Welcome back to The Journey, where we track the development of prospects as they excel in junior, make the NHL, and push towards stardom.

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Welcome back to this month's edition of my coverage into Mason Black's Rank King PNHLe chart and app. This week is a continuation from previous months of where I break down how using PNHLe helps project a player's potential point production in the NHL and how it's a powerful tool for fantasy managers. In case you missed it, you can take a quick read here where we touched on UTe—a tool that works hand-in-hand with PNHLe, helping you spot those buy-low, sell-high opportunities by tracking career trends.

Tarin Smith – D – 72 PNHLe

Anaheim Ducks

Tarin Smith is shaping up to be a solid defensive prospect for the Anaheim Ducks, steadily growing his game throughout his WHL career with the Everett Silvertips. He has developed into a top 10 offensive defensemen over the last two seasons in the WHL, particularly taking noticeable strides in his confidence in moving the puck and overall two-way play.

A quick look back at last season, Smith put up 8 goals and 44 points in 67 games. He was a distributor from the blueline with 36 assists, and while goal-scoring was not the defining part of his game, he still managed to find the net eight times. He plays with an edge, but sometimes that edge gets a little too sharp, spending more time in the penalty box due to undisciplined penalties. That said, his willingness to throw his weight around adds value, especially for fantasy owners in BaSH settings.

Fast forward to this season, in just 53 games, he has already surpassed his previous season's goal total, racking up 14 goals and 49 points with nearly a point-per-game pace. You can see the growing confidence in both setting up plays and jumping into the offense himself. His penalty minutes have seen a decline to 40 mins from 66 last year, a sign that he is playing with more control without losing his physicality. Defensively, his mobility and anticipation are his key strengths and his decision-making in the defensive zone has improved and he does use his size effectively, cutting off attackers before they can build momentum.

Tarin Smith tearin' apart Tri-City's defence 👊@WHLSilvertips | @AnaheimDucks | #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/Bfi4aogjn9

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) November 4, 2024

Smith has cemented himself as a leader for Everett, averaging just under 24 minutes a night and often pushing closer to 30. He has taken on top responsibilities, quarterbacking the power play and driving offense from the back end. His ability to read the game and manipulate pressure at the blue line is a major weapon. He's got a knack for faking shots, changing directions effortlessly, and setting up teammates in prime scoring areas.

His development over the past two seasons has been on a clear upward trajectory. As one of the WHL's premier offensive defensemen and he is becoming a real driving force for Everett. While his defensive play still needs some refining, his offensive upside and ability to push the pace make him an exciting prospect in Anaheim's system.

Everett Silvertips defenseman Tarin Smith is now up to 18 points and a +16 rating (if you're into that sort of thing) through just 13 games this season. He currently leads all WHL blueliners in points

Smith was ranked 53rd on our final @mckeenshockey draft board this past spring https://t.co/lAqJyhaY2m

— Derek Neumeier (@Derek_N_NHL) October 28, 2024

Looking ahead, Smith projects as a middle-pair NHL defenseman with power-play potential and strong transitional play. The only challenge in Anaheim is that they are absolutely stacked with high-end defensive prospects—Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, Tristan Luneau, Rodwin Dionicio, and Tyson Hinds are all in the mix. Smith's name is starting to gain traction, and if his upward trend continues, he could carve out a key role in the Ducks' future. For a 79th overall pick, showing this kind of promise is a big win. He's quickly becoming a player to watch as he competes for a real spot in Anaheim's blue line plans.

Tarin Smith, 79th overall to Anaheim, is skilled, deceptive and confident walking the offensive blueline. Owns a very good shot too. The rest of his game needs refinement, but interesting upside pick for the Ducks. pic.twitter.com/EcfKCTWG2u

— Tim Archambault (@TArchambaultPSL) June 29, 2024

Oliver Kapanen – C – 55 PNHLe

Montreal Canadians

Oliver Kapanen has been steadily rounding out his game as a solid two-way center, becoming reliable defensively while proving he can take on more offensive responsibility. Working his way through Finland's top leagues and recently making the transition to Sweden's SHL, Kapanen is proving he can elevate his game as the competition level increases. Last season in Liiga, he took a big step forward with KalPa, recording 14 goals and 34 points in 51 games. His 0.67 points per game was solid however his game is not built on aggression, but he makes up for it with strong positioning and hockey sense.

This year, his transition to the SHL while on loan with Timrå IK has been positive. His offensive game hit another gear with 12 goals and 25 points in just 27 games, raising his points-per-game rate to 0.93. His NHLe increased to 45, a strong indicator that his game is translating well to increased competition. His defensive game still need refinement, which is expected as he takes on tougher matchups, more minutes and lacks physicality. Even with the lack of physical play, the big takeaway here is that Kapanen is rising to the challenge, playing with more discipline, and understanding the balance between his game.

I watched Oliver Kapanen's last SHL game, and he was flying. I have never seen him skate better. https://t.co/DNh0h9sNMq

— Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) January 27, 2025

His biggest strength lies in his two-way game, and over the years, his skating has taken big strides, literally and figuratively. He has found a balance between becoming a dependable 200-foot player and an offensive contributor. The maturity in his game is evolving, what was once a concern in his skating is now a strength. With all that being said, he is still only 21, and there are parts of his game that need polishing specifically his decision-making, which can be a little rigid at times, as he tends to zero in on the middle of the ice rather than looking for options. His defensive instincts, reading plays, and committing to a full three-zone game is well on it way making him a trusted, reliable teammate.

Kapanen has the potential to carve out a role as a bottom-six to middle-six role in the NHL. His ability to contribute at even strength and on special teams makes him a versatile option for Montreal. He is the definition of a low-floor, high-ceiling player. His skill set and hockey IQ have always been there.  If he can add more strength and a slight element of physicality, key areas for his NHL transition, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic about his long-term upside.

Sacha Boisvert – C – 46 PNHLe

Chicago Blackhawks

Sacha Boisvert's game is built around his quick release, physicality, and protecting the puck. He has excellent vision and is comfortable pushing the pace or slowing things down to make the right play. Not only that, he also brings a blend of size and skill to his game, something the Blackhawks could use more of, though their prospect pool isn't exactly hurting for talent. His work ethic and commitment at both ends of the ice has been a testament to his development. He projects as a solid middle-six center with 50-point potential (ceiling) in the NHL which will complement the Blackhawks’ pipeline beautifully as a depth piece alongside Bedard and, eventually, Oliver Moore down the middle.

Boisvert played one season in the USHL with the Muskegon Lumberjacks and had a strong campaign, ending the season with 36 goals and 68 points over 61 games, putting him in the top five in scoring in the USHL. This season, he made the jump to NCAA hockey as a freshman with the University of North Dakota. He is currently sitting second in team scoring with nine goals and 20 points over 28 games.

His skating, particularly his posture and acceleration, have been noticeably inconsistent by many scouts, however, it is something that is common for players moving up in competition and getting accustom to a new style of play. If he can tighten up these areas, it will give him the edge and the much-needed confidence boost to stay ahead at the next level. He earned himself the NCHC Rookie of the Month award in November by going on a hot streak, scoring five goals and racking up eight points in 10 games, proving he can produce at every level, which makes him a valuable addition to the Blackhawks' already-deep prospect pool.

His continued development in faceoff skills, ability to battle for the puck, and the addition of strength to his frame will be key for handling the physicality of the NHL. That is a tall order to fill, but he has the potential to fit in nicely on this Blackhawks squad, bringing size, smarts, and a two-way game. Looking at his USHL and now NCAA stats, Boisvert's growth is promising. His offensive upside is evident, and being at North Dakota, a program known for developing NHL talent, provides the perfect environment for him to work on his skills.

While third-line duties may hinder his fantasy upside, he is able to offset a decrease in production efficiency with strong peripheral stats. If he continues to develop at this rate, Boisvert has the potential to become a key piece in the Blackhawks’ forward group very much comparable to a Brayden Schenn or Phillip Danault, helping drive Chicago's promising future.

Thanks for reading! See you next week. For more content/fantasy hockey analysis, or if there’s a prospect, you’d like me to cover, follow and message me on X @Punters_hockey.