Prospect Have to Know: Vitali Kravtsov returns to Russia

It has been an thrilling yr for prospects and we’re not even out of October but. The massive information of late issues New York Rangers star prospect Vitali Kravtsov, who lately determined to return to the KHL and Traktor Chelyabinsk after enjoying 5 video games over right here with AHL Hartford. If it means getting large minutes and plenty of factors, I’m all for the transfer. However I do suppose Kravtsov would have benefitted from enjoying extra video games on the smaller North American ice floor. He’s nonetheless simply 19, so there’s not a lot concern right here and Traktor is determined for offense proper now, however hopefully he can be taught from his temporary time in Hartford and construct off it. Within the meantime, one other Rangers Russian is killing it with the Wolfpack. Let’s take a tour across the prospect world and examine in on a participant from each NHL franchise.
ANA: Middle Trevor Zegras got here into faculty with quite a lot of hype, however it hasn’t fazed the child but. The ninth total choice in 2019 has 5 factors in his first 5 video games with Boston College.
ARI: I requested OHL Ottawa GM James Boyd about huge 67’s defenseman Kevin Bahl, now in his remaining yr of junior: “Kevin is unquestionably a frontrunner and a real defensive defenseman. He performs in opposition to high traces and is hard to play in opposition to. The offense is coming due to elevated minutes.”
BOS: Nobody within the convention has confronted extra photographs (215) than Jeremy Swayman this season, because the College of Maine junior has been busy. Fortunately for the Black Bears, Swayman has been on his recreation as soon as once more, with a .940 save share and 202 saves.
BUF: The Sabres labored out Lukas Rousek at their very own mix earlier than the 2019 draft and clearly favored what they noticed, grabbing the Czech within the sixth spherical. This yr the proper winger has six factors (5 targets) in 14 video games for Sparta Prague within the Extraliga whereas logging a strong 15 minutes of ice time per recreation.
CGY: Dynamic playmaker Emelio Petterssen is choosing up the place he left off in faculty after an amazing freshman season with the College of Denver. Now a sophomore, the Norwegian nationwide has six factors in six video games for the undefeated Pioneers.
CAR: I requested Hurricanes director of participant personnel Darren Yorke about AHL Charlotte standout Morgan Geekie and right here’s what he stated concerning the middle: “Morgan has improved his tempo. Which will have been a query mark for him within the WHL, however he put in quite a lot of work to extend his velocity and quickness. He’s including components to his recreation. What you’re seeing now could be his hockey sense and his means to create and rating.”
CHI: The Hawks simply acquired D-man Alec Regula from Detroit for winger Brendan Perlini and in doing so, they get an enormous blueliner with vary and a few offensive upside. I see Regula having second-pairing potential and apparently, the OHL’s London Knights have used him as a net-front presence on their energy play.
COL: Goalie Justus Annunen set a brand new Finnish Liiga document final week by operating a shutout streak for 14 intervals. The 19-year-old’s clear sheet ran for 302 minutes and 5 seconds, beating the earlier document by about 42 minutes. Evidently, his stats are fairly good proper now as Annunen is sitting on a .945 save share and 4 shutouts in 9 appearances for Karpat Oulu.
CBJ: He might have been a seventh-rounder, however middle Tyler Angle is making noise with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires this yr to the tune of 19 factors in 13 video games. Angle, who educated in the summertime with Toronto prospect Mac Hollowell, has proven some nice ability and creativity, even going behind his leg for one cheeky aim in opposition to London.
DAL: Defenseman Thomas Harley is doing every thing for OHL Mississauga proper now. Not solely is he main the group in scoring with 17 factors by means of 11 video games, however he additionally had his first struggle after drilling Peterborough’s Nick Robertson with an enormous hit. Harley gained the lean with the Petes’ Hudson Wilson, too.
DET: Crimson Wings director of participant growth Shawn Horcoff was in Europe lately, so I requested him about undersized Finnish middle Otto Kivenmaki: “He has a superb ability set, nice imaginative and prescient and he’s really fairly robust for his dimension. He simply must placed on weight.”
EDM: The QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads have missed a few of their drafted gamers as a consequence of damage, however energy ahead Raphael Lavoie has been wholesome and productive. The massive 2019 second-rounder leads The Herd with 24 factors in 15 video games.
LA: I requested WHL Spokane GM Scott Carter about his latest import, Czech goalie Lukas Parik: “He’s outgoing and his English is sweet. Very pro-active, he needed to come back over right here shortly. Credit score him and his agent, Allan Walsh, who arrange his participant to be taught earlier than he bought right here. In my time, Lukas has tailored higher than anyone else.”
MIN: Saginaw middle Damien Giroux has been added to Staff OHL for the upcoming CHL-Russia sequence, which is a good alternative for the fifth-rounder. Giroux is a tough employee with hockey sense who has 20 factors in 16 video games for the Spirit.
MTL: Swedish defenseman Mattias Norlinder was a little bit of a late-bloomer, however he’s proving the Habs made name grabbing him in 2019’s third spherical. The proficient and cellular blueliner has 9 factors in 14 video games for Modo, which is enjoying within the Allsvenskan, one rung beneath the SHL.
NSH: Preds GM David Poile bought blueliner Jeremy Davies as a part of the PK Subban commerce, so I requested him for his first impressions on Davies: “Actually good. He bought into three pre-season video games and seems to be that modern-day defenseman. Nice skating and velocity, he desires to hurry the puck and he desires to have the puck.” Davies is studying the professional recreation with AHL Milwaukee, the place Poile believes the schedule shall be good for him.
NJ: So proper winger Tyce Thompson is making me look unhealthy. I didn’t embody the Windfall Faculty sophomore on my 100 NCAA gamers to observe preview and now he’s lighting it up. The aggressive little brother of Tage Thompson has 11 factors in six video games for the Friars.
NYI: Although he hasn’t performed but this season as a consequence of an ankle damage, Bode Wilde was lately assigned to AHL Bridgeport. The Sound Tigers could be an amazing problem for the 19-year-old defenseman, as he positively has the bodily instruments to face males, however must show his decision-making is as much as snuff.
NYR: Star goalie prospect Igor Shesterkin had his ups and downs on the Traverse Metropolis prospects match, however it was most likely one of the best factor for him. The Russian stopper bought to see how the North American recreation is performed on the smaller ice and thus far with AHL Hartford, Shesterkin has dominated. Undefeated in 5 begins, he’s rocking a 1.18 goals-against common and .955 save share.
OTT: Proper winger Drake Batherson continues to be getting used to the professional life-style with AHL Belleville and a part of which means cooking for himself. When he was with Ottawa he lived with Colin White, who is aware of his method across the kitchen. In Belleville, Batherson has to fend for himself. “I’ve 4 or 5 meals that I can most likely crush,” he stated. “My mother continues to be educating me. If I ever have any questions, I normally FaceTime her.”
PHI: With Joel Farabee enjoying for the large membership, middle Morgan Frost now turns into one of the vital attractive children enjoying for AHL Lehigh Valley. The proficient middle has six factors in seven video games for the Phantoms, using his fingers, imaginative and prescient and instincts.
PIT: Left winger Samuel Poulin is having himself fairly the beginning with QMJHL Sherbrooke. The highly effective presence and group captain has 25 factors by means of 14 video games with the Phoenix, buttressed by an eight-point explosion in opposition to Shawinigan.
STL: In his third yr with AHL San Antonio, middle Klim Kostin appears to be hitting one other stage. The massive Russian child – nonetheless solely 20 years previous – has 5 factors in his first eight video games with the Rampage
SJ: The Sharks lately signed 2019 second-rounder Dillon Hamaliuk to his entry-level contract and GM Doug Wilson was completely happy to get the ability ahead beneath contract. Hamaliuk missed chunk of final yr as a consequence of damage with WHL Seattle, however an low season commerce introduced him to Memorial Cup host Kelowna, the place he has put up 10 factors in 12 video games for the Rockets.
TB: Swedish netminder Magnus Chrona has been one of many largest early surprises within the NCAA. The towering goaltender is undefeated in six video games whereas rocking a .930 save share for the College of Denver. Not unhealthy for a freshman.
TOR: Whereas Rasmus Sandin regarded fairly good for the Leafs, he’s been excellent for the AHL Marlies since getting despatched down in mid-October. Not solely does the defenseman have 4 factors in 5 video games, however he has been exploding opponents with large hits on a constant foundation.
VAN: Utica has been one of the best group within the AHL thus far and goalie Michael DiPietro is doing his half. The athletic and aggressive netminder has a Three-Zero document, a 1.62 goals-against common and a .940 save share whereas platooning with veteran Zane McIntyre.
VGK: Rookie Lucas Elvenes simply continues to exceed expectations. The Swedish nationwide leads the AHL in scoring with 13 factors in eight video games, largely on the power of his playmaking abilities for the Chicago Wolves.
WSH: I talked to AHL Hershey coach Spencer Carbery concerning the duty proper winger Brett Leason has been given early as a rookie professional, which has included penalty-kill obligation and quite a lot of defensive zone begins for the previous WHL Prince Albert star: “He PK’d fairly a bit final yr in P.A. and was profitable. I don’t deal with scoring for younger guys – he has thus far to go and producing on this league is difficult. It’s concerning the particulars in his recreation if he desires to have an extended NHL profession. He has to make faster choices, faster reads. He’s going to play each side of the puck right here. Hopefully he could be a PK man and an influence play man within the NHL.”
WPG: It’s early, however College of Minnesota-Duluth defenseman Dylan Samberg is on tempo for his finest faculty season but. The junior, who brings an amazing bodily factor to the desk, has 4 factors in six video games for the Bulldogs. Now, can he win a 3rd straight nationwide title? Courting again to highschool, Samberg has gained it all of the previous 4 years.
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Tags: lists, prospect have to knowConnect: Concerning the AuthorRyan KennedyRyan Kennedy is the affiliate senior author and draft/prospect skilled at The Hockey Information. He has been with the publication since 2005 and in that span, Don Cherry, Lil Jon and The Rock have all referred to as his home. He lives in Toronto along with his spouse and youngsters the place he listens to loud music and collects NCAA pennants.