Welcome to the first of four WHL Future Watches! Today we look at the top prospects of the Atlantic Division’s six squads. The ten prospects were hand picked by yours truly, and the qualification is that they must be 23 years of age or younger. The prospects are in no particular order.
ATLANTIC SCHOONERS
Luke Adam
Marcus Foligno
Gabriel Bourque
Drew Shore
Quinton Howden
Kevin Hayes
James Wright
Jordan Caron
ANALYSIS
There’s glaring weaknesses on defense and in goal. In fact, the youngest defenseman in the organization is 24-year-old PK Subban, their #1 defenseman! Onto the players themselves. Drew Shore is great at faceoffs and has good upside as a playmaking center. Foligno should be a solid power forward and has already played a fair amount of WHL action. Hayes, like his brother Jimmy, has size, but plays a more finesse game, and is currently still attending Boston College. Howden is somewhat similar to Hayes, but a bit bigger and more gritty. Meanwhile Caron hasn’t lived up to expectations but there’s still a chance he can be salvaged. Wright, meanwhile, is absolutely awful.
STRENGTHS: Two-way/defensive forwards
WEAKNESSES: No goaltending or defense prospects
Overall analysis: Although Jon Hiseler has done a decent job at getting solid players, the team needs some long-term help on the back end and in goal.
BOSTON SNOWDOGS
Brendan Gallagher
Mark Pysyk
Ryan Murphy
Peter Holland
Casey Cizikas
Matt Donovan
Connor Murphy
Nathan Beaulieu
Sami Vatanen
Patrice Cormier
ANALYSIS
First thing to jump out at you is the same problem in goal as the Schooners, in that after Cam Ward and Corey Crawford, neither Michael Leighton (who plans on heading to the KHL after the season) or Richard Bachman is under 23. But this team has a surplus of great puck moving defensemen that qualify for Future Watch. Sami Vatanen won two Defenseman of the Year awards in Finland as a junior. You also have Matt Donovan who’s been a top offensive defensemen in the AHL for a couple years now. Connor Murphy is similar, but bigger than those two. Ditto Nathan Beaulieu and Ryan Murphy. Even up front they have Peter Holland who may be a solid 2nd liner if he gets some consistency going. Cormier could be a solid third line center who excels physically, in the faceoff circle, and on the PK, but he’s running out of time. Gallagher, meanwhile, is a small, skilled winger who works his tail off.
STRENGTHS: Mobile, deep defense
WEAKNESSES: No goaltending prospects
Overall analysis: A very solid defensive corps for the future, but there needs to be a goalie prospect or two.
CHICOUTIMI SPARROWS
Yann Sauve
Kevin Poulin
Igor Bobkov
ANALYSIS
It’s always been the way in Chicoutimi. If you aren’t French Canadian, you really aren’t welcome. That explains the lack of EVERYTHING in the cupboard, quite frankly. So really, there isn’t much here. Poulin and Bobkov have good potential in goal, while Sauve is a big shutdown defender with a little bit of upside.
STRENGTHS: Goaltending prospects exist and aren’t bad
WEAKNESSES: Lack of depth everywhere
Overall analysis: The Sparrows will never change their heavy French Canadian bias and quite frankly there just aren’t enough French Canadians left to stock a cupboard well.
HALIFAX CITADELLES
Zack Kassian
Mikhail Grigorenko
Aleksander Barkov
Nick Bjugstad
Sven Baertschi
Valeri Nichushkin
Anders Nilsson
Joel Armia
Morgan Klimchuk
Kerby Rychel
ANALYSIS
Despite the impressive prospect pool the Cits possess, I’m still scratching my head as to why they decided to enter a rebuild. They had the third best record in the Wales last year. I dunno, I’m just an outsider. There’s a little bit of everything up front in this pool, from power forwards like Kassian to playmakers like Barkov to snipers like Nichushkin. I also believe Anders Nilsson will be a solid goaltender someday. But on defense, there really isn’t much, with not a single d-man listed here.
STRENGTHS: Depth, versatility, and quality of forwards
WEAKNESSES: Lack of defense prospects
Overall analysis: It feels like this team is always rebuilding. They have a great system, but it feels like half the time they never stay together.
NEW YORK DEMONS
Nazem Kadri
Mark McNeill
Frederik Gauthier
Scott Laughton
Olli Maatta
Joe Morrow
Ryan Hartman
Riley Sheahan
Andrej Sustr
Jason Dickinson
ANALYSIS
Outside of the triad of Miller, Bernier, and Reimer, there’s no goalies in the Demons’ otherwise-terrific system. They have lots of grit up front with McNeill, Gauthier, Hartman, and Dickinson, while the defense is still solid with the big Sustr, the mobile Morrow, and the versatile Maatta. Scott Laughton and Riley Sheahan will both likely be solid defensive forwards.
STRENGTHS: Grit up front, solid defensive depth
WEAKNESSES: Elite wingers and lack of goaltenders
Overall analysis: The Demons have always had a solid system, and it remains that way to this day. With a number of key players, particularly Joe Thornton and Zdeno Chara, getting old, the system will be tested soon.
QUEBEC CITY CORINTHIANS
Dougie Hamilton
JT Miller
Louis Leblanc
Zemgus Girgensons
Jonathan Drouin
Nail Yakupov
Brandon Gormley
Simon Despres
Jarred Tinordi
Colby Robak
ANALYSIS
I find Robak very underrated which is why I put him on this list. Having lottery picks will do this to you. In 2012 the lottery balls rolled in the Corinths’ favor and they were able to take Yakupov #1 overall. Last year they were able to take megatalented Drouin second overall. They have size on forward and D, and skill AND grit. Lots to like about this system.
STRENGTHS: Overall balance
WEAKNESSES: Wing depth
Overall analysis: A VERY good system should have the Corinths as a Cyber Cup contender in the very near future.
The Thundercloud 