2020 Prospect All Stars
Mid-West Hockey Leaue
2020 Prospect All-Stars
First we currently have 41 rostered Prospects. Of those 41 just 41% (17) of them played in the NHL during the 2020/21 regular season. The best of the best are going to make the Prospect All-Star team.
First here are 11 Prospects who played in the NHL but are not going to make our All-Star team.
Charlotte’s Barrett Hayton played in 20 games and looks to be a good bet to get a MWHL contract but he did not show enough to be an All-Star and may need another year of seasoning before he sees MWHL game time.
Cody Glass is a Cincinnati Center prospect. He played half a season and showed a lot of skill. He will be signed and will likely be a spot player for Cinci in 2020/21.
Jagr’s Rasmus Sandin is a defenseman who played in 28 game for Toronto. He is likely to get signed but look for him to spend another season learning before he settles into a defensive slot for Jagr.
Chicago’s Kirby Dach is a real player. He will be signed and he will make Chicago’s line-up. He is a future top 6 Center but will likely be a 3rd or 4th liner in 2020/21.
Oliver Wahlstrom also out of the Chicago system. Wahlstrom will be a tough decision for Chicago. Does he get signed or do they open a slot for the current draft class that is touted to be very strong. My guess is they will sign him since they have already traded away their 1st round prospect pick. Time to re-load.
Noah Dobson is a Toledo stay at home defenseman prospect who played in 34 games. He has not shown much offense (yet), but he is a solid defender. He will be signed and he will play a support role for Toledo in 2020/21.
Toledo also has a top Center in Morgan Frost. Frost is not quite ready for Toledo but he needs to be signed or he will be picked up in the Auction. Frost looks like he could be a late bloomer and maybe 2 years away from full time MWHL success.
Adam Boqvist, a Yellowstone prospect will be signed and will play in 2020/21. He will need another year to grow, but he very well could be a top pair defender in a couple of years.
Gabe Vilardi is a Gilbert prospect. He only played in 20 games but Gilbert looks to have already made a decision to sign him. Gilbert has already traded for an extra pick in this year’s Prospect Draft. That 3rd pick seems to indicate Vilardi will get his contract.
LA’s Great Danes have Igor Shesterkin a goalie who showed up late and played in just 12 games, but in those 12 games he showed he is here to stay. Likely to be LA’s #2 goalie but he could be a really elite pick going forward.
Thunder Bay’s Jack Hughes played in 61 games showing flashes of skill, but also showing he needs more time before he moves into the Thunder Bay lineup. He will be signed but he will need another year of development.
From those players we have selected the 2nd Team Prospect All-Stars:
Goalie – Igog Shesterkin LA
Defenseman – Adam Boqvist YellowStone
Defenseman – Noah Dobson Toledo
Forward – Morgan Frost Toledo
Forward – Jack Hughes Thunder Bay
Forward – Kirby Dach Chicago
So who does that leave us for the 2020 Prospect All-Stars?
Goalie – Ilya Samsonov Thunder Bay
Defenseman – Adam Fox Gilbert
Defenseman – Cale Makar Gilbert
Left Wing – Joel Farabee Portland
Center – Nick Suzuki Buck’s County
Right Wing – Kaapo Kakko Thunder Bay
IlyaSamsonov (Thunder Bay) looks to be on track to be an elite MWHL goalie in 1-2 years. This year he will be the #2 in Thunder Bay.
Adam Fox (Gilbert) very easily could have been the best Prospect in this crop. He is a future star and likely Norris Trophy candidate in 2-3 years. Fox will likely be 2nd pairing d-man this season.
Porrtland’s Joel Farabee may not be a future MWHL All-Star but he looks to be a decade player filling a middle six role.
Kaapko Kakko (Thunder Bay) seemed, at times, a bit intimidated but by mid-season he was starting to shine. Much like Farabee he may never be an elite player but he will be a middle six winger.
Nick Suzuki (Buck’s County) was the most productive forward prospect in this class. He will step right into a key role with Buck’s County and remain a top 6 center man with strong Power Play abilities.
That brings us to the final All-Star and the MWHL Prospect of the year Cale Makar. Gilbert has the two best defensive prospects and they will both jump into key roles immediately. Makar can defend, score and he can run the Power Play. He is 2020’s Best in Class.
Here are a few more Prospect related facts:
Four MWHL Prospects have not even been drafted into the NHL yet. Alexis Lafreniere (Swift Current), Quinton Byfield (Cincinnati), Alexander Holtz (LA) and Anton Lundell (Swift Current) are all eligible to be drafted into the NHL later this Fall.
Here are a few Prospects that are on the verge of making the MWHL next year – Mo Seider (Charlotte), Cole Caufield and Dylan Cozens (Brentwood), Alex Turcotte (Buck’s Co.), Spencer Knight (Yellowstone), Bowen Byram, Joe Veleno, Trevor Zegras (Alamo).
Mike Haley / Thunder Bay