YoungMony29
New Member, Must Send First
Hey everyone, just wanted to share the rookie tiers I made for S1 ahead of the release. Obviously they are my own but I always have fun doing it so I know who to look out for before opening any boxes.
There are a decent amount of high level prospects in this rookie class, and while we knew Cole Caulfield was in Series 1, we now have learned that Trevor Zegras is the other big name in S1, with Byfield and Lucas Raymond likely being the big chase cards in S2. There's lots of interest names on this list, so let's get right into it.
Note: Sorry if some of the lower level players' stats are not up to date, with all the delays in the product I have done this list over the past few weeks.
Lucky to have a YG Tier:
203 Olle Alsing - Ottawa Senators
25 years-old, played 4 games for Ottawa in 2020-21, playing in KHL now. Next.
216 Radim Zohorna - Pittsburgh Penguins (25-Fwd)
We're really stretching here aren't we. Zohorna has 6 points in 13 career NHL games, but you just can't be excited about him.
220 Brinson Pasichnuk - San Jose Sharks
Cool story being from Arizona State, but he's no more than an average AHL player.
229 Daniel Walcott - Tampa Bay Lightning
27-years old with 1 NHL game of experience, need I say more?
235 Marc Michaelis - Vancouver Canucks (26-LW/C)
The German-born forward got a late start to his North American hockey career, playing four years of college hockey at Minnesota State from ages 21-25. Maybe he could crack another NHL roster like he did for 12 games last year, but not much to be excited about.
237 Jeremy Davies - Nashville Predators (25-D)
Middle of the road AHL defenseman who managed to crack the roster for 16 games in 2020-21 but found himself back in the AHL permanently this season (though he did play one game for Nashville).
238 Jackson Cates - Philadelphia Flyers (24-C)
Good ole Minnesota-boy who stayed in-state to play for Minnesota-Duluth
Signed as an undrafted free agent after college (end of 2020-21 NHL season) by Philadelphia, he did play some games for the Flyers but now resides in the AHL, where he has 10 points in 28 games this year. Most likely will end up staying there.
245 Michael Houser - Buffalo Sabres (29-G)
Yes, 29 years-old.
Might Play Some Time in the NHL, Two-Way Contract Tier
204 Dakota Joshua - St. Louis Blues (25-C)
5th round pick in 2014 by TOR: 25 years old, split time between St. Louis and the AHL the past two seasons, just a borderline 4th liner
206 Kyle Burroughs - Colorado Avalanche (RD)
7th round pick in 2013 by NYI
Average AHL Defenseman from 2015-16 through 2021, has played 31/42 games this year for Vancouver (only played 5 for COL in 2020-21)
209 Wade Allison - Philadelphia Flyers (24-RW)
2016 2nd Round Pick, Played 4 Seasons at Western Michigan
2020-21 was first post-college season, 7 points in 14 games with the Flyers, 9 points in 10 games in AHL (only played 1 NHL game this year, 3/1/4 in 7GP in AHL this year)
211 Keaton Middleton - Colorado Avalanche (23-D)
2016 4th Round Pick, stay-at-home defenseman with only 38 points in 155 AHL games
Short 3-game stint in the NHL for Colorado
213 Wyatt Kalynuk - Chicago Blackhawks (24-D)
Successful college career at Wisconsin (graduated in 2020)
Played 21 games for Chicago in 2020-21, registering a solid 4g and 5a (Plus 2/8/10 in 8GP in AHL)
Only suited it up for 4 NHL games this season, while continuing pretty good play in the AHL
217 Jack Ahcan - Boston Bruins (24-D)
Undrafted free-agent out of St. Cloud State, Ahcan has put up decent numbers so far in the AHL (6g/23a in 48 GP), but he's only played 5 games for Boston and probably is a replacement-level defenseman at best.
218 Joshua Dunne - Columbus Blue Jackets (23-C)
Undrafted, defensive minded center (won ECAC's version of the Selke while at Clarkson) who could become a 4th line center for Columbus or could bounce around the AHL/NHL trying to get a break.
228 Simon Benoit - Anaheim Ducks (23-D)
Undrafted Canadian out of the QMJHL who spent the last 3 years in the AHL but has played 35 games in 2021-22 as a third-pair defenseman, totaling 1 goal and 3 assists over that span.
233 Jeffrey Viel - San Jose Sharks (25-LW)
Undrafted out of the QMJHL, Viel has evenly split time between the Sharks and San Jose's AHL affiliate (Barracuda), playing a physical bottom-six game.
234 Lane Pederson - Arizona Coyotes (24-C)
Borderline NHLer currently playing for the SJ Sharks. The undrafted Canadian was very solid for Arizona's AHL team before signing with SJ this season. He could play a bottom six role for some years in the NHL, but there's nothing more to see here.
236 Tanner Laczynski - Philadelphia Flyers (24-C)
American centerman out of Ohio State University (2016 6th round pick) who just began his professional career in 2020-21, playing 5 games for the Flyers (0 points) and 14 games for their AHL-affiliate in Lehigh Valley (6g/4a/10p). He's missed this entire year due to an injury.
Honestly he's a complete wildcard since he's had such limited time in the pros, but I think this is a fair spot for him.
240 Parker Kelly - Ottawa Senators (22-C)
Undrafted centerman from the WHL signed by Ottawa who played all but 1 game in the AHL in 2020-21 (10g/8a in 33 GP)
Split time between acting as the fourth line center for Ottawa and in the AHL
NHL: 2 goals, 1 assist in 18 GP
AHL: 3 goals, 7 assists in 24 GP
Nothing much to see here, seems like he could get some NHL playing time but that's about his ceiling
244 Matt Kiersted - Pittsburgh Penguins (23-D)
American-born defenseman out of University of North Dakota now in the Florida Panthers organization
Played a handful of games with the Panthers last year and this year, but mostly been an AHL player (41 GP in 2021-22: 2g/13a)
Decent Prospects with Limited Upside: NHL or Bust Tier
207 Tarmo Reunanen - New York Rangers (23-LD)
23 year-old Finnish defenseman who has grown from a 4th round flier to a really solid NHL prospect. I'm not sure he'll ever be able to break into the Rangers lineup (though he didn't look out of place in his 4 games last year.
31 points in 45 games last two years in AHL
He will be an NHL player somewhere in 2 years, but it's hard to know his true upside. Probably a bottom 4 defenseman with some offensive upside.
208 Mike Hardman - Chicago Blackhawks (22-LW)
Undrafted winger out of Boston College, found his way into 21 games in Chicago this season, where he has averaged barely 9 minutes per game
9 AHL games this year in Rockford (4g, 3a, 7p)
At 22 years old, his hard work has gotten him from undrafted onto a NHL roster, seems like a guy that could stick around for a while bouncing between the AHL and NHL.
210 Marian Studenic - New Jersey Devils (23-RW)
2017 5th Round Pick, Played for 2 Slovakian WJC teams, didn't register any points
Played 23 games for NJD over last two years, only 3 points
5/5/10 in 13 GP for Utica Comets (NJD's AHL Affiliate) this year
214 Garrett Pilon - Washington Capitals (23-C)
Pilon, a former 3rd round pick, has improved his production each of the 4 years he's played in the AHL. He's only been given three games with Washington, but he's been really productive in Hershey, totaling 17 goals and 27 assists over the past 48 games.
Pilon might probably needs to leave the Capitals organization and their very solid center-depth to be given a chance. Very difficult to forecast what happens next for the young fella.
215 Morgan Barron - New York Rangers (23-C/LW)
As a dedicated Rangers fan, Morgan Barron has received a ton of praise from scouts at each level since being drafted in the 6th round by NYR in 2017. The hardworking 6'4" center has been looked at as a perfect bottom-six center in New York for the next decade.
The former Cornell Captain was fantastic in his first, albeit shortened, AHL season, scoring 21 points in as many games. While he did see five games of actions as the Rangers limped to the finish line in 2020-21, he was given a larger 8-game sample size with the Blueshirts this year. Unfortunately, he didn't make a lasting impact. He didn't make any noticable mistakes, but for some reason the organization would rather play random 30 year-olds than let him grow.
If you're looking for a comparison for Barron, think about a Kevin Rooney type or one of the Islanders' 4th liners (without the fighting).
219 Logan Thompson - Vegas Golden Knights (24-G)
Undrafted Canadian goalie out of the WHL
Signed to a two-way deal by Vegas before the 2020-21 season, where he's been outstanding in the AHL (47 GP, 29-14-6, .932 SV%)
Brief stint in the NHL (2 GP)
Could potentially slot into the backup role behind Lehner in the next season or two
221 Arttu Ruotsalainen - Buffalo Sabres (24-C/W)
Undersized Finnish forward who came over from the Finnish Liiga during the second half of the 2020-21 season. Ruotsalainen played 17 games (5 goals, 1 assist) with the Sabres last year and 13 (5 goals, 8 assists) in the AHL last year. From afar, it would be my guess that the Sabres hoped he would become a full-time NHLer this year, but unfortunately that hasn't happened. With only 4 points in 18 games for Buffalo, he has found himself in Rochester for the majority of the year. He's putting up numbers like you would expect from a 24 year-old with 24 points in 31 games, and he did represent Finland in the World Championships last summer (4 goals in 10 games), so he's got potential. But, with Buffalo acquiring more talented and younger forwards than him, the clock is ticking.
225 Filip Gustavsson - Ottawa Senators (23-G)
2016 2nd Round Pick out of Sweden
Promising young prospect who played in two WJC-20 tournaments that has been up and down thus far in his young career in the NHL/AHL
2019-20: 24 AHL games; 3.38 GAA, .887 SV%
2020-21: 9 NHL games where he was very good: 2.16 GAA, .933 SV% (solid in AHL too)
2021-22: 12 NHL games: 3.80 GAA, .892 SV%, (struggled in 5 AHL games as well)
239 Tyce Thompson - New Jersey Devils (22-C)
4th Round pick by NJD in 2019, Thompson is a center from New York who played his college hockey at Providence before signing an ELC after his Junior season ended.
9 games (1 point) for NJD over last two seasons, 18 games (11 points) for AHL-affiliates
I've got no idea where to slot him but at 22 and the fact that he was a decently high draft pick, I'll put him here.
249 Joey Keane - Carolina Hurricanes (D-22)
Former 3rd round draft pick by the New York Rangers (88th overall in 2018)
Proven to be a very solid AHL two-way defenseman over the past two and a half seasons, though he's only played 2 NHL games for Carolina (AHL All-Rookie Team in 2019-20).
Seems like he'll probably find a bottom-four defenseman spot somewhere, but I'm not sure it's going to be in Carolina.
High Floor, Low Ceiling
224 Ross Colton - Tampa Bay Lightning (25-C)
Based on 2021-22 success, Colton would be in a higher tier. But the former 4th round pick took a long time to break through, and at age 25 he doesn't have a lot of time to break away from the pack of middling Young Guns (the $3-$6 range)
Has played 48 games with the Lightning, registering 9 goals and 11 helpers while being very physical and dependable in the faceoff circle and in his own zone.
230 Mattias Samuelsson - Buffalo Sabres (21-D)
The 6'4" Samuelsson was taken 32nd overall by Buffalo in the 2018 draft, and he has shown signs over the past two years that he has what it takes to be a NHLer within the next few years. He's spend the majority of his time with the Rochester Americans in the AHL where he's been given a more offensive role (28 points in 45 games last two years), but he's also played 28 games for Buffalo. I think he's probably going to work his way into the NHL in the next few years, but Buffalo does have a ton of young defenseman (including two #1 draft picks) that he'll have to battle if he wants to stay, unless he leaves the Sabres.
247 Kole Lind - Vancouver Canucks (23-RW)
33rd overall pick by Vancouver in 2017, selected by Seattle Kraken in the Expansion Draft
Only 11 NHL games under his belt (7 last year for VAN, 4 this year for SEA)
Two consecutive successful AHL campaigns, with 44 points in 61 games in 2019-20 and 33 points (16 goals) in 42 games thus far in 2021-22 after missing most of last season.
Clearly got the skill of a top 50 pick and has produced in the AHL, but I'm concerned that he wasn't able to crack the lineup in either Vancouver or Seattle.
Truthfully he should be in his own tier between this one and the one prior, but my gut puts him here. I think he becomes a decent bottom-six winger who can provide some secondary scoring.
248 Jacob Bryson - Buffalo Sabres (24-D)
Simply another big, tough defensive defenseman who looks like he'll play on 2nd pair role (or ideally 3rd line pair on a top-tier team) for Buffalo for the foreseeable future alongside Rasmus Dahlin and last season's first overall pick Owen Power.
In another tough season for Sabres fans, he's been a bright spot, managing to have decent analytics despite having more defensive zone starts than offensive.
He could win the award out of this group for "Best PC option" since he'll never be a point producer but should be a NHL defenseman for the next decade.
Good Prospects who could move up or down rankings rapidly:
212 Joe Veleno - Detroit Red Wings (22-C)
2018 1st Round Pick (30th overall)
Played for two WJC-20 Canadian teams, registering 8 points in 11 games
Played most of 2020-21 season on loan in Sweden (9 total NHL/AHL games)
Spent almost all of the 2021-22 Season in Detroit, where he has only 5 points in 30 games, playing 12:15 per game.
Hasn't seemed to find his game at the NHL level yet, but has some decent potential in the long-term as a former first round pick....maybe needs to spend some more time in the AHL?
227 Calen Addison - Minnesota Wild (21-D)
2018 2nd Round Pick (by Pittsburgh), played for the 2019-20 Canada WJC team where he played very well (1g/8a in 7 GP)
Now with Minnesota, he has split his time about 66/33 between the AHL and NHL, putting up good numbers with Iowa (17 points in 23 games) and seemingly holding his own when called up (3 points in 12 games). He might have some difficulties breaking through in Minnesota, but honestly he could see a rapid rise if he does make it there to stay as Minnesota does seem to need some young offensive defenseman for the future.
231 Zac Jones - New York Rangers (21-D)
Prior to turning pro, Jones was taken 68th overall by the Rangers before beginning his college career at UMass. Filling in the role left behind by Cale Makar, he thrived. He followed up a good freshman season with a National Championship winning sophomore year and was named as a Second Team All-American.
Zac Jones is routinely one of the most notable players on the ice for the Rangers when he's in the lineup. Unfortunately he's been stuck on a 3rd pair role and likely won't move from there as the Rangers top two pairs are pretty locked in. Jones is really smooth and confident on the puck and I think could be an excellent point man on a powerplay. He's seen some time on the 2nd unit for New York, but he's never surpassing Adam Fox.
As much as I would hate to see this exciting prospect leave and I'd wager we don't get the value we should out of trading him, I'd like to see him given a chance to succeed. His play reminds me of a more patient Tony DeAngelo. He's got some weakspots in his own zone that come from being undersized, but in today's game I think his positives will outweigh his negatives.
241 Alex Barré-Boulet - Tampa Bay Lightning (24-RW)
ABB was undrafted, but quickly earned a 3-year ELC with the Lightning after lighting the QMJHL in scoring in 2017-18, finishing the season with 53 goals and 63 assists in 65 games (winning league MVP). Moving into the AHL the following season, ABB continued his hot offensive play, winning AHL Rookie of the Year after leading the entire league in goals with 34 in 74 games. Much like others in the Lightning organization before him, there just wasn't a place for him in Tampa in 2019-20. He returned to Syracuse in the AHL that season and replicated a similar season. Now 23, he was given more of a 50/50 AHL/NHL split, but never found a full spot with Tampa.
After spending 11 whole days in Seattle after being waived by TB, he was waived again after two games and reclaimed by the Lightning. Could he be similar to Carter Verhaeghe? Or should the fact that he was waived by a team in desparate need of offensive talent in Seattle tell us that he just doesn't have that next gear? Only time will tell.
242 Rasmus Kupari - Los Angeles Kings (21-C)
20th overall pick by LAK in 2018 out of Finland
2019-20 with Ontario Reign (AHL): 27 GP: 6g/2a
2020-21 with Ontario Reign (AHL): 32 GP: 8g/15a
2021-22 with Los Angeles (NHL): 37 GP: 3g/6a with average TOI of only 11:36
10 AHL games with 5 points
Kupari has a lot of skill, which he has showcased throughout the past few seasons, but like most european prospects we need to be patient with assessing his future outlook. Not confident enough to put him in the 2nd tier, but he's a secondary card you should be happy to get.
243 Cam York - Philadelphia Flyers (21-D)
14th overall pick in 2019, enrolled in Michigan to start the 2019-20 season
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All Big Ten in 2020-21
Captained USA WJC-20 team where he had 1 goal and 5 assists in 7 games
Signed ELC following sophomore season (played 3 NHL games and 8 AHL games)
2021-22 Season: 13 games with the Flyers (3 points), 30 games in AHL (10 points)
From all reports he seems like a prototypical defenseman without any major concerns or flaws. I'm not sure he has high-end offensive talent to really breakthrough in the hobby.
The good thing for York is that Philadelphia desparately needs defenseman, and York will likely get top-four minutes immediately when he breaks into the NHL for good (I would guess next year).
246 Shane Pinto - Ottawa Senators (21-C)
32nd overall pick by Otttawa in 2019, the native New Yorker played two years at the University of North Dakota before signing an ELC with Ottawa.
Known for having a great shot, he was a Hobey Baker Finalist and played on the first line for Team USA in the WJC-20. Unfortunately, after just five games to start the 2021-22 season, Pinto dislocated his shoulder and required surgery, probably knocking him out for the year.
As a pretty big fan of Stutzle, Batherson, Norris and Tkachuk, I'd wager that Pinto will struggle to obtain top offensive/PP minutes in Ottawa. I would say it's most likely that he finds himself in a third line role next season, but he has the potential to go up or down.
Consolation Prizes:
205 Jamie Drysdale - Anaheim Ducks (19-D)
6th overall selection in 2020 Draft
Smooth skater with a lot of playmaking abilities, perfect mold for quarterbacking a power play, which is crucial for having value in the hobby.
Through 79 NHL games (24 in 2020-21, 55 in 2021-22), he's accumulated 6 goals and 24 assists. These totals are certainly a little underwhelming, but the kid is 19 years-old and most defensive prospects take a few years to learn the game at this level. This year, Drysdale, Fowler and Shattenkirk have split power play time equally, where they've produced relatively similar results (9 points, 14 points and 12 points, respectively). I would expect his power play time to nearly double in the next few years (2 minutes to 4 minutes) as he becomes more comfortable there, and if he produces at a consistent rate that'll add loads more points.
As with many prospects, the big question mark with Drysdale is whether he can overcome playing in a smaller market and being a defenseman (especially with Zegras and soon McTavish taking the spotlight in Anaheim). I'm not very sure that he can, but I do think he has the potential to join the other notable stars across the league at the blue line.
Note: As someone who loves offensive defenseman, he's one I have my eye out for in terms of PC/investing
222 Tanner Jeannot - Nashville Predators (24-Fwd)
Jeannot has to be one of the biggest surprises of this season with 18 goals and 14 assists through 53 games. Up until this past week those 18 goals were leading all rookies, though he was passed by Bunting (19) after his recent streak.
Watching Jeannot play and his mix of physicality and scoring ability, it's very surprising that he was undrafted, but when you look at his stats he went from a mediocre AHL player at best in 2019-20 (20 points in 57 games) to a big-time producer almost overnight. After scoring 5 goals in 15 games for Nashville last season, he's played every game for the big club in 2021-22 where he trails only Filip Forsberg in Even Strength Points per 60. If he finds a place on the PP and adds just a little bit of production because of it, he could be a point per game player and a fan favorite for his effort next year.
He may be 24 years old and therefore a little old to be getting a rookie card, but he's getting noticed around the league and could be a Calder Trophy Finalist in a few months.
The Goalies
202 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen - Buffalo Sabres (22/almost 23)
Buffalo's 2017 2nd round pick seems like a lock to be the future of the rebuilding franchise. In 2018-19, he led the OHL in wins, save percentage and shutouts, which earned him the honor of becoming the first European player to win the league's MVP. Because of Covid and the organization not wanting to rush him into the NHL when the team is struggling in front of him, he's unfortunately had to bounce between the AHL, the NHL and TPS when he was loaned to the Finnish Liiga.
223 Spencer Knight - Florida Panthers (20)
This offseason, Spencer Knight could have had a strong argument to be in the "chase card" tier coming up, but unsurprisingly he's had a bit of a sophomore slump even playing on one of the league's best teams. The former Boston College standout (and Hobey Baker finalist) and first round pick dominated at the college level and cruised through two World Juniors as the starting goalie for Team USA. When he was called up late in the 2020-21 season, he outplayed Bobrovsky and even earned himself two playoff starts where he continued to shine.
2021-22 Stats: 18 GP, 9-6-2 record, 3.22 GAA, .898% save percentage, -5.7 GSAA
I still think the undersized Knight is going to be a clear-cut NHL #1 soon, but I do worry about a few things in terms of future hobby value.
He's in Florida (for now at least), a low-level hockey market
Only the elite goalies have serious hockey value
Sergei Bobrovsky's mega deal doesn't expire until summer 2026, and he's having a very strong season this year
226 Jeremy Swayman - Boston Bruins (23)
While not as highly touted as the two goalies before him, Swayman has the biggest sample size in the NHL and has the bonus of playing for an original six team who's ready for their next leading netminder. After a couple of pretty good seasons at University of Maine, he was lights out his Junior year with a 2.07 GAA and a .939% save percentage. This ended with numerous accolades including the Mike Richter Award for the nation's top goaltender and being named as a Hobey Baker finalist.
In 33 games for Boston, Swayman has a stout .931 SV% and tremendous 1.87 GAA. Some of this can be attributed to the Bruins' style of play, but his 20.4 GSAA shows that he's a big reason why the team has been successful, especially this season as the team has less talent (and more injuries/suspensions) than it has in the past.
Out of the three goalies here, Swayman would easily be my choice to invest in (as long as the pricing is right).
Chase Cards:
201 Cole Caufield - Montreal Canadiens (21-15th overall in 2019)
232 Trevor Zegras - Anaheim Ducks (20-9th overall in 2019)
I don't think I need to go into much detail here. Trevor Zegras has taken the hockey world by storm (although I have some serious questions about his ability to do anything but play offense) and Cole Caufield is an exciting prospect playing for the hobby's biggest market. While he really struggled as the Canadiens decided to lose almost every game this year, he's come to life under Martin St. Louis, coming off a 7-game stretch where he potted 6 goals and added 4 assists. These are probably two of the brightest young stars across the league and two that should garner the coveted media spotlight.
Who do you disagree with? Who are you most looking forward to this year? I know the crop might be a little diluted with the addition of extended series, but I still think there are a decent amount of players worth being excited about, especially goalie and Anaheim collectors.
There are a decent amount of high level prospects in this rookie class, and while we knew Cole Caulfield was in Series 1, we now have learned that Trevor Zegras is the other big name in S1, with Byfield and Lucas Raymond likely being the big chase cards in S2. There's lots of interest names on this list, so let's get right into it.
Note: Sorry if some of the lower level players' stats are not up to date, with all the delays in the product I have done this list over the past few weeks.
Lucky to have a YG Tier:
203 Olle Alsing - Ottawa Senators
25 years-old, played 4 games for Ottawa in 2020-21, playing in KHL now. Next.
216 Radim Zohorna - Pittsburgh Penguins (25-Fwd)
We're really stretching here aren't we. Zohorna has 6 points in 13 career NHL games, but you just can't be excited about him.
220 Brinson Pasichnuk - San Jose Sharks
Cool story being from Arizona State, but he's no more than an average AHL player.
229 Daniel Walcott - Tampa Bay Lightning
27-years old with 1 NHL game of experience, need I say more?
235 Marc Michaelis - Vancouver Canucks (26-LW/C)
The German-born forward got a late start to his North American hockey career, playing four years of college hockey at Minnesota State from ages 21-25. Maybe he could crack another NHL roster like he did for 12 games last year, but not much to be excited about.
237 Jeremy Davies - Nashville Predators (25-D)
Middle of the road AHL defenseman who managed to crack the roster for 16 games in 2020-21 but found himself back in the AHL permanently this season (though he did play one game for Nashville).
238 Jackson Cates - Philadelphia Flyers (24-C)
Good ole Minnesota-boy who stayed in-state to play for Minnesota-Duluth
Signed as an undrafted free agent after college (end of 2020-21 NHL season) by Philadelphia, he did play some games for the Flyers but now resides in the AHL, where he has 10 points in 28 games this year. Most likely will end up staying there.
245 Michael Houser - Buffalo Sabres (29-G)
Yes, 29 years-old.
Might Play Some Time in the NHL, Two-Way Contract Tier
204 Dakota Joshua - St. Louis Blues (25-C)
5th round pick in 2014 by TOR: 25 years old, split time between St. Louis and the AHL the past two seasons, just a borderline 4th liner
206 Kyle Burroughs - Colorado Avalanche (RD)
7th round pick in 2013 by NYI
Average AHL Defenseman from 2015-16 through 2021, has played 31/42 games this year for Vancouver (only played 5 for COL in 2020-21)
209 Wade Allison - Philadelphia Flyers (24-RW)
2016 2nd Round Pick, Played 4 Seasons at Western Michigan
2020-21 was first post-college season, 7 points in 14 games with the Flyers, 9 points in 10 games in AHL (only played 1 NHL game this year, 3/1/4 in 7GP in AHL this year)
211 Keaton Middleton - Colorado Avalanche (23-D)
2016 4th Round Pick, stay-at-home defenseman with only 38 points in 155 AHL games
Short 3-game stint in the NHL for Colorado
213 Wyatt Kalynuk - Chicago Blackhawks (24-D)
Successful college career at Wisconsin (graduated in 2020)
Played 21 games for Chicago in 2020-21, registering a solid 4g and 5a (Plus 2/8/10 in 8GP in AHL)
Only suited it up for 4 NHL games this season, while continuing pretty good play in the AHL
217 Jack Ahcan - Boston Bruins (24-D)
Undrafted free-agent out of St. Cloud State, Ahcan has put up decent numbers so far in the AHL (6g/23a in 48 GP), but he's only played 5 games for Boston and probably is a replacement-level defenseman at best.
218 Joshua Dunne - Columbus Blue Jackets (23-C)
Undrafted, defensive minded center (won ECAC's version of the Selke while at Clarkson) who could become a 4th line center for Columbus or could bounce around the AHL/NHL trying to get a break.
228 Simon Benoit - Anaheim Ducks (23-D)
Undrafted Canadian out of the QMJHL who spent the last 3 years in the AHL but has played 35 games in 2021-22 as a third-pair defenseman, totaling 1 goal and 3 assists over that span.
233 Jeffrey Viel - San Jose Sharks (25-LW)
Undrafted out of the QMJHL, Viel has evenly split time between the Sharks and San Jose's AHL affiliate (Barracuda), playing a physical bottom-six game.
234 Lane Pederson - Arizona Coyotes (24-C)
Borderline NHLer currently playing for the SJ Sharks. The undrafted Canadian was very solid for Arizona's AHL team before signing with SJ this season. He could play a bottom six role for some years in the NHL, but there's nothing more to see here.
236 Tanner Laczynski - Philadelphia Flyers (24-C)
American centerman out of Ohio State University (2016 6th round pick) who just began his professional career in 2020-21, playing 5 games for the Flyers (0 points) and 14 games for their AHL-affiliate in Lehigh Valley (6g/4a/10p). He's missed this entire year due to an injury.
Honestly he's a complete wildcard since he's had such limited time in the pros, but I think this is a fair spot for him.
240 Parker Kelly - Ottawa Senators (22-C)
Undrafted centerman from the WHL signed by Ottawa who played all but 1 game in the AHL in 2020-21 (10g/8a in 33 GP)
Split time between acting as the fourth line center for Ottawa and in the AHL
NHL: 2 goals, 1 assist in 18 GP
AHL: 3 goals, 7 assists in 24 GP
Nothing much to see here, seems like he could get some NHL playing time but that's about his ceiling
244 Matt Kiersted - Pittsburgh Penguins (23-D)
American-born defenseman out of University of North Dakota now in the Florida Panthers organization
Played a handful of games with the Panthers last year and this year, but mostly been an AHL player (41 GP in 2021-22: 2g/13a)
Decent Prospects with Limited Upside: NHL or Bust Tier
207 Tarmo Reunanen - New York Rangers (23-LD)
23 year-old Finnish defenseman who has grown from a 4th round flier to a really solid NHL prospect. I'm not sure he'll ever be able to break into the Rangers lineup (though he didn't look out of place in his 4 games last year.
31 points in 45 games last two years in AHL
He will be an NHL player somewhere in 2 years, but it's hard to know his true upside. Probably a bottom 4 defenseman with some offensive upside.
208 Mike Hardman - Chicago Blackhawks (22-LW)
Undrafted winger out of Boston College, found his way into 21 games in Chicago this season, where he has averaged barely 9 minutes per game
9 AHL games this year in Rockford (4g, 3a, 7p)
At 22 years old, his hard work has gotten him from undrafted onto a NHL roster, seems like a guy that could stick around for a while bouncing between the AHL and NHL.
210 Marian Studenic - New Jersey Devils (23-RW)
2017 5th Round Pick, Played for 2 Slovakian WJC teams, didn't register any points
Played 23 games for NJD over last two years, only 3 points
5/5/10 in 13 GP for Utica Comets (NJD's AHL Affiliate) this year
214 Garrett Pilon - Washington Capitals (23-C)
Pilon, a former 3rd round pick, has improved his production each of the 4 years he's played in the AHL. He's only been given three games with Washington, but he's been really productive in Hershey, totaling 17 goals and 27 assists over the past 48 games.
Pilon might probably needs to leave the Capitals organization and their very solid center-depth to be given a chance. Very difficult to forecast what happens next for the young fella.
215 Morgan Barron - New York Rangers (23-C/LW)
As a dedicated Rangers fan, Morgan Barron has received a ton of praise from scouts at each level since being drafted in the 6th round by NYR in 2017. The hardworking 6'4" center has been looked at as a perfect bottom-six center in New York for the next decade.
The former Cornell Captain was fantastic in his first, albeit shortened, AHL season, scoring 21 points in as many games. While he did see five games of actions as the Rangers limped to the finish line in 2020-21, he was given a larger 8-game sample size with the Blueshirts this year. Unfortunately, he didn't make a lasting impact. He didn't make any noticable mistakes, but for some reason the organization would rather play random 30 year-olds than let him grow.
If you're looking for a comparison for Barron, think about a Kevin Rooney type or one of the Islanders' 4th liners (without the fighting).
219 Logan Thompson - Vegas Golden Knights (24-G)
Undrafted Canadian goalie out of the WHL
Signed to a two-way deal by Vegas before the 2020-21 season, where he's been outstanding in the AHL (47 GP, 29-14-6, .932 SV%)
Brief stint in the NHL (2 GP)
Could potentially slot into the backup role behind Lehner in the next season or two
221 Arttu Ruotsalainen - Buffalo Sabres (24-C/W)
Undersized Finnish forward who came over from the Finnish Liiga during the second half of the 2020-21 season. Ruotsalainen played 17 games (5 goals, 1 assist) with the Sabres last year and 13 (5 goals, 8 assists) in the AHL last year. From afar, it would be my guess that the Sabres hoped he would become a full-time NHLer this year, but unfortunately that hasn't happened. With only 4 points in 18 games for Buffalo, he has found himself in Rochester for the majority of the year. He's putting up numbers like you would expect from a 24 year-old with 24 points in 31 games, and he did represent Finland in the World Championships last summer (4 goals in 10 games), so he's got potential. But, with Buffalo acquiring more talented and younger forwards than him, the clock is ticking.
225 Filip Gustavsson - Ottawa Senators (23-G)
2016 2nd Round Pick out of Sweden
Promising young prospect who played in two WJC-20 tournaments that has been up and down thus far in his young career in the NHL/AHL
2019-20: 24 AHL games; 3.38 GAA, .887 SV%
2020-21: 9 NHL games where he was very good: 2.16 GAA, .933 SV% (solid in AHL too)
2021-22: 12 NHL games: 3.80 GAA, .892 SV%, (struggled in 5 AHL games as well)
239 Tyce Thompson - New Jersey Devils (22-C)
4th Round pick by NJD in 2019, Thompson is a center from New York who played his college hockey at Providence before signing an ELC after his Junior season ended.
9 games (1 point) for NJD over last two seasons, 18 games (11 points) for AHL-affiliates
I've got no idea where to slot him but at 22 and the fact that he was a decently high draft pick, I'll put him here.
249 Joey Keane - Carolina Hurricanes (D-22)
Former 3rd round draft pick by the New York Rangers (88th overall in 2018)
Proven to be a very solid AHL two-way defenseman over the past two and a half seasons, though he's only played 2 NHL games for Carolina (AHL All-Rookie Team in 2019-20).
Seems like he'll probably find a bottom-four defenseman spot somewhere, but I'm not sure it's going to be in Carolina.
High Floor, Low Ceiling
224 Ross Colton - Tampa Bay Lightning (25-C)
Based on 2021-22 success, Colton would be in a higher tier. But the former 4th round pick took a long time to break through, and at age 25 he doesn't have a lot of time to break away from the pack of middling Young Guns (the $3-$6 range)
Has played 48 games with the Lightning, registering 9 goals and 11 helpers while being very physical and dependable in the faceoff circle and in his own zone.
230 Mattias Samuelsson - Buffalo Sabres (21-D)
The 6'4" Samuelsson was taken 32nd overall by Buffalo in the 2018 draft, and he has shown signs over the past two years that he has what it takes to be a NHLer within the next few years. He's spend the majority of his time with the Rochester Americans in the AHL where he's been given a more offensive role (28 points in 45 games last two years), but he's also played 28 games for Buffalo. I think he's probably going to work his way into the NHL in the next few years, but Buffalo does have a ton of young defenseman (including two #1 draft picks) that he'll have to battle if he wants to stay, unless he leaves the Sabres.
247 Kole Lind - Vancouver Canucks (23-RW)
33rd overall pick by Vancouver in 2017, selected by Seattle Kraken in the Expansion Draft
Only 11 NHL games under his belt (7 last year for VAN, 4 this year for SEA)
Two consecutive successful AHL campaigns, with 44 points in 61 games in 2019-20 and 33 points (16 goals) in 42 games thus far in 2021-22 after missing most of last season.
Clearly got the skill of a top 50 pick and has produced in the AHL, but I'm concerned that he wasn't able to crack the lineup in either Vancouver or Seattle.
Truthfully he should be in his own tier between this one and the one prior, but my gut puts him here. I think he becomes a decent bottom-six winger who can provide some secondary scoring.
248 Jacob Bryson - Buffalo Sabres (24-D)
Simply another big, tough defensive defenseman who looks like he'll play on 2nd pair role (or ideally 3rd line pair on a top-tier team) for Buffalo for the foreseeable future alongside Rasmus Dahlin and last season's first overall pick Owen Power.
In another tough season for Sabres fans, he's been a bright spot, managing to have decent analytics despite having more defensive zone starts than offensive.
He could win the award out of this group for "Best PC option" since he'll never be a point producer but should be a NHL defenseman for the next decade.
Good Prospects who could move up or down rankings rapidly:
212 Joe Veleno - Detroit Red Wings (22-C)
2018 1st Round Pick (30th overall)
Played for two WJC-20 Canadian teams, registering 8 points in 11 games
Played most of 2020-21 season on loan in Sweden (9 total NHL/AHL games)
Spent almost all of the 2021-22 Season in Detroit, where he has only 5 points in 30 games, playing 12:15 per game.
Hasn't seemed to find his game at the NHL level yet, but has some decent potential in the long-term as a former first round pick....maybe needs to spend some more time in the AHL?
227 Calen Addison - Minnesota Wild (21-D)
2018 2nd Round Pick (by Pittsburgh), played for the 2019-20 Canada WJC team where he played very well (1g/8a in 7 GP)
Now with Minnesota, he has split his time about 66/33 between the AHL and NHL, putting up good numbers with Iowa (17 points in 23 games) and seemingly holding his own when called up (3 points in 12 games). He might have some difficulties breaking through in Minnesota, but honestly he could see a rapid rise if he does make it there to stay as Minnesota does seem to need some young offensive defenseman for the future.
231 Zac Jones - New York Rangers (21-D)
Prior to turning pro, Jones was taken 68th overall by the Rangers before beginning his college career at UMass. Filling in the role left behind by Cale Makar, he thrived. He followed up a good freshman season with a National Championship winning sophomore year and was named as a Second Team All-American.
Zac Jones is routinely one of the most notable players on the ice for the Rangers when he's in the lineup. Unfortunately he's been stuck on a 3rd pair role and likely won't move from there as the Rangers top two pairs are pretty locked in. Jones is really smooth and confident on the puck and I think could be an excellent point man on a powerplay. He's seen some time on the 2nd unit for New York, but he's never surpassing Adam Fox.
As much as I would hate to see this exciting prospect leave and I'd wager we don't get the value we should out of trading him, I'd like to see him given a chance to succeed. His play reminds me of a more patient Tony DeAngelo. He's got some weakspots in his own zone that come from being undersized, but in today's game I think his positives will outweigh his negatives.
241 Alex Barré-Boulet - Tampa Bay Lightning (24-RW)
ABB was undrafted, but quickly earned a 3-year ELC with the Lightning after lighting the QMJHL in scoring in 2017-18, finishing the season with 53 goals and 63 assists in 65 games (winning league MVP). Moving into the AHL the following season, ABB continued his hot offensive play, winning AHL Rookie of the Year after leading the entire league in goals with 34 in 74 games. Much like others in the Lightning organization before him, there just wasn't a place for him in Tampa in 2019-20. He returned to Syracuse in the AHL that season and replicated a similar season. Now 23, he was given more of a 50/50 AHL/NHL split, but never found a full spot with Tampa.
After spending 11 whole days in Seattle after being waived by TB, he was waived again after two games and reclaimed by the Lightning. Could he be similar to Carter Verhaeghe? Or should the fact that he was waived by a team in desparate need of offensive talent in Seattle tell us that he just doesn't have that next gear? Only time will tell.
242 Rasmus Kupari - Los Angeles Kings (21-C)
20th overall pick by LAK in 2018 out of Finland
2019-20 with Ontario Reign (AHL): 27 GP: 6g/2a
2020-21 with Ontario Reign (AHL): 32 GP: 8g/15a
2021-22 with Los Angeles (NHL): 37 GP: 3g/6a with average TOI of only 11:36
10 AHL games with 5 points
Kupari has a lot of skill, which he has showcased throughout the past few seasons, but like most european prospects we need to be patient with assessing his future outlook. Not confident enough to put him in the 2nd tier, but he's a secondary card you should be happy to get.
243 Cam York - Philadelphia Flyers (21-D)
14th overall pick in 2019, enrolled in Michigan to start the 2019-20 season
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All Big Ten in 2020-21
Captained USA WJC-20 team where he had 1 goal and 5 assists in 7 games
Signed ELC following sophomore season (played 3 NHL games and 8 AHL games)
2021-22 Season: 13 games with the Flyers (3 points), 30 games in AHL (10 points)
From all reports he seems like a prototypical defenseman without any major concerns or flaws. I'm not sure he has high-end offensive talent to really breakthrough in the hobby.
The good thing for York is that Philadelphia desparately needs defenseman, and York will likely get top-four minutes immediately when he breaks into the NHL for good (I would guess next year).
246 Shane Pinto - Ottawa Senators (21-C)
32nd overall pick by Otttawa in 2019, the native New Yorker played two years at the University of North Dakota before signing an ELC with Ottawa.
Known for having a great shot, he was a Hobey Baker Finalist and played on the first line for Team USA in the WJC-20. Unfortunately, after just five games to start the 2021-22 season, Pinto dislocated his shoulder and required surgery, probably knocking him out for the year.
As a pretty big fan of Stutzle, Batherson, Norris and Tkachuk, I'd wager that Pinto will struggle to obtain top offensive/PP minutes in Ottawa. I would say it's most likely that he finds himself in a third line role next season, but he has the potential to go up or down.
Consolation Prizes:
205 Jamie Drysdale - Anaheim Ducks (19-D)
6th overall selection in 2020 Draft
Smooth skater with a lot of playmaking abilities, perfect mold for quarterbacking a power play, which is crucial for having value in the hobby.
Through 79 NHL games (24 in 2020-21, 55 in 2021-22), he's accumulated 6 goals and 24 assists. These totals are certainly a little underwhelming, but the kid is 19 years-old and most defensive prospects take a few years to learn the game at this level. This year, Drysdale, Fowler and Shattenkirk have split power play time equally, where they've produced relatively similar results (9 points, 14 points and 12 points, respectively). I would expect his power play time to nearly double in the next few years (2 minutes to 4 minutes) as he becomes more comfortable there, and if he produces at a consistent rate that'll add loads more points.
As with many prospects, the big question mark with Drysdale is whether he can overcome playing in a smaller market and being a defenseman (especially with Zegras and soon McTavish taking the spotlight in Anaheim). I'm not very sure that he can, but I do think he has the potential to join the other notable stars across the league at the blue line.
Note: As someone who loves offensive defenseman, he's one I have my eye out for in terms of PC/investing
222 Tanner Jeannot - Nashville Predators (24-Fwd)
Jeannot has to be one of the biggest surprises of this season with 18 goals and 14 assists through 53 games. Up until this past week those 18 goals were leading all rookies, though he was passed by Bunting (19) after his recent streak.
Watching Jeannot play and his mix of physicality and scoring ability, it's very surprising that he was undrafted, but when you look at his stats he went from a mediocre AHL player at best in 2019-20 (20 points in 57 games) to a big-time producer almost overnight. After scoring 5 goals in 15 games for Nashville last season, he's played every game for the big club in 2021-22 where he trails only Filip Forsberg in Even Strength Points per 60. If he finds a place on the PP and adds just a little bit of production because of it, he could be a point per game player and a fan favorite for his effort next year.
He may be 24 years old and therefore a little old to be getting a rookie card, but he's getting noticed around the league and could be a Calder Trophy Finalist in a few months.
The Goalies
202 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen - Buffalo Sabres (22/almost 23)
Buffalo's 2017 2nd round pick seems like a lock to be the future of the rebuilding franchise. In 2018-19, he led the OHL in wins, save percentage and shutouts, which earned him the honor of becoming the first European player to win the league's MVP. Because of Covid and the organization not wanting to rush him into the NHL when the team is struggling in front of him, he's unfortunately had to bounce between the AHL, the NHL and TPS when he was loaned to the Finnish Liiga.
223 Spencer Knight - Florida Panthers (20)
This offseason, Spencer Knight could have had a strong argument to be in the "chase card" tier coming up, but unsurprisingly he's had a bit of a sophomore slump even playing on one of the league's best teams. The former Boston College standout (and Hobey Baker finalist) and first round pick dominated at the college level and cruised through two World Juniors as the starting goalie for Team USA. When he was called up late in the 2020-21 season, he outplayed Bobrovsky and even earned himself two playoff starts where he continued to shine.
2021-22 Stats: 18 GP, 9-6-2 record, 3.22 GAA, .898% save percentage, -5.7 GSAA
I still think the undersized Knight is going to be a clear-cut NHL #1 soon, but I do worry about a few things in terms of future hobby value.
He's in Florida (for now at least), a low-level hockey market
Only the elite goalies have serious hockey value
Sergei Bobrovsky's mega deal doesn't expire until summer 2026, and he's having a very strong season this year
226 Jeremy Swayman - Boston Bruins (23)
While not as highly touted as the two goalies before him, Swayman has the biggest sample size in the NHL and has the bonus of playing for an original six team who's ready for their next leading netminder. After a couple of pretty good seasons at University of Maine, he was lights out his Junior year with a 2.07 GAA and a .939% save percentage. This ended with numerous accolades including the Mike Richter Award for the nation's top goaltender and being named as a Hobey Baker finalist.
In 33 games for Boston, Swayman has a stout .931 SV% and tremendous 1.87 GAA. Some of this can be attributed to the Bruins' style of play, but his 20.4 GSAA shows that he's a big reason why the team has been successful, especially this season as the team has less talent (and more injuries/suspensions) than it has in the past.
Out of the three goalies here, Swayman would easily be my choice to invest in (as long as the pricing is right).
Chase Cards:
201 Cole Caufield - Montreal Canadiens (21-15th overall in 2019)
232 Trevor Zegras - Anaheim Ducks (20-9th overall in 2019)
I don't think I need to go into much detail here. Trevor Zegras has taken the hockey world by storm (although I have some serious questions about his ability to do anything but play offense) and Cole Caufield is an exciting prospect playing for the hobby's biggest market. While he really struggled as the Canadiens decided to lose almost every game this year, he's come to life under Martin St. Louis, coming off a 7-game stretch where he potted 6 goals and added 4 assists. These are probably two of the brightest young stars across the league and two that should garner the coveted media spotlight.
Who do you disagree with? Who are you most looking forward to this year? I know the crop might be a little diluted with the addition of extended series, but I still think there are a decent amount of players worth being excited about, especially goalie and Anaheim collectors.
I think Panthers might take a similar approach to Knight like how the Lightning brought Vasi up. Won't see a ton of time the next couple years as he gets acclimated to the NHL, then might be brought into a tandem with Bob. Still one of the best goaltender prospects in a while I believe so interesting to see what happens with his hobby value. 
