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AHL Notes: Smith, Sadek, Boka, Afanasyev

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After wrapping up a four-year collegiate career at Bowling Green State University, defenseman Adam Smith was ready to turn pro. While the Nashville Predators were not prepared to offer the 2016 seventh-round pick an entry-level contract, the invisible hand of the market still guided Smith to the organization. The Predators’ AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, announced a two-year AHL deal with Smith today. The contract will begin with 2019-20, as Smith finishes out this season on an amateur tryout offer. Smith, 22, is not much of an offensive asset on the blue line, but played an important role for Bowling Green en route to an NCAA Tournament appearance as a dependable defensive presence. If he continues to progress over a couple years in the minors, Smith could find himself with an NHL deal with Nashville down the road.

  • Former Big Ten rivals Jack Sadek and Nick Boka have become teammates at the pro level this last month after the duo signed amateur tryouts with the AHL’s Iowa Wild. The defense pair are both recent draft picks of the Minnesota Wild – Boka in the sixth round out of the University of Michigan and Sadek in the seventh round out of the University of Minnesota, both in 2015 – but did not do quite enough in their college tenures to earn entry-level contracts right away. Instead, they were asked to show that they were worthy of a continued investment by the Wild, starting with a stint with the ECHL’s Allen Americans. Now, both players have been recalled by Iowa as the first step toward getting closer to an NHL deal. Both Sadek and Boka are right-handed shots with good size who improved over their four years in college, so there is a lot to like about the prospects. However, they both have work to do to earn an extended look with the organization.
  • The AHL may have another “true rookie” to look forward to next season. USHL standout Egor Afanasyev, who many see as a fringe first-round pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, appears destined to follow in the footsteps of fellow imports like Klim Kostin and Martin Kaut by jumping right to the pro level next year. Afanasyev de-committed from Michigan State University earlier this year and has not been looking to join another college program next season. Meanwhile, he was drafted into the OHL by the Ottawa 67’s and had his rights traded to the Windsor Spitfires this season, but there has been little to no talk of him joining the junior squad. Instead, the Russian-born power forward clearly prefers to play in the AHL next season. He does have the size to do so; Afansyev stands 6’3″ and over 200 lbs. and plays with an edge to match. He also has the skill, as he has scored at better than a point-per-game clip this season for the Muskegon Lumberjacks and the deeper analytics indicate he has been even better than that. Ultimately, the team that drafts Afanasyev will decide on what the best next step would be in his development, but as his draft stock continues to rise it is becoming increasingly likely that he makes his pro debut in 2019-20.

Draft Notes: Moore, Saarela, Wright

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It was a disappointing season for the University of North Dakota, as the historic program exited their conference tournament early and failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. However, one down year hasn’t impacted their recruiting power and the program has another impressive group of young players arriving next season. Among those already committed were U.S. National Development Team Program forward Judd Caulfield and goaltender Cameron Rowe, as well as USHL scorer Shane Pinto and BCHL standout Massimo Rizzo. All four players are almost certainly going to be drafted in June, making for a star-studded group as it is, but North Dakota added yet another draft prospect today. Cooper Moore, an all-league defenseman from The Brunswick School in Connecticut, announced his own commitment today to join the Fighting Hawks next year. The mobile blue liner was better than a point-per-game scorer this season and among the top five scoring defensemen in all of New England prep school hockey. The latest rankings from NHL Central Scouting listed Moore as the No. 86 skater in North America, likely putting him in the fourth or fifth round range in the draft. It’s a strong addition for North Dakota, who likely will have an eventual No. 1 defenseman in Moore.

  • Regardless of when he is drafted and by whom, it seems forward Antti Saarela plans to continue his development in his native Finland. Saarela, the brother of Carolina Hurricanes prospect Aleksi Saarela, is hoping to have the edge on his brother in terms of draft position. Whereas Aleksi was a late third-round pick in 2015, Antti is projected by most to be a late second- or early third-round pick this year. But even if a team spends considerable draft capital on Saarela, they may not get him to North America right away. Liiga club Ilves has announced that they have signed Saarela, a free agent, to a two-year contract. Saarela leaves his previous team, Luukko, where he was used sparingly in just 24 games, despite recording 10 points in that limited action. If Ilves is prepared to give Saarela a greater role, the young winger would likely play out that contract before making the jump across the Atlantic. This is unlikely to dissuade interested teams though; Saarela is still raw and likely several years from competing for an NHL job. Plus, his offensive upside is worth making the pick on the long-term project.
  • While the NHL Draft has the attention of most pro hockey fans, another important draft will take place this weekend. The OHL Priority Selection Draft will get underway on Saturday, as another class of junior stars – many of whom will be NHL draft picks in the future – will find out where they’re headed. However, the owners of the first overall pick are planning to get the party started early. The Kingston Frontenacs teased fans today with a blurred picture of the player they will take at No. 1, promising to reveal the name on Friday. The reason Kingston is likely so eager to make the announcement is that many assume the pick to be a foregone conclusion. 15-year-old forward Shane Wright, who was granted Exceptional Player Status, is expected to be the pick and a generational talent for Kingston. OHL insider Brock Otten states that the selection has essentially been confirmed, so here is a question with more intrigue: will this be the only time Wright is selected first overall in a draft? The dynamic center is undoubtedly the early favorite to go No. 1 in 2022, but a lot can change between now and then.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Goaltender Cayden Primeau

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The Montreal Canadiens continue a busy day by signing yet another top prospect who could turn into a franchise cornerstone. After inking first-round forward Ryan Poehling to an entry-level contract earlier, the Canadiens have done the same with top goalie prospect Cayden Primeau. The team has officially announced a three-year ELC for Primeau beginning in the 2019-20 season. The early upset losses for St. Cloud State University and Northeastern University have been to Montreal’s gain, as Poehling will join the Canadiens immediately and Primeau will get his first taste of the pro game on an amateur tryout with the AHL’s Laval Rocket to end the season.

Primeau, still just 19 years old, has come a long way in just two years since being drafted. A seventh-round pick in 2017, Primeau was known more for his lineage than his talent as the son of former NHLer Keith Primeau. Primeau’s numbers in the USHL had been good but not great and heading to Northeastern for his freshman season was expected to be the backup to incumbent Ryan Ruck. Instead, Primeau appeared in 34 of 38 games for the Huskies last year, posting a sub-2.00 GAA and .931 save percentage. Primeau was a Hockey East First-Team All-Star and Mike Richter Award finalist and helped his team win the Hockey East Tournament. If that sounds familiar, it’s because he accomplished all three of those feats again this season, recording a .933 save percentage and 2.09 GAA in 36 games. Primeau also starred for Team USA at the World Junior Championships this year, earning the starting role over fellow top prospects Kyle Keyser (BOS) and Spencer Knight (2019). Primeau – and Poehling – led the Americans to a silver medal at the tournament, with Primeau posting an immaculate 1.61 GAA and .936 save percentage.

After two outstanding years at Northeastern and a stellar World Junior performance, there was great speculation that Primeau would turn pro despite his young age for a goaltender. For all of his amateur accomplishments, there is still plenty of work to be done for Primeau at the pro level. Fortunately, he has plenty of time and faces little pressure; the Canadiens current keeper isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Carey Price, who will be 32 before next season, is nevertheless signed for seven more years at a $10.5MM AAV. Primeau could find himself as third-string behind Price and Charlie Lindgren as early as next season, but the Habs have no expectations that he will be the starter any time soon. Primeau can take his time and develop in the AHL and maybe could become Price’s backup at some point during his entry-level contract. But with an all-world starter ahead of him, Primeau is still years away from the pressure of a top NHL role and that’s alright for a talented, young goalie.

Decisions Coming From Dante Fabbro, Shane Bowers

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The talent on the Boston University roster this season didn’t quite match up with the regular season results this year and the Terriers needed to win the Hockey East Conference Tournament to keep their season alive with an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. They faced the same scenario last season and were able to get in, but lightning didn’t strike twice. The Northeastern Huskies knocked off BU in the Hockey East semifinals tonight and now decisions await several of the teams stars.

The most notable decision will come from 2016 first-round pick Dante Fabbro. The 16th overall pick by the Nashville Predators that year, Fabbro was a superstar for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL and has only continued to progress at BU into a high-end two-way defenseman. Fabbro set a career high with 33 points in 37 games this season and was named a first-team all-conference selection for his efforts. Fabbro may not have much more growing to do at the college level, but does have another year of NCAA eligibility remaining. If he chooses to turn pro and surrender that final year, he would undoubtedly be a welcomed addition in Nashville. However, he does have some incentive to wait one more year. The Predators have one of the deepest blue lines in the NHL, armed with an elite top-four and seven veteran defenders already signed through next season. Fabbro could end up buried in the minors or at the very least outside top-four consideration for several years if he signs with the team that drafted him. If he instead opts to return to BU for his senior year, he could then wait until August 2020 and become an unrestricted free agent. The wait is now on to see what Fabbro decides to do. Ironically, teammate Patrick Harper finds himself in the same situation with the Predators. The talented forward had a down year after back-to-back point-per-game campaigns to begin his collegiate career. He may be looking to move on from the college game, but Nashville’s 2016 fifth-round pick could benefit from another year with the Terriers and also opens himself up to the possibility of free agency if he returns for a fourth NCAA season.

The clock may also be ticking for Fabbro’s teammate and fellow first-round pick Shane Bowers. A 2017 selection, Bowers actually has two years of eligibility remaining, but rumors surfaced earlier this season that Bowers was considering moving on from the NCAA ranks. In fact, there was some doubt that Bowers would return to BU after the World Juniors earlier this year, with some speculating he could sign with the Colorado Avalanche instead. Originally a pick of the Ottawa Senators, Bowers was one of the pieces moved to the Avs in the Matt Duchene trade and now finds himself with the opportunity to join a good team with a need for secondary scoring. Bowers certainly has room to improve before turning pro, but the former USHL standout would still likely step into an immediate role in Colorado. Bowers could potentially even join the Avalanche right away this season to help the team in their playoff push. Such a chance doesn’t come around very often and could persuade Bowers to cut his tenure in Boston short.

Elsewhere on the roster, starting goaltender Jake Oettinger, another 2017 first-round pick, may consider a move to the pros as well. The Dallas Stars top goalie prospect had another up-and-down year, but has undeniable talent and could choose to leave the college level behind him. However, after watching another talented, young Dallas keeper, Colton Point, see limited action and ample struggles in both the AHL and ECHL in his first pro season in the Stars’ system, Oettinger may not be in any rush. Most of the Terriers’ other NHL prospects have years of eligibility remaining and seem unlikely to jump ship. Among those who hypothetically could are Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Philadelphia Flyers first-rounder Joel Farabee, another Nashville Predators prospect in David Farrance, and intriguing Chicago Blackhawks defensive prospect Chad Krys. 

Two players without any choice in the matter are Bobo Carpenter and Max Willman. Carpenter, who struggled with injuries this season, nevertheless will be a priority free agent now that BU’s season is over. The undrafted forward has NHL lineage, leadership skills, and a strong work ethic. At just 22, Carpenter brings four years of NCAA experience and consistent scoring numbers to whichever team is lucky to land him. There may not be the same press to sign Willman. A rare five-year college player, Willman is a 2014 selection of the Buffalo Sabres but may not be tendered by the team. In four years at Brown University and a graduate year at Boston University, Willman managed just 51 points in 134 games with just one breakout year as a junior at Brown. Buffalo may like how the 24-year-old’s mature game could translate to the pros, but his upside may not be worthy of an entry-level contract. Should Willman become a free agent, the Cape Cod native will have plenty of AHL teams close to home who could be willing to give him a chance.

Change is coming to Boston University one way or another, but just how much change will depend on how many of their top players decide to turn pro versus return for another year. Either the Terriers or the NHL will end up with a good amount of talent added to the mix next season.

Pacific Notes: Kesler, Eaves, Ruggiero, Schueneman, Brassard

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The Anaheim Ducks have struggled with injuries all season and it doesn’t sound like the odds are good for two of their veteran forwards to return this season. GM and interim head coach Bob Murray issued a statement today offering an update on the status of both Ryan Kesler and Patrick Eaves and did so without much optimism. Kesler has missed the Ducks’ past seven games with a hip injury and will meet with team doctors soon to evaluate his recovery. Murray states that Kesler, 34, needs to consider his long-term overall health and that discussions have been ongoing between the team, player, and agent about the best course of action. Murray’s best guess is that “I doubt strongly you’ll see him again this year.” As for Eaves, also 34, the prognosis is similar. Eaves continues to struggle with the effects of a condition similar to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which cost him all but two games last year and seven games this year. Murray revealed that Eaves has “has a setback” and is “struggling”. He states that Eaves’ focus is simply getting back to a normal life before focusing on a return to hockey. Eaves was hardly expected to return to the Anaheim lineup this season, but Murray’s comments all but assure that his year is over.

  • Rather than sign 2015 sixth-round pick Steven Ruggiero to an entry-level contract, the Ducks have opted to sign him to an amateur tryout offer with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Ruggiero struggled to make much of an impact at the college level in two years with Providence College and one year at Lake Superior State University before finally enjoying a strong senior season with the Lakers. A U.S. National Team Develop Program product, Ruggiero has ability, but has not shown consistent offense for much of his hockey career. The 6’3″, 216-lb. defender plays a heavy game and could potentially be a a good stay-at-home option at the next level, but the Ducks will first take a look to see how he plays in the AHL down the stretch. A strong performance will likely lead to an ELC, while a disappointing debut will likely lead to Ruggiero becoming a free agent later this summer.
  • The AHL’s Stockton Heat, the affiliate of the Calgary Flames, have signed Western Michigan University captain Corey Schueneman to a contract for the 2019-20 season. The two-way defenseman will join the team on an amateur tryout for the rest of the season in the meantime. Schueneman, a standout in the USHL prior to his college years, has always been a capable contributor on the blue line but can also hold his own defensively. A well-rounded prospect, the Flames will no doubt keep an eye on Schueneman’s development next season.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have gone the opposite way of their divisional rivals today, informing a prospect that he will not be signed. Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that the team has informed OHL defenseman Matt Brassard that they will not offer him an entry-level contract prior to the deadline to do so on June 1st. Per the CBA, a team must tender a contract offer to a junior player within two years after they are drafted or that player may re-enter the NHL Draft. Brassard, a 2017 seventh-round pick, will thus try his hand at another go-round in the draft this June. The Canucks’ decision is somewhat surprising; Brassard has been a point-per-game player for the Niagara Ice Dogs since coming over from the Oshawa Generals earlier in the season. Altogether, he has 56 points in 65 games – his second straight season of 50+ points – to go along with a 6’3″ frame and decent defensive ability. Admittedly, Brassard’s game is not without flaws and he has been sheltered by the immense talent in Niagara this season, but the 20-year-old blue liner still seems like a player worth taking a shot on with an entry-level deal.

Snapshots: Drury, Winnipeg, Savoie

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The U.S. Men’s National Team will be under new leadership moving forward, as Chris Drury has been named GM. Drury is currently serving as assistant GM with the New York Rangers, a position he will continue in along with this new role. John Vanbiesbrouck, assistant executive director of USA Hockey, explained the hiring:

We’re really happy to have Chris serving as general manager of our team. He knows what it takes to succeed at the international level, and working with our men’s national team advisory group, which brings vast experience, success and passion to the table, we have a tremendous group in place to build our team.

That advisory team is made up of several active NHL front office executives, including Drury’s boss in New York Jeff Gorton. The group will decide who will play in the upcoming World Championship, scheduled for May 10-26 in Slovakia. Drury has plenty of experience on the international stage, winning two Olympic silver medals and taking part in several other tournaments throughout his excellent playing career.

  • The Kootenay Ice have moved to Winnipeg for the 2019-20 WHL season, and will get a nice prize to start their run in the new city. The team today won the WHL Bantam Draft lottery, moving up one spot to get the first overall selection in the upcoming draft. The Prince George Cougars will pick second (with Swift Current’s selection) and fourth, while the Saskatoon Blades will be the third team up. Kelowna rounds out the top five of the draft, which will be held on May 2.
  • Unfortunately they won’t get a chance to pick Matthew Savoie with the top selection, as the 15-year old was denied exceptional status. In response to that, Savoie committed to the University of Denver for 2021-22, something his brother had already done previously. If he wants to maintain his college eligibility, Savoie will not be able to play anywhere in the WHL and instead will likely go the route of the USHL. That is, unless a favorable situation comes about at the 2020 bantam draft and he rescinds his commitment.

Prospect Notes: Kuokkanen, Hughes, Caufield, Malone

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The Carolina Hurricanes are down a depth option with the playoffs approaching, but the bigger hit will be to the Charlotte Checkers, the top team in the AHL. Checkers head coach Mike Vellucci has revealed that forward Janne Kuokkanen is done for the year. The top prospect has missed more than a month now with an upper-body injury, but both the ’Canes and Checkers hoped he would be able to return. Instead, Kuokkanen is scheduled for surgery in two weeks that will end his season. The 2016 second-round pick is in his second pro season and had been on pace to put up major numbers in the minors. Prior to his injury, Kuokkanen had 38 points in 48 games, close to his 60-game total from last year, and remains second on the team in per-game production. Kuokkanen has also played eleven games with Carolina, including seven this season, and likely would have been a top injury replacement consideration. The talented forward will instead have to focus on his recovery and will likely be given a chance to break camp with the Hurricanes next season.

  • On one goal last night, history was made for two players in the U.S. National Team Development Program writes NHL.com’s Mike Morreale. Facing the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers, presumptive 2019 first-round picks Jack Hughes and Cole Caufield connected for a goal late in the third period of a lopsided blowout; it was yet another of countless the duo have combined for in their time with the program. The assist to Hughes, the favorite to go No. 1 overall in June, was his 190th point in his two-year stint with the program, passing Clayton Keller for the most all-time. It was his fifth assist of the game and his 130th as a member of the USNTDP. Hughes now tops a list that includes Keller, Phil Kessel, Patrick Kane, Jeremy Bracco, and Auston Matthews next in line. The goal for Caufield was his sixth of the game and somehow more impressively his 105th for the USNTDP, the new all-time high. Caufield takes the overall title away from Kessel and is just four goals away from passing Matthews for most goals in a single season. Although just 5’7″, Caufield is an elite sniper whose game has been complemented nicely by Hughes’ next-level play-making abilities. Questions about his size and ability to produce when not surrounded by top talent persist, but the University of Wisconsin-bound forward is still expected to be picked in the first half of the first round this spring. Hughes and Caufield are now names for the USNTDP record books, but soon they’ll be topping charts as NHL prospects and even NHL scorers sooner rather than later.
  • A recent University of Wisconsin standout had a nice night of his own. Seamus Malone, who wrapped up an impressive four-year career with the Badgers last week, signed a tryout deal with the AHL’s Utica Comets. In his pro debut, Malone also picked up his first career goal. An undersized, but capable center, Malone was a model of consistency at Wisconsin, recording 23+ points in 35+ games in each of his four seasons. However, his senior campaign also showed that he has developed into a more well-rounded two-way contributor. Malone was a player that some were surprised to see go undrafted during his years of eligibility, but now the 22-year-old may end up in the NHL after all. He is bound for far more than just a tryout deal and will likely land an AHL contract, if not an entry-level contract for next season, especially if he keeps scoring in his current stint with the Comets.

College Free Agent Signings: Gosselin, McLaughlin, Canisius

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As the next round of NCAA conference tournaments get underway tonight, the stars of those college squads already eliminated from postseason contention continue to find new homes in the pros. To date, 17 undrafted free agents out of Division I have signed their first pro deal, not including tryout offers. While the majority have been with ECHL clubs, after the flurry of activity in the past 24 hours there have been four players to ink AHL contracts and six to sign NHL entry-level deals. While the big league contracts garner the most attention, there is a fair bit of intrigue with minor league deals as well. The decisions to sign free agents to minor league contracts or tryouts often comes from the top, with the NHL parent club having interest in seeing how those players can develop. Oftentimes college free agents will even sign one-year deals for the remainder of the season in hopes of proving themselves worthy of a better contract in the coming off-season. So while the minor league deals may not seem as exciting, don’t sleep on their potential meaning.

  • Kurt Gosselin, four-year mainstay on the blue line for the enigmatic University of Alabama – Hunstsville, is headed to the pros. The AHL’s Rochester Americans announced that they have signed Gosselin to a one-year, two-way AHL contract for next season and that he will play out the rest of the season on an amateur tryout with their ECHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Cyclones. Gosselin, 24, plays a mature, well-rounded game on the back end. He has led all Chargers defensemen in scoring in each of the past two seasons, posting a career-high in per-game production this year with 15 points in 25 games. He also led the team in assists and plus/minus this season. At 6’1″, 201 lbs., Gosselin can hold his own in the checking game as well. Gosselin earned recognition for his solid defensive game and offensive contributions by being named the first ever all-conference selection out of Alabama-Huntsville in 2016-17. An accomplished collegiate defenseman, the Americans hope that he can adjust to the pro level and play a valuable role for them next season. The Buffalo Sabres will undoubtedly keep an eye on him as well.
  • While Gosselin moves from Alabama to upstate New York next season, the top player from Canisius College in Buffalo will make his way to Illinois. Dylan McLaughlin, a top-ten goal scorer in the NCAA this year, has signed a two-year AHL contract with the Rockford Ice Hogs, per a team release. McLaughlin, 23, was Hobey Baker candidate last season when he posted 48 points in 37 games for the Golden Griffins. While his point total fell to 40 this year, he tallied two more goals for 19 on the year and further asserted himself as a natural scorer. A top-ten pick in the USHL Draft in 2011, McLaughlin’s offensive ability has always been apparent and now the next step will be to take the game that he has polished over four years at Canisius and adapt it to the AHL. The Chicago Blackhawks have been known to get the most out of players with strong offensive instincts and should have a keen interest in McLaughlin’s development in Rockford.
  • The Atlantic Hockey Conference may be the weakest in the NCAA and Canisius finished dead last in their standings this season, but that hasn’t stopped several pro teams from jumping at their top players. Following an early exit from the conference tournament, McLaughlin signed in the AHL and defensemen Ian Edmondson and Jimmy Mazza were right behind him with ECHL deals. Mazza, 24, has signed with the Reading Royals for the remainder of the season. Mazza led all Golden Griffins defenders with a career-high 24 points this season. Mazza has good size and awareness and will look to show down the stretch and in the ECHL postseason that he is perhaps worthy of an AHL deal next season. Edmondson, 24, has signed for the rest of the season as well, but with the Wichita Thunder. Less of an offensive threat than Mazza, but a dependable defender for four seasons with Canisius, Edmondson will be a nice option on the back end in the ECHL. While obviously a function of some of the lesser teams in college hockey having their seasons end first, no one could have expected that at any point in the college free agent market that Ferris State University and Canisius College would lead the way in pro signings, but such is the case so far.

New York Rangers Sign Goaltender Adam Huska

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The New York Rangers sure work quickly. The collegiate season of prospect goalie Adam Huska came to an end last night with an impressive (albeit meaningless) win for the University of Connecticut over the No. 2-ranked University of Massachusetts. Less than 12 hours since the final horn, Huska is now a pro. The Rangers have announced that they have signed the young keeper to a an entry-level contract. CapFriendly reports it is a two-year deal beginning next season, but financial terms are not yet available.

Huska, 21, has forfeited the final year of his NCAA eligibility to go pro, as the junior goaltender leaves UConn after three years and 69 games with the Huskies. The move comes as somewhat of a surprise considering the drop off in Huska’s play this season. After posting a .912 save percentage and 2.59 GAA in 27 games last year, Huska’s save percentage fell to .896 this season while his goals against average ballooned to 3.34, resulting in just 21 games played as he lost starts to impressive freshman and Nashville Predators draft pick Tomas Vomacka. In fact, it was Vomacka in net last night for the big win. Most likely, the Rangers’ brass saw Huska losing the starting job to Vomacka next season and agreed to sign him to his first pro contract and thus control his usage at the ECHL level next season. If instead he does push for AHL time right away next season, he will ironically be right back in the same arena he played at with UConn, also shared by the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Despite some struggles, there is still reason to believe that Huska is an encouraging prospect for New York. A seventh-round draft pick out of Slovakia in 2015, Huska went on to be one of best goalies in the USHL the following season, being named Goaltender of the Year. He has also represented Slovakia several times at the World Junior Championships, gaining that invaluable experience against some of the best young players in the world. At 6’4″, 227 lbs., Huska has great size and athleticism. The fundamentals of his game need improvement and he will almost certainly spend several years in the minors before becoming an option in the NHL, but under the tutelage of the Rangers’ staff, Huska could see immediate improvement. He will have to work hard to earn recognition among a mountain of young goalies in the pipeline, including current backup Alexandar Georgiev, KHL star Igor Shestyorkin, UMass-Lowell standout Tyler Wall, and recent second-round pick Olof Lindbom, but it says a lot that the Rangers were willing to rush Huska out of the NCAA and into the pros.

Ryder Donovan Commits To The University of Wisconsin

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Arguably the top high school prospect in the upcoming 2019 NHL Draft has changed his college commitment. Ryder Donovan, the star forward for Duluth East High School, announced on his private Instagram account today that he has signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Wisconsin next season. The report has since been confirmed by Fox 21 Sports in Duluth. Donovan was previously committed to the University of North Dakota and had been linked to his hometown University of Minnesota-Duluth, but instead has opted to join a Badgers recruiting class that rivals any in college hockey.

Donovan, a 6’4″, 190-lb. righty, has played both center and right wing in his young career. A well-rounded, two-way power forward, Donovan scored 53 points in 25 games with Duluth East last year, while also spending time with the U.S. National Team Development Program and the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints. While his production is down substantially this year, Donovan continues to draw interest due to his size, speed, and polished game. Many scouts see Donovan as a lock to be selected within the first three rounds of the upcoming draft, with some believing he could sneak into the end of the first round. NHL Central Scouting ranked Donovan at No. 46 among all North American skaters.

Donovan’s addition to the Wisconsin program gives the team three potential 2019 first-round picks and a 2020 potential first-round pick in their class. Donovan is joined by the USNTDP’s Alex Turcotte, a near lock for a top-ten pick this year, and Cole Caufield, one of the best shooters in the class, as 2019-eligible players. Owen Lindmark, another USNTDP product, is considered a mid-round pick as well. Meanwhile, Alberta native Dylan Holloway, not eligible until next year’s draft, is already considered one of the best prospects in the 2020 class. These five elite forwards are joining a team that already features New York Rangers’ 2018 first-round defenseman K’Andre Miller, Arizona Coyotes third-round defenseman Ty Emberson, and undrafted 2016 World Juniors standout forward Sean Dhooghe. The Badgers should be a formidable force in the NCAA next season and beyond.

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