Classement Organisationnel Pronman 2020 - No 25 - CANADIENS

CANADIENS

Classement de l’an dernier: 11e
Classement NHL: 28e
Gradués: Anthony Beauvillier, Erik Cernak, Jacob Larsson, Oscar Lindblom, Colin White


1. Mario Ferraro, D, San Jose-NHL

Sept. 17, 1998 | 5-foot-11 | 185 pounds

Tier: Very good LNHV2 player

Skating: 65

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 45

Hockey Sense: 60

Ferraro made the Sharks out of camp and showed he belonged all season playing regular minutes for the big club. Ferraro’s game is full of speed and energy. He’s an excellent skater, with quick-twitch feet that allow him to gain speed quickly. He has excellent footwork, walks the line at a high level and is able to evade pressure very well. He closes gaps quickly and with force, showing the ability to win puck battles versus men, even with his 5-foot-11 frame. The main question on Ferraro’s game is his offensive upside. I think he makes a good first pass and sees the ice well, but his stick skills and overall offensive creativity will never dazzle.

2. Martin Fehervary, D, Hershey-AHL

Oct. 6, 1999 | 6-foot-2 | 194 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 60

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 50

Hockey Sense: 60

Fehervary had a good rookie AHL season, playing all situations for Hershey and earning a six-game call-up to Washington. Fehervary is a very good skater. He has the ability to lead rushes at an LNHV2 level due to how fast he is. His size and skating allows him to be reliable defensively. He uses his skating to close gaps and he’s a smart defender who jumps up to break up a lot of plays. With the puck, Fehervary isn’t a flashy skill-type and historically hasn’t put up a lot of points. I find he’s a clever puck-mover though, who has the patience and vision to make good plays at both ends of the rink. If he ended up a second-pair defender I wouldn’t blink because I think there is offensive potential in his game even if it hasn’t been consistent.

3. Jakob Pelletier, LW, Moncton-QMJHL

March 7, 2001 | 5-foot-9 | 161 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 55

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 35

Hockey Sense: 60

Pelletier had another huge year in the QMJHL as he continued to light up that league. Despite being a small forward with giant numbers, Pelletier is not what you usually think of with those types as a super-dynamic offensive-skill type. Rather he is very smart and very competitive, which leads to a lot of his points. He has his head up and makes a lot of clever plays with the puck. He is fearless going to the net and wins far more battles than you’d expect a 5-foot-9 player would. Pelletier is a good skater, but his speed and skill are not his selling points. Scouts think he will force his way into becoming a player because of how hard he works.

4. Mattias Norlinder, D, MODO-Allsvenskan

April 12, 2000 | six-foot | 179 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 60

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 40

Hockey Sense: 60

Norlinder was a significant player for one of the best teams in Sweden’s second division. He played a limited role at the world juniors and overall wasn’t as impressive versus his age group as he was for his club team. He’s a very talented player, showing great mobility, skill and offensive instincts. He’s fast, not a blazer, but his edgework and elusiveness is excellent showing great pivots and first few steps. Norlinder has great offensive creativity, flashing high-end hands with his one-on-one play, and has great vision at both ends of the rink. What I liked this season was not just his offense, but his improved two-way play. For MODO and Sweden’s U20 team he was trusted to PK and coaches weren’t shy of using him in tough situations although I do find he can be a little soft physically on his checks still. After being passed over in the 2018 draft, Norlinder continues to trend in a positive direction. He has the talent level to be graded in a higher tier if he shows a high level of play versus better players.

5. Daniil Tarasov, G, Assat-Liiga

March 27, 1999 | 6-foot-5 | 185 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Athleticism: 60

Hockey Sense: 55

Tarasov had his first season in a top pro league and his performance wasn’t the best with a sub .900 save percentage but I liked a lot of what I saw when watching his games. The tools jump out instantly as a 6-foot-5 goalie with high-end athleticism. Tarasov has the ability to make spectacular saves often with how long and quick he is. On his best game, he looks steady, making a lot of great reads, and having to leave his stance to make the odd elite save. I found in Liiga he was scrambling a lot though, with the pace and skill forcing him to move a lot and lose the puck at times. I see flashes of 60 grade sense but it wasn’t consistent for me. He could let in fewer long-range shots as well.

6. Conor Timmins, D, Colorado-AHL

Sept. 18, 1998 | 6-foot-2 | 183 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 50

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 50

Hockey Sense: 60

After missing over a year due to a concussion I thought Timmins bounced back very well in 2019-20, showing the things about his game that made him so exciting back in junior. He made the Avs out of camp and when he was sent down to the AHL he was quite good. Timmins is a very smart puck-mover. His exits are efficient and precise. He shows great vision both from his end and in the offensive zone. Timmins’ defensive game wasn’t as strong in the pros as he was in junior, with his average footspeed getting exposed at times and losing some battles, but I think that will come given how solid defensively he has been over the years once he gains strengths and makes up for lost time.

7. Blake Lizotte, C, Los Angeles-NHL

Dec. 13, 1997 | 5-foot-7 | weight

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 60

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 25

Hockey Sense: 60

Lizotte was one of the big surprises of the season for me, of not only making the Kings but looking like a real NHL’er after being signed as a college free agent last spring. He’s a good skater, but I had skepticism that his size and lack of elite speed and skill would translate to the league, but he made it work. He’s very competitive, showing no fear of getting into battles and he was a penalty killer for the Kings. He has a high skill level and makes plays, but Lizotte’s well-rounded game and intelligence is what has led to him looking like a big-leaguer.

8. Wade Allison, RW, Western Michigan-NCHC

Oct. 14, 1997 | 6-foot-2 | 205 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 55

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 55

Hockey Sense: 55

Shot: 60

Allison had four solid, albeit unspectacular, college seasons. His toolkit looks like a no-doubt LNHV2 player. He’s 6-foot-2, he can skate, he has great hands, and he can shoot the puck at a high level. On his best days where he’s flying around the ice, making plays at speed and getting to the net he can be a handful to deal with. It’s why I’ve talked to scouts for years who think he can be a top-six LNHV2 player. Allison can be inconsistent though and while he has fine hockey sense I don’t think he makes a ton of plays to his teammates, which is why other scouts are skeptical his game is going to work in the big leagues. I think there’s too much talent for him not to make it, but he will need to show up more often versus men.

9. Ryan Lindgren, D, New York Rangers-NHL

Feb. 11, 1998 | six-foot | 198 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 60

Puck Skills: 50

Physical Game: 50

Hockey Sense: 60

Lindgren played his first full NHL season with the Rangers in a third-pairing role, which is what I think he projects as long-term. Lindgren is very mobile, showing the four-way quickness to stay with the faster LNHV2 forwards and transition pucks up ice. He makes a lot of stops due to his ability to close gaps and the fact he’s a physical defender who is hard on his checks. With the puck, Lindgren has flashes but they are limited. With time he can make smart plays, showing the ability to make a strong first pass and has moments of blue line creativity, but I find he throws pucks away too much as well and just lacks the offensive touch to make a lot of plays.

LNHV2 POTENTIAL

Dylan Coghlan, D, Chicago-AHL: Coghlan has a cannon from the point and moves the puck very well. His skating will need to take a jump to be able to defend in the LNHV2.

Urho Vaakanainen, D, Providence-AHL: Vaakanainen repeated his scoring numbers from last season in the AHL although in 20 more games, playing in a significant role for Providence. Vaakanainen is a very mobile defender who can kill plays and get up into attacks with his feet. He has good hockey IQ and can move pucks at the pro level but lacks LNHV2-level skill. He could make it to the LNHV2 playing a very simplistic style, but the lack of offensive upside could hold him back from moving pucks at the top level.

Noah Juulsen, D, Laval-AHL: Juulsen has had a tough go in recent years, with injuries keeping him out of the lineup, such as migraines and vision issues. When healthy, he’s a big, mobile defenseman who moves the puck well and makes stops but doesn’t project to have a lot of offense in the LNHV2.

Jacob Olofsson, C, Skelleftea-SHL: Olofsson is interesting as a center with size and good skills and vision. His skating is average and while he’s been fine in the SHL he hasn’t really taken a big step forward and NHL scouts have some skepticism on the offensive upside. He missed time last season due to injury.

Joel Teasdale, LW, Laval-AHL: Teasdale is a very intelligent and competitive forward, but he missed all season due to a knee injury. He already had iffy footspeed before the knee issues so seeing how he handles the pro pace will be something to monitor, but he looked very good towards the end of his junior career.

Jacob Bryson, D, Rochester-AHL: Bryson was a top-four defenseman for Rochester as a rookie pro. He’s an elite skater who sees the ice very well, who helped both special teams for his AHL team. He can defend at his size due to that combination of IQ and mobility. For 5-foot-9 there is a lack of a truly dynamic offensive element you’d ideally want.

Rasmus Asplund, C, Rochester-AHL: Asplund is a very smart two-way forward with good speed and skill who has done well in the AHL, but for a player his size there is a lack of a “wow” factor to his game that makes you wonder if he can stick at the top level.

Leevi Aaltonen, RW, KalPa-Liiga: Aaltonen is an undersized forward (5-foot-9, 176 pounds) who is a tremendous skater. His offense didn’t translate to Liiga, but I do think he has some playmaking and scoring touch in his game.