Tampa Bay Lightning: Top 10 prospects entering 2019 season
The Tampa Bay Lightning are one of the most stable organizations in the NHL. Their prospects are a huge reason why. Here’s a look at their top 10 prospects after the 2019 NHL Draft.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a very successful organization. It seems like every year, they’re at least in the playoff conversation. You don’t get to that level without being able to develop from within.
Though the Lightning’s prospect pipeline has taken a toll over the years, the organization has proven they don’t necessarily need top prospects in order to develop them. They rely heavily on undrafted free agents.
More from Puck Prose
- Detroit Red Wings 2023 Rookie Camp Has Plenty of Ups and Downs
- This Columbus Blue Jackets rookie doesn’t want to be forgotten
- 2 trades the Boston Bruins must make to secure the Stanley Cup
- 3 reasons the Avalanche won’t win the Stanley Cup in 2024
- This is a big year for Alex Turcotte and the Los Angeles Kings
Before I begin, I should clarify what my definition of a “prospect” is. To qualify as a prospect, a player must be under 25 years old as of the end of 2019. Also, they can’t have played in more than 40 NHL games over two consecutive seasons, or more than 25 in any single season. For example, Danick Martel is not a prospect because he turns 25 in December.
I like to separate the goalies from the skaters because, frankly, I’m not good at evaluating goalies. Pretty much nobody is. At least I’m willing to admit it. Also, they’re much harder to project then skaters. So let’s start with the Lightning’s goaltending prospects.
Goaltenders
1. Hugo Alnefelt
Acquired: 2019 third-round pick
Age: 18
Stats: 24 games, 2.59 GAA, .905% save percentage; 3 playoff games, 3.09 GAA, .894% save percentage (HV71 J20 SuperElit)
Losing Connor Ingram did a number of the Lightning’s goaltending depth. Most of their prospects are long-term projects. Hugo Alnefelt is a great example of this. He’s very raw. I love his size (6-foot-2) and athleticism. It jumps out at you. However, Alnefelt needs to drastically improve his rebound control and needs to be more compact in the net. He tends to flop around a bit too much for my liking.
He’ll be playing in the SHL next season, hopefully. That should give Alnefelt resources to better goalie coaches. He’s raw, but I think there’s an NHL goaltender hiding in him somewhere.
2. Magnus Chrona
Acquired: 2018 fifth-round pick
Age: 18 (turns 19 in August)
Stats: 26 games, 4.00 GAA, .889% save percentage (Skellefteå AIK J20)
Magnus Chrona will be heading to the NCAA next season, as he’ll be attending the University of Denver. He’s a long-term project and didn’t take the step forward I expected him to take during the 2018-19 season.
His size (6-foot-4) is intriguing, but I haven’t seen too much of him. Chrona needs time to develop and Denver has a pretty darn good history of developing goalies.
Honorable Mentions: Ty Taylor, Kristian Oldham
10. Carter Verhaeghe
Acquired: Trade with New York Islanders (2017)
Age: 23 (turns 24 in August)
Position: Center
Stats: 76 games, 34 goals, 48 assists, 82 points; 4 postseason games, 1 goal, 5 assists, 6 points (Syracuse Crunch, AHL)
So how is the AHL’s leader in points this low on the list? It’s because Carter Verhaeghe has to be in the NHL this year. He’s no longer exempt from waivers. Whether it’s in Tampa or with another team (let’s be honest he is not getting through waivers), I expect Verhaeghe to get an extended look in the NHL.
He had a breakout season in 2018-19, finally delivering on his potential. After posting 48 points in 58 games in his first season with the Crunch, Verhaeghe became Syracuse’s most trusted forward.
How did he do it? By massively improving his skating. Verhaeghe has always had skill – he just never had the skating to use that skill. For me, Verhaeghe has the potential to be a fringe top-nine forward. His skating still isn’t great, but I think it’s good enough.
9. Dominik Masin
Acquired: 2014 second-round pick
Age: 23
Position: Defense
Stats: 69 games, 2 goals, 10 assists, 12 points; 4 postseason games, 0 points (Syracuse Crunch, AHL)
I thought Dominik Masin had turned the corner after an impressive 2017-18 season with the Crunch. But he took a step back last season, falling from 24 points to 12 points. The Lightning’s defense is in limbo after losing some pieces, so don’t be surprised if Masin gets a cup of coffee in the NHL this season.
He looks like a Lightning defenseman. Masin is big and he’s mobile. He’s also strong defensively. Masin got trusted in a shutdown role and did well in it. His offensive upside, though, is quite limited. Still, I think Masin’s got the tools to be a third-pairing defenseman in the NHL.
8. Maxim Cajkovic
Acquired: 2019 third-round pick
Age: 18
Position: Right Wing
Stats: 60 games, 22 goals, 24 assists, 46 points (St. John Sea Dogs, QMJHL)
On paper, Maxime Cajkovic‘s stats aren’t going to jump out at you. But keep in mind, the Sea Dogs were downright awful last season. In 62 games, they won just 13 games. Cajkovic led the Sea Dogs in goals, assists, and points last season.
He really impressed me at the WJC-18, where he was Slovakia’s best player. The best part about his game for me is his shot. Cajkovic has a powerful, quick release and he’s not afraid to pull the trigger.
The best concern for me is his work ethic. Cajkovic doesn’t try nearly as hard on defense as he does on offense. If he did, he’d be a top-five prospect in the organization, no question. The Lightning are taking a chance on Cajkovic. It’s a gamble that I believe will pay off. H
is ceiling is a top-nine forward. People say he has character concerns, but I’m skeptical. There’s a lot of weird stuff going on in St. John and Cajkovic has the pressure of being the top pick in the QMJHL. I think there’s much more to his alleged issues with his coaches than meets the eye.
7. Taylor Raddysh
Acquired: 2016 second-round pick
Age: 21
Position: Right Wing
Stats: 70 games, 18 goals, 28 assists, 46 points, 4 postseason games, 0 points (Syracuse Crunch, AHL)
Taylor Raddysh had a very nice first season in the AHL. He’s proven me wrong. I wasn’t very high on him back in 2016, but his skill has developed immensely. Raddysh isn’t just big (6-foot-3), he knows how to use his size to win battles. For being such a big forward, he’s not that physical.
My primary concern with Raddysh is what it has always been – his skating. I’ll give him credit for improving it to being average. But Raddysh doesn’t have quite enough skill to make it in the NHL if he’s just an average skater.
His ceiling is a top-nine forward, mostly because of his mediocre skating. But if he can improve there, it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s a top-six forward.
6. Gabriel Fortier
Acquired: 2018 second-round pick
Age: 19
Position: Left Wing/Center
Stats: 68 games, 35 goals, 48 assists, 83 points, 7 postseason games, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHL); 4 games, 0 points, 1 postseason game, 0 points (Syracuse Crunch, AHL)
Despite getting a cup of coffee in the AHL last season, the Syracuse Crunch, as usual, have too many forwards as is. So expect Gabriel Fortier to return to the QMJHL for one more season.
Fortier is a complementary player who can play well with skilled linemates. I have yet to see him drive a line, but he could be a Vladislav Namestnikov type whose skillset could mesh well with top-six forwards. That said, Fortier has enough skill to keep up with just about anyone.
I’m confident he’ll be an NHL player. Fortier could be a top-six forward in the right situation, but I think he’s realistically more of a top-nine forward. You know how the Lightning have at least one guy a year who randomly comes up from the AHL and fits right in and you’re like “who is this guy”? I could totally see Fortier being that guy one year.
Each NHL Team's Worst Contract. light. Hot
5. Nolan Foote
Acquired: 2019 first-round pick
Age: 18
Position: Left Wing
Stats: 66 games, 36 goals, 27 assists, 63 points
The Lightning have two feet now that they drafted Cal Foote’s brother and Adam Foote’s son. Nolan Foote has a very nice profile. He’s a very solid goal scorer and he’s got the size (6-foot-3) to be a power forward. The Lightning could really use someone like him in their lineup.
However, I’m a bit concerned about his skating. He’s still young so he has time to grow, but he’s a below-average skater. That’s not a good sign. Foote’s got enough skill to stick in the NHL, I think. He’ll have to be with a playmaker, though.
Foote’s skillset is very unique. He could be a less dirty version of Tom Wilson or Milan Lucic. Maturity, however, is another thing Foote must work on. For me, his ceiling is a top-nine forward until his skating improves.
4. Mitchell Stephens
Acquired: 2015 third-round pick
Age: 22
Position: Center
Stats: 32 games, 11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points, 4 postseason games, 1 point (Syracuse Crunch, AHL)
The Tampa Bay Lightning need to figure out what their fourth line is going to look like. There’s a decent chance Mitchell Stephens could be a part of it as soon as this season. Danick Martel might not stick. Adam Erne might not either. If either of those two doesn’t stick, I’d have to imagine Stephens is on their internal shortlist to replace them.
He plays a very responsible two-way game. With skilled linemates, Stephens can be a useful player. Most of his value comes from his two-way game, though. Stephens is a relentless forechecker, which is something the Lightning value.
Last year, Stephens showed me enough to make me believe he still has top-six forward potential. He’s largely here because his floor is so high. Stephens is definitely an NHLer for me. He’s got the work ethic, skill, and versatility necessary to have a nice NHL career.
Related Story. Every Team's Mount Rushmore. light
3. Alexander Volkov
Acquired: 2017 second-round pick
Age: 21 (turns 22 in August)
Position: Right Wing/Left Wing
Stats: 74 games, 23 goals, 25 assists, 48 points, 4 playoff games, 1 goal (Syracuse Crunch, AHL)
Back in 2017, Alexander Volkov didn’t really stand out to me as an overager. The Lightning clearly saw something in him because has been phenomenal for them. In his first two post-draft seasons, both in the AHL, he has at least 20 goals in each season.
Volkov is a good goal scorer, but he’s also a good two-way forward. His hockey IQ stands out and it’s a lot higher than I thought it was back in 2017. That said, I’m still not sold Volkov is a top-six guy. But he’s at least a top-nine forward.
Remember how I said the Lightning have an annual “where do you come from?” guy who makes an impact at the NHL level? Volkov’s a sleeper pick to be that guy this year.
2. Alex Barré-Boulet
Acquired: Undrafted free agent
Age: 22
Position: Center
Stats: 74 games, 34 goals, 34 assists, 68 points, 4 postseason games, 3 points (Syracuse Crunch, AHL)
Three things are certain in life – death, taxes, and the Tampa Bay Lightning looking really smart by taking chances on skilled, undersized forwards. The tradition started with Martin St. Louis. He passed the torch onto Tyler Johnson and Yanni Gourde. Alex Barré-Boulet continues Tampa’s tradition.
In his first professional season, all Barré-Boulet did was finish sixth in the AHL in points. Of those with more points, only Jeremy Bracco was younger. And even then, it was by a few months. Barré-Boulet’s defense isn’t going to wow you, but he quietly does a good job in the defensive zone.
But where he stands out is the offensive zone. He processes the game very quickly. Barré-Boulet notices things before everyone else does. That combined with his impressive skill and skating make him a lethal weapon.
Barré-Boulet is going to be the Lightning’s annual “wow, where do you come from?” guy this year. Book it.
1. Callan (Cal) Foote
Acquired: 2017 first-round pick
Age: 20 (turns 21 in December)
Position: Defense
Stats: 76 games, 10 goals, 21 assists, 31 points
The better of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s two feet, Cal Foote has what it takes to be a top-four defenseman in the NHL. He should make his NHL debut at some point this season. Foote is right-handed, which is very important.
Let me tell you why. Currently, Tampa’s third-pairing consists of Braydon Coburn and Jan Raata. The latter won’t stick around for long. But the Lightning also have Luke Witkowski. Guess what? He’s not sticking around long either. Neither is Cameron Gaunce.
Next. Each NHL Team's Best Contract. dark
Luke Schenn might be able to let Foote marinate in the minors for a little bit. But eventually, the Lightning aren’t going to be able to resist calling him up. Foote’s only weakness is his skating, and I think he’s improved there quite a bit over the past 12 months.