HFNHL Commish
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- Feb 28, 2002
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A look at the team's internal rankings, with expanded commentary on the top 10...
1. Thomas Hickey, D - Drafted 2007 (1/30)
While he might not be the sexiest prospect to ever kick off a Top 20 list, Hickey brings a complete game in a small package. Having initially garnered attention for his skating and puck-moving ability, Hickey worked hard at filling out his game during his time with Seattle. This attention to detail and maturity stood out to Team Canada's brass during the 2008 WJCs - so much so that he was named team captain for 2009. Following Team Canada's gold medal-winning performance in Ottawa, Hickey finished out the WHL regular season on a tear, ending with 51 points in only 57 games and being named to the Western Conference First All-Star Team. After Seattle's quick exit from the WHL Playoffs, Hickey departed for AHL Manchester, where he put up 7 points in 7 games. For a defenseman that just turned 20, it's hard to find many holes in Hickey's game. The main knock on him is his size. Whether or not Hickey sees time in the NHL in 2009-10 largely depends on if the Kings feel the need to plug some veterans in behind the likes of Johnson, Doughty, Quincey, and Greene.
2. P.K. Subban, D - Drafted 2007 (5/134)
For the sheer flair that he brings to the rink, you can make a very credible argument that Subban belongs at the top of this list. After having a so-so 2007-08 regular season, P.K. was outstanding during Belleville's playoff run and he's been racking up the accomplishments since. First, along with fellow Duck prospect Hickey, John Tavares, and Zach Boychuk, Subban was one of only four players to return from Canada's 2008 gold-medal winning WJC squad for the 2009 WJCs. Subban certainly made the most of this opportunity, posting 9 points in 6 games and earning himself a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Meanwhile, back in Belleville, Subban had himself a monster of a regular season, posting 76 points in 56 games, and finishing a team best +47. In the OHL Eastern Conference Coaches' Poll, Subban won the Hardest Shot and Best Offensive Defenseman categories, and finished second in the Best Playmaker category. No huge surprises there. What might surprise some, however, is that Subban also finished second in the Best Defensive Defenseman category. So much for the critics that wanted to move the kid to the wing.
3. Kevin Porter, C/W - Drafted 2004 (4/115)
Fresh off of his Hobey Baker campaign at the University of Michigan, Porter jumped straight into the Coyotes' lineup this season and put up 10 points in his first 22 games. Then, for no specific reason other than the team's general malaise, Porter's ice time and power play time began to dwindle. He went pointless in his next 12 games, finishing with an NHL stat line for the season of 10 points in 34 games. Rather than sulk over his demotion, Porter appears to have made the most of his time with AHL San Antonio. It took him a little bit to heat up, but once he did, he was a point-per-game player. He finished with 35 points in 42 games, and was a team-leading +7 on a team full of minuses. None of this is really surprising. As a great college player that was always lauded for his two-way play, Porter was a lock to produce at the AHL level. Now it's just a matter of finding his way through the morass that the Coyotes' roster has become.
4. Ty Wishart, D - Acquired via trade (Drafted by EDM 2006, 1/25)
One way a young player knows he's made it to the big time is when he turns on TSN/ESPN and sees his name included as part of a blockbuster trade. During the 2008 offseason, that's exactly what happened to Wishart, as he was dealt by San Jose to Tampa Bay as part of the Dan Boyle deal. While the deal had to come as a bit of a surprise to Wishart, seeing as San Jose had traded up to get him in the 2006 Draft and seemed to be very pleased with his development in the WHL, he took the move to Tampa in stride and adjusted to life in the AHL nicely. In 61 games for the Norfolk Admirals, Wishart put up only 7 points, but no one's expecting him to be the scorer in the pros that he was in juniors. That said, the hope is that he will become a true shut-down defenseman, and it's in this area that he showed promise in Norfolk, finishing +5, best amongst the team's defensemen, and earning himself a five game cup of coffee with the Lightning.
5. Michael Grabner, RW - Drafted 2006 (1/30)
Of all the Ducks prospects, Grabner is likely the most perplexing. The young Austrian tantalizes scouts with his speed and goalscoring ability, yet frustrates at times with his lack of consistency. That said, Grabner seemed to turn a corner this season, filling out his two-way game some, and responding to calls to spend more time getting his nose dirty around the net. The end result was a positive one. In 66 games, Grabner led the AHL's Manitoba Moose with 30 goals. He also earned the distinction of being called up to Vancouver and being sent back down to Winnipeg in the same day. At this point, no one questions that Grabner has the hands or the wheels to play in the NHL. Adding strength will certainly help his case, but ultimately it's going to come down to Grabner continuing to build on the determination that he increasingly displayed over the course of the season and into the playoffs.
6. Michal Repik, RW - Acquired via trade (Drafted by CGY 2007, 1/25)
With a birthdate of 12/31/1988, Repik was basically as young as a player could be coming from the CHL and still play a full season in the AHL. All told, he ended up playing 75 games for the Rochester Americans, the second-worst team in the AHL, leading the team in points with 49. He also scored 2 goals in a 5 game stint with the Florida Panthers. Repik's relative success in Rochester this season is encouraging on a couple of levels. First, having already achieved a great deal of success at the junior level, including winning the Ed Chynoweth Trophy for leading the 2007 Memorial Cup in scoring, there's something to be said for Repik's willingness to skip his overage season and make the jump to the AHL as quickly as possible. Second, given that lack of size has always been a knock on Repik, it's promising that he put up the numbers that he did this season while playing for a Rochester team that's a bit on the small side up front. A lot of pressure will be placed on Repik this offseason to add strength and hopefully earn himself an NHL roster spot come fall.
7. Matt Hunwick, D - Signed as free agent
Sometimes, a player can become special by having the good sense to realize that there's nothing special about him. This is why the Pavel Brendls of the world flame out in the NHL, and the Keith Joneses go on to have illogically productive careers. If you take a look at Hunwick, right away you see that he's of very average height and weight. Then you look at his career trajectory. He was always a contributor during his time with the U.S. National Team, but nothing spectacular. He put up solid numbers at the University of Michigan, but did so while riding shotgun with Jack Johnson. All along the way, though, he was always recognized as a lead-by-example type, a player who paid attention to detail and played a very mature game. Yet still, people were surprised when Hunwick made a seamless transition from the NCAA to the AHL. Then, this season, they were stunned, to say the least, when Hunwick earned a spot with the Bruins and put up 27 points in 53 games. Hunwick will certainly need to add strength in the future, especially in the wake of his recent emergency splenectomy, but it's looking more and more like he's the kind of player who's capable of producing at any level.
8. Wayne Simmonds, RW - Drafted 2008 (4/99)
Another prospect whose development was a pleasant surprise was Simmonds, a player that was lightly scouted in his initial draft year and was selected by the Ducks in 2008 after an additional year of seasoning in the OHL. By simply busting his butt and keeping mistakes to a minimum, Simmonds made the Kings out of camp. At season's end, he was one of only five Kings to have played in all 82 games, posting 9 goals and 23 points. While he still needs to get stronger, Simmonds was relied on to play a regular shift, consistently lay the body, and kill penalties. All the more impressive when you consider that the Kings had more seasoned prospects like Teddy Purcell, Matt Moulson, and Brian Boyle at their disposal. At this point, it seems clear that Simmonds has enough sandpaper in his game to be fit for a 3rd line role for years to come. If can start to impose himself physically around the net more often, perhaps his offensive ceiling will be higher than many might have anticipated.
9. David Fischer, D - Drafted 2006 (1/28)
Winner of Minnesota's "Mr. Hockey" Award in 2006, given to the state's best high-school player, the development of Fischer at the NCAA level is a work-in-progress. First and foremost, Fischer still needs to fill out his rather slight 6'3" frame. During his time at the University of Minnesota, it has been hard to get a read on Fischer's offensive upside because he has always lost out on PP time to the likes of Erik Johnson, Alex Goligoski, Derek Peltier, Cade Fairchild, and Aaron Ness. What is clear is that Fischer is a strong skater, that he plays a conscientious brand of hockey, and that there's not much panic in his game. He's not going to rush the puck end-to-end, but he is solid in leading the breakout. He's much more of a north-south player than your typical Minnesota defenseman, given that the Gophers play their home games on Olympic-size ice, which could lead you to wonder whether his game might translate better to the pro ranks.
10. Michael Ratchuk, D - Acquired via trade (Drafted by VAN 2006, 3/70)
Exactly one day younger than David Fischer, Ratchuk left Michigan State after his sophomore season to turn pro. He spent the entire 2008-09 season in the AHL with the Philadelphia Phantoms, where he posted 17 points in 77 games. Coming out of college, the book on Ratchuk was that he was undersized, that he was a great skater, and that he was projected to become a somewhat one-dimensional powerplay QB. However, with the Phantoms bringing aboard Danny Syvret (who was basically born to run an AHL powerplay), Ratchuk was forced into a position where he was killing a lot of penalties and playing a lot against other team's top lines. The end result was that, by season's end, Ratchuk was a much more well-rounded defenseman. Ultimately, his level of success at the NHL level will still be largely determined by his offensive output, but he has shown enough ability in other areas that he should find a home on somebody's roster one day.
11. Petri Kontiola, C - Drafted 2006 (5/137)
AHL All-Star was thought to have roster spot locked up with the Blackhawks in 2008-09. Now Anaheim property, 2009-10 is probably a make-or-break year in determining whether or not Kontiola heads back to Finland, or elsewhere in Europe.
12. Nick Bonino, C - Drafted 2007 (5/143)
Finished second in scoring behind Colin Wilson for NCAA champs Boston University. With Wilson and Hobey Baker winner Matt Gilroy gone, Jack Parker will be relying heavily on Bonino to pick up the slack.
13. Teemu Laakso, D - Drafted 2005 (3/62)
Came over to North America this year and basically put up the same numbers in the AHL that he had in the SM-Liiga. Loves to bang, but can his body take it?
14. Matt Rust, C - Drafted 2008 (6/159)
Plays a nice, gritty two-way game. Showed more offense on the world stage at the WJCs than he did all season at Michigan.
15. Brad Eidsness, G - Drafted 2008 (7/189)
Could be one to watch. Played virtually 100% of the minutes for North Dakota as a freshman, and never looked worse for the wear. Textbook butterfly goaltender.
16. Jason Gregoire, LW - Drafted 2007 (7/193)
Played most of the season on North Dakota's top line, and produced fairly consistently. Doesn't do any one thing superbly, but is an opportunistic player.
17. Ben Lovejoy, D - Signed as free agent
At the AHL level, he's an all-star and penalty-killer extraordinaire. Should get a fair shot at cracking Pittsburgh's top six next season, given the number of UFAs on the Pens' blueline.
18. Kevin Lalande, G - Drafted 2005 (7/194)
Got traded to a better situation and made the most of it, putting up sterling numbers during his time with AHL Syracuse. At least in a position now where he can glimpse the possibility of an NHL backup job.
19. Perttu Lindgren, C - Drafted 2004 (5/123)
Put up okay, but not great, numbers for Lukko Rauma this season. Hopefully, he'll be back in North America for the 2009-10 season.
20. Blair Jones, C - Acquired via trade (Drafted by PHX 2005, 4/105)
Produced more consistently at the AHL level this season. Has had two cups of coffee in the past, so you know he's at least in the running for a 4th-line job with the Lightning.
Honorable Mentions: Justin Keller, Davis Drewiske, Sean Sullivan
1. Thomas Hickey, D - Drafted 2007 (1/30)
While he might not be the sexiest prospect to ever kick off a Top 20 list, Hickey brings a complete game in a small package. Having initially garnered attention for his skating and puck-moving ability, Hickey worked hard at filling out his game during his time with Seattle. This attention to detail and maturity stood out to Team Canada's brass during the 2008 WJCs - so much so that he was named team captain for 2009. Following Team Canada's gold medal-winning performance in Ottawa, Hickey finished out the WHL regular season on a tear, ending with 51 points in only 57 games and being named to the Western Conference First All-Star Team. After Seattle's quick exit from the WHL Playoffs, Hickey departed for AHL Manchester, where he put up 7 points in 7 games. For a defenseman that just turned 20, it's hard to find many holes in Hickey's game. The main knock on him is his size. Whether or not Hickey sees time in the NHL in 2009-10 largely depends on if the Kings feel the need to plug some veterans in behind the likes of Johnson, Doughty, Quincey, and Greene.
2. P.K. Subban, D - Drafted 2007 (5/134)
For the sheer flair that he brings to the rink, you can make a very credible argument that Subban belongs at the top of this list. After having a so-so 2007-08 regular season, P.K. was outstanding during Belleville's playoff run and he's been racking up the accomplishments since. First, along with fellow Duck prospect Hickey, John Tavares, and Zach Boychuk, Subban was one of only four players to return from Canada's 2008 gold-medal winning WJC squad for the 2009 WJCs. Subban certainly made the most of this opportunity, posting 9 points in 6 games and earning himself a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Meanwhile, back in Belleville, Subban had himself a monster of a regular season, posting 76 points in 56 games, and finishing a team best +47. In the OHL Eastern Conference Coaches' Poll, Subban won the Hardest Shot and Best Offensive Defenseman categories, and finished second in the Best Playmaker category. No huge surprises there. What might surprise some, however, is that Subban also finished second in the Best Defensive Defenseman category. So much for the critics that wanted to move the kid to the wing.
3. Kevin Porter, C/W - Drafted 2004 (4/115)
Fresh off of his Hobey Baker campaign at the University of Michigan, Porter jumped straight into the Coyotes' lineup this season and put up 10 points in his first 22 games. Then, for no specific reason other than the team's general malaise, Porter's ice time and power play time began to dwindle. He went pointless in his next 12 games, finishing with an NHL stat line for the season of 10 points in 34 games. Rather than sulk over his demotion, Porter appears to have made the most of his time with AHL San Antonio. It took him a little bit to heat up, but once he did, he was a point-per-game player. He finished with 35 points in 42 games, and was a team-leading +7 on a team full of minuses. None of this is really surprising. As a great college player that was always lauded for his two-way play, Porter was a lock to produce at the AHL level. Now it's just a matter of finding his way through the morass that the Coyotes' roster has become.
4. Ty Wishart, D - Acquired via trade (Drafted by EDM 2006, 1/25)
One way a young player knows he's made it to the big time is when he turns on TSN/ESPN and sees his name included as part of a blockbuster trade. During the 2008 offseason, that's exactly what happened to Wishart, as he was dealt by San Jose to Tampa Bay as part of the Dan Boyle deal. While the deal had to come as a bit of a surprise to Wishart, seeing as San Jose had traded up to get him in the 2006 Draft and seemed to be very pleased with his development in the WHL, he took the move to Tampa in stride and adjusted to life in the AHL nicely. In 61 games for the Norfolk Admirals, Wishart put up only 7 points, but no one's expecting him to be the scorer in the pros that he was in juniors. That said, the hope is that he will become a true shut-down defenseman, and it's in this area that he showed promise in Norfolk, finishing +5, best amongst the team's defensemen, and earning himself a five game cup of coffee with the Lightning.
5. Michael Grabner, RW - Drafted 2006 (1/30)
Of all the Ducks prospects, Grabner is likely the most perplexing. The young Austrian tantalizes scouts with his speed and goalscoring ability, yet frustrates at times with his lack of consistency. That said, Grabner seemed to turn a corner this season, filling out his two-way game some, and responding to calls to spend more time getting his nose dirty around the net. The end result was a positive one. In 66 games, Grabner led the AHL's Manitoba Moose with 30 goals. He also earned the distinction of being called up to Vancouver and being sent back down to Winnipeg in the same day. At this point, no one questions that Grabner has the hands or the wheels to play in the NHL. Adding strength will certainly help his case, but ultimately it's going to come down to Grabner continuing to build on the determination that he increasingly displayed over the course of the season and into the playoffs.
6. Michal Repik, RW - Acquired via trade (Drafted by CGY 2007, 1/25)
With a birthdate of 12/31/1988, Repik was basically as young as a player could be coming from the CHL and still play a full season in the AHL. All told, he ended up playing 75 games for the Rochester Americans, the second-worst team in the AHL, leading the team in points with 49. He also scored 2 goals in a 5 game stint with the Florida Panthers. Repik's relative success in Rochester this season is encouraging on a couple of levels. First, having already achieved a great deal of success at the junior level, including winning the Ed Chynoweth Trophy for leading the 2007 Memorial Cup in scoring, there's something to be said for Repik's willingness to skip his overage season and make the jump to the AHL as quickly as possible. Second, given that lack of size has always been a knock on Repik, it's promising that he put up the numbers that he did this season while playing for a Rochester team that's a bit on the small side up front. A lot of pressure will be placed on Repik this offseason to add strength and hopefully earn himself an NHL roster spot come fall.
7. Matt Hunwick, D - Signed as free agent
Sometimes, a player can become special by having the good sense to realize that there's nothing special about him. This is why the Pavel Brendls of the world flame out in the NHL, and the Keith Joneses go on to have illogically productive careers. If you take a look at Hunwick, right away you see that he's of very average height and weight. Then you look at his career trajectory. He was always a contributor during his time with the U.S. National Team, but nothing spectacular. He put up solid numbers at the University of Michigan, but did so while riding shotgun with Jack Johnson. All along the way, though, he was always recognized as a lead-by-example type, a player who paid attention to detail and played a very mature game. Yet still, people were surprised when Hunwick made a seamless transition from the NCAA to the AHL. Then, this season, they were stunned, to say the least, when Hunwick earned a spot with the Bruins and put up 27 points in 53 games. Hunwick will certainly need to add strength in the future, especially in the wake of his recent emergency splenectomy, but it's looking more and more like he's the kind of player who's capable of producing at any level.
8. Wayne Simmonds, RW - Drafted 2008 (4/99)
Another prospect whose development was a pleasant surprise was Simmonds, a player that was lightly scouted in his initial draft year and was selected by the Ducks in 2008 after an additional year of seasoning in the OHL. By simply busting his butt and keeping mistakes to a minimum, Simmonds made the Kings out of camp. At season's end, he was one of only five Kings to have played in all 82 games, posting 9 goals and 23 points. While he still needs to get stronger, Simmonds was relied on to play a regular shift, consistently lay the body, and kill penalties. All the more impressive when you consider that the Kings had more seasoned prospects like Teddy Purcell, Matt Moulson, and Brian Boyle at their disposal. At this point, it seems clear that Simmonds has enough sandpaper in his game to be fit for a 3rd line role for years to come. If can start to impose himself physically around the net more often, perhaps his offensive ceiling will be higher than many might have anticipated.
9. David Fischer, D - Drafted 2006 (1/28)
Winner of Minnesota's "Mr. Hockey" Award in 2006, given to the state's best high-school player, the development of Fischer at the NCAA level is a work-in-progress. First and foremost, Fischer still needs to fill out his rather slight 6'3" frame. During his time at the University of Minnesota, it has been hard to get a read on Fischer's offensive upside because he has always lost out on PP time to the likes of Erik Johnson, Alex Goligoski, Derek Peltier, Cade Fairchild, and Aaron Ness. What is clear is that Fischer is a strong skater, that he plays a conscientious brand of hockey, and that there's not much panic in his game. He's not going to rush the puck end-to-end, but he is solid in leading the breakout. He's much more of a north-south player than your typical Minnesota defenseman, given that the Gophers play their home games on Olympic-size ice, which could lead you to wonder whether his game might translate better to the pro ranks.
10. Michael Ratchuk, D - Acquired via trade (Drafted by VAN 2006, 3/70)
Exactly one day younger than David Fischer, Ratchuk left Michigan State after his sophomore season to turn pro. He spent the entire 2008-09 season in the AHL with the Philadelphia Phantoms, where he posted 17 points in 77 games. Coming out of college, the book on Ratchuk was that he was undersized, that he was a great skater, and that he was projected to become a somewhat one-dimensional powerplay QB. However, with the Phantoms bringing aboard Danny Syvret (who was basically born to run an AHL powerplay), Ratchuk was forced into a position where he was killing a lot of penalties and playing a lot against other team's top lines. The end result was that, by season's end, Ratchuk was a much more well-rounded defenseman. Ultimately, his level of success at the NHL level will still be largely determined by his offensive output, but he has shown enough ability in other areas that he should find a home on somebody's roster one day.
11. Petri Kontiola, C - Drafted 2006 (5/137)
AHL All-Star was thought to have roster spot locked up with the Blackhawks in 2008-09. Now Anaheim property, 2009-10 is probably a make-or-break year in determining whether or not Kontiola heads back to Finland, or elsewhere in Europe.
12. Nick Bonino, C - Drafted 2007 (5/143)
Finished second in scoring behind Colin Wilson for NCAA champs Boston University. With Wilson and Hobey Baker winner Matt Gilroy gone, Jack Parker will be relying heavily on Bonino to pick up the slack.
13. Teemu Laakso, D - Drafted 2005 (3/62)
Came over to North America this year and basically put up the same numbers in the AHL that he had in the SM-Liiga. Loves to bang, but can his body take it?
14. Matt Rust, C - Drafted 2008 (6/159)
Plays a nice, gritty two-way game. Showed more offense on the world stage at the WJCs than he did all season at Michigan.
15. Brad Eidsness, G - Drafted 2008 (7/189)
Could be one to watch. Played virtually 100% of the minutes for North Dakota as a freshman, and never looked worse for the wear. Textbook butterfly goaltender.
16. Jason Gregoire, LW - Drafted 2007 (7/193)
Played most of the season on North Dakota's top line, and produced fairly consistently. Doesn't do any one thing superbly, but is an opportunistic player.
17. Ben Lovejoy, D - Signed as free agent
At the AHL level, he's an all-star and penalty-killer extraordinaire. Should get a fair shot at cracking Pittsburgh's top six next season, given the number of UFAs on the Pens' blueline.
18. Kevin Lalande, G - Drafted 2005 (7/194)
Got traded to a better situation and made the most of it, putting up sterling numbers during his time with AHL Syracuse. At least in a position now where he can glimpse the possibility of an NHL backup job.
19. Perttu Lindgren, C - Drafted 2004 (5/123)
Put up okay, but not great, numbers for Lukko Rauma this season. Hopefully, he'll be back in North America for the 2009-10 season.
20. Blair Jones, C - Acquired via trade (Drafted by PHX 2005, 4/105)
Produced more consistently at the AHL level this season. Has had two cups of coffee in the past, so you know he's at least in the running for a 4th-line job with the Lightning.
Honorable Mentions: Justin Keller, Davis Drewiske, Sean Sullivan
