From HabProspects.com:
1. Max Pacioretty- LW.
Pacioretty is fresh off scoring his first ever NHL goal on his first shot. Things started off slowly for him in Hamilton after an impressive showing in the preseason, but he has turned it up a notch or two over the last month or so which got him the callup. The mixture of size, strength, speed and skill makes him the Habs top prospect as they have had a lack of players like him in the organization over the years.
2. PK Subban- RD.
Subban is creating a huge buzz at the WJC’s for Team Canada where he has been on of Canada’s most exciting players. With his speed, great skating, strength, and offensive skills, there’s no doubt he is a top notch prospect that has improved by wide margins since being taken in the 6th round of the OHL draft by the Bulls. Subban can join the Hamilton Bulldogs when his OHL season comes to an end.
3. Ryan McDonagh- LD.
McDonagh had a solid showing for Team USA especially in his own end and on the PK, something he should be used to since he’s on the 1st PK unit for Wisconsin. This year in the NCAA he has seen an increase in his offensive production despite seeing limited time on the PP with 9 points in 18 games. It remains to be seen if the Habs would like to see him join Hamilton next year or if they would prefer him to go back to Wisconsin, as he has had some trouble with his consistency but has impressive physical abilities.
4. Kyle Chipchura- C.
After a solid showing in the preseason, it had to be tough on Chipchura to be sent back to Hamilton for his 3rd season with the Dogs, but it has given him the chance to work on his offensive game and he’s done so this year, with 21 points in 25 games. After returning from a groin injury, he picked up his first NHL point of the season on Pacioretty’s goal and has been on a tear since being named captain of the Bulldogs.
5. Yannick Weber- RD.
Weber has enjoyed a successful rookie season in the AHL so far, getting top PP minutes and at times on the top pairing for the Dogs. The Swiss native has a booming point shot and has shown good accuracy in getting his shots on goal. The recent call up to the NHL shows that team is happy with the progress he’s making in his development as the 20 year old looks to round out parts of his overall game.
6. Matt D’Agostini- RW.
D’Agostini had another good preseason and this time he carried it right over to the AHL where he was lighting up the league scoring goals left and right. It was more of the same after his recall to the NHL, where he had a torrid start but has since cooled off a bit. The 22 year old still has 8 points in 15 games, as the speedy winger has filled in while the injuries pile up for the Habs with some impressive play, showing the club he wants to be considered for a full time position.
7. Ben Maxwell- C.
Maxwell is another from the group of impressive rookies in Hamilton this year, where he has adjusted well from missing so much time the past two years in the WHL, with 21 points in 27 games. The skilled center is smooth with the puck and will use his speed to cover a lot of ground, he was kept off the scoreboard in his seven NHL games, but the hope is that he can use the experience to build off this for the future, where the organization has high hopes for him.
8. Danny Kristo- RW.
Kristo had a solid showing for the limited amount of ice time he had for Team USA, getting time on the PK and scoring one goal as the spare forward. In the USHL he is a hair under a point per game average as he will finish up high school before heading to North Dakota next year.
9. David Fischer- RD.
Fischer has shown steady improvement in each year since making the jump from the USHS, and this year he’s found more success in the offensive zone where he has struggled in the past. The 20 year old now has 11 points in 16 games and is an impressive +12, it’s unclear if the Habs will want him to turn pro this summer or if he will go back to Minnesota for his final year.
10. Ryan White- C.
White has had been solid in Hamilton so far, making the jump from the WHL where he was a standout player, with the Dogs he has 18 points in 34 games getting time on various lines. The 20 year old brings some sandpaper to his game while being able to bring some offensive skills to the club.
11. Mathieu Carle- RD.
Carle has had some bad luck with injuries in the preseason, but upon returning to the team he has picked up where he left off last year as he continues to put points on the board.
12. Steve Quailer- RW.
Quailer is having a solid freshman year in the NCAA, with 12 points in 17 games. The 19 year old has a tall frame but needs to add some mass and strength, which he should be able to do while at Northeastern University. The skilled winger is getting a regular shift on the PP but so far does not seem to see much action on the PK, his club is currently leading their conference as they enjoy one of their better seasons in some time.
13. Maxim Trunev- RW.
Time will tell if it was the right move for Trunev to stay in Russia and fight for ice time in the KHL vs opting to play in the WHL for the Portland Winterhawks, but he has appeared in 22 games so far this year for Severstal of the KHL. The skilled forward has three goals this year but it was not enough to earn a spot on Team Russia for the WJC’s, hopefully next year he will get a chance to showcase his skills.
14. Nichlas Torp- D.
Torp appears to show no effects from missing the entire season last year with a should injury, as the physical defensemen has been wrecking havoc at the WJC’s for Team Sweden, throwing some big time hits with his stocky frame. Torp has dressed in 30 SEL games this year as well, a good sign in terms of the development for the 19 year old, it remains to be seen if he will opt to join Hamilton next year or stay in the SEL for another season.
15. Greg Stewart- LW.
Stewart made some noise in his NHL debut last year, and this year he has played some solid hockey for Hamilton, where he leads the team with 129 pims in only 35 games. The fiesty winger always sticks up for his teammates and uses his speed to create energy with some aggressive physical play and some offensive skills as well.
16. Joe Stejskal- RD.
Stejskal makes the biggest jump in the rankings from the pre-season, moving up four spots from 20th, as he has exploded offensively, scoring six goals and ten points in 12 games this year for Dartmouth. The 20 year old is in his second season in the ECAC playing on the top PP and PK units, getting a large amount of ice time which should bode well for him down the road.
17. Alexei Emelin- D.
Things were looking great for Emelin after his two appearances for Team Russia at the WJC’s and then two years later on the WC team. Since then he has struggled upon leaving Lada and joining AK Bars that has seen his offensive production dry up as he hasn’t scored a goal since making the move, going a season and a half so far without a goal. It’s still up in the air if the Habs will ever see him come over, but with his struggles he might want to try his luck in North America since he is not under contract for next season at this time.
18. Pavel Valentenko- LD.
Things don’t seem to be going all that well for Valentenko this year, as he had some struggles in the preseason and later opted to leave the AHL despite being under contract with the team to play in the KHL. The Habs have supended him for now, after he chose to sign a contract with Dynamo which could leave his future with the Habs in doubt.
19. Andrew Conboy- LW.
Conboy uses his large frame well to take the body often as he can crush players along the boards or in open ice. The 20 year old has had his ups and downs with injuries and off ice concerns, as his team sits at the bottom of the CCHA after winning a national championship just two years ago. With five points in 17 games, Conboy has racked up 66 pims over that span and in the two games I’ve seen him play this year he didn’t appear to be shy throwing the body around with some very solid hits. He will need to work on rounding out other parts of his game, but he is playing for one of the top coaches in the NCAA who is among the top coachs in all time wins.
20. Philippe Paquet- D.
Injuries have hampered the playing time for Paquet the past two seasons, and now the club has opted to move him from RD to LD, where he is a regular on the top PK unit where he uses his size and long reach to his advantage. In his NCAA career he has amassed 292 pims in 110 games, as Paquet likes to dish out the rough stuff. The stay at home defensemen is playing for a contract this summer, as the team will hold his rights until August 15th, 2009, but hopefully will get a contract where he can go to the AHL or ECHL next season to continue his development.
I still think that Matt Carle and Yannick Weber will be better right side (offensive) defensemen than Subban. Weber was better in the OHL last season, and there isn’t that much difference in their age. McDonagh is not as good a prospect as Valentenko was at 19. But I suppose he has the advantage of being North American, at least.
Finally Greg Pateryn is miles ahead of fellow CCHA prospect Andrew Conboy in terms of potential and upside. It would be a wild fluke if Conboy makes it to the NHL. Not so for Pateryn.
I would have to respectfully disagree that Weber and Carle will be a better offensive right handed defenseman than Subban.
Subban posted similar offensive stats at the WJC to Weber and was much better defensively (+12). Granted, comparing the Swiss and Canadian teams is a stretch.
As far as Mathieu Carle is concerned, I’m not as convinced as you are that he will be a solid NHL player with his defensive lapses. He is currently the only regular Bulldogs defenseman with a minus rating (-2) and still struggles with bigger forwards in front of the net and along the boards. He has improved since last season but would struggle at the NHL level.
Weber is even better than Carle in the defensive zone in his first professional season with a solid +6rating.
Unfortunately, I think Carle will be passed over by other Hab prospects (i.e- Subban, Weber, McDonagh, Joe Stejskal and even Ryan O’Byrne) with better two way games. I would be willing to include him as a package deal to improve the current NHL blueline.
It’s a close call between the three, and likely only one can play regularly in Montreal. Carle is the biggest, by a small margin, Weber has the best shot and smarts, while Subban probably has an excellant blend of size, speed, and shot. In terms of defensive play, I think it is a wash between all three, although I would have the least confidence in Subban.
Then you have the college sleepers who are all in the same age range, Paquet, Stejskal, Fischer, and Pateryn. I wouldn’t want to choose between those four at the moment. I think all have NHL potential, but differing skills. The likelyhood is that one of Paquet, Stejskal, or Pateryn would stick due to their physical styles. Fischer is probably competing with the CHL guys moreso.
I think Subban will be the best two way defenseman between the three (Subban, Weber and Carle). He can play a physical game and wins battles along the board, something the other two aren’t as good at.
Subban also has a mean streak and is willing to come to a teammates defend (if you remember, he had a pre-season fight against the Sens Cody Bass and beat the snot out of him).
I just feel that if Subban plays within a game plan and further develops his game which he has done thus far in his very young hockey career,then he will be a very good defenseman.
Simply put, Subban’s development ceiling is higher than Weber’s or Carle’s ceiling……we’ll agree to disagree, Rob!!
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