Top-20 des meilleurs espoirs
BLACKHAWKS DE CHICAGO


Analyses de Scott Wheeler de The Athletic.


1- Alex Newhook
    Centre / Ailier Gauche
    20 ans
    5'10
    190 lbs
    Repêché 13ie au total en 2019 par New York.

    
" Though Newhook has begun to really establish himself with the NHL club, I decided to include him one last time here because of the time he has spent in the AHL this season. In Byram’s absence, he’s the clear No. 1 prospect in the Avs organization (and, longtime readers will know, a player I had neck and neck with Byram even when they were both in the pool). A favorite of mine ahead of the 2019 draft and beyond, Newhook’s one of those players whose blend of athleticism, strength, speed and skill has always been projectable. He’s an explosive skater who can build to his high-end top speed through aggressive crossovers or powerful forward extensions. He’s sturdy and strong on his feet, too, with a balanced stride that helps him shed bumps and physical engagements to push to his spot and make plays. That speed and strength are put to good use too, blending with quick hands, a disguised release, and impressive processing power at top speed to create a multi-faceted threat who can get to the slot to score, make plays in transition, and execute as a passer. Defensively, his active approach and skating also give him forechecking value. There’s nothing about his game that holds him back. Long term, I see a second-line center who can play on both special teams, entertain offensively, and play with energy and pace. "

2- Cole Perfetti
    Centre / Ailier Gauche
    19 ans
    5'10
    185 lbs
    Repêché 5ie au total en 2020 par Chicago.

    
" I remain bullish on Perfetti’s upside as a top-of-the-lineup forward. The strength and skating (which is a little too upright) will continue to come and I’m firm in my belief that neither are barriers even at their current levels. Everything else about his profile and his career arc thus far point in the same direction. He problem solves as well as just about any player in the game, constantly reading and identifying his options, whether that’s space opening up for him to put a puck into for a moving teammate, a layer he can use as a screen for his shot, a lane he can take on an entry, or a way that he can bait defenders one-on-one to dictate their movements around his intended play. He’s a crafty, increasingly inventive (though sometimes I do wonder whether that’s to compensate for his feet not moving fast enough), modern playmaking type who understands how to use the sheet to his advantage, blending his unique anticipation with excellent hands, a lethal wrist shot, and “eyes in the back of his head” creativity. He has also worked to improve his one-timer and turn it into more of a threat, adding another weapon to his PP1 arsenal. Then you add in great feel on his backhand (his comfort level here is special or very close), the way he adjusts his handling to sticks, reads that are one step ahead of most, his vision through layers, and his ability to play pucks into space for him to skate onto (some players burn wide with speed but others are just as effective sliding pucks under the triangles of a defender’s stick to the same result). I have very little doubt that his game will translate with opportunity and talented linemates. "

3- Jesper Wallstedt
    Gardien
    18 ans
    6'3
    214 lbs
    Repêché 18ie au total en 2021 par Chicago.

    
" Wallstedt’s the best goalie prospect on the planet for me. And that’s not meant as a slight to Iaroslav Askarov, or Sebastian Cossa, or even Devon Levi and Dustin Wolf (who belong in that group). He’s back to robotic levels this season after briefly showing signs that he might be human in the second half of last season. He’s a big 6-foot-3 (he fills the net for his size), plays sharp lines positionally, he holds those lines, he swallows the first shot so that he doesn’t have to make a ton of second saves, his movement is compact, he tracks through layers incredibly well to find pucks, and he reads opposing shooters beautifully so that he’s rarely beat cleanly. He’s got all of the makings of a No. 1 starter. If he can develop a little more quickness (he’s strong across the net and low-to-high on pushes, but I wouldn’t say his feet are super fast) he’ll be an elite goaltender in the league. "

4- Alexander Khovanov
    Centre
    21 ans
    5'10
    198 lbs
    Repêché 79ie au total en 2018 par Hartford.

    
" It seems like every organization has a kid whose talent distinguishes him but is held back by either detail or skating (in his case more the latter than the former). He’s a very dangerous play inside the offensive zone. Khovanov’s puck skills, his ability to maintain possession in traffic (in part because of those hands, in part because he absorbs contact through a strong frame effectively), and his shot are all very high-end. He’s got a lethal one-timer on the flank, he’s a natural playmaker through layers, and he’s got a physical component. But his fitness level and a heavy, at times sluggish stride have made climbing the pro ranks tough on him (despite some positive stretches). I think he’s better than his results and opportunities this season suggest, but he’s got work to do to make good on the natural gifts he does have. "

5- Lukas Dostal
    Gardien
    21 ans
    6'2
    174 lbs
    Repêché 89ie au total en 2018 par Montréal.

    
" After a run of sterling seasons, Dostal’s AHL numbers this season don’t have the shine we’re accustomed to. Some of that is a couple of bad starts in a small sample size. But most of it is smoke where there’s no fire because of the play of the team in front of him (as revealed by his strong NHL showings in January). And given that he’s got a long track record and somehow still doesn’t turn 22 until the summer, there’s reason to believe any brief save percentage dip is a mirage. Dostal’s a smallish goalie who has turned his 6-foot-1 frame into an asset by adding some strength (he’s now over 190 pounds, which is about 20 pounds of muscle from where he was not long ago) and power to a game that was already built on agility. He’s got pristine technical ability, great hands (especially his glove), and quick feet which help him stick with dekes, track the play through screens, and make recovery saves on scrambles. Plus he holds his lines on his outside edges extremely well, limiting his movements when he needs to, staying compact, and playing his angles head-on. He has also proven, time and time again, that while his game requires movement, he’s in complete control and rarely swims. He’s going to be one of the Ducks’ two goalies long-term. The question now is just which one. He has certainly turned me from cautious a few years ago into a believer. "

6- Dominik Bokk
    Ailier Droit / Ailier Gauche
    21 ans
    6'2
    181 lbs
    Repêché 34ie au total en 2018 par Chicago.

    
" I’ve said it before, but Bokk drives me crazy in ways that Gunler and Puistola (who draw similar criticisms) don’t because I think when they’ve run into trouble thus far it has been due to a combination of themselves, perception, and circumstance, whereas Bokk’s challenges feel almost entirely self-inflicted the more you watch him. On one hand, he’s got undeniable NHL skill with the puck on his stick inside the offensive zone, skill that has allowed him to completely dominate his peers and has occasionally really flashed at the pro level. On the other, everywhere he goes he seems to underperform himself into roles that are beneath him and then put himself in a cycle that he can’t get out of because his game requires talent around it. He can frustrate the hell out of me. His natural skill is there in spades. He can break down coverage laterally with his hands. His wrister is threatening from mid-0range (and sometimes from bad angles too). When he gets to the interior, he can make things happen. But he’s also constantly trying to do too much (either that or his brain isn’t working fast enough out there). The pieces just don’t fit together and the clock is ticking given his age. He’s closer to make or break than the other polarizing Carolina prospects. "

7- Kasper Simontaival
    Ailier Droit
    19 ans
    5'9
    176 lbs
    Repêché 63ie au total en 2020 par Chicago.

   
" I’m not sure if Simontaival will become the top-nine winger I think he’s capable of becoming, but he’s one of my favourite prospects in the sport to watch nonetheless. He’s a dominant offensive winger against his peers who has already really flashed his skill at the pro level in spurts. His timing in the offensive zone is among the best in the sport, constantly sliding in and out of holes to arrive at the puck at exactly the right time. He slips off checks with the puck and avoids bumps without it. He’s got a wide gait to his stride which helps him play through contact as a 5-foot-9 forward. His passing touch and finesse really stand out, routinely feathering passes through feet and under sticks to facilitate. His hands are dynamic one-on-one, helping him possess the puck in and out of traffic or make a defender look silly when they’re both standing still. He’s got a nifty wrist-shot release to score goals from mid-range. He plays off middle-lane drivers extremely well. But he’s also not shy to attack the net himself. There are worthwhile questions to ask about how his game will translate in the NHL if he doesn’t add an extra step (or two) to his skating, but he plays to the dirty areas (he scores a surprising number of goals on redirects and rebounds) and maintains body positioning in possession, which complements his playmaking touch so that he can use that pressure on his hips as a tool. He’s not a perimeter player and his first instinct is to cut off the wall rather than drift to it. I’m confident Simontaioval will become a highly productive mid-level pro and I suspect his game will work really well on AHL ice. His skating will be the deciding factor in an NHL future though. "

8- Ridly Greig
    Ailier Gauche
    19 ans
    6'0
    174 lbs
    Repêché 36ie au total en 2020 par Chicago.

    
" As the captain on a mediocre Wheat Kings team this year, Greig has proven he can create his own offence in the WHL, which has strengthened an already-strong case as a projectable up-and-down the lineup but primarily third-line player at the NHL level. If you’re a fan of the Wheat Kings or the Senators, he’s an easy fan favourite for his fast, feisty, physical, high-energy forechecking style as someone who involves himself in the game and gets the most out of himself from shift to shift. As an opposing player, fan or coach, he’s easy to dislike as a player who has been known to cross the line. As an evaluator, he reveals himself as a driven, up-tempo forward of equal parts skill and work ethic who can play centre and the wing. He’s defined by his tenacious, fiery approach, which gives him a pretty safe projection as depth forward. But he can make plays in traffic, his wrister is accurate (though I wouldn’t say it’s threatening from long range), he’ll surprise a junior defender with a soft pass through a layer or two, he’s willing to attack and try things, and he almost never looks to cheat or play selfishly within that game. He’s also an August birthday, which gives him some real runway to continue to add elements offensively and get stronger (which he’ll need to do to play his style as effectively at the pro level as he does in junior). "

9- Brennan Othmann
    Ailier Gauche
    18 ans
    6'0
    179 lbs
    Repêché 29ie au total en 2021 par Chicago.

   
" Othmann’s previous two seasons (his rookie year in the OHL and last year, spent split between U18 worlds and the second-tier Swiss League) left me, and many, wanting more after being wowed by his skill level during his minor hockey. He was good and his talent flashed but he wasn’t electric. But this season he has lived up to my lofty expectations, emerging as one of junior hockey’s most dangerous players and doing it on a Flint team without much of a supporting cast. He’s got a lethal, masked release that he can get off of his blade at multiple points while still maintaining pinpoint accuracy. He’s got a silky first touch into quick hands. He’s got that sixth sense as a scorer, where he just finds holes in coverage and in goalies to finish plays at a higher rate than most. He’s got a heady spatial awareness inside the offensive zone and a good feel for where his teammates are on the ice. He plays a determined off-puck game that engages in battles even though he’s not a power type. And he has worked hard to get stronger and a step quicker so that he can make the most out of his natural gifts on the ice. He’s got top-six, top power-play tools. Now it’s just about continuing to hone and tap into them while rounding out his game. "

10- Philip Broberg
      Défenseur
      20 ans
      6'3
      198 lbs
      Repêché 16ie au total en 2019 par Chicago.

      
" Broberg, who for a long time relied on his strength, athleticism, and raw tools, has begun to demonstrate a more refined game this season, quickly establishing himself as an impactful AHL player at both ends. He’s long, he’s strong, he was a late birthday in his draft year, his stride is powerful and compact (which speaks to some of that catch-up we’re now seeing in other areas of his game), he’s sturdy in board battles, and he has always used those tools (minus the age, obviously) to play an aggressive, confident style which relied on carrying the puck and trying to influence the game. Now, some of the finer skills of touch, and finesse, and spatial awareness, and problem-solving are beginning to show with more consistency (though there can still be some soppiness to his game and his reads). I still believe he was selected too high but you have to move past what-ifs once the pick is actually made and he has done a good job rounding out some of his rough edges to help strengthen his second-pairing projection. His game is always going to be about his length, his skating, and his want to act instead of react, though (even as he has settled it down). "

11- Zach Dean
      Centre
      18 ans
      6'0
      179 lbs
      Repêché 47ie au total en 2021 par Chicago.

      
" Despite good but uninspiring production and a history of injuries, you won’t find many scouts who are down on Dean because he plays such a likable game. Between his hard work, his constant application of pressure, his always-in-motion movement with or without, the trust he earns, and his willingness to attack the interior, he plays a pro-style game. Mix in fast hands, a strong neutral-zone game as a carrier, a smooth and flowing stride with good power, advanced athleticism and a muscular build, and you’ve got the makings of a driver who can play through contact and make plays. As I write this, he has also not been a minus player in a single game this season. The points will come, even if he may top out as a third-line guy (there are plenty of excellent third-line players in the NHL, so that’s not a knock on a guy). "

12- Simon Robertsson
      Ailier Droit
      18 ans
      6'0
      190 lbs
      Repêché 66ie au total en 2021 par Chicago.

      
" I’m probably slightly lower on Robertson today than I was on draft day. He ranked 30th on my final list and would slot as a second rounder today (though I’d still take him ahead of where the Blues got him, No. 71). He also would have still been on my world juniors team, though, and was playing some of the best hockey of his career into the turn of the year, with goals in back-to-back SHL games to close out 2021 and a hat trick in one of my recent viewings of him at the J20 level. I’m not convinced he has a defining skill that will propel him into a scoring role at the NHL level, but it’s not hard to imagine him as a middle-six guy in a few years with the right patience. Robertsson is a play-driving, versatile winger with a nifty wrist shot release who pushes tempo through neutral ice with a compact stride. He makes a lot of smart, aggressive plays inside the offensive zone, and can process the game at speed. When he gets the puck, he’s looking to take it at defenders and attack the inside (though he has, naturally, found doing that at the SHL level to be a tougher task to date, he has shown flashes of it there too). I like the variety to his game, so that when the play to the middle isn’t there he can improvise (though I think I he’s less creative today than I did in his draft year, which does mute some of his potential). "

13- Nicholas Abruzzese
      Centre
      22 ans
      5'10
      161 lbs
      Repêché 109ie au total en 2019 par Chicago.

      
" Abruzzese is an ingenious offensive zone creator who has overcome a late-blooming career arc, a lost sophomore season at Harvard, and hip surgery at age 21 to become one of college hockey’s top forwards and a member of the USA’s men’s Olympic hockey team. When the game slows down, Abruzzese shines, picking teams apart in coverage with his ability to handle the puck and execute through layers. He’s a puck-dominant, line-driving passer who has the hands, elusiveness and most importantly the problem-solving, to play that style. And though he’s a little on the smaller side and his stride isn’t explosive, both of which could limit him at the pro level, he works hard enough, certainly processes the game fast enough, and has such a strong understanding of spacing and how to use it to his advantage, that there are good odds he overcomes those two deficiencies. He’s the kind of player whose linemates all look their best when they’re playing with him because he does such a good job creating for them. I’d like to see him look to attack for himself a little more and develop into more of a shooting threat, but that’s really my only nitpick with his game. He’s a foregone conclusion to get an NHL deal. "

14- Theodor Niederbach
      Centre / Ailier Droit
      19 ans
      5'11
      172 lbs
      Repêché 46ie au total en 2020 par Chicago.

      

" Niederbach is a slick playmaker who thrives in possession and really pops as an east-west passer and power-play distributor. He has great handles and edges when he attacks off the wall, weaving his way into the middle and maneuvering around opponents. And he’s capable of playing quickly, making plays under pressure or slowing things down. He layers fakes and deception into his game, sliding under defenders with his hands or a quick cut. But while he’s got a nifty little curl and drag release that he adjusts around sticks and feet to change angles on goalies, he’s more of a playmaker than a scorer. I also like the way that he supports the play within a structure, staying in good position to help defensively. It has been nice to see him become a full-time SHL player this year. He’s one of the league’s youngest regulars at forward and I expect him to take a step next season.

Here’s Frolunda general manager Freddie Sjostrom on Niederbach from a recent conversation: “I think he’s doing very good. He’s a regular on our team. Perhaps he has struggled a little bit production-wise but I think he’s playing really well, he has been a steady part of our team the whole season, and I think he’s just waiting for the points to go in as well. He’s playing really well. He’s a very, very smart player who is highly skilled and he’s getting stronger, he’s getting faster, and for me it’s just a matter of time until he gets it all together and then he’s going to be a producing player.”"


15- Victor Soderstrom
      Défenseur
      20 ans
      6'0
      196 lbs
      Repêché 18ie au total en 2019 par Los Angeles.

      
" It’s easy to forget that Söderström is still just 20 years old because it feels like he has been around long enough that he should be a full-time NHLer by now. After an excellent post-draft season in Sweden in 2019-20, Söderström’s last two years haven’t followed quite as linear a path. He still projects as a second-pairing NHL defenceman, though. Söderström’s hallmark remains his four-way mobility. He does a superb job using his edges to cross over or cut laterally, he’s a beautiful backwards skater, and he’s able to deftly escape pressure with shoulder fakes and a smooth forward skating motion. His skating also helps him effectively manage the offensive zone blue line, creating lanes for his passes and shots as a facilitator. I like his ability to make the slow play with poise or the quick play when it’s there. There are times, however, when I’d like him to play a little tighter defensively (he can take away a lot of time and space when he plays to take instead of give), instead of giving so much, and he’s not super dynamic offensively given his 5-foot-11 frame. Still, Soderstrom projects favourably as a modern defenceman who can manage play at five-on-five and effectively run a power play (though I think he may be more of a PP2 guy than a PP1 guy). "

16- Riley Kidney
      Centre
      18 ans
      5'11
      168 lbs
      Repêché 70ie au total en 2021 par Chicago.

      
" One of the biggest risers of the 2021 draft, Kidney has continued to build on the promise he showed in the second half of last season as one of the Q’s most productive and talented forwards this season. Kidney’s a fabulous pass-first playmaking pivot who breezes around the ice and thrives with the puck on his stick, picking teams apart with delays and just the right amount of patience. He does a wonderful job transitioning play up ice so that he can spend his shifts on the offensive half. This season, he looks stronger and more sure of himself on the attack, too, which has allowed him to get to the slot and finish more of the chances he does such a good job of creating for himself. While he has always been disruptive and involved without the puck, he’s also playing a more physical style and clearly trying to impact the game more directly defensively. He’s going to have to prove he can play his style in the AHL once he’s done in junior, but I like his upside as a potential tweener or maybe even a complementary top-nine playmaker if he hits some checkpoints. "

17- Vladislav Firstov
      Ailier Gauche
      19 ans
      6'1
      181 lbs
      Repêché 66ie au total en 2019 par Chicago.

      
" After getting drafted out of a strong lone season in the USHL, Firstov has been one of the top forwards on a UConn team that scores by committee for the last three seasons. He impacts the game offensively as a playmaking line driver. He has a decent wrist shot release which he adjusts beautifully mid-shooting motion to change angles or timing on goalies. He’s a good handler of the puck, which blends well with his 6-foot-1 frame in puck protection to allow him to wait for lanes to open up so that he can facilitate through layers and put pucks into the sweet spots of his linemates. Add in an engaged, hardworking off-puck style and you’ve got a player who can make a lot of things happen and factors in all three zones. He’s going to have to find a pull-away gear to maximize his potential and become an NHLer, though. The good news is he’s already an impactful college player. The bad news is, it feels like he’s about the same player as a junior that he was as a freshman, and scouts wonder about whether he’s got another level to reach. He remains relevant and worth the Wild’s time and consideration, though. "

18- Stanislav Svozil
      Défenseur
      18 ans
      6'1
      183 lbs
      Repêché 61ie au total en 2021 par Chicago.

      
" It has been a bit of a mixed bag but I’d settle on Svozil’s first season in North America as perfectly fine developmentally. He impressed in Traverse City and into his first training camp, he was having an early impact (and scored a brilliant goal) at the world juniors, and his rookie season in the WHL has probably been a little personally disappointing but he’s also adapting to a new game, in a new country, on a team that hasn’t met expectations on the whole. When he attacks and plays with confidence, he can look like an entry machine who dictates play when he’s on the ice. I really enjoy watching him play when he’s activating to join the rush into the high slot and looking to involve himself in the offensive zone. He’s got good hands and mobility, particularly moving forward (I think he can struggle with his gaps at times). He’s comfortable carrying the puck side-to-side to step past pressure in neutral ice, he’s a comfortable skater on his heels, pivoting and curling into space, and he’s capable of defending at a high level (though he’s still working on finding it consistently). But I also find he can lack sureness in his decisions, which results in forcing the issue when he shouldn’t one play and sitting back when he needs to be pushing the next play (which is a sign to me that he doesn’t yet know who he is). His shoulders sway also sway a little too much when he’s pushing forward through a long stride (he builds speed well when he’s crossing over and weaving). There are plenty of tools to like, I just wonder whether he has either the defensive game or the offensive game to become more than a third-pairing guy. "

19- Robert Mastrosimone
      Centre / Ailier Gauche
      20 ans
      5'10
      170 lbs
      Repêché 64ie au total en 2019 par Chicago.

      
" There’s something to be said for versatility, and that’s what Mastrosimone provides. But I have been waiting for him to take a step and make a statement and he’s not there yet. The good news is that Mastrosimone’s game kind of fits anywhere. He’s the kind of player who can be the third-best player on a top line or the best player on a bottom line. And he plays the same way regardless of who he’s playing with or how many touches he gets. His wrister is dangerous from mid-range, he works harder than anyone else on the ice to win battles and races, and he’s got quick hands in traffic. I wouldn’t say he’s a creative player, though, and he’s 5-foot-10, which limits all of that hard work at least a little. But he’s comfortable with the puck, plays fast, and brings value in a variety of ways. I expect him to play all four years at BU and potentially get signed but I do wonder if his Jack-of-all-trades game will translate beyond the AHL (I think he’ll be a good player at that level for sure). "

20- Matvei Petrov
      Ailier Droit / Ailier Gauche
      18 ans
      6'2
      179 lbs
      Repêché 109ie au total en 2021 par Chicago.


      
" In the lead-up to the 2021 NHL Draft, when I did my annual look at 10 intriguing prospects who didn’t make my top-100, I highlighted Petrov as one of those players, detailing this impressive offensive zone player who had real potential if he could clean up his skating, which bent too much from the knees and broke down too easily through his patterns. Then Petrov, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 CHL Import Draft, made the move to North America, exploded as one of the OHL’s top scorers with North Bay, and did it all without looking slow. His skating mechanics still have some of those quirks but they haven’t held him back and he actually often looks faster than the players he’s racing or the defenders he’s trying to beat. And the other tools all appear to be there. He’s a 6-foot-2, 178-pound right-shot winger who will continue to get stronger, has an NHL shot that unloads from his hip (his best attribute) that comes off his stick hard from a wrister or a one-timer and makes him a power play threat from the point or the flank, is comfortable on the attack with the puck in his hands knifing through traffic to the slot, and has shown improved playmaking intuition this season. In a re-draft today, he’d be selected in the second round, not the sixth. "


Mentions honorables:

- Jacob Bernard-Docker (D)
- Dylan Samberg (D)
- Justin Sourdif (RW/C)
- Martin Kaut (RW)
- William Dufour (RW)
- Aleksi Malinen (D)
- Ty Gallagher (D)
- Kirill Kirsanov (D)
- Caeden Bankier (C)
- Oscar Plandowski (D)