Welcome to the Monthly edition of the Top 10 Panthers Prospects. After a hard fought October, these are the rankings:

(Based on performances from the past month)

Key Injury/Injuries:  #2 F Jayce Hawryluk (Hand)

Players who have played 5+ NHL games since last update: #3 Denis Malgin, #FR9 Shane Harper

TOP 9 FORWARDS                        TOP 6 DEFENSEMAN                   TOP 3 GOALIES

#9 Juho Lammikko                        #6 Thomas Schemitsch                #3 Colin Stevens

#8 Anthony Greco                         #5 Michael Downing                      #2 Sam Brittan

#7 Chase Baisly                              #4 MacKenzie Weegar                  #1 Sam Montembeault

#6 Graham Black                          #3 Riley Stillman

#5 Jonathan Ang                           #2 Linus Hultstrom

#4 Paul Thompson                      #1 Ian McCoshen

#3 Dryden Hunt

#2 Henrik Borgstrom

#1 Adam Mascherin

 

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

#10 MacKenzie Weegar (D)

Acquired: 2013 Draft by Florida- 7th Round 206th Overall Pick

2016-17 Stats: Springfield (AHL)  11 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 5 PTS

He is a good two-way defender and is a small but intelligent defender. He is quick to join the rush when the time comes. Although he lacks the top-end defender skills, he is a good skater and an efficient defender.

Future: With the Panthers already boosting a talented defensive core which is mainly locked up long term and competition from other defenseman, there is a slim chance that Weegar will succeed in Florida, but if he goes to a team like Boston, whose defensive core is weaker, then he might get a chance to crack the lineup.

PR: Unranked (+2)

 

#9 Riley Stillman    (D)

Acquired: 2016 Draft by Florida- 4th Round 114th Overall Pick

2016-17 Stats: Oshawa (OHL)- 16 GP, 1 G, 10 A, 11 PTS

Stillman is the son of former Panther Cory Stillman. A more offensive defenseman, he plays like he is bigger than his size although he isn’t.

Future: He does have a shot at making the lineup in the NHL, but he will have to have the patience to buckle up for a long wait in the minors.

PR: Unranked (+3)

 

#8 Linus Hultstrom (D)

Acquired: Free Agent- May 3rd, 2016

2016-17 Stats: Djurgardens IF (Sweden)   7 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS

Hultstrom has slipped off the radar a bit, but is till doing well. An offensive defenseman, good on the powerplay, Hultstrom has been compared to be the Erik Karlsson of his league.

Future: The Panthers are likely going to lose a defenseman to the expansion draft. I think Hultstrom will be up in a couple of years, but if he wants to play past the Bottom pairing he might want to look elsewhere.

PR: 5 (-3)

 

#7 Jonathan Ang  (F)

Acquired: 2016 Draft by Florida 4th Round 94th Overall Pick

2016-17 Stats: Peterborough (OHL)- 15 GP, 6 G, 7 A, 13 PTS

Ang is a fast skater and really good at stickhandling. He is an efficient goal scorer and I think he plays like Denis Malgin and could follow the same destiny.

Future: Ang might be able to squeeze into an NHL spot next season, if the Panthers start next year like this year with a lot of injuries.

PR: HM (+4)

 

#6 Paul Thompson  (F)

Acquired: Traded to Florida by New Jersey with Graham Black for Marc Savard on June 10, 2016

2016-17 Stats: Springfield (AHL) 11 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS

Thompson is good at getting goals in traffic and is a very good stickhandler. He isn’t fancy and gets a lot of garbage goals a thing this current Panthers team needs desperately.

Future: It is possible that the Panthers could call him up soon and if he does, I don’t see him getting any more that 4th line ice time.

PR: 10 (+4)

 

#5 Ian McCoshen (D)

Acquired: 2013 Draft 2nd Round 31st Overall Pick by Florida

2016-17 Stats: Springfield (AHL)  10 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 2 PTS

McCoshen is the best defenseman in the system and is a physical presence but he is a good offensive player. A Boston College graduate, he and Michael Matheson could form a new Defensive pairing.

Future: McCoshen should definetly play a role on the Panthers blueline if they lose a defender in the expansion draft.

PR: 1 (-4)

 

#4 Dryden Hunt (F)

Acquired: Free Agent- March 1, 2016

2016-17 Stats: Springfield (AHL)- 11 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 6 PTS

Hunt is a reliable forward who lit up the WHL last year. He went undrafted due to concussion concerns. So far in Springfield he is playing a good role. However, he really needs to prove that he didn’t dominate the WHL because he was a man among kids.

Future: Hunt could slide into a wing role in the Top 6 when either Jagr and/or Jokinen retire.

PR: 4 (Same)

 

#3 Henrik Borgstrom (C)

Acquired: 2016 Draft- 1st Round 23rd Overall Pick by Florida

2016-17 Stats: University of Denver (NCAA) 9 GP, 5 G, 5 A, 10 PTS

Borgstrom is a phenomenal stick handler and is a speedy forward. He is doing a good job adjusting to the North American game and has a great personality.

Future: With so many centers in Florida it wouldn’t be surprising to see him play as a winger.

PR: 6 (+3)

 

#2 Sam Montembeault (G)

Acquired: 2015 Draft- 3rd Round 77th Overall

2016-17 Stats: Blainville-Boisbrand (QMJHL) 13 GP, 11-2-0, 0.938 SVPCT, 1.68 GAA

Montembeault is regarded as the Panthers goalie of the future. His idol is Roberto Luongo. He is a terrific net minder playing on a bad junior team. They only went so far in the playoffs because of him. He is tall, lanky and athletic. He has fluid movement between the pipes but he can be caught napping on some shots directed towards his glove hand. So far he has been doing great in juniors.

Future: He is the Panthers future starting goalie

PR: 7 (+5)

 

#1 Adam Mascherin (F)

Acquired: 2016- 2nd Round 38th Overall pick

2016-17 Stats: Kitchener (OHL) 17 GP, 10 G, 21 A, 31 PTS

Mascherin is dominating juniors. The guy who gave me a headache single handedly (no offense) at development camp has been passing a lot. While I love his shot, him switching over to being more of a passer will save more eardrums (no offense). He is a stud, with a cannon of a shot.

Future: I think he has a shot to crack Florida’s top 6 in a few years.

PR: 9 (+8)

 

Dropped Out: Hawryluk (Injured); Malgin (NHL +5 games); Lammikko