As the start of rookie camp is on the horizon, I’ll be spending the next two weeks highlighting some of the players of interest that will be participating. While many that I mention will be the most ready to make the jump into the NHL, some of them won’t, but they will definitely be players to keep your eye on.
We’ll start with Pittsburgh and Carolina.
What makes the Penguins interesting is their ability to manage the cap. They have some players with rather large salaries, but they also have quite a few players that are underpaid – like Max Talbot and Pascal Dupuis who are both UFAs next summer – and a plethora of horses in the stable that check in at or around the league minimum. Their salary cap structure is something other teams drool over.
Looking at their depth chart there isn’t much room for a rookie to occupy a roster spot, but that doesn’t mean they won’t fight for it.
At the top of that list is Eric Tangradi, 21. He spent the entire season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last year and got the call up to the NHL in the very last game of the season and stayed with the team as a member of the Black Aces until they were eliminated in the second round by the Montreal Canadiens.
He’s your prototypical power forward at 6’4”, 220 lbs that was hampered by injuries last season, but was able to pull it together towards the end. He was given the opportunity to play with Sidney Crosby last pre-season, had some pretty decent results and should be given the same opportunity this season.
Head coach Dan Bylsma has already said he plans to tinker with the lines and Tangradi will do everything he can to show his versatility and ability to work as an interchangeable part throughout the various lines.
The Pens are a bit thin on the blueline in regards to prospects, but that could work to the advantage of Simon Despres – their first round pick from last summer. He’s still just 19, playing in the QMJHL and hasn’t even signed a professional contract yet, but if he has a good camp he could earn a nine game tryout to get his feet wet and see what happens.
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The Carolina Hurricanes have an abundance of three things…cap space, talented prospects and available roster spots. They could legitimately have three, four, maybe even FIVE rookies on their roster this year.
Up front, Zac Dalpe, Drayson Bowman, and Riley Nash could all see significant time in the NHL this year and every opportunity will be given to this year’s 7th overall selection at the NHL Entry Draft, Jeff Skinner, to prove his worth in training camp. On the backend, Jamie McBain leads the way with recently acquired Bobby Sanguinetti right behind him. I know the Canes are also quite eager to see how Casey Borer, 25, might be able to fit into the line up after recovering from a broken neck suffered two years ago when the Albany River Rats’ bus crashed into a ditch on the way home from a game.
The three you want to play the closest attention to are McBain, Skinner and Dalpe.
McBain, 21, is a mobile defenseman with offensive skills highlighted by a booming shot from the point. A product of the University of Wisconsin, he spent most of last season in the AHL and I wouldn’t say he didn’t live up to expectations, but he didn’t blow anyone away either – a byproduct of going in with high expectations. Injuries on the Carolina blueline gave him a 14 game tryout at the end of the season and his transition to the NHL game was much more impressive. As it stands, a full-time roster spot is his to lose.
Skinner, 18, opened eyes at development camp over the summer. Originally tabbed for juniors this year, he managed to crack open the door to the NHL with his offensive skills – something the Hurricanes need desperately. If he shows the same capabilities against the big boys in training camp, a nine game tryout is on his horizon.
Dalpe, 20, had a fantastic sophomore season with the Buckeyes of The Ohio State University leading the team in goals and points, but after his head coach was fired, he decided not to be part of the transition next season and seized the opportunity to go pro. He immediately joined the River Rats scoring 13 points in 17 games between the regular and post season. He’s earned more than a second look during training camp.
Tomorrow, I’ll be taking a look at Toronto and the New York Rangers.
Till then!
Julie
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@JulieRobenhymer
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