Pittsburgh Penguins Prospects Thread

[chethejet]

Pens will have openings next season for bottom 2 lines. Even signing Sheahan leaves openings at center and LW. Blueger, Reese, Simon, Sprong should be in the mix. Angelo, gives them size which is needed. I expect Riikola to be extended which doesn't leave much in the way of opportunities on D. Lot depends on this season to see how much Pens move away from the status quo.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Pens will have openings next season for bottom 2 lines. Even signing Sheahan leaves openings at center and LW. Blueger, Reese, Simon, Sprong should be in the mix. Angelo, gives them size which is needed. I expect Riikola to be extended which doesn't leave much in the way of opportunities on D. Lot depends on this season to see how much Pens move away from the status quo.

Yeah and that's not even counting Johnson, Hallander, Bellerive, Miletic, etc.

Even though we don't have a lot of high-end prospects, I'm pretty confident that a few of that group (including the guys you listed) will establish themselves as quality complementary types somewhere in the line-up, which is why paying to keep a guy like Hags is something I'd prefer to avoid, useful as he is.

 

[Peat]

For people who like stat box watching, here's the stats for all the Pens prospects as to now. Planning to update this every month or so, as well as providing monthly stats so we can see who's going hot and who's cooling down.

WHL

Jordy Bellerive (C, Lethbridge) GP15 G8 A11 P19 PIM14 +2
Justin Almeida (C, Moose Jaw) GP13 G3 A18 P21 PIM0 +1
Calen Addison (D, Lethbridge) GP15 G2 A14 P16 PIM20 -7

Almeida is joint 8th and Bellerive joint 16th for points among forwards - Almeida is tied 3rd for assists with Cody Glass. Addison is 4th for points among dmen. Almeida leads his team for points by 1 and for assists by 8. Bellerive is 2nd for points on his team and Addison 4th.

Both Lethbridge and Moose Jaw sit 4th in their respective divisions. However, Lethbridge are 3rd for GF in the whole WHL and 4th for GA - Moose Jaw's 36 GF is the 2nd worst in the whole WHL. Almeida is involved in over half his team's goals.

QMJHL

Jan Drozg (W, Shawinigan) GP15 G6 A13 P19 PIM6 -14
Zachary Lauzon (D, Rouyn-Noranda) - N/A

Alex D'Orio (G, Saint John) GP14 GAA 4.68, .882%

Drozg is joint 16 for points among forwards and joint 9th for assists. The next highest scorer on his team has 11 points. Lauzon is yet to play but his return is meant to be soon.

D'Orio is 14th out of 15 goaltenders playing 10 or more games for save percentage. Only Shawinigan's is worse.

Unsurprisingly, both teams are awful this year.

SHL

Filip Hallander (W, Timra) GP12 G2 A5 P7 PIM0 +2

Tied 35th for points in the SHL overall, Hallender is tied 2nd and 1st for assists among players under 20, and tied 1st for points on his team. Timra are 8th out of 14 in the league, with their 26th goals 10th for GF - Hallander's involved in over 25% of them.

Liiga

Niclas Almari (D, HPK) GP5 Go A1 P1 PIM0 -2 (U20s - GP2 G0 A1 PIM2 +3)
Antti Palojarvi (D, Lukko) GP2 G0 A1 P1 PIM0 +0 (U20s - GP13 G3 A5 P8 PIM2 +5)

Almari's GP total seems to suggest an injury or a lot of HSs.

NCAA

Nikita Pavlychev (C, Penn) GP5 G2 A4 P6 PIM6 +3
Kasper Bjorkqvist (W, Providence) GP6 G2 A2 P4 PIM0 +5
Clayton Phillips (D, Minnesota) GP3 G0 A4 P4 PIM2 +3
William Reilly (D, RPI) GP5 G1 A2 P3 PIM2 -1
Ryan Jones (D, Nebraska) GP6 G0 A2 P2 PIM10 -8

Too few games to really draw much context as to where they are in terms of their team/league, but Jones -8 is tied for team lead - looks like he's on the top unit for a team getting shelled.


Anyway.

I'd say big pluses to Almeida, Drozg, Hallander, Philips and Pavlychev - he'd become a pretty interesting prospect all of a sudden if he kept up this sort of scoring. Also Palojarvi's U20 scoring is a big increase for him so yay for baby steps.

Nobody seems to be doing that badly (at least among the healthy) but it would be nice if Almari could kick on, if Jones could stop getting shelled, and I think Bellerive has another level of offence there.

Also, free Alex D'Orio.

p.s. I have no idea where Liam Gorman is playing.

 

[Peat]

Yeah and that's not even counting Johnson, Hallander, Bellerive, Miletic, etc.

Even though we don't have a lot of high-end prospects, I'm pretty confident that a few of that group (including the guys you listed) will establish themselves as quality complementary types somewhere in the line-up, which is why paying to keep a guy like Hags is something I'd prefer to avoid, useful as he is.

Much as I like the philosophy here and agree with the assessment of our complimentary prospect, I would point out that we know Rutherford's not going to ice a bottom 6 with a lot of unproven players at the start of next season if he can help it. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a free agent signed with Johnson/ZAR left in WBS next year, similar to Grant and Bluegers.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

For people who like stat box watching, here's the stats for all the Pens prospects as to now. Planning to update this every month or so, as well as providing monthly stats so we can see who's going hot and who's cooling down.

WHL

Jordy Bellerive (C, Lethbridge) GP15 G8 A11 P19 PIM14 +2
Justin Almeida (C, Moose Jaw) GP13 G3 A18 P21 PIM0 +1
Calen Addison (D, Lethbridge) GP15 G2 A14 P16 PIM20 -7

Almeida is joint 8th and Bellerive joint 16th for points among forwards - Almeida is tied 3rd for assists with Cody Glass. Addison is 4th for points among dmen. Almeida leads his team for points by 1 and for assists by 8. Bellerive is 2nd for points on his team and Addison 4th.

Both Lethbridge and Moose Jaw sit 4th in their respective divisions. However, Lethbridge are 3rd for GF in the whole WHL and 4th for GA - Moose Jaw's 36 GF is the 2nd worst in the whole WHL. Almeida is involved in over half his team's goals.

QMJHL

Jan Drozg (W, Shawinigan) GP15 G6 A13 P19 PIM6 -14
Zachary Lauzon (D, Rouyn-Noranda) - N/A

Alex D'Orio (G, Saint John) GP14 GAA 4.68, .882%

Drozg is joint 16 for points among forwards and joint 9th for assists. The next highest scorer on his team has 11 points. Lauzon is yet to play but his return is meant to be soon.

D'Orio is 14th out of 15 goaltenders playing 10 or more games for save percentage. Only Shawinigan's is worse.

Unsurprisingly, both teams are awful this year.

SHL

Filip Hallander (W, Timra) GP12 G2 A5 P7 PIM0 +2

Tied 35th for points in the SHL overall, Hallender is tied 2nd and 1st for assists among players under 20, and tied 1st for points on his team. Timra are 8th out of 14 in the league, with their 26th goals 10th for GF - Hallander's involved in over 25% of them.

Liiga

Niclas Almari (D, HPK) GP5 Go A1 P1 PIM0 -2 (U20s - GP2 G0 A1 PIM2 +3)
Antti Palojarvi (D, Lukko) GP2 G0 A1 P1 PIM0 +0 (U20s - GP13 G3 A5 P8 PIM2 +5)

Almari's GP total seems to suggest an injury or a lot of HSs.

NCAA

Nikita Pavlychev (C, Penn) GP5 G2 A4 P6 PIM6 +3
Kasper Bjorkqvist (W, Providence) GP6 G2 A2 P4 PIM0 +5
Clayton Phillips (D, Minnesota) GP3 G0 A4 P4 PIM2 +3
William Reilly (D, RPI) GP5 G1 A2 P3 PIM2 -1
Ryan Jones (D, Nebraska) GP6 G0 A2 P2 PIM10 -8

Too few games to really draw much context as to where they are in terms of their team/league, but Jones -8 is tied for team lead - looks like he's on the top unit for a team getting shelled.


Anyway.

I'd say big pluses to Almeida, Drozg, Hallander, Philips and Pavlychev - he'd become a pretty interesting prospect all of a sudden if he kept up this sort of scoring. Also Palojarvi's U20 scoring is a big increase for him so yay for baby steps.

Nobody seems to be doing that badly (at least among the healthy) but it would be nice if Almari could kick on, if Jones could stop getting shelled, and I think Bellerive has another level of offence there.

Also, free Alex D'Orio.

p.s. I have no idea where Liam Gorman is playing.

Thanks for putting that together. Very convenient.

Gorman is a BU commit but he isn't listed on the USHL section on commitments. Strange. Are we ruling out alien abduction?

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Thanks for putting that together. Very convenient.

Gorman is a BU commit but he isn't listed on the USHL section on commitments. Strange. Are we ruling out alien abduction?

Almost positive he’s a senior in HS right now, and their season hasn’t started but I could be wrong.

 

[Peat]

Almost positive he’s a senior in HS right now, and their season hasn’t started but I could be wrong.

Would make sense - EP hasn't updated the roster for his school for this year.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

For people who like stat box watching, here's the stats for all the Pens prospects as to now. Planning to update this every month or so, as well as providing monthly stats so we can see who's going hot and who's cooling down.

Heck yeah. Carrying on the Burgs legacy. Good stuff man.

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

p.s. I have no idea where Liam Gorman is playing.

He's still in highschool apparently. His season begins on Nov. 17 according to DK.

 

[wej20]

He's still in highschool apparently. His season begins on Nov. 17 according to DK.

Says in that article he's repeating a grade. Going to be a huge jump for him next season if he goes straight to BU, I assumed he would be playing in the USHL this season.

 

[BladeRunner66]

NCAA

Nikita Pavlychev (C, Penn) GP5 G2 A4 P6 PIM6 +3

Pavlychev - he'd become a pretty interesting prospect all of a sudden if he kept up this sort of scoring.

What's the NCAA caliber like?
Furthermore, where do you think he stands (tall at 6'7" haha) in his team at 21yo?

p.s. thanks for the stats post.

 

[Peat]

What's the NCAA caliber like?
Furthermore, where do you think he stands (tall at 6'7" haha) in his team at 21yo?

p.s. thanks for the stats post.

Others can answer better to the standard - the DK article FBF linked to talks well as to where he stands in the team.

 

[OnMyOwn]

Not really a pens prospect, but I’m watching Austin Lemieux play PSU tonight.

 

[BladeRunner66]

Not really a pens prospect, but I’m watching Austin Lemieux play PSU tonight.

I've always wondered if he hadn't been born premature would a bigger Austin made the NHL?

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I've always wondered if he hadn't been born premature would a bigger Austin made the NHL?

He’s a really big kid I thought? 6’3 200+

 

[Peat]

He’s a really big kid I thought? 6’3 200+

6'3" but listed as onlt 170lbs on EP.

 

[Jacob]

Lanklet

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

6'3" but listed as onlt 170lbs on EP.

Is that even possible. Wouldn’t you be technically dead at that weight and height?

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

6'3" but listed as onlt 170lbs on EP.

"Tubby"

 

[Empoleon8771]

I've always wondered if he hadn't been born premature would a bigger Austin made the NHL?

If his last name wasn't "Lemieux", he would have never even made it to junior hockey.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

If his last name wasn't "Lemieux", he would have never even made it to junior hockey.

Nope. He led the USPHL (a solid junior league) in scoring. Austin Lemieux isn’t a pro prospect but he’s a very good hockey player in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Nope. He led the USPHL (a solid junior league) in scoring. Austin Lemieux isn’t a pro prospect but he’s a very good hockey player in the grand scheme of things.

It depends on what you mean by a "very good hockey player". Do you mean Sam Lafferty good? Because Sam Lafferty was consistently amazing throughout amateurs. Lemieux? I played against him multiple times, he was never anything special.

Personally, Lemieux wasn't even in the top-10 players I played against in amateurs, he just wasn't that good relative to the actual good players. The USPHL also isn't a "solid" junior league, I'm pretty sure the USPHL is on the same level as the NA3HL, which is a glorified AA league.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

It depends on what you mean by a "very good hockey player". Do you mean Sam Lafferty good? Because Sam Lafferty was consistently amazing throughout amateurs. Lemieux? I played against him multiple times, he was never anything special.

Personally, Lemieux wasn't even in the top-10 players I played against in amateurs, he just wasn't that good relative to the actual good players. The USPHL also isn't a "solid" junior league, I'm pretty sure the USPHL is on the same level as the NA3HL, which is a glorified AA league.

Yeah but you said he would have never made it to juniors w/o his last name. Obviously ASU loves to have Mario Lemieux rinkside, but he doesn’t get that chance unless he can hang in D1 hockey.

I would hope Sam Lafferty was a dominant amateur player, he’s a 4th round pick, pro prospect, and playing in arguably the 2nd best league in the world at a PPG pace? Not sure what he has to do with this.

USPHL is solid all things considered. Buncha kids go high D3 out of it. I don’t know a single informed person who would put the NA3HL at the same level as it.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah but you said he would have never made it to juniors w/o his last name. Obviously ASU loves to have Mario Lemieux rinkside, but he doesn’t get that chance unless he can hang in D1 hockey.I would hope Sam Lafferty was a dominant amateur player, he’s a 4th round pick, pro prospect, and playing in arguably the 2nd best league in the world at a PPG pace? Not sure what he has to do with this.

I think the problem here is that when I say "juniors", I mean tier 1, as in the USHL or any of the major junior leagues in Canada. I consider those leagues "actual" junior leagues, even if leagues like the NA3HL or USPHL technically count as junior leagues. I think super lowly of the NA3HL for obvious reasons for anyone who has ever seen a NA3HL game before, so when I saw that the USPHL was considered a tier 3 junior league, I became very skeptical of it being anything.

USPHL is solid all things considered. Buncha kids go high D3 out of it. I don’t know a single informed person who would put the NA3HL at the same level as it.

I guess "USA hockey" isn't an informed person then, seeing how they classified it as a tier 3 junior league. The USPHL premier is classified on the same level as the NA3 in the eyes of USA hockey. I don't know exactly how the skill level between the two leagues compare, all I know is that the NA3 blows, but they're classified on the same level by USA hockey.

Junior hockey in the US is such a cluster**** that it's hard to tell anything about any league below the NAHL. You obviously know the USHL is good, and I personally consider the NAHL good as well (as I imagine most people would). But there are so many tier 3 junior hockey leagues that you can't tell which of them are actually good.