Graduated: Noah Juulsen (RHD),Jesperi Kotkaniemi (C) Goalie Josef Korenar (another non-draftee) was one of the AHLs top young netminders, while fellow goaltending prospect Zachary Emond was tops in the QMJHL in goals-against average (1.73), save percentage (.932)and shutouts (seven). Systems are most often graded on the backs of their top three or four prospects, but I also place a good deal of value on the depth of systems. Moving forward, Tampa remains comfortably stable with AHL-proven talent in Syracuse such as 2017 first-rounder Cal Foote, who tied for the team lead among defensemen with 10 goals. The knee-jerk reaction is to think the Devils are ranked this high because of Jack Hughes and not because of GM Ray Sheros craftiness at the draft table. Forward Ryan Donato lit the league up during his brief call-up and should be a Calder Trophy candidate this year, and they have three excellent two-way center prospects in Trent Frederic, Jack Studnicka and Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson. He'll be a top-line NHL player when he peaks. Of all their prospects, Zegras has the highest star potential and should be groomed to take over for aging captain Ryan Getzlaf. Time will tell if the steep price in draft picks the Flames paid to land defenseman Travis Hamonic will be worth it, but the parent club is oozing with youth, with more on the way. But being out of contention yielded trades that brought in high-end youngsters. Winger Martin Kaut is a sturdy playmaker who was among the AHLs top teenage scorers last season and Shane Bowers, a 2017 first-round pick of Ottawas acquired in the Matt Duchene deal, was one of Hockey Easts top two-way centers; heis signed to play this season with the AHLs Colorado Eagles. Any significant reduction in scoring from the season prior counted against the prospect while those who were among the team or league leaders in production by position benefitted. What roles they are given, even if limited in scope and scale, will be monitored closely, especially if the team hits a funk. Here are the top ten prospects in the Kings farm system post-draft. On the blue line, 2018 first-round pick Ryan Merkley is an offensive standout. Another playmaker from the blue line is Harvard rearguard Reilly Walsh, a right shot who averaged nearly a point per game as a sophomore, which may have made it easier for Shero to send Jeremy Davies to Nashville for P.K. He's followed by another potentially special talent on the blue line in Finnish export. A critical need for centers throughout the organization was addressed in each of the last two drafts, and this next generation of Canadiens should be good enough to eventually bring the Habs back to respectability. But that's the price you pay for being a Cup contender while promoting blue chip prospect after blue chip prospect. The Avalanche already owntwo premier young defensemen in Conor Timmins and Cale Makar, but the crown jewel of Sakic's prized assets is Ottawa's unprotected 2019 first-round pick, which may end up being the first overall pick. Almost bydefault, Poulin automatically vaults to the top of the prospect depth chart, one which has been thinned in recent years via deadline deals and draft-day hijinks. Traded/not signed: None. Constructing the league's deepest prospect pool hasn't been easy, as the Flyers haven't won a playoff round in six years. Meanwhile, defenseman, Noah Dobson, a 2018 draftee, did arrive on Long Island and appeared in 34 games. 2018-19 rank: 13th Zadina is the odds-on favorite to beat out his peers for a roster spot and Veleno is the primary target to center Team Canadas top line at the under-20 world juniors. The waters are far from murky, however, as they have two of the AHL's best youngsters in late-round 2015 draftees Sami Niku and Mason Appleton, in addition to owning elite Finnish sniper Kristian Vesalainen. These kids are trending in the right direction and have shortened their path to the NHL, which also shouldnt be a problem for skilled 2019 first-rounder Jakob Pelletier, who classifies as one of the toughest competitors at any level and can get to the show on his work ethic alone. He uses his 6'2", 190-pound frame to protect the puck, finds advantageous spots on the ice and has a good wrist shot with a quick release. On paper, the Stars look pretty healthy when it comes to prospect depth. Traded/not signed: Brendan De Jong (LHD),Adam Fox (RHD, NYR), Nicolas Roy (C/RW, VGK), Aleksi Saarela (C/W,CHI), Valentin Zykov (LW, waived). Of course, finishing second inthe draft lotteryand, therefore, getting super-sniper Kaapo Kakko was more luck than the art of scouting. If the Isles are going to keep defensive-zone stinginess as the core strategy behind their identity, then they certainly have the right kids lining thepipeline. The regime change in Carolina that cost Ron Francis his job as general manager doesn't change the fact that the Hurricanes already owned an arsenal of identifiable blue-chip prospects. The rankings are a consolidation of 11 different publications, and include TSN, Sportsnet, Hockeyprospect.com, Future Considerations, Elite Prospects, McKeens, Dobbers Prospects, Smaht Scouting, Puck Authority, Draft Ty Dellandrea, has top-line center potential, and goalie Jake Oettinger is also rising. In the followingrankings, the zone of consideration for all 310 prospects is Calder Trophy (NHL rookie of the year) eligibility between 18-26 years old and no more than 25 combined NHL regular season games played. He signed a professional contract on the day the Kings' season was shut down because of the pandemic and has since been loaned to a team in Germany. Key additions: Spencer Knight (G), Vladislav Kolyachonok (LHD) William Eklund, C/W, Djurgrdens IF (SHL) 2. The Oilers were a mess last seasonand none of their recent first-round picks since Connor McDavid delivered the kind of earth-shattering performance to help alleviate the pain of another dreadful year as they failed to reach the 80-point mark for the ninth time in 10 years. He may be followed into the big time by 2019 draft pick Thomas Harley, who's durable and a superior skater. Among them is 6'3" left winger Nolan Foote, who came from Tampa Bay for Blake Coleman. Unfortunately for the general public, they tend to keep us in the dark about the inner workings, which is why its up to us to figure out where theprospects stand and how each teams success with player development can be measured. Few teams ice an NHL team with as many former blue-chip prospects as Arizona, which in turn has diminished the collective quality of the youngsters they have developing in the pipeline. Traded/not signed: Petter Hansson (LHD). Graduated: Henrik Borgstrom (C) In addition to Byfield, the team has five other A-rated prospects and 10 B-rated prospects, both coming in as high-water marks for our entire ranking. They're in addition to 2018 first-rounder Ty Smith, who's a future power-play point man. 1 goalie prospect, but they do have some intriguing players in Lukas Parik and Jacob Ingham, among a few others who could develop. A last-minute deal that sent Jacob Trouba to the Rangers allowed GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to recoup the first-round pick he had originally shipped to New York months earlier in his trade for Kevin Hayes. Still, the cupboard is far from bare and the organizations reputation for developing draftees into quality full-time players tells us they likely have additional diamonds in the rough who can answer the call at a moments notice. NFL draft questions for teams in the top 10: Will the Colts trade up? And defenseman Olli Juolevi continues to possess top-pairing potential even though a back injury will keep him on the sidelines for a few months. So if you're buying NHL prospect stock, here's the place to dump your cash. With a great high end of the pool, the Rangers also boast pool depth with a number of players who should figure into their near future. It also appears this will be the youngest lineupHershey has iced since becoming Washingtons AHL affiliate in 2005-06. Key additions: Dylan Cozens (C/W), Ryan Johnson (LHD) Pinelli, captain of the Kitchener Rangers ranks tied for 11th in OHL scoring with 64 points (30-34=64) in 40 games. Subban. As Bob Dylan would say, the times they are a changing, especially on Long Island. That's especially true on the blue line, as the club can look to K'Andre Miller, Braden Schneider, Zach Jones and Matt Robertson. Not far behind Sandin is fellow Swede Tim Liljegren, a gifted puck rusher himself and a first rounder from the 2017 draft. Traded/not signed: Jarret Tyszka (LHD),Scott Walford (LHD). NYR | OTT | PHI | PIT | SJ | STL That roster included rookie goalie Jordan Bennington, a third-round pick in 2011, who this postseason produced a Conn Smythe-worthy performance. The thing is, Detroit's farm system before the 2018 draft already included solid pieces in two-way center Michael Rasmussen, puck movers Filip Hronek, Gustav Lindstrom and Dennis Cholowski, and goalie Filip Larsson. I've broken down prospects for each club into three categories, noted in parentheses in the team prospect rankings: A prospects have a high likelihood of becoming NHL high-impact players (i.e. However, the strength of the organizations depth lies within the forward ranks, and with a dash of Finnish flavor to boot. Norris is done at the University of Michigan and could be a surprise roster addition out of training camp. In fact, you have to go all the way back to 1970 to find a Blues draft class that didnt produce at least one NHL player with 100 games or more under his belt. No team has stockpiled prospects in as great a number as the Kings. Without taking it from a personal level, and also ignoring fan allegiances, there are players on this list who are held in higher regard than others. And players are only considered for prospect status if they are 25 or younger. It has been an extremely strange year for NHL prospects, with many playing shortened seasons and/or taking long hiatuses between competitive gameplay. Note: To maintain prospect eligibility, a player must still have rookie status. And adding a crown jewel in 2020 No. Critical to their success was 2016 second-rounder Tyler Benson, who led the team in scoring during the regular season and playoffs, and a duo of puck-moving defenseman in 2015 draftees Caleb Jones and Ethan Bear. So, too, should be Vitali Kravtsov, who has been lighting up the KHL on loan this season. He scored 40 points in 34 games as an NCAA junior and isn't far away. Subban's top five quotes: 'I dont play for New York', Florida Panthers retool lineup, should make deep playoff run in 2019-20. Traded/not signed:Brett Davis (C), Liam Hawel (C), Markus Ruusu (G). There's a lot to like for the Golden Knights, who reached the Stanley Cup Final in their first season and were among the final four as the No. With some of the best bat-to-ball skills in last years draft Jackson, impressed in his senior year, slashing .685/.749/1.392 in 41 games. Where other teams are rich and getting richer at forward, the Sharks seem content to build from back to front. C prospects showcase the upside to make the NHL, but either need more development time or are more likely to fill out depth roles. Center Henrik Borgstrom leads Florida's crew of playmaking neophytes, and speedy winger Owen Tippett is good enough to make the club out of camp for the second year in a row. MORE: Maple Leafs' best line combinations with John Tavares. NHL readiness and experience Generally speaking, a player who is among the best team performers in the AHL usually is one of the first to receive an in-season promotion. There's alsoa string of the best young defensemen the European elite leagues have to offer in Nils Lundkvist, Yegor Rykovand Tarmo Reunanen, the latter bouncing back from multiple injuries to lead all under-21 rearguards in scoring in Finlands SM-Liiga. Traded/not signed: Daniel Bukac (RHD), Ryan Donato (RW, MIN), Cedric Pare (C). A slow start from winger Ryan Donato likely convinced the Bruins to trade their best prospect to Minnesota for Charlie Coyle, and there wasnt much going on among the forwards once he left. Poehling may already have a leg up on Suzuki thanks to his hat trick in his NHL debut. Janne Kuokkanen, who arrived from Carolina for Sami Vatanen. Traded/not signed: Jocktan Chainey (LHD), Jeremy Davies (LHD, NSH), John Quenneville (C, CHI). Key additions: Ronnie Attard (RHD), Bobby Brink (RW),Cam York (LHD) Still, the addition of two young stars in power forward Dylan Cozens and smooth puck rusher Ryan Johnson are acceptable consolation prizes for the aforementioned promotions of Rasmus Dahlin and Casey Mittelstadt, who spent all of last season in the NHL. Key additions:Jonathan Dahlen (LW),Andrew Shortlidge (G, UDFA) Brett Leason's 'most fun year of hockey' now continues with the Capitals, 2018-19 rank: 26th On defense, first-rounder Cam York (2019) has skill and hockey sense to spare. The opening round of the 2021 NHL Draft is now quickly approaching and is set for June 23. Still, a handful of young defensemen could ultimately provide Chicago's backbone on the blue line, namely collegiate standout Ian Mitchell and 6'4", 208-pound behemoth Alec Regula. Yikes. Vasili Podkolzin is 19 and a powerful, two-way forward who'll reach the NHL sometime in 2020-21. That said, 20-year-old Barrett Hayton is a piece to build a future around. Teams with multiple prospects who possess superior talent (i.e. The law of averages says respectability is the worst-case scenario for a team that has accumulated as many blue-chip prospects as Ottawa has. Players who appeared in 26 or more NHL regular-season games last season are not eligible, nor are players with at least 50 career NHL contests. He's a centerpiece along with defenseman Moritz Seider, who was picked sixth overall in 2019 and spent 49 games in the AHL, posting 22 points. MORE: How Bruins overcame botched trades in blueprint back to NHL's best. SCOTT PERUNOVICH, D, ST. LOUIS BLUES (+22) Last year: 90th. Its a tad unfair to ding an organization that came within one win of a second Stanley Cup this decade and had GM Don Sweeney named the NHLs Executive of the Year. 1 prospect, the Rangers can also still consider Igor Shesterkin a prospect, and he very well could be a Calder Trophy favorite this year given his brief audition last season. No team took to the trade route to beef up their prospect cupboard as much as the Rangers, who for the first time in 14 years appear committed to a lengthy rebuild. Elsewhere, goaltenderUkko-Pekka Luukkonen spent 2019-20 in the ECHL and AHL and had three shutouts in 15 wins with a 2.53 goals-against average. Graduated: Carter Hart (G), Oskar Lindblom (LW) Graduated: Max Jones (LW), Jacob Larsson (LHD),Troy Terry (RW) WebThe Kings 2021 second-round draft pick is on an absolute tear. 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