Unkown darkhorse 2021-2022

[oli88]

Any darkhorse to make the NHL next year that aren't top 5 prospects in their team?

Like an AHL player that we won't see coming..or the European guy that nobody is talking about?

[SeaDawg]

Mackie Samoskevich

[Eskimo Brother]

If you buy the Dobber Guide I look into these kind of guys based on 1-way deals

Out in another 10 days.

[Eli26]

If you buy the Dobber Guide I look into these kind of guys based on 1-way deals

Out in another 10 days.

WHY YOU CAPITALIST PIGGY! hehehe But smart.

I'll come back later to this thread.

[Pengwin7]

In past years, best "unknown" darkhorse has been either:
a) An established AHL player that FINALLY gets a chance, or
b) A euro/Russian that comes over - and is off the radar of your leaguemmates.

Both Marchessault and Verhaege fit "a" in past years.
Radulov, Panarin, Dadonov... guys like that fit the "b" in some past years.

My favourite AHL-er to hope on is a guy named TJ Tynan... who 10 years ago was first line on Notre Dame with two guys that panned out (Anders Lee and Bryan Rust).
Tynan, IMO, has never had a chance. Some would say he had a "cup of coffee" with CBJ and COL in season parts... but neither really gave him a shot, IMO.
I was really hoping he'd sign with BUF or ARI or DET.

I'm sort of disappointed he signed a two-way deal with the LA Kings... especially with LA adding Arvidsson and Danault. B'ah.
Tynan, who is 29, was selected as AHL player of the year with the best per game scoring (35 in 27gp) and has scored ppg in AHL for 3+ seasons now.
I kept Tynan in one of my leagues on his hope.
I really think he could be a 40pt third-line player in the NHL with 30esp + 10ppp... but I don't think it happens on LA.

A guy to keep an eye on is another "old" prospect who did sign with a team that could use him.
Former 2011 draft, #11 overall... Ryan Murphy (not Ryan Murray) played on an AHL-only contract with Vegas' AHL team last year... and played well.
He signed with Detroit - and he's probably a PP2 option for them if they gave him the shot.
But Detroit DOES have 7 NHLers ahead of him on thheir D depth chart... so it'll take an injury for him to bump in/up.

I'm not yet aware of any true Euro/Russians coming over of significance.

One of my favourites is Brennen Menell, who came back from KHL to sign with Toronto.
I think he could run an NHL PP1 unit... MIN tried to hang onto his rights... but I think he wanted to move on.
Keep an eye on him during training camp.

TOR has 6D on contract... almsot every team carries 7.
Mennell has an NHL minimum cap number ($750k) which is very attractive to a cap-tight team like TOR.
It'll be a battle btw Liljegren and Mennell for that D7 spot.

[Eskimo Brother]

In past years, best "unknown" darkhorse has been either:
a) An established AHL player that FINALLY gets a chance, or
b) A euro/Russian that comes over - and is off the radar of your leaguemmates.

Both Marchessault and Verhaege fit "a" in past years.
Radulov, Panarin, Dadonov... guys like that fit the "b" in some past years.

My favourite AHL-er to hope on is a guy named TJ Tynan... who 10 years ago was first line on Notre Dame with two guys that panned out (Anders Lee and Bryan Rust).
Tynan, IMO, has never had a chance. Some would say he had a "cup of coffee" with CBJ and COL in season parts... but neither really gave him a shot, IMO.
I was really hoping he'd sign with BUF or ARI or DET.

I'm sort of disappointed he signed a two-way deal with the LA Kings... especially with LA adding Arvidsson and Danault. B'ah.
Tynan, who is 29, was selected as AHL player of the year with the best per game scoring (35 in 27gp) and has scored ppg in AHL for 3+ seasons now.
I kept Tynan in one of my leagues on his hope.
I really think he could be a 40pt third-line player in the NHL with 30esp + 10ppp... but I don't think it happens on LA.

A guy to keep an eye on is another "old" prospect who did sign with a team that could use him.
Former 2011 draft, #11 overall... Ryan Murphy (not Ryan Murray) played on an AHL-only contract with Vegas' AHL team last year... and played well.
He signed with Detroit - and he's probably a PP2 option for them if they gave him the shot.
He might even be better than Hronek - who hasn't fully wowed me.

I'm not yet aware of any true Euro/Russians coming over of significance.

One of my favourites is Brennen Menell, who came back from KHL to sign with Toronto.
I think he could run an NHL PP1 unit... MIN tried to hang onto his rights... but I think he wanted to move on.
Keep an eye on him during training camp.

TOR has 6D on contract... almsot every team carries 7.
Mennell has an NHL minimum cap number ($750k) which is very attractive to a cap-tight team like TOR.
It'll be a battle btw Liljegren and Mennell for that D7 spot.

I don't think Mennell really fits with: Rielly, Brodie, Holl, Dermott, Muzzin, Sandin, Liljegren, Biega etc. Coming it as a very similar option to Lehtonen last year, and we all know how that one went.

I'll drop a couple guys I'm eyeing in some leagues after teasing earlier:
Anatoly Golyshev - Could be a natural replacement to Eberle because the Isles lack game-breakers on the wing
Tim Gettinger - size and enough skill to break camp with the Rangers. Fits with everything they have going, and not much left to prove in the AHL.
Connor Mackey - Probably the inside track as the 6th D in Calgary, and he covered a TON of categories in his six game stint last year. Lots of potential.

[Pengwin7]

^Your list is definitely more likely to get NHL time.

(Though - if we are scrutinizing literal definitions [and I'm a Scrabble-junky, so definitions are important to me] a "darkhorse" includes both the unlikelihood of winning, but also the possibility of winning, i.e. big upside... so I think these should be closer to swing for the fences type picks. If I had to pick which group is more likely to score a combined 60pts this year... I'd pick yours, all 3 guys could hit 20pts each, but none will have any shot at 40pts. i.e. I don't see a "win" with those guys. If I had to pick a group that is more likely to score a combined 100pts this year... I'd pick mine. Highly unlikely, but if each of my guys got 16/min TOI each this year... it's a possiblilty. They've all put up BIG AHL numbers in past two seasons.)

[havanablast21]

Brennen Menell ... I wonder if the Spitz get their guy or if the Rebels are throwing down smoke and Mirrors to distract P7. lol

[Pengwin7]

I'm sour about Mennell.
I grabbed him in WHL a few years ago... then my prospect list got too big... had to force drop a guy... and Braham scooped him.
Then, I was hoping he'd get dropped by somebody after the dispersal draft... but nope, Belexus kept him. Bah.
That feeling when you wait on your "once owned" to get back to you... and it doesn't happen.

[havanablast21]

Let me see what I can do Peng.

[Axeman33]

Pontus Aberg. Signed a two-way deal with Ottawa but has as good a chance of making that roster, and an impact, as many other names you'll read in this thread.

Dominik Bokk. There's some holes in the Hurricanes lineup and Bokk could be one to take advantage of that.

[Eli26]

Johannes Kinnvall... big scoring Swede dman over back at home... now will be available to come over to Calgary. With Mark Giordano gone and no real No. 1 there, or at least big PP guy on their backend, he can surprise and be a big-time rook that delivers. Also a good mature age (24) for a prospect.

And while Shane Pinto is becoming a household name in Ottawa and is known to the fantasy world, but not everyone in the fantasy world believes he can stick the 2LC job and get 45-50 points. He should and IMO will. Had 6 points in his last 7, and 5 in 5 playing between Tim Stützle and Connor Brown. He looks better than Logan Brown, Colin White, and Chris Tierney in the small sample size he has shown and that's his competition.

Jack Dugan, big scorer in the AHL as a rookie, and best scorer in his last year of College, could definitely come in and surprise. He could play himself into a top-six role... also Alex Tuch out for six months means a guy can slide in.

Depending what happens to Evander Kane, this may leave room open for John Leonard to get a shot in the top-six. Looked good in moments when he was given a chance to succeed with quality top-six talent and getting quality minutes in offensive situations. He is a shifty skater and has a sneaky good shot, and has shown well at lower levels. This could be his breakout year.

[Eli26]

So while the OP asked for unknown, I am a bad listener as a lot of you are learning. Sowies. haha But still, I feel you get those four for cheap if you go after them now.

[Belexus75]

I’m not sure he will get a chance this year but Bobby Nadrella just had dreamt season in Sweden and is 24 so as ready as he will be…I think at worst he will get games in 22-23 once that blue line is bit less crowded