Big Hype Prospects: Bains, Fowler, Sandin-Pellikka, Atanasov, Buium
Welcome to PHR’s Big Hype Prospects series. Like the MLB Trade Rumors series of the same name, we’re taking a look at the performances of top prospects from across the hockey world. We’ll look at drafted prospects who are rising, others who are struggling, and prospects for the upcoming draft who are notable.
Five Big Hype Prospects
Arshdeep Bains, LW, Vancouver Canucks (Abbotsford Canucks, AHL)
17GP 3G 18A 21pts
With 21 points in just 17 games this season, the 22-year-old Bains is shaping up to be a developmental success story for the Canucks. As trades and poor drafting has dried the team’s pipeline of young talent, the organization has relied on signings of high-scoring WHL products. Tristen Nielsen, who scored 41 points for Abbotsford last season, is also an example of this but the true gem signing thusfar has been Bains.
A five-year WHLer with the Red Deer Rebels, Bains only truly broke out in his overage season in the WHL. Before that point, his career-high was 18 goals and 51 points in 63 games. Then in 2021-22 he put together a stunning season with 43 goals and 112 points in 68 games.
That campaign earned Bains an entry-level contract with the Canucks, who put him in their middle-six in the AHL for the following season. He had a solid rookie year but not a dominant one, scoring 13 goals and 38 points.
So far this season, Bains has been one of the best scorers in the entire AHL, and he’s currently on pace to score 86 points over the course of a full season. Of course, he could very well end up in the NHL before he gets the chance to put together a potentially MVP-winning AHL season.
Many high-scoring overagers from the CHL struggle to translate their offense to a more demanding pro-environment. That hasn’t been a problem for Bains thus far this year.
Jacob Fowler, G, Montreal Canadiens (Boston College, NCAA)
12-3-1 2.04 GAA .929 sv%
Despite posting an 8-1 record and .952 save percentage in the USHL playoffs en route to a Clark Cup Championship, Fowler did not hear his name called until the third round of the 2023 NHL draft, after several goalies had already been selected.
Concerns over Fowler’s fitness from scouts led to many teams opting for more athletic prospects such as Adam Gajan or Michael Hrabal, but so far this season Fowler has arguably performed the best out of any of 2023’s goalies.
Playing for a Boston College program that could very well compete for a national championship, Fowler has started 16 games and gone 12-3-1. Almost every one of his starts has been a quality one, and he currently has a .929 save percentage and just a 2.04 goals-against-average.
Perhaps more importantly, Fowler has addressed concerns regarding his fitness. According to Radio Canada’s Marc-Antoine Godin, Fowler has cut his weight down from 220 pounds at the time of the draft to 200 pounds now, crediting both time in the gym as well as a “serious change in his nutrition.”
Not only has Fowler had no issue carrying over his USHL brilliance to the college level, he now seems to have seriously addressed one of the most significant question marks surrounding his NHL projection.
Although the Canadiens drafted three goalies in 2023, the early portion of this season has indicated that it’s Fowler who is most likely to end up the Canadiens “goalie of the future.”
Moving forward, all eyes will be on whether Fowler is able to unseat Michigan State starter Trey Augustine as the expected number-one goalie for Team USA at the upcoming World Junior Championships.
Axel Sandin-Pellikka, RHD, Detroit Red Wings (Skellefteå AIK, SHL)
23GP 8G 4A 12pts
One of the most talented offensive defensemen in the 2023 draft class, the early returns on Sandin-Pellikka have been strong. The right-shot blueliner has firmly established himself as an SHL-caliber player after playing in just 22 league games last season, and he has excelled in multiple areas.
Not only is he playing a heavy dose of minutes (he gets legitimate top-four ice time) but he’s also scoring goals at a far higher rate than is typically expected of a defenseman, let alone an 18-year-old one. Sandin-Pellikka is on pace to score 18 goals in a 52-game season, assuming he can keep this pace up.
The Red Wings selected Sandin-Pellkka 17th overall at the 2023 draft in large part due to confidence that his tantalizing offensive tools would translate into meaningful production at higher levels of hockey.
Although it’s still early, the Red Wings have to be encouraged by how well his dynamic, pace-pushing game has adjusted to one of the top leagues in the world.
Vasili Atanasov, C, Free Agent (Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo, KHL)
35GP 17G 15A 32pts
One of the most challenging things any prospect faces is making the adjustment from playing against one’s peers in a junior league to playing against men in a professional environment. Many players fail in that environment, unable to translate what made them so successful at lower levels to a heightened level of competition.
For Atanasov, a 21-year-old undrafted forward, that adjustment has finally come in 2023-24. A former top scorer at Russia’s junior level, Atanasov has taken the reins of head coach Igor Larianov’s Torpedo squad and is now on pace to score 32 goals and 60 points.
Atanasov possesses a similar physical profile to Canucks star Andrei Kuzmenko, who did not become a point-per-game KHL scorer until his mid-twenties. Atanasov could very well be at that point at 21 years old, which would bode well for his NHL projection should he have any interest in crossing the Atlantic.
Seeing as Kuzmenko turned a 53-point KHL campaign into a 39-goal, 74-point NHL rookie season the following year, if Atanasov can keep up his scoring pace he’ll likely be a highly in-demand free agent the moment he offers his services to NHL clubs.
Zeev Buium, LHD, 2024 Draft Prospect (University of Denver, NCAA)
16GP 5G 16A 21pts
With Russian “unicorn”Anton Silayev soaking up early-season headlines with his breakout rookie KHL season, other defensemen in the 2024 draft class have gotten less attention than they might otherwise have received. One of those blueliners deserving of more hype is Buium, a leading freshman for the Denver Pioneers.
A U.S. National Team Development Program product, Buium is the brother of one of the Red Wings’ best defensive prospects, Shai Buium. The younger Buium has more of an offensive touch than his older brother, and has a similar physical profile, listed now as six-foot-two on Denver’s team website.
Despite the fact that he is a draft-eligible prospect, Buium has firmly placed himself in the conversation for the upcoming World Junior Championships. He’s scored 21 points in his first 16 NCAA games, and could very well end the campaign with one of the best pre-draft college hockey seasons by any defenseman in recent memory.
A well-rounded player with strong skating and a good mind for the game, Buium has already risen sharply on NHL draft boards, and at this point it would be a surprise if he did not hear his name called in the draft’s first round.
Nashville Predators Recall Mark Jankowski
The Nashville Predators have recalled forward Mark Jankowski from their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.
The 29-year-old 2012 first-round pick has spent the entirety of this season so far with the Admirals, and is currently second on the team in points with 14 in 17 games. The Predators played the New York Rangers last night and today play the Buffalo Sabres.
The recall of Jankowski allows the Predators to have an extra forward on their roster for depth purposes, just in case coach Andrew Brunette elects to shuffle his lineup for tonight’s game. With Jankowski recalled, the team now has the flexibility to give a forward the night off if they so choose.
A versatile six-foot-four center, Jankowski can also play along the wings and has a decent track record of secondary offensive production. Not only is he a former AHL All-Star, Jankowski also has a career-high of 17 goals in the NHL and has over 322 games of NHL experience.
If Jankowski ends up playing, he’d likely be slotted onto Nashville’s fourth line, either in the place of Michael McCarron at the 4C spot or in place of Dante Fabbro, who has been dressed as a seventh defenseman.
Afternoon Notes: Martin, Colton, Sharks
After an injury to Daniil Tarasov put the Columbus Blue Jackets short one goaltender, the team claimed veteran Spencer Martin off of waivers from the Vancouver Canucks. It was a somewhat risky bet, as Martin struggled immensely in 2022-23. But so far Martin has put forth improved performance, as his .903 save percentage this year is quite a bit better than the .871 mark he had last year.
Unfortunately for Martin, his time in Columbus could very well be nearing an end. As Tarasov gets closer to a return from his injury, The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports that Martin is “likely to go back on waivers.” (subscription link) Although Martin could clear waivers and end up with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, the dire state of goaltending for some teams across the NHL means its far from a guarantee that the Blue Jackets will be able to retain Martin.
Some more notes from the rest of the NHL:
- Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton was fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for a “dangerous tripping” on Anaheim Ducks rookie Leo Carlsson. Colton was assessed a penalty on the play and now is deducted $5,000 as well. An offseason trade addition for the Avalanche, Colton has scored seven goals and 12 points in 23 games this year.
- The San Jose Sharks have activated defenseman Jan Rutta and forward Alexander Barabanov off of injured reserve in advance of their game this evening against the New York Rangers in Manhattan. It had been widely reported that both players were nearing a return, and now the team has made it official. Barabanov is the more notable name of the duo, as he scored 15 goals and 47 points in 68 games last season.
New York Rangers Recall Anton Blidh
The New York Rangers have recalled forward Anton Blidh from their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. The move adds a spare forward to the Rangers’ roster, something the team was missing for yesterday’s game against the Nashville Predators.
Blidh is unlikely to play, though he’ll serve as some insurance if any Rangers forward is unable to play tonight against the San Jose Sharks. Blidh, 28, is a physical depth forward who has played in 84 career NHL games. He has 12 career points and 41 career penalty minutes.
The Rangers have kept Blidh in Hartford this season, where he has four goals and seven points in 17 games. He last played in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche last season, skating in 14 games for the club.
It’s somewhat curious that the Rangers elected to recall Blidh over veteran Alex Belzile, seeing as Belzile has been notably more successful at both the AHL and NHL levels than Blidh has been. Bezile has 21 points in 20 AHL games this season and scored 14 points in just 31 NHL games in 2022-23, a total that surpassed Blidh’s career scoring total despite Belzile playing fourth-line minutes on one of the NHL’s worst teams.
That being said, Blidh does have a longer history with the Rangers (he played for Hartford in 2022-23 as well) so that could have been a factor in deciding which forward would get this recall from the AHL.
Snapshots: Reichel, Bogosian, Samsonov
Chicago Blackhawks forward Lukas Reichel will be a healthy scratch for today’s game, according to head coach Luke Richardson. Reichel will be in the press box even though Anthony Beauvillier will be unavailable for the game today as some of the logistics related to his trade from the Canucks are still to be sorted out.
After scoring 15 points in 23 games last season, there was some optimism that Reichel would have a breakout 2023-24 season next to phenom Connor Bedard. So far that hasn’t happened, though, as the 2020 17th overall pick has just two goals and six points this season.
Some notes from the rest of the NHL:
- Veteran defenseman Zach Bogosian will not play in today’s Minnesota Wild game, as the blueliner is dealing with an upper-body injury. Bogosian was acquired by Wild to help shore up their defense and has thus far played in nine games for the Wild. With him out of the lineup, Jon Merrill will get the call for Minnesota.
- Ilya Samsonov was absent from Toronto Maple Leafs practice today as he’s still dealing with an illness. Samsonov’s illness led to veteran Martin Jones being recalled on an emergency basis, and he backed up Joseph Woll for last night’s game against the Boston Bruins. Since the Maple Leafs next play Thursday, one would assume that Samsonov will be ready to play by then, although we obviously do not have official confirmation of that timeline.
New Jersey Devils Re-Assign Samuel Laberge
Saturday: After making his NHL debut on Thursday where he played just 2:11, Laberge has been returned to Utica.
Wednesday: Just after signing him to a one-year entry-level contract on November 25th, the New Jersey Devils have recalled forward Samuel Laberge from their AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets.
Laberge is at Devils practice this morning and could very well make his NHL debut with the club in the coming days, perhaps even in tomorrow’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Should Laberge get the chance to make his NHL debut, it would be a wonderful moment for a player who has been through so much on his path to such an opportunity.
Laberge’s pro hockey journey began in traditional fashion: after three seasons as a top-six power forward in the QMJHL with the Rimouski Océanic, including a campaign spent as their captain, Laberge signed an AHL deal with the Texas Stars.
A power forward capable of chipping in solid offensive numbers in junior, Laberge became more of a fourth-line grinder at the AHL level, and didn’t see his name on the scoresheet often. As a result, his standing and role in Texas slowly eroded as the team opted to give bigger opportunities to other players. He also suffered an injury that cost him valuable momentum and a full two months of his second campaign with the Stars.
After scoring just seven points in 2018-19, Laberge’s time in Texas ended. He had planned on heading to Manitoba on a professional tryout agreement with the Winnipeg Jets’ AHL affiliate, the Moose. But his plans had to grind to a halt, as his father had been diagnosed with cancer.
Laberge made the decision to pause the chase of his NHL dream and opted to stay closer to home rather than continue in camp with the Moose. Laberge later explained the decision to Devils team reporter Amanda Stein saying, “I wanted to spend the time with my father,” which led Laberge to forgo AHL opportunities. Laberge “wasn’t sure if [he] still wanted to play hockey,” but opted to remain in the game by playing in the semi-pro LNAH alongside taking on work in construction.
In 2020, Laberge re-joined the ranks of professional hockey, returning to the state of Texas to join the ECHL’s Allen Americans. He began to excel there, finishing with 17 goals and 42 points in 55 combined regular season and postseason games. Laberge then signed with the Devils’ ECHL affiliate, the Adirondack Thunder, for the 2021-22 campaign but quickly played his way back into the AHL by scoring 10 points in 12 ECHL games.
Laberge spent most of 2021-22 with the Utica Comets and last season spent the entire year in Utica, avoiding a single reassignment to the ECHL. So far this season, Laberge has scored three points in eight games for the Comets. He’s not a scoring forward like he was in junior, but the six-foot-two grinder can rack up hits, penalty minutes, and plays with a lot of energy.
Should he end up making his NHL debut, Laberge will likely do so in a limited fourth-line role. But just making it to this point, a point where he has an NHL contract in hand and is now on an NHL roster for the first time, is a remarkable achievement for a hard-working player who just a few years ago was playing semi-pro hockey and had one foot outside of the game.
Snapshots: Zadorov, Sillinger, Smith
Although Nikita Zadorov has yet to make his debut for the Vancouver Canucks, talk has already begun on his longer-term future with the club. The pending unrestricted free agent defenseman would be open to extending his contract with the team, according to his agent, Dan Milstein. Milstein said in an interview with CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal that he and the Canucks “will sit down and exchange thoughts,” adding that “hopefully there is a deal” to be had on a new contract.
Zadorov, 28, is currently playing on a $3.75MM cap hit. Whether or not he can match that kind of yearly outlay on his next contract will likely depend on how he fits into Vancouver’s overall defensive structure and coach Rick Tocchet’s system. Without much offense to speak of in his game, it’s fair to wonder whether Vancouver can afford to offer Zadorov a pay raise. With Filip Hronek on pace to score 79 points and in need of his own contract extension, the Canucks may not have the kind of room to pay Zadorov on a market-rate contract.
Some other notes from across the NHL:
- Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury, according to team reporter Jeff Svoboda. That’s less than ideal news for Columbus, as Sillinger is still widely seen as a core part of the team’s future. While he hasn’t quite reached the heights of his 16-goal, 31-point rookie season, Sillinger has managed nine points in 24 games this year and seemed to build some solid chemistry with other young Blue Jackets forwards such as Dmitri Voronkov and Yegor Chinakhov.
- The Hockey News’ Max Miller relays word from San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn, who says forward Givani Smith will be a game-time decision for tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils. Smith, 25, is dealing with a “mid-body injury” according to Quinn. A relentless, physical forward, the injury cost Smith most of yesterday’s game against the Boston Bruins. He has three points and 29 penalty minutes in 21 games this year.
New Jersey Devils Expected To Recall Šimon Nemec
According to NJ.Com’s Ryan Novozinski, 2022 second-overall pick Šimon Nemec is being recalled by the New Jersey Devils.
Nemec has yet to make his debut in the NHL, having spent the entirety of his North American pro career with the Devils’ AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. Also according to Novozinski, the Devils have placed defenseman Dougie Hamilton on injured reserve in a corresponding move.
The defensive depth of the Devils has allowed Nemec to develop in the AHL for over a year, a luxury many other teams would have been unable to afford. The 19-year-old right-shot blueliner was solid last season, playing a heavy dose of minutes and scoring 34 points in 65 games.
So far this season, Nemec has resumed his role near the top of the Comets’ defensive depth chart. Exceptional in the transition game, Nemec has gotten off to a fast start for Utica with eight points in just 13 games played. Nemec, who scored 17 points in a 19-game playoff run in the Slovak league during his draft year, has an Olympic Bronze medal and is likely ready for the NHL.
With defenseman Brendan Smith potentially facing supplemental discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety, Nemec could very well make his NHL debut in short order.
Calgary Flames Recall Ilya Solovyov
The Calgary Flames’ trade of Nikita Zadorov to the Vancouver Canucks opened a spot in their lineup for a younger blueliner to claim, and now it appears Ilya Solovyov will get the first chance to claim it. The team has recalled Solovyov from its AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers.
The 23-year-old blueliner in somewhat similar to Zadorov in terms of profile. While he’s not quite as physically overwhelming as Zadorov, Solovyov still possesses above-average size (he’s six-foot-three, 208 pounds) and plays with a bit of an edge. He’s been a minutes-eating defenseman for one of the top teams in the AHL and made his NHL debut earlier this year.
Although Jérémie Poirier offers a more dynamic skill set than Solovyov, the blueliner underwent surgery earlier this year and is still out indefinitely. So while Poirier, who scored 41 points in his rookie professional season last year, may have gotten the call-up under normal circumstances his injury paves the way for a massive opportunity for Solovyov.
With Zadorov now on another team, the path for Solovyov to establish himself as an NHL player is now clear, he just has to seize it.
Detroit Red Wings Reassign Jonatan Berggren
12/01/23: The Red Wings have reassigned Berggren to AHL Grand Rapids.
11/28/23: The Detroit Red Wings have recalled forward Jonatan Berggren from their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Berggren, 23, has been recalled fresh off of a three-game goal-scoring streak. The Swedish forward was the 33rd overall pick at the 2018 draft and has developed steadily for the Red Wings.
After a stellar first season in North America where he scored 64 points in 70 AHL games, Berggren made it to the NHL full-time in 2022-23. He scored 15 goals and 28 points, showcasing the potential to potentially become a top-six winger down the line.
As Detroit made aggressive moves this offseason to upgrade its team in the pursuit of a playoff berth, Berggren was pushed out of the regular lineup by arrivals such as Daniel Sprong. As a result, Berggren has played all of this season, save for two games, at the AHL level. He’s continued his success there, scoring 11 points in 11 games.
With Dylan Larkin out for tomorrow’s game against the New York Rangers, its possible Berggren replaces him in the lineup, albeit not in Larkin’s first-line center spot. With Patrick Kane set to arrive, though it’s likely Berggren’s stay on the NHL roster will be brief.