Welcome back to another installment of The Journey. I mentioned it last week, and now I ask with further stress – do you have any players left to dress over the weekend? COVID has certainly gotten the best of the league, and more than likely has you scrambling for some weekend assistance. Well, I have some good news and some bad. 

The good news: Dobber dropped its recent Top 200 Forward Prospects, which include some significant jumps.

The bad news: Unfortunately, not all of these names will help you in the short-term. But, a handful of them just may.

As always, I have dug through and highlighted a few notable risers, both with short-term and long-term outlooks.

Before I begin, I would just like to point out that the AHL officially began its 2020-21 campaign last weekend. And, oh boy, is this going to be a fun year. With various leagues still out of commission, the league has seen a greater number of prospects make their debuts – and most blew it out of the water out of the gate.

Here is a list of the leagues early league leaders – all first time pros. If you are in search of some help this season, and don’t mind stowing them away for a few weeks, I highly recommend keeping a few select name from AHL in mind. It may not be long until we see these names in an NHL uniform.

With that in mind, here are your top rising forward prospects.

Pius Suter, C, Blackhawks (December: 236, January: 171, February: 122)

Philipp Kurashev, C, Blackhawks (December: 123, January: 124, February: 46)

Matthew Highmore, C, Blackhawks (December: 226, January: 171, February: 126)

The triple-headed monster, who, at the moment, are all enjoying space on the roster with a few high-profiled names out of the lineup. Both Suter and Kurashev have taken turns with the big boys, while both have enjoyed (somewhat) unexpected success this season as rookies in the NHL.

As I've mentioned in the past, their long-term scopes are tricky to gauge, especially with regards to Highmore – who should be used as nothing more than a deep league, multi-cat option – given that the Blackhawks are missing some key bodies at the moment and are in a clear standstill as an organization. 

With that being said, if I am a dynasty holder, which I am, I would be looking to acquire Kurashev and Suter shares as quickly as possible – there looks to be some very nice upside in both. Once healthy, the pair could very well survive as pieces who stick with the top-six with “you know who”.

Nils Hoglander, LW, Canucks (December: 53, January: 53,  February: 29)

I have ranted and raved about Nils "pepper pot" Hoglander enough in the previous weeks, so I will keep this simple. The kid is absolutely relentless, brings tons of enthusiasm and energy to every game/shift and is currently looking like the clubs more consistent players – especially with regards to effort. 

He is a surprise win for the club, and has quickly become a mainstay to the club’s top-six and offensive core. He has turned himself into a "rookie of the year" candidate and should be targeted in all formats. Yes, that includes multi-cats. Don't expect insane peripherals, however, he is a water bug who loves to get himself in the mix and enjoys shooting the puck.

Josh Norris, C, Senators (December: 26, January: 26, February: 9)

Although it seems crazy to invest in a Senator at the moment, a player such as Josh Norris is a fantastic long-term hold. At just 21, the former AHL top scoring rookie is quickly becoming one of the clubs go-to players in all areas of the ice – no surprises there. He has a tremendous two-way presence and backs that claim by putting up a respectable numbers on a wide range of stats. He’s currently working with right points, a 11.5 shooting-percentage, 20 hits and a 49.3 face-off percentage. 

Cole Caufield, RW, Canadiens (December: 22, January: 23, February: 11)

Size? Who cares nowadays. When you can shoot and score goals with the pinpoint accuracy that Cole Caufield displays, his 5-foot-7 stature takes a backseat. The Wisconsin native is on an absolute tear in the NCAA, leading the nation in goals (17) and points (33) through just 20 games – this is just three points short of his entire ledger last season. 

#Habs Cole Caufield extends his point streak to 12 games with a goal and 2 assists last night. He's up to 33 PTS (17 G, 16 A) in 20 GP. He's recorded 25 PTS on his 12 game point streak and has 7 straight multi point games in his last 7 games. pic.twitter.com/aHsCQ7Bo9v

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— Canadiens Prospects (@cdnsprospects) February 7, 2021

Some may argue that he is "one-dimensional", and you know, that may be true. But with his terrific goal scoring prowess, and clear maturity in his game, it's hard to imagine that Caufield does not turn pro as early as possible.

The additions of size and grit that Montreal acquired over the off-season will give Caufield some backup once he makes his debut, whenever that may be. His stock is looking mighty strong at the moment.

Jonatan Berggren, RW, Red Wings (December: 111, January: 112, February: 80)

After suffering injury setbacks through his past two seasons, Detroit's 2018 second-rounder is enjoying a huge breakout season in Sweden (SHL). The 21-year-old currently sits just one assist back of the SHL lead with 28, and fourth league wide in points with 38. Berggren is considered an above-average playmaker, which is evident by a quick look at his career stats. He has tremendous hands and does not fear making the glamorous pass. 

Pontus Holmberg scored for Sweden today, tapping home a Jonatan Berggren feed #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/tE2ZR4F7It

— Josh Simpson (@joshsimpson77) February 11, 2021

As is the case with most offensive minded euro players, the ultimate question remains unanswered – can his skills translate to the small surface? While he is not afraid to make the glamour pass (as mentioned), he has been known to force plays under pressure. Perhaps this trends even further with less room?

All-in-all, for points league formats, he is looking like a strong option down the road and his value is still in its infancy. 

Daniel Sprong, RW, Capitals (December: 158, January: 159, February: 104)

Sprong, once considered a top-notch talent, has struggled to make a name for himself at the NHL level, with stops in both Pittsburgh and Anaheim. Traded to Washington last season, he was finally granted some playing time among the club’s middle-six to begin the year.

With just three points (1G + 3A) through 10 games, and little-to-no time on the man advantage, his short-term value continues to hit road bumps. With that being said, although he has yet to live up to the hype, his goal-scoring ability remains to be a threat, and still warrants a gamble solely based on this. 

If he was to catch some additional playing time, including special teams, things could pop. The wick is running out here, but there still may be some untapped potential lingering. 

Additional notables:

Jordan Kyrou, RW, Blues (December: 10, January: 10, February: 5)

Sacha Chmelevski, RW, Sharks (December: 50, January: 50, February: 39)

Eetu Luostarinen, C, Panthers (December: 170, January: 173, February: 150)

Nico Sturm, C, Wild (December: 157, January: 158, February: 143)

Thanks for joining me. As usual, follow me on Twitter @hall1289 for prospect updates.