6. In terms of the sleeper category, dont be surprised ifcenter Riley Damiani leapfrogs Ty Dellandrea on the depth chart. They have arguably the best European prospect outside of Kakko in Russian winger Kirill Kaprizov. With a strong core of defense and goaltending prospects already solidified, the Capitals addressed the need for skill up front by taking slick playmaker Connor McMichael and cerebral 200-foot winger Brett Leason with their first two picks of the 2019 draft. The obvious answer may be that fact that the Coyotes dont mind promoting their notable youngsters within one or two years after being drafted, which was the case for Clayton Keller, Jakob Chychrun, and several others. Sooner than later, however, these kids are going to have to contribute in a big way. Graduated: Joey Anderson (RW) The appeal of upgrading a roster at the trade deadline is such that even the most inflexible of GMs can eventually cave to pressure. They have two of the league's premier prospects in Rasmus Dahlin and Casey Mittelstadt, in addition to sniping winger Alex Nylander. Josh Norris came in a trade for Erik Karlsson and is a fast center with offensive punch and scored 31 goals in the AHL. Joseph Veleno made the jump from juniors to the AHL in 2019-20 and scored 11 goals in 54 games. Senators' Joey Daccord on Arizona State hockey, plans for next season, 2018-19 rank: 18th The league isn't out to get them, nor is some black cloud hovering over the franchise. Although they lost 2017 first-rounder Robert Thomas to graduation, St. Louis has every reason to be excited about speedster Jordan Kyrou, who notched 43 points in 47 games as an AHL rookie with San Antonio. Players who appeared in 26 or more NHL regular-season games last season are not eligible, nor are players with at least 50 career NHL contests. 3. By doing so, they acquired more blue-chip assets in four months than they did in the previous 10 years combined. Graduated: Zach Aston-Reece (LW) Draft ranking Every ranking has a little bit of bias. Problems begin, however, when an objective assessment is made on the progress of the farm system as a whole. ANA | ARI | BOS | BUF | CGY | CAR | CHI Habitually trading away first-round picks and notable prospects to fuel multiple Stanley Cup run has it plusses and minuses, with the downside being the inability to replenish or refresh the depth chart with players that can actually play. Jets fans probably aren't used to seeing their prospect pool ranked so low. Right wingerVasili Podkolzin is 19 and a powerful, two-way forward who'll reach the NHL sometime in 2020-21. MORE: The truth about Nail Yakupov, an imperfect prospect set up to bust. The trade of Derick Brassard to Pittsburgh netted top goalie prospect Filip Gustavsson and a first-round pick that was used to select hard-shooting puck rusher Jacob Bernard-Docker, who will team up with a similar defender in Johnny Tychonick when the duo plays at North Dakota next season. The ridiculous depth Tampa Bay has at the NHL level makes it difficult to predict which prospects have the best chance as promotion. Graduated: J.F. If there is one sleeper among this thinned-out group, its 200-foot winger Judd Caulfield, who will play for North Dakota in the fall. Kaprizov still has a year left on his KHL dealand it looks like Boldy will stick around the college ranks for the next season or two. But brighter days most certainly are ahead for this once-dominant franchise, and drafting elite playmakers like winger Elias Pettersson and defenseman Quinn Hughes to help feed pucks to snipers like Brock Boeser and Jonathan Dahlen will shorten the time it takes to rekindle local interest. Key additions: Spencer Knight (G), Vladislav Kolyachonok (LHD) 1 overall pick (2020). The Blues top 10 may no longer rank among the leagues premier prospect pools, but keep in mind they just won a Stanley Cup with a roster that featured 14 Blues draftees. SCOTT PERUNOVICH, D, ST. LOUIS BLUES (+22) Last year: 90th. In the end, however, Sakic made out like a bandit, turning his maligned center into three stud prospects in centers Shane Bowers and Vladislav Kamenev and defender Samuel Girard. Jim Bennings plan to beef up his organization with speed and skill continues to achieve benchmarks, as the Canucks not only received a Calder Trophy-winning season from electrifying 2017 first-round pick Elias Pettersson but now have playmaking puck rusher Quinn Hughesready to challenge for a full-time role and his own hardware. Scott Perunovich as the top jewel. 4. On the bright side, the Oilers AHL farm team in Bakersfield had its best season since moving from Oklahoma City in 2015. The B/R ice hockey team got together in the aftermath of the Lightning's championship to take a look at where all 31 teams stand in terms of their farm systems, just days before the 2020 NHL draft. Defenseman Gabriel Carlsson and Andrew Peeke are former high-round picks who likely will never see power-play time or anchor a top or middle pairing. Down the middle, the Jets could use an infusion of top-end talent, although Finlands Santeri Virtanen and Swedens David Gustafsson, a pair of mature European two-way pivots, need to continue upwards in their development. 1 prospect in hockey and one of the most complete wings to enter the league immediately following his draft in some years. Kyrou earned a 16-game promotion to the Blues earlylast season, which was not the case for fellow winger Klim Kostin, whose second year in the minors was inconsistent but still finished seventh in scoring (24 points in 66 games). Kiley McDaniel ranks them from 1 to 30. Losing a Stanley Cup Final hurts, but the Stars and their supporters can smile knowing they hit a home run in defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who was among the league leaders in playoff scoring. 2018-19 rank: 30th ArthurKaliyev is a 19-year-old winger who put up 44 goals and 98 points in the OHL in 2019-20 and will make a big push for a roster spot with a team lacking firepower. The re-tool in Los Angeles has been pretty deliberate, but the Kings all of a sudden own a couple of quality pieces that form a sturdy foundation for the future. Boldy was a first-round pick in 2019 and projects as a top-six forward in the NHL with legitimate two-way skills. The Los Angeles system is forward heavy, with the vast majority of their best prospects being natural centers. Another first-rounder, 2018's Ty Dellandrea, has top-line center potential, and goalie Jake Oettinger is also rising. The waters are far from murky, however, as they have two of the AHL's best youngsters in late-round 2015 draftees Sami Niku and Mason Appleton, in addition to owning elite Finnish sniper Kristian Vesalainen. Of course, finishing second inthe draft lotteryand, therefore, getting super-sniper Kaapo Kakko was more luck than the art of scouting. Graduations: Sammy Blais (C/W),Robert Thomas (C) Also. The Habs also acquired cerebral playmaker Nick Suzuki from Vegas in the Max Pacioretty deal;hell battle fellow 2017 first-rounder Ryan Poehling to make the big club out of camp. Gifted winger Kristian Vesalainen and towering defenseman Logan Stanley were hot topics around the trade deadline but ultimately stayed put, as did top 2018-19prospects Sami Niku and Mason Appleton. The progress of every notable name within Washingtons improving prospect pool appears to be moving in concert with the success of the parent club; as soon as lineup issues occur, a contingency involving a prospect is executed. That said, winger Samuel Poulin was picked 21st overall in 2019 and is a good all-around player with no glaring weaknesses. Jump to a team: Traded/not signed: None. Behind him, defenseman Josh Mahura is a potential top-pair talent who's split two seasons between the NHL and AHL. The Blackhawks are another team with a number of recent prospects in the NHL, includingDominik Kubalik, who scored 30 goals in the regular season and four more in a surprising postseason. Suffice to say that if you're a fan of hockey in Southern California and your tastes lean more toward L.A. than Anaheim, there's a lot to look forward to. Metrics to measure success vary, but sometimes the best way to judge a teams prospect is to objectively ask the question, What is this players ultimate potential?, SN's TOP 50: Ranking the NHL's best prospects for 2018-19. Defense always has been a Kings' hallmark, and both Kale Clague and Mikey Anderson have just scratched the surface of their top-pairing potential. The Blue Jackets traded away a pair of their future pieces to the Ottawa Senators when they acquiredMatt Duchene in Feb. 2019, and then they saw a handful of other rising players at the top of the pipeline make the transition to the parent club. To no ones surprise, the majority of the organizations other notable neophytes are Swedes, with goalie Filip Larsson coming off another stellar campaign in which he posted a .932 save percentage and 1.95 goals-against average as a freshman for Denver. He signed a professional contract on the day the Kings' season was shut down because of the pandemic and has since been loaned to a team in Germany. Note: To maintain prospect eligibility, a player must still have rookie status. The top four scoring defensemen on theirAHL affiliate in Chicago that eventually went to the Calder Cup Final Erik Brannstrom, Nicolas Hague, Dylan Coghlanand Zach Whitecloud all are under 22-years-old. 329m goal: Felix the only men's contender for Chelsea's Goal of the Month, UFC 285's Shevchenko by the numbers: It all adds up to domination, A battle for No. Beyond their prized swift-skating American is a phenomenal two-way defenseman in Ty Smith, a first-round selection in 2018 who dazzled in training camp a year ago. OK, we know. The Jets appear deep on the blue line and more sparse when it comes to prospects at forward, though the ones who are there appear promising. Most of their recent draft picks had stellar seasons both in league and international play, with French-born forward Alexandre Texier leading the way after an excellent campaign in the SM-Liiga and difference-making play during the Stanley Cup playoffs. On the blue line, Jett Woo has 112 points in his past two junior seasons and has a physical edge too. The state of hockey in Steel City took a turn for the worse this past season,and some of the issues aging roster, expensive contracts, onrushing division rivals, thin prospect pool are symptomatic of a franchise on the brink of collapse. MORE: How Bruins overcame botched trades in blueprint back to NHL's best. Graduated: Warren Foegele (LW), Andrei Svechnikov (RW),Lucas Wallmark (C) Another impressive OHL prospect was hard-shooting Russian defender Dmitri Samorukov, who notched 28 points in 24 playoffs games helping Guelph advance to the Memorial Cup. The presence of Jack Eichel on the NHL level for the Sabres could soon be augmented by the arrival of Dylan Cozens, a 19-year-old center who's produced 169 points over 119 games in his past two WHL seasons. LW Alexis Lafreniere, No. These two consolation prizes have the potential to be perennial Norris Trophy candidates, with Makar having already showcasedhis offensive abilities during an Avs playoff run that nearly took them to the conference finals. Traded/not signed: Zachary Lauzon (LHD). Graduated: Rasmus Dahlin (LHD), Casey Mittelstadt (C) As for the future, defenseman Callan Foote, 21, is tough, consistent and solid on both offense and defense. The Ducks' profile is driven by the presence of one high-end talent in Trevor Zegras, who was picked ninth overall in 2019 andtopped B/R's recent listof the league's best prospects. Note: To maintain prospect eligibility, a player must still have rookie status. In goal, it looks like Jaroslav Halak will return as Tuukka Rasks backup, but if the performance of undrafted netminder Kyle Keyserwith Oshawa during the OHL playoffs is any indication, a long look in the AHL and a late-season promotion sound reasonable. The strength of the Hawks' farm system lies within the defense, which is led by four blue-chip rearguards acquired with their top two picks in each of the last two drafts. Already boasting an impressive prospect pool and fresh off a 25-point improvement in the standings, Montreal nabbed one of the top goal-scoring prospects in recent draft history by selecting Cole Caufield 15th overall. In fact, you have to go all the way back to 1970 to find a Blues draft class that didnt produce at least one NHL player with 100 games or more under his belt. I've broken down prospects for each club into three categories, noted in parentheses in the team prospect rankings: A prospects have a high likelihood of becoming NHL high-impact players (i.e. MORE:Hurricanes sign Waddell to extension: 'He's going to be here a long time', 2018-19 rank: 19th Traded/not signed: Cole Fraser (RHD), Zach Gallant (C), Brady Gilmour (C), Axel Holmstrom (C),Reilly Webb (RHD),Lane Zablocki (C). But the best of their Swedish-trained prospects could be recent first-rounder Rasmus Sandin, a mature yet gifted playmaker who was one of the 2018 draft's best all-around defenders. Rugged two-way winger Samuel Poulin is a notable prospect with promise, but he is the clubs lone first-round pick in the last five years (and at 21st overall, a bit of a reach at that). And adding a crown jewel in 2020 No. Draft Odds & Ends. What about 2016 sixth-rounder Eetu Tuulola, who placed in the top five in under-21 scoring in the SM-Liiga? The constant winning in Nashville has skyrocketed expectations to the point where Predators hockey is the main show in thefootball-crazed town. NHL free agency: Recapping what all seven Canadian teams did this offseason, 2018-19 rank: 1st Winger Logan Brown was a 2016 pick, but has also thrived in the AHL with 70 points. Nonetheless, there still are impressive pieces who can help stem the tide, such as winger Jason Robertson, who in his fourth OHL season led the league with 117 points. THE OLYMPIAN: Jordan Greenway's historic story from Canton to Pyongchang. Key additions: Ronnie Attard (RHD), Bobby Brink (RW),Cam York (LHD) Additionally, Florida owns two puck-possession monsters in wingers Grigori Denisenko and Aleksi Heponiemi, with the latter posting a WHL-best 90 assists the most in the league by a player of any age in 21 years. The general managers who run NHL front offices, with support from their staff, use a variety of methods to identify, develop and assess the future talent within theirown organizations. Traded/not signed: Gustav Olhaver (C). Traded/not signed: Jarret Tyszka (LHD),Scott Walford (LHD). MORE: Maple Leafs' best line combinations with John Tavares. First things first: Caufield is a player everyone in Quebec will adore and everyone elsewhere in the NHL will fear. The situation looked a lot more promising for the Wild before KHL stud Kirill Kaprizov made it clear he's in no rush tothe NHL. GM Kyle Dubas sure likes his speed and skill, which is obvious in the manner Toronto hasdrafted since hejoinedthe organization as an assistant general manager in 2014. NYR | OTT | PHI | PIT | SJ | STL Much like Calgary, however, the Sharks were rewarded with fantastic post-draft seasons from several later-round picks, such as winger Ivan Chekhovich (third in QMJHL scoring), Joachim Blichfeld(WHL scoring champion and Player of the Year) and Sasha Chmelevski (second in OHL playoff scoring). 1 prospect, the Rangers can also still consider Igor Shesterkin a prospect, and he very well could be a Calder Trophy favorite this year given his brief audition last season. Goalie Ilya Samsonov, a first-round pick in 2015, had an inconsistent rookie AHL season but is expected to once again challenge Vitek Vanecek for the lions share of Hersheys netminding duties. The Senators farm system finished first in the Future Watch 2021 overall rankings and, after they added 2020 draftees Jake Sanderson and Ridly Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content. MORE: Checking in on the Red Wings' improving rebuild. Teams with multiple prospects who possess superior talent (i.e. Women's Champ Week predictions: Which teams will win the auto bids in all 32 conferences? But what should compound the issue for opponents is the fact that they also own the two best defensiveprospects in all of hockey former NCAA standout Cale Makarand WHL playoff hero Bowen Byram. Go ahead and get their lockers ready. So, too, should be Vitali Kravtsov, who has been lighting up the KHL on loan this season. Finnish teenagerVille Heinola has all the makings of a top-pairing defenseman thanks to his demeanor and intelligence, and he's joined at the position by Dylan Samberg and Declan Chisholm, among others. Traded/not signed: Daniel Bukac (RHD), Ryan Donato (RW, MIN), Cedric Pare (C). Graduated: None The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. A critical need for centers throughout the organization was addressed in each of the last two drafts, and this next generation of Canadiens should be good enough to eventually bring the Habs back to respectability. In goal, Adin Hill has split time between the NHL and AHL the past three seasons, including an NHL shutout in 2018-19. Nonetheless, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has done a great job building a powerhouse through mostly the draft, but he's going to have to mine the later rounds for more talent as his team competes for a title. The Wild, forever stuck in mediocrity and coming off a season in which they missed the playoffs for the first time in six years, seem somewhat stable when it comes to the pipeline. Graduated: None C prospects showcase the upside to make the NHL, but either need more development time or are more likely to fill out depth roles. Marie Greyhounds. But there are reinforcements on the way in forwardsLiam Foudy and Kirill Marchenko, both of whom have top-six talent and blend skating with high-level skill sets. Jump to a team: Peyton Krebs, a 2019 first-rounder. Cheveldayoff also deserves credit for making deadline deals without surrendering any of his prized prospects from either the minors or abroad. 26 Feb Feb But as soon as Rangers brass pulls the draft-day trigger on the Quebec-born teenagerhe'll turn 19 on Oct. 11an already deep and talented pool of prospects will be filled to overflowing. He's the No. In addition to Byfield, the team has five other A-rated prospects and 10 B-rated prospects, both coming in as high-water marks for our entire ranking. Urho Vaakanainen, who has a high hockey IQ and makes good decisions. The downside is that controversial 2015 first rounders Jakub Zboril and Zach Senyshyn havent come close to validating Sweeneys decision to draft them ahead of an all-star games worth of future NHL stars. Liam Foudy and Kirill Marchenko, both of whom have top-six talent and blend skating with high-level skill sets. The regime change in Carolina that cost Ron Francis his job as general manager doesn't change the fact that the Hurricanes already owned an arsenal of identifiable blue-chip prospects. Little by little, however, theyve drafted and developed NHL-caliber players, albeit none of their current kids are on the level of a Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews. The group is expanding, but it still pales in comparison to the collections of young talent being accumulated by the leagues other 30 teams. LA | MIN | MTL | NSH | NJ | NYI The ninth overall pick rarely becomes one of the best players in his draft class, let alonean NHL star. 15 overall pick (2019). Among them is 6'3" left winger Nolan Foote, who came from Tampa Bay for Blake Coleman. And although mums the word on the health of 2017 first-rounder Gabe Vilardi, he still is one of the top playmakers among all NHL prospects. 329m goal: Felix the only men's contender for Chelsea's Goal of the Month, UFC 285's Shevchenko by the numbers: It all adds up to domination, A battle for No. Benning and staff also scooped up feisty forward Nils Hoglander from Swedenand speedy center Tyler Madden from Northeastern who tied for fourth in freshman scoring in Hockey East. Meanwhile, defenseman, Noah Dobson, a 2018 draftee, did arrive on Long Island and appeared in 34 games. ANA | ARI | BOS | BUF | CGY | CAR | CHI While it's perfectly fine to believe the Cup-contending Predators were built at the draft table, the truth is that their three best skaters Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg and P.K. Next up is flashy winger Grigori Denisenko, who wowed crowds in Vancouver at the most recent world junior championship with his stickhandling, danglesand a silky set of hands. Although there is a significant amount of force to that argument, the truth is that New Jersey is an organization on the rise and the prospect pool is deep enough to help fuel a sustained run towards perennial playoff contention. The 2017 second rounder was our ninth-ranked prospect a year ago but sat out the entire 2018-19 season due to concussion symptoms. Not all of them will be playing center at the next level, but if you're going to be heavy at one position, that's certainly not a bad area to focus. With Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault leading the way, Byfield wont have to take on a top role, so hopefully the Kings can get him into positions to succeed early on. He's followed by another potentially special talent on the blue line in Finnish exportUrho Vaakanainen, who has a high hockey IQ and makes good decisions. MORE:Coyotes can be 2018-19's Devils or Avalanche (with a little luck). Ville Heinola has all the makings of a top-pairing defenseman thanks to his demeanor and intelligence, and he's joined at the position by Dylan Samberg and Declan Chisholm, among others. What roles they are given, even if limited in scope and scale, will be monitored closely, especially if the team hits a funk. With a great high end of the pool, the Rangers also boast pool depth with a number of players who should figure into their near future. Traded/not signed: None. Graduated: Rasmus Andersson (RHD), Oliver Kylington (LHD),Andrew Mangiapane (LW) Not far from Kakko in terms of game-breaking skills is winger Vitaly Kravtsov, who before the age of 20 established himself as a top-line player in the KHL. The strength of the Hawks' farm system lies within the defense, which is led by four blue-chip rearguards acquired with their top two picks in each of the last two drafts. Hell have to battle speedy playmaker Morgan Frost, sniper Isaac Ratcliffeand center German Rubtsov for one of the few roster spots available.