Is it really Thursday again? Why yes it is. You get to read what I write, yay!
This week’s PQ’s rambling will be on a Kostin (who I traded for in a keeper pool), a possibly forgotten Bruins prospect, Lias Andersson’s debut, and the AHL All-Star roster update!
Music for the read features the good Canadian boy(s) Danko Jones:
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I read an article tweeted by @AlexSerenRosso (who is a must follow on twitter) in mid-January over at The Hockey Writers regarding Klim Kostin and his time in the AHL, it is a must read as well. It starts off with Kostin telling the interviewer (Alexei Shevchenko) that the Blues promised an NHL debut this season if he plays well in the World Junior Championship.
Needless to say, we should see him in at least one game before the season winds up. The most interesting part is here:
AS: Lately you don’t have a lot of minutes in the AHL, and also haven’t the best stats.
KK: I’m ready to explain what’s going on. The fact is that the Blues don’t have their own farm team. San Antonio is now primarily helping [the] Colorado [Avalanche]. At the start of the season I was playing many minutes and had good stats, but then the Avalanche assigned some players and I have been moved down in the depth chart. I don’t play on the power play now. Nothing strange.
AS: Why aren’t you playing for the Chicago Wolves? The Blues assign players there too.
KK: As far as I understand, the Blues send their younger players to San Antonio, while the more experienced guys get assigned to Chicago.
AS: What does the coach tell you?
KK: He says that I’m doing everything well and that all is good. Simply the situation is this and I can’t change it.
You can find the article here: https://thehockeywriters.com/st-louis-blues-klim-kostin-ready/
The Vegas expansion really messed with St. Louis’ AHL prospects and a lot of low numbers for their younger prospects are mainly affiliated with low ice time. San Antonio is leaning more towards older players and of course developing Avalanche prospects. This season could put a hamper on St. Louis prospects in the AHL.
Samuel Blais apparently does not care for my assumption as he has 22 points in 19 games.
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Time for my mystery Bruins player to be revealed!
Alexander Khokhlachev has rocketed up the KHL scoring recently and is currently sitting at 48 points in 50 games. There were rumblings that he may come back and play for his AHL coach Bruce Cassidy in Boston, but nothing has been 100% confirmed yet. Khokhlachev’s KHL contract does end after this season, so keep an eye on him.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Alexander Khokhlachev is red hot: got 1G+2A in today's KHL game for his third multipoint game in a row. Khokhlachev is also on a 1.6 ppg pace in the last 10 games and now has a total of 19G+29A in 50 KHL games this season. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLBruins?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NHLBruins</a></p>— Russian Prospects (@RUSProspects) <a href="https://twitter.com/RUSProspects/status/956261442134605830?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The New York Rangers got their 2017 seventh overall selection, Lias Andersson, to come play in the AHL after the WJC and 22 games in the SHL. It cannot be stressed enough how great of a move this was for the Rangers to have their two top picks playing this season in the AHL, it should greatly speed up the development of both players. Filip Chytil is already a top rookie in the league, he just cannot stay healthy so far (due in large part to random injuries).
Lias Andersson made his debut tonight for the Hartford Wolf Pack registering one shot and an assist on the overtime winner; as the Wolf Pack went on to win 4-3.
Chytil recorded two assists and four shots as he will become the player in the draft people look back on and go “19 teams passed on this kid!”
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News out of the AHL All Star game as a few players has to be replaced due to injuries or remaining in the NHL for the time being:
Charlotte Checkers forward Warren Foegele, Bridgeport Sound Tigers defenseman Mitchell Vande Sompel and Bridgeport goaltender Christopher Gibson have been added to the Atlantic Division roster; Toronto Marlies defenseman Justin Holl has been added to the North Division roster; Manitoba Moose forward Mason Appleton has been added to the Central Division roster; and Tucson Roadrunners defenseman Kyle Capobianco has been added to the Pacific Division roster.
These six players replace Bridgeport’s Tanner Fritz and Sebastian Aho, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Casey DeSmith, Toronto’s Travis Dermott, Manitoba’s Jack Roslovic and San Antonio’s Jordan Schmaltz, who will be unavailable for the event.
This highlights some prospects that are really trending upwards these days:
- Warren Foegele is tied for second in the AHL right now with 20 goals in 40 games trailing teammate Valentin Zykov who is tied with two others at 21 goals. It is amazing how the Charlotte Checkers can score but the Carolina Hurricanes keep Jeff Skinner on line three and the second power-play unit.
- The Islanders mid-round draft picks on defensemen has really paid off recently. I have gushed over Sebastian Aho enough, but Mitchell Vande Somple (21 points in 37 games) seems to be forgotten with Pulock and Aho in the NHL. This kid can move the puck so well, skate, has a great shot, and can run a power play, do not forget about him. Also of note Devon Toews keeps producing in the AHL and deserves real attention, he is sitting at 22 points in 30 games and has become the Sound Tigers’ number one defenseman.
- The Islanders are keeping Sebastian Aho in the NHL, the kid has played great.
- Pittsburgh sent down Tristan Jarry recently as Casey DeSmith has won the net in the short term
- Toronto’s Travis Dermott has played quite well on and injured Toronto blue line, many Leaf centric twitter accounts have been gushing over his skating ability for good reason
- Jack Roslovic is likely staying in Winnipeg as the Jets have too many injuries down the middle, if they were healthy he would still be in the AHL.
- Defenseman Kyle Capobianco for the Roadrunners is having a great rookie season in the AHL with 21 points in 33 games. The 2013 third round selection, who did get into one NHL game this season, is really making some promising progress.
This is the end of these ramblings. Thank you for reading along.
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