Welcome to the Thursday Ramblings. I have found a topic to write about for this week. Hopefully everyone is safe. I miss sports. No idea what else to say! I could discuss where prospects will be drafted but my list is set and likely not moving until the draft order is created. When I have time I re-watch games and my opinion does not change all of that much on where I have prospects.

Non-hockey message: I have been watching The Expanse and seasons one to three are really good, but I have been annoyed at season four. Then I read about all the love for it and I do not get it. This is a down season for me. As a massive Kevin Smith fan, I finally got around to watching Jay and Silent Bob reboot. Why if I am a massive fan did I wait so long? Well because it looked like it sucked. After watching it… it only mostly sucked, so I guess that is a plus. It had some great jokes, some awful ones, and did not seem like a reboot but instead like old Jay and Silent Bob hang around with Kevin Smith’s daughter the movie. Anyway, for further discuss tweet me @FHPQuinn

Speaking of my twitter, here is my #GoodTweet of the week:

{source}<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>So .<a href=”https://twitter.com/NHL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@NHL</a> should just give him those goals please <a href=”https://t.co/zup09Rh1sK”>https://t.co/zup09Rh1sK</a></p>&mdash; Pat Quinn (not that one) (@FHPQuinn) <a href=”https://twitter.com/FHPQuinn/status/1247167293630451713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>April 6, 2020</a></blockquote>{/source}

Well let me get in to what I actually was writing about

Trevor Zegras (ANA) – Three-year ELC signed March 27, 2020

If he comes in as a centre he will have to compete with Getzlaf, Henrique, Steel, and Lundestrom for the top three centre spots, so my bet would be him starting on the wing or the AHL for at least half a season if the Ducks want him to be a centre. On the wing he can be hidden a bit better and probably post a reasonable 35-45 points as the Ducks will not be that high scoring for 2020-2021. If things go right and he clicks with say Rickard Rakell, Zegras could easily post 50+ points. He will forever be an assist heavy player though.

Note: For unknown reasons I keep thinking Zegras is on the Avalanche, zero idea why.

Tyler Madden (LA) – Three-year ELC signed March 30, 2020

Canucks fans were very high on Madden and he is a pretty good prospect. His short-term future in Los Angeles is not to be immediately on the main roster. My intial assumptions, if LA cannot move a bad contract up front, is 11 forwards returning with Amadio and Frk having one-way deals, and Lewis and Prokhorin leaving. Turcotte having the preferential treatment of being the high pick gives him first shot at the open roster spot. Madden will also find better success in LA on the wing as Kopitar and Turcotte will all sit in front of him, Lizotte is an underrated centreman, Carter’s contract is still there, Amadio is a good fourth line centre, and he will have to battle Vilardi and Kupari to make the roster.

K’Andre Miller (NYR) – Three-year ELC signed March 13, 2020

Miller should be on the Rangers for 2020-2021. The only left defensemen ahead of him are Marc Staal and Ryan Lindgren, plus whichever RD that plays on the left. The problem for a lot of people who love Miller is that DeAngelo and Fox are ahead of him for offense, and Lundkvist is also coming. I get the feeling Miller and Trouba will form an amazing shut down pairing, leaving a combination of DeAngelo, Fox and Lundkvist to provide offense with lesser competition. Also note, Lundkvist and Miller could swap positions here even though Lundkvist would be out of his usual position.

Alex Turcotte (LA) – Three-year ELC signed March 11, 2020

I am finding myself questioning Turcotte’s upside these days. I think he will still be very good but for some reason I am getting the “a good second line centre, but poor first line one” vibe to him. I am likely wrong as Turcotte is awesome, but I get this nagging sense. For me his upside without nagging sense: 70-85 points; with nagging sense: 53-62 points. Turcotte will battle with Vilardi for the 2C role as soon as the start of the 2020-2021 season happens. I think it will take Turcotte a couple of seasons to really show us fantasy GMs how high his ceiling can be.

Additional prospects that may beheaded in to a good situation

Dylan Samberg (WPG) – Three-year ELC signed April 7, 2020

Samberg is not going to blow anyone away on offense but he will be a valuable addition to the Jets blueline. The guarantees on the Jets blueline for next season is Morrissey, Pionk, Dahlstrom, Poolman, and Niku (well Maurice better rely on Niku). Dahlstrom and Poolman are the bottom pairing / seventh defenseman role. Beaulieu and DeMelo are UFA’s but one or both could be retained. Samberg could come in and be a solid middle pairing defenseman for the Jets. He will not get top powerplay time but can be solid for between 15-23 points in his first full NHL season.

Hugh McGing (STL) – Three-year ELC signed March 20, 2020

He will not be on the main roster for the Blues any time soon but I believe that is the best option for McGing as well. The AHL will give him the added time to bulk up and use his speed and skill to evade larger players. If he can get an opportunity in two seasons (so 2023-2024) on the roster I think he can carve out a scoring second/third line scoring role. He is underrated and I have this feeling his upside can reach 60 points, but remain cautious.

Max Gildon (FLA) – Three-year ELC signed March 26, 2020

Gildon can come in and surprise for Florida, though I do believe it will take him a season in the AHL before he will become an NHLer. The Panthers defense is pretty porous so Gildon could add some stability as he can play both sides easily. The problem is that there are about five defensemen ahead of him and Weegar played well enough to be re-signed. With the uncertainty around what Florida will do this off season, as they need to shed salary and Tallon is a poor GM who has had no success is Florida but is somehow still employed. Gildon will not see powerplay time but he can be a solid contributor down the line.

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