Thursday ramblings time, but THIS time I am sure there will be no glaring mistakes like last week. Also I should probably apologize for being a non-smart person last week and somehow thinking The Atlantic division and Metro division had merged / traded two teams.
To start this week I will go over Detroit, and then get into the real metro division and the teams’ top five prospects. Hopefully it all works out this time.
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Well now I have to finish the Atlantic from last week and no sadly Detroit and Carolina did not get traded between divisions. That would be an interesting hockey wrinkle though, a team that cannot solve its goaltending mess for a team that is stuck on its merits instead of blowing it all up.
Detroit
Notes:
- With Tyler Bertuzzi being told to stay in Detroit in December, they value him as an NHLer
- With Svechnikov struggling the Red Wings’ prospect cupboard really does not look great, even with 11 picks in 2017 as I was not a fan of many of their picks
- Hronek and Cholowski do look good, but both are in their overage seasons and SHOULD be putting up great numbers
- Dominic Turgeon does look like he can be an NHLer, not a scoring NHLer but at least someone who can play bottom minutes
- Axel Holmstrom has the skills but just can’t seem to put it all together in the AHL currently
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Well look who ACTUALLY belongs in the Metro, first up a repeat of last week so feel free to skip ahead if you read last week’s ramblings by me
Carolina
Notes:
- Honourable mention to Jake Bean, Janne Kuokkanen, and Eetu Luostarinen
- The Hurricanes are an incredibly frustrating team. They have so many great prospects but won’t make a move to improve their NHL team, unless it means they can trade with the Blackhawks
- This team needs a number one centre and count me on the pessimistic side that he won’t be good enough to be a number one, but I do think he can become a great number two centre
- I am very sad Sergey Tolchinsky is just not busting through in the AHL as I really wanted that kid to succeed, great heart, skill and character
Columbus
Notes:
- Abramov is such a skilled player but the problems in his game lie in his small frame (shouldn’t be a problem) and he is not that great at skating. If he can improve his skating he will be a top six NHLer
- Milano is just starting to find his footing in the NHL but seems to be more of a middle six forward
- Texier was a dark horse favorite pick of mine in the 2017 draft I am glad Columbus picked him up
- I do not think this prospect pool is that great, but that is accounting for the team’s best young players being on the roster already
New York Islanders
Notes:
- Honourable mention: Mitchell Vande Sompel. Glad he got over his concussion issues early in his career and is currently one of the top defensemen on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (in his first pro season)
- The Islanders have two of the best goaltending prospects out there with Sorokin and Soderstrom. It’ll be an interesting situation to see who will become the future starter, Soderstrom may get to North American ice sooner giving him the advantage, even with Sorokin being the better long-term bet
- There is still hope for Ho-Sang, he just needs to think the NHL game better. Hopefully his next call up is his last
- Aho will be a top four defenseman and a god one for the Islanders, proving that he should have been picked at least three drafts ago when he was available! I am a big fan of his game
New York Rangers
Notes:
- Yegor Rykov is an underrated prospect and one the Devils will likely regret giving up. He may not be a flashy scorer but he can transition play and defend well
- Still do not know what to make of Sean Day is he a bust or is he a legit prospect. It has been like this his whole career for me. A part of me wishes he makes the NHL and can be a top four defenseman on the Rangers, and the other part of me is a Devils fan and hopes the Rangers do not do well ever haha
- Chytil is one of my favorite prospects out there. This kid is legit, I have said that a lot, and it is true
Philadelphia
Notes:
- With 28 picks in the last three drafts the Flyers have a deep group of prospects
- Don’t sleep on Mike Vecchione, who has slowed down in the AHL but appears to be at least an NHL player
- Mikhail Vorobyov is adjusting to North American ice, which accounts for his slow progression this season, but this kid has the vision to be a fantastic playmaker in the NHL
- Besides Hart the Flyers have Felix Sandstrom, Matej Tomek, and Kirill Ustimenko as other goaltending options
Pittsburgh
- Daniel Sprong
- Zach Aston-Reese
- Dominik Simon
- ??????????
- Profit
Notes:
- There is really not much in this system aside from Sprong and Aston-Reese, but I mean back to back Stanley Cups will do that
- Simon looks like a Kunitz type of player
- Watch what College, overseas, or CHL players the Penguins sign as they will be given an opportunity to fill in at the NHL level as long as they can somewhat produce in the AHL
New Jersey Devils
- Michael McLeod
- Mackenzie Blackwood
- Jesper Boqvist
- Jacob MacDonald
- Blake Speers
Notes:
- I had a chance to be the prospects writer for the Devils a few seasons ago, but I cannot do it. I would overrate those players compared to all other teams, so this list should be more non-biased/homerism
- The Devils had 20 picks in the last two drafts and hit big time on Jesper Bratt in 2016, but they may have some gems in Yegor Zaitsev, Reilly Walsh, Fabian Zetterlund, Nikita Popugaev, and of course Joey Anderson. In regards to Anderson he is more of a bottom six player than a top six player
Washington
Notes:
- Samsonov is on everyone’s top five prospect goaltenders list and for good reason as he looks like the real deal. He is also coming over to North America for the 2018-2019 season and is fine starting in the AHL
- If the Capitals could open up roster spots Boyd and Barber could be legit NHL talents. The Capitals cannot keep them waning in the AHL forever
- Garrett Pilon is currently tearing up the WHL now that he is shooting the puck more and being leaned on for offense
- Damien Riat and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby are both late 2016 picks for the Capitals that could turn out to be legitimate prospects. AJF was a stand out for Sweden at the World Juniors, and Riat has picked up his scoring in the Swiss A League
- Shane Gersich is a skilled player in the Capitals system playing for the University of North Dakota, and has upside but the numbers are pretty weak this season
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Well now hopefully I got this list right!
Thank you for reading, point out more screw ups right to my twitter account here @FHPQuinn