Classement Organisationnel Pronman 2020 - No 8 - KINGS

KINGS

Classement de l’an dernier: 24e
Classement NHL: 7e
Gradués: Joel Eriksson Ek



1. Andrei Svechnikov, RW, Carolina-NHL

March 26, 2000 | 6-foot-2 | 194 pounds

Tier: Special/Elite bubble

Skating: 55

Puck Skills: 65

Physical Game: 60

Hockey Sense: 60

Shot: 60

Svechnikov has looked of late like a legit second-overall pick and showing the promise he’s excited scouts with since he was a young teenager. He’s a complete hockey player. Svechnikov is an extremely skilled forward who can beat LNHV2 defensemen clean with his hands. He’s a very creative handler and passer who can make elite plays with the puck. He’s a great passer and finisher, with a shot that can score goals from the dots. He’s a good skater with LNHV2 caliber speed, but lacks the explosiveness to pull away from guys, using his strength and frame to power his way to the net rather than jet around defenders. He attacks the middle of the ice effectively, shows no fear of playing a physical game and can overpower opponents. He looks like a true star.

2. Nick Suzuki, C, Montreal-NHL

Aug. 10, 1999 | 5-foot-11 | 183 pounds

Tier: High-end LNHV2 player

Skating: 50

Puck Skills: 65

Physical Game: 40

Hockey Sense: 65

Suzuki had an excellent rookie season, being a top-six forward and was fifth on Montreal in scoring as a 20-year-old. He is a very creative playmaker with a ton of skill. Suzuki has a deceptive element with the puck to pull through and around defenders with ease, and despite not having great footspeed he is able to get around checkers due to how good his hands are. He’s an elite passer, showing great vision, pace and improvising ability with the puck. He can run an LNHV2 power play off the flank due to his great vision. He can shoot the puck too, but it’s his playmaking that defines him. Suzuki’s size and skating have always been in question, and they may limit him from reaching the highest tiers of production, but as he showed last season he can make a lot happen with what he has. He’s not physical but he does work hard.

3. Eeli Tolvanen, LW, Milwaukee-AHL

April 22, 1999 | 5-foot-10 | 192 pounds

Tier: Very good LNHV2 player

Skating: 50

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 35

Hockey Sense: 60

Shot: 70

Tolvanen had a good but not overly productive season as a 20 year old on arguably the best team in the AHL. He did finish fourth in the AHL in shots on goal, though. Tolvanen’s talent is clear when he has the puck. He has a high skill level, and has the hands to beat defenders clean with his one-on-one play. He has an elite shot, with a very heavy wrist and slap shot that can beat goalies from range. His shot is a weapon, but he also moves pucks very well and it makes him very dangerous on the power play. Tolvanen has great talent, but he has physical limitations. He’s undersized and while he skates fine he lacks great rink length speed and his skill plays get stopped a lot when he can’t get around a defender. He also gets pushed out to the perimeter a lot. I still see so much talent, and he’s a player who drives shots at a very high level that I think he will make it.

4. Jan Jenik, RW, Hamilton-OHL

Sept. 15, 2000 | 6-foot-1 | 181 pounds

Tier: Very good LNHV2 player

Skating: 50

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 55

Hockey Sense: 60

Jenik was having a great season being one of the top players in major junior before a knee injury at the world juniors knocked him out long-term. When healthy he’s a highly-skilled and competitive player. Jenik can make plays through defenders or power his way to the net. He has great vision and shows the patience to slow the play down and find lanes. Off the puck he’s reliable, showing an edge in battles and an effort defensively. Jenik’s main weakness is his skating, which lacks any real explosiveness, and it remains to be seen how his already average quickness will be coming off a major knee injury.

5. Trent Frederic, C, Providence-AHL

Feb. 11, 1998 | 6-foot-2 | 203 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 50

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 60

Hockey Sense: 60

Frederic was decent as a second-year pro, although he didn’t take much of a step forward in terms of scoring at the AHL level. Frederic has the potential to be a bottom end of the roster forward. He’s big, can be strong on pucks and is physically imposing. He’s not a top-end skill type, but he has offensive flashes, showing very good vision and ability to create offense at the pro level. His skill and speed are not going to help him get to the LNHV2, but the ability to penalty kill, win battles and make a few plays could get him to the league.

6. Daniel Vladar, G, Providence-AHL

Aug. 20, 1997 | 6-foot-5 | 185 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Athleticism: 55

Hockey Sense: 55

After his first three pro seasons were up and down, Vladar’s 2019-20 was fantastic with him leading the AHL in save percentage, albeit in a 25-game sample. The toolkit he has as a 6-foot-5 goalie who can move is intriguing. He doesn’t have elite quickness, but he can make the tough, acrobatic stops when he needs to with the long legs to cover a lot of the crease. Sometimes his game has extra movement but nothing that concerning to my eyes. His puck-tracking is good but not great. He gets caught flat-footed at times on passing plays he should anticipate but other times he makes very good pro-level reads.

7. Alec Regula, D, London-OHL

Aug. 6, 2000 | 6-foot-4 | 205 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 50

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 60

Hockey Sense: 60

Regula was one of the top defensemen in the OHL and a late cut from USA’s U20 team.  He was acquired mid season from Detroit. He’s a large defenseman who can move the puck very well, has some skill and has a good shot. On London’s power play he’s been used in a variety of ways due to the various tools he has. Defensively he’s solid. He’s got a large wingspan and a great defensive stick to break up plays. His one weakness is his average quickness, which will be tested at the LNHV2 level. He’s got enough other good elements at both ends of the rink that I think he can overcome his skating and become a regular player.

8. Lukas Dostal, G, Ilves-Liiga

June 22, 2000 | 6-foot-1 | 168 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Athleticism: 55

Hockey Sense: 65

Dostal was the top goaltender in Finland’s top league as a 19 year old. He was a major reason why Ilves was a top team in the league. Dostal has fantastic situational awareness and puck-tracking ability. He stays with pucks even in tough traffic situations and is rarely out of position. He can make the high-level save, but mostly due to how creative he is with improvising and reading the play quickly. He does show good quickness in net, with the odd flash of top-end athleticism but his movements are more efficient than quick. He was great versus men this past season, but as a 6-foot-1 goaltender his height will be a question as he progresses towards the LNHV2 and if he can play at that same level versus better shooters.

9. Hugh McGing, C, Western Michigan-NCHC

July 11, 1998 | 5-foot-9 | 174 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 60

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 35

Hockey Sense: 60

Shot: 60

McGing had an excellent senior season, being one of the top players in his conference and named a first team All-American. He’s a player I was skeptical about when he was younger but has continued to grow on me. He’s not a very flashy player, but he does a lot well. McGing has a lot of speed and energy to his game. He pressures defenders with his skating. He’s hard on pucks, backchecks with effort, and wins battles despite his size. The offense has been the part of his game I’ve questioned over the years. As a senior I saw his playmaking take the next step to go along with his speed and his great shot. It’s possible it was a mirage as a fourth-year college player but I saw enough skill and IQ consistently in his game to play in the LNHV2.

10. Kaedan Korczak, D, Kelowna-WHL

Jan. 19, 2001 | 6-foot-2 | 192 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 55

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 60

Hockey Sense: 60

Korczak had a quality third WHL season, playing big minutes for Kelowna. He looks like a player who has everything you want in a pro defenseman. He’s 6-foot-2, he skates well, and he has some offensive touch in him. Korczak can make some plays, but his value versus men will come as a defender. Given his size, reach, mobility and physical play he breaks up a lot of plays and causes a lot of turnovers. With the puck he’s not going to dazzle, but he makes a lot of clever outlets, and has good flashes in the offensive zone. The offense isn’t consistent in his game, but it is there and will be good enough to move pucks in the LNHV2.

11. Evan Barratt, C, Penn State-Big Ten

Feb. 18, 1999 | six-foot | 190 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 50

Puck Skills: 60

Physical Game: 45

Hockey Sense: 60

Barratt has been a top player in the Big Ten the last two seasons and was a big part of Penn State’s success. He’s a very intelligent forward who makes a lot of creative plays and finds seams well. His skill has popped at the college level more recently showing he can make very coordinated skilled plays with the puck in tight. He’s competitive, he gets after loose pucks and doesn’t mind getting to the high-traffic areas. Barratt’s weakness has always been his skating. It’s still not great, and at times he looks behind the pace, but the stride is clean enough that with all his other positives he should be able to make things happen at the pro level.

12. Jack Drury, C, Harvard-ECAC

Feb. 3, 2000 | six-foot | 185 pounds

Tier: Legit LNHV2 player

Skating: 50

Puck Skills: 55

Physical Game: 50

Hockey Sense: 60

Drury was a top player in the ECAC, scoring 20 goals and playing all situations for Harvard. He didn’t score all those goals because of a great shot, but because Drury works very hard and is great around the net. There’s not a lot of flash to Drury’s game. He doesn’t go end-to-end or dangle through defenders and his skating could use an extra gear. He’s very competitive and smart, though. He’s reliable off the puck, kills penalties well, and shows great vision to make tough plays at a quick pace.

LNHV2 POTENTIAL

John Ludvig, D, Portland-WHL: Ludvig was one of the top defensemen in the WHL last season. He is a very smart puck-mover who can make a lot of stops due to his physical play and reach. His skating needs work to become an LNHV2 player.

Case McCarthy, D, Boston University-Hockey East: McCarthy is a good skater with decent size and has enough offense to make a good first pass. His game can be erratic at times, but the tools are interesting and projectable to the pro games.

Hunter Skinner, D, London-OHL: Skinner was better in the OHL than I thought he’d be, being a useful player for a top team. He sees the ice at a high level and is a right-handed defenseman with size, but he needs to add quickness.