Don't Mess With The Metro

After a disappointing season, which can be attributed to the stars underperforming, whether that be to injury or to decline, the Flyers struck gold. Preparing to pick at pick number 13, the definition of mediocrity in a weak draft, the outlook still looked bright for the Flyers, with their farm system that general manager Ron Hextall transformed from a laughing stock, to a force that he envisions one day will be able to roll players in and out of the lineup and have a stable of young productive players. However, on the night the ping pong balls fell, the Flyers emerged to the number 2 pick. Surprisingly, Ron Hextall, preacher of patience, admitted that the lottery accelerated the rebuild on the fly, where the Flyers have contended for the playoffs while trying to shed the contracts that preceding General Manager Paul Holmgren had agreed to, building the farm system in the process. Hextall has turned the Flyers into an organization with a vision, not the team that will spend every last penny for aging veterans trying to patch up the long term weakness on the roster with players who are aging and declining. The Flyers farm system is currently loaded, probably the best in the National Hockey League. On the forward front, former 5th round pick Oskar Lindblom has emerged as a top tier prospect, and an expected contributor as soon as next season. Lindblom won SHL forward of the year in his age 21 season, putting up numbers that resemble Zetterberg's and Silfverberg's top seasons in the top league in Sweden. Another expected contributor from the farm system next season is recently drafted Center Nolan Patrick. Nolan Patrick, the consensus number 1 prospect, fell to the number 2 pick because of his injury ridden season. However, his season was still phenomenal, with over a point a game pace. Nolan has the ability to be a franchise cornerstone, and the ability to someday take over the role of number 1 center, from captain Claude Giroux. However, even with Patrick, the Crown Jewels of the Flyers system is the group of young defenseman. This season, Defense is no longer a position where veterans are blocking the roster space for the young guys. And with 2 of the brightest young defenseman in the league, Ivan Provorov and Shayne Gostisbehere, the core has the ability to be a force and one of the top groups in the league for years to come. Sam Morin, a 6'7 mobile defenseman with a toughness to his game, may never put up many points, but is able to move the puck and also able to use his toughness and play a 200 foot game. Robert Hagg, is a solid 2-way defender with the lowest upside of all of these young players, but probably the highest floor. He's already a puck moving defender who has the speed to take part in the rush, but ability to anchor a player like Gostisbehere and be his safety blanket in a sense. And then come the high upside, and offensively gifted defenseman, Sanheim and Myers. Travis Sanheim has been a player who has taken longer to get into the NHL as many other rookies that emerge into the league as of late, but he was very undersized in his draft year. He has gained mass, and while he can gain some more, his offensive gifts are what every general manager craves when they draft a defenseman in the first round. He had a very productive season with the Phantoms, the Flyers AHL affiliate, and is looking to challenge for potentially 2 spots with Morin and Hagg. While there are many more prospects like Rubtsov, Myers, Frost, Hart, Sandstrom, these guys have the ability to impact the Flyers this season and give them a injection of youth, to further proceed the youth movement.

The NHL roster underperformed last year, and there were many be reasons for that. Claude Giroux and Shayne Gostisbehere had matching abdominal surgeries on the same day, and weren't themselves for most of the year. The expected recovery time is 6-8 months, but they were back on the ice as soon as 3. At the end of the season, Giroux was back to about a point a game pace over the last stretch, and Gostisbehere flashed the explosiveness he did in his rookie year. Wayne Simmonds continues to score goals, and never lacked grit, while Jake Voracek continues to create offense with the ability to take over a game on one rush, his willingness to carry the puck, and continued aggressiveness and hunger. Sean Couturier continues to be one of the best third line centers in the entire league, as he hopes to finally play a complete season and eclipse 45-50 points. Young players like Jordan Weal, Travis Konecny, and Ivan Provorov will continue to take steps forward. Weal injected life in the team down the stretch, while Konecny is an offensive jitterbug who has game changing ability and raw skills. Finally, Provorov. Wow is he a player. In my opinion, he was the second best rookie defenseman behind Werenski last season, but that's only because of offense. Provorov is easily the better defender, with his offensive game coming around. With a better scoring team around him as expected, his point totals will continue to climb, as his puck moving ability and knack to play big minutes only shows the upside of the young Russian defenseman. The Flyers also got rid of Brayden Schenn, and while he played great on the power play, he was abysmal at 5 on 5. He was a black hole at even strength, and was playing on a power play with 4 elite power play forwards. This roster has the ability to be deep, young, and fast, and it comes down to the core of Giroux, Voracek, Simmonds, Gostisbehere, and Provorov leading the band of young players, and hoping for contributions from Lindblom, Patrick, Morin, Hagg, and potentially Sanheim. This team is a fringe playoff team, and they would've made the playoffs last season if Mason and Neuvirth had given the Flyers league average goaltending. The goalies poor play forced Hakstol to change his system, to be defensive minded, and stunting the offense which was among the top in the league for the first month of the season. Brian Elliot is probably one of the better tandem goalies in the league, excelling as the 1A in St. Louis and Calgary. If Neuvirth can bounce back with strong play and be a competent at worst 1B, this team should be in contention, and potentially be able to win a playoff series. One can hope the pieces come together, because if they do, the Flyers will be good now, and for a while.

Follow Mike on Twitter @PalmerToFitz

I watched the 2016-17 WJC, I don’t need the “BU BU BUT JEERRMEEYY BRRRRAACCCOOO” bullshit and don’t you dare think “BUT GRREEENNWAYYY”. Yes I also am aware that Ryan Gropp “only put up just over a point per game in an overage year!1!1!1” but please just hear me out here. Yes, I am the kid that is about to write an article about how Ryan Gropp has a very nice shot. Before you use the “if i can’t use the b-word about Ryan Gropp can I use the r-word for that Anttiup32 kid” I’m not retarded (well I mean I’ve never been diagnosed).

Onto Ryan Gropp, or the kid who everyone else calls “Should’ve been Jeremy Bracco”. Gropp is a natural sniper, it’s clear the Rangers fell in love with Gropp’s shot and hoped the rest of his game was just blooming late. Well they got one thing right, his shot is off the charts however as we all know you don’t make the NHL because you can shoot a puck-apparently they don’t even let you on a world juniors team just because you can shoot the puck. I’ve also heard the whole “Gropp? He’s carried by Barzal” nonsense, Mat Barzal is an exceptional talent but if you think he’s the only guy who can pass a puck I think you need to watch more hockey.

Gropp has solid size at 6’3″ and uses his body well to protect the puck and to battle in and around the net. Gropp is a natural sniper with the great hands with the ability to finish, and an excellent wrist shot and release to score from outside the circles. For his size he’s pretty quick as well with great acceleration and solid speed. Holding Gropp back is his defensive game and consistency as well as the normal lower body strength and physical fitness. Don’t get me wrong Gropp doesn’t project as an elite top line winger but if this kid is on your 3rd or 4th line you are doing something right.

On the Topic of Gropp’s development in his overage year Seattle Coach Steve Konowalchuk said "He became one of our best penalty killers, It was good to see. Sometimes the skill guys at the junior level sometimes don't take pride in the penalty killing," but that "it was something he wanted to do and focus on.", Rangers’ Player development VP Adam Graves said "He can skate and shoot as well as anyone in junior hockey. This year was a big, big year for him. He went back [to junior] and really worked on his game and I think it showed."

The next step for Gropp, after leaving Seattle with a Chynoweth Cup, should surely be Hartford with the Wolfpack. After a down year for the team last year they’ll need Gropp to produce and with a strong training camp he should receive Top 6 minutes and could possibly be linemates with either Lias Andersson or Filip Chytil, who I think both would be great fits for Gropp’s game. It’s time to see how Gropp adjust to the AHL where his game should continue to develop and his shot should shine...his complete game on the other hand must develop before he can think about stepping onto the MSG ice.

Follow Matt on Twitter @Anttiup32

Last summer, the former Hobey Baker winner from Harvard, Jimmy Vesey, opted to not sign with the team that drafted him, the Nashville Predators. The talk of the entire 2016 offseason was, “Where will Jimmy Vesey Land?” On August 15, a month and a half after his rights were traded to the Buffalo Sabres for a 3rd Round Pick just before the NHL Draft, Vesey stuck to his word and entered free agency. Four days later, he signed with the New York Rangers.

Again, we see a very similar situation with the New Jersey Devils’ 5th Round Pick (150th Overall) in 2012, Alexander Kerfoot. Although talks about this have not escalated to that of Jimmy Vesey’s, it’s still a huge deal. He played 4 seasons with Harvard University, played with Jimmy Vesey for 3 of them, and managed to be named the Captain at Harvard his Senior year. He scored a total of 36 goals and 87 assists in 121 collegiate games. The Colorado Avalanche have the same situation with this year’s Hobey Baker winner, Will Butcher out of the University of Denver, who has decided to enter free agency August 15th.

Devil’s General Manager Ray Shero is still hopeful, but its still unclear if Kerfoot has officially decided to test the open market. Now let’s talk about why he WILL sign with the Devils.

First off, the Devils' Prospect pool is good, but not that good, it doesn't match up well against Toronto and Carolina for example. Yes, they drafted and signed Nico Hischier and have Pavel Zacha and Michael McLeod, but it sort of falls of after that. Kerfoot can play both Center and Right Wing, and there are certainly open spots in both of those positions for next year. The Devils lost many players and have a lack of depth upfront. Kerfoot is very similar to Vesey in how he performs and what skills he possesses. He can play in the shadows of Palmieri and Hall, so the expectations for Kerfoot to perform at an elite level will be very low. The Devils definitely have a bright future, and I’m sure Kerfoot would like to help lead the charge to a playoff berth.

Now here is why he will NOT sign with Devils. Adam Henrique, Travis Zajac, Pavel Zacha, Nico Hischier, Michael McLeod, Brian Boyle, and Blake Coleman, what do all of these players have in common? THEY ARE ALL CENTERS. If Kerfoot knows he cannot make the transition to the winger position at the NHL level, then his chances of breaking into the Top 6 center role are as good as gone. News of talks with Devils management and Kerfoot have not surfaced in 2 months, which leads me to believe that he will definitely go to free agency. Last summer, Jimmy Vesey dissed the Devils and signed with their rival across the Hudson River. Ironically, guess what team now needs center depth…. the Rangers. I see almost a perfect fit for Kerfoot in New York. He can play with his former line mate and could get the chance to be a 3rd line center, then maybe surpass Kevin Hayes in the Top 6. Other suitors for Kerfoot could be the Detroit Red Wings, who lost out in the Spencer Foo and Zach Aston Reese sweepstakes, Florida Panthers, who lost Jonathan Marchessault in the Expansion Draft and lack forward depth behind their Top 6, and maybe even his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks. The Pittsburgh Penguins are a team desperate for centers and the Vegas Golden Knights would like to improve their depth as well, so Kerfoot has a plethora of options if he does indeed elect free agency.

And there you have it Readers, this is my personal opinion on the Alex Kerfoot dilemma. August 15th is in two weeks and there is still time for Kerfoot to make up his mind on where to play next season. Leave a comment below on where you think he will land. Hope you enjoyed. Follow Zach on Twitter @Ignition_Hockey.

Philadelphia Flyers

Outlook: The Flyers didn’t really get to select their 2nd Overall pick this past draft they kinda just got handed the player New Jersey did not want. That player was Nolan Patrick not a generational talent but a potential top line center if he can put injuries behind him. After being the projected 1st overall pick since the age of 16 a leg injury derailed his draft year season which saw him fall to Philadelphia at #2. Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny played themselves out of these rankings with a 30 point debut year for Provorov and 28 for Konecny. The Flyers got Philippe Myers to sign after going undrafted and this kids a 1st round talent who somehow got lost in the draft process. German Rubtsov was a risk at 22 but his ceiling shows a high reward payout isn’t too much of a reach, the two way center still needs develop but look for him to have a great 2017-18 QMJHL season. Another defenseman to look forward to for the Flyers is Travis Sanheim, with an impressive training camp he could get the call this season to start in Philly. Carter Hart seems to be the best goalie prospect here although that is not a shot at Anthony Stolarz, Hart split time for Canada at the WJC. Rounding out the defense is Samuel Morin, he’s a big body with a tight defensive game yet has not yet and may never develop the offensive side of his game. Former 5th Round pick Oskar Lindblom is a player to watch in Training Camp where he’ll play in 2017 has not yet been decided.

Nolan Patrick

Center

2nd Overall 1st Round (2017)

Top 6 Center

2017/18 Season

Ryan Getzlaf (ANA)

8.3 

German Rubtsov

Center

22nd Overall 1st Round (2016)

Top 6 Center

2018/19 Season

Pavel Datsyuk (KHL/SKA)

7.7

Philippe Myers

Defense

Undrafted (Signed Free Agent)

Top 4 Defense

2018/19 Season

Colton Parayko (STL)

7.7

Oskar Lindblom

Right Wing

138th Overall 5th Round (2014)

Top 9 Winger

2017/18 Season

Patrick Maroon (EDM)

7.7

Carter Hart

Goalie

48th Overall 2nd Round (2016)

Fringe NHL Starter

2020/21 Season

Braden Holtby (WSH)

7.6 

Introducing our very own prospect rankings, each Metro division team will receive their own top 5 rankings and after we have released each top 5 we will release a Metro division top 25 prospects list. Prospects will be described by the following and ranked by the final category “prospect rating” which is made up of projected success, projected ceiling, success in the development leagues, and likelihood of success (For scaling Connor McDavid would be a 9.9, Victor Hedman a 9.3, Mika Zibanejad an 8.5, Travis Hamonic a 7.7, Oscar Lindberg a 6.9 and Matt Martin a 5.5. The category “player comparison” is based on similarity in player type not general talent (Ex: Gabriel Carlsson could be compared to the player Marc Staal was before the eye injury not the trainwreck he is today (Please no crying CBJ fans) or Julien Gauthier being compared to Rick Nash does not mean he is going to score 40 goals one year and then miss an empty net in a SCF the next).

Position

Draft Position

Player Ceiling

Player Comparison

Estimated Arrival Time

Prospect Rating

Follow Matt on Twitter @Anttiup32

Pittsburgh Penguins

Outlook: After winning back to back Stanley Cups you could imagine how this would go for the Penguins. Their best prospect (excluded from this list), you may have heard of him, Jake Guentzel probably should have won the Conn Smythe this past playoffs. Derrick Pouliot is another guy not included on this list due to his minor contributions to the 2017 cup winners, Derrick should have a bigger role this year. Besides Guentzel and Pouliot however, it’s poor to put it bluntly. Daniel Sprong is the lone bright spot here, he has lit up the Q for 4 years however in 18 NHL games he looked lost with only 2 goals to show for them. Goaltending doesn’t look like an issue however it’s not a strength, with Matt Murray already in net for the foreseeable future this is not the biggest worry. Tristan Jarry had a great Junior career with the Oil Kings yet has been average in Scranton and has yet to get a lengthy stint with the big club. Filip Gustavsson is a long way away however to this point his development is where he should be yet has not showcased anything above or below average. Zach Aston Reese and Lukas Bengtsson are both Undrafted Free Agents added in the past 12 months, while neither project as a superstar both should be above average depth players. Zachary Lauzon was the Pens top draft pick in 2017 (51st Overall 2nd Round) yet Defenders in the Q do not carry great reps defensively.

Daniel Sprong

Right Wing

46th Overall 2nd Round (2015)

Top 6 Winger

2017/18 Season

Ilya Kovalchuk (KHL/SKA)

7.7

Filip Gustavsson

Goalie

55th Overall 2nd Round (2016)

NHL Starter

2020/21 Season

Tim Thomas (Retired/DAL)

7.5

Zach Aston Reese

Center/Right Wing

Undrafted (Signed Free Agent)

3rd Line Center

Mid 2017/18 Season

Zach Hyman (TML)

7.4

Tristan Jarry 

Goalie

44th Overall 2nd Round (2013)

NHL Fringe Starter

2018/19 Season

Carey Price (MTL)

7.4

Lukas Bengtsson

Defense

Undrafted (Signed Free Agent)

Top 6 Defense

2018/19 Season

Sami Vatanen (ANA)

7.3

Introducing our very own prospect rankings, each Metro division team will receive their own top 5 rankings and after we have released each top 5 we will release a Metro division top 25 prospects list. Prospects will be described by the following and ranked by the final category “prospect rating” which is made up of projected success, projected ceiling, success in the development leagues, and likelihood of success (For scaling Connor McDavid would be a 9.9, Victor Hedman a 9.3, Mika Zibanejad an 8.5, Travis Hamonic a 7.7, Oscar Lindberg a 6.9 and Matt Martin a 5.5. The category “player comparison” is based on similarity in player type not general talent (Ex: Gabriel Carlsson could be compared to the player Marc Staal was before the eye injury not the trainwreck he is today (Please no crying CBJ fans) or Julien Gauthier being compared to Rick Nash does not mean he is going to score 40 goals one year and then miss an empty net in a SCF the next). 

Position

Draft Position

Player Ceiling

Player Comparison

Estimated Arrival Time

Prospect Rating

Follow Matt on Twitter @Anttiup32

A Dark Horse is a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds.

Training Camp for most sports teams is not only a great showcasing for both young and aged talent, but an event that manages to surprise people every year, especially the fans. It seems like just the other day the New York Rangers signed coveted free agent defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk to a four year deal, signing David Desharnais to a one year deal as well as locking up UFA Brendan Smith, and RFAs Jesper Fast and Mika Zibanejad. With training camp vastly approaching, we not only see familiar faces return, but ones that we don't get to watch very often, such as recent draftees Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil, as well as Sean Day, Cristoval Nieves, Ryan Graves, newcomer from Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL, Alexei Bereglazov, and college free agent from Minnesota Duluth, Neal Pionk. Last year’s Dark Horse was Josh Jooris, who was fairly injury prone, and only lasted on the roster for a couple months due to Oscar Lindberg’s sudden increase in both production and work ethic, which eventually led him to being claimed off waivers from Arizona.

With the departure of Dan Girardi, Derek Stepan, Oscar Lindberg, and Adam Clendening we see two spots open on both the Defense and Offense. However, one of the two spots on the defense has already been filled by Kevin Shattenkirk , and one of the spots on the offense has been filled by David Desharnais. Yet we still see two holes: the 7th Defenseman (possibly DeAngelo), and the 3rd line center. Now there’s been rumors of a possible trade involving Tyler Bozak of the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a package including Nick Holden, but for the sake of this article, let's assume the trade never happens

Usually there is only one dark horse, but I see a huge possibility of their being two for the Rangers. That’s why I'm choosing Alexei Bereglazov and Filip Chytil.

I know you may be thinking, “Chytil? The kid wasn't even expected to go in the first round!” or "Chytil? Andersson was drafted before him." And yes I understand that, however, he has no desire to play in Europe any longer, and will not play for his OHL team, the North Bay Battalion, which he was recently drafted to in the CHL Import Draft. The 21st overall selection in the 2017 NHL Draft also managed to sign his three year Entry Level Contract, which leads me to believe that he impressed somebody at the prospect development camp. He only had 8 points (4 goals 4 assists) for HC Zlin of the Czech League, but possesses the power, skill, and ability of a dynamic Two-Way Forward. The Czech Republican was one of the younger players eligible for the draft (17 years old, 6'2 190 lbs), but managed to squeak into the first round. Chytil playing in the show and notching 20+ points sounds perfect for growth, but on a team that is weak at center and in a competitive division such as the Metro, it could be a long shot. Also, you can never rely on Alain Vigneault’s proper usage of young talent, Exhibit A: Pavel Buchnevich. The Hartford Wolf Pack also seem to be in a rough spot after recovering from the abysmal season they just had. So I believe that a complete surprise is in store for the Rangers this coming August. Ending up on the opening night roster would be a longshot for Chytil but hey that's why he's a dark horse and not a lock.

We then move onto the 6’4, 203 pound Russian defenseman Alexei Bereglazov. After reaching the Gagarin Cup final with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Bereglazov played in almost every game situation, whether it’d be the final minutes, penalty kill, power play, or even overtime. He played a total of 13 playoff games due to the fact that Metallurg ran through every single opponent, until they matched up against SKA St. Petersburg in the final, thus kicking them out in 5 games. He notched 6 assists throughout those 13 games, and scored 1 goal and 19 assists in 60 KHL regular season games. Even though the Russian was signed on April 21st, just as the NHL playoffs were kicking off, he wasn’t able to fly over and play due to his contract. He has an absolute rocket on the point and possesses multiple skills that make him NHL ready.

Recently, the Rangers hired former head coach of the Dallas Stars, Lindy Ruff, to help out on the defensive side of the team, which led to the Rangers giving Jeff Beukeboom a management position. Ruff has been known around the league as a “Russian Torturer” and refusing to use young Russians, for example, Valeri Nichushkin, who decided to run back to the KHL and play for CSKA Moscow. Fortunate enough for Pavel Buchnevich he won’t have to deal with Ruff very much, as he said himself in an interview with Championat a few weeks ago. However for Bereglazov, he will have to fight his way into the lineup almost every night, which means replacing either Nick Holden, Anthony DeAngelo, or Marc Staal. Much like Buchnevich, if Bereglazov is sent down to the AHL, he has the option to terminate the contract and return to the KHL. Both NYR management and staff have showed that they have a high praise for the 23 year old Russian, so you never know if they will have a say on where he will play come October.

And there you have it Ranger Fans, those are my “Dark Horses” for the upcoming NYR training camp. Feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel where I make montages and highlight videos of all things NHL, or you can follow me on twitter @Ignition_Hockey. LET'S GO RANGERS! 

Washington Capitals

Outlook: For a team who has been regular season dominant and picking at the tail end of many rounds for the past 5+ years the Capitals are equipped with a decent farm system. Ilya Samsonov is the crown jewel, he’s the best goalie prospect in Russia and probably the world at the moment, he projects as a franchise goalie at the next level. Jakub Vrana was a top prospect however after ending the season with the big club he has been excluded from the rankings. Bowey and Siegenthaler both should crack the NHL lineup within the next 2 years, although neither project as a star both should be solid 2nd or 3rd pair defenseman. Lucas Johansen is your potential 1st or 2nd pair defenseman with a polished offensive game and solid skating if his defense matures he could very well have an impact sooner rather than later for the Capitals. It’s hard to not mention Connor Hobbs unreal season with Regina but as an overager most will say it doesn’t mean much. Another guy that must be mentioned is Travis Boyd after a solid career at Minnesota, his AHL career has gotten off to a great start most recently finishing 6th in points at 23 years old. The Caps look weak in the Forward pool with no player really having “top 6” potential although they do posses a lot of solid “plug in” guys. The best of them being Garrett Pilon who coming off a point per game season in the WHL will look to improve on that in his final year of Junior eligibility.

Ilya Samsonov

Goalie

22nd Overall 1st Round (2015)

Franchise NHL Goalie

2021/22 Season

Carey Price (MTL)

8.4

Lucas Johansen

Defense

28th Overall 1st Round (2016)

Top 4 NHL Defenseman

2018/19 Season

Matt Niskanen (WSH)

7.7

Madison Bowey

Defense

53rd Overall 2nd Round (2013)

Top 4 NHL Defenseman

Mid 2017/18 Season

Brady Skjei (NYR)

7.6 

Jonas Siegenthaler

Defense

57th Overall 2nd Round (2014)

Top 6 NHL Defenseman

2018/19 Season

Travis Hamonic (CGY)

7.5

Garrett Pilon

Center

87th Overall 3rd Round (2016)

Top 9 Center

2018/19 Season

Sean Couturier (PHI)

7.4 

Introducing our very own prospect rankings, each Metro division team will receive their own top 5 rankings and after we have released each top 5 we will release a Metro division top 25 prospects list. Prospects will be described by the following and ranked by the final category “prospect rating” which is made up of projected success, projected ceiling, success in the development leagues, and likelihood of success (For scaling Connor McDavid would be a 9.9, Victor Hedman a 9.3, Mika Zibanejad an 8.5, Travis Hamonic a 7.7, Oscar Lindberg a 6.9 and Matt Martin a 5.5. The category “player comparison” is based on similarity in player type not general talent (Ex: Gabriel Carlsson could be compared to the player Marc Staal was before the eye injury not the trainwreck he is today (Please no crying CBJ fans) or Julien Gauthier being compared to Rick Nash does not mean he is going to score 40 goals one year and then miss an empty net in a SCF the next).

Position

Draft Position

Player Ceiling

Player Comparison

Estimated Arrival Time

Prospect Rating

Follow Matt on Twitter @Anttiup32

Columbus Blue Jackets

Outlook: The Blue Jackets don’t have many top prospects, their system really consists mostly of wingers that should be ready either to start this year or to next year however the prospects they do have look like they can jump right into a key role right from the first puck drop. Pierre-Luc Dubois has the highest ceiling of any Jackets prospect, tempting comparisons to Anze Kopitar, after being drafted 3rd overall in the 2016 draft. Gabriel Carlsson could jump into a 3rd line defensive pairing should the Jackets trade Ryan Murray. Carlsson is a mobile stay at home defenseman that could thrive in a shutdown role. Oliver Bjorkstrand has his fair share of NHL experience but is still a prospect in the development sense, I granted him a Hansen comparison but to be fair if his scoring touch transitions to the NHL he’ll be so much better. Look for Bjorkstrand to have a breakout year if he can sneak his way onto the Blue Jackets roster. Another underrated prospect is Vitali Abramov, this kid straight up LIT UP the Q on his way to Player of the Year honors. Sonny Milano is the guy always thought of as a prized possession for the Blue Jackets yet is still struggling to live up to the hype. Many use the term bust with Sonny but there’s still hope look for him and Abramov to battle it out for the final CBJ roster spot.

1. Pierre-Luc Dubois

Center/Left Wing

3rd Overall 1st Round (2016)

Top 6 Center

Anze Kopitar (LAK)

2018/19 Season

8.3

2.Oliver Bjorkstrand

Right Wing

89th Overall 3rd Round (2013)

Top 6 Winger

Jannik Hansen (SJS)

2017/18 Season

7.6

3.Vitali Abramov

Right/Left Wing

65th Overall 3rd Round (2016)

Top 9 Winger

Johnny Gaudreau (CGY)

Late 2017/18 Season

7.5

4.Gabriel Carlsson

Defense

29th Overall 1st Round (2015)

Top 4 Defenseman

Marc Staal (NYR)

2017/18 Season

7.3 

5.Sonny Milano

Left Wing

16th Overall 1st Round (2014)

Top 9 Winger

Nick Schmaltz (CHI)

2017/18 Season

7.1

Introducing our very own prospect rankings, each Metro division team will receive their own top 5 rankings and after we have released each top 5 we will release a Metro division top 25 prospects list. Prospects will be described by the following and ranked by the final category “prospect rating” which is made up of projected success, projected ceiling, success in the development leagues, and likelihood of success (For scaling Connor McDavid would be a 9.9, Victor Hedman a 9.3, Mika Zibanejad an 8.5, Travis Hamonic a 7.7, Oscar Lindberg a 6.9 and Matt Martin a 5.5. The category “player comparison” is based on similarity in player type not general talent (Ex: Gabriel Carlsson could be compared to the player Marc Staal was before the eye injury not the trainwreck he is today (Please no crying CBJ fans) or Julien Gauthier being compared to Rick Nash does not mean he is going to score 40 goals one year and then miss an empty net in a SCF the next).

Position

Draft Position

Player Ceiling

Player Comparison

Estimated Arrival Time

Prospect Rating

Follow Matt on Twitter @Anttiup32 

The characteristics of a good defenseman in the modern-day NHL; physical, nimble, good with the puck, and a hell of a slapshot. Yes, today’s top defensemen are more valued on their ability to score, like other Metro division players Kevin Shattenkirk of the New York Rangers or Nick Leddy of the New York Islanders, and outside of the Metro, Brent Burns, Victor Hedman, Erik Karlsson, or Shea Weber. Nowadays, the appreciated defenseman is the puck-mover, or the power play quarterback, or the one who can create chance after chance with slapshots from the blue line(or further if you count Burns’ goal vs the Islanders), but the defensive defenseman role is something that can fit into any team, and if that player can add to the offense, it makes a truly solid player. Going back to all of those defensemen mentioned earlier, all are over the age of 26, what if I told you the player I’m referring to is only 22? Enter Olli Maatta, 6’2”, 22, and already one of the most commanding defensemen in the NHL. He’s been linked to trades recently, and is one of the most undervalued players on this team, as he was massive in the postseason moving the Pens to their second straight cup win, here’s why:

As a defensive defensemen, Maatta’s point tally isn’t very impressive, with just 7 in the regular season, and 8 in the postseason, especially compared with the Pens’ best defenseman, Kris Letang, who had 34 more points in 14 less games. However, compare the two next to each other, and both show how influential Maatta was in Letang's injury absence. Maatta averaged playing 14 minutes per game last season. In the absence of Letang come playoffs, Maatta played a massive role of averaging 21 minutes per game. I think Maatta is still a work in progress, however he could star in a top 4 or 20 minute a night role, even with Letang coming back. He was 6th in plus-minus two seasons ago, and took a hit in total +/- this year with only 17, putting himself in the top 50, but his plus/minus per 60 minutes was 1.03, significantly better than Burns, Ryan Suter, Zach Werenski, and other star d-men. Maatta stepped up with 146 total blocks in all of last season, in the top 100 despite missing 27 regular season games with injury.

Olli Maatta isn’t a top defenseman right now, but this is me saying I have every belief that he can be that top defenseman in his near future. The stats portrayed aren’t the flashiest, but the grit won’t win games like goals or key assists, but it goes a long way in stability of a team.

Follow Cal on Twitter @Cal_Friedman

Here is my weekly Prospect Profile. Few days off on “weekly”, but I can work on that.

This week we are doing it on the rising star, and number 1 overall draft pick in the NHL Draft, Nico Hischier.

Nico Hischier, 18, is a Swiss born hockey player. He played for the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL, before being drafted by the New Jersey Devils first overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He posited 86 points (38 G, 48 A), in 57 games this season in Halifax. He is a proven all around, “high upside” type player that can put the puck in the net.

You may be asking why New Jersey selected Nico instead of Nolan Patrick in the draft. I asked myself the same question coming draft day and i still did not know. The New Jersey Devils however knew from the get go when they jumped many spots in the draft lottery. Nico can soon, not right away slot in at center to go with Taylor Hall on his wing. This will become a pretty good duo in the near future. One thing people forget is that his work ethic is pristine and he has the capability of being a pretty good defensive forward as well.

Nico has great puck moving skills as a center. He can really control the game from what i have watched. However it will be nice to see how he adapts to the life as an NHL player. The longer season, bigger and tougher opponents and the pressure on him as the number one pick will be factors that play into this much more than people think.

The link is to a video of Nico Hischiers’ highlights. See if you think he should've been the number one pick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slqfhhv57tg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slqfhhv57tg

Only time will tell.

Follow me on twitter: @Werenski_

I’m here for two things: drop hot takes and chew bubble gum.

And I am all out of bubble gum.

You see, trying to argue a point is no fun without an “outrageous” statement sometimes, and that’s why I am here to state and defend why the Carolina Hurricanes make a legitimate case for having a better top 4 than the New York Rangers.

I know what you’re thinking to yourself, “this guy hates Rick Nash and Anthony DeAngelo, how can this make sense?” Well put down your vogue magazine and x out of that BuzzFeed “Which Cat Am I” quiz so I can drop some knowledge on ya.

Let’s quickly recap this offseason. The Rangers defense had wider holes than a $5 stripper, or the equivalent of Bryzgalov’s 5 hole. Dan Girardi and Marc Staal combined to make ~15% of the cap. Ryan McDonagh couldn’t showcase his skills properly when tied down to an anchor, Kevin Klein, well, disappeared pretty much. Brady Skjei was elite when his coach decided the prank to glue his breezers to the bench, and Nick Holden couldn’t stop a nose bleed with a mile long piece of toilet paper. The Hurricanes weren’t all too bad, their goalie was just named Eddie Lack or Cam Ward. Their top 4 was good, but it’s their drafting and upgrades that worked well.

Now, the Hurricanes are sitting pretty with Noah Hanifin, Justin Faulk (not Falk), Brett Pesce, Jaccob Slavin, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Klas Dahlbeck. Not to mention, a kid named Haydn Fleury playing in Charlotte. Those 7 right there, if played properly, could be devastating for the top offenses not only in the Metro, but in the league (*Disclaimer: top offenses do not include the New Jersey Devils).

Onto the Rangers: Dan Girardi is gone. Bought out and shipped to Tampa (technically). Either way you want to look at it, the Rangers don’t have to pay him much, and quite frankly many fans would rather pay him to play elsewhere than see him on the ice. Kevin Klein retired and took his 2.9M AAV cap hit off the books. Marc Staal is still a thing, so is Nick Holden’s defense, but Brendan Smith returned after the trade last season. Brady Skjei still exists and coveted Free Agent Kevin Shattenkirk came home to play with his childhood favorite team. It’s a new look for the Rangers, but how do we evaluate this?

Let’s set up the top 4 as:

McDonagh-Shattenkirk vs. Hanifin-Faulk

Skjei-Smith Slavin-Pesce

And we will argue each team’s #1 through 4.

*NOTE: ALL EVALUATIONS ARE DONE FROM LAST SEASON ONLY!!!

First matchup: Ryan McDonagh vs. Noah Hanifin

Now I know the Rangers fan in me wants to say that McDonagh has a clear cut victory, but when we dig deeper, it’s not as clear cut as you’d think. You can make the case that McDonagh was held back by his partners throughout the years, which is entirely true, but you could say that Hanifin’s stats are a product of him playing in Carolina. But when you look at the numbers, take into account that Hanifin was a 2nd year player last year and McDonagh was an established veteran. While McDonagh blew Hanafin out of the water in the points category, (for you fancy stats nerds) Hanifin was ~4 points higher in the CF%, not to mention that Hanifin saw an average of ~5:30 less of ice time per game (take that as you will). When looking at numbers on a similar scale to playing time, Hanifin ranks very comparable to McDonagh. Yet, after deliberating for a while, McDonagh’s experience being paired with bad players and still being able to produce edges out the Hanafin argument

Advantage: McDonagh (barely).

(And no, it’s not because Hanifin went to Backup Colleg-, oops, I mean Barely Cathol-, just… nvm)

Second matchup: Kevin Shattenkirk vs. Justin Faulk

One of these guys is almost a household name, the other is Justin Faulk. Both guys though, don’t get enough credit for what they do on the ice. Shattenkirk was traded at the deadline from St. Louis to Washington and then paired with Bruce Orpik; an offensive stud d-man paired with holes so wide defensively he makes a porn star look like a saint. Fancy stats-wise, these guys were nearly identical, except Shatty takes the cake in the Fenwick department by ~4.5%. Points-wise, Shatty had 56 in 80 while Faulk had 37 in 75. On the back end though, you’d think Shattenkirk was worse, but his shot suppression was >95th percentile, while Faulk sat somewhere in the average. Though, Faulk made up for that in shot generation, where he ranked >99th percentile and Shattenkirk was >~57th percentile. So, after evaluating them both, I gave this one to Faulk, again. Not by much.

Advantage: Faulk (barely).

Third matchup: Brady Skjei vs. Jaccob Slavin

Brady’s breakout season had Rangers fans screaming “SOMEBODY SKJEI HEYYYY WE WANT SOME HOCKKKAYYYYY!” (well not actually, and I kinda came up with that on the spot. 2.3/10) but I believe everyone is sleeping on Slavin. Both are 22 years old. Both were in their second season last year. Both played 80+ games. Slavin: 5-29-34 in 82. Skjei: 5-34-39 in 80. Skjei ice time: below average. Slavin ice time: above average. Slavin edges out Skjei in CF% and FF%, but not by more than 2%. What separates Skjei and Slavin is not shot suppression, which is in a similar range (Brady takes that one), or shot generation (Slavin takes that one by a larger margin). It’s 5v5 Goals and First Assist per hour, where Skjei ranks in the >95th percentile and at the top of the league in assists, where Slavin is right around average for both. Because of this, I have to give Skjei the advantage, again, not by much.

Advantage: Skjei (barely).

Fourth matchup: Brendan Smith vs. Brett Pesce

This to me, believe it or not, was the most interesting matchup overall. Smith went 3-6-9 (*holds back screaming “DAMN SHE FINE!”*) in 51 games, Pesce went 2-18-20 in 82. Pesce won the battle of CF/FF% by a decent amount, but you’d think on pace, Smith would be close. If he played all 82, he was on pace for ~5-10-15. Then we look at the hero charts… I’ll let this do the explaining.

This is what I mean by an “interesting case”, they have similar numbers in some areas, but cancel each other out in other aspects. The only reason why I give this to Pesce is because of durability last season and offensive production, even though Smith is better defensively it can’t overcome what Pesce brings overall.

Advantage: Pesce (again, barely).

Now you see my case. I tried to incorporate those fancy stats I’m not a huge fan of, but I figured might as well try to learn them. So if you had to pick a top 4 to declare as better, who would you take? Heading into next season, I’d say Rangers simply because of experience, but if you give it over the next 2 seasons, or overall defensively (including 3rd pair and 7th dmen), I’d say the Canes take it. It all depends what you look at defensively. Let me know what you think.

Aaaaand for shits and giggles, let’s do third pair guys real quick:

Fifth matchup: Nick Holden vs. Trevor van Riemsdyk

Holden can only play offense. TvR can do it all better than Holden. This one is easy.

Advantage: TvR.

Sixth matchup: Marc Staal/Anthony Deangelo vs. Klas Dahlbeck/Haydn Fleury

I’d take either of their corpses over Staal. Plus Dahlbeck and Fleury know how to stay out of the box. Easy.

Advantage: Any D-Man in the Hurricanes system over the NYR two.

Follow Dan on Twitter: @Hayes_Hair13

This is going to be a weekly series by me in which I release a prospect profile for 1 player on each Metropolitan team. The first Prospect Profile I will be doing is on Columbus prospect Vitaly Abramov.

Vitaly Abramov, 19, posted incredible stats for the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL. Abramov was drafted to Columbus in the 3rd round (65th overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Posting 104 points in the 2016-17 season Abramov was a standout star earning him player of the year honors in the QMJHL.

Many people see Abramov as a bright young star, but many also believe that he does not have the size nor capabilities of transitioning into the NHL. However Abramov has many NHL comparables into the way he plays. Some of these include Columbus’ own Cam Atkinson, Johnny Gaudreau, and many more. However most do not handle the puck as Abramov does. He has a keen hockey sense that is incomparable to many.

Abramov was unable to be at Columbus Blue Jackets Development Camp because of strept throat, Columbus Dispatch writer Aaron Portzline reported. I believe that this may be slightly detrimental to the chance Abramov cracks the roster considering he was not able to play. However he played 4 games in the AHL last season when the QMJHL season ended. He posted 4 points in 4 games and was a bright player during his time in Cleveland.

The Blue Jackets have many young players that can play on wing so it may be hard for Abramov to Crack the roster in the upcoming season. However bright flashes, great stats, and great play may let him make a mark on the NHL sooner rather than later.

Will Abramov transition to the NHL and become the Blue Jackets next Cam Atkinson? We will soon see.

Follow me on twitter: @Werenski_

The Columbus Blue Jackets, have made some….interesting moves so far this offseason. The addition of Artemi Panarin in a blockbuster of a trade, the signings of some free agents, and the other additions from the NHL Entry Draft play a big role in what is forthcoming for the Jackets. The trade to acquire Artemi Panarin was a shock to the hockey world and myself included. On the day of the draft just hours before many NHL sources had tweeted out that Columbus and Chicago were working something out to bring Saad back to Chicago and the United Center.

Saad, 24, won two cups with Chicago and was traded to Columbus in 2015, on another draft day deal. Saad put up 53 points in both of his seasons in Columbus, slightly better in what he put up with Chicago. Artemi Panarin, 25,  however, can be a true superstar in Columbus. He can be the go to, number one guy. In Chicago he was slightly overshadowed by linemate Patrick Kane and star center Jonathan Toews. The winger put up 74 points last season and 77 in his rookie season, enough to win him the Calder trophy. Panarin will play on a line with Alexander Wennberg according to GM Jarmo Kekalainen, and on his other wing is yet to be determined. A +18 rating is also something to be aware of, Panarin is more of a offensive minded player but his defensive side is also something to look at. There were other parts of the deal as well, G Anton Forsberg and a 5th round pick is also going to Chicago, Tyler Motte and a 6th round pick is coming to Columbus. Motte, 22, is a solid depth player that will be able to possibly help out Columbus when needed. He put up 14 points in 33 games with Chicago in his rookie season which will be a nice depth add to Columbus in the upcoming season. Anton Forsberg the goaltender in which is going to the Chicago blackhawks led the AHL Cleveland Monsters to a Calder cup in 2015-16, has had some good success but has not transitioned that success to the NHL level. He put up a 1-9 record in Columbus when he was starting and had okay at best numbers.

The Panarin-Saad trade was a great trades for both sides in retrospect. The Chicago Blackhawks got a player that played incredibly well with back in their locker room and the Columbus Blue jackets got the scoring, “Gamebreaker” that they have been looking for. The Blue Jackets have lost William Karlsson to the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft as well. Karlsson, who was an excellent penalty killer and a great reliant 3rd line player will be a blow to the Blue Jackets, but with the young depth that theyhave a guy such as Pierre-Luc Dubois may be able to step in and fill that void. young prospects have always been a strong suit for Columbus and development is one thing to not look away from. The Blue Jackets have some great young talent that can step in very, very soon. 

(From Left: Sonny Milano, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Vitaly Abramov)

First we look at Pierre-Luc Dubois. Dubois, who had a pretty good year in the QMJHL will look to make the Blue Jackets squad this season. The young #3 overall pick in the 2016 draft had high praise from GM Jarmo Kekalainen and expectations are high. Many believe that he will not live up to those expectations, but with the void at center the Blue Jackets have had, he may be thinking something quite different. Vitaly Abramov, another young star who played for the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL put up 104 points (46 G, 58 A) won the QMJHL player of the year honors may look to crack the Blue jackets team as quick as possible as well. The final young prospect that is coming to the forefront is winger Sonny Milano. Milano has been discussed in many trade rumors, in which the most prominent being Matt Duchene , but most believe that he will have a shot at the NHL team this upcoming season. Milano, who has put up some impressive numbers with the AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters will have a major chance at making the squad. The Blue Jackets have made some minor moves including the trade to bring Jordan Schroeder from Minnesota to Columbus, and bring defenseman Andre Benoit also to help out the defense are great adds as well.

We will see what Columbus Does this year, but there is one thing to know: Watch Out.

Follow Eric on Twitter: @Werenski_

Two years, Two Cups, 49 goals, 80 assists and 213 Games Played. Phil Kessel boasts an impressive resume while playing in Pittsburgh however could the 29 year old need that resume for a job search sometime this offseason? The answer: quite possibly. Although the famed “HBK’ line carried the Penguins to the 2016 cup, Phil Kessel and Co. struggled to have the same chemistry on the ice this year. Sidney Crosby was deemed to be better fit with other wingers and Evgeni Malkin stressed displeasure to playing with Kessel (via Pens Beat Writer Ron Cook). While his old linemate Carl Hagelin struggled with injuries chemistry seemed to be an issue at times for the Pens although it didn’t stop them from achieving their ultimate goal. Kessel at 29 is still a premier winger in the NHL, and on most teams would be a top line Winger while the Pens carry a blatant need at center. Trading Kessel for a Center and picks or a prospect and picks could open many possibilities for the Penguins. 

There are two likely possibilities to Kessel’s future as a Penguin, and a lot of it rests on the shoulders of Mike Sullivan, head coach, and Jim Rutherford, GM. If Sullivan doesn't believe that Malkin’s game isn’t benefitting from Kessel, or vice versa, Sullivan will speak out against the two working together, as he did when Kessel and Crosby worked together back in 2015. If Rutherford fields a right offer for Kessel, he will ship him off. Kessel’s value in terms of points shows how much of an asset he is to this team, but will that matter if him and Malkin, let alone him and Crosby, can’t work?

Yesterday DMWTM published an article stating the Penguins’ need for a 3rd line center to compliment Crosby and Malkin and replace Kessel’s old linemate Nick Bonino. It stated guys like Matt Duchene, Henrik Zetterberg and Vladislav Namestnikov as trade targets for the Pens to fill that 3c role. Trading Kessel would not only open cap space to sign a 3c it could also grab the Pens a prospect and a pick that they could deal for one of these guys to fix up their bottom 6. Trading Phil Kessel leaves the Penguins an abundance of possible moves in their attempt for a 3rd straight cup.

Follow Cal on Twitter @Friedman_Cal

When writing about the Penguins it’s hard to forget about Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the two superstar centers of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but after those two, their depth at center drops harder than the Detroit Red Wings in the past three seasons. You can break it down 30 different ways, but Carter Rowney and Greg McKegg, who had a combined fourteen points in seventy-three games isn’t Cup Champion caliber. These last two cup runs were built on the depth of the team, and their current center setep doesn't fit with that theme. With that said, plenty of time remains between now and October, when pre-season starts, and here are four centers the Penguins can acquire for their third line vacancy.

#1. Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche

Duchene is the biggest center on the market right now, putting it straight this trade won’t be as easy as it was trading for Nick Bonino in 2015. Joe Sakic, GM of the Colorado Avalanche, wants a future 1st round pick, a top prospect, and a top NHL player for Duchene, who was a lone bright spot in the crapshoot that was the Avs, finishing with forty-one points in seventy-seven games, not bad for someone stuck playing with Rene Bourque. The trade right now would look something like Olli Maatta, a 1st round pick (and likely another pick, seeing the Penguins’ picks are lower in valuation than, say, the Islanders), and Derrick Pouliot for Matt Duchene. This trade idea is disgusting, it gives the Penguins their third elite center, but gives up two players who could be unbelievable one day, even if Pittsburgh still have Letang. If it’s not Maata, the Pens will still give away someone like Matt Murray, Phil Kessel, or Jake Guentzel, all massive parts to the well-oiled machine. If Sakic wants less, Duchene is a clear target, otherwise, this looks like too much.

#2 Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings

Zetterberg has experienced the highs and lows of the Detroit Red Wings, and as the Wings rebuild, Zetterberg could be expendable. Zetterberg finished with 68 points last year, playing the full season, his biggest point total since 2011. 51 of those points came on assists, and pairing him up with Hagelin or Hornqvist could be perfect. He still has four years left on his 12 year $73,000,000 contract he signed with Detroit in 2009, and Pittsburgh would have to shell out six million dollars a year for him. The Red Wings do need to dump his contract soon, as Tomas Tatar and Andreas Athanasiou need new contracts. Bound for pieces to start the rebuild, giving out a second rounder and the rights to Blaine Byron or Lukas Bengtsson could do the trick. It might be a few years too late, but it would be awesome to see Henrik in the famous black and gold.

#3 Mike Fisher, Unrestricted Free Agent

This one feels unrealistic, but the sad thing is, Mike Fisher, following losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins, still could be signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Bonino just left Mike Sullivan’s team for the team he just beat, so Fisher could go anywhere. Twelve days into free agency and he hasn’t found a deal anywhere. Part of the reason could be the disappearance in the playoffs, he was injured, but never scored, and had just four assists in twenty games. I feel bad for Fish, he had a solid regular season, 42 points in 72 games, which helped the Preds stride into the wild card, and a few “it’s all your fault”, yellow smoke, and catfish later, Nashville made their first ever Cup Final. Another part of the reason is the age, at thirty-seven, he’s not getting any younger, and many teams already have their veteran centers. Fisher would be signed on a one-year or two-year deal, but he would provide as an improvement to Greg McKegg.

#4 Vladislav Namestnikov, Tampa Bay Lightning

The Bolts are in an odd place with their starting forwards, having to use Brayden Point as a winger to give him more play time, while using Namestnikov, a natural left winger, as their third line center. Namestnikov never complained about playing the center, and had an average year, with just 24 points in 78 games, but he never fit the system when he was center. The Lightning, like many, are in a cap squeeze so while Namestnikov enters a contract year, they could look to move him now. For the Lightning replacements are available as their prospects at center look solid with Point and Tanner Richard. Moving a left wing prospect like Thomas Kuhnhackl and a conditional pick, or a Victor Hedman-like defenseman Ethan Prow and a conditional pick, could steal a solid versatile Namestnikov.

 

 

You can follow Cal on twitter @Friedman_Cal

After a dreadful 2016-17 season the Hartford Wolf Pack have started their road to recovery, and we’re hoping this will go a little better than Johnny Manziel’s (No disrespect to Money Manziel it’ll happen one day brother). After a quite terrifying 54 point season the Wolfpack politely asked Head Coach Ken Gernander to get as far away from central Connecticut as possible, promoted Assistant Coach Keith McCambridge to Head Coach, watched leading goal scorer Nicklas Jensen leave for Finland, and left Goalie Magnus Hellberg packing for the next flight to China. All while new GM Chris Drury added an abundance of College Free Agents in an attempt to inject young talent into a roster that has only qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs once in the last 5 seasons.

After a season that can best be described as well uhh... to put it bluntly, pathetic the Wolf Pack will look to lean on a Young, yet uberly talented defense and goalie tandem. While the oldest player among them (as it looks as of July 7th) is Steven Kampfer at 28 the average age of the Wolf Pack’s defense and goalies will be just 22 years old. While the forwards should be mix of Young Ranger prospects and older established AHL veterans.

Looking forward to next season for the pack a pair of former 2nd round picks, Goalie Brandon Halverson and Forward Ryan Gropp will look to jump right into key roles for the squad. Robin Kovacs-2015 3rd round pick-will look to improve on a fairly disappointing first AHL season, where he put up a underwhelming 12 points. 2 players that will have a decision on their hands come training camp will be Sean Day and Sergey Zborovskiy, the 2 top defenseman in the Rangers system both are AHL eligible however each could return to the CHL where they both have remaining eligibility. Day, once a top prospect granted “exceptional status” has voiced his eager to play pro hockey next season while Sergey’s aspirations have not yet been reported, although after leading the WHL in +/- (a fairly abused and team-based stat) Regina surely would love to have him back. An underrated player to watch would be 2016 7th round pick Ty Ronning. A small shifty skilled forward-similar to the Rangers own Mats Zuccarello-fell in the draft due to height concerns but on a PTO with Hartford to end last season put up 5 points in 12 games. Although Ty could also head back to Vancouver in the WHL it is likely if the pack offer him playing time he could be seen in Hartford next season and could be a player to watch on the Pack’s retooled roster.

This year is crucial for the Wolf Pack as they need to get back on track. In addition, it’s also important for the future success of the Rangers that their prospects get professional experience while developing their games and gaining opportunities to gel with possible future teammates. In the coming years Robin Kovacs, Ryan Gropp, Sean Day, Brandon Halverson, Neal Pionk and many others are expected to suit up for the Blueshirts on the Madison Square Garden ice. The Rangers need these players developing while in Hartford and playing as many games as they can, the Wolf Pack qualifying for the Calder Cup playoffs allows for additional experience, practice and most of all playing time for these prospects as they develop their game and prepare for the NHL. 

Breaking down the Past 10 Stanley Cup winners, 7 qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs the previous season. The exceptions: the last 2 cups of the Blackhawks “3 in 6” (*Hockey Twitter cringes*) and the 2010-11 Boston Bruins. Meanwhile each team has had a key contributor develop with their AHL affiliate, whether it’s the most recent champions the Penguins and Conn Smythe snub Jake Guentzel or Jennings Trophy winner Corey Crawford collecting 2 cups in 3 seasons after watching the Blackhawks win their first of 3 in 2010 from an AHL Locker Room.

Although having a successful AHL team by no means guarantees success for the parent club, with the rangers going all in on their “rebuild on the fly” strategy of roster construction letting “the kids” develop in Hartford so they can step in and produce when called upon will be crucial for the future success of the Rangers organization as a whole. Having replacements from within the organization for key guys however they go long term or short term whether it be free agency, trade, retirement or even injury is a necessity for any team trying to the greatest trophy in all of sports, the Stanley Cup. If the Rangers want to be that team carrying the cup in June, they’ll need Hartford to take one giant leap forward.

Follow Matt on twitter @Anttiup32

Hey pals, time for our first installment of this series, where we, the crew behind this website, vote upon the power rankings of the Metro division. Keep in mind we all think the metro will be very deep this year so just becuase we have your team ranked 7th does not mean we think they will be the 2016-17 Avalanche. However, we are overeager and can’t wait UNTIL THE ACTUAL SEASON STARTS TO START THESE RANKINGS. So, with that being said, here are the premature power rankings as of 7/6/2017 at 12:32 AM EST. Don’t like what you see? Congratulations, you have an opinion. That’s what the internet is made of. So congrats on that life accomplishment. They read from first to last with the parentheses reading as (First place votes/Total voting points)

Taking the first spot on our list is the Pittsburgh Penguins(7/62). Being back to back cup champions has its perks, lemme tell ya. For example, you can claim the number one spot on power rankings on a blog that won’t have any true upside or downside with how the team performs. Ryan Reaves was acquired and people are still iffy on that but only time will tell how that deal plays out. However, with Sully behind the bench and a majority of the key players still on the team (moment of silence for Bonino and Kunitz), it wouldn’t be a surprise to see this team make another shot at Lord Stanley’s Cup this upcoming season.

Second on this list is the “rebuild on the fly” New York Rangers(1/54). While key pieces such as Stepan, Raanta, and Lindberg have departed, the Rangers have had a very very busy offseason and the initial impressions have fans hopeful. The Rangers signed big-fish free agent Kevin Shattenkirk, along with Pavelec and Desharnais to very well-received reviews. The Rangers also drafted two forwards with elite potential in Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil. Only time will tell how the Rangers do, but things are looking right for the Blueshirts.

Coming up next, we have the Columbus Blue Jackets(0/37). The Jackets are coming off of a very surprising 2016-2017 season. Columbus made a big move with Chicago on Draft Day by trading Brandon Saad for Artemi Panarin, with other pieces attached. This is a big move for Columbus, who acquired a player who is two years removed from winning the Calder with the Chicago Blackhawks. With a majority of the team remaining the same, the Blue Jackets have serious potential to make it to the postseason, especially if Bobrovsky maintains his Vezina-nominated play.

Not far behind in fourth, we have the Washington Capitals(0/36). Key players have been re-signed, such as Oshie, Burakovsky, and Grubauer; however, Nate Schmidt is off to Vegas and fan-favorite trash can AKA Brooks Orpik is still on the team. However, if the Caps can keep up their winning ways, it appears there can be another trip to the playoffs for Washington.

In fifth, we have the Carolina Hurricanes(0/28). With a late playoff push last year that fell short but a rising group of prospects in the organization, this may be the Hurricanes’ year to make a shot for a playoff spot, potentially even just a wildcard spot. In addition to the vast prospect pool, the Canes also acquired Mr. Game 7 himself, Justin Williams. This will be Williams’s second stint with the Canes, he returns to the team that gave him his first cup in 2006.

Sixth place is being held down by the Flyers of Philadelphia(0/23). The Flyers were lucky enough to draft Nolan Patrick second overall in the draft, and return a young core that got a year more mature but several offseason moves have the fans wary of the what the season has to hold. However, crazier things have happened, so keep an eye out for Philly to possibly make a charge for a wildcard spot.

The Islanders(0/21) occupy the seventh spot on this list. While Tavares is still on the team, he doesn’t have much to work with other than a rising talent in Josh Ho-Sang and newly acquired Jordan Eberle. The defense has been weakened with the trading of Travis Hamonic to the Calgary Flames, and the draft picks acquired for Hamonic won’t come into effect for at least a few years. The goaltending for New York doesn’t have true potential but ruling out a run at a playoff spot for the isles is way too premature, this team could surprise.

In last place, we have the New Jersey Devils(0/19). While the additions of Nico Hischier, Marcus Johansson, and Brian Boyle will help them, the Devils still aren’t projected (by the crew here at DMWTM) to make any large leaps and bounds this year. However, as I said before, crazier things have happened. Also, it’s way too early to know how the teams will end the season in the standings, but as of right now, the Devils pretty much are seen as the sucky team.

That’s all for the season rankings that don’t have any real affect on the world of hockey and doesn’t really matter but this was written for predictions and not anything else and if you don’t like it, go read Buzzfeed.

You can Follow Dont Mess with the Metro on twitter @DontMessWMetro

Follow Tyler @STBVisuals

First of all, hello to all of our readers. I’m Tyler and I’m a new writer for Don’t Mess With the Metro. You may know me from my design account on Twitter (@stbvisuals) but little did you know I have capabilities of actually forming sentences with words instead of just placing pictures together! Crazy, huh? Well, I’m the new guy on this website and hopefully you’ll like what I have to contribute. Just know if you don’t like it, you’re a delicate little cupcake. Now that we have that out of the way, I can explain how this whole ordeal is going to work.

Every week, the boys here at DMWM will be voting on the teams who had the best weeks. This will include game performances, trades, signings, re-signings, waivers, trade blocks, and pretty much any type of news that would concern that team.

Note: rumors are fake and won’t be discussed. I can tell you right now that we aren’t going to be one of these run-of-the-mill, no-good, incompetent rumor headquarters that call their hunches “sources.” No. If you want that, go on Twitter. No one likes those guys. Those guys probably eat unfrosted poptarts and wear Velcro slides. We aren’t them. So don’t come to us with “oMg I hEaRd ThAt My FaVoRiTe TeAm Is TrAdInG mY fAvOrItE pLaYeR” because it’s #FakeNews.

For an example of how things will go down, let’s say the Carolina Hurricanes pick up a player off of waivers who has a previous history of playing well when given proper chances (cough cough Adam Clendening cough cough) AND they go on a 3-1-1 stretch during the week, with 2 of those wins coming on the road. They will climb the rankings, if the boys here at DMWM feel like their moves have made them more likely at a playoff spot, and ultimately, a chance at the Cup.

Now, let’s say the Columbus Blue Jackets don’t make any transactions but go on a 0-4-1 stretch during the week. They will (most likely) fall in the standings.

Please note that all decisions are made by our own crew and our own opinions and not just one person. So please don’t come hunting us down and threatening us just because your GM made a bonehead move. That’s not our fault. Deal with it.

This is just a pretty straight-forward and to-the-punch description of how things are going to be going down here.

Have a nice day and if you don’t, I hope your team loses its season opener.

 

Let me spoil 2 things for you right off the bat. Mika Zibanejad will resign with the New York Rangers this summer and Mika Zibanejad will play 1C minutes for the Rangers this season. After being acquired from Ottawa in a swap for Derick Brassard with picks going both ways, Zibanejad had gotten off to a great start scoring 15 points in the first 19 games. However unfortunately on November 20th in overtime vs Florida, Mika broke his fibula and would miss approximately 2 months (25 games) recovering from the injury. Mika struggled to regain his form upon returning putting up 2 points in 5 games and 10 points in 18. Zibanejad’s best play post injury came vs Ottawa in the 2nd round of the playoffs where he took over games and played to where the level the Rangers envision of their future 1C.

Zibanejad at his best can dominate games, kill penalties, and has an elite shot on the powerplay. His full potential is a speedy, dominate 2 way center, the Rangers hope will put up around 70 points. However the one knock the Rangers 24 year old Center has been associated with is a lack of consistency and being a truly streaky scorer. Zibanejad “showed flashes of brilliance during an injury-hit debut season with the Rangers. There was plenty of evidence of his high-ceiling potential, but it was very much a learning season for the 24-year-old center.” summed up best by Sean Hartnell (CBS Sports). However on breakup day Rangers coach Alain Vigneault described his playoff top scorer as being, “at a crossroads” and saying that the 24 year-old needs to “figure it out if he’s going to be a high-end center in the NHL.”, harsher comments than most expected after Zibanejad had seemed to find his game vs the Senators in round 2.

After adding David Desharnais this morning on a 1 Year 1 Million deal the Rangers are currently left with 7 Million in cap room (which should become 10 when Kevin Klein retires) needing to resign Zibanejad and Jesper Fast while adding another forward (preferably a center) to the roster. With Fast figuring to sign a contract around a 1.5m AAV and the center for no more than 1.5m that should leave New York with anywhere from 4-7 million to sign Zibanejad to what they are hoping will be a 4-6 year contract.

For easier comps first Zibanejad's numbers need to be converted to 82 games. Zibanejad had 37 points in 56 games which figures to be around .66 points per game or 55 in a 82 game season. HIs 14 goals in 56 games works out to 20 in an 82 game season. More advanced Mika’s points per 60 was 2.32 which is good for 85th in the league.

For Rangers fans I’ll use two contracts given out in the recent past by New York. Derick Brassard was handed a 5 year 25m contract with a modified NTC. Prior to signing Brassard had never had a 20 goal season and his career high was 47 points (playing 74 games). With Mika having slightly better numbers if this deal were discussed it would likely be by Jeff Gorton most likely as an opening offer in arbitration or normal negotiations. The other deal is Derek Stepan’s 6 year 6.5m AAV contract. Derek had slightly better numbers prior to signing than Mika and had reached the 20 goal mark once. Mika’s court could open with this but he will not get it. The best comparable outside of New York is the contract Brayden Schenn signed with Philadelphia last year with an AAV of 5.125m over 4 years. Schenn had similar numbers to Mika hitting 59 points in his signing year at the same age of 24. However the Rangers will most likely want to add a year or two in length to the deal which will drive up the price.

Should cap become an issue or either side become weary of a long term commitment, a short term bridge or “prove it” deal could be agreed upon. With Zibanejad’s inconsistency the Rangers could get cold feet offering 5 years while knowing his potential Mika could worry about being underpaid should he reach his true 1C potential.

DMWTM Staff Predictions

Matt: 5 years 5.4m AAV (27 over 5) Just over Schenn’s deal but adds another year. Throw in a partial NTC and sign the papers

Dan: 6 years 4.7AAV (28.2 over 6) Off the Map but comp here would be Nazem Kadri, Dolan can offer him a spot in his band to even up the salary

Andy: 5 years 5m AAV (25/5) Follow the Brass deal to the dotted line

Ian: 3 year 4m AAV (12/3) “Prove it” deal for Zib

Tyler: 6 Years 5.75m AAV (34.5 /6) Meet in the middle of Brass and Stepan

Emily: 5 years 5.5m AAV (27.5/5) That other NY Team has their star center playing on this deal

Follow Matt on Twitter @Anttiup32

With the top free agent Kevin Shattenkirk going to the rival New York Rangers, the Devils needed to make some moves. With over $25 million in cap space after signing Brian Boyle, Ray Shero had to bring on a contract or two to bring the team above the cap floor. Washington, on the other hand, had $4.6 million in cap space, and still had to sign Andre Burakovsky, Phillip Grubauer, and five others. Ray Shero came to the rescue, and helped out both the Capitals and the Devils by trading for Marcus Johansson, relieving Washington of $4.5 million in cap space. In return, Washington received two draft picks, neither of which are New Jersey's own picks. Going to the Capitals are the Panthers' second round pick in 2018 (acquired in the Marc Savard trade last June), and Toronto's 3rd round pick in 2018 (acquired as compensation for the Leafs hiring ex-Devils GM Lou Lamoriello). What does this mean for the Devils?

For Johansson he travels North on I-95 but South in the standings going from the presidents trophy winners to the winners of the draft lottery. Johansson scored 24 goals last season, 2 shy of Kyle Palmieri's team leading 26. With 58 points on the season, he scored more than Devils points leader Taylor Hall, who scored 53. This trade gives New Jersey a lot more scoring, something they really struggled with last season. While the Devils won't be jumping into the playoffs immediately, this might help them get out of the bottom of the Metro.

Devils fans will have to hope for the best.

Contributed by Dave (@MyNameIsNidos)