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Top-20 des meilleurs espoirs
RED WINGS DE DETROIT
Analyses de Scott Wheeler de The Athletic.
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| 1- Jakob Pelletier Ailier Gauche / Centre 20 ans 5'10 181 lbs Repêché 28ie au total en 2019 par Québec.  |
" Pelletier’s a player who I’ve stuck my neck out on over the years, so I’m not going to lie: I’m thrilled to see him having the kind of year he’s having as an AHL rookie. He’s Stockton’s leading scorer and a top-10 scorer in the league right now and he’s doing it as a 5-foot-9 winger with average skating. Due to those two traits, many in hockey often questioned his upside, even whilst acknowledging how versatile and well-rounded the rest of his game is (which has always been widely agreed upon). But he’s proving that he’s another in a long line of players who should have ended the belief that if you’re small and you aren’t a burner that you’re up against it by default. On the contrary, he doesn’t really fit the 5-foot-9 winger archetype in any way. Where most players who are constructed like him play games that tilt towards offence at the expense of being defensive liabilities, Pelletier plies his trade above the puck first and attacking second. You can see it in his excellent goal differential results (it’s no surprise that he’s also tops on the Heat in plus-minus). You can see it in how he supports the play, his defensive timing, and the consistency of his habits with and without the puck. That style doesn’t take away from his offence either. He has always produced near the top of his age group and has plus-level talent as a passer (he regularly makes plays through layers), handler (he’s got great control in tight to his body), and problem-solver who makes little skill plays all over the ice. I’d expect him to compete for a top-nine NHL job next season. " | ||
| 2- Sebastian Cossa Gardien 19 ans 6'6 209 lbs Repêché 10ie au total en 2021 par Detroit.  |
" It has been a bit of a mixed bag for Cossa since the draft (at least relative to what we’re used to/expect out of him). I’ve watched him play live more than double-digit times this season (first in Traverse City and Calgary in the summer, then again in Calgary in December) and I’ve seen him play games where he looked unflappable and others where he looked rattled as shots snuck through holes they shouldn’t be finding. The same has been true in the WHL. He was tremendous early on in the year but his consistency has waned of late behind a loaded Oil Kings team that now has eight drafted NHL prospects (the most in the league) and acquired stars Kaiden Guhle and Justin Sourdif at the deadline. He’s a huge (6-foot-6), powerful, athletic goalie and those last two things don’t always come with the first. He’s a fiery, confident, talkative competitor who doesn’t like to get beat (which contrasts from the stoic demeanour we see in many goalies) and wants to command the net and the room. Bigger goalies often struggle with their movements and their recoveries but neither are an issue for Cossa. His positioning (he does a really good job holding his outside edges to be patient on shots) and reflexes (he’s got great hands up high) help him block and grab a lot of pucks, but it’s his ability to bounce back into his stance or change directions with passes that separates him. His power through his pushes give him rare side-to-side ability for a goalie as big as he is. But there are also some question marks. Some of them are contextual, like how good the Oil Kings have been in front of him these last three years. But others are about the tools, including some of the trouble he faces closing his five-hole because of his size and the way he can occasionally lose himself in his net on scramble plays (those strong pushes to get to tough lateral saves can pull him off his lines). His natural gifts give him undeniable upside though. " | ||
| 3- Hendrix Lapierre Centre 19 ans 6'0 185 lbs Repêché 16ie au total en 2020 par Detroit.  |
" It has been an up-and-down year for Lapierre. After making the Capitals out of camp, he wasn’t at his best early on in the QMJHL with his new club following his moving from the Sagueneens to the Titans (though he eventually picked it up, with 14 points on a current six-game point streak as I write this). Then he didn’t play well enough in Hockey Canada’s selection camp for the world juniors in Calgary and was probably its most notable cut as a result. When Lapierre is at his best, he’s playing a puck transport, distribution game on the inside of the ice. But while his vision is high-end enough to create off the perimeter with east-west passes, he can put himself there a little too often. His goal scoring numbers have never popped, it has been nice in the last year and a half to see him looking to get his own more often as well. He’s got an accurate, low-kick wrister that can beat goalies from the home plate area (and which he does a nice job adjusting around sticks and skates). He’s also a good skater who is capable of pushing tempo, being the primary carrier on his line, applying pressure, and playing with pace. He’s also got an impressive ability to keep sequences alive and play under pressure. Whether he can do that against bigger, stronger competition remains in question among some scouts. If he can, there’s second-line ceiling there. " | ||
| 4- Nikita Chibrikov Ailier Gauche / Ailier Droit 18 ans 5'10 172 lbs Repêché 26ie au total en 2021 par Detroit.  |
" Chibrikov, like Lucius, was a kid who ranked much higher on my board than where the Jets grabbed him in 2021. Like Lucius, he also impressed in his brief showings at the world juniors, where he looked like Russia’s second-best forward for my money through two games (after Matvei Michkov of course), with two assists and eight shots on goal to show for it. And like Lucius, he also got off to a bit of a slow start this year and has been outstanding for his age and level ever since. After beginning the season in limited usage (five to nine minutes a night) across four games in the KHL, Chibrikov has looked the part of one of Russia’s best teenaged hockey players (as reflected in his strong age-adjusted production in both the second-tier VHL and junior MHL) the rest of the way so far. He’s a talented offensive player who when he’s involved in the game and playing confidently looks to take over and has the tools to do so. Chibrikov plays a direct, intentional game which looks to attack at and through pressure, create his own chances, and drive play to the inside when he has the puck. And though his game tended to really quiet when there weren’t those same gaps in coverage to attack into against men last year, he has taken those tighter pockets in coverage without hesitation this year. When he’s engaged in the fight and keeping his feet moving, there’s a lot to like about his ability to impact a shift (both by ramping up the pace with his skating or slowing the game down to play a little more calculating) in a variety of ways as equal part finisher and playmaker. " | ||
| 5- Matthew Knies Centre / Ailier Gauche 19 ans 6'3 205 lbs Repêché 56ie au total en 2021 par Detroit.  |
" Knies has become one of the best early stories of the 2021 draft class with his play at the University of Minnesota, where he has produced at a point per game as a freshman to work his way onto USA’s men’s Olympic team. In fact, I’d probably argue that he, Joshua Roy (Canadiens), Scott Morrow (Hurricanes), and Matvei Petrov (Oilers) are the four players from the 2021 class who’ve impressed the most relative to where they were selected. Knies has a rare power-finesse blend to his game, where he can drop a shoulder, drive at you with his heavy 6-foot-3 frame, and overpower goalies with his shot, but he also executes his fair share of small area plays. He’s got a bit of a hunch in his stride that really leans him out over his toecaps, which I’d like to see straightened out at least a little, but he’s got all of the makings of a modern power forward who can play an honest but talented game that excels on the wall as much as in the middle third. He’s comfortable in control, he’s got great touch, he’s always working to keep himself in the play off of the puck, he’s got a strong two-way foundation, he’s hard to knock off pucks, and he understands how to play off of crowds to facilitate. And while that all has to be measured against being one of the older players in the 2021 draft, he also looks like he’s closer to pro-ready than the kids who were born at the other end of that late-September 2002 to early September 2003 window. His projection has quickly moved from complementary middle-six power forward to potential impact top-six power forward. Here’s what University of Minnesota assistant coach Garrett Raboin had to say about Knies on a recent call with me: “He’s certainly been the talk of that draft class. Outside of the guys at Michigan, he has really stepped to the forefront. He’s had some real success with us and he’s a guy that right from Day 1 we’ve known is going to be a heck of a college hockey player. He can shoot it and physically he’s able to separate guys from the puck, he’s able to play in traffic, he’s got good skill, and he’s a man.”" |
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| 6- Jamieson Rees Centre 20 ans 5'11 172 lbs Repêché 44ie au total en 2019 par Detroit.  |
" After a strong start to his pro career in the AHL last season when the OHL never got up and running, Rees has remained an effective player for the Wolves this season without taking a step forward to really showcase the pesky skill that distinguishes him (some of which is driven by poor puck luck and a low shooting percentage that should rebound). When he finds his game at the AHL (and potentially NHL level), you’re going to know it because his game is hard to miss and his presence can be felt on every shift. Rees can impact a game in so many ways, whether he’s hunting down loose pucks, fighting for body positioning to win battles against bigger players (he’s a fiery 5-foot-11), making something happen at the front of the net, or circling the offensive zone in possession to facilitate or cut to the slot for a chance. Rees is a slippery stickhandler who changes directions on defenders to keep cycles alive but also has a ton of talent in traffic to the slot (or in the shootout). He plays on the edge when he doesn’t have the puck and surprises defenders and goalies with his hands when he has it (though there are times when he tries to do too much). He’s a better passer than finisher, and he’s not the biggest kid in the world, but he plays a pro style and if he can learn to control some of his decisions better he’ll have value up and down an NHL lineup someday. " | ||
| 7- Alex Beaucage Ailier Droit / Ailier Gauche 20 ans 6'1 192 lbs Repêché 62ie au total en 2019 par Detroit.  |
" Though he’s not lighting it up, Beaucage has become a contributing everyday player for the Eagles as a rookie (and a 20-year-old one who has a late-July birthday at that!) and I liked what I saw from him in a recent video review session. He’s a strong and sturdy, 6-foot-1, pro-built winger with a heavy shot who generates shots at a high clip. That the shot generation has continued at a high level in the AHL is a big, big positive, too. His low shooting percentage actually suggests he’s probably owed a few goals this year. And while his skating can look a little choppy, he has made progress there and he has good hands, which help him keep plays alive and get to his spots (another thing he has done a nice job of doing this season). He’s also got decent playmaking instincts despite his net-focussed approach. If he can continue to get faster and play faster, he might become a complementary bottom-six scorer. I’d expect him to take a major step forward in the AHL next season. " | ||
| 8- Dustin Wolf Gardien 20 ans 6'0 170 lbs Repêché 156ie au total en 2019 par Detroit.  |
" I’m going to start with this: I seriously considered ranking Wolf first here. That’s how good I think this kid is. But then I got cold feet and turned into a coward. Still, if you’ve been following my work for any amount of time, you’ll know that Wolf is my favourite goalie prospect in the sport. When the Flames drafted him at the end of the seventh round, he ranked in the second round of my 2019 draft board, as my second-ranked goalie behind only Spencer Knight. This summer, he ranked fifth on my drafted goalie prospects ranking, behind only Knight, Iaroslav Askarov, Jesper Wallstedt and Sebastian Cossa. He possesses elite footwork and tracking. He never loses sight of the puck and anticipates the movements of opposing carriers so, so well, making him extremely hard to beat with a deke. He has everything you look for in a top goalie prospect today except for the size. The results are there, he’s athletic, and his technical ability is refined. Small goalies are expected to be quicker through their footwork and edges than bigger goalies, but that can often pull them out of position and force them into a scrambling style. Wolf’s game is remarkably compact, though. He holds his edges and angles beautifully, making himself look bigger than he is in the net and helping him to stay centre. I know Dan Vladar has played well for the Flames and still has one year remaining on his deal, but I fully expect Wolf to push him for the backup job at some point in the not-too-distant future. " | ||
| 9- Mavrik Bourque Centre 19 ans 5'10 185 lbs Repêché 24ie au total en 2020 par Detroit.  |
" In his last season at the junior level, Bourque, who missed all of November due to a shoulder injury, has been tremendous this season, registering a point in all but one QMJHL game he has played so far this season for Shawinigan and impressing me in person in Traverse City, Calgary (the summer showcase may have been the one blip on the radar, but I wouldn’t even call it that), and Edmonton with the Stars and Team Canada. He gets high grades for his ability to maneuver in possession, manage the puck in control, adjust to pressure to evade checks, and make quick skill plays out of carries. He’s also got great hands in traffic and around the net, he’s starting to show a real knack for improvisation, and I’ve really seen his one-on-one skill flash more consistently. And all of those things have developed on top of a strong foundation of tools that he has always had. The trustworthiness off the puck defensively. The spatial awareness and his identification of where players are on the ice (with and without the puck). The consistency of the reads. His forechecking. His quick choices and his ability to play fast without necessarily being a burner. His light feet. His ability to play with the puck as a driver or play off of his linemates. That versatility, combined with his high-end skill, gives him legitimate, impact upside in the NHL, even if his 5-foot-10 frame and missing dynamism prevent him from becoming a true star. He’s equal parts slick and detailed and that’s pretty rare. " | ||
| 10- Brendan Brisson Centre 20 ans 6'0 185 lbs Repêché 40ie au total en 2020 par Detroit.  |
" When I went to Ann Arbor at the end of November to watch the Wolverines play, Brisson stood out for the usual reasons. His excellent one-timer popped off of his stick a couple of times while playing his off wing (including once off the post) with lefties Matty Beneirs and Kent Johnson. He picked up a couple of secondary assists. And there were times in the game when he tried to be too cute with the puck and his desire to problem-solve his way around the ice extended a little too far. On the whole, though, it was the continuation of a strong sophomore follow-up to a strong freshman season. Brisson, who leads the Wolverines in goals this year, has great hands and poise, that lethal one-timer, a shot that is pinpoint accurate even in tight when it’s harder to place, an ability to maneuver and manipulate inside the offensive zone while processing the game, and a sense for how to expose pressure points and use space to his advantage. His skating remains average but his reads and anticipation mute the issues that average skating can sometimes create for other players. I see second-line upside on the wing (which he has played basically exclusively in college, after previously being a centre) with PP1 upside on the right flank. " | ||
| 11- Emil Andrae Défenseur 19 ans 5'9 176 lbs Repêché 51ie au total en 2020 par Detroit. |
" One of my favourite prospects in the sport today, Andrae is a short but stocky 5-foot-9 defenceman who plays an aggressive and yet calculating game. I thought he was tremendous in the early going as Team Sweden’s captain at the short-lived world juniors, really using his take-charge game from the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan level to own the ice and dictate play against his peers. He manages pressure well in all three zones, out-waiting players in the offensive zone, side-stepping forecheckers in the defensive zone, and weaving through neutral ice to create entries. He’s got good four-way mobility through his crossovers and footwork (without being the quickest player from a standstill, though I think that has been overstated even if it can limit his rush defense and pull him out of position when he takes some of those risks or gets caught up ice). I like his sturdiness and physicality for his size. He holds his own in battles, boxes out well, and can step up to rub players out along the wall. Improved feet from a standstill have gone a long way this season to ensuring he can hold his own defensively because his strength is not a problem. And the offensive-zone skill is there in spades, even if it’s more likely to beat one layer of pressure and make his play than to try to break down multiple defenders. He creates in short, decisive sequences with his ability to attack the high slot and play through lanes (whether that’s with a seam pass to the backside of coverage out of a quick few strides into space or a hard shot from an attack into the high slot/across the line). There’s a strong chance HV71 (who are atop the HockeyAllsvenskan table) are promoted back into the SHL for next year and I hope they do because I’d love to see him look to command at that level now that he’s established as one of their top players. There’s always a risk with players his size that they don’t progress into the NHL, where teams still think (rightly or wrongly) that they have to have a limit on the number of smaller defencemen they can have, but I see a real path for Andrae. " | ||
| 12- Yegor Zamula Défenseur 21 ans 6'3 176 lbs Signé à titre d'agent libre en 2021 par Detroit.  |
" Zamula feels really close. Like “call him up and watch him stay in the lineup” levels of close. He’s an impressive two-way defender with the length, mobility and instincts needed to defend at a high level, and the swagger and skill set needed to play a puck-carrying style in transition and an aggressive, attacking style off the point. There’s still a bit of lankiness to his physique but he’s aware that he needs to keep getting stronger and he doesn’t necessarily need a ton of muscle to play the way he does defensively because he’s got such a good stick. His north-south stride is long and fluid, his crossovers are clean (though they aren’t quite as fluid as his pushes are), and his ability to go east-to-west to side-step players one-on-one and close gaps in transition is extremely impressive. He’s also got excellent hands for a player his size (6-foot-3), with a standout ability to beat layers of pressure and go at opposing players to carry the puck to more dangerous spots offensively. Zamula’s combination of skills and attributes are rare. He’s a bit of unicorn but he can play tough minutes defensively and he makes plays that defenders who look like him typically don’t. He’s not a big play finisher as a shooter or passer, but he’s the guy who makes all of the plays that come before the goal and he’s got loads of sneaky skill. I’m still confident giving him a second-pairing projection. " | ||
| 13- Yegor Chinakhov Ailier Droit 20 ans 6'0 179 lbs Repêché 52ie au total en 2020 par Detroit. |
" Chinakhov got the hockey world’s attention in Traverse City, scoring six goal scorers goals with a shot that was overpowering goalies no matter how he was getting rid of it (in motion, standing still, one-timer, wrister, snapper, you name it). He has always had a great shot but it’s better than I ever gave it credit for and a clear top-of-the-lineup tool if he can get the rest of his game to that level. The good news is that he’s also strong his skates, he’s got good timing to get himself open into space, he’s effective as a trailer even though his skating isn’t a strength because of the shot threat off the rush, he handles the puck well (which helps him adjust to defenders and keep plays alive) and I don’t mind his play off the puck. I don’t see first-line upside but he’s got the tools to become a second-line scorer and PP2 threat. " | ||
| 14- Josh Brook Défenseur 22 ans 6'1 194 lbs Repêché 223ie au total en 2017 par Detroit.  |
" Just when it was looking like Brook had found himself in the AHL, he was consistently looking like the player he was in junior, and it looked like he might be nearing his NHL debut, knee surgery set him back. Brook’s a 6-foot-1 right-shot defender with a smooth (and decently powerful) skating stride who is at his best when he’s snuffing out rushes in the neutral zone defensively and keeping his feet moving to stay involved offensively (he doesn’t even have to lead the rush or be aggressive with his feet, but it was nice last season to see him looking to impact the game more decisively). I thought he struggled a little with the pace of play (rather than the speed) early on in his pro career, occasionally losing his man in coverage or rushing a play, but he had settled in there too. When he plays with confidence, I think he’s an effective two-way defender who has a real chance at a third-pairing career. But the injury is going to cost him the final year of his entry-level deal and I don’t know where that’ll leave him as an RFA. " | ||
| 15- Samu Salminen Centre / Ailier Gauche 18 ans 6'3 190 lbs Repêché 90ie au total en 2021 par Detroit. |
" One of my favourite prospects from the 2021 draft class, Salminen’s in the unenviable position where he’s too good to be playing junior but he can’t play professionally because he’ll be heading to Denver in the fall. Salminen, who is wearing the ‘C’ with Jokerit’s junior club this year, is a well-rounded two-way player with a lethal shot from mid-range. But an awkward, clumsy stride combined with questions about what his post-draft season would look like before college to push him into the third round. The list of natural scorers at lower levels who don’t pan out because of skating issues is a long one. But what I like about Salminen is that while the shot is a focal point of his game, it’s not what it’s all about (as it is with some slower scorers). He’s going to be able to beat goalies with it when he gets to his spots and it gives him legitimate power-play upside. It comes off heavy (with a lot of spin) and he places it under the bar at a very high rate without missing the net a lot. But there’s more to Salminen’s game than that. Because he’s also 6-foot-3. And he’s also a deft stickhandler, which blends well with his length to make him an excellent puck protector, helping him get to his spots with control against reaching defenders when the play slows down inside the offensive zone. And he’s also a conscientious player without the puck. So not only does he win his fair share of board battles but he then has the tools required to take the play off of the wall to the interior. This season hasn’t truthfully been great for his development but the hope is that it will payoff next season when comes to North America, becomes an important player for the Pioneers, and plays a lead role for the Finns at the 2023 world juniors. I’ve been working on something on Salminen, so stay tuned for that. " | ||
| 16- Tristan Lennox Gardien 19 ans 6'4 190 lbs Repêché 106ie au total en 2021 par Detroit.  |
" I don’t see what some others see in Lennox. I had a junior hockey general manager joke with me recently that “any time a goalie in any league is 6-foot-4 or larger, they put him on NHL Central Scouting.” “Teams are scared to miss on those kinds of goalies. (But) a lot of those goalies that are that big, to be honest, they can’t play,” he said. And that last part is more or less how I’ve come to feel about Lennox over the last few years. He’s huge, he showed promise early in his career, he got in front of eyeballs with Hockey Canada, and then even as the shine should have begun to wear, the gloss from early on was enough to make him a third-round pick. And the potential will likely earn him an NHL deal and an opportunity in the minors. But he just gets beat cleanly way too often. Sometimes that’s getting frozen on a shot. Other times, it’s being half a second too slow. Other times it’s because he’s mid-recovery from a sloppy first save. Those are issues. " |
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| 17- Nicolas Beaudin Défenseur 22 ans 5'11 168 lbs Repêché 30ie au total en 2018 par Detroit.  |
" After fulfilling the promise he showed in junior last year in all of the AHL, NHL and worlds (where he won gold), Beaudin’s career feels like it has begun to flatline a bit this season as he struggles to graduate full-time and establish himself in Chicago. I debated slotting him a couple of spots lower here as a result, but given how sharply the Blackhawks pool drops off after Reichel, Rockford’s below-average team this season, his track record, that he just turned 22 in October, and that I still believe in the way he plays, I think he still makes sense here for now. The big question with Beaudin has always been that he lacks a pull-away separation gear, which he has to play a bit of loose gap in transition to accommodate for. That can be exaggerated because he’s not long or physical to compensate. But he also has other tools that help him navigate the ice, defend and contribute in a variety of ways. For starters, his footwork is actually quite smooth and polished, so changes of directions and pivots aren’t the problem (his issue is more of a power one). I like virtually everything else about his game, as well. He anticipates the play really well, quickly picking up on developing lanes and breakdowns in coverage to use his excellent passing ability and touch offensively. He’s comfortable shaking pressure and poised with the puck on his stick (sometimes too much so). Defensively, he reads the play effectively and uses his stick to drag pucks out of battles and outlet it or to step into lanes and intercept passes with the required timing. But at 5-foot-10 and 178 pounds, it’s probably too late in his development at this point to expect him to make significant progress on the size/strength piece, though. I like him as a third-pairing who can move pucks and fill in on the power play where needed, and I think he’s capable of playing that role today, but the clock is now ticking. " | ||
| 18- Aidan Dudas Centre 21 ans 5'8 161 lbs Repêché 102ie au total en 2018 par Detroit.  |
" Dudas is a rare small player who projects lower in a lineup. Normally, when 5-foot-8 players make it at the NHL level it’s because they really pop offensively and they have puck skills that bigger players lack. Dudas doesn’t have that. He has defensive acumen as an effective off-puck player, feet that never stop moving and the knowledge of where he needs to be on the ice to support the play when the other team has it and where he needs to be to help his linemates when they have it. It’s not hard to imagine Dudas working his way into a fourth-line role where he makes plays and creates the odd goal with his passing and puckhandling but mostly just hustles around the ice. He’s plays bigger than he is without having the kind of skill that cracks open a game. His path to the NHL is not an easy one in the Kings organization, but I think he deserves more love than he gets, I’ve liked him in each of my Ontario viewings this season, and he’s exactly the kind of player I’d want as organizational depth even if he’s not a top-12 guy. " | ||
| 19- Cross Hanas Centre / Ailier Gauche / Ailier Droit 19 ans 6'1 172 lbs Repêché 56ie au total en 2020 par Detroit. 
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" My report probably read something like this: as skilled of a player as I have seen in this age group and has a ton of creativity to go along with that talent. Skating foundation is good, but should get better with physical maturity. Decent hockey sense but could shoot more and play better defence. The Red Wings may have seen this player in a similar light: slightly underdeveloped physically, but off the charts with ability and upside. In the end, Yzerman and company trusted their evaluation of skill. It didn't take his new peers long to recognize what kind of talent Hanas possesses. When he was first breaking into Portland, then Winterhawk captain, now Nashville Predator, Cody Glass said this about the slick Texan: " He is really skilled and has a bright future in front of him. "" | ||
| 20- Ronald Attard Défenseur 22 ans 6'4 209 lbs Repêché 60ie au total en 2019 par Detroit. |
" Attard’s a once raw, once late-blooming 6-foot-3 defenceman who has become a minute-munching college hockey defenceman and Hobey Baker long list nominee. He’s an appealing prospect for a variety of reasons. He’s a big, strong right-shot defender whose skating stride is powerful and has cleaned up. He’s also got a ridiculously hard shot and an aggressive offensive mentality to match it, eagerly joining the rush to act as a fourth forward high into the offensive zone. Add in progress made with his decision-making to cut down on how often he makes mistakes or tunnel visions (with and without the puck) and you’ve suddenly got a player who has always had the tools but now knows how to make the most of them within reason. He has always been a high-ceiling, low-floor, boom-or-bust talent who could be really interesting with the right development but the more I watch him, the higher his floor begins to feel. I’m not prepared to safely project him into the NHL or anything but he should be a no-brainer to sign and work with. " | ||
| Mentions honorables: |
- Graeme Clarke (RW) |