PRONMAN 2021 - Google Drive


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3		ISLANDERS
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6		CLASSEMENT 2020 - 2e
7		CLASSEMENT 2021 - 25e
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10		1. Cam York, LHD, Michigan-Big Ten
11		Jan. 5, 2001 \| 5-foot-11 \| 175 pounds
12		Drafted: No. 14 in 2019
13		Tier: Projected bubble top and middle of the lineup player
14		Skating: Average
15		Puck Skills: Average
16		Hockey Sense: Above-average
17		Compete: Average
18		York had a great season. He was a top player in the Big Ten, a leading player on USA’s World Junior gold medal run, and had a good test run at the pro level toward the end of the season. He’s not a flashy player, but he makes a lot of good things happen. His decision making with the puck is great, he moves it up the ice very efficiently and makes a lot of plays inside the offensive zone. York has one-on-one skill and flashes it on occasion, but prefers to pass pucks or skate them out of trouble. He’s better offensively than defensively due to his size, but with his feet and brain he should be a competent NHL defender. I see a quality top four defenseman in the NHL who will be on a power play unit.
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20		2. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C, Montreal-NHL
21		July 6, 2000 \| 6-foot-2 \| 188 pounds
22		Drafted: No. 3 in 2018 by Montreal
23		Tier: Projected bubble top of lineup and middle of lineup player
24		Skating: Below-average
25		Puck Skills: Average
26		Hockey Sense: Average
27		Compete: Average
28		Kotkaniemi had a fine season, playing regular minutes for Montreal, but he didn’t take the big step forward you would have hoped. He has a quick stick and is able to drag pucks through opponents consistently. He’s a great passer who can run a power play off the flank and make creative passes. He competes hard, not in a standout manner but the work ethic is good enough in terms of handling physicality. Kotkaniemi’s biggest flaw has always been his skating. It’s not terrible, he can play in the NHL as a 6-foot-2 center with skill, but he can’t pull away from checks. I think there’s still enough components to be a quality top-six forward. If he stays at center, he’s likely a 2C.
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30		3. Xavier Bourgault, C, Shawinigan-QMJHL
31		Oct. 22, 2002 \| six-foot \| 172 pounds
32		Drafted: No. 22 in 2021
33		Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player
34		Skating: Average
35		Puck Skills: Average
36		Hockey Sense: Average
37		Compete: Average
38		Bourgault is a very skilled forward who put up huge numbers in the QMJHL the last two seasons with 111 points in 92 games. He scored 20 goals in 29 games in 2020-21. Bourgault stands out with the puck on his stick. He’s confident, attempting to make difficult dekes and passes and executing at a solid frequency. At higher levels he projects to play on a power play. He’s not an exceptional skater, but he will be able to skate at an NHL level, and has shown he can make skilled plays on the move and play with pace. I wouldn’t describe Bourgault as a physical player or the first guy over the boards on the penalty kill, but he backchecks well enough and creates turnovers with his hustle. Bourgault projects as a middle-six NHL forward, likely on the wing.
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40		4. Dylan Samberg, LHD, Manitoba-AHL
41		Jan. 24, 1999 \| 6-foot-3 \| 190 pounds
42		Drafted: No. 43 in 2017
43		Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player
44		Skating: Average
45		Puck Skills: Below-average
46		Hockey Sense: Average
47		Compete: Above-average
48		Samberg didn’t have a great season from an offensive standpoint, but he was an important, high-minutes player for Manitoba and looked the part of a good pro. He’s a big, mobile, physical defenseman who you can see shutting down good NHL players due to his excellent gap control. The puck play isn’t the best, but his first pass is decent enough and he has enough flashes of creativity to think he can handle a higher minute NHL workload. Samberg projects as a limited-offense, second-pair defenseman.
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50		5. Noel Gunler, RW, Brynas-SHL
51		Oct. 7, 2001 \| 6-foot-2 \| 176 pounds
52		Drafted: No. 41 in 2020
53		Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player
54		Skating: Below-average
55		Puck Skills: Below-average
56		Hockey Sense: Average
57		Compete: Below-average
58		Shot: Above-average
59		Gunler had a solid season in the SHL between Lulea and Brynas, and was good at the world juniors. His style lends itself to being used in a specific way. He’s a great passer and shooter who can excel on the power play and make things happen in the offensive zone. The skill and shot, along with his good size and physicality, are NHL assets. But his effort can be inconsistent and he drifts to the perimeter. Gunler also lacks the footspeed to generate a lot of clean entries at even strength. I see a potential middle-six winger due to the talent, but I could also see it be an uphill climb to get regular NHL minutes.
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61		6. Ridly Greig, C, Brandon-WHL
62		Aug. 8, 2002 \| 5-foot-11 \| 163 pounds
63		Drafted: No. 28 in 2020
64		Tier: Projected middle of lineup players
65		Skating: Below-average
66		Puck Skills: Average
67		Hockey Sense: Average
68		Compete: Above-average
69		Shot: Above-average
70		Greig did well in his brief AHL time and was a top player in his WHL division when he went back to Brandon. He’s an entertaining player to watch because he’s full of skill but also has an edge to his game. He attacks the net, he’s a physical player and can kill penalties well. Greig puts a lot of pucks around defenders with his puck skills, but can set up plays and shoot the puck well. I debated giving him a higher skating grade when I saw him this season, but I lean to slightly below NHL average on his quickness. I see him as a middle-six center, realistically more a 3C.
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72		7. Maxim Groshev, RW, SKA-KHL
73		Dec. 14, 2001 \| 6-foot-2 \| 194 pounds
74		Drafted: No. 85 in 2020
75		Tier: Projected to play NHL games
76		Skating: Average
77		Puck Skills: Average
78		Hockey Sense: Below-average
79		Compete: Average
80		Groshev had an up and down season in the KHL, including a midseason trade. I saw enough flashes of the good that I still think he’s a real prospect despite little offense this season. Groshev is a bulky winger with good speed who competes well enough and attacks the net, which is why I think pro coaches will lean on him as he matures. There is some skill and playmaking in his game, but he’s not overly creative and his attacks are very north-south in nature. I see enough to see a bottom-six NHL forward one day.
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82		8. Alex Vlasic, LHD, Boston University-Hockey East
83		Jun. 5, 2001 \| 6-foot-6 \| 199 pounds
84		Drafted: No. 43 in 2019
85		Tier: Projected to play NHL games
86		Skating: Below-average
87		Puck Skills: Below-average
88		Hockey Sense: Average
89		Compete: Average
90		After a tough freshman season, Vlasic bounced back well as a sophomore, logging a ton of minutes for a strong BU team. There aren’t a lot of 6-foot-6 defensemen who can skate competently and have offensive touch, which is why Vlasic has been touted for a long time. The puck game isn’t amazing, as he’s more of a puck rusher than a puck mover, but it’s good enough. The size and skating combination will help him make a lot of stops as a pro. He can be a third-pair defenseman in the NHL, and I’m not ruling out top-four potential.
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92		HAS A CHANCE
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94		Alex Jefferies, LW, Merrimack-Hockey East: Jefferies is a good enough skater with skill and scoring ability to be interesting as a prospect, but he’s a perimeter forward who isn’t dynamic offensively.
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96		William Stromgren, LW, MODO-Allsvenskan: Stromgren has all the tools to be a real player. He’s big, can skate, and has legit skill, but his consistency and decision-making need to improve.
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98		Dmitry Kuzmin, LHD, Minskie Zubry-Belarus: Kuzmin is a very mobile and skilled defenseman, but he’s undersized and I’m not sold that the offense will truly stand out for a smaller defender.
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100		Liam Kirk, LW, Sheffield-England: Kirk has some intrigue due to his skill and goal-scoring ability. He led the world championships in goals. His lack of footspeed will be his main issue for NHL purposes.
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102		Jesse Ylonen, RW, Laval-NHL: Ylonen is a frustrating prospect. The toolkit screams NHL. He’s a great skater, he has skill, he can shoot it well and he’s not undersized. His compete and consistency are issues, and he doesn’t produce like you think he should for his toolkit.
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104		Daniil Misyul, LHD, Yaroslavl-KHL: Misyul has the look of an NHL defenseman as a big, mobile defender who has some physicality and puck game. He needs to be a more consistent player with his puck movement, but I could easily see a path for him to being a regular NHL player.
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106		Parker Kelly, RW, Belleville-AHL: Kelly’s game has a lot of pace and energy in it. He can shoot the puck well but the question for the NHL will be whether his game has enough offense.
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108		Zion Nybeck, RW, HV71-SHL: Nybeck has a lot of skill and is a great playmaker, but he’s small and his lack of speed at his size is a concern.