Category Archives: “Off the top of the head” prospect series

"Off the top of the head" prospect series, Boston Bruins prospects, Curtis Hall , , 1 Comment

Off the top of the head: Curtis Hall

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Curtis Hall, C

6-3/196

Boston’s 3rd choice (4th round), 119th overall in 2018 NHL Entry Draft

Current team: Yale Bulldogs (ECAC)

Previous team: Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

Strengths: Right-shot center has excellent height and length. Very good skater who shows off impressive burst and agility for his size; has a powerful, fluid stride that allows him to separate in open ice, but he can also make quick turns and cuts to adjust his angles and instantly change routes. His shot is a strength: Sneaky release that he effectively uses in traffic and space to find the back of the net. Hides his release point well on a powerful snap that is heavy and accurate.  Above average puck skills and is developing into a scoring threat into the NCAA after leading the Bulldogs offensively at just a hair under a point-per-game (17 goals, 27 points in 28 games as a sophomore).  Intelligent pivot who is able to slip in behind defenders but also tracks back on plays headed to his own end. Developing into an all-around player with the blossoming offense.

Weaknesses: Even with the impressive height, lacks the functional strength to go with his frame- he’s lanky and prone to getting knocked off balance by shorter, stockier opponents. Has shown more of a willingness to embrace the physicality of college hockey that wasn’t always there in his junior days, but still has room to add element of grit/sandpaper to make himself a tougher opponent to play against. Need to see more tenacity and want to on the forecheck.

Overall analysis: Former Cleveland-area product and USHL tender agreement player (signed with Youngstown at age 16- guaranteed to play in minimum of 55% of games as a rookie) who spent two seasons with the Phantoms, wasn’t able to statistically provide the offensive pop that his junior team hoped for. Hall was a complementary junior player in his two years as one of the younger skaters, but the USHL is an older league, so he likely would have “popped” as an 18-19-year-old points driver had he stayed a third year with Youngstown after the B’s chose him. After playing sparingly as a freshman, Hall emerged as the most consistent and dangerous scoring threat on the Yale roster in 19-20, also making the USA World Jr. Championship team. He can use his speed to drive wide and beat defenders outside to take pucks to the front of the net. While playing a physical, gritty style of game doesn’t come natural to Hall, he’s not unwilling to play in between the dots where most of the battles are won and lost- he just needs time and patience to mature physically and gain playing experience. When he uses his speed and pace effectively, he’s tough to defend and contain, but it’s always been about a consistent application of those elements in his game than make him the most dangerous. A strong start in his draft season, followed by a tapering off in the second half and middle-of-the-road playoff production when the Phantoms reached the 2018 USHL Clark Cup championship series (losing to the Fargo Force), saw his stock fall, leading to his selection in the fourth round.

Projection: Hall is an interesting prospect who is another in a growing stable of bigger forwards who can skate and bring enough skill/talent to the table that could see positive growth into serviceable NHL contributions down the road. He’s got the potential to be a Swiss Army knife kind of center who can play an effective 200-foot game, but who also has enough snap and flash in his game to contribute offensively. When you’re talking about a fourth-round draft selection, that’s a solid return on investment- 3rd or 4th liner who can play up and down the roster. Remember- he was at one time thought of as one of the better players in his 2000-birthyear USA peer group, and he proved that trend by cracking the WJC roster last December. The best may be yet to come for Hall, especially if he continues to raise the production and can develop more grit/tenacity in his approach to every shift.

ECAC video of a 2-goal game for Hall vs Union

 

Fox Sports Ohio video on Hall prior to WJC in Dec. 2019

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Off the top of the head: Quinn Olson

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Back with the B’s prospect series on this April Saturday- hope everyone is staying safe/healthy.

Quinn Olson, LW

5-11/175

Boston’s 2nd choice, 92nd overall (3rd round) in 2019 NHL Entry Draft

Current team: University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (NCHC)

Previous team: Okotoks Oilers (AJHL)

Strengths: Nifty-quick skater whose vision and top-end hockey IQ allow him to exploit time and space all over the ice. Excellent wheels and hands allow him to make plays offensively and be effective and disruptive on the forecheck. Terrific vision; sees the ice and can feather, rifle or sauce pucks to linemates for grade A scoring chances. Goes hard to the net and battles for loose pucks in the corners and along the walls- feisty. Plays with a lot of pace and energy- shows very good balance/edging with the ability to change direction instantly to shake away from defenders and maintain puck possession.

Weaknesses: Lacks ideal height and strength- a work in progress who will need time to physically mature and grow his game experiences in a top NCAA program after making the jump to college from tier 2 hockey in Alberta. Has room to improve the mechanics of his shot/release going forward- more of a puck distributor/playmaker on the wing than a finisher.

Overall analysis: We thought the selection of Olson late in the 3rd round was a sneaky-good pick last June, and after watching him in one of college hockey’s best conferences, we’re even higher on him a year later. His numbers for a true freshman- 7-8-15 in 31 games- nearly .5 per game- are solid if not spectacular, but bode well for him going forward, as he will earn more ice and have an expanded role going forward. He’s a buzzsaw forward- comparable to Karson Kuhlman– in the style of hockey he plays. Because he is a product of the AJHL, Olson is far from a household name, but that league continues to become a better option for players on the NCAA path; his USHL rights were owned by Sioux City and there is absolutely no doubt that he could have spent his draft season playing in the USA’s top junior league, but Okotoks is a respected program and prepared him well for the next step.

Projection: High floor prospect…ceiling as yet TBD- he could emerge as more of an offensive threat in the NCHC. We see Olson as a solid middle-of-the-roster winger who has the ability to play up and down in the lineup and could develop into a lower-end, but serviceable 2nd-line NHL forward in time. We compared him to Kuhlman earlier, but Olson also has some Jake DeBrusk in his game, although he lacks the shot/goal-scoring skills is No. 74- he’s more of a passer who makes his linemates better. It will take some time to see Olson in a Bruins sweater- we expect him to play another two years at Duluth minimum, and then will likely need another 2 full years in the AHL (not ruling out some games in Boston on a recall basis), but the payoff for the wait should be worth it- he’s a nice fit for the Bruins and the style of hockey they play.

Quinn Olson (#11- white) opens the scoring in this AJHL highlight package from the playoffs against Brooks a year ago at about the 0:22 second mark; at 4:33 he feeds 2020 1st-round draft prospect Dylan Holloway on the PP for a goal.

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Off the top of the head: Dan Vladar

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After a couple of days away, here’s the next in the Boston Bruins prospect series. We’re not doing these in any particular pecking order, but trying to do some players who aren’t as well known. If there is anyone you want to see on here sooner rather than later, let us know in the comments section.

Dan Vladar, G

6-5/190

Boston’s 7th choice, 75th overall in 2015 NHL Entry Draft

Current team: Providence Bruins (AHL)

Previous team: Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL)

Strengths: Physical attributes are as good as it gets: He’s tall, lean and athletic. Moves fluidly with good footwork. His at-post skill set (play near and behind the net, below the circles and cross-crease movements) are very good. Length of legs and upper torso mean that he excels with the butterfly, 1-leg down vertical-horizontal and 2-skate at post techniques to deny scoring chances in close and from behind the net. Uses his hands to cover the top portion of the net well. Good worker who wants to improve and puts in the time to work on the details. Highly respected person and teammate- sunny disposition and well-liked in the room. Between the natural talent and the attitude, there’s still much to like about the 22-year-old who does a lot of things you can’t teach.

Continue reading →

"Off the top of the head" prospect series, Boston Bruins prospects, Jakub Lauko 1 Comment

Off the top of the head: Jakub Lauko

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The prospect series continues with a quick look at Czech forward Jakub Lauko and what he brings to the table.

Jakub Lauko, LW

2nd selection, 77th overall in 2018 NHL Entry Draft

Current team: Providence Bruins (AHL)

Previous team: Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)

Strengths: Top skater; explosive/elite burst, balance, and the ability to beat defenders wide with straight line speed, or rapid edging/direction change- can turn on a dime. Wins a lot of foot races to loose pucks and has the shifty, slippery elusiveness to get around players 1-on-1. One of the best pure skaters in hockey at any level. Good size: 6-foot-1 frame that is still filling out- just had his 19th birthday last week. Pin-point, flash release on his shot; nose for the net- when he shoots the puck in close, good things happen. Good worker who competes and is willing to embrace a 200-foot responsibility- not one-dimensional.

Weaknesses: Lacks high-end puck skills, vision and offensive hockey IQ, which could cap his offensive ceiling at the NHL level. Lean and light- suffered a concussion in early December after taking a big hit in an AHL game that required a gurney to take him off the ice. Returned to action for the World Jr. Championship tournament late in the month, but suffered a lower body/MCL injury that cost him the rest of the competition, plus all of January and February before returning for four AHL games in March prior to the season-ending COVID-19 situation for the league.

Overall analysis: Getting Lauko in the third round two years ago was very good value for the B’s. He came over to North America to play major junior in the QMJHL, winning the 2019 Memorial Cup championship and subsequently turning pro. His skating and ability to play with pace allowed him to play in the AHL, but his offensive production was indicative of his youth and a middle-of-the-pack skill set. Even though Lauko is a dynamic, game-breaking talent with his wheels, he doesn’t appear to have the hands or creativity to be a top tier scorer at the NHL level. What he can be is an effective 2-way forward who can provide secondary offense and will be a capable three-zone player and penalty killer. He’s got a genuine personality and is well-liked, so he’s easy to root for. Where his draft day fall to the third round raised some eyebrows at the time, it is now apparent that his average hands/skills contributed. Having said that, he’s a solid middle tier prospect who will upgrade his team’s speed/energy and be a good complementary piece- not a driver.

Projection: Capable middle-six forward and PKer at the NHL level; might play more wing than center in the show- time will tell. With only 22 AHL games under his belt, he’s going to need more time in Providence. If the injury bug hits in 20-21, Lauko could see time in Boston as a recall player, but the best thing for him until then will likely be to continue his development track on the farm where he can get quality minutes and play in a variety of situations. At age 19, he’s still quite young, and it’s possible he could raise his offensive profile going forward. However,  his NHL ceiling looks to be about 20 goals/40-45 points at this stage, and that would make for a successful third-round draft choice.

NHL video extended highlights of Sep 23 preseason Bruins-Flyers game. Lauko is 94 and takes opening faceoff, later scores at about 2:10 with a nice self-pass off the wall and a sharp-angle shot.

Here’s Lauko’s 1st AHL goal vs the Rochester Amerks- goes to the net: right place, right time

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Off the top of the head: Jack Ahcan

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Continuing the Bruins prospect series where we do quick break downs on players based on what we know about them through viewings and have read recently- not a comprehensive deep-dive but just enough information to get the conversation started.

Jack Ahcan, LD

Undrafted; Signed 2-year ELC; March 2020

Current team: TBD (Providence Bruins AHL- expected)

Previous team: St. Cloud State Huskies (NCHC)

Strengths: Outstanding skater; dynamic speed, small-area burst/first-steps, straight-line speed and superior edgework and agility. 4.5/5 out of 5 skater. Very good puck skills; can skate pucks out of danger on his own or hit any range of passes to kickstart the transition game into high gear. Good vision and hockey sense; can anticipate/read/react to help him defend or distribute pucks when he joins the rush or runs the PP. Activates at the right times. Good stick. Leader- was team captain as a senior and plays with pace and jam- a little engine that could type.

Weaknesses: Undersized; will have to be smart in how he plays the position/employs his stick- won’t be able to match up physically with most of the players he’ll find himself in 1-on-1 battles with. Shot is an area for improvement- release is quick/snaps off his stick and is accurate/low for net-front tips and deflections, but power/velocity is a work in progress.

Overall analysis: A coup for Boston- he probably should have been drafted at some point, so the Bruins did very well to sign him away from teams like Colorado. The Avalanche had an inside track due to his attendance of their development camp/previous relationship. Boston employed team effort approach, leveraging multiple connections in Minnesota (Player development director Jamie Langenbrunner) and their NCAA scouting staff (Scott Fitzgerald, Brett Harkins), a scout with junior coaching connections (Doug Leaverton) and players (Charlie McAvoy– WJC roommate and Tuukka Rask– same player agency) to land their target. Ahcan may not have size, but he brings all the attributes NHL teams desire in smaller players, regardless of position. He’s fast, skilled, smart and competitive- don’t be surprised if Ahcan is playing games in Boston at some point this season.

Projection: Smart signing that serves as a hedge as Torey Krug’s potential unrestricted free agency draws closer and the expansion draft looms a little further in the distance. The Bruins could lose a good, young D in the expansion draft, so bringing in a player like Ahcan helps to shore up the organizational depth to help guard against that. The inevitable comparisons to Krug, Matt Grzelcyk and other smallish D around the NHL is inevitable, but Ahcan’s all-around body of work (he was USHL defenseman of the year, was a member of the USA gold medal-winning 2017 World Jr. team, received numerous NCHC honors) and his skill set, along with work ethic and leadership intangibles, make him an impressive add given his status as a UDFA.

Watch for him to start out in Providence of the AHL, where he’ll get a chance to earn a significant slice of playing time and special teams play. As an NHL D, his ceiling could be as a solid 3/4 and PP contributor. He’ll have to overcome the stigma associated with being on the smaller side and being undrafted to boot- much like Krug has had to do (and let’s face it- some fans have never gotten on board with No. 47), but when you talk about the hackneyed word (at least in scouting parlance) upside, Ahcan has it.

Here’s a dated profile from his freshman season and also interviewed is then-SCSU (and USA WJC coach) Bob Motzko

 

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Off the top of the head: John Beecher

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In this new series, will break down what we know about Bruins prospects and bring you up to speed. It’s “off the top of the head,” so there’s really not much else to it- not spending time scouring the internet to look at what others are saying, but just giving the wavetop look and trying to project what might come next.

John Beecher, C/LW

1st selection, 30th overall in 2019 NHL Entry Draft

Current team: University of Michigan (B1G 10)- rising sophomore

Previous team: U.S. NTDP U18

Strengths: Pro-style frame at 6-3/210 pounds- will get bigger and stronger. Terrific skater: plus-acceleration and first-step quickness; can blow by defenders in a straight line and has the agility to go east-west/pull defenders out of skating lanes. Hard worker who can do strong work along the walls when he’s on the flank or drive through the middle of the ice. Excels in puck possession, where he uses his big frame and natural strength to shield the puck and soften defenses up with an effective cycle game. Hard, heavy shot- dangerous below the dots.

Weaknesses: Puck skills are not high-end; isn’t going to carry it through traffic or beat many top D with 1-on-1 moves when he’s facing a tight/hard gap. Vision/offensive IQ is average- not overly creative. Can create space for linemates, but not a line driver. Not a punishing physical presence- long fuse and not afraid of contact, just doesn’t use his natural size to seek and destroy- inconsistent with finishing his hits.

Overall analysis: Generated a ton of excitement over the summer when he shined at Bruins development camp and in the Summer Hockey Showcase with Team USA, using that as a springboard to make the 2020 WJC team. Always kind of lost in the constellation of stars that comprised the USA ’01 birth year, Beecher is a surefire NHL player because of his physical attributes. With his size, speed and ability to get up and down the ice and drive right to the net, he’s tailor-made for the modern game, but he doesn’t have the pure offensive skills or instincts of other USA teammates like Alex Turcotte, Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield and Matthew Boldy (to say nothing of 1st overall pick Jack Hughes). He scored .5 points per game as a true freshman at Michigan, which isn’t bad given his role. Unfortunately, he’s also the victim of inflated expectations that come from being a first-round NHL pick and one who got hyped because of the summer he had. He’s exactly a week away from turning 19, so this is an example of the hype train getting out of line with realistic expectations. All in all, he didn’t have a bad first NCAA season and he’ll get the opportunity to do more as a sophomore.

Projection: Beecher looks like a rock-solid eventual 3rd-line NHL center, but could move up or down the lineup and make an impact first on the wing. It’s not going to happen quickly for him (he’ll likely follow Trent Frederic’s blueprint and get seasoning in the AHL first), but he’s a good fit for the type of team the Bruins are all about: mobile, heavy on pucks and potentially has an untapped offensive dimension to his game. He’s not the physical, tough-to-play against type of forward like Frederic or Nick Ritchie, but as someone who has seen it firsthand, Beecher has it in him to grab the puck and skate down the ice like a runaway freight train…when he dips his shoulder and goes to the net it’s a thing of beauty.

He’s a complementary piece in our view, but the perfect kind of supporting cast player for a team like the Bruins, whose systems and style will suit him perfectly. The B’s could have drafted more skill at the 30th pick with someone like Bobby Brink, but Beecher is solid and after Jack Studnicka, represents the best the B’s have in the prospect pipeline at forward.

Here’s the USHL interview (Ben Gislason) with him after the Bruins called his name in Vancouver.