Okay, I'm sitting down and making a run at my rankings. It was a tie one whether or not we should include Tage. I'm not going to include him. Next vote on Tage will decide whether or not he should be included in the voting we do later on.
I'm going to rate each prospect's NHL potential and each prospect's chances of making it full-time to the NHL on a scale of 1-10.
I'll also say what I think they end up us vs what I think their ceiling is (i.e. top-six winger, 2nd line center, starting goalie and so forth).
1. Dylan Cozens, C.
NHL Potential: 9
Full-time chances: 7
Arrival: 2020-21
I think his ceiling is definitely first-line material but I see him settling into a goal-scoring number two center which will be the perfect compliment to Eichel's playmaking on line one.
2. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G.
NHL Potential: 10
Full-time chances: 5
Arrival: 2021-22
This kid could be a franchise-changing goalie. He transformed into a goalie in full control of his movement and still displays the ability to cover all areas. I think he's our long-term answer in net.
3. Victor Olofsson, LW.
NHL Potential: 10
Full-time chances: 6
Arrival: Immediate
Olofsson has shown all the ability to be an elite-goal scorer in the top six. That's what I'm expecting out of him at this point, and I think his skills translate to immediate success. There's still a chance he hits a wall, but I'm banking on that not happening.
4. Rasmus Asplund, C.
NHL Potential: 7
Full-time chances: 7
Arrival: 2020-21
Asplund might be able to sneak into the lineup this year, but I like the idea of giving him another full season in Rochester. I think he's got a relatively low ceiling all things considered, but I think his chances of reaching that ceiling are relatively good. He's going to be a middle-six center that you won't be afraid to slide up into the second line but ultimately anchors are rock solid third line.
5. Will Borgen, D.
NHL Potential: 6
Full-time chances: 6
Arrival: 2020-21
Borgen likely gets a solid shot at some point this season, but if the team can add to the D right away then I could see him staying down most of this season. He's been a pleasant surprise and I think he's going to be a guy you can rely on up and down your defensive lineup but ultimately steadies the bottom pairing.
6. Mattias Samuelsson, D.
NHL Potential: 8
Full-time chances: 5
Arrival: 2021-22
I think he's very unfairly been put into a corner by Sabres fans already. I don't think many people will have him this high (and definitely not higher than Johnson), but I think he's a step ahead in development compared to Johnson. I have a quiet confidence that Samuelsson will be a 12-year NHL defenseman when all is said and done. He's going to sit on the second pairing and never move off it. A huge body that will clear the front of the net and, hopefully, develop an ability to move the puck to safety when needed.
7. Ryan Johnson, D.
NHL Potential: 7
Full-time chances: 5
Arrival: 2021-22
I'm still trying to get a feel for who Johnson is, but I think the idea is similar to Samuelsson with a steady defenseman who allows the high-skill guys like Montour and Dahlin to play their games while locking down late game. I don't think he's got a ton of offensive upside.
8. Alex Nylander, RW.
NHL Potential: 8
Full-time chances: 5
Arrival: Immediate
As much as I think labeling him a bust already is silly, I think we're getting to make-or-break time for him. He could benefit from some new voices in his ear, but he also made a decent amount of progress last season. He should probably be expected to be on the roster this season. His ceiling is as high as any forward not named Cozens or Olofsson in the system. I don't know if I see him actually making sense of the NHL game, but I'm higher than most on him still.
9. Marcus Davidsson, C.
NHL Potential: 7
Full-time chances: 4
Arrival: 2021-22
Davidsson is going to get a HUGE opportunity overseas this season. He's going to be anchoring a top line in a man's league. If he shows up and performs his name shoots up this list. His ceiling appears to be a second-line center who might actually be perfect on Cozens' wing as a distributor who can also camp in front of the net and clean up/tip shots. His defensive abilities might be his best asset.
10. Lawrence Pilut, D.
NHL Potential: 7
Full-time chances: 6
Arrival: Immediate
If I'm being honest this is probably a bit of disrespect for a guy who was a star in the AHL. He showed flashes in the NHL but the game was still overwhelming to him, so he's going to need to figure that out. He's already figured out the AHL so his development might be best served with more NHL ice time. A high-skill defenseman who could benefit from a long-term pairing with guys like Johnson or Samuelsson.
11. Oskari Laaksonen, D.
NHL Potential: 8
Full-time chances: 4
Arrival: 2021-22
Everyone who has watched him closely has raved about the jumps his game has made with added offensive abilities to a confident game. I think he's got a high ceiling but remains a long-shot to actually put it all together in the NHL. I hope to see him make his way to Rochester sooner rather than later.
12. Arttu Ruotsalainen, C/LW.
NHL Potential: 7
Full-time chances: 6
Arrival: Immediate
I think the team plans to have him playing in the NHL immediately but I think the leash will be short, unlike guys like Thompson and Mittelstadt. He already produced in a men's league and is only 21, so he might be ready to do the same at an NHL level. If he's a legit NHL player it chances the complexion of this team's future.
I think the remaining names are all major long shots, but I still like some of the names. Best of the rest:
13. Aaron Huglen
14. Metaj Pekar
15. Erik Portillo
