Welcome to the Spring 2017 edition of the Top 10 Panther Prospect Rankings. I will rank whom I think are the Panthers top prospects. A new feature I have is for the AHL players this year (6/10 of these prospects are currently in the AHL/ECHL) is that I will rank their current position in my opinion in call up order on the depth chart. I will rank how they fell or rised from their position on my last list which was in November. I do not have the best information on prospects on the Panthers blogverse but Cats on the Prowl is great with this stuff so check them out and thanks for helping me out because I looked at your site just to see the latest happenings with prospects. This is my last list:
Let’s get started!
Reminder: Players whom have played 5+ NHL games in their careers are ineligible for this list.
I will rank from 10-1.
10. Dryden Hunt
Position: Left Wing
Team: Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL)
Acquired: Signed as a Free Agent on March 1st, 2016
DOB: 11/24/95 (Age 21)
2016-17 Stats: Springfield (AHL): 50 GP; 9-10-19; -1; 32 PIM and Manchester (ECHL): 2 GP; 2-0-2; -1; 0 PIM
Last Ranked: 4 (-6)
Hunt has had a rough year after a fantastic season in the WHL which saw him win the league MVP and a contract from the Panthers. The 21 year old has struggled and flown off the radar of most Panther fan prospect notes as he has posted 19 points in 50 games leading some to believe that his previous year had to deal with him being older. Hunt was demoted for a week to Manchester in the ECHL where he did well but was called back up. This has caused a significant drop in his rankings from a consistent 4/5 spot all the way down here. However, he is only 21 years old and this is his only 1st professional year so he still has time to develop.
Depth Chart Spot: Forwards 12th/13
Future: I think Hunt will spend 2017-18 in the minors and will hopefully see an increase in scoring. I don’t think he makes the NHL until 2018-19 but I think 2019-20 will be when he becomes an NHL regular. He is on my short list along with other guys for replacements for Jagr and Jokinen but I think Hawryluk gets top line honors.
9. Juho Lammikko
Position: Left Wing
Team: Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL)
Acquired: 65th overall pick in 2014
DOB: 1/29/96 (Age 21)
2016-17 Stats: Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL): 47 GP; 6-5-11; +1; 24 PIM
Last Ranked: Not Ranked (NEW)
Lammikkio has been heating up of late. After spending time in Kingston, he made it here. He has been a solid defensive forward for the Thunderbirds and although not making a huge splash on the scoresheet, has been hot recently. After dropping out, he has recovered to his spot at number 9.
Depth Chart: Forwards 5/13
Future: I don’t see him coming up for a few years. He is another candidate for the soon to be open top 6 spots. However, with the current squad, his NHL future is questionable but he could be at best a 3rd liner when he becomes a regular in 2020-21
8. Reece Scarlett
Position: Defense
Team: Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL)
Acquired: Traded to the Panthers by the Devils on March 1, 2017 for Shane Harper
DOB: 3/31/93 (Age 23)
2016-17 Stats: Springfield (AHL)- 1 GP 1-0-1 +1 0 PIM Albany (AHL)- 50 GP; 4-17-21; -6; 53 PIM
Last Ranked: Not Ranked (NEW)
Scarlett was just acquired. An offensive defender, he may come up next year when the Panthers lose Kindl and possibly either Petrovic or Pysyk to Vegas to help out. He is new but is an offensive defenseman the Panthers needed. He is young and was picked late but he is a solid offensive d-man and can hold his own in a fight. He has had a good year.
Depth Chart: Defenseman 3/9
Future: With the Cats likely losing 1 or 2 defenders coming up, I think Scarlett may be the new defender on the block with Ian McCoshen or Mackenzie Weegar next year if the Cats stay pat on D. 2017-18 is when he becomes a regular.
#7 Jonathan Ang
Pos: Center
Team/Stats: Peterborough (OHL); 59 GP; 25-31-56; +14; 73 PIM
Acquired: 94th pick in 2016
DOB: 1/31/98 (Age 19)
LR: 7 (E)
A very good and underrated forward, Ang is a really good center and is good on both sides of the puck. A fast skater allows him to create offense and get back on defense. While only 5 feet 11 inches, he is like Denis Malgin only better defensively and bigger physichally. However, he is 160 pounds.
Future: Ang will likely spend next year in the OHL and split 2018-19 in the NHL/AHL before becoming a regular in 2019-20.
#6 Ian McCoshen
Pos: Defenseman
Team/Stats: Springfield (AHL): 52 GP; 3-8-11; +11; 23 PIM
Acquired: 31st pick in 2013
DOB: 8/5/95 (Age 21)
LR: 5 (-1)
McCoshen continues to fall but only because other prospects have been very impressive this year. The big bodied McCoshen is also a great skater. With the lack of injuries to Florida’s defense, he hasn’t seen time yet playing behind Dylan McIllrath who was recently traded; Jakub Kindl who is currently the 7th defender and AHL All Star Mackenzie Weegar. However, he is still a pretty good prospect and can bring a physical mentality this team needs.
Depth Chart: Defenseman 2/9
Future: I think it comes down to a 3 way training camp battle between McCoshen, Weegar and Scarlett but I think McCoshen and Weegar will likely play musical chairs swapping spots in the bigs and minors next year before someone is sent out and McCoshen becomes a full time NHLer in 2017-18.
5. Mackenzie Weegar
Pos: Defenseman
Team/Stats: Springfield (AHL): 47 GP; 12-16-28; +1; 44 PIM
Acquired: 206th pick in 2013
DOB: 1/7/93 (Age 24)
PR: 10 (+5)
Weegar is a longtime AHL veteran who has flown under my radar until this year when he made the AHL all star team. A late round pick, he could become a potential steal especially with being only a few picks away from going undrafted in 2013. In a draft that included Sasha Barkov and Ian McCoshen for the Panthers, it is understandable why he flew under the radar. He now is up aganist the newcomer Reece Scarlett and draft classman Ian McCoshen.
Depth Chart Rank: Defensemen 1/9
Future: Read under Ian McCoshen’s future above. 2017-18
4. Sam Montembeault
Pos: Goalie
Team/Stats: Blainville-Boisbrand (QMJHL)- 35 GP; 24-7-0; 2.47 GAA; .906 SVPCT; 6 SO
Acquired: 77th pick in 2015
DOB: 10/30/96 (Age 20)
PR: 2 (-2)
The Panthers goalie of the future is having himself a good year. While inconsistent at times, he shows up in clutch situations and has had a little help from his offense when his team traded for Pierre Luc-Dubois, the third overall pick in 2016. He has 6 shutouts and back to back shutouts recently which is 1 behind Panthers goalie and Montembeault’s idol Roberto Luongo who is tied with someone for the QMJHL single season record for shutouts.
Future: I think he goes to the AHL next year but it depends when Bobby Lu retires. I think Montembeault will backup Reimer in 2019-20 and will serve as a backup until Reimer leaves the organization.
3. Henrik Borgstrom
Position: Center
Team Stats: Denver (NCAA)- 28 GP; 17-15-32; 12 PIM; +17
Acquired: 23rd pick in 2016
DOB: 8/6/97 (Age 19)
PR: 3 (E)
When the Panthers selected Borgstrom in the first round, people were shocked because they had never heard of him before. He wasn’t in anyone’s top rankings. He was passed on in the 2015 draft. But, once Cats on the Prowl and others got their hands of rare footage of his games in Finland, fans fell in love with his fantastic skill. His twitter account @punanen5 and his personality are very humorous, free-spirited and outgoing. He is ridiculous in the shootout and poses the only future threat to Sasha Barkov’s title as NHL Shootout King (Barkov dethroned his former teammate Brad Boyes too). Sadly for Panther fans, he plans to stay in Denver for a while so it could be a long time until he dons the red, gold and white of the Panther and dodges rats as he skates out to celebrate at the BB&T Center.
Future: I think he follows a similar development path to Mike Matheson. I think he plays 3 years in college then 1 year in the AHL before becoming a full time NHLer in 2020-21. He is a candidate for the top 6 as well.
2. Jayce Hawryluk
Position: Right Wing
Team Stats: Springfield (AHL): 28 GP; 6-11-17; +4; 39 PIM
Acquired: 32nd pick in 2014
DOB: 1/1/96 (Age 21)
PR: Injured so he wasn’t ranked (New)
Jayce is back! A steady #2 rank, he was injured in training camp in a fight. In his first game back in January, he was cheap shotted and missed a month with a concussion. A gritty player, he compares his game to Brad Marchand, a type of player the Panthers desperately need. However, the injuries cost him a lot and I’m not sure what the Panthers will do with him. With the emergence of guys like Marchessault, it is possible he has to wait a while.
Depth Chart: Forwards 4/13
Future: I think he will become a 4th liner when Thornton retires in 2017-18 but will rise through the lineup when older guys retire.
1. Adam Mascherin
Pos: Center
Team Stats: Kitchener (OHL): 58 GP; 34-59-93; 16 PIM; +19
Acquired: 38th pick in 2016
DOB: 6/6/98 (Age 18)
PR: 1 (Even)
Mascherin is still number 1. He has gone on a rampage giving everyone in an OHL rink when Kitchener plays a headache with his wrister. My head was pounding when he was shooting at development camp. An elite shooter, his passing game and speed are also underrated and he has dominated the OHL this year. He has quickly become the most well known Panther OHL prospect and has a bright future on a pass first Panther offense.
Future: I think he makes the NHL in 2018-19, because he will be too young next year but I think he is too good for the AHL.
Dropped Out: Paul Thompson (5+ NHL games); Linus Hultstrom; Riley Stillman
What do you think? Comment below!
The Puck Under the Sun 