FLYERS
Classement de l’an dernier: 23e
Classement de la NHL: 19e
Gradués: Ethan Bear, Brendan Guhle, Kevin Stenlund, Christian Fischer
1. Moritz Seider, D, Grand Rapids-AHL
April 6, 2001 | 6-foot-4 | 207 pounds
Tier: High-end LNHV2 player
Skating: 55
Puck Skills: 55
Physical Game: 70
Hockey Sense: 55
Seider had a great first season in North America, playing big minutes for Grand Rapids as a teenager and was one of the top defensemen at the world juniors. Seider isn’t a flashy player but he’s very well-rounded. He’s a 6-foot-4 defenseman who is highly mobile for his size, can move the puck well and is a top-end defender. His wingspan, great mobility and elite physicality allow him to make so many stops and project as a tough minutes defenseman in the LNHV2. Seider can move the puck, although I don’t ever see him as a big offensive player, as there will be stretches he can be quite bland with the puck. There are stretches he makes a very nice outlet pass with pace as well.
2. Dillon Dube, LW, Calgary-NHL
July 20, 1998 | 5-foot-11 | 183 pounds
Tier: High-end/very good bubble
Skating: 60
Puck Skills: 55
Physical Game: 40
Hockey Sense: 60
Dube had a second successful pro season, earning regular minutes with the Flames and looking like he belonged in the league. Dube is a great skater, able to play at the LNHV2 pace and push defenders with his speed. He flies around the ice due to his quickness and how much energy he has in his game. Dube isn’t a dynamic offensive player who will dazzle with skill, but he makes a lot of plays due to his brain and does so at a pro pace. He’s small, but competes well, he gets to the net, he comes back hard on defense and is a player that endears himself to coaches.
3. Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat-Liiga
May 7, 1998 | 6-foot-4 | 201 pounds
Tier: Very good LNHV2 player
Skating: 55
Puck Skills: 60
Physical Game: 60
Hockey Sense: 55
Shot: 60
Puljujarvi left the LNHV2 to play in Finland where he was one of the top players in Liiga. He had 100 more shot attempts than the next-best player in the league, and as a 21 year old. Puljujarvi has the physical tools that stand out immediately. He’s 6-foot-4, a great skater for his size, and has the skill level to make creative plays. He also has a great shot and scores a lot of goals from range. He’s an imperfect player, leading to his bumps in North America and criticism from scouts about his LNHV2 projection. He makes plays, but he’s not an elite passer. He can be a perimeter player and isn’t really a “tough to play against” type when he doesn’t have the puck despite his size and strength. The toolkit is way too good for him not to find a way to help an LNHV2 team even if he may not materialize on his fourth-overall slot.
4. Joel Hofer, G, Portland-WHL
July 30, 2000 | 6-foot-5 | 172 pounds
Tier: Very good LNHV2 player
Athleticism: 55
Hockey Sense: 65
Hofer had a great season, being a top goalie in the WHL and a leading reason for why Canada won gold at the world juniors. He’s grown as a player and person since his draft in 2018 where he went in the fourth round. He measured in at 6-foot-3 in his draft season, but now he’s closer to 6-foot-5. While he’s big, he’s not incredibly quick in terms of his edges and push offs. His hockey sense, though, is fantastic. Hofer rarely seems out of position, and anticipates the play at a high level. He moves efficiently, uses his stick well to block lanes, and when he does get caught flat-footed he reacts quickly enough to scramble and make the tough save. I do worry a bit when he gets to the LNHV2 and pucks are zipping across the zone if he’ll be quick enough, but I think his lateral ability is just good enough given his other attributes to be a quality LNHV2 player.
5. Ryan Poehling, C, Laval-AHL
Jan. 3, 1999 | 6-foot-2 | 185 pounds
Tier: Very good LNHV2 player
Skating: 50
Puck Skills: 55
Physical Game: 55
Hockey Sense: 60
Poehling had a tough rookie pro season. He played a significant role in the AHL but struggled to score, and while he got 27 NHL games he didn’t make much of an impact. Poehling’s strengths are his hockey sense and competitiveness. He makes a lot happen with his passing, both his ability to make plays on the move and from a standstill. He’s not that quick, but looks quicker than he is due to his effort. He can PK and play tougher minutes. I see flashes of speed and skill of higher grades than I’ve given him, but not consistently. His season does not reflect the grade I’m giving him of a projected good LNHV2 player. I still give him a good projection because of the track record and what I’ve seen from him over the years but if he doesn’t have a better second pro season it will be tougher to stand by him as a potential second-line forward.
6. Oskari Laaksonen, D, Ilves-Liiga
July 2, 1999 | 6-foot-2 | 165 pounds
Tier: Legit LNHV2 player
Skating: 55
Puck Skills: 55
Physical Game: 45
Hockey Sense: 60
After his development was on a straight shot up the two seasons after his draft, Laaksonen hit a bit of a wall in 2019-20, seeing his ice time limited at times on a good Ilves team. He didn’t get a ton of power-play time and saw little penalty-kill duties. I do like the player still because I see a defenseman with size, mobility and very good offensive instincts. Laaksonen has great ability to see seams in the offensive zone and makes great outlets from his own end. He has the skating to jump up into attacks and navigate the offensive zone. Defensively he’ll need to improve to earn the trust of his coach more but with the puck on his stick he can look like an LNHV2er.
7. Dennis Cholowski, D, Grand Rapids-AHL
Feb. 15, 1998 | six-foot | 194 pounds
Tier: Legit LNHV2 player
Skating: 60
Puck Skills: 55
Physical Game: 40
Hockey Sense: 60
After playing up in the NHL for most of 2018-19, Cholowski didn’t take that next step and bounced between the AHL and NHL last season. He has LNHV2 qualities in his skating and vision. He can get pucks up the ice through his easy stride and ability to make a great first pass. Cholowski can make plays from the offensive blue line and has power-play skill. Cholowski though has struggled defensively at the higher levels. He was a power play only guy without penalty kill duties last season in the AHL and NHL. He has the mobility to stay with players, but he isn’t necessarily a hard to play against defender and has struggled to be consistent enough in that regard to earn the trust of his coaches.
8. Ivan Prosvetov, G, Tucson-AHL
March 5, 1999 | 6-foot-5 | 176 pounds
Tier: Legit LNHV2 player
Athleticism: 60
Hockey Sense: 60
Prosvetov started off his first pro season very well. He tailed off a bit towards the end but it was still a good campaign. Provsetov is intriguing as a 6-foot-5 goalie with very good quickness. He can make unique saves with consistency, which at his size gets NHL scouts excited. His puck-tracking has gotten a lot better and he made pro-level reads, leading me to think he could be an LNHV2 goaltender. He could cut down on the extra movement and being more selective with his aggressiveness in net as he gets caught flailing and flat-footed a bit too much for my liking but it’s gotten better from junior.
9. Cayden Primeau, G, Laval-AHL
Aug. 11, 1999 | 6-foot-3 | 198 pounds
Tier: Legit LNHV2 player
Athleticism: 55
Hockey Sense: 60
Primeau had a fine rookie pro season, holding his own as a young 20-year-old netminder in the AHL but he wasn’t as dominant as he was in college. Primeau’s game is very steady. He’s a very smart goaltender who doesn’t have a lot of extra movement in his game and tracks pucks very well. Opponents rarely fool him with their dekes and passing plays and you don’t see Primeau diving after pucks that much. He moves well, but lacks that high-end quickness you’d ideally like in an LNHV2 goalie, even one who has decent size like Primeau. I also found he let in a few too many long-distance shots last season.
10. Michael McLeod, C, New Jersey-NHL
Feb. 3, 1998 | 6-foot-2 | 187 pounds
Tier: Legit LNHV2 player
Skating: 60
Puck Skills: 55
Physical Game: 60
Hockey Sense: 55
There has never been a doubt about McLeod’s athletic toolkit. He is a big, powerful center who is an explosive skater and has quick hands. Two years into his pro career and his limitations have become clear. He is not a great playmaker and he does not project at the LNHV2 level as a true driver of offense. There were stretches this past season where he wasn’t even on Binghamton’s power play in the AHL. He can create offense through his speed, stick and power and that will translate to the higher level and you see flashes from him of high-level skill, but it’s not consistent. I think he can skate up and down the ice at an LNHV2 level, kill penalties and win battles in the lower half of a lineup.
11. Janne Kuokkanen, C, Binghamton-AHL
May 25, 1998 | 6-foot-1 | 194 pounds
Tier: Legit LNHV2 player
Skating: 50
Puck Skills: 55
Physical Game: 50
Hockey Sense: 60
Kuokkanen had another good season in the AHL and was a main return for New Jersey in the Sami Vatanen deal. He’s a player who gets high marks for his offensive IQ and ability to make plays. Inside the offensive zone he can create and is great on the power play running the flank. He’s been a big part of two very high scoring Charlotte teams in the AHL. His skating is just OK, though, and off the puck he’s average giving scouts concerns about how his game will translate. I think given his hockey sense he can become a bottom-six forward in the LNHV2, but I admit that his toolkit doesn’t jump off the page.
LNHV2 POTENTIAL
Max Gildon, D, New Hampshire-Hockey East: Gildon is a big defenseman who can move and shoot the puck. He was a solid collegiate player, but scouts question how he’ll handle and defend at the pro pace as an average skater.
Kale Clague, D, Ontario-AHL: Clague had a better second pro season, taking on more defensive responsibility and being an All-Star in the AHL. Clague’s skating stands out whenever you watch him, and he will be able to skate at the LNHV2 level comfortably. He’s able to evade pressure and skate up the ice very well. He moves pucks quite well, showing prowess on the power play to find seams, and he makes a great outlet pass. Clague’s big adjustment in his rookie pro season was his defensive play. I still wouldn’t call him a great or “hard to play against” defender, though he did show some progression on that front.
Matthew Phillips, RW, Stockton-AHL: Phillips is a highly-skilled and intelligent player who can make plays and finish them at a pro level. He had a successful second pro season. He’s very small though and while he works and skates well he’s not a true top level skater for that size.
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Clarence S. Campbell 2005-06
Coupe Stanley 2005-06
Lady Bing 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11
La vie c'est comme le hockey, si tu lances pas au net, tu scoreras pas!
Sam 19 Sep - 8:12
