St Louis Blues 2015-16 Season Preview

By Alex Hobson

2014-15 LEADING SCORERS

RW Vladimir Tarasenko (37 G, 36 A, 73 P)
LW Alexander Steen (24 G, 40 A, 64 P)
LW Jaden Schwartz (28 G, 35 A, 63 P)

LAST SEASON

The St Louis Blues had a great regular season player wise. The most coveted headline of the Blues season was the breakout of Russian winger Vladimir Tarasenko. An absolute monster of a season saw him record 73 points in 82 games for the Notes. Many fans questioned whether the Blues would be okay the following season without without a proven starting goaltender, but Brian Elliott and Jake Allen proved the doubters wrong, as they were once again able to solidify a playoff spot.

Trades made during the regular season for the Blues included sending Jordan Leopold to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a 2016 5th round pick, and also trading Maxim Lapierre to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Marcel Goc. Nearing the trade deadline, the Blues made several moves to help with depth, such as re-acquiring Adam Cracknell from the Blue Jackets in exchange for future considerations, acquiring Zybnek Michalek and a 3rd round pick from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for prospect Maxim Letunov, trading Ian Cole to the Penguins in exchange for Robert Bortuzzo, and finally acquiring Olli Jokinen from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Joakim Lindstrom and a 2016 6th round pick.

The Blues ended up finishing the 2014-15 season with a record of 51-24-7, good enough for 1st in the Central Division and 2nd in the Western Conference. However, the playoffs were the same old song and dance for the Blues. They were eliminated in round one by the Minnesota Wild in six games, ultimately putting head coach Ken Hitchcock and the rest of the team under the microscope.

OFFSEASON

IN

Konrad Abeltshauser
Phoenix Copley
Troy Brouwer
Jordan Caron
Danny Kristo
Peter Harrold
Kyle Brodziak
Andre Benoit
Justin Hodgman

OUT

Benn Ferriero
Colin Fraser
Zybnek Michalek
Chris Porter
John McCarthy
Jonas Junland
Olli Jokinen
Marcel Goc
Adam Cracknell
Sebastian Wannstrom
Philip McRae
David Shields
T.J Oshie
Martin Rucinsky

The St Louis Blues did not own a first round pick heading into the 2015 NHL Draft, but given the amount of solid prospects in this particular draft, this wasn't a problem. They managed to pick up defenseman Vince Dunn in the second round, a prospect who was a wildcard to go either in the first or second round, so they weren't upset about it. Heading into the offseason, they didn't make too many big signings, but they made a big trade. They dealt fan favourite T.J Oshie to the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Troy Brouwer, prospect Phoenix Copley, and a 3rd round pick. They signed a couple of players for depth, such as Kyle Brodziak, Peter Harrold, and Andre Benoit, and also signed young forwards Danny Kristo and Jordan Caron. They said goodbye to veterans Chris Porter, Marcel Goc, and Zybnek Michalek, but were pretty quiet aside from that.

NEXT SEASON PT 1. OFFENSE

The biggest storyline for the Blues' offense will be how the Blues can replace T.J Oshie on the right wing and if Troy Brouwer can be a serviceable replacement. Another big headline will be whether or not Paul Stastny can rebound and live up to his $7 million dollar contract as he was expected to last year. Aside from that, the Blues will look to the services of Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz, and Alexander Steen for most of their offense. Look for Ty Rattie, Robbie Fabbri, and Ivan Barbashev to all push for roster spots on the Blues this coming season.

NEXT SEASON PT 2. DEFENSE

The Blues' defense is pretty straight forward. Alex Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester will man the top pairing, with Carl Gunnarsson and Kevin Shattenkirk right behind them. After that, anything goes prospect wise. They lost veteran Barret Jackman via free agency, so the bottom pairing is a battle between Robert Bortuzzo, Petteri Lindbohm, Andre Benoit, and Chris Butler.

NEXT SEASON PT 3. GOALTENDING

The Blues don't neccesarily have a true number one goaltender set in stone for this coming season, but expect Jake Allen to play backup behind Brian Elliott to start the season between the pipes.

POSSIBLE 2015-16 OPENING NIGHT LINEUP

Alex Steen - David Backes - Vladimir Tarasenko
Jaden Schwartz - Paul Stastny - Troy Brouwer
Jordan Caron - Jori Lehtera - Dmitrij Jaskin
Steve Ott - Kyle Brodziak - Ryan Reaves

Alex Pietrangelo - Jay Bouwmeester
Carl Gunnarsson - Kevin Shattenkirk
Petteri Lindbohm - Andre Benoit

Brian Elliott
Jake Allen

Hobson's Mailbag: Week 2 - 8/31/15

Welcome back to Hobson's mailbag. Today we have three questions, one from Twitter and two from Facebook. Enjoy

@PHUHobson I know it's early, but who do you think will be better in the long run between Marner and Nylander?

— Anthony Fusco (@FuscoNation16) August 30, 2015

In the long run, I think the competition will be very close, but I think Marner will turn out to be the better player. Nylander is an absolute threat offensively and if developed right, could turn out to be a 60-70 point scorer, but Marner shares the offensive skill Nylander has and is also better defensively and can throw the body if needed. He was frequently used on the penalty kill and powerplay while playing under head coach Dale Hunter in London, so if we're thinking realistically looking forward, then I think Marner will turn out to be better than Nylander, but not by much.

Q: Who do you think will be traded by the all-star break? -Gianni Ginocchi, TML World

A: Given that the Leafs have a bunch of prospects in the minors that are on the brink of being NHL ready, such as Stuart Percy, Zach Hyman, Casey Bailey, etc, then I think players such as Roman Polak, Nick Spaling, and Mark Arcobello, are the most likely to be dealt before the all-star break. That being said, it's entirely likely that these players could be dealt closer to the trade deadling if it makes more sense, but those are likely the first few players to go.

Q: Are the Leafs going to bottom out this year without Kessel or will they be better than everyone thinks with him gone and the new staff in place? -Jason Stevenson, TML World

A: I think the most likely result is that the Leafs bottom out, however there's good points from both sides. For example, given all the success that new head coach Mike Babcock has under his belt from his tenure with the Red Wings, it's really hard to picture his team finishing in the bottom five. That being said, the Leafs' roster does not look good enough on paper to finish higher than a bottom five spot. They won't have the 80 point powers of Phil Kessel to compliment them, and are still actively shopping core players such as Joffrey Lupul, Tyler Bozak, and Dion Phaneuf.

Thanks for reading everyone. If you have any questions you'd like me to answer in a mailbag segment, feel free to contact me on twitter.

Follow Hobson on twitter @PHUHobson

Leafs Top Ten Prospects: #3 - Kasperi Kapanen

By Alex Hobson

Remember when we were talking about Brendan Leipsic on #9 of this list, and I said that not all prospects need to be drafted by their respective teams? There's another case here. On July 1st 2015, the Leafs made a huge trade to kick off their rebuild, trading Phil Kessel along with Tim Erixon, prospect Tyler Biggs, and a 2016 2nd round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Nick Spaling, prospects Kasperi Kapanen and Scott Harrington, a 2016 1st round pick and a 2016 3rd round pick. Today, we're going to analyze Kasperi Kapanen.

The son of former NHLer Sami Kapanen, Kasperi is an extremely gifted playmaker. The Pittsburgh Penguins selected him at 22nd overall in the 2014 NHL Draft, and he's been showing why he should be ranked around there since people started hearing his name. The Kuopio, Finland native spent his entire junior career playing for KalPa of the SM-Liiga. Playing for KalPa U18 in the 2012-13 season, he recorded 6 points in 3 games and then went on to post 29 points in 36 games for KalPa U20. In his draft year, he put up 14 points in 47 games playing against men on KalPa, and in his most recent campaign, recorded 21 points in 41 games, followed by a grand total of 7 points in 11 games playing for the Penguins' affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.


 
POSSIBLE NHL CEILING: TOP SIX SCORER

If Leafs and Marlies management treats Kapanen right and handles him like he should, by not rushing him to the NHL, then he should turn out to be a dangerous scorer for the Leafs in the future. Though it was a short stint, he showed that he could put up points at the pro level and will likely spend this season with the Toronto Marlies, and might get a chance to prove himself in 2016-17.

PROSPECT GRADE: A-

Kapanen doesn't lack too many aspects to his game. He's a great playmaker and sees the ice very well, and he's not too big but not too small, standing at 6'0 and 187lbs. He needs to work on his defensive game a bit, but working under new Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, he should be able to push his skills to the max.

What do you think of Kapanen, Leafs fans? Should he be ranked higher or lower, or is #3 good for him? Weigh in below.

Thanks for reading.

San Jose Sharks 2015-16 Season Preview

By Alex Hobson

2014-15 LEADING SCORERS

C Joe Pavelski (37 G, 33 A, 70 P)
RW Logan Couture (27 G, 40 A, 67 P)
C Joe Thornton (16 G, 49 A, 65 P)

LAST SEASON

The San Jose Sharks had a rather disappointing 2014-15 season, compared to past ones. They're usually known as a playoff team, but despite having a decent record of 40-33-9, they lost out in the tough Pacific Division and unfortunately failed to qualify for a playoff spot. Their underperformance was enough to earn them the 9th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. This season would end the NHL's second longest playoff streak at 10 years, and despite player shifts including moving forward Brent Burns to defense, it wasn't enough to earn the Sharks a spot in the playoffs.

Trades made during the season included swapping young defensemen with the Dallas Stars in mid November, sending Jason Demers along with a third round pick to the Stars in exchange for Brendon Dillon. They brought back former goaltender Evgeni Nabokov for two days before announcing his retirement from the NHL, and also made several depth moves including trading James Sheppard to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 4th round pick, sending Freddie Hamilton to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Karl Stollery, acquiring Ben Smith from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Andrew Desjardins, and finally trading Tyler Kennedy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a 3rd round pick.

They ended up finishing 5th in the Pacific Division, and after the season finished, it became evident that with aging superstars, GM Doug Wilson had to make a decision on whether to rebuild with the Sharks or keep pushing for a playoff spot.

OFFSEASON

IN

Joonas Donskoi
Patrick McNally
Martin Jones
Paul Martin
John McCarthy
Mark Cundari
Joel Ward
Frazer McLaren

OUT

Sean Kuraly
Antti Niemi
Scott Hannan
Matt Irwin
John Scott
Travis Oleksuk
Taylor Fedun
Rylan Schwartz
Taylor Doherty
Eriah Hayes
Daniil Tarasov

The Sharks began their offseason with a coaching change, mutually agreeing with longtime head coach Todd McLellan to part ways, and bringing in former New Jersey Devils coach Peter DeBoer. At the NHL Draft, they were met with something they weren't used to, which was an early first round pick. They used their first round pick at 9th overall to select winger Timo Meier from the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. Heading into free agency, GM Doug Wilson showed that he wasn't ready to rebuild his team by bringing in veteran defenseman Paul Martin along with forward Joel Ward. Other than that, they were pretty quiet with their signings, besides bringing back former enforcer Frazer McLaren.

NEXT SEASON PT 1. OFFENSE

The Sharks added to their offense the following season, and did not lose anybody key via free agency or trades. Joel Ward will look to make an impact wherever he plays in the upcoming season, while the rest of the Sharks offense will be led by veterans Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Joe Pavelski. Tomas Hertl will look to rebound in his third NHL season, while prospect Nikolay Goldobin will push for a spot in the lineup on opening night.

NEXT SEASON PT 2. DEFENSE

The Sharks lost a few pieces to their defensive core, but they also added a couple of worthy players to replace those lost. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Brent Burns will lead the charge defensively for the Sharks, while newly acquired veteran Paul Martin will also look to make an impact. Look for prospect Mirco Mueller to work hard at training camp to solidify himself a spot on the opening night roster.

NEXT SEASON PT 3. GOALTENDING

With longtime goaltender Antti Niemi out of the picture, newly acquired Martin Jones will look to get most of the starts for the Sharks in between the pipes, with Alex Stalock backing him up. If either were to get injured, Troy Grosenick will be waiting for the call to replace them.

POSSIBLE 2015-16 OPENING NIGHT LINEUP

Joe Pavelski - Joe Thornton - Logan Couture
Patrick Marleau - Tomas Hertl - Joel Ward
Matthew Nieto - Chris Tierney - Melker Karlsson
Raffi Torrey - Ben Smith - Tommy Wingels

Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Justin Braun
Paul Martin - Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon - Matt Tennyson

Martin Jones
Alex Stalock

Keys to Success: Arizona Coyotes

By William Espy

The Arizona Coyotes seemingly dropped off the face of the hockey world following a conference final appearance in 2012. Immediately following that season, the team fell into an almost forced rebuild. Now they have a very deep prospect pool, but they still need a few more assets.

Young #1 Goaltender.

Mike Smith has been a solid goaltender for a majority of his time in Arizona, however last season he seemed to be fading at the NHL level. At the World Championships he showed he still had his skill when he put up a .930 save percentage for team Canada. The Coyotes thought they had their future number one in Mark Visentin, unfortunately for them he never gained traction in professional hockey and he was not qualified as a restricted free agent. The biggest name in their goaltending prospect pool appears to be Louis Domingue, who is a respectable prospect but he will likely never have the ability to start regularly at the NHL level.

A Youth Movement.

With the prospect pool containing players like Domi, Strome, Duclair, Samuelsson, etc. the Coyotes need to make room for those players at the NHL level if they get off to an undesirable start to the season. By the trade deadline, Don Maloney would be smart to get rid of pending UFAs like Gordon, Downie, Grossmann, Chipchura and possibly even Boedker if they cannot get him to agree to a deal for the foreseeable future. The issue with these moves would be trying to stay above the salary floor, however with a lot of space to take back contracts it would likely be much easier to swing a deal. Other players who could possibly be on the way out for specifically goaltending and defensive prospects include Michalek and Smith.

Do Not Rush.

The most important thing for the Coyotes is prospect development. In order to have a good team within the next few years, they have to wait to promote their prospects until they are ready. For example, say Duclair gets off to a tremendous start at the AHL level then they can afford to call him up. If a top prospect like Duclair is not ready to come up, a smarter call up would be someone along the lines of Lessio.

Leafs Top Ten Prospects: #4 - Connor Brown

By Alex Hobson

Everybody knows that the Leafs have not been known for their drafting skills in the past. They've not only traded many of their first round picks, but they've also drafted players who weren't as good as expected. However, the Leafs may have found a gem. In the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the Leafs used their 6th round pick at 156th overall to select winger Connor Brown from the Erie Otters of the OHL. Now what makes Brown a potential gem, you may ask? Let's take a look.

In his draft year and first year with the Erie Otters, Brown recorded 53 points in 68 games. Not bad, right? In the following year, the Etobicoke, Ontario native recorded 69 points in 63 games. As you can see, his production was rising. However, nothing compares to his final season with the Otters. Brown stepped up and had an unbelievable year, recording 128 points in 68 games. Lots of Leafs fans were excited about this, but other also claimed it was only because he was playing alongside of 2015 draft phenom Connor McDavid. Brown went on to prove the doubters wrong. In his first season with the Leafs affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, Brown led the team in scoring with 61 points in 76 games, ultimately winning the AHL rookie scoring title. He's not overly tall, standing at 5'11 and 170lbs, but he has a good shot and is a great offensive player in general.


 
POSSIBLE NHL ROLE: TOP SIX SNIPER

Connor Brown has all the tools to become a top six threat in the NHL. He's very strong offensively, and shows no signs of slowing down. If he develops right under new head coach Sheldon Keefe, then you should see him in a Leafs uniform within the next couple of years.

PROSPECT GRADE: A-

Although I say the Leafs may have found a potential gem in the 2012 draft, you can't say they got a steal just yet considering he hasn't played any NHL games yet. However, given his production at the pro level and junior level, this grade seems right for Brown.

What do you think of Brown, Leafs fans? Should he be ranked lower or higher, or is #4 good for him? Weigh in below.

Thanks for reading.

Philadelphia Flyers 2015-16 Season Preview

By Alex Hobson

2014-15 LEADING SCORERS

LW Jakub Voracek (22 G, 59 A, 81 P)
C Claude Giroux (25 G, 48 A, 73 P)
D Mark Streit (9 G, 43 A, 52 P)

LAST SEASON

After a good 2013-14 season for the Philadelphia Flyers, you could argue that they underperformed in 2014-15. They missed the playoffs and did bad enough to earn the 7th overall pick in the upcoming draft. Despite their poor performance, however, the past season saw great years from their top line duo of Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. Voracek had a career year recording 81 points which led to him signing a long term deal with the team, while Giroux finished just behind him with 73 points.

At the trade deadline, the Flyers realized that it was clear they weren't making the playoffs, so they sold some of their roster players for prospects and draft picks. They traded veteran defenseman and fan favourite Kimmo Timonen to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a 2nd round pick in 2014 and a 4th round pick in 2016, and then soon after traded Braydon Coburn to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Radko Gudas, a 2015 1st round pick and a 2015 3rd round pick. They finished the season with a record of 33-31-18 while placing 12th in the Eastern Conference, so not too much to be proud of. However, Flyers fans were unaware of the change that was coming heading into the offseason.

OFFSEASON

IN

Christian Marti
Evgeni Medvedev
Aaron Palushaj
Sam Gagner
Tim Brent
Michal Neuvirth
Davis Drewiske
Chris Conner
Jason LaBarbera
Colin McDonald
Chris Porter

OUT

Hal Gill
Andrew Gordon
Nicklas Grossman
Chris Pronger
Jason Akeson
Oliver Lauridsen
Matt Konan
Andrew Johnston
Rob Zepp
Zack Stortini
Carlo Colaiacovo
Ray Emery
Blair Jones
Jay Rosehill

The Flyers shook up their coaching staff at the beginning of the offseason, firing head coach Craig Berube and bringing in former University of North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol. Heading into the 2015 NHL Draft, they used their 7th overall pick to select Russian defenseman Ivan Provorov from the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. GM Ron Hextall then surprised fans, when he swung a deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs and acquired the Leafs' 24th overall pick in exchange for the 29th and 61st overall picks in that same draft. They then used the pick obtained in the trade to select forward Travis Konecny from the Ottawa 67's of the OHL.

Overall, the draft for the Flyers was eventful, and heading into free agency they improved their roster by signing Michal Neuvirth, and also swinging a deal with the Arizona Coyotes where they acquired forward Sam Gagner along with a draft pick in exchange for Nicklas Grossman and the contract of all-but-retired Chris Pronger. They also brought in Tim Brent and Jason LaBarbera along with Russian defenseman Evgeni Medvedev to improve their roster. Overall, this was a well thought out offseason and needless to say, they improved.

NEXT SEASON PT 1. OFFENSE

The Flyers will look to see the majority of points from their top line duo of Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux, as usual. New acquisition Sam Gagner will try to make a name of himself and rebound after poor previous year, while fellow signings Chris Porter and Tim Brent will provide depth. Look for rookies Scott Laughton and Nick Cousins to work to solidify themselves full time spots on the team.

NEXT SEASON PT 2. DEFENSE

Defense is the most interesting position for the Flyers heading into next season. They lack a true top two defenseman, but will look to be lead by Michael Del Zotto and Mark Streit in the upcoming season. That being said, they have a large amount of defensive prospects that will be pushing for a full time NHL job, including Samuel Morin, Travis Sanheim, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Ivan Provorov. There won't be enough spots for all of these prospects, but expect at least one of them to make the team out of training camp.

NEXT SEASON PT 3. GOALTENDING

The Flyers have a better goaltender to back up Steve Mason this year in Michal Neuvirth, but don't expect the starts to be lopsided. Neuvirth has proved in the past that he can be a starting goalie, so expect them to split most of the calls between the pipes. If one or the other gets injured, Jason LaBarbera will be waiting for the call to replace them.

POSSIBLE 2015-16 OPENING NIGHT LINEUP

Brayden Schenn - Claude Giroux - Jakub Voracek
Matt Read - Sean Couturier - Wayne Simmonds
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - Sam Gagner - Michael Raffl
R.J Umberger - Ryan White - Colin McDonald

Mark Streit - Michael Del Zotto
Nick Schultz - Andrew MacDonald
Luke Schenn - Evgeni Medvedev

Steve Mason
Michal Neuvirth

Ottawa Senators 2015-16 Season Preview

By Alex Hobson

2014-15 LEADING SCORERS

D Erik Karlsson (21 G, 45 A, 66 P)
RW Mark Stone (26 G, 38 A, 64 P)
C Kyle Turris (24 G, 40 A, 64 P)

LAST SEASON

The 2014-15 Ottawa Senators season was highlighted by three major storylines. A turnaround that led to a playoff birth, an unbelievable rookie campaign from Mark Stone, and an out-of-nowhere breakout season for goaltender Andrew Hammond.

After having a decent campaign in 2013-14 that saw him record 8 points in 19 games, Stone far exceeded expectations the following year, recording a whopping 64 points in 80 games for the Sens. Not only that, Andrew Hammond was called up to replace starting goaltender Craig Anderson, and was not expected to have the run he had. Hammond posted a record of 12-0-1 with a 1.55 GAA and a .950 save percentage in his first 13 starts with the Senators. This would create a major controversy based on who would start and play backup between Robin Lehner, Craig Anderson, and Hammond.

The Senators were not in a playoff spot heading into the new year, but with help from the performances of Stone and Hammond, the Senators climbed back into a spot and didn't find it neccesary to make any trades to solidify their core. They faced the Montreal Canadiens in a first round matchup, but were unfortunately eliminated in six games against the Habs. This was not the end of an era, however, and the Senators didn't let the loss get to their heads. There was tons to be optimistic about in the nation's capital.

OFFSEASON

IN

Matt O'Connor
Travis Ewanyk
Eric O'Dell
Zack Stortini
Mike Kostka

OUT

Stephane Da Costa
Brad Mills
Garret Thompson
Eric Gryba
David Legwand
Robin Lehner
Eric Condra
Derek Grant
Carter Camper
Patrick Mullen
Darren Kramer
Aaron Johnson
Alex Grant

The Ottawa Senators had a relatively quiet offseason, but it still featured a couple of big moves. They signed highly touted undrafted goaltender Matt O'Connor from Boston University to kick things off, and then heading into the draft, they traded goaltender Robin Lehner along with forward David Legwand to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 1st round pick in the 2015 draft. This move was made to make room for Andrew Hammond after his breakout season. Heading into the draft, they used their first selection to draft defenseman Thomas Chabot from the Saint-John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL, and then used the 1st round pick obtained in the Lehner deal to select forward Colin White of the USNTDP Juniors. Free agency wise they didn't do too much besides bringing in some depth names such as Eric O'Dell, Mike Kostka, and Zack Stortini. They said goodbye to Erik Condra among other names, but overall were not very active.

NEXT SEASON PT 1. OFFENSE

The Senators' offensive charge will be led by Kyle Turris and Bobby Ryan along with the young talents of Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman. Look for rookie Matt Puempel to work for a full time spot on the offense come training camp.

NEXT SEASON PT 2. DEFENSE

Next season, the Sens defensive core will no doubt be lead by captain Erik Karlsson along with veteran help coming from Marc Methot and Chris Phillips. Expect Jared Cowen to push for a rebound season.

NEXT SEASON PT 3. GOALTENDING

The Sens will likely rotate between Craig Anderson and Andrew Hammond. With Robin Lehner out of the picture, the Sens will look to Matt O'Connor when they need a replacement for one of Hammond or Anderson.

POSSIBLE 2015-16 OPENING NIGHT LINEUP

Clarke MacArthur - Kyle Turris - Bobby Ryan
Mike Hoffman - Mika Zibanejad - Mark Stone
Milan Michalek - Curtis Lazar - Alex Chiasson
Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Zack Smith - Alex Chiasson

Erik Karlsson - Marc Methot
Cody Ceci - Patrick Wiercioch
Chris Phillips - Mark Borowiecki

Andrew Hammond
Craig Anderson

Leafs Top Ten Prospects: #5 - Stuart Percy

By Alex Hobson

Ask any Leafs fan that pays attention to the offseason about the 2011 NHL Draft, and I guarentee you they'll cringe. This is because then-Leafs GM Brian Burke traded up to the 22nd overall pick and used it so select big winger Tyler Biggs. Biggs has since been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a part of the Kessel trade, and has been widely regarded as a bust. Not to mention the picks that the Leafs traded to obtain Biggs turned out to be Rickard Rakell and John Gibson, whom are both solid young NHLers on the Anaheim Ducks.

However, the next Leafs pick wasn't so bad. They used their second 1st round pick at 25th overall to select defenseman Stuart Percy from the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL. Why was Percy placed at #5 on my list? Let's take a look.By Alex Hobson

You may be wondering right now, why did I put Percy at 5 when players such as Jeremy Bracco, Travis Dermott, and Andreas Johnson all possess more skill than him? The reasoning behind this is simple. Percy has no weaknesses in his game. The Oakville, Ontario native is solid offensively, solid defenseively, and can be trusted in all zones of the ice. He's still considered a prospect given that he's only appeared in 9 games for the Leafs. He plays the style of game that coaches and teams as a whole love. He's reliable, doesn't make too many mistakes, and can be counted on in the offensive zone as well as the defensive. He plays a very smooth game and if developed right, should blossom into a top four defenseman for the Leafs.

POSSIBLE NHL CEILING: TOP FOUR DEFENSEMAN

Stuart Percy is the exact type of player that would be a great fit on a future Leafs top four. He can pitch in a decent amount of points, and he's very good defensively. His game isn't revolved around being physical, but he can still throw the body when he needs to and again, if developed right, should pan out as a solid top four d-man.

PROSPECT GRADE: B

Percy may not carry a skill set like the other prospects on this list, but the reason he ranks so high is because each year since being drafted, he's played a consistent game and has shown no signs of slowing down. For these reasons, this grade is appropriate for Percy.

What do you think of Percy, Leafs fans? Should he be ranked higher or lower, or is #5 appropriate for him? Weigh in below.

New York Rangers 2015-16 Season Preview

By Alex Hobson

2014-15 LEADING SCORERS

LW Rick Nash (42 G, 27 A, 69 P)
C Derick Brassard (19 G, 41 A, 60 P)
C Derek Stepan (16 G, 39 A, 55 P)

LAST SEASON

After narrowly losing in the Stanley Cup final the previous year, the New York Rangers had high hopes coming into this year. After bringing in veteran defenseman Dan Boyle and forwards Lee Stempniak and Tanner Glass, they were determined to do what they did the previous year, or even better. They also brought in forward Kevin Hayes on an ELC from Boston College to add a young, promising forward to the lineup.

They didn't make any moves during the first half of the regular season, but they made one blockbuster move to really prepare their team for the upcoming playoffs. They traded defenseman John Moore, prospect Anthony Duclair, a 1st round pick in 2016 and a 2nd round pick in 2015 in exchange for defenseman Keith Yandle, defenseman Chris Summers, and a 4th round pick in 2016. They also made some more depth moves by acquiring James Sheppard from the San Jose Sharks and Carl Klingberg from the Winnipeg Jets. These moves were a sign that the Rangers were ready for a deep playoff run.

Finally, it was time. After winning the President's Trophy and finishing with a breathtaking record of 53-22-7, the Rangers showed the rest of the league that the fun and games were over, and they meant business. They entered the playoffs with a first round matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins, to which they won 4-1. They then faced the Washington Capitals in the second round, and ended up winning in an exciting game seven, and finally, they faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Conference Final. They ended up losing in a heartbreaker in game seven, and would be eliminated while the Lightning moved on.

It was still a great season nonetheless for the Rangers, and they have tons to be optimistic about looking forward.

OFFSEASON

IN

Emerson Etem
Antti Raanta
Luke Adam
Brian Gibbons
Raphael Diaz
Jayson Megna
Matt Lindblad
Magnus Hellberg
Viktor Stalberg
Jarret Stoll

OUT

Carl Hagelin
Cam Talbot
Ryan Haggerty
Ryan Potulny
Carl Klingberg
Mike Kostka
Joey Crabb
Chris Bourque
Jason Missianen
Danny Kristo
Conor Allen
Pavel Valentenko
Martin St.Louis
James Sheppard
Chris Mueller
Matt Hunwick
Brendon Nash

Heading into the 2015 NHL Draft, the Rangers didn't have a first round pick, but this wasn't a problem given the depth in this particular class. They used their second round pick to select winger Ryan Gropp of the Seattle Thunderbirds, and then the following day, traded RFA Carl Hagelin to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Emerson Etem. They also acquired backup goaltender Antti Raanta from the Chicago Blackhawks after previously dealing Cam Talbot to the Edmonton Oilers. Free agent wise, they brought in a couple of depth players in Brian Gibbons, Luke Adam, and Raphael Diaz, and then signed forward Viktor Stalberg and brought in solid centre Jarret Stole to boost their offensive lineup. They said goodbye to league fan favourite Marty St Louis, as he retired after a lengthy NHL career, and also lost depth players in Mike Kostka, Matt Hunwick, and James Sheppard.

NEXT SEASON PT 1. OFFENSE

After inking young centre Derek Stepan to a lengthy six year contract extension, the Rangers will look to be lead offensively by Stepan, Rick Nash, and Derick Brassard. The young talents of Chris Kreider, J.T Miller, and Kevin Hayes will also play a role in the Rangers' scoring. Expect Emerson Etem to act as Carl Hagelin's replacement and put a few in the net for them.

NEXT SEASON PT 2. DEFENSE

The New York Rangers have arguably one of the best defensive cores in the league. With Ryan McDonagh and Keith Yandle at the top, and Dan Girardi, Marc Staal, Dan Boyle, Kevin Klein, Chris Summers, and Raphael Diaz among other options, they're hard to beat. Expect McDonagh and Yandle to lead the charge, with Girardi and Staal close behind.

NEXT SEASON PT 3. GOALTENDING

Another position the Rangers are very good at. Henrik Lundqvist will get most of the games between the pipes for the Blueshirts, with Antti Raanta also getting the nod for a few. Cedrick Desjardins will look to serve as a decent third goaltender behind the other two.

POSSIBLE 2015-16 OPENING NIGHT LINEUP

Rick Nash - Derek Stepan - Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider - Derick Brassard - Jesper Fast
Emerson Etem - J.T Miller - Kevin Hayes
Viktor Stalberg - Jarret Stoll - Dominic Moore

Ryan McDonagh - Keith Yandle
Dan Girardi - Marc Staal
Dan Boyle - Kevin Klein

Henrik Lundqvist
Antti Raanta

New York Islanders 2015-16 Season Preview

By Alex Hobson

2014-15 LEADING SCORERS

C John Taveres (38 G, 48 A, 86 P)
LW Kyle Okposo (18 G, 33 A, 51 P)
C Ryan Strome (17 G, 33 A, 50 P)

LAST SEASON

Along with the Nashville Predators and the Calgary Flames, the New York Islanders were another team that had a surprising season, but in a good way. After doing bad enough to recieve the 5th overall pick in the previous NHL draft, the Isles bounced back and made the playoffs the next season.

At the beginning of the season, they made two moves to improve their defense. This included bringing in defenseman Nick Leddy from the Chicago Blackhawks, along with veteran defenseman Johnny Boychuk from the Boston Bruins. These moves along with strong breakout seasons from Brock Nelson, Anders Lee, and Ryan Strome were enough to carry the Islanders to the playoffs.

At the trade deadline, they made a series of moves to improve their roster heading into the playoffs, including bringing in forward Tyler Kennedy from the San Jose Sharks, goaltender Michal Neuvirth from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Chad Johnson, and forward Dustin Jeffrey from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Cory Conacher. After finishing 3rd in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 47-28-7, they entered the playoffs against the Washington Capitals, but unfortunately lost out in seven games.

This all being said, the Islanders had a relatively young team and still have lots to look forward to heading into next season.

OFFSEASON

IN

Kirill Petrov
Shane Harper
Thomas Greiss
Joe Whitney
Justin Florek
Bracken Kearns
James Wright
Ben Holmstrom
Justin Vaive
Louis Leblanc

OUT

John Persson
Johan Sundstrom
Matt Donovan
Brett Gallant
Jason Clark
Griffin Reinhart
Kent Simpson
Aaron Ness
Colin McDonald
Kael Mouillerat
Rhett Rakhshani
Harry Zolnierczyk
Michal Neuvirth
Eric Boulton
Matt Carkner
Dustin Jeffrey
Tyler Kennedy
Mark Louis
Tomas Marcinko
Alex Mallet

Heading into the 2015 NHL Draft, the Islanders didn't have a first round pick, but GM Garth Snow made it clear that it wouldn't stay like that. He traded defensive prospect Griffin Reinhart to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for the Oilers 16th and 33rd overall pick. They then used the 16th selection to take forward Mathew Barzal of the Seattle Thunderbirds, and then traded their 33rd overall pick along with their 72nd overall pick to the New York Rangers for their 1st round pick at 28th overall, in which they used to select Anthony Beauvillier from the Shawinigan Cataractes. In free agency, they lost a lot of players, but no big names. They weren't very active, but signed a few depth players in Justin Florek, Thomas Greiss, and James Wright. No big storylines for the Isles this time around.

NEXT SEASON PT 1. OFFENSE

The Islanders offense will without a doubt be led by their young captain in John Tavares. Look for the services of young players such as Ryan Strome, Brock Nelson, and Anders Lee to all step up and pitch in. Expect Michael Dal Colle to push for a starting roster spot this season as well.

NEXT SEASON PT 2. DEFENSE

The Islanders defense next season will be led by the services of Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk, with Calvin de Haan and Travis Hamonic also providing support. Look for prospects Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield to challenge for roster spots.

NEXT SEASON PT 3. GOALTENDING

The Islanders will remain with Jaroslav Halak as their starter with Thomas Greiss backing him up. Again, nothing as changed so not much else needs to be said.

POSSIBLE 2015-16 STARTING LINEUP

Brock Nelson - John Tavares - Kyle Okposo
Anders Lee - Ryan Strome - Josh Bailey
Michael Grabner - Frans Nielsen - Casey Cizikas
Cal Clutterbuck - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin

Johnny Boychuk - Nick Leddy
Calvin de Haan - Travis Hamonic
Ryan Pulock - Brian Strait

Jaroslav Halak
Thomas Greiss

Top Ten Leafs Prospects: #6 - Andreas Johnson

By Alex Hobson

People often seem to forget that the NHL draft is not only about the first round. Gems can often be found in the later rounds as well as the early ones. A good example of a team finding these gems is the Detroit Red Wings, who managed to draft their duo of Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk in the 6th and 7th rounds of their respective drafts. Anyways, the Leafs were never good at drafting, but in the 2013 draft, they might have found a potential gem. This player was Andreas Johnson.

Johnson has gone somewhat under the rader since he joined the Leafs organization. He plays in the Swedish league, so it's difficult to get reports on how is game is looking across the pond. The Gavle, Sweden native has been a consistent scorer in his consecutive seasons with Frolunda HC of the SHL.

 In his draft, year, he recorded 54 points in 42 games for Frolunda HC J20 of the SuperElit league, and then went on to record 24 points in 44 games for the big club. In his most recent season, he put up 35 points in 55 games. Johnson will more than likely stay with Frolunda for one more season, and then make the jump to the AHL and play for the Marlies next year. That being said, he could also take the route that fellow prospect William Nylander took and join the Marlies mid-season, but it's hard to tell right now.



POSSIBLE NHL CEILING: 2ND LINE SCORER

Andreas Johnson possesses all the tools to become an effective scorer in the NHL, but only if he's handled right development wise. The Leafs are not going to rush their prospects like they have in the past, and will likely give Johnson at least one or two years with the Marlies before giving him a shot at the NHL team. If treated right, Johnson could become a dangerous scorer in the NHL, given his quick hands and blistering shot.

PROSPECT GRADE: B+

You can't really say that the Leafs got a steal in the young Swede, but he's certainly performing far better than a 7th rounder should. This grade seems appropriate for Johnson, given his performance since being drafted.

What do you think, Leafs fans? Should Johnson be ranked higher, lower, or is he good at #6? Weigh in below.

Thanks for reading.

New Jersey Devils 2015-16 Season Preview

By Alex Hobson

2014-15 LEADING SCORERS

C Adam Henrique (16 G, 27 A, 43 P)
LW Mike Cammalleri (27 G, 15 A, 42 P)
LW Patrik Elias (13 G, 21 A, 34 P)

LAST SEASON

The New Jersey Devils had a rather uneventful, but a bad season this past year. After bringing in forwards Mike Cammalleri and Martin Havlat to boost their goal scoring touch, they were expected to have a decent campaign, but unfortunately expectations were not met. They ended up finishing 6th in the Metropolitan Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 31-31-11.

There wasn't too much to say about the Devils last season. They brought in Scott Gomez and Jordin Tootoo during the season to provide veteran presence, and shortly after they fired head coach Peter DeBoer. When it became evident that they weren't going to make the playoffs, they traded the ageless wonder Jaromir Jagr to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2nd round pick and a 3rd round pick, and then dealt defenseman Marek Zidlicky to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a conditional 3rd round pick. It hadn't become known yet, but after this season, huge front office changes were coming.

OFFSEASON

IN

Sergey Kalinin
Vojtech Mozik
Kyle Palmieri
Blake Coleman
John Moore
Jim O'Brien
Marc-Andre Gragani
Yann Danis

OUT

Tim Sestito
Scott Clemmensen
Vladimir Zharkov
Darcy Zajac
Bryce Salvador
Dainius Zubrus
Michael Ryder
Cam Janssen
Corbin McPherson
Scott Gomez
Peter Harrold
Mark Fraser
Steve Bernier
Scott Timmins
Maxime Clermont
Joe Whitney
Martin Havlat

The Devils began the offseason with some big front office moves. This began with longtime GM Lou Lamoriello stepping down as GM and remaining as team president, while they hired former Penguins GM Ray Shero. They then hired John Hynes, former head coach for the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins as head coach. Heading into the 2015 NHL Draft, where they held the 6th overall pick, they selected highly touted Czech forward Pavel Zacha. In free agency, the Devils lost a lot of names, but they didn't neccesarily downgrade. They added Kyle Palmieri for some goal scoring support and brought in young defenseman John Moore as well, and meanwhile said goodbye to their captain Bryce Salvador along with longtime forward Dainius Zubrus.

NEXT SEASON PT 1. OFFENSE

The Devils' scoring will likely be lead by Adam Henrique, Mike Cammalleri, and Patrik Elias like usual, with secondary support coming in from Travis Zajac and Tuomo Ruutu. Expect rookie forwards Sergey Kalinin and Pavel Zacha to make pushes for the Devils' starting offense.

NEXT SEASON PT 2. DEFENSE

The Devils' defensive core will be quarterbacked by Andy Greene, with young Swedish defenseman Adam Larsson pitching in after being signed to a long term contract. Look for Jon Merrill and Eric Gelinas to step into bigger roles as well.

NEXT SEASON PT 3. GOALTENDING

The Devils will have Cory Schneider as their starting goalie this year, with Keith Kinkaid as their backup. Not much else needs to be said on the matter.

POSSIBLE 2015-16 OPENING NIGHT LINEUP

Mike Cammalleri - Adam Henrique - Patrik Elias
Tuomo Ruutu - Travis Zajac - Kyle Palmieri
Stephen Gionta - Pavel Zacha - Sergey Kalinin
Reid Boucher - Jacob Josefson - Jordin Tootoo

Andy Greene - Damon Severson
Adam Larsson - Eric Gelinas
Jon Merrill - John Moore

Cory Schneider
Keith Kinkaid

Hobson's Mailbag: Week 1 - 8/24/15

Welcome to a new series here on PHU, called Hobson's mailbag. I will answer weekly questions from people on Twitter, Facebook, generally where anyone can reach me. I hope to connect with you guys and have a great time discussing the world's greatest sport, hockey.

Anyways, let's get down to business.

@PHUHobson Who's primed for a breakout season?

— Kevin Connauton (@KevinsComrades) August 24, 2015

Personally, I think Nazem Kadri is due. He had a great run in his first campaign during the shortened 2013 season, but after that his production seemed to slip a little bit. This season, he'll more than likely be given first line minutes under new coach Mike Babcock, assuming that Tyler Bozak is traded before training camp or is demoted to the second line, and given the fact that he has a new contract with the money that he wanted, it'll be his last chance to prove himself. With all of these reasons to perform well right in front of him, I think Kadri is ready to finally establish himself as a solid top six NHLer.

@PHUHobson Where do you see the Leafs finishing standings wise next year?

— Anthony Fusco (@FuscoNation16) August 23, 2015

Realistically, I can see the Leafs finishing in the bottom five. The two of the three teams that finished in the bottom three last year, the Sabres and Oilers, are looking up for this coming season after acquiring several pieces to boulster their roster. Meanwhile, the Leafs lost their best goal scorer in Phil Kessel and will likely continue to unload players between now and the trade deadline. Even teams such as the Arizona Coyotes could surprise around the league and finish higher than expected, but as of now, it's not looking like the Leafs will do any better than last year.

@PHUHobson Hockey culture in Toronto last year was embarrassing, with jerseys on the ice and whatnot. How long until that changes? Will it?

— Cassy (@_MAF29) August 23, 2015

This is arguably the most cringeworthy topic anyone could bring up with a Leafs fan. Unfortunately, the culture has been terrible over the past few years. From the brutal media to the poor excuses of fans that throw jerseys on the ice after a loss, nothing has gone right for the Leafs culture off the ice. That being said, if the Leafs put a better product on the ice and dress players that play like they want to be there, then you could see changes in the way the media and the fans treat the team itself. There will always be the odd number of spectators that give their fellow fans a bad name, but hopefully the spirit and hockey culture will change throughout the next couple of years.

Thanks for reading, everyone!

Nashville Predators 2015-16 Season Preview

By Alex Hobson

2014-15 LEADING SCORERS

RW Filip Forsberg (26 G, 37 A, 63 P)
C Mike Ribeiro (15 G, 47 A, 62 P)
D Roman Josi (15 G, 40 A, 55 P)

LAST SEASON

The Nashville Predators had arguably the most pleasantly surprising season in 2014-15. After failing to reach the playoffs in 2013-14, the Preds went 47-25-10 to finish 2nd in the Central Divison and 3rd in the Western Conference. A solid rookie season from Swedish forward Filip Forsberg along with a great season from defender Roman Josi both played big parts in this season to remember for the Predators. Forsberg and Mike Ribeiro made an impact on the first line, and they just had a great season all around.

Trades that occurred during the season included trading Derek Roy to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Mark Arcobello, and then making a big move to increase their playoff chances, sending forward Olli Jokinen, prospect Brendan Leipsic, and their 1st round pick in 2015 to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Cody Franson and forward Mike Santorelli. The Predators kept their game up, and clinched a playoff spot.

Their first round matchup was against the 2010, 2013, and eventual 2015 Stanley Cup champs, the Chicago Blackhawks. The Predators put up a good fight, but lost in six games to the Blackhawks. But with a good amount of forwards and a young defensive core, they have lots to be optimistic about heading forward.

OFFSEASON

IN

Kristan Nakyva
Cody Hodgson
Max Reinhart
Barret Jackman
Conor Allen
Cody Bass
Jamie Devane
Steve Moses
Vladislav Kamenev

OUT

Viktor Stalberg
Juuso Puustinen
Joe Piskula
Teemu Laakso
Kevin Henderson
Cody Franson
Mike Santorelli
Atte Engren
Matt Cullen
Taylor Beck
Josh Shalla
Mark van Guilder
Anton Volchenkov
Zach Budish


The Predators began their offseason at the 2015 NHL Draft without a first round pick, but given how deep the pool was, they still managed to pick up two players with solid talent in Thomas Novak and Yakov Trenin. Heading into the offseason, they lost quite a few names such as rentals Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli and veterans Anton Volchenkov and Matt Cullen. They did bring in another veteran, however, in Barret Jackman, and signed a player who's looking to rebound in 2015-16 in Cody Hodgson. They also signed highly touted American forward Steve Moses out of the KHL, traded RFA Taylor Beck to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Jamie Devane, and acquired Max Reinhart from the Calgary Flames. All in all, the Predators had a good offseason, but didn't do much to downgrade or upgrade.

NEXT SEASON PT 1. OFFENSE

The Predators offense will be lead by youngster Filip Forsberg and veteran Mike Ribeiro, with James Neal, Craig Smith, and Colin Wilson providing secondary help. Expect a big season from newly-signed Cody Hodgson as he will want to redeem himself after a poor 2014-15 campaign. Watch for rookies Austin Watson and Kevin Fiala to challenge for full time roster spots.

NEXT SEASON PT 2. DEFENSE

The Preds' defense will be lead by the big two on the top pairing in Shea Weber and Roman Josi, with youngster Seth Jones looking to step into a bigger role. Barret Jackman will provide veteran presence on the back end as well.

NEXT SEASON PT 3. GOALTENDING

The Predators will more than likely have Pekka Rinne start most of their games with Carter Hutton backing him up. Not much more needs to be said on the topic.

POSSIBLE 2015-16 OPENING NIGHT LINEUP

Colin Wilson - Mike Ribeiro - Filip Forsberg
James Neal - Mike Fisher - Craig Smith
Gabriel Bourque - Calle Jarnkrok - Cody Hodgson
Eric Nystrom - Paul Gaustad - Steve Moses

Shea Weber - Roman Josi
Seth Jones - Ryan Ellis
Barret Jackman - Mattias Ekholm

Pekka Rinne
Carter Hutton

Keys to Success: #30 The Buffalo Sabres

Welcome to “Keys to Success” a series in which I will discuss the biggest needs of each team, not only for the present but also the future. This series will go in a different order than most, I will start from the bottom of the regular season standings from the previous season and work my way up to the President’s Trophy winning New York Rangers. Today we look at #30 The Buffalo Sabres.

By William Espy

 

The Buffalo Sabres have had a very interesting off-season under GM Tim Murray. The addition of Ryan O’Reilly and then subsequently signing him to a massive questionable contract will help the team at least in the short run. The issue there may come in a few seasons when names like Ristolainen and Eichel need a big contract. Speaking of Eichel, much like O’Reilly he will be a main part of the Sabres forward core for quite a while.

NEED #1: RELIABLE GOALTENDER

This need was also addressed to an extent in the off-season, Murray acquired G Robin Lehner (as well as forward David Legwand) from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for the 21^st overall pick in the 2015 draft (Colin White). This does not completely solve the problem though. Lehner can be a solid goaltender and has potential to be an elite net-minder at some point in his career, however along with his flashes of brilliance come his horrifying defeats. He is wildly inconsistent at this point in his career, but he is only twenty four years old which leaves him much room to grow. Odds are Lehner will breakout with the Sabres and have many successful years, but it is too early to say he will be their next Ryan Miller. The Sabres need a reliable backup plan in-case the worst is to happen with Lehner.

NEED #2: TOP DEFENSEMAN

The top defenseman they need is likely already in their system. With players like Bogosian, Ristolainen and even Pysyk, the Sabres are primed to have a top defensive core for years to come when they finally reach their prime. However, if you look at teams who have been winning Cups they all have their #1 guy defensively. Chicago has Keith, LA has Drew Doughty and before those two started trading Cups; Boston had Chara and so on. If Buffalo is going to be a Cup winning team, they also will likely need one. Ristolainen seems like the most likely option to break out and take that role, however don’t count out people in the system like McCabe.

Overall, the Sabres have a deep prospect pool, a few solid top six forwards and a very young defensive core. With these additions, they could easily be a top team in the NHL for many years.