Classement Organisationnel Pronman 2020 - No 12 - BLUES

BLUES

Classement de l’an dernier: 9e
Classement NHL: 12e
Gradués: Mitchell Stephens, Taro Hirose, Jansen Harkins, Rasmus Andersson


1. Dylan Cozens, C, Lethbridge-WHL

Feb. 9, 2001 | 6-foot-3 | 185 pounds

Tier: Elite/high-end bubble

Skating: 60

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 60

Hockey Sense: 60

Shot: 60

Cozens was one of the top players in the WHL and for Canada’s U20 team on its run to gold. He’s a complete player. Cozens’ skating jumps out instantly especially for someone who is 6-foot-3. He can gain the zone with ease due to his speed, size and skill, and is able to circle the zone with the puck. He’s not a true top skill/playmaking-type, but he can show top-end flashes of hands and finding seams. Cozens has a great shot, and can score from mid-distance. He has great power in his game and when he uses his speed and frame to get to the net he’s a force, but he does drift to the perimeter trying to use his shot. Off the puck, he works hard, kills penalties and shows he could be a top two-way center in the LNHV2

2. Noah Dobson, D, New York Islanders-NHL

Jan. 7, 2000 | 6-foot-4 | 183 pounds

Tier: High-end/very good bubble

Skating: 55

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 60

Hockey Sense: 60

Shot: 60

Dobson had a tough first NHL season as his playing time was sporadic, but he was just a teenager and remains a very promising young player. He’s a 6-foot-4 right-handed defenseman who can skate and move the puck, which is easily an assembly of attributes that projects to play in the league for a while. Dobson is a very smart and poised player. He has the ability to hold pucks for an extra few seconds to find passing lanes under pressure and make crafty plays from both ends of the rink. His vision and skating help him transition pucks very well and quickly. He wasn’t used in tough defensive situations as a 19 year old, but his frame and skating project him to be a good LNHV2 defender who can make a lot of stops as he matures physically.

3. Nicholas Robertson, LW, Peterborough-OHL

Sept. 11, 2001 | 5-foot-9 | 161 pounds

Tier: High-end/very good bubble

Skating: 50

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 35

Hockey Sense: 65

Shot: 70

Robertson was one of the best players in the OHL, with 55 goals in 46 games. He’s a dynamic player due to his skill, vision and shot. Robertson can score from anywhere in the offensive zone due to how good his one-timer and wrist shots are. He can also pick apart defenses with his quick stickhandling. He has the patience and IQ to find lanes and make unique passes with consistency. Robertson is undersized, but he’s hard on pucks and forces a lot of turnovers with his hustle. His main drawback is his skating. He has good edgework, but his skating stride is unorthodox and he won’t burn past guys at the pro level, which combined with his size is why he fell to the second round. He has shown in the OHL and world junior levels what he can do despite his limitations, and I see a player who can help a top-six in the LNHV2 due to how elite his varying attributes are.

4. Scott Perunovich, D, Minnesota-Duluth-NCHC

Aug. 18, 1998 | 5-foot-10 | 174 pounds

Tier: Very good LNHV2 player

Skating: 60

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 25

Hockey Sense: 65

Perunovich won the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in college hockey. He was a leading player on a top team, a role he’s played his previous two seasons in college. Perunovich stands out whenever he has the puck on his stick. His offensive instincts are elite. He’s able to make exit passes with the best of them, and has great creativity and vision from the blue line. His ability to find seams and hold pucks for extra seconds are clear LNHV2-level skills. Perunovich has advanced as a prospect as his skating has gotten better, and it’s at a point where I think he’ll be able to handle the NHL level without a major issue. He’s able to pull away from pressure when needed and walk the line with his skating. The four-way quickness isn’t elite and given he’s 5-foot-10, some NHL scouts question if he’ll be able to defend in the show. He may need to be used carefully, but the puck game and power-play ability will translate.

5. Ian Mitchell, D, Denver-NCHC

Jan. 18, 1999 | 5-foot-11 | 174 pounds

Tier: Very good LNHV2 player

Skating: 55

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 40

Hockey Sense: 60

Mitchell was one of the top defensemen in college hockey, being a heavy minutes eater for Denver, and helped Canada win the Spengler Cup. Mitchell is a skilled puck-mover. He has the high IQ to find seams, stretch the ice, and hold pucks to let lanes develop. He has quick-twitch hands to make skilled plays, but prefers to make a good pass as opposed to make the flashy skill play. He’s not super quick but is a good skater and will be able to skate at the top level. Mitchell is undersized, but defends fine due to his smarts and mobility. He may not be your team’s best scoring defenseman or top defender, but he will be a useful LNHV2 player.

6. Justus Annunen, G, Karpat-Liiga

March 11, 2000 | 6-foot-4 | 207 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Athleticism: 55

Hockey Sense: 60

Annunen had one of the best seasons ever by a teenage goalie in Liiga, being a big reason why Karpat was the No. 1 team in the league. Annunen is a big goalie who displays high levels of calm and intelligence in the net. There isn’t much extra movement in his game. He tracks pucks well through traffic, doesn’t overplay on saves that make him move and squares up shots quite often. Annunen has stolen games over the years I’ve watched due to how he gives even great shooters nothing to work with. He can make tough saves, but he does lack that top-end quickness element you’d ideally like in an LNHV2 goalie when the puck will be moving a lot faster.

7. Nick Abruzzese, C, Harvard-ECAC

June 4, 1999 | 5-foot-9 | 161 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 55

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 35

Hockey Sense: 60

Abruzzese was one of the top forwards in college hockey, being a driving force for a high-scoring Harvard team. He has a very high skill level and makes a ton of plays. He sees all the openings in the offensive zone, and has the patience and creativity to make tough plays consistently. He’s a pass-first type, but when he does decide to attack he has the hands to beat defenders clean and break open a shift. Abruzzese is undersized, and while he’s agile and elusive, he lacks great rink-lengths speed. He’s competitive though and despite being small I don’t think he gets pushed around.

8. Zack MacEwen, RW, Vancouver-NHL

July 8, 1996 | 6-foot-3 | 205 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 45

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 70

Hockey Sense: 55

MacEwen split the year between the NHL and the AHL, playing a limited role up with the Canucks. He’s a big forward who is physical and competitive. He is great in the hard areas of the ice. When you combine the fact he has very good hands, he’s great around the net making a lot of skilled plays. He can also make plays through defenders as a puckhandler. MacEwen’s main issue is his skating. His stride is just OK and his lack of quickness makes you wonder just how much he’ll accomplish in the LNHV2 without elite skill. I think there’s enough skill and compete in his game for him to stick around in the league, but his quickness will be the main challenge to playing up consistently.

9. Nico Sturm, C, Iowa-AHL

May 3, 1995 | 6-foot-3 | 207 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 50

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 60

Hockey Sense: 55

Sturm had a solid first pro season. For a 24 year old, his 32 points may not inspire as a player who is going to make it, but I see enough in his game for me to think he could be a fourth-line forward in the LNHV2. Sturm is a 6-foot-3 center who can play at both ends of the ice. He competes well, has the size and effort to play in the hard areas and PK, but also has a scoring touch. He has great hands and can beat defenders one-on-one, and make plays in open ice. He’s not a dynamic offensive player, and lacks LNHV2 quickness, but I see skill that can translate to the higher levels and can help him be competent in maintaining possession.

10. Jonatan Berggren, RW, Skelleftea-SHL

July 16, 2000 | 5-foot-11 | 183 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 60

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 35

Hockey Sense: 60

Berggren had a fine season between the SHL and U20 level, but an injury in January kept him out for the remainder of the year. There is no denying the talent he has. When Berggren has the puck on his stick, you notice him. He can dangle pro defenders consistently. He makes highly-creative passes. He skates well and make the high-skill plays while on the move. Berggren is small and slight though. He struggled to score at the SHL level, with two goals in 50 career games. He’s had two consecutive seasons now where injuries have cost him a large chunk of games.

11. John Farinacci, C, Harvard-ECAC

Feb. 14, 2001 | six-foot | 185 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 50

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 40

Hockey Sense: 60

Farinacci had a quality freshman season, helping Harvard be a top offensive team. Farinacci is very skilled, making high-end dekes seem routine and showing flashes of the highest grades of skill. He’s a creative offensive player who does things the opponents don’t expect. He also shows the vision and patience of a pro playmaker. He’s a skill player, but Farinacci does work hard, though his game off the puck isn’t what makes him interesting. His skating was a concern in his draft season and while it’s not great, a full season of health showed a little more quickness in his feet than I saw last season.

LNHV2 POTENTIAL

Cooper Marody, C, Bakersfield-AHL: Marody is a very skilled played who sees the ice at a high level. His skating remains a concern and he’s had various injuries in the last few years.

Isaiah Saville, G, Nebraska-Omaha-NCHC: Saville had a decent freshman season and made USA’s U20 team as the No. 3 goalie. He’s very quick and intelligent, but is 6-foot-1, and it’s questionable whether the toolkit is elite enough to overcome his size at the higher levels.

Dmitri Sokolov, LW, Iowa-AHL: Sokolov’s skill and shot have always been very interesting, but his skating and compete level have been concerns for a while, especially given he’s not the tallest forward. Fifteen goals in 41 AHL games is still intriguing though.

Connor Dewar, C, Iowa-AHL: Dewar is a very competitive player who is great off the puck and intelligent with his decisions, but he’s not that big, fast or skilled so I have questions on his LNHV2 projection.

Carl Grundstrom, LW, Ontario-AHL: Grundstrom had a solid year between the AHL and NHL. He’s a strong skater with some skill and playmaking ability. I question how much of a driver of offense he is at the top level and whether his competitiveness is enough to make up for it but he did score at a good rate in the AHL.

Aku Raty, RW, Karpat-Liiga: Raty is a quick forward with some skill and a good shot. He held his own on one of the best teams in Europe, but there is an offensive upside question in projecting him to the LNHV2 level.