This Years Hertl

[RyWill09]

How about Jori Lehtera? Could play with old KHL teammate V.Tarasenko and J.Schwartz!

[Dikoi]

Jiri Sekac and Jacob de la Rose of the Montreal Canadiens. Both will get a look at a top 6 forward position.

As a Habs fan, I would love for this to happen, but I just can't see this actually materialize. Both Sekac and JDR will have to compete fiercely for a spot on the roster, most probably for the same spot, and they'll probably end up as 3rd liners at best.

My picks would be Johnny Gaudreau and Johnny Drouin, I think they can both pull an early hot run like Hertl and Monahan last year and then slowly phase out as the season goes on.

I also like Axeman's suggestion: Devante Smith-Pelley.

[Fighting_Emu]

How about Jori Lehtera? Could play with old KHL teammate V.Tarasenko and J.Schwartz!

I like this a lot! I had no idea he has previously chemistery playing with Tank in the KHL. Hitchcock/Armstrong love this guy!

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=728058

[audiopile]

I like this a lot! I had no idea he has previously chemistery playing with Tank in the KHL. Hitchcock/Armstrong love this guy!

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=728058

Interesting.

[Fighting_Emu]

Interesting. I had a quick look at his scoring stats and they are nearly identical to Soderberg's when they played for Malmo. Maybe Lehtera will have similar results in the NHL.

I could live with that- lol!

[audiopile]

Nevermind, I failed at internet. And I was quoted Still decent offensive stats.

[Bobby4Ever]

Nelson
Jaskin
Spooner

[audiopile]

Nelson
Jaskin
Spooner

Do you think there is room for Jaskin in STL? He is behind Steen, Schwartz, and Parjaarvi. Spooner is buried pretty deep in the depth charts too. Good players I have my eye on but not sure they will see much ice this year.

[Bobby4Ever]

good point , i was gonna add to my post that if given the chance on the right line Spooner and Jaskin could break out. Nelson i think will. I just don't see Spooner in Providence another year but i also don't see him on a 3rd or 4th line. Bruins could still make a move before season starts.

I don't see Jaskin behind Parjaarvi though

[rogierama]

Thanks all for the great feedback. Gaudreau, Nelson,Lee, Bjugstad and Kucherov are intriguing. Teravainen may also be interesting. We will need to revisit once camp opens

[sourdough]

My two choices would be Nikita Kucherov in TB and Charlie Coyle in Minnesota.

I am really hoping Kucherov gets a chance in the top 6 and top powerplay. Drouin having both Stamkos and Kucherov to feed the puck on PP would be deadly.

[loco man]

Im thinking Burakovsky makes the squad. Could surprise - loved his snipe last night

Assuming Kuznetsov is 2C, Trotz today said that he sees Mojo and Bura as centers and they are not 4th line guys. "There are 2 guys for one spot (3C), so one will have to move to wing"

Very early, but Burakovsky between Ward and Chimera is looking more and more likely, with Mojo shifting to wing, maybe on the top line.

[rogierama]

And the winner is by a landlside all those that picked Kuch!!
How bout the upcoming season who is going to be that late round sneaky good pick? Will Nail finally fruitate? Is it Teuvo Tme? Grikengo The Great? Wennberg? Jurco? Spoons? Pasta? Johnny Hubs? Nicushkin?

Open to ideas Cheers.

[ztking]

Haha I love looking back at old prediction threads like this. A few that come to mind, including the guys you brought up, and me just babbling: definitely Yak, I think 25-30 is within reach, playing with a legit high end center finally, I like both Pasta and, to a lesser extent, Connolly in BOS, Huberdeau will take another step I think but he wont go as late, Nichushkin I like for sure, Plotnikov is another one that I'd take a flier on late, Boedker will probably go later than he should, if Pulkinnen gets decent ice time I like him in addition to Jurco, boom or bust guy is Semin, but also only worth a late flier, Ehlers has a good shot at making the team and if all goes well he could put up 45pts if given the right situation, Bennett in CAL, he didn't look out of place at all in the postseason and following a good camp could find himself in a good spot on the team,

[Dennis4022]

So looking for the "next Hertl" we need a player who will score 31 points. Could be a very long list