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Future Watch 2020
The Hockey News' Future Watch 2020 has all the staples of our popular annual prospect-blowout: our Top 100 list, Top 10s and team grades for every franchise, and Sneak Peeks at the next three NHL drafts. Also in the issue, we have features on the how Seattle is building a team from scratch, and prospects Bowen Byram, Kirill Kaprizov, Moritz Sieder and Trevor Zegras.
Toronto Maple Leafs
CHIPS PUSHED ALL-IN Most of Toronto’s gifted young talent is already in the NHL. But there are impressive, small packages still to come RANK: C+ / 23 THERE’S NO TURNING BACK. Whether or not they end up making the playoffs, GM Kyle Dubas’ Maple Leafs are all-in. They traded their 2019 first-round pick to get Jake Muzzin last season and used a conditional 2020 first-rounder in a deal with Carolina to shed Patrick Marleau’s salary in the off-season. Almost all of Toronto’s top-end prospects have graduated to the big club, including defenseman Rasmus Sandin, the last first-round pick they kept. Additional help from the farm must come from hidden gems – players picked outside the first round who develop into viable NHLers, such as late-blooming left winger Pierre Engvall. 1. NICK ROBERTSON LW, 18, 5-9,…
New York Rangers
EUROPEAN CONTENT The Rangers already have half-dozen Euro forwards in lineup. Defensemen and No. 1 goalie are close behind RANK: A– / 2 WITH A RANGERS ROSTER awash with players 22 and under – Adam Fox, Filip Chytil, Brett Howden, Kaapo Kakko, Ryan Lindgren – another group of prospects is waiting in the wings for the rebuilding Blueshirts. Just over two years since management told fans in an open letter to prepare for sweeping changes, team president John Davidson continues to preach patience while coach David Quinn juggles longer-term objectives with teaching his troops how to win consistently. For a few draftees, there were struggles along the path to Gotham – not an unexpected occurrence for highly regarded picks in a system undergoing a transition. 1. IGOR SHESTERKIN G, 24, 6-2, 182 Hartford (AHL) 17–4–3, 1.90, .934 2014…
Henri Richard
AT ONE POINT during Henri Richard’s rookie season of 1955-56, a reporter asked Montreal Canadiens coach Toe Blake whether the young Richard spoke any English. “I don’t think he can even speak French,” was the reply. “I’ve never heard him talk.” Richard, who passed away in early March at the age of 84, was so quiet that when his older brother, Maurice, marched him up to GM Frank Selke’s office to sign his first contract, Henri left without even knowing his salary. For the record, it was $7,000 in the first year and $8,000 in the second year. “Mr. Selke asked Maurice, ‘Is Henri ready?’ and Maurice said, ‘Yes, he’s ready,’ and he turned around and walked out of the room,” said Henri in 2008. “I couldn’t speak English, and they put this…
NCAA FREE AGENTS 2020
THIS STANDS TO BE a very intriguing spring for NCAA free agents. As per usual, there is a top tier of players that NHL scouts agree on, but then the next level of talent becomes flat and large. Because of the lack of standouts, a crop that ordinarily sees about 20 players get signed to pro contracts may yield as many as 30 prospects this time around. And of course, there are the kids who still have college eligibility left who may leave school early in order to sign a contract. Here’s a look at some of the big names on the board. MARC MICHAELIS C, Minnesota State “Big-time potential,” said one scout. “As far as seniors go, he’s the cream of the crop. He’s ready to go. Could be a Matt Read…
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