as15

Anyone else think that we need to add one more forward before the start of the season? Right now we are rolling with: Juniors (3): Poganski, Simonson, Olson Sophomores (6): Boeser, Gersich, Gardner, Janatuinen, Wilkie, Gornall Freshmen (5): Jost, Hoff, Bowen, Yon, Smith Two extra forwards is pretty light, especially with a lot of underclassmen, and interchangeable players in the bottom 6.

Poganski ever played on his off wing? I can actually see Boeser being better on the left side (easier to generate offensive chances), so maybe move him over.

I'm expecting a big jump from Gersich this year. 15 goals, 30+ points, possibly on the first line with Jost and Boeser.

He is a top-10 pick that is coming into college already very polished. If he is NHL ready after one year, it probably means him and Boeser each have 60+ points and the Ralph is worrying about not having enough room in the rafters, all of which I'm more than fine with.

Only if you were drafted out of the CHL. If you were drafted out of the NCAA, NTDP, USHL, BCHL, European leagues etc., and younger than the Junior age cutoff for that year, and under NHL contract, you can play in the CHL, AHL, or the NHL. It is just very rare for a U-20 player to be playing in the AHL because it burns a year off of their ELC, when you can just let them develop in the CHL for one more year and retain their rights for that additional year.

Not true, that is only if they are drafted out of the CHL (agreement between the CHL and the NHL to keep the top end players in Junior rather than the AHL). Since Roslovic was drafted out of the NTDP, he can play in the CHL, AHL, or NHL this year.

Probably a pretty rough year for the Red Hawks this year. Two freshmen goalies battling out for starts. Belpedio will be one of the leagues top dmen, and Louis will be one of the top forwards, but other than that, very few players that could make a substantial impact.

As long as he plays fewer than 9 games with the NHL club, and the rest with London of the OHL, a year off of his ELC will not be burned.

Just messaged you.

You're probably right as each one of the freshmen D this year will have played at least 2 full years of junior hockey. Each and every one of them should be able to handle a sheltered role 5x5, and being spotted on special teams now and then (I expect C. Poolman to be a PKer from the get-go).

PP1: I wouldn't be surprised if there are 4 forwards with this group, similar to the top unit at the end of this season with CBS, Gardner, and Stecher. I'm guessing it will be Poolman and Boeser up top, Poganski net front, Jost playmaker, and Gersich. PP2: Gardner net front (and faceoffs), Wilkie shooter, Wolanin and Shaw up top, possibly Hoff/JJ as the playmaker, Yon if looking for another shooter.

Unless he takes a big step this offseason, Shaw will begin the season as the #4 defenseman. I figure pair the freshmen with a veteran, at least to begin the year as they adjust to this level of play.

Only issue with your lines is that neither Boeser nor Wilkie have played LW in the NCAA or the USHL. I would say both Yon and Hoff are substantially ahead of Bowen to start the season based on age and production in a much harder junior league. I think Bowen, Olson, Gornall, and Yon will be battling it out for those final forward spots to start the season, with Yon and Olson winning out by the end of the year. Here is what I expect to start the year: Gersich-Jost-Boeser: Top scoring line, but with three very good, two-way players. Expect Gersich to take a big step this year. Janatuinen-Gardner-Poganski: Shutdown line with offensive ability. 30 point (possibly more) potential from Gardner and Poganski. Hoff-Simonson-Wilkie: Gets easy matchups, let Wilkie and Hoff do their thing in the offensive zone. Simonson provides the veteran two-way presence. Olson-Bowen-Yon: Development year for Bowen/Yon, hopefully challenging for a Top 9 spot by midseason. (minus Olson/Gornall, they are what they are). Wolanin-T. Poolman: Top-pairing, both elite offensive defenseman at this level. Expect All-American type season from Tucker. C. Poolman-Ausmus: Elite shutdown pair with one of the top in the country, and a steady, older freshman. Shaw-Peski/Johnson: Shaw takes the next step offensively this year to go along with solid defense, expect Peski and Johnson to split time most of the year.

Not really sure where to put this, but Ryan Mantha (former recruit) not signed by the New York Ranger's (4th rd pick of them a few years back).

I wonder if Boeser has ever, or has ever considered playing on the left side. I just think with his shooting ability, it would open up a little bit more space for him (not that he needs it). A fairly high percentage of scoring wingers in the NHL play on their "off wing", Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin, Marian Hossa, Jagr, and Vlad Tarasenko immediately come to mind. About 75% of the top scoring winger's in the NHL this year, played on their off wing.

I wouldn't be so sure, he could be a call up as early as next year. He was almost a 50 goal scorer in the WHL two seasons ago.

Jost-Schmaltz-Boeser Gersich-Gardner-Poganski Hoff-Simonson-Wilkie Olson-Janatuinen-Yon Wolanin-T. Poolman C. Poolman-Ausmus Shaw-Evers I wouldn't be surprised to see either Collin Adams or Mitch Mattson brought in a year early. I think one more forward is needed to solidify that group, one injury and Gornall is an every day player.

I think LJ is an average scorer at this level, and a borderline elite shutdown center (minus the dumb stick penalties) at this level. Maybe the Blackhawks want to see him develop more of that shutdown role at a higher level, because he is for sure ready for that. I just have doubts about him ever playing in the NHL due to his lack of footspeed.

No way this team is .500 next year. They will have the best player in the country in Boeser, an All-American goalie, a potential All-American dman in Poolman, and one of the best leaders and shutdown d-men in the country in Ausmus. Couple that with increased production and growth from Gardner, Poganski, Gersich, Wilkie, Wolanin, and Shaw, as well as bringing in the program's highest drafted player since Jonathan Toews, in Tyson Jost. With Schmaltz, they will be the best team in the country. Without him, they will be top 5.

There is no questioning that, I'm just saying that when you bring in a guy that led the USHL in goal scoring the previous year (Wilkie, tied with Boeser), you expect him to be more than a 4th line player/healthy scratch. Some years that lack of production would cripple this team, this year it didn't because it typically took 3 goals to win a game, and the CBS line was good for that almost every game.

I agree. Most year's we need a freshman player like Gersich or Wilkie to be an impact player right away, but this year, it wasn't really needed as scoring 3 goals in a game typically was a win. A full season under their belts, along with an offseason of training and Grand Forks, and they both should be very good college players as early as next year. I totally expect both to be around 25 points or so next year, with hopefully one taking a bigger step than that.

I don't think anyone could've reasonably predicted that Boeser and Cam Johnson would've had the years that they did. Those two exceeding expectations this year put this team from a 3 seed in the NCAA's to the best team in the country.

Assuming the Stecher and LaDue are the only early departures, I'd go with this lineup for next year: Jost-Schmaltz-Boeser Gersich-Johnson-Poganski Janatuinen-Gardner-Wilkie Olson-Simonson-Hoff T. Poolman-Ausmus Wolanin-Thompson Shaw-C. Poolman/Evers

I'll second that. Of the few you mentioned, I think Leitner, Tatro, and Hartje can play big-time D1 hockey. Tatro was rated a "C" skater by Central Scouting, but he needs to really work on his skating before he becomes that kind of prospect, IMO. Hartje was a second round pick in last year's USHL draft by Des Moines, I expect that he will play there for two years (starting next year) and be ready to step in somewhere as a true freshman in two years. Leitner, a senior defenseman, is arguably the best defenseman in the state this year (criminally underrated) and will make a college team very happy if they take a chance on him. He is extremely smooth and poised with the puck, not flashy, but all-around player, two-way Dman (think LaDue in style of play). I expect he will play at least one year of Junior's before going to college. Just realized that this should probably be in the Prospective Recruits topic, but oh well.

His straight ahead speed is a strength, but getting up to speed, and his stride, are his biggest weaknesses.