YoungMony29
New Member, Must Send First
Although I agree with most hobbyists that the extended series is merely a cash grab, it's still one of my favorite activities every year to put the Young Guns into Tiers. The extended series gives us 25 additional faces, and although the quality is undoubtedly low, I'm sure there will be some diamonds in the rough.
Absolutely Useless Tier: Probably will never play in the NHL
708 Kodie Curran - Anaheim Ducks (D)
711 Fredrik Handemark - San Jose Sharks (C)
712 Cam Johnson - Columbus Blue Jackets (G)
713 Jake Bischoff - Vegas Golden Knights (D)
714 Hayden Verbeek - Montreal Canadiens (Fwd)
Essentially Useless Tier: Optimistically, these players are borderline NHLers
706 Jacob Ingham - Los Angeles Kings (G)
721 Mikko Lehtonen - Toronto Maple Leafs (D)
722 Austin Strand - Los Angeles Kings (D)
725 Reese Johnson - Chicago Blackhawks (Fwd)
Could be Depth Players: Good enough to find a spot somewhere, but would be surprising if they developed into relevant players in the hobby
704 Callum Booth - Boston Bruins (G)
-4th rounder in 2015 (by Carolina)
-Bounced between ECHL and AHL for past 4 seasons
-Likely AHL starter for the forseeable future with Rask and Swayman (may become backup eventually?)
705 Cameron Hillis - Montreal Canadiens (Fwd)
-3rd round pick in 2018
-Led OHL rookies in assists in 2017-18, but hasn't improved much in past two seasons
-18 GP for Laval (AHL) in 2020-21, only had 1 point
709 Patrick Khodorenko - New York Rangers (F)
-Currently 22 years-old, Khodorenko signed as a free agent with the Rangers out of Michigan State. Khodorenko is a hard worker who will most likely end up a 4th liner in the NHL or a Top 6 forward in the AHL. His ceiling is likely that of a 3rd line checking center
723 Mikhail Maltsev - New Jersey Devils (Fwd)
-4th round pick in 2016
-6g/3a in 33 games for NJ this season
724 Cole Hults - Los Angeles Kings (D)
726 Glenn Gawdin - Calgary Flames (C/RW)
-If he wasn't already 24 years-old, Gawdin's resume would look better. A 4th round pick in 2015, Gawdin scored 56 goals and added 69 assists in the WHL in 2017-18. He has continued to succeed at the AHL level, but has yet to breakthrough in the NHL.
728 Drew O'Connor - Pittsburgh Penguins
Wildcards: You just never know, especially with goalies
715 Josef Korenar - San Jose Sharks (G)
-Undrafted 23-year-old who was an AHL starter before playing 10 games for SJ this season (3.17 GAA, .899 SV%): Likely won't be anything more than an AHL goalie who may get called up to backup if an injury occurs.
718 Sasha Chmelevski - San Jose Sharks (Fwd)
- A late pick in the 2017 draft (185th overall), Chmelevski is actually developing nicely. He could fail to ever make it in the NHL, but he did have 7 points in as many games for Team USA at the WJC and played on the World Championship team this year (4 points in 8 GP)
719 Alex D'Orio - Pittsburgh Penguins (G)
- Undrafted 22-year-old prospect
727 Michael Bunting - Arizona Coyotes (RW/LW)
- At 25, Bunting has only played 26 NHL games, but in those games he's scored 11 goals and has put up impressive numbers in the AHL. Here are his last three AHL seasons: 19/22/41 in 52GP, 12/37/49 in 58GP, 7/12/19 in 16GP
-He made the World Championship team for Canada, though he barely played
Solid Players with Low Ceilings/Stay-At-Home Defensemen: Most likely better real-life hockey players than Hobby players
703 Logan Stanley - Winnipeg Jets (D)
-18th overall pick in 2016
-Seems like a 3rd line defenseman in the NHL (Played 37 games for Winnipeg in rookie season, accumulating only 4 points)
707 Connor Mackey - Calgary Flames (D)
-Undrafted out of Minnesota State University, Mackey had a solid first professional season
-Scored 16 points in 27 AHL games and 3 points in 6 NHL games
-Played 7 games in the World Championships for Team USA
710 Artem Zub - Ottawa Senators (D)
-Zub emerged on the scene as Ottawa brought him over from Russia at 25-years old and played him mostly on the 2nd line this season
-In 47 games, he tallied 3 goals and 11 asists
-These are solid numbers and he could become the 2nd/3rd best defenseman on Ottawa, but Chabot will be a mainstay on the PowerPlay
717 Jack Rathbone - Vancouver Canucks (D)
-4th rounder in 2017: 53 points in 61 games for Harvard (14g/39a)
-Played 8 AHL games (2g/7a) and 8 NHL games (1g/2a) this season
720 Kevin Bahl - New Jersey Devils (D)
-2nd round draft pick in 2018
-6'6" defenseman who had 5 points in 27 AHL games this year, 2 points in 7 NHL
-Played on 2019-20 Canada WJC team (1 point in 7 games)
Decent Prospects: Decently high draft picks who have only improved their stock
702 Joel Hofer - St. Louis Blues (G)
-4th Round Pick in 2018
-Best Goalie at WJC (CAN-Gold Medal): 1.60 GAA and .939 SV%
-Struggled so far in the AHL, but still raw at 20 years-old
716 Aleksi Heponiemi - Florida Panthers (RW)
-2nd Round pick from Finland in 2017
-Extremely fast skater who also has racked up tons of assists
-Led WHL in assists in 2018, led SM-Liiga in Rookie scoring, 2020 WJC Gold
729 Nolan Foote - New Jersey Devils (Fwd)
-Son of Adam Foote, last first round pick in 2019
-6'4" winger who won WJC Gold Medal with Team USA (5 points in 7 GP)
-7g/10a in 24 AHL games this year, made NHL debut late in season (2p in 6 GP)
I Guess There's One "Chase" Card?
701 Arthur Kaliyev - Los Angeles Kings (FWD)
-33rd overall pick in 2019
-14g/17a in 40 games in AHL this season
-8 points in 7 games at WJC in 2020 for Team USA (Gold Medal)
-126 goals & 122 assists in 192 games in OHL
That's all I've got. Who do you think I'm too high or low on? Is there anyone that you think will surprise a lot of people?
Thanks for Reading!
Because it was a slip of the finger! That’s been updated. Most of them I hadn’t heard of either which is why I like to do this exercise, gives me a reason to learn about the new rookies.
Absolutely Useless Tier: Probably will never play in the NHL
708 Kodie Curran - Anaheim Ducks (D)
711 Fredrik Handemark - San Jose Sharks (C)
712 Cam Johnson - Columbus Blue Jackets (G)
713 Jake Bischoff - Vegas Golden Knights (D)
714 Hayden Verbeek - Montreal Canadiens (Fwd)
Essentially Useless Tier: Optimistically, these players are borderline NHLers
706 Jacob Ingham - Los Angeles Kings (G)
721 Mikko Lehtonen - Toronto Maple Leafs (D)
722 Austin Strand - Los Angeles Kings (D)
725 Reese Johnson - Chicago Blackhawks (Fwd)
Could be Depth Players: Good enough to find a spot somewhere, but would be surprising if they developed into relevant players in the hobby
704 Callum Booth - Boston Bruins (G)
-4th rounder in 2015 (by Carolina)
-Bounced between ECHL and AHL for past 4 seasons
-Likely AHL starter for the forseeable future with Rask and Swayman (may become backup eventually?)
705 Cameron Hillis - Montreal Canadiens (Fwd)
-3rd round pick in 2018
-Led OHL rookies in assists in 2017-18, but hasn't improved much in past two seasons
-18 GP for Laval (AHL) in 2020-21, only had 1 point
709 Patrick Khodorenko - New York Rangers (F)
-Currently 22 years-old, Khodorenko signed as a free agent with the Rangers out of Michigan State. Khodorenko is a hard worker who will most likely end up a 4th liner in the NHL or a Top 6 forward in the AHL. His ceiling is likely that of a 3rd line checking center
723 Mikhail Maltsev - New Jersey Devils (Fwd)
-4th round pick in 2016
-6g/3a in 33 games for NJ this season
724 Cole Hults - Los Angeles Kings (D)
726 Glenn Gawdin - Calgary Flames (C/RW)
-If he wasn't already 24 years-old, Gawdin's resume would look better. A 4th round pick in 2015, Gawdin scored 56 goals and added 69 assists in the WHL in 2017-18. He has continued to succeed at the AHL level, but has yet to breakthrough in the NHL.
728 Drew O'Connor - Pittsburgh Penguins
Wildcards: You just never know, especially with goalies
715 Josef Korenar - San Jose Sharks (G)
-Undrafted 23-year-old who was an AHL starter before playing 10 games for SJ this season (3.17 GAA, .899 SV%): Likely won't be anything more than an AHL goalie who may get called up to backup if an injury occurs.
718 Sasha Chmelevski - San Jose Sharks (Fwd)
- A late pick in the 2017 draft (185th overall), Chmelevski is actually developing nicely. He could fail to ever make it in the NHL, but he did have 7 points in as many games for Team USA at the WJC and played on the World Championship team this year (4 points in 8 GP)
719 Alex D'Orio - Pittsburgh Penguins (G)
- Undrafted 22-year-old prospect
727 Michael Bunting - Arizona Coyotes (RW/LW)
- At 25, Bunting has only played 26 NHL games, but in those games he's scored 11 goals and has put up impressive numbers in the AHL. Here are his last three AHL seasons: 19/22/41 in 52GP, 12/37/49 in 58GP, 7/12/19 in 16GP
-He made the World Championship team for Canada, though he barely played
Solid Players with Low Ceilings/Stay-At-Home Defensemen: Most likely better real-life hockey players than Hobby players
703 Logan Stanley - Winnipeg Jets (D)
-18th overall pick in 2016
-Seems like a 3rd line defenseman in the NHL (Played 37 games for Winnipeg in rookie season, accumulating only 4 points)
707 Connor Mackey - Calgary Flames (D)
-Undrafted out of Minnesota State University, Mackey had a solid first professional season
-Scored 16 points in 27 AHL games and 3 points in 6 NHL games
-Played 7 games in the World Championships for Team USA
710 Artem Zub - Ottawa Senators (D)
-Zub emerged on the scene as Ottawa brought him over from Russia at 25-years old and played him mostly on the 2nd line this season
-In 47 games, he tallied 3 goals and 11 asists
-These are solid numbers and he could become the 2nd/3rd best defenseman on Ottawa, but Chabot will be a mainstay on the PowerPlay
717 Jack Rathbone - Vancouver Canucks (D)
-4th rounder in 2017: 53 points in 61 games for Harvard (14g/39a)
-Played 8 AHL games (2g/7a) and 8 NHL games (1g/2a) this season
720 Kevin Bahl - New Jersey Devils (D)
-2nd round draft pick in 2018
-6'6" defenseman who had 5 points in 27 AHL games this year, 2 points in 7 NHL
-Played on 2019-20 Canada WJC team (1 point in 7 games)
Decent Prospects: Decently high draft picks who have only improved their stock
702 Joel Hofer - St. Louis Blues (G)
-4th Round Pick in 2018
-Best Goalie at WJC (CAN-Gold Medal): 1.60 GAA and .939 SV%
-Struggled so far in the AHL, but still raw at 20 years-old
716 Aleksi Heponiemi - Florida Panthers (RW)
-2nd Round pick from Finland in 2017
-Extremely fast skater who also has racked up tons of assists
-Led WHL in assists in 2018, led SM-Liiga in Rookie scoring, 2020 WJC Gold
729 Nolan Foote - New Jersey Devils (Fwd)
-Son of Adam Foote, last first round pick in 2019
-6'4" winger who won WJC Gold Medal with Team USA (5 points in 7 GP)
-7g/10a in 24 AHL games this year, made NHL debut late in season (2p in 6 GP)
I Guess There's One "Chase" Card?
701 Arthur Kaliyev - Los Angeles Kings (FWD)
-33rd overall pick in 2019
-14g/17a in 40 games in AHL this season
-8 points in 7 games at WJC in 2020 for Team USA (Gold Medal)
-126 goals & 122 assists in 192 games in OHL
That's all I've got. Who do you think I'm too high or low on? Is there anyone that you think will surprise a lot of people?
Thanks for Reading!
Joel Hofer (from Winnipeg! Woot!) was the CANADA goalie.Why do you mention USA Gold Medal?
He and Logan Stanley are the only two I have heard of from this entire list. I don't watch much hockey these days.
Because it was a slip of the finger! That’s been updated. Most of them I hadn’t heard of either which is why I like to do this exercise, gives me a reason to learn about the new rookies.
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