender. While goalies are usually a shot in the dark, Cossa is an extremely athletic 6’7” goaltender who has proven to be a force in front of a strong Oil Kings’ team.
6. Fabian Lysell (New)
Lysell came over to north America last year after being drafted by the bruins. Although he was playing on a mediocre Giants’ team, he was still able to produce over a point per game and absolutely exploded in the playoffs putting up 21 points in 12 games for the giants. If he can continue to attack the middle he has a good chance of becoming a top-six winger.
7. Justin Sourdif (11)
When Sourdif was originally selected there were concerns given his lack of production in his draft year. Sourdif has since put up well over a point per game in each of his seasons after. During a mid-season trade he was shipped off to the Oil Kings and was a part of their run to win the WHL playoffs. Sourdif projects to be an all-situations middle-six winger.
8. Jordan Spence (3)
While it may be controversial to still have Spence on this list, we believe since he will still be rookie eligible next year that he deserves to be here. Spence continued to show his potential as an offensive defenceman by dominating the AHL posting 42 points in 46 games as a defenceman. He will look to continue to maintain a top-six role on the kings while providing offensive value.
9. Jack Peart (New)
This range of defencemen all have the potential to be top-four in the NHL. Starting with Peart, who is probably the safest of the rest. After his draft year, there was no doubt that peart and his elite brain would be a good fit for the NCAA. He proved that by producing 17 points in 32 games in his freshman year. He will continue to develop his offensive and overall game at St. Cloud for the next couple seasons.
10. Lane Hutson (New)
Like Peart, Hutson also has the potential to become a top-four defenceman in our eyes. One of the most offensively gifted defencemen in the previous draft class, Hutson’s biggest concern is his size. While he knows he is undersized he does not let that take away from his game as he has learned to adapt and defend against much bigger competition. Hutson will have the chance to grow stronger and showcase his talent at Boston University next season.
11. Brayden Tracey (2)
Tracey’s development has been a bit of a roller-coaster ever since he was drafted. After being traded to the Victoria Royals in the 2020 season, while battling injury for the next year, Tracey’s development did not look promising. This year he spent the majority of the season playing in the AHL and produced 31 points in 55 games. While he may get a look from the young Ducks team, I have a feeling he will again begin the season playing in the AHL.
12. Vladimir Grudinin (New)
Grudinin is a big boom or bust candidate, which is why he falls in the middle of our prospect pool. His skating ability was one of the best we have seen in this draft, using it to close gaps, transition the puck and walk the blueline in the MHL. He fell in the NHL draft due to his lack of size and the Russian factor. However, if any team can bring over the Russians it is the Hurricanes who did not shy away from them. It will take a few years to tell how this pick will turn out.
13. Linus Karlsson (New)
Acquired as part of the massive Ekblad and Kyrou deal, Karlsson exploded this season in the SHL producing 46 points in 52 games as a 22-year-old in the Swedish men’s league. After signing his ELC with the Canucks there is a chance he makes the NHL roster or will be sent to the AHL to get familiar with NA ice. All in all, Karlsson has the chance to be a middle-six centre with scoring potential.
14. Emil Heineman (15)
Heineman is a prospect we were extremely excited to land in the 2020 draft as we viewed him as an all-situations winger with offensive upside. Over the past couple of seasons, he has been passed around from team to team, ultimately ending up on the Montreal Canadiens. After signing his ELC there is a good chance that Heineman plays this year in the AHL and gets familiar with NA ice. He still projects as a middle-six winger with some offensive upside.
15. Devin Kaplan (New)
One of my personal favourites in the draft this year, Kaplan, like Heineman projects as an all-situations complementary winger. While his numbers did not stand out playing for a strong USNTDP team, he was a driving force for his line all season. He has a strong ability to read the play and place himself in the right positions on the ice. Going to Boston University next year, Kaplan should focus on refining his skating stride.
16. Jackson Blake (New)
Blake is another personal favourite of mine from last year’s draft class. His skill was undeniable, even though it was in a limited role. His August birthday intrigued me and taking the gamble on him has paid off so far. He excelled in a larger role for Chicago this year, posting 50 assists and 77 points in 61 games. Committed to North Dakota, Blake will look to improve the strength in his frame. He has good potential to end up as a top-nine scoring winger.
17. Tyler Kleven (9)
While Kleven may not look like a homerun pick, we see him as a perfect top-six defender for the sim. He is a large, smooth skating, physical defensive defenceman. His offensive game has not improved as much as we hoped since getting drafted but his defensive game still stands out. He is likely to become a top-six defenceman for Ottawa whenever he signs his ELC and will specialize on the penalty kill.
18. Alex Steeves (New)
Signed with the Maple Leafs as an UDFA, Steeves had an extremely strong first season in the AHL producing 46 points in 58 games. That was enough for him to get a three-game stint in the NHL for the Leafs. Steeves has limited upside but should end up in a bottom-six role in the NHL in the future.
19. Nicholas Abruzzese (New)
Another Leafs’ prospect, Abruzzese had a strong couple seasons playing for Harvard, with a gap in the middle due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He finished off the year playing 9 games for the Leafs in the NHL and will most likely start the year as a top-six player for the Marlies in the AHL.
20. Dylan Duke (New)
Dylan Duke played on a stacked Michigan Wolverines team this year and was given a smaller role because of it. While Duke played in a bottom-six role for the majority of the season he was still able to produce 19 points in 41 games. Duke is a pesky undersized forward who loves to grind in the dirty areas and specializes in front of the net. This year Duke expects to have a larger role for the Wolverines.
Honourable mentions:
HM. Jordan Gustafson (New)
HM. Alex Beaucage (New)
HM. Topi Ronni (New)
HM. Alex Cotton (New)
HM. William Stromgren (New)
HM. Lukas Gustafsson (New)
HM. Pavel Novak (New)
HM. Tyler Weiss (New)
This is the first time we are updating our top 20 prospects since 2020. It is clear a lot has changed. From the last time I did a prospect list to now I have committed to rebuilding this team’s prospect list into hopes of becoming a future a contender. I am satisfied to say that our prospect list is much improved from 2020.
1. William Eklund (New)
We were lucky enough to acquire Eklund last year in a move which sent Sam Girard the other way. Eklund showed strong promise in his nine games in the NHL then had another decent season in the SHL. We believe Eklund still has the upside of a top-six winger. All signs point to him playing in the NHL next season but nothing will be confirmed until the season starts.
2. Kent Johnson (New)
We were quite pleased to see some of the improvement in Johnson’s game this year. He finished his season with the wolverines producing 37 points in 32 games. Johnson’s skating looked improved as well as his ability to make some simple reads. Like Eklund, we expect Johnson to play in the NHL this year continuing on his short 9 game stint at the end of last year. There is a chance Johnson ends up sticking at centre, however it is more likely he succeeds on the wing.
3. Brad Lambert (New)
Lambert is the new kid in town. After selecting him with the highest pick our regime has ever had, there are high expectations for Lambert. While his production was poor this year playing in Liiga, we are gambling on his skill and speed combo. We expect him to play in the WHL next year for Seattle, and hopefully as a centre.
4. Kaiden Guhle (1)
Although Kaiden Guhle may have moved down the list from the last time our list was updated, he has done nothing but improve his game. When he was drafted, Guhle was already one of the strongest defenders in the WHL, but since he was drafted he has improved both his skating and his offensive awareness making his projection a strong top-four defenceman. He will also be looking to fight for a spot in the NHL on the Canadiens this year.
5. Sebastian Cossa (New)
The lone goalie on this list, we have high expectations of Cossa to become our franchise goaltender. While goalies are usually a shot in the dark, Cossa is an extremely athletic 6’7” goaltender who has proven to be a force in front of a strong Oil Kings’ team.
6. Fabian Lysell (New)
Lysell came over to north America last year after being drafted by the bruins. Although he was playing on a mediocre Giants’ team, he was still able to produce over a point per game and absolutely exploded in the playoffs putting up 21 points in 12 games for the giants. If he can continue to attack the middle he has a good chance of becoming a top-six winger.
7. Justin Sourdif (11)
When Sourdif was originally selected there were concerns given his lack of production in his draft year. Sourdif has since put up well over a point per game in each of his seasons after. During a mid-season trade he was shipped off to the Oil Kings and was a part of their run to win the WHL playoffs. Sourdif projects to be an all-situations middle-six winger.
8. Jordan Spence (3)
While it may be controversial to still have Spence on this list, we believe since he will still be rookie eligible next year that he deserves to be here. Spence continued to show his potential as an offensive defenceman by dominating the AHL posting 42 points in 46 games as a defenceman. He will look to continue to maintain a top-six role on the kings while providing offensive value.
9. Jack Peart (New)
This range of defencemen all have the potential to be top-four in the NHL. Starting with Peart, who is probably the safest of the rest. After his draft year, there was no doubt that peart and his elite brain would be a good fit for the NCAA. He proved that by producing 17 points in 32 games in his freshman year. He will continue to develop his offensive and overall game at St. Cloud for the next couple seasons.
10. Lane Hutson (New)
Like Peart, Hutson also has the potential to become a top-four defenceman in our eyes. One of the most offensively gifted defencemen in the previous draft class, Hutson’s biggest concern is his size. While he knows he is undersized he does not let that take away from his game as he has learned to adapt and defend against much bigger competition. Hutson will have the chance to grow stronger and showcase his talent at Boston University next season.
11. Brayden Tracey (2)
Tracey’s development has been a bit of a roller-coaster ever since he was drafted. After being traded to the Victoria Royals in the 2020 season, while battling injury for the next year, Tracey’s development did not look promising. This year he spent the majority of the season playing in the AHL and produced 31 points in 55 games. While he may get a look from the young Ducks team, I have a feeling he will again begin the season playing in the AHL.
12. Vladimir Grudinin (New)
Grudinin is a big boom or bust candidate, which is why he falls in the middle of our prospect pool. His skating ability was one of the best we have seen in this draft, using it to close gaps, transition the puck and walk the blueline in the MHL. He fell in the NHL draft due to his lack of size and the Russian factor. However, if any team can bring over the Russians it is the Hurricanes who did not shy away from them. It will take a few years to tell how this pick will turn out.
13. Linus Karlsson (New)
Acquired as part of the massive Ekblad and Kyrou deal, Karlsson exploded this season in the SHL producing 46 points in 52 games as a 22-year-old in the Swedish men’s league. After signing his ELC with the Canucks there is a chance he makes the NHL roster or will be sent to the AHL to get familiar with NA ice. All in all, Karlsson has the chance to be a middle-six centre with scoring potential.
14. Emil Heineman (15)
Heineman is a prospect we were extremely excited to land in the 2020 draft as we viewed him as an all-situations winger with offensive upside. Over the past couple of seasons, he has been passed around from team to team, ultimately ending up on the Montreal Canadiens. After signing his ELC there is a good chance that Heineman plays this year in the AHL and gets familiar with NA ice. He still projects as a middle-six winger with some offensive upside.
15. Devin Kaplan (New)
One of my personal favourites in the draft this year, Kaplan, like Heineman projects as an all-situations complementary winger. While his numbers did not stand out playing for a strong USNTDP team, he was a driving force for his line all season. He has a strong ability to read the play and place himself in the right positions on the ice. Going to Boston University next year, Kaplan should focus on refining his skating stride.
16. Jackson Blake (New)
Blake is another personal favourite of mine from last year’s draft class. His skill was undeniable, even though it was in a limited role. His August birthday intrigued me and taking the gamble on him has paid off so far. He excelled in a larger role for Chicago this year, posting 50 assists and 77 points in 61 games. Committed to North Dakota, Blake will look to improve the strength in his frame. He has good potential to end up as a top-nine scoring winger.
17. Tyler Kleven (9)
While Kleven may not look like a homerun pick, we see him as a perfect top-six defender for the sim. He is a large, smooth skating, physical defensive defenceman. His offensive game has not improved as much as we hoped since getting drafted but his defensive game still stands out. He is likely to become a top-six defenceman for Ottawa whenever he signs his ELC and will specialize on the penalty kill.
18. Alex Steeves (New)
Signed with the Maple Leafs as an UDFA, Steeves had an extremely strong first season in the AHL producing 46 points in 58 games. That was enough for him to get a three-game stint in the NHL for the Leafs. Steeves has limited upside but should end up in a bottom-six role in the NHL in the future.
19. Nicholas Abruzzese (New)
Another Leafs’ prospect, Abruzzese had a strong couple seasons playing for Harvard, with a gap in the middle due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He finished off the year playing 9 games for the Leafs in the NHL and will most likely start the year as a top-six player for the Marlies in the AHL.
20. Dylan Duke (New)
Dylan Duke played on a stacked Michigan Wolverines team this year and was given a smaller role because of it. While Duke played in a bottom-six role for the majority of the season he was still able to produce 19 points in 41 games. Duke is a pesky undersized forward who loves to grind in the dirty areas and specializes in front of the net. This year Duke expects to have a larger role for the Wolverines.
Honourable mentions:
HM. Jordan Gustafson (New)
HM. Alex Beaucage (New)
HM. Topi Ronni (New)
HM. Alex Cotton (New)
HM. William Stromgren (New)
HM. Lukas Gustafsson (New)
HM. Pavel Novak (New)
HM. Tyler Weiss (New)
