The Journey: Every NHL Team’s Preseason Standouts – Part 1
Hadi Kalakeche
2021-10-02
Welcome back to The Journey, where we follow hockey prospects and their paths to the NHL, providing fantasy predictions and analysis along the way.
This week, I wanted to take a step away from the upcoming draft's top-30 prospects and have a look at the NHL preseason, as many very promising young players have been enjoying the opportunities that come with a rookie camp. Some of them have then gone on to earn a spot on their teams' preseason roster, opening the door to a potential start on opening night if they impress.
I will be dipping into each team's prospect pool and singling out the prospects who have made a case for themselves and improved their chances of wearing their NHL jerseys again, whether this season or any other. These prospects have earned fans' and scouts' hearts by outplaying both the opposition and the expectations set upon them.
Anaheim Ducks
Lukas Dostal, G
Confidence, poise and great reflexes make Dostal's netminding click. He first arrived at rookie camp healthy and ready to stop pucks, and then impressed in his half of the Ducks' first preseason game against the Sharks. He stopped 13 of 14 shots, further making his case as the team's number 3 goaltender.
The sheer number of injuries that netminders tend to suffer make his call-up a matter of time, although he is unlikely to become an NHL regular this season. Expect him to play at least one full AHL season before being an NHL regular, but he has the tools to get there.
Arizona Coyotes
Dylan Guenther, LW
A natural-born goal-scorer with a ton of offensive flair, Guenther's selection at ninth overall was Arizona's way of turning the OEL contract into a potential redemption story. The prospect has been lights-out in the rookie and training camp games, showing off his dangerous wrister with a couple of perfectly-placed shots from the half-wall.
He also earned a goal and an assist against the Kings in a 2-1 preseason win, in which he was named the first star. Great start to his camp so far, which could very well end with a nine-game tryout at the NHL level.
Boston Bruins
Fabian Lysell, RW
Yes, there were doubts about Lysell's production – his three points in 26 SHL games last year don't necessarily jump off the page. Yes, there were doubts about his size – his 5-foot-10, 172-pound frame could hinder him at a competitive NHL level – but Fabian Lysell is just really, really good at hockey. If there were any doubts about that, the Swede's rookie camp and preseason games have put them to rest, as he showed adaptability, great edges, high-end vision and outstanding stickhandling in his appearances for the Bruins.
He was sent to the Vancouver Giants in the WHL to pursue his development and he might need a couple of years, but Lysell has left his calling card and shown that he was worth more than a 21st-overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Buffalo Sabres
Linus Weissbach, LW
Weissbach's 2020-2021 season was spent in the NCAA with the Wisconsin Badgers, and he finished second in team scoring behind Cole Caufield with 41 points in 31 games, often playing on the Canadiens prospect's line on the left flank. His ability to distribute the puck and up the pace of play made him a great complement to Caufield's game, and he has shown some magical puck skills so far in his preseason stint with the Sabres.
He earned a goal and two assists against the Blue Jackets in a 5-4 shootout win, and looked sharp for the team. He's a dark horse to make the opening night roster, but with the Sabres' lack of offensive depth, he could see some NHL icetime this year.
Calgary Flames
Ryan Francis, RW/C
To be honest, the Flames' main prospects have been underwhelming so far, disappearing from games in long stretches and looking too inconsistent to say much at this point. One prospect who has managed to shine despite the team's three losses is Francis, who has shown outstanding puck skills and finishing, as well as being a good defensive forward for a player of his size (5-9, 170 pounds).
The hope for Francis is to return to the QMJHL for one more year, before eventually signing his ELC and joining the Flames' roster sometime next season. He has put himself in the forefront of the team's depth chart for unsigned prospects, and should officially be a Flame very soon.
Carolina Hurricanes
Seth Jarvis, RW
Jarvis' rookie camp was a great success, as the prospect looked head-and-shoulders above his age group in scrimmage and exhibition games. He sat out the first game against Tampa, and yet still remains the prospect that Canes fans are the most excited about. His 11 points in nine AHL games last year showed how great he is already at generating offense and playing at a pro pace, and he seems to be building towards a start on the team's roster this season.
The Canes are loaded offensively, but Jarvis just might force their hand and make the team this year, especially if he continues to play the way he has so far. If it doesn't work out this season, Jarvis should be a full-time Cane by next year at the latest.
Chicago Blackhawks
Lukas Reichel, LW
Reichel is off to a great start in the preseason, as he scored a shootout goal for the team in a 4-3 loss to the Red Wings and looked the part of an offensive catalyst. He spent a lot of time on or around the puck, connecting plays efficiently with his speed, stickhandling and playmaking. He was also pretty capable defensively for a prospect who is experiencing North American ice for the first time, which is often a product of playing at a professional level from a young age.
Germany's DEL might not be the highest level of hockey, but Reichel was facing grown men on a daily basis and outplaying them already. He should either sneak into the Hawks' roster this season, or play one AHL year prior to being called up.
Colorado Avalanche
Justin Barron, RD
There were many to choose from here, including Bowen Byram and Oskar Olausson who have looked great so far, but Barron has stood out as the most improved of the three with an outstanding show of offensive flair and defensive awareness so far this preseason. It's difficult to place him in the Avalanche's top-six defensemen right away, but his game has been more than impressive enough to warrant a shot at the team. Here he drags an opponent in and dishes to Bowen Byram for a primary assist:
Barron would have to dislodge Byram, Murray or Johnson to play in the NHL this year, which means that the soon-to-be 20-year-old will likely be going to the AHL for the majority of this upcoming season – a great spot to be in at his age nonetheless. He has shown a complete package of translatable tools in preseason action so far, and should be an NHLer soon enough.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Yegor Chinakhov, RW
Chinakhov's selection as the 21st-overall selection in 2020 was one that left everyone covering the draft scratching their heads – no one had him ranked anywhere near the first round, and some had no info on him at all. The overager's following season made the selection a tad more logical (17 points in 41 KHL games), but his play so far in the preseason has shed an even greater light on what the Blue Jackets saw in the Russian winger.
His shot is just outstanding. Chinakhov used it to score goal after goal in rookie camp, and then ripped the above shot in his first preseason game against the Penguins. He plays well in-between checks and can score in a very large variety of ways. His playmaking isn't bad either, as he can make skilled moves and open up passing lanes, but he has a shoot-first mindset and the release to make it work. I see no real barrier to Chinakhov starting the season with the Jackets, and he can be sent down if it doesn't work out.
Dallas Stars
Mavrik Bourque, C
Bourque's preseason results have truly put him in the mix for a potential start in Dallas, although the prospect could and should benefit from an extra year at the Junior level. The 5-foot-10 center earned 43 points in 28 QMJHL games last year, and added four points in five AHL games while the QMJHL was on lockdown. He had a very strong training camp and hit the ground running in preseason action, with a beautiful assist on a 2-on-1.
His game revolves around playmaking and offensive rush generation, but he still has some defensive refinements to go through in order to better serve his offensive game. If he blows the zone and the pass doesn't come, he becomes a liability. Expect another development year for Bourque before he joins the Stars full-time next season.
Detroit Red Wings
Lucas Raymond, RW
Although Seider could very well have been the player highlighted here, Raymond's dominance in training camp and the team's preseason games so far has been outstanding, and he seems to be jumping ahead of his expected development curve. Scouts and fans are calling for Raymond to start the season in Detroit, and for good reason: the prospect's pace of play, his release and his hands are all pro-ready. He is just dazzling in control of the puck, and can create threats out of very little. He earned a goal and an assist against the Sabres in a 6-2 win, and was one of Detroit's top players shift after shift.
His frame (5-foot-10, 183 pounds) hides a competitive, aggressive mindset that lets him hold his own in board battles, and he could very well thrive in Detroit's young and energetic lineup, but I believe the best course of action for Raymond would be an extra year overseas to dominate at the SHL level before hopping into the NHL.
Edmonton Oilers
Xavier Bourgault, C
The team's 22nd-overall pick from this past July made a resounding entrance in the team's inaugural preseason game against the Flames, earning a goal and an assist while showing off his outstanding puck skills and skating ability. Despite being one of the youngest players on any team's preseason roster, Bourgault showed his team and fans why he was a shrewd first-round pick-up for the team with impressive showings from the start of rookie camp.
The forward was then assigned to Shawinigan in the QMJHL to continue developing and build off of his 29-game, 40-point season from last year. He did leave a great impression, however, and will look to carve out a role in the next few years.
Florida Panthers
Aleksi Heponiemi, RW
Heponiemi started training camp as one of a few rookies to have earned some icetime last year, with nine NHL games in which he registered an overtime-winning goal and an assist. This put him in a great position coming out of training camp, and he hit the ground running with a goal in the team's first preseason game. The forward can shoot from anywhere on the ice and is able to distribute the puck at a quick and accurate rate.
Heponiemi seems NHL ready, but will need to steal a spot; whether that happens at the beginning of the year with continued positive showings through the preseason, or midway through the year via injury, Heponiemi should see a good chunk of NHL games this upcoming season.
Los Angeles Kings
Quinton Byfield, C
Despite a quiet preseason, Byfield seems to have cemented himself among the team's top-four centers throughout the start of this preparatory campaign, as the team iced a stacked group A and had him slotted in at 4C with Moore and Wagner. The team will likely continue rotating their prospects in and out of the lineup, but Byfield has played all three preseason games so far for the Kings and seems like the most likely Kings rookie to make the team's opening night roster.
The towering 6-foot-5, 215-pound center played most of last year in the with the Ontario Reign after the OHL closed the curtains on its season, earning 20 points in 32 games at the AHL level before earning a six-game stint with the Kings, in which he earned his first-career assist. Byfield will hope to add a goal to his NHL record this upcoming season, and should have the opportunity to claw his way up the lineup if he plays well enough. He would have to be sent down for a full OHL year if the Kings don't retain him, which helps his chances.
Minnesota Wild
Adam Beckman, C
Beckman's rookie camp started out well as the prospect showcased his improvement over the offseason, looking stronger on his feet and generally more athletic. He then went to work in the first game of the preseason for the Wild, earning the team's only two goals in a 6-2 loss to the Blues. The 6 -1 center added another goal in the Wild's 6-4 loss to the Avalanche, which all but ensured that Beckman would be able to score goals at the NHL level.
After a nine-game AHL stint in Iowa in which he earned three goals and two assists, Beckman returned to the WHL and scored 17 goals in only 21 games, once again showcasing his laser of a shot on a regular basis. I would not be shocked at all to see Beckman on the Wild's opening night roster, although he has Rossi and Boldy pushing for spots as well.
Montréal Canadiens
Jan Mysak, RW/C
Mysak's game so far in the preseason has shown how a year of disappointing results can be offset by an offseason of hard work. He showed up to camp a bit heavier and much stronger, while retaining his ability to change speeds and catch opponents flat-footed with an inside-out move. He has an assist in two preseason games so far, but truly looked much more comfortable than he did in Laval last year, with his two goals in 22 games.
His stickhandling and opponent manipulation were on display in his two games of action, and he made many great decisions in a row with the puck. While other prospects might have shone brighter in terms of their overall game, Mysak's improvement really stood out to me.
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Follow me on Twitter @HadiK_Scouting for all of your fantasy prospect needs!
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