1. Jack Studnicka - Top 6 F that will likely max out as a good 2nd line centre, has some good skill and is very smart with and without the puck, would love to see him get some 1st line time with Pasta out early next year
2. Urho Vaakanainen - Top 4 D, most likely a middle pairing guy that can log big minutes but doesn't have much upside offensively but will help on the PK and in a pinch could play some PP2
3. John Beecher - Middle 6 F, very powerful skater and great size, has more offensive upside than he gets credit for but I think he is most likely a very solid 3rd line player with 2nd line possibility and can be a net front presence on the power play
4. Jakub Lauko - Middle 6 F, very speedy winger who has shown the ability to put up points and has great skill, will likely slot into a similar role as Kase as a 2nd or 3rd line winger with skill and speed to burn
5. Trent Frederic - Bottom 6 F, likely a 3rd line centre at his best due to lack of offense, brings physicality and energy to the game, has some potential offensively to be a 30-40 point guy but mainly known to be very hard to play against
6. Jeremy Swayman - Potential NHL starter in 2-4 years, was the best goalie in the NCAA this past year putting up crazy numbers on a below average team, needs to get in some AHL time but it's hard to see him not be productive there as well after settling in
7. Jakub Zboril - 2nd or 3rd pair D, should get his chance this season, has all the tools to be a good player, excellent skater, plays with an edge, can provide some offence from the back-end but at times his hockey sense and decision making isn't the best and costs the team
8. Mason Lohrei - top 4 D potential, from what I've seen in the USHL pre-season this year he is a very big player who can really handle the puck and is an excellent skater, reminds me a lot of Mcavoy the way he skates (not quite as fast yet) but has lots of potential for someone who was a surprise second round pick, great shot and wouldn't surprise me if he leads all d-men in scoring in the USHL this season
9. Victor Berglund - Potential middle pairing D, someone who has flown under the radar as a 7th rounder but has been lighting it up from the back end in the SHL so far this year, great hockey sense and skating ability to go along with an excellent shot, wouldn't shock me to see him contend for a roster spot in as early as 2021-2022
10. Dan Vladar - Potential starter, had an amazing AHL year this past year, one more year of seasoning down there and with no goalies signed for 2021-22 we could see him in the NHL at the start of that year
Honourable mentions: Oskar Steen (bottom 6 forward), Curtis Hall (bottom 6 forward), Zach Senyshen (middle 6 potential), Pavel Shen (bottom 6) and Jack Ahcan (top 4 d with potnetial to play as soon as next season)
Obviously this is all opinion, but for me Lauko and Lohrei are lower, I also think one of Steen, Ahcan, Hall could slip into the top 10 . Quinn Olson gets an HM for me as well. I dont necessarily see the top end skillset from Lauko as much as others do.
I think this is very well done. The only real bickering could come with how you are weighing potential/NHL readiness/floor.
I think Zboril is a sure thing to be an NHL caliber player, but I think his ceiling is lower. In my book that has him a little bit higher, but it’s really tough to argue with your list. Well done sir.
McDavid, Connor
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