The Search For The Next Big Power Forward
 

So who are the best power forward prospects out there? Who will be the next David Backes/Milan Lucic/Scott Hartnell?

Since the definition of power forward varies, here's some basic criterions the prospect must fill:

- Good goal scorer (30+ goal upside)
- 50+ points upside
- Loves to engage physically (150+ hits upside)
- Willingness to drop the gloves (100+ PIM upside); occasional dirty hits will do too since this is fantasy hockey :)

So not looking for the next Ovechkin here (lacks in the PIM department; that rules out Yakupov I would think). Has to be a power forward in the traditional sense (like Tocchet, Stevens, Tkachuk, Shanahan, Neely etc.) so needs to have good PIM totals too on top of great goal and good point totals.

Anyone come to mind that could be the next multi-cat stud to own? There are a lot of good power forward prospects out there but looking for the best of them. The next big multi-cat fantasy stud like Backes is.

M.Foligno seems like a solid candidate but I don't think he'll be quite the goal scorer and points guy as Backes/Lucic/Hartnell are.

The first name that came to my mind was Zack Kassian. I am not sure if he has 30G upside but given the right opportunity, he could come close.

Tom Wilson is another name that I will throw out there as a strong possibility.

Those are two good candidates. I think the jury is still out with regards to their goals and points upsides but they can definitely put up the needed hits and PIM totals.

Marcus Foligno
Kyle Beach
Brad Ross (long-shot on the 50+ point part)
Zach Budish
Michael Ferland (again, long-shot for 50+ points)
Nick Foligno (could still make it)
Devante Smith-Pelly
Andrew Shaw (long-shot for 50+ points)

Edit: Not sure about 30+ goals here but I stuck with 50+ points as my measuring stick.

ericdaoust nails it. IMO

Really like Marcus Foligno.

Charlie Coyle

That's a lot of good choices but a lot of those likely won't have the need points upside IMO.

Beach is still really intriguing prospect and has the upside looked for in here. Doesn't look like he'll reach it though but power forwards take time to develop so maybe Beach is just having the slower path into reaching his upside.

Nick Foligno isn't prospect anymore but otherwise good choice. He's actually already almost there (47 points, 124 PIM and 196 hits last year). Just falls short on goals and like won't get that close to 30 goal mark. But still a very good multi-cat guy.

Coyle's one of my favorite prospects so very good choice there. Hopefully he can develop a bit more of a mean streak to get close or over 100 PIM when he gets to NHL.

Any Leafs fan ready to put Tyler Biggs into this conversation?

I don't think Foligno, Biggs, Kassian, Wilson, DSP, etc. or 99% of the names mentioned are going to be 30 goal scorers.

Coyle is a possibility. Lazar in the upcoming draft.

Thing is, these players are hard to predict. Teams basically draft big physical guys and hope the offense comes together. Secondly, a lot of time these players take a while to put it together.

Hartnell didn't clear 20 goals until his 5th year in the NHL and has only hit the 30G/60 point mark twice in his career.

Lucic put up 19 points in his draft year and just happened to have a huge breakout the following year. Bruins took a big gamble and it paid off. Even then it wasn't until his 4th year that he broke out as a legitimate scorer.

Likewise, Backes didn't break out until his 3rd year in the NHL (6 years after being drafted) and has only cleared the 30 goal mark twice.

Landeskog is pretty much already there, but he's not really a prospect anymore.