Welcome to Today’s edition of “Top Shelf Prospects”. As we go through the Summer of 2013 I will be featuring a team-by-team look at the top prospects in the NHL. I will go team by team through the NHL bringing you a look at each Teams Top Prospects. I will be following the order of the first round of the NHL draft (as if there were no traded draft picks). You can find all the articles here. Since we had an extensive NHL Draft preview, I will not be reviewing the players who were drafted in the 2013 draft, as there have been no games since then, and my reports on them will not have changed. What I will be doing is linking you to those articles, as well as taking a look at prospects that were acquired before this year’s draft; their progress, and their chances of making the 2013-14 roster of the NHL team in question. I will also bring you one sleeper pick – a player who was either drafted in the 4th-round or later, or was an undrafted free agent signing who I pick as my darkhorse to make the NHL. For those wondering, the cut-off for what is or isn’t a prospect is typically about 50 NHL games played or being 25 years old. These are not hard or fast rules though, and I may make some exceptions depending on the circumstances (especially due to the fact that the latest NHL season was only 48 games).

After years of being a playoff bubble team (and often being on the right side of that bubble, recently) the Nashville Predators suffered a precipitous fall in the NHL standings in 2012-13. After losing half of their star defensive pairing of Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, with Suter going to Minnesota last summer, the Predators were expected to fall off a little bit, but few thought they would be the second worst team in the Western Conference. In truth, it wasn’t just Suter leaving that hurt the Predators. Pekka Rinne who is usually amongst the best of the best goalies in the NHL, had a season where he can merely be called “good” instead of his usual level of “great”. While at the same time, the Predators just couldn’t score enough goals last year. One has to ask what happened with the forwards. Weber was the team’s leading scorer with 28 points, and the leading forward was David Legwand with just 25.

The fall lead to Nashville picking 4th overall in the 2013 NHL draft, the highest pick they have had since their 2nd overall pick in 1998 as a brand new expansion franchise in the NHL. In an outcome that few could have foreseen, the Predators were shocked and pleased when consensus top 3 pick (and many analysts #1 pick) Seth Jones was available at 4th overall. It became a no-brainer selection for Predators GM David Poile who just loves to build his team by taking defencemen high in the draft. The Preds followed that up with some other solid value picks such as Jonathan-Ismael Diaby and Juuse Saros.

2013 NHL Draft Picks Reviewed by LWOS: Seth Jones, Jonathan-Ismael Diaby, Juuse Saros

Prospect Graduates: Ryan Ellis

Top Prospect: Filip Forsberg, RW/LW,

Born Aug 13 1994; Ostervala, Sweden

Height 6.02 — Weight 176 — Shoots Right

Drafted in the 1st round of the 2012 NHL Draft, 11th Overall by the Washington Capitals,

Traded to the Nashville Predators in April 2013

In what was a shocking trade at last year’s NHL trade deadline, the Nashville Predators acquired Filip Forsberg from the Washington Capitals for Martin Erat and Michael Latta. From my perspective, this move was a steal by Nashville as they acquired one of the best prospects from the 2012 Draft. The questions on Forsberg were always about whether his skill would translate on the scoreboard as he, like most 17 year olds, showed flashes of talent but struggled to put up points playing against men in 2011-12. In 2012-13, Forsberg was again playing against men as a member of Leksand in the Swedish Allvenskan, and put up 33 points in 38 games, answering many of the questions. After the end of his year in Sweden, he even came to North America where he made his NHL debut, and got his first NHL point, an assist, in 5 NHL games.

Forsberg is a versatile forward, capable of playing either wing position. Some scouts say he’s a power forward in the making, and he certainly tries to play that style of game. He’s willing to hit opponents, throw his body around, and drive the net. Prior to the 2012 Draft Forsberg was very skinny, and his ability to stand up to the rigors of the NHL playing that power forward style was certainly questioned. However Forsberg has used the last year to improve in this area, he’s not 100% of the way there yet, but is much improved. He still will need to add some muscle to his frame before he’s ready for the rigors of the NHL on a nigh

Forsberg is not all power though, as he is also extremely skilled. He’s got an excellent shot with a very quick and deceptive release that often fools goaltenders. He is also a very talented passer and is able to threading the needle through sticks and skates, and make crafty saucer passes at times to give linemates high quality scoring opportunities. Forsberg is also talented stickhandler and adept at using his body to protect the puck and extend plays to allow his teammates time to get open. If there is a criticism it is that he can sometimes seem to forget about these skills and develop a sort of tunnel vision where he shoots everything on net. This seems to happen if his team really needs a goal, or if he is in a slump. He will need to correct this and continue to be patient and play a smart game in key moments. It is something he should improve with maturity.

Forsberg is a hardworking, willing backchecker. He has good defensive awareness and is effective in all three zones on the ice. He understands defensive positioning and is a good shot blocker and is able to effectively cut down passing lanes as well as an opponent’s time and space. With his defensive game, and his offensive potential, I would expect that he will be given every opportunity in training camp to start next season with the big club.

Top Prospect #2: Austin Watson, Right Wing/Centre

Born Jan 13 1992 — Ann Arbor, MI

Height 6.03 — Weight 187 — Shoots R

Selected by the Nashville Predators in round 1 #18 overall at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft

Austin Watson had a very distinguished junior career. He was a member of the 2009 OHL Champion and Memorial Cup Champion Windsor Spitfires with Predators’ defenceman Ryan Ellis. After a brief detour to Peterborough, Watson was traded to the London Knights during the 2011-12 past season. He provided exactly what the Knights were looking for, giving what was already a strong defensive team an added boost of offence and a power forward’s game up front. Watson would help the Knights win the OHL Championship, and was even given the award as OHL Playoff MVP and was named to the Memorial Cup Tournament All-Star Team.

Coming off that successful campaign, Watson joined the Milwaukee Admirals where he scored 20 goals as an AHL rookie. The team has been really impressed with Watson, giving him a ton of ice-time, and using him in all situations including top powerplay and penalty kill minutes. Watson is one of the Predators top forward prospects, and the strategy here has been to get him as much ice-time and experience as possible in the AHL. He also came up to Nashville for a short stint this year and even notched his first career NHL goal.

Watson is a big forward who is extremely versatile; and is capable of playing both Centre and Wing. The Predators have seemed to want to develop Watson as a centre, playing him almost exclusively there in the AHL. He has many of the skills of a prototypical power forward, as Watson loves to use his size, balance, good speed, and powerful skating stride to take defenders wide and drive the puck hard to the net. When he gets to the net, Watson uses his soft hands to get the puck by the goaltender. He also has an excellent wrist shot, and quick release which he can use to score from further out. Watson is also a decent playmaker with the vision to create opportunities for teammates. He does this most often out of the cycle game, where his strength and puck protection ability buys time for his linemates to get open. While Watson is good on the boards, and in front of the net, and battles hard on the ice, we would like to see him bring more physicality to his game. He’s certainly not soft, and doesn’t shy away from physical contact, or the dirty areas of the ice; but Watson does not initiate that contact as often as a player with his frame and skill set ideally should. He could be a really devastating hitter on the forecheck if he committed to it.

Over the last two years, Watson has greatly improved his defensive game and showed a consistent effort level in all three zones, something he was criticized for not doing enough of prior to the 2011-12 season. Watson has dismissed those critiques in the last two years, as he has shown to be a tireless worker, and an excellent two way forward. He was one of the best defensive forwards in the OHL when he left London, and has continued that strong play into his time with Milwaukee. He has been put on the ice against the other team’s best forwards, both at even strength and on the power play. Watson has shown that he can be a relentless backchecker, and put a ton of back pressure on whoever has the puck helping his teams defence by cutting down the oppositions time and space. He has also showed outstanding anticipation in cutting down passing lanes and creating turnovers and transition offence. To top it all off, he has also showed a willingness to make physical sacrifices as he blocks a lot sf shots.

Watson is a darkhorse candidate to make the Predators out of training camp, and could pull it off if he has an impressive showing in camp and the pre-season. However a more realistic scenario sees Watson continue to play huge minutes in the AHL, and to prepare for a call up when injuries strike in Nashville. Watson has real potential to form a great two way, physical line with Filip Forsberg for the Predators going forward, but the Predators have shown a commitment to avoid rushing him and nurturing the potential of their former first round pick from the 2010 draft.

Super Sleeper Mattias Ekholm, Defence

Born May 24 1990 — Borlange, Sweden

Height 6.04 — Weight 194 – Shoots Left

Selected by the Nashville Predators in round 4 #102 overall, in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft

Mattias Ekholm has been improving every year. After making the Predators out of training camp in 2011, he was sent back to Sweden after playing just 2 NHL games. After winning the Borje Salming trophy as the best defender in Sweden, the big defenceman made the full-time transition to North America this year, playing the year for the Predators farm club in the AHL. A good start to the season had many analysts believing that he was ready for full time NHL work, and anticipating that he would be on the Predators when the lockout ended. However, bad luck struck, and a shoulder injury took Ekholm out of the Admirals’ lineup and out of consideration to play with the Predators out of camp. When he returned, he seemed a little hesitant at first, but as Ekholm got more comfortable with his shoulder, we started to see him return to his early season form. He even managed to earn a callup, playing in his third career NHL game.

Ekholm is a very good puck mover. He skates well and and protects the puck, which gives him the ability to advance the puck out of danger when facing a heavy forecheck. His strong passing skills are seen in a good first pass starting the Admirals transition game, and in his composure with the puck in the offensive zone. Ekholm’s improved his slapshot over the course of the last year, and he now features a strong point shot. The best thing about his shot though is the fact that Ekholm understands how to keep it low and on net; allowing his AHL teammates to get tip ins and rebounds.

Defensively Ekholm uses his size and physical attributes well. He is good along the boards and plays a physical brand of hockey in the defensive zone. However Ekholm’s decision making seems to be a work in progress. It is improved but he still has tendencies to get himself out of position when he goes for the big hit, or to make some questionable passes in his own end of the rink. A year in the AHL has helped, but he has a bit more to go. I believe that Ekholm still needs more AHL time, whether that be as little as half a season is certainly possible, but the risk taking will need to be curbed.

Last year a look at Nashville’s system showed a team that had prospect depth, but lacked a little in top end talent. With the additions of Jones and Forsberg over the last year, the top end talent is certainly there, while the depth with players like Colton Sissons, Pontus Aberg, Brandon Leipsec, Jimmy Vesey, Taylor Beck, continue to provide a system that is full of depth. GM David Poile and Coach Barry Trotz have consistently gotten results in Nashville despite their resources (high draft picks, and money at times) being more limited than the big boys they played under the old alignment in the NHL’s Central Division. I expect that won’t change with the move to the new Central Division, and that the team will continue to churn out quality two way hockey players who play Predators hockey. The disappointments of 2013 are likely a small blip on Nashville’s radar and I expect to see them rise back up to their middle of the pack status (and possibly even higher) over the next several years.

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