The Metropolitan Division is one of the more intriguing segments of the NHL when it comes to prospects. No one expected the Hurricanes to be the last team standing in the Metro this season, but here we are. But the Canes also have some solid layers to their organization that will allow them to continue to be competitive regardless of what happens this offseason.
Beyond them, most teams are in various stages of either rebuilding or retooling, but then there are also two long-term contenders that lack the prospect depth of their division rivals and another team regrouping from a go-for-broke run that ended earlier than hoped. And two Metropolitan clubs have the opening two picks of the 2019 NHL draft. Here's a look at where things stand for each Metropolitan team as we close out 2019.
Note: "A" prospects have a higher potential of being impact NHL players, while "B" prospects are more likely to be everyday players and contributors on NHL rosters, based on what I've seen to date.
Carolina Hurricanes
A prospect: Martin Necas
B prospects: Jake Bean, Aleksi Saarela, Stelio Mattheos, Morgan Geekie, Alex Nedeljkovic, Julien Gauthier and Janne Kuokkanen
The Hurricanes have done well in loading up their NHL roster to make this run to the Eastern Conference final, but they have a second wave of prospects that is particularly strong. Necas has taken a nice step forward in his first full season of North American pro hockey, and Bean is looking like a fringe "A" prospect based on his first professional season. Saarela and Geekie should also have a shot at pushing for roster spots next season depending on how the offseason shakes out, and Nedeljkovic is looking more and more like an NHL goaltender. It's more likely he's a No. 2, but he could still develop into a starter.
The Hurricanes may not have a ton of elite prospects, but they have a large number of players developed in the AHL who could help filter into their lineup over the next two seasons or be possible bargaining chips in trades. Carolina is in a really good spot right now.
Breakout prospect: Jake Bean
Columbus Blue Jackets
A prospects: Alexandre Texier, Liam Foudy and Emil Bemstrom
B prospects: Elvis Merzlikins, Kirill Marchenko, Vladislav Gavrikov and Trey Fix-Wolansky
I've been a very slow Texier convert, but the more I've watched him in both a full Liiga season in Finland and his early stint in North America, his talent is too hard to ignore. Texier has always had skill, but I saw more mature hockey sense and better use of his frame. He is playing like a pro. Meanwhile, Foudy largely performed up to expectations, while Bemstrom may be the biggest breakout prospect of the season with his performance in Sweden in 2018-19. Only Elias Pettersson and Kent Nilsson scored more goals than Bemstrom's 23 in a single-season as a U20 player in the SHL.
Merzlikins looks like a big piece of the Blue Jackets' future in net, but now he has to prove it in North America. Gavrikov should be an everyday defenseman next season, and Marchenko is one of those upside prospects who tantalizes with higher-end hand skills. The Blue Jackets gave up some good prospects and draft picks when they went for it this postseason, but there were so many players knocking on the door that it's not going to hurt them as much.
Breakout prospect: Emil Bemstrom
New Jersey Devils
A prospect: Ty Smith
B prospects: Jesper Boqvist, Fabian Zetterlund, Jeremy Davies, Aarne Talvitie, Michael McLeod, Marian Studenic, Reilly Walsh and Mikhail Maltsev
The Devils are about to get a big boost with the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NHL draft, but that player -- likely Jack Hughes -- won't stay a prospect for long. There isn't a lot of depth in New Jersey's system right now, but I thought a number of players really stood out over the course of this campaign, even though most of its B-rated prospects are fringe B's. I'm particularly high on Boqvist and Davies after strong seasons. Each put up very nice numbers in Sweden and college hockey, respectively. Top prospect Smith remains a dynamic defenseman with advanced hockey sense, and I'd expect him to make a case for himself in camp next fall.
The team is bringing Zetterlund and Maltsev overseas, which will help us know more about their long-term projections, while former first-rounder McLeod showed glimpses of being able to provide center depth for this team down the road. I'm also not sleeping on Talvitie who had his season cut short by injury. He's a born leader. and I could see him carving out a depth role that helps this team in the not-so-distant future.
Breakout prospect: Jeremy Davies
New York Islanders
A prospects: Noah Dobson and Oliver Wahlstrom
B prospects: Ilya Sorokin, Bode Wilde, Sebastian Aho, Kieffer Bellows, Ruslan Iskhakov and Otto Koivula
Technically Joshua Ho-Sang and Michael Dal Colle shed prospect status this season, but the jury is still out on how much they'll help. The next wave of prospects offers plenty of intrigue. Dobson is one of the best defensive prospects outside of the NHL currently. Wahlstrom took a huge step back with a poor season at Boston College, but he still has that elite scoring talent.
Beyond those two 2018 first-rounders, Sorokin is still under KHL contract, and the waiting game is a tough one to play. Wilde had a massive season in the OHL, and Aho looked closer to being NHL-ready with a highly-productive AHL season. Iskhakov got a little reality check in his first season of hockey in North America, but he was one of the most skilled players in college hockey. Meanwhile, Bellows has a lot to build on after a lackluster rookie season in the AHL, but it's too early to give up on that scoring talent.
Breakout prospect: Bode Wilde
New York Rangers
A prospects: Vitaly Kravtsov and K'Andre Miller
B prospects: Igor Shesterkin, Adam Fox, Nils Lundkvist, Joey Keane and Morgan Barron
The Rangers are about to get the one thing I've thought this prospect pool lacked, which is a game-changing player. Kravtsov has that upside, but whether it's Hughes or Kaapo Kakko at No. 2, New York is getting a franchise-altering player. That's a huge difference-maker for a team in the midst of a rebuild.
Miller took big strides in his first collegiate season and is poised to be one of the better blueliners in college hockey next season. Meanwhile, Shesterkin is making his long-awaited trip to North America and likely spends all or most of 2019-20 in the AHL. On top of that, the Rangers added a high-upside playmaking defensive prospect in Fox.
The Rangers also have a number of good options in their AHL system and a few others that have yet to sign with the club. One such player is Barron, who had a spectacular season for Cornell and is looking more like an NHL prospect for the future. The Blueshirts have done a nice job of adding players beneath the NHL level, but should start seeing returns over the next two seasons.
Breakout prospect: Morgan Barron
Philadelphia Flyers
A prospects: Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee
B prospects: Isaac Ratcliffe, Adam Ginning, Philippe Myers, Tanner Laczynski, Mikhail Vorobyev, Samuel Ersson and Wyatt Kalynuk
The Flyers have a unique prospect pool even after the graduation of top goalie prospect Carter Hart this season. Frost and Farabee had really strong seasons and look like impact players in the not-so-distant future. Ratcliffe had a fantastic season for OHL champion Guelph, and Myers looks like he's ready to be a full-time NHLer. But Ersson is the real surprise, having been named the MVP, goalie of the year and rookie of the year in Sweden's second pro division.
There is a lot of variety in Philadelphia's pool, but there are also a few players who took a step back this season, including Jay O'Brien, the team's second first-rounder in 2019. He decided to go back to junior, which is probably the right move for his development. Additionally, Wade Allison -- whom I've been very high on -- has battled a lot of injuries this past season, causing more concern about his upside. The Flyers have a relatively deep system, though, and that's going to come in handy as they continue to retool.
Breakout prospect: Samuel Ersson
Pittsburgh Penguins
A prospects: None
B prospects: Filip Hallander, Calen Addison, Jordy Bellerive, Justin Almeida, Kasper Bjorkqvist and Sam Miletic
The Penguins don't have much depth nor high-end players in their system, but that doesn't mean the cupboard is bare. Hallander, Addison and Almeida in particular offer intrigue and upside due to their skill level. All three were productive this season and showcased good offensive abilities. Miletic acquitted himself well enough in his first pro season to keep himself on track after breaking out as a prospect last season, while Bjorkqvist is a really intriguing player who can do a little bit of everything.
The Penguins have their first-round pick this season, which should net them an impact prospect. But they only have five total picks and none in the second or third round to help increase the depth here.
Breakout prospect: Kasper Bjorkqvist
Washington Capitals
A prospect: Ilya Samsonov
B prospects: Alexander Alexeyev, Martin Fehervary, Kody Clark, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Shane Gersich and Eric Florchuk
The Caps have picked low in the first round for a long time, and it doesn't exactly help replenish the system. But with so many homegrown players on their NHL roster, you can live with where things are right now. Samsonov has goalie-of-the-future potential, but his first season in North America was only OK. Alexeyev had a very productive season, but I think there are some concerns for the first-rounder going forward. There's not a lot of separation between him and Fehervary right now, even though both have enough talent to get to the NHL eventually. It may just take time.
Additionally, the Caps lost a potential key prospect in defenseman Chase Priskie, who went the free-agent route after a very strong senior season at Quinnipiac. Jonas Siegenthaler made the NHL jump this season, losing prospect status by a game, but he's shown some ability to contribute at that level. At forward, there are a lot more maybes. I have Jonsson-Fjallby, Clark and Gersich all as fringe B's right now, but each of those prospects has a skill set that would allow them to eventually make the jump to the NHL. Lastly, Florchuk stood out in a few of my viewings this season. He's big and has some upside after a strong WHL campaign.
Breakout prospect: Jonas Siegenthaler