Last week’s mailbag seemed to be fairly popular, and I look forward to the next planned one, which will in six weeks following the NHL Trade Deadline (Monday, February 29 @ 3pm EST – which I will be covering in some form or fashion).
Thankfully, you don’t have to wait that long as a few questions fell through the cracks and went unanswered. By change, both questions centered around everyone’s favorite prospect, Sebastian Aho.
@CanesProspects @CanesandCoffee What are the chances Aho plays in Raleigh next year?
— Greg Ruff (@RedbeardRuff) January 18, 2016
At the moment, I’ll set the odds at 40/60 he’ll be on the Hurricanes roster Opening Night 2016. There will be a open roster spot for Aho to claim.
Prior to the Gold Medal game in the 2016 World Junior Hockey Championship, I would have said Aho would being his North American debut in 2017. He has one more year on his Kärpät/Liiga contract (but he has an out clause). I had a feeling he would play out his contract before moving over. This would allow players on the Checkers the opportunity to claim open roster going into 2016-17.
During the Gold Medal Broadcast, TSN play-by-play announcer, said he spoke with Carolina GM Ron Francis who said “[Aho] might be in the NHL next year…” after being asked if Aho could play in the AHL next season.
His consistent play in the top Finnish league, maybe more than his WJHC performance, is a good indicator he’s ready to make the jump.
@CanesProspects @CanesandCoffee Do you think Aho will have any trouble transitioning to the North American game considering his size?
— David McGowan (@DStaffordM) January 18, 2016
I think Aho can transition to the NHL much like Jeff Skinner did in 2010. I’m not going to project the same production, but think he could find comfort in the line up immediately despite any perceived physical disadvantages.
He should be physically prepared for the NHL grind as he’s played in 48 games in 2015-16 so far when you combine Liiga, Champions Hockey League, and World Junior games. That’s close to the average games played for most NHL teams to date. Then playing one year in the Finnish professional league will help. Most Finnish teams have a hybrid ice size – 200 feet by 92.5 feet. That’s a nice size inbetween the NHL standard (200′ by 85′) and International Standard (200′ by 100′).
His size could be called into question with play skating against the boards. Aho typically likes skating in the middle of the offensive and neutral zones, but given Coach Bill Peters’ quick transtion and pressure styles in the neutral zone he’ll find himself against the walls more. His biggest transition will be trying to find separation from NHL defensemen in the slot area. Right now he’ll engage defensmen immediately when he enter high-danger scoring positions, but may not find the same space and time that he’s grown accustomed.
With another summer of training hopefully yielding increased muscle mass to his 5’11” frame, Aho shouldn’t stand out as a overly small player.
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Prospect reports for Jan. 19 – 25, 2016
2015 Draft Picks:
Sebastian Aho, 2nd Round (#35 overall)
- Last week: 2GP – 0G-1A-0PTS, 0 PIM, 11 SOG, 0.0% shooting (Liiga), 1GP – 0G-1A-1PT, 0 PIM, 1 SOG, 0.0% shooting (CHL)
- Kärpät went 2-0 Liiga games and tied in the second leg of it’s CHL semi-final series, advancing to a one-game final on Tuesday, February 9, 2016.
- This Season: 31GP – 11G-13A-24PTS, 2 PIM, 83 SOG, 13.2% shooting (Liiga)
10GP – 3G-6A-9PTS, 6 PIM, 17 SOG, 17.6% shooting (CHL), 7GP – 4AG-8A-12PTS, 4 PIM, 16 SOG, 31.2% shooting (WJHC) - Next Game: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 vs JYP Jyväskylä (Liiga), Tuesday, February 9, 2016 vs. Frölunda Gothenburg (CHL Final)
Callum Booth, 4th Round (#93 overall)
- Last Week: 2GP (2 Starts) – 0W-1L-1OTL, .924%, 2.46GAA
- This Season: 30GP (30 Starts) – 14W-12L-3OTL, .901%, 3.04 GAA, 2 SO
- Next Game: Thursday, January 21, 2016 vs. Shawinigan, Cataractes
Nicolas Roy, 4th Round (#96 overall)
- Last Week: 2GP – 2G-0A-2PTS, 4 PIM, 12 SOG, 16.6% shooting, 60.1% Faceoffs
- Chicoutimi Seguenees went 0-1-1 with Roy scoring 2 goals in the Shootout loss against Shawinigan
- Roy saw his second 16-point scoring streak of the season snapped against Rimouski on January 23. He scored 24 points from December 1 to January 17.
- This Season: 41GP – 29G-26A-55PTS, 55 PIM, 162 shots, 17.9% shooting, 61.4% Faceoffs
- Next Game: Friday, Janurary 29, 2016 at Shawinigan, Cataractes
Spencer Smallman, 5th Round (#138 overall)
- Last Week: 3GP – 2G-0A-2PTS, 0 PIM, 5 SOG, 40.0% shooting
- Saint John Sea Dogs went 2-1 with Smallman recording 2 goals in his third game of the weekend.
- This Season: 40GP – 12G-17A-29PTS, 45 PIM, 87 SOG, 13.8% shooting
- Next Game: Friday, January 29, 2016 at Rimouski, Océanic
Luke Stevens, 5th Round (#126 overall)
- Last Week: 3GP – 3G-2A-5PTS
- This Season: 17GP – 13G-17A-20PTS
- Next Game: Wednesday, January 27, 2016 at St. Sebastian’s HS
David Cotton, 6th Round (#169 overall)
- Last Week: 2GP – 0G-0A-0PTS, 14 PIM, 4 SOG, 0.0% shooting
- Waterloo Black Hawks went 0-2.
- This Season: 32GP – 10G-11A-21PTS, 26 PIM, 76 shots, 13.1% shooting
- Next Game: Friday, January 29, 2016 vs. Sioux Fall Stampede
Steven Lorentz, 7th Round (#186 overall)
- Last Week: 3GP – 1G-1A-2PTS, 0 PIM, 7 SOG, 14.2% shooting
- Peterborough Petes went 2-1, 1-0 when Lorentz recorded points.
- This Season: 47GP – 20G-21A-41PTS, 22 PIM, 132 SOG, 15.1% shooting
- Next Game: Friday, January 29, 2016 at Ottawa 67’s
2014 Draft Picks:
Haydn Fleury, 1st Round (#7 overall)
- Last Week: 3GP – 1G-0A-1PT, 2 PIM
- Red Deer Rebels went 2-0-1, 1-0 when Fleury recorded a point.
- This Season: 34GP – 9G-17A-26PTS, 31PIM (WHL)
- Next Game: Friday, January 29, 2016 vs. Kootenay Ice
Alex Nedeljkovic, 2nd Round (#37 overall)
- Last Two Week: 3GP (2 Starts) – 1W-2L, 4.04 GAA, .874%
- This Season: 10GP (10 Starts) – 6W-3L-0OTL-1SOL, 2.19 GAA, .924% (NIA)
19GP (19 Starts) – 9W-7L-1OTL-1SOL, 3.21 GAA, .907%, 1 SO (Flint)
29GP (29 starts) 15W-10L-1OTL-2SOL, 2.85 GAA, .912% (OHL Totals), 6GP (6 Starts) – 4W-2L, 1.66 GAA, .942%, 1 SO (WJHC) - Next Game: Friday, January 29, 2016 at Sudbury Wolves
Roland McKeown, 2nd Round (#50 overall)
- Last Week: 3GP – 0G-3A-3PTS, 2 PIM, 10 SOG, 0.0% shooting
- Kingston Frontenacs went 3-0, with McKeown recording a point in all three games.
- This Season: 39GP – 6G-27A-36PTS, 39 PIM, 113 shots, 5.3% shooting
- Next Game: Friday, January 29, 2016 vs. Owen Sound Attack
Warren Foegele, 3rd Round (#67 overall)
- Last Week: 3GP – 0G-3A-3PTS, 2 PIM, 10 SOG, 0.0% shooting
- Kingston Frontenacs went 3-0, with Foegele recorded a point in two games.
- This Season: 32GP – 7G-26A-33PTS, 30 PIM, 71 shot, 9.8% shooting (OHL)
5GP – 0G-1A-1PT, 6 PIM, 8 shots, 0% shooting (NCAA) - Next Game: Friday, January 29, 2016 vs. Owen Sound Attack
Josh Wesley, 4th Round (#96 overall)
- Last Week: 3GP – 0G-0A-0PTS, 2 PIM, 3 SOG, 33.3% shooting
- Niagara IceDogs went 1-2.
- This Season: 17GP – 3G-2A-5PTS, 8 PIM, 24 shots, 12.5% shooting (NIA)
24GP – 2G-10A-12PTS, 21PIM, 49 Shots, 4.0% shooting (Flint)
41GP – 5G-12A-17PTS, 29 PIM, 73 shots, 6.8% shooting (OHL Total) - Next Game: Friday, January 29, 2016 at Sudbury Wolves
Lucas Wallmark, 4th Round (#97 overall)
- Last Week: 2GP – 0G-0A-0PTS, 2 PIM (SHL)
- This Season: 32GP – 6G-18A-24PTS, 12 PIM (SHL), 5GP – 0G-0A-0PTS, 4 PIM (CHL), 3GP – 1G-0A-1PT, 2 PIM (Team Sweden / Channel One Cup)
- Next Game: Wednesday, January 27, 2016 at Örebro HK
Clark Bishop, 5th Round (#127 overall)
- Last Week: 3GP – 0G-1A-1PT, 4 PIM, 5 SOG, 0.0% shooting, 51.4% faceoffs
- This Season: 33GP – 12G-17A-29PTS, 62 PIM, 71 shots, 16.9% shooting, 52.7% faceoffs
- Next Game: Friday, January 29, 2016 at Charlottetown, Islanders
Kyle Jenkins, 7th Round (#187 overall)
- Last Week: 3GP – 0G-1A-1PT, 2 PIM, 4 shots, 0.0% shooting.
- Peterborough Petes went 2-1, 1-0 when Jenkins recorded a point.
- This Season: 41GP – 2G-20A-22PTS, 20 PIM, 90 shots, 2.2% shooting
- Next Game: Friday, January 29, 2016 at Ottawa 67’s
No 2013 Draft Picks
2012 Draft Picks:
Collin Olson, 6th Round (#159 overall)
- This Season: 9GP (7 start) – 2W-5L, 4.15 GAA, .877%
- Next Game: Friday, January 29, 2016 vs. No. 2 Univ. of North Dakota
Brendan Collier, 7th Round (#189 overall)
- Last Week: 2GP – 0G-0A-0PTS, 0 PIM, 3 SOG, 0.0% shooting
- Northeastern went 2-0 last week, with Collier collecting both points in one game.
- This Season: 24GP – 3G-6A-9PTS, 8PIM, 17 SOG,17.6% shooting
- Next Game: Monday, February 1, 2016 vs. Boston University
2011 Draft Picks:
Gregory Hofmann, 4th Round (#103 overall)
- This Season: 38GP – 14G-12A-26PTS, 43 PIM
