RE: 2014 NCHC Early Departures
Chris Dilks Top 80 College Hockey NHL Prospects
5. Jordan Schmaltz, Defense, North Dakota (St. Louis Blues)
Schmaltz’s statistics at the college level don’t necessarily jump off the page, but the former first round pick is an extremely effective puck mover, while playing responsible defense in his own zone. He sees the ice very well and moves the puck efficiently. Even if he doesn’t put up a ton of points, Schmaltz will be very valuable in the puck possession-oriented NHL
25. Riley Barber, Forward, Miami (Washington Capitals)
Barber is one of the most lethal scoring threats in the NCAA this year. His offensive instincts and heavy shot with quick release make him a threat to score any time he is in the offensive zone. He captained the 2014 US World Junior team, and had a solid World Juniors for the second year in a row.
31. Sean Kuraly, Forward, Miami (San Jose Sharks)
Kuraly isn’t as exciting offensively as teammates Riley Barber and Austin Czarnik, but everything about his game screams ‘future pro’. He’s a big, grinding winger who uses his size effectively on both ends of the ice. His offensive upside is a bit limited, but he’ll be a solid second or third line winger for many years to come.
34. Jaccob Slavin, Defense, Colorado College (Carolina Hurricanes)
Slavin was a player that flew under the radar playing on a bad junior team in the USHL, and a struggling Colorado College program, but he opened a lot of eyes by practically forcing his way onto the 2014 US World Junior team with an outstanding camp and a great tournament in Sweden. Slavin skates well and is an outstanding passer. He has tremendous upside as an offensive defenseman.
38. Andy Welinski, Defense, Minnesota-Duluth (Anaheim Ducks)
Welinski is a shut-down defensive defenseman that plays his position well and isn't afraid to play a physical game. Minnesota-Duluth has used him on their top pairing this year, including power play duties where he can utilize his heavy, low shot, but his offensive upside remains limited at the pro level. He will, however, be a tough defensive defenseman, with the ability to match-up against nearly anyone.
41. Rocco Grimaldi, Forward, North Dakota (Florida Panthers)
Grimaldi is one of the fastest, most tenacious competitors in all of college hockey. But generously listed at 5'6", his size continues to be a concern for those projecting him at the next level. Offensively, Grimaldi has averaged nearly a point-per-game in his sophomore season, leading North Dakota in scoring, but still converts on a relatively low percentage of the numerous scoring changes he generates.
44. Austin Czarnik, Forward, Miami (Free Agent)
Czarnik is one of the most exciting, dynamic forwards in the NCAA, but his diminutive size kept him from being drafted into the NHL. Czarnik plays with tremendous speed and has excellent hockey sense, which should allow him to transition to the pro level despite being smaller than most players in the league.
47. Joey LaLeggia, Defense, Denver (Edmonton Oilers)
With strong skating and a devastatingly accurate and heavy shot, LaLeggia is almost like a fourth forward from the blue line. His defensive play can be somewhat of a concern at times, but he's got a future as a potential power play quarterback.
55. Dominic Toninato, Forward, Minnesota-Duluth (Toronto Maple Leafs) Toninato's style of play is a unique combination of power mixed with finesse. He hasn't been a huge scorer in his freshman season, but once he adds a little more weight and adjusts to the speed of college hockey, he has the hands and playmaking ability to be a scoring power forward.
56. Jonny Brodzinski, Forward, St. Cloud State (Los Angeles Kings)
A year after a surprising freshman season, Brodzinski has developed into a legitimate star in the college ranks. He's always had a canon for a shot, but his skating and playmaking have really improved since coming to St. Cloud, which has helped him become a more complete player. If he continues that trajectory, he has the potential to become a real scoring threat at the next level.
61. Jake Guentzel, Forward, Nebraska-Omaha(Pittsburgh Penguins)
Guentzel is a small, playmaking forward with excellent hockey sense. He's racked up a lot of assists in his first season of college hockey. As he gets older, he'll likely become more of a goal-scoring threat as well. Guentzel may seem like a typical boom-or-bust prospect, but he understands the game really well and is strong on his stick. With some added strength, he could be very good on both ends of the ice.
65. Tony Cameranesi, Forward, Minnesota-Duluth(Toronto Maple Leafs) Cameranesi is an elite-level skater which makes him an always-dangerous offensive threat and an effective defensive player. He needs to get stronger and win more puck battles, but there's no doubt he'll be able to keep up with the pace of play at the pro level.
73. Kenney Morrison, Defense, Western Michigan(Free Agent)
Morrison is a big defender with excellent offensive capabilities. He's always been a threat on the power play for Western Michigan, but in his sophomore season, his ice-time and responsibilities have really started to increase. He's still a bit raw on the defensive end, but his upside as a power play quarterback is tremendous.
74. Carson Soucy, Defense, Minnesota-Duluth(Minnesota Wild)
After being passed over in his first year of eligibility, Soucy was selected by the Minnesota Wild coming out of Alberta and has immediately stepped in to the UMD line-up and played top pairing minutes. The big defender is a bit lumbering at times, but plays physical and has been extremely reliable on the UMD blue line.
77. Jaycob Megna, Forward, Nebraska-Omaha(Anaheim Ducks)
The brother of Penguins prospect Jayson Megna, Jaycob is a big, athletic defender with enormous potential. He's listed at 6'6" and is a smoother skater than his teammate last year, Tampa Bay's Andrej Sustr. Megna's feel for the game could stand to improve a bit, but his size allows him to make up for many of those shortcomings.
(This post was last modified: 03-27-2014 04:52 PM by BroncoFever.)
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2014 NCHC Early Departures
