Welcome to the September 2021 edition of the DobberProspects 32-in-32 Series! This month, we will be diving into the depth of each organization, looking at their recent graduates, risers, fallers and top 20 prospects.
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As discussed in the August edition of 32-in-32, Nashville seems to be headed towards a youth movement. After the departures of long-time Preds such as Ryan Ellis, Pekka Rinne, and Viktor Arvidsson, it’s time for the prospects in the system to break through for the big club.
The addition of players like Fyodor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux definitely help boost a prospect pool that already includes Phil Tomasino, David Farrance, and the arguable number one goaltending prospect in hockey, Yaroslav Askarov.
After sneaking into last year’s playoffs, general manager David Polie will hope that through the off-season turnover and the expected promotion of youth, Nashville can get back on track towards contending for the Stanley Cup.
Graduating Players
Playing in his first “full season” with the Predators, Tolvanen did all that was asked of him. After posting 11 goals and 22 points over 40 games, he proved that he was ready for full-time NHL duties. His playoff performance was quiet as he was held pointless in four games but expect him to step into full-time top-six responsibilities this year and be the leading man on the Predators powerplay. It is Eeli’s time to shine.
One of the new arrivals in Smashville, Cody Glass, is the most intriguing player in the entire organization. Once a 6th overall pick, Glass has struggled with injuries and inconsistencies at the NHL level during his time with Vegas. With the lack of offensive options for the Preds lineup, I expect Glass to slide right into the top-nine and the powerplay. The flashes of talent have been there, but he needs to prove it with his new team.
With the departure of Ryan Ellis, the spot is wide open for Alexandre Carrier to step into the Predators top-four. After his 19-game stint with the big club last year, where he had a 50.52% CF% and a 51.74% xGF%, he should continue to get an extended look with Roman Josi on the top pair as the season starts. Carrier is not afraid to get involved offensively, especially when it comes to shooting from the point, so be on the lookout for him as a sleeper in deeper fantasy leagues.
Risers
It’s hard to describe how good Tomasino was in his first pro season. As a 19-year-old, Tomasino finished the season with 13 goals and 32 points in 29 games while playing for the Chicago Wolves. He was one of the most dominant rookies in the entire league, which has many Predators fans excited for a good reason. Tomasino is not guaranteed a spot on the opening night roster by any means, but it sure would look good seeing him there, and trust me, he will not go down without a fight. Whether it is on the wing or down the middle, expect Tomasino to be a contributor in the lineup sooner rather than later.
One of my favorite prospects in the system, Grant Mismash, will not wow you with point totals every night, but it is his hard-working style of play that makes me think the Preds have a player here. In his final season with the University of Dakota, Mismash finished just under a point per game with 19 points in 20 games. After turning pro heading into this season, Mismash has already left an impression in the pre-season camps. He began with Potting a couple of goals in the development camp scrimmages before being the left-winger for Phil Tomasino in the Prospect Showcase during the development camp. I am intrigued to see who his linemates are in Milwaukee this year, but I believe he can be a great complimentary winger in the top-six in the AHL this season.
The top defensive prospect in the system, David Farrance, continues to get better and better. His mix of smooth-skating and two-way play from the back-end makes him a natural candidate to play on the top pair for Milwaukee this season, especially after already making a short NHL cameo where he averaged 18:08 time-on-ice in two games with the Preds. Farrance’s ability to run a powerplay will be critical as we need to see how his offensive talents translate to the pro game. If a Mattias Ekholm trade does indeed happen at some point this season, do not be surprised if Farrance gets an extended look in the Preds lineup.
Fallers
Don’t get me wrong, 18 points in 28 games is not a bad season by any means. However, at some point, a prospect falls into the category of a tweener. Richard is already 25 and has only played two career NHL games. Even with the players that have departed in free agency, I do not have Richard in my projected opening night lineup, and I also do not expect to see much of him on the Preds this season unless injuries begin to hit hard or trades are made.
Harper simply did not have a good first pro season. Harper had five goals and nine points in only nine ECHL games during his time with the Florida Everblades, but when he was called upon in the AHL, he had a mediocre two points in 15 games with zero goals. He will hope to play a more prominent role for Milwaukee this season, but he will have to work the defensive side of the game before he works on rediscovering his offensive touch from his time with Boston College.
Prospect Depth Chart
| Left Wing | Centers | Right Wing |
| Eeli Tolvanen | Phil Tomasino | Luke Evangelista |
| Zachary L’Heureux | Cody Glass | Mathieu Olivier |
| Egor Afanasyev | Fyodor Svechkov | Simon Knak |
| Rem Pitlick | Yakov Trenin | |
| Anthony Richard | Jusso Parssinen | |
| Grant Mismash | Alexander Campbell | |
| Isak Walther | Patrick Harper | |
| Gunnarwolfe Fontaine | Tommy Novak | |
| Tanner Jeannot | Chase McLane | |
| Robert Carpenter | Michael McCarron | |
| Cole Smith |
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
| David Farrance | Alexandre Carrier |
| Jeremy Davies | Philippe Myers |
| Anton Olsson | Ryan Ufko |
| Marc Del Gaizo | Vladislav Yeryomenko |
| Adam Wilsby | Frederic Allard |
| Semyon Chistyakov | Jack Matier |
| Spencer Stastney | Luke Prokop |
| Ben Harpur | Luke Reid |
| Goalies |
| Yaroslav Askarov |
| Connor Ingram |
| Tomas Vomacka |
| Devin Cooley |
| Konstantin Volkov |
| Ethan Haider |
Top 20 Fantasy Prospects
- Yaroslav Askarov
- Eeli Tolvanen
- Phil Tomasino
- Cody Glass
- Fyodor Svechkov
- David Farrance
- Alexandre Carrier
- Philippe Myers
- Zachary L’Heureux
- Egor Afanasyev
- Marc Del Gazio
- Ryan Ufko
- Yakov Trenin
- Luke Evangelista
- Jeremy Davies
- Rem Pitlick
- Juuso Parssinen
- Anton Olsson
- Anthony Richard
- Grant Mismash
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Curtis Rines