|
Top-20 des meilleurs espoirs
WHALERS DE HARTFORD
Analyses de Scott Wheeler de The Athletic.
|
|||
| 1- Vitali Kravtsov Ailier Droit 22 ans 6'2 187 lbs Repêché 7ie au total en 2018 par Hartford.  |
" If you’ve divorced yourself from the Vitali Kravtsov saga, feel free to skip over this part. If you haven’t paid attention to his season in the KHL and you’re interested in an updated prognostication on where he’s at, read on. But the truth is that I’m about where I’ve always been at on Kravtsov (which was, for a long time, much lower than the consensus and is today about in line with it). Though he has missed the last few games with a reported illness, Kravtsov has been expectedly good in the KHL, producing in second-line minutes near the top of the league’s under-23 age group (in line with Jets prospect Dmitri Rashevsky and Devils prospect Arseni Gritsyuk). I still think he can be a contributing middle-six NHLer in the right circumstances. But he’s also not going to be the guy the hype train thought he was going to be in 2018. There’s still a lot to like about Kravtsov. He’s a 6-foot-3 winger with excellent hands for his size. He can hold the puck off his hip and get to his spots to use his shot. He’ll occasionally surprise defenders with plays back against the grain into space. He’s also got good skill in traffic which allows him to extend plays and survive through pressure — and which, at lower levels, have prevented him from becoming the give-and-go reliant type that so many bigger players become. He’s a good mid-range shooter, too, with real finishing ability between the hashmarks. He looks visibly stronger and his weight (about 190 pounds these days) suggests he added some muscle. But he’s not particularly creative, he can try to do too much, and his skating stride has a bit of a hitch. And while I like his defensive game and the way he positions himself, he’s not going to be a go-to guy on that end. " | ||
| 2- Erik Brannstrom Défenseur 22 ans 5'10 181 lbs Repêché 24ie au total en 2017 par New York.  |
" This is a tricky one because I know the odds Brannstrom lives up to his potential are shrinking with each day, I know his limitations, I know how the Senators staff perceive him, I know he’s hit a bit of a wall, and I know his age. And if I wanted to protect myself from looking bad, I’d move him down further. But this project is supposed to be about how I see a player, regardless of most of the noise. I’m supposed to factor in things like age, but I’m not supposed to let how they fit within their own organization impact what I think they are capable of. And despite his limitations (which I also care about), I see Brannstrom as the second-most talented player in the Sens organization and I still believe in different circumstances he’d be more successful at this point in his career than he is. He’s 5-foot-10 without being a dynamic skater. He’s an offensive defenceman without having a heavy point shot. And there are some physical limitations to his game in board battles and box outs. I know those things, too. But he’s got a strong age-adjusted track record at every level he has played at below the NHL and I think he has been a better defensive player at those levels than he gets credit for. He also does things that many of the Senators’ defensemen struggle with: He problem solves out of his own end, gets the puck into the hands of his forwards, and then makes things happen through seams and space inside the offensive zone with his feet, hands, poise, finesse and passing touch. And despite how long it feels like he has been around without making the jump full-time, his September birthday helps re-centre where he’s at. I still believe he’s capable of leading a third-pairing, making more happen in the opposing end than he gives up in his own, and running an NHL power play. And I think if he could get consistent reps in that kind of a role, progression into something slightly more as a No. 4 instead of a No. 5/6 isn’t out of the question. " | ||
| 3- Grigori Denisenko Ailier Gauche 21 ans 5'11 185 lbs Repêché 19ie au total en 2018 par Hartford.  |
" On a Charlotte team that shares its AHL affiliation with the Kraken, Denisenko has been one of the team’s more productive players this season. Loyal readers will know that I’ve been lower on Denisenko than the consensus for years, believing his standout play on the international stage wasn’t matched by his domestic track record. But being lower on a kid than others doesn’t equate to disbelieving that they’ll be NHL players and Denisenko is now knocking on the door. And while it seems like he’s been around forever, that represents a fine trajectory for a good prospect who really only just turned 21 last summer. With the puck, Denisenko’s hands can flash, he’s quick on his edges, and his playmaking can occasionally dazzle. He’s also a feisty, engaged player whose competitiveness is not an issue (though I do think he can occasionally chase the play a little too much trying to involve himself). How noticeable he is on the ice can contradict how effective he is, and I’m not sure his impressive all-around skill is complemented by his understanding of how to use it. But he’s an entertaining, active winger who still has a better-than-fair chance at translating as a middle-six contributor. I’ve seen progress in his processing and problem-solving this year too, which is something I felt held him back early on in his career when he was too reliant on trying to just will plays into existence with his skill and effort level. " | ||
| 4- Peyton Krebs Centre / Ailier Gauche 20 ans 6'0 185 lbs Repêché 11ie au total en 2019 par New York.  |
" Krebs has always been a top player at every level he has ever played at. He was the No. 1 pick into the WHL. He was, in my opinion, the best player in the WHL last season. He produced at a point-per-game level in the AHL at age 19 and 20. Then, the week of his 21st birthday in late January, he scored his first three NHL goals and looked like he belonged with the Sabres. Krebs isn’t going to ever score a ton of goals, but he’s the kind of player who could well score 15-20 goals, add 30-35 assists and be a damn-good 50-point player who adds speed, pace and playmaking near the top of a lineup. Tools-wise, it’s almost all there. Krebs doesn’t have a great shot and that may be the difference between him becoming a second-line player versus a first-line one, but I’d argue the rest of his tools are enough to safely project into the former. Krebs is a brilliant skater, both through his north-south acceleration and his changes of direction on spins, cutbacks and stop-ups. That speed helps him forecheck effectively, play at a high tempo, involve himself in the game, and make plays in transition or in quick bursts from a standstill within the offensive zone. He also has the finesse skills and the processing skills needed to play with dexterity and touch at that speed. He quickly reads and reacts to the play, knifing through lanes and hitting seams as a plus-level passer. He’s got excellent hands in tight which help him play in traffic and adjust to defenders. He’s going to be able to win back possession and then create space for himself at the NHL level. And he can play multiple forward positions. And his effort level matches his skill. " | ||
| 5- Adam Beckman Ailier Gauche / Centre 20 ans 6'1 183 lbs Repêché 89ie au total en 2019 par Montréal.  |
" Beckman’s a hard-shooting, shot-focused winger with a scoring touch who has worked to fill out his frame (which underwent a growth spurt) and get faster. He’s a dangerous mid-range scorer with his shot, which is threatening from a standstill, on catch-and-releases, and from a variety of stances in motion. He’s a better off-puck shot threat than an individual creator because his skating is a little limiting. I’ve slowly come around on his overall upside and now believe he has medium odds at a complementary middle-six scoring role and second power-play usage. It still feels like he’s got room to grow to develop his game, too, which bodes well. " | ||
| 6- Cole Sillinger Centre 18 ans 6'0 187 lbs Repêché 11ie au total en 2021 par Hartford.  |
" Yes, I decided to include Sillinger despite the fact that he has played exclusively in the NHL this season. He’s the youngest player in the NHL this year and its only 18-year-old, so he felt like a natural exception to the rule. His physical traits kept him in the NHL this year. He’s an incredibly fit kid who already looks and acts like a pro and can handle his own in the board battles and bumps that are a part of the NHL game. But I don’t think Blue Jackets fans have seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of his offensive gifts yet. It’s hard to when you’re only averaging 13 minutes a night and you’re not featured prominently on the power play (both of which will change). He’s got a lethal shot (both his wrister and his one-timer pop, come off his stick quickly, and are pinpoint accurate) which allows him to cleanly beat goalies from mid-to-long range. He’s got silky hands (both one-on-one and taking pucks into his shooting stance on quick catch-and-release sequences) which allowed him to play with the puck on a string at lower levels. And those qualities are built around a competitive foundation that engages him between whistles, keeps him over pucks on the cycle and through bumps, and keeps him hunting pucks to lift and take back his fair share of them. His forward skating stride is a little awkward on the pick-up but with progress there I fully expect him to be a highly-engaged, goal-scoring top-six forward. " | ||
| 7- Francesco Pinelli Centre 18 ans 6'0 185 lbs Repêché 52ie au total en 2021 par Vancouver.  |
" Pinelli’s a slick, creative puckhandler and facilitator who manipulates set structures to create lanes for himself, slicing pucks through and around feet and sticks. He’s got good control of his inside and outside edges which allow him to open up and adjust to pressure points (his feet can look a little heavy in straight lines). He’s an entertaining, puck-dominant east-west player who thrives when he gets a lot of touches. And while his decision-making with the puck can be a little suspect at times, he’s diligent without the puck and projects as a centre long-term. I do worry a little bit about his lack of pace and the way it has contributed to a fine but uninspiring post-draft season. But he’s talented, for sure, he’s got a pro build, he’s still Kitchener’s best forward without question, and they’ve struggled to score as a team which has impacted his production. " | ||
| 8- Joseph Woll Gardien 23 ans 6'4 203 lbs Repêché 225ie au total en 2017 par Hartford.  |
" After two tough first pro seasons (which included an injury to start his rookie season and a pandemic to start his second campaign), Woll has begun to follow through on the promise the Leafs always believed he had even when things weren’t going well. He’s a great kid who is universally well-liked and has worked hard to get the game that made him the starter at the national program and Boston College back on track in both the AHL and NHL this season. And after looking like he was still fighting it early on this season, he has been great with the Marlies since his return from his four-game stint with the Leafs. Woll uses a studious approach to the position and a solid foundation of size (he’s 6-foot-4) and athleticism to stay square to pucks, make the first save consistently, and (increasingly this year) maintain that control when plays break down and he’s asked to make two or three stops in quick succession. When he has struggled, it has been more with the speed of his game and his movements within it than technique. Now it looks like he’s trusting his reads, holding his lines, and letting pucks come to him. With it, there is renewed hope that he can be the good organizational depth it looked like he was going to provide for a long time. " | ||
| 9- Mackie Samoskevich Ailier Droit / Centre 20 ans 5'11 192 lbs Repêché 37ie au total en 2021 par Montréal.  |
" When I went to Ann Arbor at the end of November to watch the University of Michigan play live, Samoskevich picked up a secondary assist, made a number of plays off of his backhand (which he’s really comfortable on), used his deceptive shot to create a few chances, and played a more physical game than I was anticipating, finishing all of his checks and getting up and under opposing players in battles. Then he popped in an offensive role in his first game at the world juniors in Red Deer, where I thought he was one of Team USA’s best players on the ice. He hasn’t played consistently in that kind of a role with the Wolverines, but he has been effective as a freshman there too. Samoskevich is a gifted, plus-level skating winger whose hands, speed (though I think his skating isn’t quite as strong as I gave it credit for last year), and edges (in particular) help him attack on angles and put defenders on their heels. There’s a genius to his game that allows him to see plays through layers, hang onto pucks, and finesse plays in and out of space. I love the way he moves inside the offensive zone and the high tempo he plays with. And while he’s not a big player, he’s an athletic one whose decent strength through the base of his stride allows him to keep sequences alive. I’d like to see him look to attack underneath to the inside a little more and his numbers don’t pop as much as his skill level does, but I’ve often said that he’s not going to be a kid who is one-and-done or in college for the full four years. On his current trajectory, I’d look for him to become a star player at the NCAA level as a junior. " | ||
| 10- Tuukka Tieksola Ailier Droit 20 ans 5'10 146 lbs Repêché 86ie au total en 2019 par Hartford.  |
"
Undersized playmaking winger with high-end vision, skating and passing
skills. Needs to bulk up but has high offensive upside. " |
||
| 11- Jack Rathbone Défenseur 22 ans 5'11 190 lbs Signé à titre d'agent libre en 2021 par Hartford.  |
" It’s hard to evaluate players in Vancouver or Abbotsford because of the struggles both have faced this year as a whole. It’s definitely hard to evaluate a player who has bounced between both levels and is doing it in the midst of what amounts to his first ‘normal’ season as a professional. With that context in mind, I would say that Rathbone has neither exceeded nor underperformed expectations. And I wouldn’t read into that middling play too much, either, seeing as he’s had some terrible on-ice luck (as evidenced by his 5-on-5 shooting percentage and PDO). This is still a player who was one of the best defenders in college hockey at Harvard and played exceedingly well in his first taste of the AHL last season. Despite the 5-foot-10, 177-pound frame, Rathbone is capable of holding his own defensively while contributing both in transition and inside the offensive zone. And while he tops out as more of a PP2 guy than a PP1 guy, which limits his overall upside at his size, he’s a mobile four-way skater who is smooth through his pushes, agile through his crossovers, and comfortable transporting pucks in control. And while he hasn’t proven quite as evasive at the NHL level as I expected and he’s not going to break ankles or slice up coverage, he can escape past the first layer of pressure with relative ease. He also defends the rush reasonably well because of his ability to correct and adjust against opposing carriers. I still see the makings of a modern-day No. 4-6 defenceman who maybe becomes slightly more than that as his career progresses. " | ||
| 12- Antti Tuomisto Défenseur 20 ans 6'5 205 lbs Repêché 33ie au total en 2019 par Hartford.  |
" I remain a big fan of the idea of Tuomisto up levels and the reality of who he is in college, which is a much better player than a glance at his stats would suggest. He has become a highly impactful player defensively at Denver and the counting stats are kept low because the Pioneers have two of the best young power-play quarterbacks in college hockey in Sean Behrens (Avalanche) and Michael Benning (Panthers), which has kept him from getting the power-play time he always had (an excelled in) in Finland’s junior ranks. Tuomisto is a low-floor, high-ceiling defender with all of the physical tools needed to become an NHL player. He processes the game at pace. His point shot is heavy (that includes his long-range wrister, his one-timer and his windup slap shot, the last of which is becoming rare among young defencemen). He’s big (6-foot-5, over 200 pounds) and physical and understands how to leverage that advantage to push opponents off of pucks. But he’s also got some skills you might not expect, with an ability to lead forwards with long outlets, to find and hit seams inside the offensive zone, to not rush a play under pressure and to adjust with a pivot across the point. His skating is a little sluggish but he’s got a legit package. I think he’s got another level to find offensively in college and he has the rest. If he can continue to tidy up his skating, he’ll make a case for himself. " | ||
| 13- Alexander Pashin Ailier Droit 19 ans 5'7 154 lbs Repêché 77ie au total en 2020 par Hartford. |
" Pashin is another small (5-foot-7) but hardworking winger who gets all over the ice to make things happen and has really taken a step in his development with his play in the VHL this season. He’s extremely comfortable in high traffic because of his impressive dexterity, but he’s also opportunistic and understands how to use time and space to delay into spots or support the play. And he works to correct against his small frame by keeping his feet moving. I see a kid with some intriguing qualities who had a late-July birthday in his draft class and could potentially look like a value pick with the proper time to marinate and develop into offensive roles at each next level before he makes the leap beyond. He has the agility, the skill, and the work ethic needed to succeed at his size. Just as hitting on one of Gunler, Puistola and Bokk should be a success, the Hurricanes will be laughing if one of Nybeck, Pashin or Robidas works out to give them a diminutive contributor. " | ||
| 14- Stuart Skinner Gardien 23 ans 6'4 205 lbs Repêché 201ie au total en 2017 par Hartford.  |
"
I’ve been slow to come around on Skinner and this ranking is me
admittedly playing a little bit of catch-up. Before the last two
seasons, I saw him as a kind of slow in the net and believed he
struggled to make the tougher reactionary saves while moving that many
of today’s goalies excel at. And while I think I misread that a
little, I also believe he has made real progress in those areas these
past two seasons to put it all together. He’s never going to be
the quickest goalie on his feet but he’s got some legitimate
power and his habits have become so consistent that he’s
consistently square to the first shot. The results are starting to
speak for themselves, too, and suggest his NHL opportunities so far
this year won’t be his last. " |
||
| 15- Dmitri Kostenko Défenseur 19 ans 6'1 187 lbs Repêché 77ie au total en 2021 par Hartford.  |
" I really, really like this kid. I’m not sure he’s going to become an NHLer but he plays the game the way it’s meant to be played these days and I like him as much after watching him play more in the second-tier VHL this season as I did when I fell in love with his game in the junior level MHL back in 2019. He was one of the oldest players in last year’s draft but he looks further along than the other Russian defencemen from the class to compensate. He has shown at two different levels now that he can dictate play in all three zones and really break teams down off of the point inside the offensive zone with his ability to open up structure and facilitate east-to-west. He has also gone through a growth spurt to fins his NHL frame (he’s now 6-foot-1) without losing some of the tools you typically see in the smaller types. He’s got power-play upside and a polished defensive game built upon a physical commitment and good man-to-man coverage. There’s really nothing about where he’s at that worries me. Now it’s just getting him the KHL opportunity I think he’s owed at this point. " | ||
| 16- Ruslan Iskhakov Centre 21 ans 5'8 163 lbs Repêché 57ie au total en 2018 par Hartford. |
" After a strong first pro season with TPS in Liiga last year, which included a combined 45 regular season and playoff points in 67 games (strong age-adjusted numbers), Iskhakov signed on with German giant Adler Mannheim for this season, only to run into a nagging foot injury. He still intrigues me, but it’s hard not to wonder if his decision to sign in Europe out of UConn, and the Islanders decision not to sign him to date, are both signs that he’s not a part of their plans (though it’s important to note that he only just turned 21 in July and I think they’d be smart to bring him into the fold and work with him). He’s got deft stick skills, a craftiness about him that helps him make plays standing still or moving, an airy and agile stride that allows him to change pace and direction with ease, and a knack for taking advantage of what’s given to him. He’s undersized, for sure, and I’m not convinced he’s so talented that he’d become more than a tweener if the Islanders were to sign him, but he interests me a lot more than a lot of the players they do have signed to the AHL club and I love the way he uses time and space to manipulate coverage and bait defenders. " | ||
| 17- Keean Washkurak Centre 20 ans 5'10 185 lbs Repêché 139ie au total en 2019 par Hartford. |
"
I’ve been very impressed by my viewings of Washkurak this season,
dating back to Traverse City. Despite his 5-foot-10 height, he has
always played a bumblebee game, buzzing around the ice to win back
pucks, push tempo, apply pressure, attack, and force the issue.
He’s also an athletic kid and a decently fast, shuffled skater
who generates speed through his effort and change-of-direction with
quick side-steps. Increasingly, though, he’s also shown me
inventiveness, and anticipation, and fakes and stutters. There are
times when it can feel like he’s chasing the game without the
puck and needs to open his vision with it, but he’s got the
makings of a bottom-six buzzsaw and he’s got time on his side
thanks to a late birthday. He has fit right in as a young AHL rookie
this year. " |
||
| 18- Oskar Magnusson Centre / Ailier Droit 19 ans 5'10 165 lbs Repêché 86ie au total en 2020 par Hartford. |
"
I liked Magnusson as a late-round flier in 2020 and after a bit of a
disappointing post-draft season last year (at least relative to my
expectations) I’ve liked what I’ve seen again from him in
my viewings of him in the second-tier Allsvenskan this year, where he
has established himself as a contributor as a teenager. Magnusson
is an elusive, deceptive winger who thrives on the puck and will have
to play a skilled game to project up levels. That, because his
production isn’t gaudy and he’s 5-foot-10, makes him a long
shot. He’s dangerous in one-on-one contexts, able to play through
bodies or use space as a tool to play in and out of while he waits for
lanes to open up. His puck control skill in traffic is impressive, with
an ability to pull and draw pucks across his body to quickly change
directions. He’s the kind of player you want on the flank of your
power play because of the way he breaks down defensive postures with
his playmaking. But he also lacks strength and a separation gear, which
limit his ability to win battles, get to the slot, and then beat
goalies with an average shot. It’s still going to be two or three
years before the Capitals are likely to know if he’s worth
signing and bringing over to the AHL, though, so his evaluation needs
to be understood within that modest context. " |
||
| 19- Tyler Tullio Centre / Ailier Droit 19 ans 5'11 181 lbs Repêché 114ie au total en 2020 par Hartford.  |
" I’ve been impressed by Tullio in my viewings this year (which have included live viewings in the OHL and in Calgary for Hockey Canada’s summer showcase). He looks stronger on his feet and through his wrister (which has surprised me with its pop). He can wait too long to make his play, though, putting himself in bad spots because he’s slowing things down too much and he’s not a skater who’s going to burn anyone. But his ability to read through coverage and find his teammates with backdoor plays at a high level help to mitigate against some of that lack of pace. As does his feisty disposition, which sees him involve himself in the play, fight for his space. He can make a lot happen from the perimeter as a plus-level passer and handler who’s not afraid to shoot the puck from anywhere in the offensive zone. His ceiling tops out as a secondary or tertiary piece on a middle-six line at the next level, but he remains a relevant B-grade prospect who has followed a steady trajectory to this point. " | ||
| 20- Alexander Alexeyev Défenseur 22 ans 6'4 214 lbs Repêché 24ie au total en 2018 par Hartford.  |
" It always felt like Alexeyev and Fehervary were in a race for one future Capitals roster spot. And now Alexeyev (who I would have argued was the better prospect when they were teenagers) appears to have lost the race and has just one year remaining on his entry-level deal after this one to flip the script. That doesn’t necessarily mean this bubble zone he’s in right now is the end, though. He just turned 22 in November and while his production this season has taken a dip after two strong pro years previously, he’s still a 6-foot-4, 214-pound defender who plays a stout defensive game without chasing hits, maintaining an aggressive style (both with and without the puck) without pulling himself out of position or taking too many risks. He’s also got decent mobility for a player his size, which allows him to correct against mistakes (though his footwork and pivots can occasionally look a little stilted). Defensively, his length also helps him win his fair share of board battles, disrupt the rush, and close out carriers to force them to the outside. Offensively, his aggressive style is complemented by a heavy snap shot (which he uses before looking pass if lanes are available) and decisive decision-making on outlets. But because his spatial awareness and the simplicity of his game with the puck haven’t taken steps forward, he probably tops out as a third-pairing guy at this point. " | ||
| Mentions honorables: |
- Jaromir Pytlik (C) |