Earning a pro contract with an NHL organization is just the first step; then comes the hard part. Plus, Cole Hutson, 2024 NHL draft sleepers and more.
Earning a pro contract with an NHL organization is just the first step; then comes the hard part. Plus, Cole Hutson, 2024 NHL draft sleepers and more.
With the world under-18s underway, there is plenty of 2024 draft talk going around. While I will certainly get to that in this week's column, I wanted to start off with something different.
Every year, NHL teams sign a cadre of free agents outside of the NCAA, and for a few weeks, the speculation as to where those players will land gets a lot of digital ink. But what happens after? Typically, the teams that sign these older prospects only have a couple more games left in the NHL season, so the player might make his debut (sometimes that's the impetus for signing with said team), but not much more that season. Having said that, the AHL is where most of these players end up - at least in the beginning - and that's where the crucial development happens anyway.
Last week, I had the chance to catch up with former Quinnipiac center Jacob Quillan, who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs after the Bobcats' season ended. Quillan went to the AHL's Toronto Marlies, where he played in seven regular-season games and three playoff contests (spoiler alert, the Marlies lost the game after I attended and were eliminated by the Belleville Senators), registering one assist. So what did Quillan learn in his brief opening AHL stint?
"The goalies are a lot better and harder to get one past," he said. "I'm trying to work on my shot, work on getting in those scoring areas to put one in the net. It's a good level and I'm still adjusting, doing what I can to get acclimated to the league."
Bringing in a new young talent is a balancing act for a playoff team. Sure, the AHL is largely seen as a development league, but those squads are still trying to win a Calder Cup. In the game I saw against Belleville, Quillan got a bit of power-play time but also had to sit for stretches because the Marlies were killing off a five-minute major, which was followed soon after by another two-minute penalty kill.
"He's an extremely good player but we also have to be careful," said coach John Gruden. "To put him out in certain times would be to put him in a position not to succeed. He has to be able to play through those opportunities, but at the end of the day, we also have to try to win games."
Off the ice, Quillan is getting used to the pro life, too, living in a condo downtown with teammate Noah Chadwick. But it's the on-ice we all care about, right? In that regard, he's been happy with how the Marlies have handled him so far.
"They're teaching me as I go," Quillan said. "They let me play and make adjustments here and there, tweaking my game a bit. I'm learning a lot right now."
Cole Power
NTDP defenseman and 2024 draft prospect Cole Hutson became The Program's all-time leading scorer amongst blueliners recently, with 114 points (over two seasons) and counting. Playing at the world under-18s right now, Hutson has been excellent for the Americans and may end up with a gold medal for his efforts. But when should we expect Hutson to be selected this summer?
Like older brother Lane Hutson (MTL), Cole doesn't have ideal NHL size, though he's bigger than Lane at 5-foot-10, 165 pounds. NHL evaluators have varying opinions on Cole's NHL upside right now. First, the good:
"Dynamic offensive defenseman with some bite," said one scout. "When he defends, he gets inside guys. It's easy to compare him to his brother, which you try not to do, but he's got some dynamic qualities that are certainly that Hutson kind of game-breaking quality."
Now, the more pessimistic:
"I don't buy it," said another scout. "To make it, he has to be an elite power play QB and I don't see it. He's going to be a good college hockey player, no doubt. That being said, it only takes one team."
Therein is the key; NHL teams have wildly varied draft lists, and it's impossible to say who's right until years later. I think Hutson will go in the top 75, but would I be shocked if he was a second-rounder? I would not be.
Holy Cowan
Speaking of different draft lists, the Maple Leafs raised eyebrows in 2023 when they tabbed OHL London's Easton Cowan in the first round, but the pick is already looking pretty solid - Cowan just won the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL's most outstanding player of the year.
Cowan earned 41 percent of the vote, with 2024 draft prospect Zayne Parekh of Saginaw coming second with 18 percent (I voted for Parekh, but Cowan was definitely considered). Seattle Kraken pick David Goyette of Sudbury came third with 17 percent of the vote.
Sleeper Watch
We all love draft sleepers, so here are three potential hidden gems for 2024 that I've come across recently:
Ilya Protas, LW, Des Moines (USHL): Completely untouted before this year, Protas has wowed scouts with his hockey IQ and stick skills. He'll go to the hard areas and his skating continues to improve. Big kid who reminds folks of his older brother, Aliaksei Protas of the Washington Capitals.
Jared Woolley, D, London (OHL): If Dale Hunter trusts you in the playoffs, you are something. Wooley has earned that trust, and with his combination of size and compete, he's a raw talent to keep an eye on long-term.
Joona Vaisanen, D, Dubuque (USHL): Passed over the past two drafts, Vaisanen just finished his first season in North America with the Fighting Saints and scouts loved what they saw. On top of providing offense from the blueline, the Finn is an incredible skater with great hockey IQ.