Incoming Pros Prospects
It's been a pretty disappointing year for the Wilkes-Barre Penguins. Despite this they have had some rookies make an impact. 2018-2019 AHL rookies Anthony Angello, Sam Lafferty, Linus Olund and Sam Miletic have been regular contributors this season. Those four along with Dane Birks (who has spent his season in the ECHL) were last years incoming pro class.
Coaching and team management could certainly be better, and hopefully there will be changes next season. That aside, next season WBS is going to see the biggest influx of young players in as far back as I can remember. Some really legitimate Penguin prospects from multiple drafts and signing years will be turning pro at the same time. This is good news for a WBS team that has struggled this season to comply with the AHL development roster rule, which mandates 12 skaters must have under 260 pro games (AHL, NHL, Europe) and one additional player must have under 320 games, at the start of the season. Some of the random names you see in the WBS lineup this season are there partly for the club to be in compliance with this rule. This rule has also forced some veterans to move on in search of more playing time.
Next season WBS may have the opposite problems, too many young players, especially up front. Here is a list of the new faces we are expecting to see next season, as well as some other possibilities.
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The D:
Niclas Almari: A 2016 5th round pick of the Penguins, Almari was expected to come over from Finland last season after a brief ATO showing in WBS, but management told him to head back to Finland for one more year. In retrospect, this may have been an error as WBS fans are seeing a bit more of Matt Abt than they probably should be. Almari's Liiga team HPK has a surplus of D and he struggled to find playing time early, but he has played 42 games for the club to date, registering 5 points. Not a high ceiling prospect, but he was promising in his ATO stint, and could fill a role in WBS moving forward. An interview with Guerin earlier this season reports Almari is now about 6ft2 and 210 pounds, which shows he really filled out from his 168 pound draft weight.
Will Reilly: Reilly was Mr. Irrelevant in 2017 (the last selection in the draft). This season, the big RD leads RPI in scoring by defenseman, and is 3rd in overall team scoring. He is a junior this year, so he may decide to stay in college, but there is a good chance he signs this summer, especially with the shortage in incoming D prospects. Not a high ceiling guy, but has an outside chance to make the NHL, and being a right shot doesn't hurt.
Zachary Lauzon: Lauzon is always going to remind Penguins fans of the Ryan Reaves trade, fair or not. The 51st pick the Penguins received from the Blues in that trade was used to select Lauzon 51st overall in 2017, after he scored 21 point in 62 games and won the Kevin Lowe Award (given to the best defensive defenseman in the QMJHL). Since that time Lauzon has only played 25 games (and four points), and 0 games this season. A neck injury threatens his development and his hockey career in general. It is looking like another Conner Hall situation, but if Lauzon gets healthy there is a chance he earns some sort of contract, maybe even an AHL deal. He probably doesn't have to chops for the NHL, but his skating and physical play always stood out. Until we officially hear differently, he is included here as an outside possibility.
Ryan Jones: Jones is a junior at Omaha-Nebraska this season, and the 2016 4th round pick could look to turn pro. He has only 11 points in 34 games this season, but that is good enough for second for team D. When Jones was drafted his physical play and grit were what Penguins fans were sold on, so hopefully he can bring some of that to WBS next season. Could see time in Wheeling or get a taste of the AHL.
D recap:
Incoming: Almari
Probable: Reilly
Possible: Lauzon, Jones
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The Forwards:
Jordy Bellerive: Bellerive was signed in 2017 after going undrafted despite being ranked as a 4th rounder. The next season he broke and to the tune of 92 points 46 goals in 71 games for Lethbridge. He has slowed down this season after an offseason injury that left his hands severely burned, but he has still collected 81 points in 66 games while bouncing around a much deeper lineup. He has been playing a lot less center this season and isn't the teams go to guy anymore, but he still is finding the score sheet and improving his two-way game. Bellerive is definitely one of the higher end prospects turning pro this coming season. Listed at C, he probably fits the mold of a LW at the pro level.
Jan Drozg: Recently signed to a NHL deal, Drozg is another high scoring prospect coming into WBS. The right shooting winger has led his junior team in scoring this year (so far) and last, since coming over from Europe. He has a ton of skill and got his feet wet on an ATO late least season for WBS, earning his first pro assist.
Justin Almeida: Almeida recently signed his NHL deal, after a 101 point performance in 61 WHL games for Moose Jaw. The undersized LW has a lot to overcome, he is often listed at 5ft9 and several scouts knock his skating, but he has excellent hands and doesn't shy away from the net front. It will be fun to see how his scoring translates to the pro game.
Jake Lucchini: Just signed to a NHL contract out of his senior year with Michigan Tech, the 23 year old (24 next season) LW but up 26 points in 38 games, good for team lead. He also served as Captain. The BC native is joining WBS this week on an ATO so we should get a preview of how he translates as the AHL season winds down.
Filip Hallander: Playing in his first season in the SHL, Hallander got off to hot start, but cooled off to the point of 20 points in 43 games. He also disappointed a bit at U-20 with one assist in 13 games. Still Hallander is a highly rated prospect, with a strong two-way game and good skating. Hallander SHL contract with Timra expires at the end of this season, so while he was projected to be 2-3 years away from North America when drafted, I would not be surprised to see him this coming season in WBS.
Kasper Borkqvist: An overage 2nd round pick in 2016, Bjorkqvist is a very highly anticipated Penguins prospect. Always a strong two-way player, Bjorkqvist came out offensively this season at Providence with 15 goals and 26 points in 36 games. He projects as a ZAR type player that can do it all and play up and down the lineup. He could return to college, but it is increasing speculated that he is going to be turning pro this coming season and join WBS.
Josh Wilkins: 21 year old centerman and junior at Providence alongside Bjorkqvist is reported to be attending Penguins developing camp this summer. Above a point per game this season, Wilkins has never shown less than 31 points in any NCAA season. Seems like a prime candidate to give the pro game a go, and why no with his line mate in WBS.
Nikita Pavlychev: The big 6ft7 225 pound center for Penn State got off to a hot start with a point per game over his first 20 games, but has only 8 points in his last 17. Pavlychev has manged this while being tasked as PSU's shutdown center. Still not overly quick, Pavlychev's skating has definitely improved this season, but the former 7th round pick, still has room to grow. He likely looks to turn pro after this season, but may return for his senior year at PSU. His size will however certainly lend itself to the brutally physical AHL game.
Forward recap:
Incoming: Bellerive, Drozg, Almeida, Lucchini
Probable: Hallander, Bjorkqvist
Possible: Wilkins, Pavlychev
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In Goal:
Alex D'Orio: D'Orio has looked much better after a trade from Saint John's to Baie-Comeau. Still the right catching goalie is only sporting a .901 svs% after posting only a .883 last season. Could end up as the #2 guy in WBS behind a veteran starter, or be the main guy in Wheeling. With Jarry waivers eligible and likely out the door, he will be the only Penguins goalie prospect signed, baring something happening this summer. The Penguins probably looks for a seasoned NHL-AHL tweener this summer to start ahead of D'Orio at the very least.
Incoming: D'Orio
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WBS, at least just off this list, could see as many as 12 rookies skaters next season. Angello, Lafferty, Olund, Miletic and RFAs Blandisi and Johnson are still considered "developing players." There should be no concerns about the development rule next year, in fact they should probably stock up on as many veteran AHL defenseman in the summer as they can to assist that young forward group.