July 18, 2009

Janis Sprukts has signed to play in the KHL next year.

Anaheim has signed Nick Deschamps to an entry-level contract. He is still several years away with second-line upside.

The Devils signed Patrice Cormier to an ELC, as well as Nathan Perkowich. Cormier is a power forward who several years away from making a fantasy impact, though he could make the NHL sooner in a lesser role. His upside is around 60 points. Perkowich is not on my radar.

I think we’ll see Peter Mueller bounce back this year. Nothing significant like 65 or 70 points, but I think we’ll see 50-60 points and then in 2010-11 a fourth-year breakout. In the meantime, his owners will get discouranged with him, much like Jeff Carter’s owners did… and you know what happened there.

Alexander Giroux, much like Darren Haydar or Michel Mongeau or Jason Krog – is a career minor leaguer. The best he can hope for is to get some checking ability like Tony Hrkac did and stick in the NHL on a checking line. I don’t know if it’s a case of “who you know” or if there actually is a legitimate flaw to his game, he won’t get into the NHL. I’ll never forget Lonny Bohonos and how he tore it up in the NHL playoffs and then never played an NHL game again.

I don’t think Nikita Filatov will play a full NHL season this year. If you want to know what to expect, take a look at Radulov’s rookie season. Expect an early call-up and then FIlatov will make it impossible to be sent back down.

Washington’s Dmitri Kugryshev is still a couple of years away. He has 75-point talent but with the superstars he will be playing with his upside is in the low 80s.

I think regardless of Lemaire being the new coach, Paul Martin will still be good for 45 points in a breakout season. He is hitting his prime now.

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