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Top-20 des meilleurs espoirs
RANGERS DE NEW YORK
Analyses de Scott Wheeler de The Athletic.
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| 1- Nicholas Robertson Ailier Gauche 20 ans 5'10 176 lbs Repêché 37ie au total en 2019 par New York.  |
" When Robertson has been healthy, his career has progressed along a pretty steep incline towards the NHL. But the injury bug has plagued him. It was his wrist and ribs in his draft year. Then it was a knee injury suffered in his first regular season games with the Leafs last January. Then there was the fractured fibula he hurt in his second game of the season this year with the Marlies. The good news is that his skill set, statistical profile, and Sept. 11 birthday (which made him the youngest player in the 2019 draft) all suggest that they’ll limit the adverse effects of the injury issues. It’s a shame, too, because he looked unbelievable in Traverse City (where he was one of the best players in a tournament that featured Lucas Raymond and Cole Sillinger, who are now making an impact in the NHL) before the injury. He created on every shift, his energy was sky high, his shot was beating goalies or hitting the post, he made NHL skill plays for his linemates, and he was a transition monster on exits and entries. Robertson has a pretty unique composition. His curl and drag release comes off his blade heavy and can cleanly beat goalies from mid-range. He’s got superb hands and footwork, helping him spin off checks, pull back against pressure, adjust around close-outs, and play under sticks or through feet. And then he’s also got some of the skills needed to complement that package and get the most out of his 5-foot-9 frame: He’s fearless in puck pursuit, he doesn’t back down from board battles, and his feet are always moving to stay involved on the forecheck (he can actually occasionally chase the play a little too much) and get open off the puck. I’ve also liked (when healthy) the way he has opened up his vision to involve his linemates and take better advantage of his good playmaking feel in the AHL, so that he’s not so net-focussed and tunnel-visioned as a shooter. I’d still count on a top-nine contributing floor and top-six scoring ceiling, either of which will be complemented by his work ethic and include power play upside. " |
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| 2- Alex Turcotte Centre 20 ans 5'11 185 lbs Repêché 5ie au total en 2019 par New Jersey.  |
" Turcotte’s projection has definitely dulled since the draft but he still projects as a contributing, impactful top-nine player. I do think he turned pro a year too early, especially knowing his injury history to that point and what a consistent year at Wisconsin could have done for him as a sophomore (like it did for Cole Caufield and Dylan Holloway). When he plays with pace, confidence, and an attack mentality, he’s a highly-involved player who can make a lot of plays (especially as a passer through layers/under sticks/around feet). He has quick hands in traffic, he understands how to use space as a playmaker, and he plays a driven, engaged style that pulls his linemates into the fight. He needs to work on his catch and release (he spends an extra half-second dusting pucks off, which kills some chances to shoot because he’s thinking about it too much) but he plays a complete, play-driving offensive-zone style with good touch and decent acceleration through his stride from a standstill. He also has a low base to his stride, which helps him extend plays, stay on top of pucks, and attack off the wall to the interior (despite his 5-foot-11 frame, which does come with some limitations). Turcotte’s always in motion and constantly applying pressure. But he doesn’t get lost in that game either, playing a spatially-aware game that sees the ice beautifully. I like him as a player who elevates and creates for his linemates. He’s not going to become the star you hope for out of a No. 5 pick, but he’s going to be a good NHL player. " | ||
| 3- Noel Gunler Ailier Droit 20 ans 6'2 176 lbs Repêché 32ie au total en 2020 par New York.  |
" Loyal readers will know that Gunler’s a kid I stuck my neck out on throughout the draft process. Despite concerns about his consistency (which I believe are overstated and which I know are unsupported by his underlying results), his effort level, and his commitment defensively, some of which compounded to result in his move from Lulea to Brines, Gunler remains an undeniably talented, high-upside prospect. He’s the SHL’s second-leading under-21 scorer so far this season despite usage that has again slowly diminished as the season progressed (he began the year playing 16-18 minutes a night and he’s now playing 10-12). Gunler is a natural scorer whose shot, hands and bouts of ingenuity give him clear power-play, top-of-the-lineup upside. But there’s work that needs to be done to round out his game and it may now be difficult for him to break the reputation that has (often undeservedly, in my view) followed him. Because the production is there, his offensive-zone tools pop, his shot is lethal from a standstill or in motion (it generates significant torque through his stick, slinging off of his blade with a ton of spin), and he protects the puck extremely well on his backhand (which helps him drop a shoulder and cut to the net to shoot off of his forehand on his off-wing). He’s always looking to shoot high but he rarely misses the net. Some scouts question his skating but he creates separation and breakaways for himself too consistently for me to argue against his straight-line speed (even if his stride can splay a little and he can pick up his stick into a pitchfork skating stride when he’s really pushing himself) or his timing (which a lot of the game’s open space comes down to). He’s got a pro frame at 6-foot-2 as well. It may take the right coach and development team to give him the confidence and opportunities he needs to fulfil his potential, but I think the Hurricanes are among the franchises most equipped to get it. " | ||
| 4- Pavel Dorofeyev Ailier Gauche / Ailier Droit 21 ans 6'1 176 lbs Repêché 53ie au total en 2019 par New York. |
" One of my favourite players in the 2019 draft class, Dorofeyev, who I was admittedly a little too high on, is now beginning to fulfill some of that potential as one of the more entertaining and productive young players in the AHL this season. He’s also Henderson’s leading scorer as I write this. He’s creative with the puck on his stick, he’s a fun one-on-one player, he likes to try things and has enough skill to make difficult plays regularly, and he’s got an NHL shot with a low kick and a deceptive release point. With some added weight (his wiry 6-foot-1 frame is now listed at 176 pounds) has come an extra half step of speed and an ability to hang onto pucks and get off the perimeter more consistently. And with time spent getting adjusted to the North American game, he now has a better understanding of how and when he can make an impact. His play this year is reason for optimism that he’s still got a chance at fulfill his slick middle-six and power-play upside. " | ||
| 5- Anton Johannesson Défenseur 19 ans 5'9 154 lbs Repêché 79ie au total en 2020 par New York. |
" There may not be a prospect in this series who has been through greater injury troubles in the last four seasons than Johannesson. He just can’t stay healthy. And when he has played, it has been entirely against his peers (he hasn’t made his pro debut yet). When healthy, though, he’s as mesmerizing a defenceman as you’ll find at Sweden’s J20 level. He plays the game exactly how it is designed to be played today, with an ease and fluidity that is uncommon in defencemen his age. The puck just flows through him and his movements and touch are refined. He sees the ice in 3D, looking through layers and pressure to make creative plays as a facilitator or skater. He’s a light, airy skater who looks like he floats around the ice on his edges, constantly changing angles. He utilizes spacing brilliantly with the puck as a carrier and without it through tight gaps. His skating also helps him compensate when he gets spun around by good players because he can quickly turn back on chipped pucks or pivot into a recovery. But he remains a nearly impossible player to project forward, despite the fascination around him. " | ||
| 6- Bobby Brink Ailier Droit 20 ans 5'9 163 lbs Repêché 29ie au total en 2019 par New York.  |
" After the injury bug stung him in both his freshman and sophomore seasons, Brink (who, due to his July birthday, is a young junior) has really taken a step as a junior at Denver, where he has been one of college hockey’s most productive players this season. You can see the progress he has made in his forward acceleration and speed, which was once his biggest barrier (he’s actually always been an excellent skater on his edges in terms of his ability to change directions and open up his hips), even though there’s still some work to do on his recoveries. And the rest of his skill level matches up with his increasingly feisty, net-driven disposition to really shine in the offensive zone. Brink is a superb perimeter player who makes a ton of plays off the flank with his ability to lead passes, stickhandle through sticks, and see the ice. But he also plays in the guts of the ice and he’s at his best when he’s going to the net, using the space around the slot to get open into as a shot threat (his wrist shot release is dangerous from mid-range), and making small plays from below the goal line. Brink’s game is primarily about anticipation and playing a step ahead of the play, though, which also helps him support the puck defensively and win races. I see legitimate NHL potential as a player who, with the right linemates given his size (5-foot-9, 166 pounds), could really thrive in a top-nine role as a competitor and multi-faceted offensive zone player with real power-play utility. " | ||
| 7- Jake Sanderson Défenseur 19 ans 6'2 190 lbs Repêché 11ie au total en 2020 par Chicago.  |
" At 19, he’s one of the best players in college hockey. He’s going to play in the Olympics. Then he’s going to play NHL games this spring. Things are going about as well as you could hope for Jake Sanderson, and really have been since about midway through his draft year. Sanderson is an athletically gifted, pro-sized defenceman who skates at a high level, defends among the best prospects outside the NHL with his stick and gaps, and just has a rare presence about him. He’s going to be an excellent transition player (going both ways), his constantly-improving play and comfort with the puck has elevated his game offensively to heights I didn’t think he’d reach. He always had the ability to lead exits and entries in control and blend his power and mobility to snuff out opposing rushes the other way. Now he’s more ambitious with the puck and he’s making finesse plays inside the offensive zone more consistently, which gives him the power play upside that distinguishes No. 1 defensemen from No. 2 defensemen. He’s still not the most creative or purely gifted player with the puck (he’s not going to put up Cale Makar or Adam Fox levels of production) but his instincts and grade-A tools in virtually every other area more than compensate and he looks like he’s going to be a three-zone monster. I’ve very much looking forward to watching him at the Olympics. " | ||
| 8- Akil Thomas Centre / Ailier Droit 21 ans 6'0 172 lbs Repêché 39ie au total en 2018 par New York.  |
" After offseason shoulder surgery derailed a summer of training and his return to the ice for his second pro season (following a respectable first one), Thomas hasn’t quite looked himself (in my viewings) since he picked things back up in mid-December. Part of that is role and entering a crowded forward group on a team that is performing much better than it did a year ago. Some of it is timing. No matter how you look at it, though, the injury and what has followed it amount to a setback in a pool rife with potential complementary forwards in the same tier as him. Thomas’ comportment has probably always influenced the way I’ve perceived him. His head’s in the right place, he’s articulate, and I’m pulling for him. From a skill set perspective, it’s more of a mixed bag. He’s not a particularly strong player on the puck, with a little bit of imbalance in his stance. He lacks pull-away speed as a skater. And when things slow down, he’s neither a lethal scorer nor a creative playmaker. But I’ve always said that Thomas grades out with a lot of A-minuses and B-pluses even if he’s short on As and A-pluses. His skating is somewhere between fine and slightly above average. His hands are quick in tight, helping him play through a first layer to make something happen even if he’s not going to attack through several layers for a highlight-reel goal. He’s a plus-level passer. He’s got a very accurate shot, even if it doesn’t pop off his stick. He tracks and reads the play well on both sides of the puck. He’s good in the faceoff circle. Those tools should give him an opportunity to climb the ranks. But he may also end up as one of the inevitable casualties of this deep Kings system. Next year (the last of his entry-level contract) will be pivotal for him. " | ||
| 9- Ayrton Martino Ailier Gauche 19 ans 5'11 161 lbs Repêché 59ie au total en 2021 par New York. |
" Another one of my favourites in the 2021 draft class, Martino has travelled a straight line from top OJHL player at 17, to top USHL player at 18, to good top-six winger as a college hockey freshman. Martino’s a really strong problem-solver who never really looks like he’s in trouble because he’s constantly surveilling his options, he pivots in and out of traffic effortlessly, and he finds teammates on the backside of coverage incredibly well. He makes a ton of small-area plays from a standstill and uses space intelligently while moving (without being the fastest skater or hardest shooter in the world). He’s got great poise with the puck and an uncanny understanding of spacing that makes him hard for defenders to disrupt. I’d like to see him engage himself in the play a little more without the puck and he’s going to have to fill out his 5-foot-11 frame and add an element as a scorer, but his ability to slip in and out of pockets of space and make soft skill plays all over the ice (including off of his backhand) is what defines him. I expect him to be a top college hockey playmaker as a junior and senior. " | ||
| 10- Lukas Reichel Ailier Gauche / Ailier Droit 19 ans 6'0 170 lbs Repêché 15ie au total en 2020 par New York.  |
" Loyal readers here will know that I’m a fan of Reichel’s and his play as a rookie in the AHL this year has done nothing to dissuade me. He plays a modern, play-driving style on the wing, excelling with the puck on his stick, handling it with finesse, and using a smooth, almost effortless skating stride to transport it up ice in transition. He’s also a delicate handler inside the offensive zone, using impressive footwork to navigate in and out of pressure and bait defenders. He’s a multifaceted offensive player who is as effective playing off his linemates and using space as a tool to get open as a shooter as he is creating his own chances or using his ability to weave through pressure to draw attention and then facilitate. He also never looks bothered by pressure, solving problems easily and asserting himself on games with poise and confidence. There’s footwork, puck control, confidence and just an ease to his game that you don’t typically find in teenagers. He’s always trying to use what’s available to him and his ability to manipulate and adjust makes it possible for him to do just that. He’s not going to be a game breaker unless he develops one of his several high-end tools into the elite stratosphere that allows some players to differentiate themselves, but I still see a top-six winger who will thrive in today’s NHL. " | ||
| 11- Zachary Jones Défenseur 21 ans 5'10 172 lbs Repêché 77ie au total en 2019 par New York.  |
" Between Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba’s long-term deals, and the two years after this one that both Ryan Lindgren and Patrick Nemeth have, there just isn’t enough ice time to go around for the Rangers’ impressive quartet of young defensemen. So far, Miller and Lundkvist (and even more recently Braden Schneider with his call-up) have been given the larger opportunities than Jones. And somehow, despite the crowded field, I’m not worried about Jones breaking into the Rangers lineup at some point in the not-too-distant future. He’s just too good not to. And after establishing himself as one of the top defensemen in college hockey he has already proven he can be a catalyst and play driver at the AHL level. At 5-foot-10 and 172 pounds, his size is going to be a talking point side-by-side Lundkvist’s because of the still-present desire among NHL clubs to strike a size balance on defence between (a balance that, I’d argue, often works against good players in favour of lesser ones). But he reads and reacts to the play at a very high level, his decision-making without the puck is quick and decisive when pace ramps up, and he plays with such a cerebral nature to him that the pressure that comes with playing against bigger, faster opponents won’t faze him. When pressure comes, it’s like he sees right through it. His ability to walk the line, surveying what’s in front of him, and execute, is borderline elite. He’s not explosive as a skater or shooter, but he hits seams, changes angles, baits opposing players, and waits just long enough for spacing to open up for his teammates so that he can feed the puck through layers to them. He’s also an excellent stretch passer who does a good job lengthening the ice when his short little bump plays aren’t there. His size is a little limiting in battles and physical engagements but I don’t think it’ll hold him back from his upside as a No. 3-5 D. " | ||
| 12- Jean-Luc Foudy Centre 19 ans 5'11 176 lbs Repêché 67ie au total en 2020 par New York.  |
" I was in the send-Foudy-back-to-junior camp at the start of this season (and still believe that would have been the best thing for his development) but because of his skating, he can play and contribute at the pro level already. He’s a fascinating prospect because his world-class speed and athleticism, which combine to make him a one-man transition player. He has shown impressive creativity in spurts throughout his career, too. But he’s still figuring out how best to apply his skating ability to avoid putting himself into tough spots and making his decisions too late. When the game slows down, he often flashes nice hands and looks like a good passer. But he needs to make decisions earlier in his skating patterns in transition. If his processing and decision-making at full speed can ever catch up to his feet, he’ll have real NHL potential. The skating should make him a good forechecker and transporter in a depth role eventually. If he can make slight adjustments to the way he plays and get to the inside as a shooter more often instead of burning around the edges of the ice, that will make him an even better depth guy. I don’t see top-six upside in either scenario but that doesn’t mean he can’t be an effective NHLer. " | ||
| 13- Sean Behrens Défenseur 18 ans 5'10 176 lbs Repêché 43ie au total en 2021 par New York.  |
"
One of my favorites from the 2021 draft class, Behrens, who the Avs
selected 35 picks after where I had him ranked, is off to an excellent
start to his college career this season as a freshman at Denver.
He’s a mobile, active-in-all-three-zones defender who can control
a game with his ability to exit his own zone, navigate through the
neutral zone, lead entries, and then manage offensive-zone sequences
with his calculated aggression and quick reads. He also has a silky
first touch and does a great job identifying his next play before the
puck has arrived on his stick. Though his ability to create time and
space and then the attack is the hallmark of his game, he’s also
a sound defender for his size who is always engaged, plays a tight gap,
and rarely has a bad night. And despite his 5-foot-9, 178-pound
listing, Behrens is as competitive as anyone else on the ice, stays in
battles, kills plays with his timing, and then uses all of the other
tools he has to escape and get play going downhill. I love how fearless
he is attacking with his feet off of the line because he can break down
structure, too. I’d like to see him use his shot more. I
also had a recent conversation with Denver head coach David
Carle about Behrens. Here’s some of what he had to say:
“He has done a nice job. His skating, his brain and his
competitiveness are the things that really stand out in what he does.
It allows him to have success. And he’s playing with a senior in
Kyle Mayhew and the two of them I think have found immediate chemistry
without the puck here in the early going. Kyle is a smaller defenceman
so I think having a little bit of a mentor that you’re going over
the boards with every time, who has found a way to have success as a
smaller player at this level, I think has helped him as well. But for
me it’s just Sean’s hockey sense and his competitiveness
that has allowed him to have success and do it at U16 as an underage,
going to the national team as an undersized player, and now doing it at
the college level as a smaller player. At some point, it’s going
to stop being surprising for people. He’s a good kid. He’s
a little bit quiet but he’s getting out of his shell and he wants
to be a hockey player. So he’s doing stuff before and after,
he’s pretty detailed and dialed in that way, and he’s
starting to get into the mix with the chirping and talking with his
teammates and laughing with them. As a young person with a new team,
he’s finding his way into it in a nice |
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| 14- Anttoni Honka Défenseur 21 ans 5'10 179 lbs Repêché 61ie au total en 2019 par New York.  |
" Honka has been a top young player in Liiga this season. While his league-worst plus-minus can serve as ammunition for his detractors, who argue his game defensively is a glaring concern, I would argue that has more to do with playing 18-plus minutes a night for the league’s worst team. Honka’s underlying results favour him. He has been a victim of brutal on-ice luck and goaltending, with one of the league’s worst PDOs to show for it. He has driven possession in each season he has played in Liiga, with positive relative shot differentials yet again this year. And he has proven to be to be highly productive (he ranks near the top of the league’s defencemen in shot generation and points, and leads JYP in scoring as a defenceman no less). There’s certainly a boom or bust factor to Honka’s projection given the way he is perceived, his propensity for getting caught out of position trying to play offence, and his size (5-foot-10), but there’s also undeniable upside and if he hits he’s going to be just as good as he is fun. Honka’s one of the more purely talented defencemen in his age group. Offensively, he’s an impressive skater through his footwork (more than through his pushes), he’s a superb outlet passer, and his skill with the puck reminds of talented forwards on entries or one-on-one off of the point. He’s an extremely creative east-west seam passer, and he makes pro-level skill plays that lead directly to goals. Defensively, he still needs to refine his positioning and decision-making but he has made real progress in both areas and he’s sturdier than he looks. He’ll always have clear power-play utility and I think he’s closer to where he needs to get (given his age) in the other areas than he gets credit for. I’d really like to see him in the AHL. " | ||
| 15- Tristen Robins Ailier Droit 20 ans 5'11 185 lbs Repêché 35ie au total en 2020 par New York.  |
" Robins plays the game the way a versatile forward should in 2022. He’s deceptive, using fakes and stutters to bait defenders to trick goalies. His focus as a shooter is on disguising his release point and hitting a spot in the net rather than trying to rip pucks in, with control and shapeshifting taking precedence over power. He’s also an athlete, the kind of kid who is stronger than he looks and able to fight through checks to keep sequences alive. And as his offensive game blossoms (this year he ranks in the WHL’s top 10 in scoring, with points on more than 40 percent of Saskatoon’s goals despite having missed a couple of games), Robins’ game also drives results defensively. He’ll block shots, he’ll use up all of his energy in a shift on a pivotal footrace, and he reads the play in front of him to break up passes. I think he’s got an all-situations upside and a real chance at reaching it as a contributing top-nine piece down the line. " | ||
| 16- Ilya Konovalov Gardien 23 ans 6'0 194 lbs Repêché 45ie au total en 2019 par New York.  |
"
After posting a career .922 save percentage across 111 KHL games
spanning four seasons, the 6-foot Konovalov (who was listed at
5-foot-11 for years) defied the long odds placed on goalies that size
to earn a two-year entry-level contract with the Oilers. In his rookie
season in the AHL this year, his results have been fine without living
up to the level he played at for Yaroslavl. I expect that his results
will improve and that he’ll make a strong case for himself as an
NHL backup at some point though. Konovalov is an athletic, compact
goalie who plays an aggressive game. He’s explosive going
post-to-post or moving laterally to get to seam passes, without looking
scrambled in the net. He’s a good handler of the puck, which
allows him to help out his defencemen. He holds firm on his outside
edges and I like his reads. His ceiling does have its limits
(he’s not the level of prospect that smaller up-and-coming
goalies like Dustin Wolf and Devon Levi are, for example) but he’s good organization depth who I’d trust in an NHL net if called upon. " |
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| 17- Marat Khusnutdinov Centre / Ailier Gauche 19 ans 5'11 176 lbs Repêché 31ie au total en 2020 par New York. |
" This has been a good development year for Khusnutdinvo, who has doubled his average ice time to move from seven minutes a night last year to more than 14 minutes on average as one of the youngest regular contributors in the KHL this season. Khustnutidov has good overall skill and an engine that’s always ramped up, engaging himself in the play and making quick decisions from A to B to move the puck, track the play, and make small skill plays with the puck. And while he’s a little on the smaller side and not particularly dynamic in any one area, he can flash skill (more as a playmaker than a scorer, though he’s opportunistic around the net too). Give him some time and there may be a useful player who can play an effective game up and down an NHL lineup. " | ||
| 18- Brett Berard Ailier Gauche 19 ans 5'9 154 lbs Repêché 75ie au total en 2020 par New York.  |
" Berard has become a really nice story in the Rangers these last two seasons at Providence, where instead of changing his game to find his points or taking some giant leap, he has just leaned so far into what he does best that he has maximized it (or darn close). If Berard makes it, he’s going to become a fan favorite for his fearless, determined style as a feisty competitor who attacks the net, gets up and under bigger players to win lanes and retrievals, and plays with skill and pace in attacking bursts between battles. He’s not a dynamic offensive player for a 5-foot-9 winger, but he plays bigger than he is, his September birthday gives him good runway, coaches love him, he can play with any kind of linemate, and he’s on a good path toward a career as an effective third-liner who is oddly effective on the cycle and makes things happen shift-to-shift. " | ||
| 19- Joseph Veleno Centre 21 ans 6'1 205 lbs Repêché 15ie au total en 2018 par New York.  |
" Veleno’s starting to reach the what-you-see-is-what-you-get chapter of his development where he moves from prospect to play and the progression of his game slows down. I thought about ranking him lower here as a result because it looks like that ceiling will plateau as a bottom-six forward. Veleno plays on the interior, pushes tempo, drives through coverage, finishes his checks and gallops around the ice with as a skater trying to cut through lanes or play through of give-and-gos going north-south. He plays a fast (he builds speed quickly in straight lines), driven game and boasts good but not great overall skill as a stickhandler, shooter and passer. Though no one area of his offensive game is dynamic, and while he does lack a flashy east-west element, Veleno can handle the puck to create opportunities for himself or out of forechecks. Defensively, he also supports the play effectively, tracks low and wins his fair share of battles. " | ||
| 20- David Farrance Défenseur 22 ans 6'0 190 lbs Signé à titre d'agent libre en 2021 par New York.  |
" After a tremendous finish to his collegiate career, Farrance has been good in the AHL without yet earning the call-ups that I thought (and think) he was capable of. He’s a plus-level skater with a powerful and smooth stride in transition, helping him to push past forecheckers and lead rushes with his feet. He’s a plus-level passer and power-play quarterback, dissecting offensive-zone sequences with pinpoint passes. His puckhandling ability has progressed from good to great over time, helping him problem-solve and create one-on-one when he decides to attack (though he’s not going to be a gamebreaker with the puck). And his shot comes off of his blade hard even if he’s not a natural goal scorer from the point (few are!). His defensive game doesn’t have the same quality to it and some of his offence can come at the expense of positioning and support, but I’ve actually liked the balance he has struck there (in fact, there are times I’d like to see him take more risks in the AHL and I think he’ll be at his best when he gets that confidence back) and he’s not a liability in his own zone. I like him as a No. 4-5 guy long term and he’s got PP2 upside. " | ||
| Mentions honorables: |
- Dmitri Kuzmin (D) |