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#8: Anaheim Ducks Top-10 Prospects |
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Number 8 in the top-ten prospect rundown is Anaheim, who have quietly amassed a very good pool of young prospects by mainly keeping and acquiring first round picks.
1.
Kyle Palmieri, Right Wing,
Syracuse Crunch, AHL,
26th overall, 2009, 20 years old,
5’10, 190.
Palmieri is an interesting mix of skill, agitation and hard work. He is an excellent skater with really good speed. He is gritty despite his size and will never back down no matter what. He has a solid shot but really benefits from his excellent hand-eye coordination on the doorstep. Palmieri has had an interesting young career with some ups and downs cautioned by the fact that he may not have the puck control to be a top-6 forward. For me his first year in the AHL silenced most critics, he can agitate, he can score and he can play both ends of the rink.
Uspide: 2nd Line Agitator
NHL Comparable: Brad Marchand
2.
Emerson Etem, Center/Right Wing,
Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL,
29th overall, 2010, 19 years old,
6’0, 192.
Etem is a scoring forward with quick feet and a good head for the game. His two-way game is solid and he is always the first on the backcheck. He put on a goal scoring show in the WHL but while his shot is great his passing and decision making are sometimes lacking in sharpness. He was not good at the WJC and really looked lost on the American squad which has hurt his status since a lot was expected from him (1 point in 6 games). He’ll be back in the WHL next year looking to round out his offensive game.
Upside: Top-6 Forward
NHL Comparable: Drew Stafford
3.
Sami Vatanen, Defenseman,
JYP, SM-liiga,
106th overall, 2009, 20 years old,
5’9, 165.
Vatanen is a tiny defenseman with a ton of offensive skill and a hard worker in his own end. He skates extremely quickly and has great acceleration. He is a better passer than shooter due to his great vision and prefers a wrist shot to a slapper. His stickhandling is excellent as is his puck control. His play in his own end is not great as he can be muscled around, but he is a hard worker and has strong positioning and an active stick. He is small though and fairly weak, while he has thrived in the less physical SM-liiga and the WJC’s he will need to bulk up to be effective in the NHL He is natural leader and has worn the C for Finland a few times in his career. Last season he was awarded the SM-liiga Best Defenseman "Pekka Rautakallio Award,” becoming the youngest player ever to win it with his fantastic season of 11 goals and 31 points in 53 games.
Upside: Top-4 Offensive Defenseman
NHL Comparable: Kimmo Timonen
4.
John Gibson, Goaltender,
U.S National U18 Team, USDP,
39th overall, 2011, 18 years old,
6’3, 203.
Very strong positionally and extremely patient and calm Gibson looks to have the raw tools to be a great goalie. He plays a perfect butterfly using his great size to cover the net. He has a great glove hand which may be his best attribute after his positioning. He was the hero for the American’s in the WJC-U18’s where he helped them win Gold and was named Best Goaltender of the Tournament. His weakness lies in his athleticism which is behind every other aspect of his game. If he can fix that he could be a fantastic goaltender down the road.
Upside: 1A Goaltender
NHL Comparable: Tomas Vokoun
5.
Peter Holland, Center,
Guelph Storm, OHL,
15th overall, 2009, 20 years old,
6’2, 190.
Holland is a big guy with some power forward in him along with some good scoring potential. He’s strong on his skates and hard to move off the puck. He has a good shot and likes to play in front of the net. He is not a good passer and lacks a lot in hockey sense which can lead to bad plays and turnovers. His two-way game is decent but unpolished. He is often called out for his inconsistent effort but has been getting better every year. His play in the 3 games of AHL time he had were amazing and he looked like a superstar, whether he can do that consistently though is still the question.
Upside: 2nd Line Center
NHL Comparable: Patrik Berglund
6.
Justin Schultz, Defense
University of Wisconsin, WCHA
43rd Overall, 2008, 21 years old
6’2, 185 lbs
The defense partner of former Ducks prospect and current Leaf prospect, Jake Gardiner, Schultz plays a very similar game, though with noted differences as well. A pure skater who can pull away from any forechecker, Schultz can fly around all three zones with ease. However, Schultz is more of a smart defenseman than anything else. Using his head, he knows what play to make on a consistent basis, especially now that his confidence is soaring. He’s offensively creative, and really likes to open up lanes on the PP, but has a quick enough shot to be a triggerman when called upon.
Upside: Top Four Two-Way Defenseman
NHL Comparable? Brian Campbell
7.
Devante Smith-Pelly, Left Wing
Mississauga Majors, OHL
42nd Overall, 2010, 19 years old,
5’11, 211 lbs
Smith-Pelly can absolutely fly on the ice. Considered a solid finisher, he doesn’t have the hands to be an offensive dynamo, but will put up points on account of other tools. Always bringing his A-Game to the rink, with solid work ethic, and a healthy dose of grit to his game, Devante is a skilled goal scorer around the net. He’s slightly undersized but has a thick frame and doesn’t hesitate to finish checks and play on the edge.
Upside: Top Six Scorer
NHL Comparable? Dustin Brown-lite
8.
Rickard Rakell, Center
Plymouth Whalers, OHL
30th Overall, 2011, 18 years old,
6’1, 185 lbs
A hard worker who does all the little things right, Rakell is a coaching dream. A feisty forward who gets in one the forecheck and under opponents skin, Rakell plays bigger than his frame would suggest. A heavy shot and quick release highlight a decent offensive package, to go with a fluid stride and a motor set on ‘go’. He never stops working, and is always thinking the game at high levels.
Upside: Top Six ‘Glue’ Forward
NHL Comparable? Patrice Bergeron
9.
Igor Bobkov, Goaltender
London Knights, OHL
76th Overall, 2009, 20 years old
6’6, 215 lbs
A tall goalie, Bobkov likes to use that frame when in net. An athletic guy who can move across quick and make some athletic type saves, Bobkov also has a fairly good glove hand to go with everything. His mastery of the butterfly technique is non-existent, and he’ll need a lot of practice and discipline over the next few years as he tightens up his game.
10.
Nick Bonino, Center
Syracuse Crunch, AHL
173rd Overall, 2007, 23 years old
An offensive presence, Bonino is a guy who many have doubted, yet he seems to keep on chugging. A lethal shooter, who is absolutely dangerous in the offensive zone, skating has held the pivot back. Extremely quick and soft hands to go with a solid understanding of the game, Bonino processes the game quickly. He’s never considered a liability in the two-way game, though it’s not his strength. The puck seems to follow him, and into the back of the net. He’ll need continued work on his footspeed and acceleration to make an impact in the NHL. He’s also likely to be moved to the wing long term.
Upside: Second Line Scoring Forward
NHL Comparable? Poor Man’s John Tavares
Thanks for reading.
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