The Central Division perennially exhibits a brutal fight from start to finish, and this season is no different. For as much talent as there is at the NHL level, the Central's top teams also boast some of the deeper prospect pipelines in the NHL. Having a surplus of young talent below the NHL level is going to give some of those top teams trade flexibility if they're looking to bolster their rosters in the hopes of a long playoff run.
Here's a look at what has been going on in the prospect pipelines for each team in the Central Division, including our way-too-early 2018-19 watch for players who can make an impact a year from now.
If you missed our run through the Atlantic, click here; for the Metropolitan update, go here.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks are in a bit of a transitional phase; this isn't uncommon territory for them, but this time it seems to be a little rockier as their core continues to lose pieces and ages. Despite years of either trading away their picks or finding themselves lower in the first round, the Hawks have managed to maintain a decent prospect pipeline. There isn't a lot of great depth at this point, which is the primary concern, but a few middle-round picks are starting to emerge as potential options down the line.
Henri Jokiharju, the team's most recent first-round pick, has been having a sensational season for Portland in the WHL. The defenseman is averaging over a point per game and is expected to play a substantial role for Finland at the World Juniors. Joni Tuulola is another young Finnish defenseman having a solid season, but at the professional level in Liiga. The 21-year-old is among the minutes leaders in Finland's top pro division, while also putting up 19 points in 32 games, which represents a career high. In Russia, winger Andrei Altybarmakyan is a player to know for his aggressive style. He should be on Russia's roster for the World Juniors. Meanwhile, 23-year-old goalie Ivan Nalimov continues to impress while splitting time in net for Vladivostok in the KHL, with a sterling .942 save percentage in 17 appearances. Forward Maxim Shalunov is another intriguing prospect, but it's unclear if he'll ever come to North America.
In the college ranks, Northeastern winger Dylan Sikura is one of the most productive players in the country, and he has a shot at making Canada's Olympic team. There also are some NCAA defensemen of particular intrigue, including Boston University's Chad Krys and Sikura's Northeastern teammate Ryan Shea, but Denver's Ian Mitchell might have the best pro upside of the bunch. He has been great as a freshman for the defending national champs. Over in the AHL, Matthew Highmore, an undrafted free agent signing out of the QMJHL, has been Rockford's second-leading scorer this season as a rookie, while Czech forward David Kampf also has been a bright spot in his first North America campaign.
2018-19 watch:
Colorado Avalanche
Even with the expectation that Samuel Girard and Tyson Jost graduate from prospect status this season, there's a fair amount to like about Colorado's system. Unfortunately, Vladislav Kamenev -- acquired in the Matt Duchene trade along with Girard -- got injured in his first game with the Avs, but he's another big reason to like where things are headed in this pipeline.
Outside of those high-profile acquisitions, recent first-rounder Cale Makar is doing exactly what everyone thought he would do in the NCAA. He might not be lighting things up numbers-wise for UMass, but his ease of transition to college and being leaned on the way he is as a true freshman in a tough conference (Hockey East) are among many good signs for him. Shane Bowers, acquired from Ottawa in the Duchene trade, has had a decent season while Boston University struggles a bit as a team. There are some really strong offensive tools, but it should be a while before Colorado looks to sign Bowers. In the major junior ranks, the Avs have to love what they're seeing from 2017 second-rounder Conor Timmins, who is producing at a high clip from the blue line for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the OHL and is a legitimate candidate for Canada's World Junior team. Meanwhile, undrafted signing Ty Lewis is fourth in WHL scoring, with 53 points in 30 games.
There are some quality pieces in the AHL, as well. A.J. Greer saw time with the Avs already this season, but he has seven points in eight games with San Antonio since being sent down. Defenseman Andrei Mironov, who struggled in an early-season stint with Colorado, is reestablishing his game with the Rampage and getting important reps to aid his transition from KHL to NHL. Offseason signing Dominic Toninato also has looked good enough in the AHL to have earned his first NHL recall, and he should remain a good call-up option as the season progresses.
2018-19 watch: Having received such a solid return for trading away Duchene, the Avs shouldn't have to wait long to put more pieces from that trade in action. Had Kamenev not broken his arm in his first game with Colorado, there's a good chance he could have stuck around for the whole season. It is unclear how long he'll be out, but Colorado doesn't have much need to rush him back into its lineup. Injuries at this time in a player's pro development can be tricky, but Kamenev has spent the past three years rounding out his game in North America. There's a good chance he can make an impact for this team next season.
Dallas Stars
The Stars' pipeline is somewhat interesting, as its top prospect, Miro Heiskanen, is sensational, while a good chunk of the other first-round picks from recent years have generally underperformed. There are a few other bright spots, including OHL winger Jason Robertson, who has a lot of skill, and Colgate University goalie Colton Point, who is having an incredible freshman campaign and essentially came out of nowhere to earn an invite to Canada's World Junior camp.
But let's get back to those first-rounders. It starts with Julius Honka, who is still trying to find his NHL legs. It's not too late for him to get there, but it feels like the clock is ticking. Denis Gurianov, selected 12th overall in 2015, continues to put up fairly underwhelming numbers in the AHL for a player of his skill set. Meanwhile, 2017 first-rounder Jake Oettinger has been putting up below-average numbers in his second collegiate season at Boston University, and he will have to battle for the starting spot on USA's World Junior entry. Another Team USA candidate and the Stars' 2016 first-rounder, Riley Tufte, is having a much better second season at Minnesota-Duluth than he did in his freshman campaign, but he still is not producing at the rate one would expect of a first-rounder with his physical tools. The progression is still a big positive for the large winger. One brighter spot among former first-round picks is Jason Dickinson, who is having his best goal-scoring season in the AHL with 13 through 20 games, and he's a top call-up option for Dallas this season.
The Texas Stars have been a top-10 team in the AHL, and they're getting some solid contributions from younger players. Roope Hintz is making an impact in his first pro season in North America after progressing each year in Finland before making the jump. He'll be an intriguing call-up option sooner than later. On the blue line, Dillon Heatherington and Gavin Bayreuther are worth keeping an eye on as they work their way up.
2018-19 watch: Heiskanen has had one of the most impressive seasons by any drafted prospect this season, and he was one of the younger players taken last summer. He leads all players in Liiga by averaging nearly 25 minutes of ice time per game. Additionally, he has scored nine goals in just 19 games for HIFK -- and he's still only 18. With what we've seen Charlie McAvoy do at 19 this season -- and with what Aaron Ekblad did a few seasons prior -- why couldn't Heiskanen be the next to make the jump as a teenager? Perhaps the transition to North America makes the Stars a little more cautious, but with the season Heiskanen is having in Finland, he should at least be making a case to be a Star next season. We'll get a good look at him on NHL-size ice at the World Juniors this year too.
Minnesota Wild
Considering we're not quite sure when the most talented player in their system -- Russian dynamo Kirill Kaprizov -- will come to North America, if ever, Minnesota's pipeline is still looking fairly healthy. Joel Eriksson Ek and Luke Kunin already have earned extended NHL looks this season and remain high-profile prospects for this franchise.
The Wild often dip heavily into the college ranks, and they have a couple of NCAA prospects standing out this season. Jordan Greenway hasn't been quite as dominant as was expected after his breakout campaign in 2016-17, but he remains a productive power forward for Boston University. Meanwhile, defenseman Louis Belpedio is having a career year as Miami University's junior captain and continues trending up. The Wild also have a pair of high-performing forwards in the OHL in Dmitri Sokolov and Ivan Lodnia, each of whom is producing more than a point per game and piling up the goals.
Meanwhile, the Wild have had to dip into their AHL talent pool significantly this season. Outside of Eriksson Ek and Kunin, who have been up and down, there isn't a ton of high-end prospect talent, but there are enough players to help support the big club and provide some decent organizational depth.
2018-19 watch: It's possible that Kunin graduates from prospect status before this season is over. He already has 17 NHL games under his belt; but getting the opportunity to play more minutes and a prominent role in the AHL is going to benefit him as he transitions to full-time NHL player, likely next season. The Wild need players on cheap contracts to fill out their fairly expensive roster, and Kunin should fit the bill. In the long term, Kunin is probably a middle-six center who provides two-way value. It takes a while to build those defensive skills, and the AHL is a particularly good place for him to do it, though Kunin has looked pretty advanced in his first full pro season. The future remains very bright for him.
Nashville Predators
The Preds dished two of their better prospects in the trade that ended up bringing them Kyle Turris, and they still have a fairly solid pipeline. Despite the Preds' NHL roster being built on a lot of big trades by general manager David Poile, their ability to make some of those deals is thanks to their excellent track record in the draft. Sometimes at the draft you need a little luck too, such as Eeli Tolvanen falling to 30th after generating top-five buzz heading into the season. No one could have predicted he'd go from high-scoring USHLer to one of the best under-19 players the KHL has ever seen, but there was never a doubt about his scoring skills.
There are quite a few collegiate players that the Preds should be happy with, especially another highly regarded first-round pick in their system in Dante Fabbro. He's having a solid sophomore season for Boston University, and he should be representing Canada at the World Juniors. BU teammate Patrick Harper is one of the more skilled playmakers in the NCAA, while Rem Pitlick has been a great running mate with Buffalo prospect Casey Mittelstadt at Minnesota. Both Harper and Pitlick are averaging better than a point per game as sophomores. Additionally, 2017 second-rounder Grant Mismash has made an immediate impact for North Dakota both with his skill and aggressive physical play.
At the AHL level, the Preds are getting good contributions from Emil Pettersson in his first pro season in North America. Yakov Trenin also seems to be making a smooth enough transition from junior to pro at 20, but he has recently missed time with injury. There also looks to be some positive development from 21-year-old defenseman Jack Dougherty, who has been on a bit of a roller coaster after being selected in the second round in 2014. He is still young and appears to be establishing himself more as a pro, which you could also say about 2015 fourth-rounder Alexandre Carrier.
2018-19 watch: The Predators have most of their top forwards locked up long term, which is going to make it hard for a younger guy to break into the lineup next season. It wouldn't be shocking for Tolvanen to at least make a case for himself, though. The dynamic Finn posted an assist on Monday to tie Evgeny Kuznetsov for the most productive season by an under-19 player in KHL history, according to per eliteprospects.com. The Finnish sniper has 17 goals and 32 points in 39 games. Kuznetsov put up 32 points in 44 games as an 18-year-old in 2010-11. By the way, Vladimir Tarasenko had 13 goals and 24 points in 42 games in the KHL at age 18. Looking at some of those comps, this performance from Tolvanen is staggering.
St. Louis Blues
The Blues have been one of the best teams in the NHL this season, and they've watched as a number of their prospects have been doing the organization extremely proud. It's a nice position to be in and gives GM Doug Armstrong some potential assets when he considers whether it's worth exploring moves down the line to gear up for a Stanley Cup run, especially as the team continues to deal with injuries.
Two players you'd figure Armstrong isn't eager to part with at any point are Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas, two of the best forwards in the OHL this season. Kyrou has been dominant for Sarnia, leading the league in scoring with 58 points in 30 games. Meanwhile, 2017 first-rounder Thomas is fourth in league scoring, with 46 points for London. Both will be on Canada's national junior team and both are reportedly under consideration for the Olympic team, as well. They've been exceptional this season. Tanner Kaspick, a fourth-round choice in 2016, also is under consideration for Canada's World Junior entry, due to his productivity and edgy play in the WHL. He is on pace to shatter his career-best of 45 points while captaining the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Over in the AHL, where the Blues do not currently have their own affiliate, 2016 first-rounder Tage Thompson has made a seamless transition from college to the pros, with 14 points in 21 games for the San Antonio Rampage. Klim Kostin, who was selected with the 31st pick that Pittsburgh traded to the Blues to acquire Ryan Reaves, is one of only a few 18-year-olds in the AHL, and he has acquitted himself well with 11 points in 24 games. He will reportedly be loaned to Russia for the World Juniors, and that should be a good chance to see just how far he has advanced from last year. A number of other players, namely defenseman Jake Walman, should figure into the Blues' plans eventually after some AHL seasoning.
2018-19 watch: Kyrou made a decent case for the Blues to keep him to start the season, but ultimately they sent him back. He has responded by tearing the OHL to shreds. Averaging nearly two points per game, he's leading the league in scoring by seven points. Even after missing time for the World Juniors and possibly the Olympics, he'll likely end up as the OHL's MVP and be ready to slide into the NHL next season. He has good speed and a lot of tenacity in his offense, as he attacks the net and continually keeps defenders on their heels.
Winnipeg Jets
Few teams in the league have had as many hits at the draft as the Jets. Most of those players seem to end up on the roster relatively soon after being selected. Despite graduating so many prospects to the NHL quickly, Winnipeg's system remains well-stocked with NHL-upside talent, starting with its excellent AHL team, the Manitoba Moose.
The Moose have been one of the top teams in the league this season, and they've been led by 2015 first-round pick Jack Roslovic. The 20-year-old is second in the AHL with 28 points in 26 games, while showing great progression from last season's showing as a rookie. Additionally, Mason Appleton has been a pleasant surprise in his first season in the league, putting up 22 points in 26 games. Not bad for a fifth-round draft choice. Meanwhile, Brendan Lemieux is re-emerging as a prospect a bit this season, with 17 points in just 15 games and with an NHL call-up mixed in. Sami Niku also is making his presence known in his first pro season outside of Finland, with 16 points from the blue line. Additionally, 22-year-old goalie Eric Comrie remains one of the best goaltending prospects outside of the NHL. The Jets clearly value development within their system, and they have so many options right under their noses in the AHL, which is a huge benefit.
Outside of the minors, the Jets' most recent first-rounder, Kristian Vesalainen, is having a strong season in Finland's top pro league, with 19 points in 25 games. He leads all under-19 players in the league in scoring, and if he's healthy, he should be part of Finland's roster at the World Juniors. In the college ranks, Providence's Erik Foley is having an exceptional junior season with 1.31 points per game, a big uptick in production from his first two campaigns. Minnesota State Mankato senior captain C.J. Suess is in the midst of a career year, with 18 points in 16 games, and Minnesota-Duluth freshman defenseman Dylan Samberg just got an invite to USA's World Junior camp. In major junior, big Logan Stanley has been thriving since being traded to the Kitchener Rangers this season. Stanley already has surpassed his career high in points, and he has a shot at making Canada's WJC team.
2018-19 watch: With the way Roslovic is playing this season, he should be an excellent option for the Jets next season in a scoring depth role. While the top of the Jets' lineup is essentially set for the next few seasons, a player such as Roslovic offers a lot of flexibility in the bottom-six forward group. He can play a pretty solid two-way game, and his offense is coming along better than could have been expected for this season. He still has multiple years on his entry-level deal, which helps a team not necessarily looking to spend to the cap.