Tij Iginla, Viggo Bjorck Among NHL Prospects Who Could Win Opening Night Lineup Spots

There are a few rookies who seem to have NHL lineup spots nearly locked in. Players like Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg are almost surely going to be in the lineup when the Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks step on the ice to open up the season.

Some players who got a taste of NHL action late last season are surefire bets to start the year in the league again this fall. Philadelphia Flyers youngster Porter Martone and Chicago Blackhawks forward Anton Frondell fall into that category.  

With training camps right around the corner, there will be plenty of young players looking to break into the NHL. Even for a few of the players who saw action at the end of last season, there is going to be a competition for roster spots. 

Let’s take a look at a few of the rookies who will be coming into training camp looking to compete for a roster spot and get their NHL journeys started. 

Last year was a bit of a tough one for Caleb Desnoyers. He started the year with an injury and when he came back, it was a bit of a slow build. His offensive totals were fine but it took a hot end of year to get them there. Desnoyers is a playmaking center who is committed to playing a two-way game.

Heading into training camp, he’s in a situation where another year of junior hockey is probably going to be viewed as a bit of a waste of time. While that might not be fully true, Desnoyers is going to be looking to make the Utah Mammoth lineup.

His path was a made a bit more difficult with the acquisitions of Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck, but Utah’s lineup isn’t so good that if he plays as well as expected, he can’t be inserted into the lineup. He’s got an uphill battle but he has a shot. 

Tij Iginla was one of the best players in the OHL last season, putting up 90 points in 48 games. His motor and energy are the foundation for everything he does, and that bodes well for him in training camp as he looks to push for an NHL job.

Iginla is playing pro hockey this season, whether it’s in the AHL or NHL. The 20-year-old winger has the tools to play any style of hockey Utah wants from him. Unlike Desnoyers, Iginla has the ability to start the year on the third or fourth line, work his way into a higher spot in the lineup and fill in if there is an injury up the lineup.

After a strong year in the Swedish Hockey League, Victor Eklund came to North America to join the New York Islanders' AHL affiliate and put together strong performances throughout his time there. Eklund is going to be a big part of the youth movement in New York and he’s hoping to start that this fall. 

The Islanders have room for Eklund to make the NHL lineup if he forces their hand by playing well in training camp. He will be competing with players like Emil Heineman and Mattias Maccelli so it’s not an insurmountable task. His speed, skill, and dual-threat scoring will help him excel but it will be his work ethic and puck pursuit that will earn him that spot. 

There were moments late last year when Cole Huston looked like the best defenseman on the Washington Capitals. His ability to move the puck, play with his skill, and earn high-leverage minutes was impressive.

Hutson had some shaky moments in his own end and he tried to push the envelope offensively too much at times, but it was the perfect glimpse of NHL action for him heading into the summer. 

With a few months to prep, Hutson has the knowledge of what he needs to do to make the lineup but the Capitals are in what could be the final year of the Alexander Ovechkin era so they can’t afford to give roster spots away. Hutson has a good chance to make the lineup but he has to earn it. 

Andrew Cristall had an excellent rookie season in the AHL last year, putting up 60 points in 72 games. He's the kind of dynamic offensive presence that can change a power play and bring a punch in the offensive zone.

Cristall’s pursuit of an NHL job was made more difficult with the acquisitions that the Capitals have made this off-season. However, if there was ever a time for the Caps to lean into an offensively gifted player, now would be the time. Cristall brings the kind of playmaking and offensive intellect that could help maximize Ovechkin’s one remaining elite skill – his shot. 

The Montreal Canadiens have many young players that will be worth watching in training camp, but one of the most interesting will be David Reinbacher. The big, mobile, defensively-minded blueliner is going to be looking to stay healthy and make an impact at the NHL level this year.

Reinbacher is going to be competing with players like Jayden Strubble and Arber Xhekaj for a spot on the bottom pair in all likelihood. He has the advantage of being a right-shot defender, something they have needed for a while at the NHL level. Reinbacher winning a job isn’t going to be because he's flashy, it means he can be dependable. 

Quentin Musty is in a bit of a weird spot. He had a solid rookie year in the AHL and normally, he would be viewed as a candidate to jump into the NHL. The issue is that the San Jose Sharks are loaded with young talent. There is still an opportunity for him to make the lineup this season, but it may just be in a smaller role. 

Musty is a very good shooter, a slick playmaker, and a guy who can bring a little jam when needed. He plays through contact well, which should bode well for him as he competes in training camp. Musty has become a bit of a forgotten prospect for the Sharks, but he could surprise and earn a spot.

There seems to be an open mind among the coaching staff and management group with the Winnipeg Jets as they’ve reportedly discussed the possibility of Viggo Bjorck making the NHL immediately.

He could slot into a second-line center role, pushing Adam Lowry back to a bottom-six role he is more more suited for. Bjorck has a stronger scoring touch, could elevate whoever is on his line, while bringing the defensive acumen the Jets typically demand from their players. 

Bjorck has proven that he is a capable center against men. There was his performance at the World Championship against the likes of Sidney Crosby and Ryan O’Reilly, or his late-season play where he asserted himself as the top center for Djurgarden in the SHL.

Bjorck has shown impressive two-way skill and his offensive tools are impressive. He’s the exception to the rule of centers having to be big.

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