Hossa
Registered User
So in a different year for hockey, a different approach to this update. No list, just a roughly order cluster of updates. Guys like John Marino, Troy Terry and Henri Jokiharju are treated as graduated for the sake of this list.
The Blue Chippers
Josh Norris: After his remarkable pro debut after a nine month layoff last year, Norris has transitioned well to the NHL. He is tied for second in rookie scoring, has played mostly in the top six in Ottawa, and although his performance lagged a bit the last couple of weeks, he looks the part of a second line centre down the line who can play with skilled players. Pretty good for a second rounder.
Evan Bouchard: Few players benefitted more from the opportunity to play in Europe in the fall. Although only in the Allsvenskan, Bouchard was dominant and the bigger ice seems to have helped his pace and skating further develop. Since being inserted into the Edmonton line-up, he has 4 points in 9 games and has increasingly tilted the ice and started to make more plays.
Philip Tomasino: Tomasino just scores, regardless of linemates or whether he is at centre or on the wing. That was true at the WJC, where he was productive despite mostly fourth line duty, and has carried over to the AHL. The skating, hands and hockey sense are all there and will translate, the question is whether he can assert himself enough to drive a scoring line in the NHL.
Dylan Holloway: Holloway will play. He is too smart, too fast, too strong and too well rounded not to. The question is upside, specifically whether he is talented enough to play with McDavid. At the WJC, he was asked to grind and played like it, showing little offence. And then since returning to college, he has been maybe the best player in college, scoring at an almost two points per game pace. The hands don't always keep up with the feet, but the results at Wisconsin have been remarkable.
The NHLers
Philip Kurashev: Tied for fourth in NHL rookie scoring, Kurashev has been a revelation in Chicago after, like Bouchard, playing well in Europe in the fall. The talent has always been apparent with Kurashev, but he came to camp playing faster and stronger and now looks like a legit potential top six forward. Not bad for a fourth rounder two years ago.
Conor Timmins: At a certain point, Timmins' career will hopefully no longer be defined by concussions, and with every passing week in the NHL that becomes more true. Timmins has been in the line-up most nights for Colorado, not putting up much offence - which he did in the AHL last year - but playing solid and steady minutes. He should have a long career.
Andrew Peeke: Lost initially in numbers and waiver eligibility for the first month of the year, Peeke has made his way into the line-up of late and is playing well. The size, mobility and defensive ability are all there, and he continues to show more puck moving ability than in college. Upside is a question but should have a good career.
Conor Mackey: Similar to Peeke, Mackey has not gotten much playing time and shuffled on and off the taxi squad quite a bit, but has showcased well in his three games. Going directly from college to the NHL is not easy, but at 24 and with a refined all-around game, Mackey should be able to stick.
Drew O'Connor: A late bloomer who took the long road to Dartmouth and then to the NHL, O'Connor surprisingly has played 8 games in Pittsburgh this year as a rookie pro. The size and skating are there, he flashes hands and skill. Too early to assess his upside in the NHL.
The College D
I've got a thing for college defencemen, so this group combines first year pros with those still in NCAA.
- Reilly Walsh: After three prolific years at Harvard, Walsh has shown the good - highlight reel end to end goals, one timers on the PP - and the bad - questionable lateral mobility defensively - in his first couple weeks as a pro. Likely a specialist in the NHL, but could be Tyson Barrie if things break right.
- Cole Hults: Last year's Big 10 Player of the Year, Hults has only played three games in the AHL so far, scoring one goal. His game rounded out a lot in his three college seasons, calmed down the run and gun, rough and tumble style, and was better for it. The question now is upside at the NHL level.
- Ryan Shea: Similar to Hults in that he put up numbers in college, but it took him longer to develop and the track record raises questions of whether he was just a good four year player. Two points in four games in the AHL so far.
- Jackson LaCombe: Lacombe was a mess at the WJC, but like Holloway, he returned to the NCAA and has been dominant. He's up to 16 points in 20 games, +16 on one of the best teams in college hockey, and over a point per game since the tourney. The tools really pop, with a good frame, fantastic skating and a real knack for finding seams offensively. Development remains key though.
- Jordan Harris: On the surface, similar to Lacombe as a prep school draftee with great skating, but Harris is sort of the inverse - a great skater with a refined defensive game who is finding his offence as a junior, with 16 points in 15 games. Probably goes right into the NHL at this point.
- Mason Lohrei: Squeezing Lohrei in here because he is Ohio State bound and more than ready for it. As a surprise second rounder a few months ago, Lohrei has been dominant in his second USHL season. Yes, he's older and bigger than most, but his production is almost unprecedented. Extremely exciting package.
The College Forwards
Beyond Holloway above, it's been a banner year for a bunch of forwards in NCAA, most of them freshmen.
- Sammy Walker: After an underwhelming sophomore year, Walker has been a point per game player as the captain of an elite Gophers team. The skating and energy are almost NHL level, but questions about true offensive talent remain.
- Logan Hutsko and Cole Guttman: Grouping these two for space, although they're similar level of prospects to Walker. Hutsko has signed in Florida after a season ending injury as a senior. If he can stay healthy, he can be an NHLer, but it's a real question mark. Guttman has looked good, not great, as 1C with Carter Savoie on a weak Denver team. Great shot, hard worker, good hands, but 5'9" and an average skater an issue.
- Nikita Nesterenko: Maybe the best freshman nobody has heard of, Nesterenko has been around a point per game at Boston College all year, playing all over the line-up and on both special teams. A very late bloomer out of NJ prep school, his development curve is really exciting. Lanky frame, great hands, fantastic vision.
- Colby Ambrosio: Similar to Nesterenko, just a touch less productive and well-rounded, Ambrosio has played up and down the lineup, centre and wing, as a true freshman at BC. The skating and shooting are there, the questions are size and a tendency to get a bit tunnel visioned.
- Landon Slaggert: Another player who has come back from the WJC and been playing well, at around a point per game player most recently as the first line LW at Notre Dame. Slaggert has been a tough scout for years - he often stood out for the right reasons to the eye, but the numbers weren't there. This transition is encouraging.
- Trevor Kuntar and Dylan Peterson: Grouping these two because they've mostly played third line roles as freshman at BC and BU, respectively. Kuntar looks like the same player he was in the USHL, in a good way, and Peterson looks better as a power winger than he did last year as a confused centre.
The other OHLers
Alex Formenton: It's a bit confusing why Formenton is not in the NHL, other than Ottawa having a glut of plugs in his way. He was fantastic as a rookie pro last year, showing much more offence than expected. The skating will play, the size and energy as well, and there is clearly some real goal scoring touch too.
Boris Katchouk: I expected Katchouk to translate to the AHL more along the lines of how Formenton did, but it has been much tougher. This is a big year for him. Katchouk has rounded out his game in his first two seasons in Syracuse, but needs to take a step forward as an offensive driver. Five games is too soon to assess so far.
Still in Europe
If a bunch of guys above started the year in Europe, a handful are still there. Here are the best of them.
Topi Niemela: Everybody saw what he did at the WJC, winning top D honours and leading the tourney in scoring from the blueline. How he slipped in the draft remains a mystery, because the hockey sense and puck moving are fantastic, there is clearly more offensive upside to grow in to, and skating and strength can and should improve. His Liiga play has been more mixed, but he is both raw and advanced at the same time.
Filip Hallander: A couple years ago, Hallander had a fantastic D+1 season in the SHL, scoring at almost half a point per game. And then he plateaued. A significant injury last year, a move to another team. He works hard, he has a nose for the net and can play in any situation. But the upside is a question mark.
Artur Kayumov: An under the radar prospect who has slowly developed into one of the best young players in the KHL. He is up to 29 points this year, just turned 23 and is signed for another year after this, after which he might just walk onto Chicago's third line.
Santeri Hatakka: I was surprised by how well Niemela played as a D+1 in the WJC, but it also reminded me of his Five Nations performance. Hatakka's performance at the WJC on the other hand was a revelation. Big, fast and strong defensively, the upside may not be there but he is developing very well. Is also a very solid middle pairing guy in the Liiga.
The Blue Chippers
Josh Norris: After his remarkable pro debut after a nine month layoff last year, Norris has transitioned well to the NHL. He is tied for second in rookie scoring, has played mostly in the top six in Ottawa, and although his performance lagged a bit the last couple of weeks, he looks the part of a second line centre down the line who can play with skilled players. Pretty good for a second rounder.
Evan Bouchard: Few players benefitted more from the opportunity to play in Europe in the fall. Although only in the Allsvenskan, Bouchard was dominant and the bigger ice seems to have helped his pace and skating further develop. Since being inserted into the Edmonton line-up, he has 4 points in 9 games and has increasingly tilted the ice and started to make more plays.
Philip Tomasino: Tomasino just scores, regardless of linemates or whether he is at centre or on the wing. That was true at the WJC, where he was productive despite mostly fourth line duty, and has carried over to the AHL. The skating, hands and hockey sense are all there and will translate, the question is whether he can assert himself enough to drive a scoring line in the NHL.
Dylan Holloway: Holloway will play. He is too smart, too fast, too strong and too well rounded not to. The question is upside, specifically whether he is talented enough to play with McDavid. At the WJC, he was asked to grind and played like it, showing little offence. And then since returning to college, he has been maybe the best player in college, scoring at an almost two points per game pace. The hands don't always keep up with the feet, but the results at Wisconsin have been remarkable.
The NHLers
Philip Kurashev: Tied for fourth in NHL rookie scoring, Kurashev has been a revelation in Chicago after, like Bouchard, playing well in Europe in the fall. The talent has always been apparent with Kurashev, but he came to camp playing faster and stronger and now looks like a legit potential top six forward. Not bad for a fourth rounder two years ago.
Conor Timmins: At a certain point, Timmins' career will hopefully no longer be defined by concussions, and with every passing week in the NHL that becomes more true. Timmins has been in the line-up most nights for Colorado, not putting up much offence - which he did in the AHL last year - but playing solid and steady minutes. He should have a long career.
Andrew Peeke: Lost initially in numbers and waiver eligibility for the first month of the year, Peeke has made his way into the line-up of late and is playing well. The size, mobility and defensive ability are all there, and he continues to show more puck moving ability than in college. Upside is a question but should have a good career.
Conor Mackey: Similar to Peeke, Mackey has not gotten much playing time and shuffled on and off the taxi squad quite a bit, but has showcased well in his three games. Going directly from college to the NHL is not easy, but at 24 and with a refined all-around game, Mackey should be able to stick.
Drew O'Connor: A late bloomer who took the long road to Dartmouth and then to the NHL, O'Connor surprisingly has played 8 games in Pittsburgh this year as a rookie pro. The size and skating are there, he flashes hands and skill. Too early to assess his upside in the NHL.
The College D
I've got a thing for college defencemen, so this group combines first year pros with those still in NCAA.
- Reilly Walsh: After three prolific years at Harvard, Walsh has shown the good - highlight reel end to end goals, one timers on the PP - and the bad - questionable lateral mobility defensively - in his first couple weeks as a pro. Likely a specialist in the NHL, but could be Tyson Barrie if things break right.
- Cole Hults: Last year's Big 10 Player of the Year, Hults has only played three games in the AHL so far, scoring one goal. His game rounded out a lot in his three college seasons, calmed down the run and gun, rough and tumble style, and was better for it. The question now is upside at the NHL level.
- Ryan Shea: Similar to Hults in that he put up numbers in college, but it took him longer to develop and the track record raises questions of whether he was just a good four year player. Two points in four games in the AHL so far.
- Jackson LaCombe: Lacombe was a mess at the WJC, but like Holloway, he returned to the NCAA and has been dominant. He's up to 16 points in 20 games, +16 on one of the best teams in college hockey, and over a point per game since the tourney. The tools really pop, with a good frame, fantastic skating and a real knack for finding seams offensively. Development remains key though.
- Jordan Harris: On the surface, similar to Lacombe as a prep school draftee with great skating, but Harris is sort of the inverse - a great skater with a refined defensive game who is finding his offence as a junior, with 16 points in 15 games. Probably goes right into the NHL at this point.
- Mason Lohrei: Squeezing Lohrei in here because he is Ohio State bound and more than ready for it. As a surprise second rounder a few months ago, Lohrei has been dominant in his second USHL season. Yes, he's older and bigger than most, but his production is almost unprecedented. Extremely exciting package.
The College Forwards
Beyond Holloway above, it's been a banner year for a bunch of forwards in NCAA, most of them freshmen.
- Sammy Walker: After an underwhelming sophomore year, Walker has been a point per game player as the captain of an elite Gophers team. The skating and energy are almost NHL level, but questions about true offensive talent remain.
- Logan Hutsko and Cole Guttman: Grouping these two for space, although they're similar level of prospects to Walker. Hutsko has signed in Florida after a season ending injury as a senior. If he can stay healthy, he can be an NHLer, but it's a real question mark. Guttman has looked good, not great, as 1C with Carter Savoie on a weak Denver team. Great shot, hard worker, good hands, but 5'9" and an average skater an issue.
- Nikita Nesterenko: Maybe the best freshman nobody has heard of, Nesterenko has been around a point per game at Boston College all year, playing all over the line-up and on both special teams. A very late bloomer out of NJ prep school, his development curve is really exciting. Lanky frame, great hands, fantastic vision.
- Colby Ambrosio: Similar to Nesterenko, just a touch less productive and well-rounded, Ambrosio has played up and down the lineup, centre and wing, as a true freshman at BC. The skating and shooting are there, the questions are size and a tendency to get a bit tunnel visioned.
- Landon Slaggert: Another player who has come back from the WJC and been playing well, at around a point per game player most recently as the first line LW at Notre Dame. Slaggert has been a tough scout for years - he often stood out for the right reasons to the eye, but the numbers weren't there. This transition is encouraging.
- Trevor Kuntar and Dylan Peterson: Grouping these two because they've mostly played third line roles as freshman at BC and BU, respectively. Kuntar looks like the same player he was in the USHL, in a good way, and Peterson looks better as a power winger than he did last year as a confused centre.
The other OHLers
Alex Formenton: It's a bit confusing why Formenton is not in the NHL, other than Ottawa having a glut of plugs in his way. He was fantastic as a rookie pro last year, showing much more offence than expected. The skating will play, the size and energy as well, and there is clearly some real goal scoring touch too.
Boris Katchouk: I expected Katchouk to translate to the AHL more along the lines of how Formenton did, but it has been much tougher. This is a big year for him. Katchouk has rounded out his game in his first two seasons in Syracuse, but needs to take a step forward as an offensive driver. Five games is too soon to assess so far.
Still in Europe
If a bunch of guys above started the year in Europe, a handful are still there. Here are the best of them.
Topi Niemela: Everybody saw what he did at the WJC, winning top D honours and leading the tourney in scoring from the blueline. How he slipped in the draft remains a mystery, because the hockey sense and puck moving are fantastic, there is clearly more offensive upside to grow in to, and skating and strength can and should improve. His Liiga play has been more mixed, but he is both raw and advanced at the same time.
Filip Hallander: A couple years ago, Hallander had a fantastic D+1 season in the SHL, scoring at almost half a point per game. And then he plateaued. A significant injury last year, a move to another team. He works hard, he has a nose for the net and can play in any situation. But the upside is a question mark.
Artur Kayumov: An under the radar prospect who has slowly developed into one of the best young players in the KHL. He is up to 29 points this year, just turned 23 and is signed for another year after this, after which he might just walk onto Chicago's third line.
Santeri Hatakka: I was surprised by how well Niemela played as a D+1 in the WJC, but it also reminded me of his Five Nations performance. Hatakka's performance at the WJC on the other hand was a revelation. Big, fast and strong defensively, the upside may not be there but he is developing very well. Is also a very solid middle pairing guy in the Liiga.
