Welcome to the 2015 edition of Top Shelf Prospects. As the summer progresses, I will be featuring each NHL team’s top prospects, following the order of the first round of the 2015 NHL draft (as if there were no traded draft picks) — you can find all the articles here.
Because we already published an extensive NHL Draft preview, I will not be reviewing the players who were drafted in 2015, as my reports on them will not have changed — I will, however, link you to those articles. Instead I will focus on prospects that were acquired in past drafts, examining their progress and their chances of making the 2015-16 roster of their respective NHL team. I will also choose one sleeper pick – a player who was either drafted in the fourth round or later, or was an undrafted free agent signing who I pick as a darkhorse to make the NHL.
For those wondering, the determining factors for defining who is or isn’t a prospect is typically about 50 NHL games played or being 25 years old. These are not set in stone, and I may make some exceptions depending on the circumstances.
Coming off the 2014 Stanley Cup win, the Los Angeles Kings, posted a record of 40-27-15 to end up with 95 points. They finished four points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. While the Kings were very good at home (25-9-7), it was their play on the road (15-18-8) which let them down. The Kings finished with the 7th best goals against in the NHL, but goal scoring was just 20th, a common issue for the Kings. Facing a cap crunch, the Kings lost Andrej Sekera, Justin Williams and Jarret Stoll as free agents, Robyn Regher retired, and the team terminated the contract of Mike Richards in a move that is currently being grieved by the NHLPA. They did bring in former Bruins 30-goal scoring power winger Milan Lucic via trade, one that also cost backup goalie Martin Jones.
2015 Draft Picks: Erik Cernak, Alexander Dergachyov, Austin Wagner, Matt Schmalz, Chaz Reddekop, Matt Roy
Graduates: Tanner Pearson, Brayden McNabb,
TSP: Los Angeles Kings Prospects
Top Prospect: Adrian Kempe, Centre/Left Wing
Born Sep 13 1996 — Kramfors, Sweden
Height 6.02 — Weight 187 [188 cm/85 kg] – Shoots Left
After being drafted 29th overall in 2014, Adrian Kempe spent the season with Modo in the SHL. As an 18-year-old, he put up a respectable 17 points in 50 games. Following the end of the year, he joined the Manchester Monarchs, where his eight goals in 17 AHL playoff games helped the team on a run to the Calder Cup.
Kempe is a very good skater, despite an unorthodox skating stride. His very wide stride doesn’t seem to take much away from his speed or his acceleration. It also gives him a little more balance and helps him to fight through checks, as well as to protect the puck in the cycle game. Kempe has decent agility but this is not the strength of his game, as he is more about power than finesse.
Kempe plays the game like a bull in a china shop. He drives the net hard, not caring who he has to bulldoze to get to the areas he wants to go. He is first in on the forecheck, and just loves to punish defenders in the corners. Given his age and a need to fill out his frame, he is still remarkably effective in winning board battles. He protects the puck very well on the cycle and is a menace down low. His wrist shot is very hard and heavy. It also features a good release. Adrian Kempe also has decent vision and passing skills which he uses out of the cycle. His stickhandling is decent, but he certainly plays a North-South game, choosing the direct route instead of trying to use too many moves to try and get by a defender.
Kempe plays a strong defensive game. He is an industrious forward who never stops skating, and his physical and gritty nature is apparent in all three zones of the ice. He supports his defencemen well, and works down low to keep his man and the puck to the outside.
The Kings have a deep forward group and Kempe can still use some work in certain aspects of his game, as a result expect him to start the year with the Ontario Reign of the AHL.
#2 Prospect: Valentin Zykov
orn May 15 1995 — St.Petersburg, Russia
Height 6.02 — Weight 205 — Shoots Right
Drafted by the Kings in the 2nd Round, 37th overall of the 2013 NHL Draft
Valentin Zykov split the season between Baie-Comeau and Gatineau, as he was traded at the QMJHL trade deadline. On the season he put up 21 goals and 46 points in 42 games, missing some time due to injury. He added 7 points in 11 playoff games, as Gatineau fell in the second round. While some might be concerned that his PPG dropped falling below what he did in each of the past two years, but Zykov was out with a hernia early in the year, and never seemed to fully get up to speed. There were flashes of what he can do, but a healthy off-season, hopefully leading to a healthy training camp, should allow him to show his stuff in 2015-16.
Zykov is a big forward (already listed at 6’2″ 205 lbs) who plays with a gritty edge and is developing into a potential power forward. He goes to the net very hard and knows what to do when he gets there. He has great hands in tight and can make slick moves, tip in shots, or bury rebounds. A natural goal scorer Zykov also has a strong wrist shot and quick release. Zykov also works extremely hard in the corners, winning board battles, and playing a gritty, physical game. He is very strong on the puck and protects it extremely well in the cycle game. He uses his body to shield off checkers and is strong on the puck and rarely knocked off of it by contact. As mentioned, he became more of a playmaker this year, finding open teammates off the cycle game, and using his ability to control the puck to extend plays, and wait for teammates to get open. He has very good vision and hockey sense.
Zykov’s skating is very unorthodox. His hunched-over style means that his top-end speed and acceleration are not as good as they could be and will need some work going forward. In particular his first few strides need improvement, as he needs to be quicker. He does have good agility, and great balance though, and his power allows him to fight through checks and to drive to the front of the net with power. These skating issues will be the biggest area that Zykov must work on before he is able to crack the NHL as he has the other skills to look for in a power forward.
He is also a hard worker in the defensive zone, using his size and ability to win board battles to help out on the back check, and to help his defence contain against the cycle game. He anticipates well creating turnovers as well.
Zykov likely needs a little bit more development time, and to improve his skating. He should start the year with Ontario in the AHL, with some call-ups due to injuries. In terms of full-time NHL action, 2016-17 looks like the best case scenario.
#3 Prospect: Jordan Weal, Centre
Born Apr 15 1992 — North Vancouver, BC
Height 5.10 — Weight 171 [178 cm/78 kg] — Shoots right
Drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in round 3, 70th overall at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
With 69 points in 73 games in the regulars season, and 10 goals and 22 points in 19 playoff games, Jordan Weal led the Manchester Monarchs to the Calder Cup. Weal took home the Jack Butterfield Trophy as AHL playoff MVP.
Weal is undersized, but plays the game with grit. He gets in quickly on the forecheck and causes turnovers. He also battles hard in the corners and gets to the front of the net for tip-ins and rebounds. Weal has very good hockey sense; he makes smart plays with the puck on his stick, with good vision as a playmaker and the ability to thread passes through small openings. His wrist shot is accurate and he has a good release, but could use a bit more power. He has good hands, and protects the puck well despite his size. Weal works well down low, working the cycle until a teammate gets open and then setting him up with a tape to tape pass.
Weal is a very good skater. He has good speed, and acceleration, however it is his edgework and agility that set him apart and allow him to work down low on the cycle. He is able to keep control of the puck through quick changes of direction and avoiding defenders. Weal is pretty strong on his skates, and has good balance for his size.
Weal continues his hard work in all three zones. He works hard on the back check, willing to battle for pucks in his own end, or to cut down passing lanes and block shots.
Weal is a little bit older and more experienced than the other prospects we’ve reviewed. It’s likely that he will make the Kings this year, filling a spot on the third line. With his ability to play centre, he could be the replacement for Jarret Stoll.
Super Sleeper: Spencer Watson, RW
Born Apr 25 1996 — London, ONT
Height 5.10 — Weight 175 [175 cm/79 kg] — Shoots Left
Drafted by Los Angeles Kings in the 7th round 209th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft
Watson had another solid season in the OHL, despite playing only 48 games due to a broken ankle, he still scored 20 goals and 48 points. With 39 of those 48 points coming at even strength, he continued to show a great ability to score 5 on 5. He was invited to Canada’s World Junior Showcase this summer, indicating that he is under consideration for a spot on the team this December, depending of course on how his OHL season goes.
Watson is a pure sniper who has a fantastic wrist shot, and outstanding release. He also has a very good one-timer. Watson has a high hockey IQ; he sees the play developing, and is able to slip into openings in the defence in order to get open for a shot. At just 5’10” Watson is a little undersized but he is willing to go to the dirty areas to score goals and has the soft hands to bury rebounds and tip-ins close to the net. Watson’s playmaking game is underrated at this point because he’s such a great sniper, but the passing skills and vision are also there to be a very dangerous player both off the rush and in the zone. He’s willing to dig in corners, but he really needs to add more weight to his frame to be better at it. He needs to be a little more patient with the puck on his stick, he always seems to take the first option, whether it be a shot on goal, or a quick pass.
Watson shows good skating. He has good jump in his first step, decent acceleration and above average top end speed. He can be dangerous off the rush and can beat defenders one on one. His speed can force defenders to back off, and when they do he is able to take advantage of the added space to unleash the wrist shot and strong release discussed earlier. Watson has very good agility and can make quick, precise cuts that allow him to elude defenders. Watson does need to improve his core strength though, as he can sometimes be knocked off the puck and lose board battles due to a lack of balance and strength on his feet.
Watson has a bit of an inconsistent defensive game at this point. There are times he seems to really support well in back pressure, and to anticipate well causing turnovers and starting the transition offence. However, there are other times he has a tendency to puck-watch and doesn’t make the smart play. Maintaining a consistent effort level in his own zone will be something to work on.
Expect to see Watson spend another year in Kingston and at least one season in the AHL before getting a real shot with the Kings. He has some talent, but there is room to improve his areas of weakness as well. He needs to bulk up and play better defensively.
Graduations and trades have taken a toll on the depth of the Kings prospect pool in recent years. Colin Miller and Roland McKeown were traded, while Tyler Toffoli, Tanner Pearson, and Brayden McNabb have all passed our threshold for games played to be considered prospects. While there is some good depth at right wing, other positions have become weaker. Nick Shore provides depth at centre, while Matt Mistele is the team’s best left wing prospect. On defence, Derek Forbort needs to make the team in the near future or he will run out of chances — Nick Ebert and Alex Lintuniemi are threatening to pass him on the depth chart.
