Ohio Jones
Game on...
Columbus prospects put up some impressive training camp performances this fall.
Top of the list has to be big LW Will Cuylle (21) earning a starting spot on the Rangers’ third line ahead of several veterans and the Blueshirts’ top prospect, Brennan Othmann. Cuylle tied Chris Kreider for the Rangers’ pre-season scoring lead, adding a fight and some much-needed physical intensity. He impressed the Rangers staff so much they’re even giving him looks at RW with Artemi Panarin and Filip Chytil, where his willingness to muck in the corners and his hands in close could form a potent second line.
G Lukas Dostal (23) out-duelled veteran Alex Stalock to fully earn his spot as John Gibson’s backup in Anaheim. The Ducks will be awful for another year or three, but he’ll have every opportunity to grow his game as a key piece of the Ducks’ talented young core.
Playoff revelation and undrafted AHL ROTY LW Tye Kartye (22) made the Kraken, and is expected to start the first regular season NHL game of his career later this month.
D Wyatt Kaiser (21) held his own in a 9-game Blackhawks audition after UMD’s season wrapped last spring, and will start the season on the third pair for rebuilding Chicago. Hopefully he forms part of the young core with guys like Kevin Korchinski and Lukas Reichel around the league’s next superstar.
W Jakub Lauko (23) out-hustled the competition in Boston to start the season with Milan Lucic and John Beecher on what looks like a fourth line for the Bruins designed to give opposing teams fits.
Even among those kids getting sent down were some who had particularly good showings:
C/RW Xavier Bourgault (20) turned heads as one of the top performers at Edmonton’s camp, and while he’ll be expected to take a bigger role in Bakersfield, he’ll be high on the recall list if the Oilers find themselves down a scorer. (Another standout performer at the Oilers camp was journeyman blueliner Ben Gleason, who just signed a two year deal with the HFNHL Jackets.)
D William Trudeau (20) had another terrific camp for Les Habs, and looks like he’ll be part of Montreal’s long-term blueline plans. For now he’ll play top-pairing minutes in Laval.
Undrafted C/RW Adam Klapka (22) made it to the final cut in Calgary before being sent down. The ginormous Czech showed better hands and feet than expected, along with his fists (he makes up in enthusiasm what he perhaps lacks in pugilistic expertise). While his path to NHL minutes may be blocked for now by waiver pickup AJ Greer, he definitely earned closer attention from the team going forward.
While the Jackets have lots of 20-somethings on the verge, successive years without significant draft picks has left them woefully short of talented teens in the system - something they hope to begin addressing at next summer’s draft.
But that’s tomorrow’s problem! For now, fans can enjoy following their deep 2023-24 rookie class.
Top of the list has to be big LW Will Cuylle (21) earning a starting spot on the Rangers’ third line ahead of several veterans and the Blueshirts’ top prospect, Brennan Othmann. Cuylle tied Chris Kreider for the Rangers’ pre-season scoring lead, adding a fight and some much-needed physical intensity. He impressed the Rangers staff so much they’re even giving him looks at RW with Artemi Panarin and Filip Chytil, where his willingness to muck in the corners and his hands in close could form a potent second line.
G Lukas Dostal (23) out-duelled veteran Alex Stalock to fully earn his spot as John Gibson’s backup in Anaheim. The Ducks will be awful for another year or three, but he’ll have every opportunity to grow his game as a key piece of the Ducks’ talented young core.
Playoff revelation and undrafted AHL ROTY LW Tye Kartye (22) made the Kraken, and is expected to start the first regular season NHL game of his career later this month.
D Wyatt Kaiser (21) held his own in a 9-game Blackhawks audition after UMD’s season wrapped last spring, and will start the season on the third pair for rebuilding Chicago. Hopefully he forms part of the young core with guys like Kevin Korchinski and Lukas Reichel around the league’s next superstar.
W Jakub Lauko (23) out-hustled the competition in Boston to start the season with Milan Lucic and John Beecher on what looks like a fourth line for the Bruins designed to give opposing teams fits.
Even among those kids getting sent down were some who had particularly good showings:
C/RW Xavier Bourgault (20) turned heads as one of the top performers at Edmonton’s camp, and while he’ll be expected to take a bigger role in Bakersfield, he’ll be high on the recall list if the Oilers find themselves down a scorer. (Another standout performer at the Oilers camp was journeyman blueliner Ben Gleason, who just signed a two year deal with the HFNHL Jackets.)
D William Trudeau (20) had another terrific camp for Les Habs, and looks like he’ll be part of Montreal’s long-term blueline plans. For now he’ll play top-pairing minutes in Laval.
Undrafted C/RW Adam Klapka (22) made it to the final cut in Calgary before being sent down. The ginormous Czech showed better hands and feet than expected, along with his fists (he makes up in enthusiasm what he perhaps lacks in pugilistic expertise). While his path to NHL minutes may be blocked for now by waiver pickup AJ Greer, he definitely earned closer attention from the team going forward.
While the Jackets have lots of 20-somethings on the verge, successive years without significant draft picks has left them woefully short of talented teens in the system - something they hope to begin addressing at next summer’s draft.
But that’s tomorrow’s problem! For now, fans can enjoy following their deep 2023-24 rookie class.
