Welcome to the fourth of four WHL Future Watches! Today we look at the top prospects of the Pacific Division’s six squads. The ten or fewer 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.
KELOWNA CATS
Evgeny Kuznetsov
Joe Cannata
Tomas Hertl
Tom Wilson
Brenden Dillon
ANALYSIS
Short list, yes. But the Cats are in a win now mode, and they do have a young superstar to build around in Steven Stamkos. Kuznetsov may be the best player not in North America; he’s scheduled to come over when Traktor’s KHL season is over (which may be early as last year’s Gagarin Cup runner-up is struggling to even make the playoffs this year). Cannata has some potential, but will likely be nothing more than a backup despite having been a finalist for the Hobey Baker in 2012. Dillon has shutdown potential. Wilson is a rugged power forward who still needs to fill out some, but who can score and inflict physical punishment on people. Hertl is an ultra-skilled two-way center.
STRENGTHS: Kuznetsov is amazing
WEAKNESSES: Depth
Overall analysis: This system will get deeper this draft as the Cats own 8 picks. For now, this is a team that wants to win a Cyber Cup this year.
LAS VEGAS BULLS
Ryan Johansen
Max Domi
Jakob Silfverberg
Tyler Toffoli
Anthony Mantha
Ryan Ellis
Ryan Pulock
Brady Skjei
Rasmus Ristolainen
Dylan Olsen
ANALYSIS
There’s lots of talent here, no question. Silfverberg is pro-ready, Toffoli and Johansen as well. Mantha is currently ripping apart the Quebec League like it’s nothing with his goal scoring ability. Olsen will be ready in a year or two. Ditto Ristolainen, a fellow minute munching defenseman. Pulock, a puck mover, is probably another year or so away, while Skjei may be longer as he is in his sophomore season at the University of Minnesota. Ellis, a fellow puck mover, is close.
STRENGTHS: Deep, mobile defensemen
WEAKNESSES: No goaltending prospects
Overall analysis: It hasn’t been a great year for the Bulls so far, but their future is looking good like their past.
PASADENA PATRIOTS
Justin Schultz
Mattias Ekholm
Jordan Schroeder
Rickard Rakell
Radek Faksa
Mark Jankowski
Derrick Pouliot
Morgan Rielly
Josh Morrissey
Petr Mrazek
ANALYSIS
The team proper is dreadful, but Carter Liebzeit has done a splendid job at improving the future with solid drafting. Mrazek, in my opinion, is the best goalie prospect out there. Rielly and Pouliot will help Schultz quarterback the power play in the future, as well as Morrissey, whose hockey IQ is incredible and who plays with an edge. Ekholm is an underrated two-way defenseman. Faksa brings two-way acumen to compliment the scoring of Rakell, Schroeder, and Jankowski, who is currently at Providence College.
STRENGTHS: Depth at all positions
WEAKNESSES: A true game-breaking forward
Overall analysis: This team is going places in the future. All they need is one game breaking forward. Sam Reinhart, anyone?
ROCKY MOUNTAIN EXPRESS
Griffin Reinhart
Erik Gudbranson
John Moore
Hunter Shinkaruk
Tomas Kubalik
Devante Smith Pelly
ANALYSIS
Not a whole lot here. Up front, Smith Pelly and Kubalik provide grit, but Smith Pelly is raw and Kubalik is playing for Lev Prague in the KHL (and not playing very well either). Shinkaruk is a sniper, but hasn’t really played amazing in the Western League this year. The defense is solid, with slick skaters in Moore and Gudbranson and the shutdown prowess of Reinhart.
STRENGTHS: Quality defense prospects
WEAKNESSES: Depth anywhere
Overall analysis: Rather barren system, and they had a compensatory pick that could help boost the system…and used it on Roman Cervenka who has since returned to the KHL. Oops.
TRI-CITY ROUSTABOUTS
Dalton Prout
Anton Klementyev
ANALYSIS
Not much to see here. Both will be nothing more than depth guys. Klementyev currently plays in the VHL, the second tier of Russian hockey behind the KHL.
STRENGTHS: Nothing
WEAKNESSES: Totally barren pool
Overall analysis: If it weren’t for Hall and Nugent-Hopkins, this team would be totally boned.
VANCOUVER VOODOO
Jonathan Huberdeau
Chris Kreider
Bo Horvat
Mark Scheifele
Marko Dano
Teuvo Teravainen
Andrey Vasilevskiy
Malcolm Subban
Jordan Schmaltz
Alexander Burmistrov
ANALYSIS
Hey look, a team with TWO elite goalie prospects! Vasilevskiy is killing it with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL right now and will come to North America next year. Subban, meanwhile, is adjusting to the rigors of the AHL and even got into a fight. Up front, lots of potential. Though Burmistrov is currently playing for Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL, he’s got oodles of talent. Huberdeau is already pro-ready and extremely gifted. Kreider has size and speed and lots of offensive potential. Horvat, Scheifele, and Dano are all talented two-way forwards, with Dano currently playing for Slovan Bratislava of the KHL.Teravainen is a gifted playmaker for Jokerit who will come to North America next season. Only one real defense prospect – Schmaltz, currently at the University of North Dakota – but he’s still a good one.
STRENGTHS: Quality and depth at forward and in goal
WEAKNESSES: Depth on defense
Overall analysis: A new management team may bring a new perspective to this franchise. But here’s hoping he doesn’t mess with an impressive group of young guns here.
The Thundercloud 