Panthers Prospect Report 2011-2012

[Caged Great]

It's that time of year again. Training camp's are coming to a close and the fun is about to begin. My team has seen quite a bit of turnover in the past year (now with actual NHL players ) but that doesn't mean that the rebuilding will not be continuing despite having less room for prospects this time around.

Here's the notables from each position

Center

Calle Jarnkrok - 19, SEL - 6 GP 3 G 3 A 6 PTS. Drafted 32nd Overall in the 2010 CPHL draft.

Ironhook has had some ups and downs since being drafted, but he is starting to show the skill that had me convinced he'd be a good player someday. His 6 points in the SEL to start the season actually leads the entire league at this point. He's in Detroit's system, and they're pretty good with finding guys that are a little underrated and making legit players out of them.

Left Wing

Gustav Nyquist - 22, NHL - 0 GP - Acquired in trade with LA for Steve Eminger.

Nyquist in this years training camp has done nothing but impress, and Mike Babcock has thrown out comparisons to Datsyuk, and he has shown elite level on ice awareness and a lot of good things in general. He has been so impressive that he might actually start the year with Detroit. The only problem is he currently suffers from Dustin Boyd syndrome, but he should be able to add 15-20 pounds next offseason. Could be the next late round steal by Detroit.

Devante Smith Pelly - 19, OHL - 0 GP - Drafted 51st OV in the 2010 CPHL draft.

DSP has been fairly decent since he was drafted by the Ducks. The most accurate comparison to the type of player he is is Dustin Brown. He's got a pretty good shot, but needs to get some speed, and could stand to lose a few pounds otherwise he might head into Byfuglein/Medvedev territory.


Right Wing

Matt Frattin - 22, NHL - 0 GP - Signed as undrafted free agent

Frattin has impressed in his time in the Leafs training camp. With MacArthur's suspension, it's pretty much guaranteed that Frattin will take his spot on the team for the time being. One of the NCAA's best players the past couple years, Frattin has shown flashes of being a possible top 2 line player. At worst, he's the next Tyler Bozak.

Shane McColgan - 18, WHL - 1 GP 0 G 3 A 3 PTS - Acquired in trade with the Blues

At this time last year, he was rated to be a top 10 pick in the draft, but fell because he didn't score as much as scouts thought he would. He ended up getting selected with the Flames pick that was included with Tim Erixon. At the Rangers camp, he impressed, and was one of the best prospects there. He plays a similar game as Brad Marchand.


Defense

I don't really have any spectacular non NHL D-men at the moment, but I will be interested to see how MacDonald, Gunnarsson, Nikitin, and Derlyuk's seasons go.

Goaltending

Jonathan Bernier - 22, NHL - 0 GP - Acquired in trade with Columbus

Bernier in the preseason has been one of the league's best goalies. Is this the year that he finally overtakes Jonathan Quick? It'll be interesting to see how he develops this year.

Matthew Hackett - 21, AHL - 0 GP - Acquired in trade with Pittsburgh

Hackett has emerged as the wild's top goalie prospect and has shown some decent potential. Most wild fans view him as Backstrom's replacement in a couple years, I wouldn't mind that one bit.

Fredrik Andersen - 21, SEL - 6 GP, 0.99 GAA, .966 SV% 2 SO - Signed as Free Agent.

Denmark's best goalie ever won back to back MVP/Player of the year awards in Denmark and now has finally moved over to Sweden this season and has been alright thus far. He leads the league in GAA, Sv%, and SO. His most comparable player would have to be Roman Turek. He's 6'4" 247, but he's also pretty quick and shows good positioning.

[Caged Great]

Now that were a couple weeks into the season and games are being played, I figured it was time to have an update. Also, I released Brian Day, Brad Navin, and Dmitri Kugryshev and replaced them with Steve Moses, JT Brown, and Juuso Puustinen.

Center

Emil Molin - 18, Sweden U20 - 8 GP 4 G 5 A 9 PTS - Signed as free agent

Molin was drafted in the 4th round by Dallas this past draft and was largely unheralded. He currently is leading all drafted players from that league with 9 points in 8 games.

Bill Arnold - 19, NCAA - 4 GP 2 G 5 A 7 PTS - Drafted 71st Overall in the 2010 CPHL draft

Arnold has been dominate in the NCAA to start the season posting a 1.75 PPG pace thus far and leading the entire league in points. The Flames 4th round pick is looking like he might become a good sleeper pick in a couple years. He might make the USA team in the WJC.

Left Wing

Juuso Puustinen - 23, AHL - 3 GP 2 G 0 A 2 PTS - Signed as free agent

The former Flames prospect was pretty good in the SM-LIIGA last year scoring 26 goals, and was picked up by the Preds who have a small problem with scoring goals. Thus far he's done pretty good.

Right Wing

Cory Conacher - 22, AHL - 4 GP 3 G 3 A 6 PTS - Signed as Free Agent

Cory dominated the NCAA, but being only 5'-9" left some question marks on whether he'd bee a good enough player to make the NHL. He was invited to the Lightning's camp and was the last cut. Putting up a 1.5 PPG pace thus far, he's showing that he has some offensive potential, and might get called up if the Bolts get zapped by the injury bug.

Defense

Andrew MacDonald - 24, NHL - 4 GP 1 G 0 A 1 PT - Signed as free agent

Not exactly a prospect any more, but he's doing fairly well on the Island and is currently their top pairing with Streit and plays the most 5 on 5, 2nd most on the PK, and is in the 2nd PP pairing.

Nikita Nikitin - 25, NHL - 4 GP 0 G 0 A 0 PTS - Acquired from Washington for Chris Thorburn and Adam Burish

No significant numbers from this young D-man, but he is averaging 21 minutes a night playing on the Blues top pair with Pietrangelo. Having 5 top pairing D-men to start the year is good. Hopefully all these guys keep up the minutes. They'll be getting a decent bump in the ratings then.

Carl Gunnarsson - 24, NHL - 3 GP 0 G 2 A 2 PTS - Acquired in trade with Columbus for Anton Volchenkov

One of the knocks on Gunnar was his inconsistent play defensively. That doesn't seem to be that big a deal this year as he's the lead PKer on the leafs, and is 3rd (by 6 seconds per game) on time on ice.

Goalie

Fredrik Andersen - 21, SEL - 11 GP, 1.09 GAA, .962 SV% 6 SO - Signed as Free Agent

Yes, that isn't a typo, Andersen has already posted 6 shutouts this season in 11 games. Frolunda wasn't expected to be a good team this year, but they lead the league right now due to Andersen being generally awesome. Any time you have shutouts in more than half your games, you're doing something right.

[JiriHrdina]

The Wild had also sent in a request to sign JT Brown - not sure who got their email in first - we'll have to wait for Jeff to process the latest batch of free agents.

[Caged Great]

Panthers Prospect Report - New Players edition....

Forwards

Jonathan Audy-Marchessault - 20, AHL - 12 GP 5 G 6 A 11 PTS - Signed as a Free Agent

With seeing more shorter players in the NHL, having a few guys that are short but talented offensively seems like a decent idea, especially considering those that aren't vertically challenged are already on other teams. Anyone young that's near a PPG pace in the AHL can't be completely terrible.

Brian Gibbons - 23, AHL - 13 GP 3 G 7 A 10 PTS - Signed as a Free Agent

Gibbons like Cory Conacher were both among the league leaders in points in the NCAA last year and were rewarded with contracts with the pens and bolts respectively. Gibbons is currently leading the WB Penguins, and with the Pens not being terribly deep on the wing, he might get a shot at some point.

JT Brown - 20, NCAA - 11 GP 3 G 9 A 12 PTS - Acquired along with a 5th for a 3rd in trade with Minnesota

Brown has some legit skills, and is widely considered to be this year's Stefan Da Costa. PPG or better players in the NCAA usually develop into either elite AHL players or into decent NHLers. Getting a bunch of guys like that just increases the odds that you'll get a good one, and Brown seems like a fairly legit player. He seems like a similar player to Paul Byron from what I've seen of him thus far.

Defensemen

Brady Lamb - 22, NCAA - 11 GP 3 G 9 A 12 PTS - Signed as Free Agent

PPG forwards in the NCAA are more common than PPG D-men. Lamb plays a solid two way game and is pretty good in his own end. The native Calgarian would not be a bad player for the Flames to take a flier on after the season ends. He's a similar player to TJ Brodie, but not quite as offensively focused.

Dougie Hamilton - 19, OHL - 18 GP 9 G 18 A 27 PTS - Acquired in trade for Zbynek Michalek

1.5 PPG pace in the OHL as a D-man who's also good in his end. Not much to complain about there.

Duncan Siemens - 19, WHL - 19 GP 4 G 10 A 14 PTS - Acquired in trade for Stephane Robidas

A slightly more defensively oriented two way D-man, just like with Hamilton, there isn't much to complain about his game. Will definitely have a good pair of D-men for a long time.

[Caged Great]

Panthers Prospect Report - Pre Valentine's day edition

AHL prospects

C Cory Conacher - Age 21, 47 GP 25 G 27 A 52 PTS - Signed as Free Agent

LW Gustav Nyquist - Age 21, 41 GP 14 G 28 A 42 PTS - Acquired from LA

Not all young guys who put up a near or better than PPG pace in the AHL have that translate into NHL production. However, both Conacher and Nyquist have potential to do that with Gustav looking like he's an eventual top 2 line guy in the NHL.

NCAA prospects

C Mark Zengerle - Age 22, 28 GP 10 G 28 A 38 PTS - Signed as Free Agent

C Jack Connolly - Age 21, 28 GP 15 G 27 A 42 PTS - Signed as Free Agent

LW JT Brown - Age 20, 28 GP 16 G 21 A 37 PTS - Acquire in trade with Minnesota

LW Ludwig Karlsson - Age 20, 24 GP 9 G 15 A 24 PTS - Signed as Free Agent

LW Scott Wilson - Age 19 - 24 GP 13 G 13 A 26 PTS - Signed as Free Agent

RW Steve Moses - Age 21 - 27 GP 19 G 11 A 30 PTS - Signed as Free Agent

D Eriah Hayes - Age 22 - 28 GP 12 G 10 A 22 PTS - Signed as Free Agent

D Brady Lamb - Age 22 - 28 GP 5 G 14 A 19 PTS - Signed as Free Agent

All of these players rights are not held by any team at the moment, but these guys are all the best players in the NCAA that weren't drafted. With guys like Matt Read making an impact in the NHL, there is bound to be one or two good NHL players from this group and most of them should be signed at the end of the season by teams like Calgary etc.

CHL Junior prospects

C Jean Gabriel Pageau - QMJHL - 36 GP 30 G 29 A 59 PTS - Acquired from NYR

LW Marek Tvrdon - WHL - 45 GP 22 G 32 A 54 PTS - Acquired from STL

RW Patrick Holland - OHL - 52 GP 20 G 50 A 70 PTS - Acquired from ANA

RW Tomas Hyka - QMJHL - 42 GP 17 G 32 A 49 PTS - Signed as Free agent

RW Matej Stransky - WHL - 52 GP 29 G 27 A 56 PTS - Signed as Free agent

D Troy Rutkowski - WHL - 53 GP 10 G 22 A 32 PTS - Drafted

D Jerome Gauthier Leduc - QMJHL - 48 GP 24 G 36 A 60 PTS - Acquired from EDM

One thing that can't be taught is offensive skill. Translating that over to the pros is a whole other issue. Hoping that some of the long shots from this whole group hit the mark.