just gonna do a writeup on a couple guys I could see having an NHL future in the next couple years
fwds:
Rory Kerins - real smart player who smashed his career highs in his 2nd full pro season. 60pts in 62 games with 33G. The Wranglers MVP imo and could definitely see him becoming a consistent 40-50pt guy in the NHL someday. Quick hands around the net and tough to move off the puck considering he's not the biggest guy. Plays within a 5 man unit and uses his linemates very well.
Sam Morton - also a real smart player who has a good grasp of how to play the C position. Quality defensively and very rarely makes a poor play. Not a ton of upside here but I think he'd make an ideal 4C next year. 45pts in 69 games in his first full pro season, and also an NHL G in game 82. The kind of player coaches love. Jack of all trades master of none. Wranglers most consistent fwd.
William Stromgren - kind of the opposite of his last season where he got hot in the last half. Started out great and cooled down badly around the new year. Great speed and size, some real soft hands to go with it. Needs more consistency but with the way he can transition and win puck races you could see it coming together down the road. 49pts in 69 games, but only 14G. Not a letdown considering he nearly doubled his totals from his rookie year but too many games where he was content to float. Lots of tools, yet to be seen if there's the toolbox.
Samuel Honzek - would categorize his rookie pro season as decent. Production wasn't great(21pts in 52GP) but he spent most of the first half of the year when the Wranglers were a 1st place in the AHL team scoring at will bouncing around on the 3rd and 4th lines with no PP time. Struggled with the pace I think but does the little things well and was the 2C today. Flashes some serious skill and speed every 4th or 5th game. Needs to fill out his frame and work on being physically assertive, when he's driving the net good things happen. Don't see a ton of upside with this player either but quality possession middle 6 Ws are always useful.
Lucas Ciona - Took a big step this year. Often got lost in the play last year with poor boots but wow whatever the Flames are paying their skating coach they should double it. Was blowing by defenders today and scored a tap in PP goal off a terrific pass from Bru. Always around the crease, draws penalties, very physical(although I'd like to see even more), and has enough skill to make the odd play. Tough kid too, had several fights and handles himself well. Probably fits a very narrow type of NHLer and has the least odds to make it of the fwds listed here but there's still a niche for this type of player.
I think really only Kerins and Morton will be seriously pushing for a regular spot next season but you never know, sometimes guys come in in Sept and look leveled up.
dmen:
Ilya Solovyov - the clear #1 on the Wranglers. Can play both special teams and eats up minutes. Getting to the age where it's make or break for his NHL future and I still have some faith there's something there, if not with the Flames then somewhere else. Little like Morton where he's not great at any one thing but very solid all around. Keeps plays going in the OZ, shoots it high and hard, physical and gaps up well, competes like he's a starving dog and can make a breakout pass. Really everything you could want in a bottom pairing dman, I don't think you could tell me Jake Bean or even Joel Hanley are markedly better.
Yan Kuznetsov - rarely stands out on the ice because his game is so quietly good. Shuts things down with his legs and his reach. Very rarely out of position and keeps very tight gaps in the NZ. Doesn't make many mistakes but risk averse to a fault. Not sure who I'd have as our most underrated prospect but Kuz would be on the short list. Never going to give you a ton of production on the score sheet but guys like Lindell, Brodin, Siegenthaler, Pelech all produce for their teams in other ways.
Jeremie Poirier - the polar opposite of Kuz. Just a swash buckling red blooded red haired hot mess of a dman. Terrific athlete with a ton of skill and tools but just a bit on an idiot I'm afraid. The kind of guy who could score 4pts in a game and still end up -5. He's improved in a lot of aspects don't get me wrong but still needs to clean a lot up. Respectable 41pts in 70GP which matches his rookie total. Shame about that injury last season that really hurt his development but still only 22 years old. Puck management is his problem, if he can't improve it he's destined for a TJ Brennen kind of career.
Hunter Brzustewicz - quietly had himself a very nice rookie season after a tough first couple months getting comfortable. A smart defenseman is an efficient defenseman and that's my read on him. Doesn't expend a bunch of energy taking long routes or winding up or chasing guys like Poirier does. Not the best skater but showed some respectable burst on occasion, gets beat wide too often and needs to work on his pivots. Not seeing a ton of the defensive deficiencies that were in his scouting report before we acquired him, makes the odd mistake sure and gets caught puck watching sometimes but whole defensive picture? Really not too shabby for a 20 year old. Think he could use some more seasoning but definitely see 2nd pairing upside with him.
Grushnikov and Jurmo both terrible. Grush can punch face and tough on guys in front of his net but handles the puck like it has legs. Jurmo skates fast in a straight line and that's the most praise I can muster for him. Stick em in the reject bin Connie.
but yeah that makes sense too.
