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Expansion Primer: New Jersey Devils

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Over the next few weeks we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, and which will likely warrant protection or may be on the block. Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4pm CDT on June 17th. The full rules on eligibility can be found here, and CapFriendly has provided a handy expansion tool to make your own lists.

When the New Jersey Devils swung one of the biggest deals of the offseason, trading young defenseman Adam Larsson to Edmonton for former first-overall pick Taylor Hall, it suggested that the team believed it could compete in the short term with a little more added offense. Hall cost more, was older and had fewer years left on his deal and the Devils were coming off a year in which they took a step forward and finished with 84 points.

While Larsson went on a deep playoff run with the Oilers, Hall struggled through a knee injury and saw the Devils take another step backwards, unable to do much offensively. The team finished with just 70 points, but as luck would have it were selected at the lottery and will pick first in the upcoming draft. The Devils now have some interesting choices to make in regards to the expansion draft, and decide whether to expose some of their aging veterans or keep them protected for another shot at it next season.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards:

Taylor Hall, Travis Zajac, Mike Cammalleri, Kyle Palmieri, Adam Henrique, Devante Smith-Pelly, Ben Thomson, Jacob Josefson, Stefan Noesen, Beau Bennett

Defensemen:

Andy Greene, Ben Lovejoy, John Moore, Dalton Prout, Jon Merrill, Viktor Loov, Damon Severson

Goaltenders:

Cory Schneider, Scott Wedgewood

Notable Exemptions

Miles Wood, Pavel Zacha, Michael McLeod, John Quenneville, Nick Lappin, Blake Speers, Nathan Bastian, Joseph Blandisi, Yohann Auvitu, Ilya Kovalchuk

Key Decisions

The Devils will almost certainly go with the 7-3-1 protection scheme for the expansion draft, as they can’t afford to lose any of their scoring threats up front. The decision will be whether to use a slot on some of their aging veterans, or protect some younger players who haven’t lived up to their potential yet. That decision likely rests with the idea of whether or not the front office believes they can compete next year. Mike Cammalleri

Up front, the trio of Hall, Henrique and Palmieri are all in their prime and ready to compete, while Zajac is still an effective player at age 32. All four will surely be protected, even if Zajac’s contract is starting to look like a little ugly—he’ll be paid $5.75MM through his age-35 season. After that, it becomes a little less clear. The team could protect Cammalleri and hope he rebounds next season to the effective scoring threat he has been his whole career, or use that slot on a younger winger like Bennett who showed that he’s a capable NHL forward. Getting rid of Cammalleri’s $5MM cap hit isn’t a bad thing, but the Devils also don’t need the room right now. They’re heading into the summer with well over $20MM in cap space before even factoring the few million the limit may rise by.

On defense, the team has the same problem. Protecting Greene, the much beloved captain and career Devil would cause the team to decide between Moore and Merrill both of whom showed the ability to at least contribute in a depth role on the blueline. That’s assuming of course that the team would protect Severson (they will) and expose Lovejoy, who logged nearly 21 minutes a night for the team. Greene and Lovejoy will play next season at 35 and 33 respectively, and have already started their decline. Protecting either of them would be a move directly tied to next season, instead of keeping the younger defensemen.

Cory SchneiderIn net, Schneider is one of the most secure netminders in the league despite his down year, though Wedgewood is a potential option for Vegas.The 24-year old netminder returned from injury and finished the season strong for Albany, and still looks like he may have an NHL role one day in the future.

On that note, the Devils still have several issues to deal with in terms of exposure requirements. Every team needs to expose at least one goaltender who is signed through, or has received a qualifying offer for next season. Wedgewood, as a restricted free agent would need to be qualified to be allowed to protect Schneider. Each team also needs to expose at least two forwards and one defender who is signed through 2017-18 and played at least 40 games this season or 70 the past two combined. Currently the Devils would need to expose two of Hall, Zajac, Cammalleri, Palmieri, Henrique and Smith-Pelly. Even just to give themselves other options, it’s likely that a player is extended in the next few weeks.

Vegas will have a chance to sign any free agents from a team in loo of a selection from that club, but the only one who possibly would interest them is goaltender Keith Kinkaid. Outperforming Schneider at times this season, Kinkaid now has 56 NHL starts under his belt with a solid .912 save percentage. At just 27, he may eventually land a starting job somewhere but it would be surprising to see Vegas go after him seeing as they have several more experienced options available to them through the draft.

Projected Protection List

F Taylor Hall
F Travis Zajac
F Kyle Palmieri
F Adam Henrique
F Devante Smith-Pelly
F Jacob Josefson
F Beau Bennett

D Andy Greene
D John Moore
D Damon Severson

G Cory Schneider

With no no-movement clauses tying their hands, the Devils find themselves in a fine situation going into the expansion draft. They can carefully examine their players and see who they want moving forward. Is it a real rebuild, or just a reload for a quick turnaround? Would Vegas even take one of Cammalleri or Greene, with their hefty cap hits and advanced age? The team could also make a move for a forward before the draft, and decide to protect him instead. Ilya Kovalchuk

One thing to note is that Ilya Kovalchuk, expected to return to the NHL this summer at some point will not need protection. Kovalchuk currently sits on the Voluntary Retirement List, and cannot be officially reinstated until July 1st. As he’ll technically still be retired and out of the league, he won’t need protection. This is also true, though in a different manner, for Ryane Clowe, who will be exempt due to his career-ending injury. Clowe hasn’t played since 2014-15, and even though his deal technically has a no-movement clause he was listed as exempt among other former players like Chris Pronger and David Clarkson.

The Devils will have some tough decisions to make, but luckily they are all internal. The team won’t be forced to move anyone out in order to protect a young asset, instead just evaluating their immediate future to see if it’s worth hanging on to some aging stars.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen Require Shoulder Surgery, Out At Least Four Months

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According to Ducks GM Bob Murray, both Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen have torn labrums and require shoulder surgery. Lindholm’s recovery period is deemed four to five months, while Vatanen will need even longer. The GM also noted that Nate Thompson was playing with a hairline fracture in his ankle, while Jared Boll had a back injury during the playoffs. Kevin Bieksa told reporters earlier today that he played with a torn MCL.

Obviously, the repercussions for the Ducks are immense when it comes to Lindholm and Vatanen, two of their top three defenders. A minimum of four months puts them ready at the end of September after much of training camp, while anything longer will delay the start of their season. As Anaheim goes into the summer—and especially the expansion draft—looking to sort out their overflow at defense, injuries of this magnitude could easily change the appetite for them around the league. Vatanen in particular has been rumored to be available, as the Ducks prepare a contract extension for Cam Fowler. At 25 and locked into a reasonable deal for the next three seasons, Vatanen may have been the one dangled in front of potential trade partners.

The Ducks will have an issue with protection, as Bieksa still currently holds a no-movement clause and the team can’t really afford to go the eight skaters route. Even if Bieksa waived his clause, and the Ducks were able to protect all four of their young defensemen (including Josh Manson, who currently projects to be left exposed) it would mean exposing Jakob Silfverberg and Andrew Cogliano up front, both players the team would rather not lose for nothing. Moving a defenseman has been expected, but with the start of the season now in doubt for two of them it gets even harder.

While every team comes out of the playoffs with terrible injuries—just ask Nashville, the Ducks’ opponent who lost Ryan Johansen to an emergency surgery right after a game—these two are particularly troublesome for the franchise. We’ll have to wait and see how the team deals with the situation, and whether they progress in their rehab quick enough to start the season.

If Bieksa needs surgery, it does complicate the idea some have of a buyout to protect the Ducks in the expansion draft. You can’t buyout injured players, and surely a torn MCL will not be healed by June 15th when the window opens. The buyout would have been a last-ditch solution anyway, as Bieksa is on a 35+ contract and would cause his full $4MM cap-hit regardless. It’s hard to imagine the Ducks eating that just to help them out in the expansion draft.

Buffalo Sabres Officially Sign Viktor Antipin To One-Year Contract

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All the Buffalo Sabres can breathe now, the Viktor Antipin saga is over. After a long courtship, the team has finally announced the signing of the Russian defenseman to a one-year entry-level contract. The short term is due to his age; at 24, Antipin was only eligible for a one-year entry-level deal, and will become a restricted free agent next summer.

New Sabres’ GM Jason Botterill released a statement on why they though Antipin was a fit in Buffalo:

Victor is a well-rounded defenseman who has played in all situations at the pro level. His mobility and puck-moving skills make him a perfect match for what we’re hoping to build with our defense corps next season.

The mobility that Botterill mentions was on display at the recent World Championships, where Antipin recorded four assists and was one of Russia’s better defenders. His size is the biggest issue he’ll face in the NHL, as though the Sabres list him as 5’11” 179-lbs in their press release, the IIHF had him at just 5’9″ during the tournament. Either way, he’ll never compete with some of the bigger NHL players physically, but has never let his disadvantage slow him down in the KHL. During his six seasons there—he broke into the professional ranks at 18—he’s put up strong offensive numbers and been relatively healthy. Despite his team, Magnitigorsk, losing in the finals this season to SKA St. Petersburg, Antipin was named the best defenseman of the championship series. His seven playoff goals were the most from any defender.

For Buffalo, signing Antipin gives them another option on the blueline next year to build around. Along with Rasmus Ristolainen, Jake McCabe and Zach Bogosian, the team is looking to get younger and more mobile. Brendan Guhle will likely play a part at some point, while Devante Stephens could impress and make a case for himself during the year. With Dmitry Kulikov and Cody Franson likely on their way out in free agency, it will be a new-look blueline to be sure at the start of 2017-18.

Steve Ott Ends Playing Career, Takes Position With St. Louis Coaching Staff

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In surprising news, Steve Ott, just a few weeks removed from a playoff run with the Montreal Canadiens, has been hired as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues. Ott will join newly hired Darryl Sydor behind the bench with Mike Yeo, ending his playing career at age 34. Ott played with the Blues from 2014-16, skating with many of the players who he’ll now be in charge of coaching. Lou Korac of NHL.com adds that the contract is for three years.

Ott has been in the NHL since the 2002-03 season when he broke in with Dallas, the team who made him a first-round pick (25th overall) in 2000. He was coming off an 88 point season in junior hockey as the captain of the Windsor Spitfires, and actually would climb to respectable point totals in the NHL over the years. In 2008-09, Ott put up 46 points in 68 games playing mostly with Mike Ribeiro—who would lead the club with 78 points—and Jere Lehtinen. He would score a career-high 22 goals the next season and be made an alternate captain, a role he kept until a trade to Buffalo for Derek Roy in the summer of 2012.

Though his time with St. Louis came near the end of his career, Ott had this to say about the franchise in the press release:

I am very proud of my playing career and will devote the same work ethic to my coaching career. The Blues organization is very special to me and my family and I’m excited to take the next step in my hockey career with this franchise.

Ott, thought more of as a pest than a scoring threat, will end his career with 288 points in 848 games, along with 1,555 penalty minutes. He never won a Stanley Cup, though did play 61 playoff games and reached the Conference Finals with Dallas in 2008.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have won the bidding for 20-year old goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks, signing him to a three-year entry-level contract. Kivlenieks played for the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL this season and was named both Player and Goaltender of the Year. The Latvian goaltender had committed to Minnesota State University, but will now enter the Blue Jackets system instead.

For a team that is in no short supply of good young goaltenders, Kivlenieks just adds to their pipeline. As Anton Forsberg and Joonas Korpisalo continue to fight for NHL time as the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky, Kivlenieks will try to find his way in the minor leagues. The goaltender put up a .932 save percentage and 1.85 GAA in the USHL, leading the league in both categories. Oscar Dansk, another young netminder played this season in Sweden but returned to North America after his season finished, and will need a new contract this summer.

There is a possibility that the Blue Jackets lose one of their three current young goaltenders in the expansion draft, which would leave room for Kivlenieks to start in the AHL. Otherwise, he may actually need to head to the ECHL to start the year as there won’t be enough spots for all the talent Columbus has collected. Either way, this adds to an impressive group that allows the team to deal from strength if they so choose. As goaltenders develop it is tough to get a read on whether they’ll make it at the highest level, so bringing in several highly-touted prospects to see who is left is often a good strategy. The Blue Jackets are well prepared for a possible departure of Bobrovsky in two years, when his current contract ends and he hits unrestricted free agency at the age of 30.

Carolina Hurricanes Will Use Expansion Draft To Their Benefit

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Though the Carolina Hurricanes finished the season out of the playoffs once again, it’s clear that the team is on the rise. With a deep young defense corps, and an improving forward group, they could easily vault themselves into the postseason as soon as 2017-18. Now, because so many of their key players are young and ineligible for the expansion draft they plan on using the threat of Vegas to target some help up front. Luke DeCock of The News & Observer spoke to GM Ron Francis, who made it clear that he’s on the phones working to try and improve his club.

We’ve got the open for business sign out there. We’re in a unique situation with the amount of picks we have and the amount of prospects we have. It’ll be interesting. Really what it comes down to is what teams want: Do they want a player back for the asset they don’t have to protect or are they willing to take some picks and prospects?

When Francis refers to the number of picks he has, he’s speaking about the 10 picks the Hurricanes have in this summer’s entry draft, including six of the first 73 selections. Those picks, combined with prospects like Haydn Fleury, Julien Gauthier, Jake Bean, Warren Foegele, and the room the Hurricanes have to protect additional players in the expansion draft make them a perfect trade partner for teams afraid to lose someone for nothing.

The Hurricanes could easily dangle a prospect or ineligible player like Noah Hanifin in front of teams like the Rangers or Lightning who may be facing expansion draft issues up front.  Carolina clearly wants to upgrade their forward group, looking for both a top-line center and power winger to add for next season. They also could do nothing, and keep all of their assets for the draft floor and use them to move around and select the players they want. But with so much young talent already coming through, they could afford to move some of their prospect and draft pick capital to go after a big name or two in trade.

Cam Fowler, Ducks Set To Resume Contract Talks

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After being eliminated by the Nashville Predators, the Anaheim Ducks are set to start up talks with Cam Fowler regarding a possible extension again, reports Pierre LeBrun of TSN. LeBrun tweets that “all signs point toward an extension” at this point. Just recently Elliotte Friedman was on NHL Network to discuss the possibility of Fowler hitting the open market in the summer of 2018, saying that he could earn as much as $56MM should he reach unrestricted free agency. Cam Fowler

Fowler wouldn’t technically be able to sign an extension until July 1st when there is just one year remaining on his deal at $4MM, but the two sides could certainly come to an agreement of sorts prior to that. Just a year removed from a ton of trade speculation surrounding the young defender, the team now seems ready to commit long-term. Fowler had an outstanding year, scoring 11 goals and registering 39 points in almost 25 minutes a night. He was used in all situations as a #1 defender, paired mostly with Sami Vatanen (though the Ducks shuffled their pairings often).

While Friedman’s report does sound a little high—$8MM per season would put him behind just P.K. Subban and Brent Burns in terms of cap-hit among defenders—Fowler would be hitting the open market a year from now at just 26 with an eight-year track record of success. His youth, consistency and offensive upside would make him one of the most sought-after free agents on the marketplace (perhaps only behind John Tavares).

His extension talks obviously impacts what the Ducks will do prior to the expansion draft, as they don’t want to lose Josh Manson (who currently projects as the odd man out) for nothing. Forcing a Vatanan or Manson trade only to see Fowler walk out the door in a year would devastate the Ducks defense group, even with the promising young starts of Brandon Montour, Shea Theodore and Jacob Larsson. There are just a few weeks to go before the draft, and time is running out for the Ducks to make a decision, provided they haven’t already worked out a deal with Vegas to select a different player.

An extension for Fowler isn’t the easiest thing to fit into the Ducks salary structure though. Even as Kevin Bieksa and Clayton Stoner come off the books next summer, both Montour and Theodore will need new deals as they exit their entry-level contracts, while Manson will be arbitration eligible for the first time. What it would do though, is provide some certainty that the left-handed duo of Fowler and Lindholm are locked in long-term, allowing you to pick and choose the other four pieces around them. Simon Despres, who resumed skating with the team in the playoffs but is still out indefinitely is a wildcard in the whole scenario who still holds a long-term deal that pays him $3.7MM per season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Harri Sateri Turns Down KHL Offer; Looking For NHL Deal

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According to Finnish news outlet Iltalehti, Harri Sateri has turned down an extension with HC Vityaz of the KHL and wants to return to North America for a chance to play in the NHL. Sateri just finished a run at the World Championships in the Finnish net, recording a .916 save percentage.

Unlike many other European goaltenders, Sateri actually has some North American experience to stand on as he looks for an NHL job. The 27-year old was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the fourth round of the 2008 draft, and played parts of four seasons in the AHL before heading to Russia. After three very successful seasons for Vityaz, it may be time for the 6’1″ goalie to return.

Sateri represents an interesting option for teams looking for a relatively inexpensive backup, as though he’ll be free to sign with whoever he wants for as much as they offer him, his market is likely not booming. He does though provide some upside, as his .929 save percentage in the KHL the past two seasons has shown. Remember though that the KHL have generally higher save percentages than the NHL, with Sateri actually only ranking 14th among goaltenders who played at least 25 games.

Anton Lander, Magnus Hellberg Sign In KHL

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Now that his North American season is over, Anton Lander is heading to the KHL. According to multiple reports including Igor Eronko of Sport-Express, the Edmonton Oilers forward and pending restricted free agent has signed with Ak Bars of the KHL, a team rumored to have an agreement with him since March. Magnus Hellberg, who spent this season with the Hartford Wolfpack and New York Rangers, will also be heading overseas to sign with Kunlun of the KHL according to RSport.

Lander actually spent time with the Oilers as a “Black Ace” during the playoffs, but played just 22 games for the club this season. Most of his time was spent in the AHL where he continued to be a force, scoring 55 points in 42 games. Other than a successful stint in the NHL in 2014-15 when he scored 20 points in 38 games, Lander has never been able to put it together at the top level in North America, instead bouncing back and forth between leagues. As an arbitration-eligible RFA, the Oilers would have needed to give Lander a $1.05MM qualifying offer to retain his rights, though it did not have to be a one-way deal because he cleared waivers this year.

Hellberg, who was actually set to become a Group VI free agent this summer, played in two games for the Rangers this season and actually played just fine, stopping 26 of 28 shots. His numbers in the AHL weren’t so rosy but still good enough for the team to likely want to keep him around. The 6’6″ goaltender has shown plenty of promise through his career thus far, though perhaps not enough to warrant the second-round pick Nashville spent on him in 2011. Just two years ago, the Rangers acquired him for a sixth-rounder and now will watch him head to the KHL. The 26-year old has a chance to return to North America one day if he can find more consistency.

Notable Prospects Playing In The Memorial Cup

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The Memorial Cup is considered one of the hardest trophies to win.

First, a team has to make the playoffs and win four rounds to win their league (WHL, OHL, or QMJHL). Then, they have to win a week-long tournament featuring the other winners and a host team, selected because of expected success. This season, the Seattle Thunderbirds, Erie Otters, Windsor Spitfires, and Saint John Sea Dogs are the competitors in Windsor. Seattle has been knocked out of the tournament, and Saint John and Erie will play on Friday to face off against Windsor in the final.

Here’s a look at some of the notable names taking part:

Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL champions, now eliminated):
C Mathew Barzal (NYI) – Projected as a top-ten pick in 2015, the Islanders were lucky to snag Barzal at 16th overall. He missed part of this season with an injury, but still scored 79 points in 41 games. Barzal could be in the NHL next season if he physically develops this summer.
D Ethan Bear (EDM) – The WHL’s defenseman of the year, Bear scored 28 goals and 70 points in 67 games this season. The Oilers’ fifth-round pick in 2015 will turn pro in 2017-18 with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL.
L Ryan Gropp (NYR) – Since being drafted 41st overall in 2015, Gropp has scored 154 points in 122 games with the Thunderbirds. He’ll start his pro career with the Hartford Wolfpack in the AHL.

Erie Otters (OHL champions):
C Dylan Strome (ARI) – The third-overall pick in 2015 spent seven games in the NHL to start the year, but was sent back to Erie after he only put up two assists. He captained Team Canada at the World Juniors and posted 75 points in 35 games in the OHL. The middle Strome brother will very likely be in the NHL next season.
R Alex DeBrincat (CHI) – A possible steal at 39 overall in 2016, the dimunitive DeBrincat scored 65 goals and 127 points in 63 games in the OHL. Whether or not he can continue scoring in the professional game is yet to be determined, but he’s clearly demonstrated a high skill level.
R Taylor Raddyish (TBL) – Another second-round pick from 2016, the big winger scored 42 goals and 109 points in 58 games. He also scored five goals in seven games for Canada at the World Juniors.
C Anthony Cirelli (TBL) – A third-round pick of the Lightning in 2015, Cirelli was traded to Erie at the OHL trade deadline shortly after he scored seven points in seven games for Canada at the World Juniors. He’s already won a Memorial Cup with Oshawa in 2015, where he scored the OT winner in the final vs Kelowna.
C Ivan Lodnia (2017 eligible) – Playing on a shutdown line at age 17, the draft eligible Lodnia has shown good two-way instincts. He also scored 57 points in 66 games this season. He’s expected to be a late first round pick this coming draft. The Hockey News compared him to Mikael Boedker.
D Jordan Sambrook (DET) – The Red Wings picked the 6’2 right-handed defenseman 157th overall last summer, and have to be excited about his potential. The two-way defender scored 40 points in 61 games this season, and will look to improve in his final year of junior next

Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL champions):
C Joe Veleno (2018 eligible) – Veleno is the fifth player that Hockey Canada has granted Exceptional Status to. He’s scored 83 points in 107 junior games over the last two years. He should be a dynamic junior star next season as he physically matures.
R Julien Gauthier (CAR) – The 6’4, 225 lbs power forward has been compared to Rick Nash. Carolina’s 21st overall pick in 2016 will turn pro this coming season after an injury-shortened season. He did score five goals in seven games for Canada at the World Juniors.
R Mathieu Joseph (TBL) – The 2015 fourth-round pick has really picked up his offensive game as his junior career ends. He’s followed up an 80-point season with 32 points in 18 playoff games.
D Thomas Chabot (OTT) – One of the best prospects in the game, Chabot dominated for Canada at the World Juniors with 10 points in seven games. He’ll be starring alongside Erik Karlsson in Ottawa in the next two or three years.
D Jakub Zboril (BOS) – The first of Boston’s three consecutive first rounders in 2015, Zboril plays a tough game. While he’ll never be a big point-producer, he ought to be a dependable second pairing option in the future.
G Callum Booth (CAR) – Carolina’s fourth-round pick in 2015 was traded mid-season and only posted a 0.903 SV% in 26 games in Saint John. Drafting and developing goalies is voodoo, so it’s too early to make a call on Booth.

Windsor Spitfires (host, lost in OHL’s first round to the London Knights):
C Gabriel Vilardi (2017 eligible) – A top-five projected pick in this upcoming draft, Vilardi is a big, skilled center that The Hockey News compared to Jason Allison.
C Logan Brown (OTT) – Ottawa traded up from 12th to 11th to ensure they got Brown, who is a big powerful center with a good shot. He scored 40 points in 35 games this season.
C Julius Nattinen (ANA) – Anaheim’s second-round pick in 2015 didn’t put up big numbers this season after a big offensive year last year in Barrie. He’ll turn pro next season.
R Jeremy Bracco (TOR) – Bracco scored 83 points in 57 games split between Kitchener and Windsor this season, but will have his work cut out for him next year when he turns pro; Toronto has a large number of wingers in the system, so he’ll have to stand out.
D Logan Stanley (WPG) – The giant defensive defenseman was perhaps a reach at 18th overall this last summer, but will get his chances as a left-handed defenseman on the right-dominated Jets roster.
D Mikhail Sergachev (MTL) – The dominant two-way defenseman got a taste of the NHL last fall, and will likely find himself in Montreal’s top four before long.
D Sean Day (NYR) – The fourth player to be granted Exception Status by Hockey Canada back in 2013, he’s something of a cautionary tale for projected 14-year-olds. His size allowed him to dominate minor hockey, but he has yet to put it all together consistently in the OHL. He was the Rangers’ third-round pick in 2016.
G Mike DiPietro (2017 eligible) – One of the top-ranked goaltenders for the upcoming draft, DiPietro is a very athletic goaltender. He’s been strong all season and at the Memorial Cup, but as mentioned above, projecting goaltenders is voodoo. He’ll be a late first or early second-round pick and one of the first goaltenders off the board.

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