With extra time and space (much like a forward on a breakaway) due to the Olympic break, I thought it would be an ideal time to check up on our prospects at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
With all the trades and player movement engineered from above, things have been a bit topsy-turvy for the Baby Pens in terms of roster composition. That includes the departures of mainstays Sam Poulin and Valtteri Puustinen, not to mention veteran NHLers Danton Heinen and Philip Tomasino.
Yet through the almost constant shuffles, coach Kirk MacDonald’s crew have scarcely missed a beat. The Baby Pens are currently second in the AHL Atlantic Division with a record of 32-12-2-2 and 68 points. Their .708 points percentage? Fourth-best out of 32 teams.
While no individual skater has broken out for a monster season, it’s been a collective effort with every one contributing, much like our Pens. However, two players are a notch above in terms of production. Center Tristan Broz leads the pack with 30 points (14+16) in 38 games, followed in close order by Avery Hayes (pictured) and his team-best 16 goals and 26 points in 32 games.
Following his Pens-ational, two-goal NHL debut in Buffalo on Thursday night, Hayes returned to Wilkes in grand style to register a hat trick against Hershey on Saturday night, including the OT winner. Good friend and linemate Rutger McGroarty assisted on two of the goals.
Speaking of, with four goals and 14 points in 10 games, Rutger is one of two current Baby Pens averaging better than a point per game. The other, Ville Koivunen, has 25 points in 20 games, including six goals.
Despite his prolific output, the latter stat is mildly concerning. Since being re-assigned to the Baby Pens on January 9, the 22-year-old Finn has just two goals in 14 games, mirroring his lack of finishing at the big-league level.
With all the departures, several players have stepped up to fill more prominent roles. Undrafted forwards Atley Calvert (26 points in 47 games) and Gabe Klassen (12 goals in 38 games) have emerged as solid producers. So have off-season pickups Aidan McDonough (11 goals, 24 points) and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard (13 goals). Grizzled AHL vets Boko Imama, Joona Koppanen and Philip Kemp are on hand to provide leadership and support.
Melvin Fernström and feisty Tanner Howe joined the team in the last week. Each has already contributed a goal.
On defense, veteran Matt Dumba’s been positively on fire of late, putting up a staggering four goals and 12 points in his past five games. That includes a hat trick in a 6-5 victory over blood rival Lehigh Valley on Friday night.
Among the kids, with five goals, 19 points and a plus-12 in 45 games, Owen Pickering seems to be figuring things out. Perhaps there’s still hope for the former first-rounder. Easy to forget he just turned 22.
A pair of right-shot rookie pros, Chase Pietila and Finn Harding, are also emerging. The former as a rugged, stay-at-home type and the latter as a puck-mover and facilitator. Harding leads the Baby Pens with a plus-22 in 34 games. That doesn’t seem to be an anomaly, he was a combined plus-85 his final two season in junior with the Mississauga/Brampton Steelheads. A potential steal as a seventh-round pick.
Hulking left-sider Alexander Alexyev returned from an extended stint on IR and assisted against Hershey. Fellow port-sider Emil Pieniniemi joined the team following a recent promotion from Wheeling.
Of course, the real story is in goal, where top prospects Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist have formed a dynamic rotation. Murashov’s stats are truly eye-catching. An 18-5-0-2 record with a 2.11 goals against average and .924 save percentage. Blomqvist’s are darn good, too, an 8-4-3-1 record to go with a 2.43 goals against average and .916 save percentage.
Of mild concern? With an .891 save percentage and 3.17 goals against average, the latter’s play has slipped a bit over his past six starts.
A final observation. Go back to Ron Hextall’s final season or even Kyle Dubas’s first season and you’ll note the paucity of prospects on the Baby Pens. Now the club’s virtually teeming with good, young talent.
A tribute to the masterful job Dubas and his staff have done, and in a relatively short time to boot!
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Hey Rick,
A couple of other quick names to throw out there,
Mikhail Ilyin, a Winger drafted in 5th in 2023 has been playing in Russia's top league, the KHL and has 11 Gs and 35 Pts in 54 GP (2nd on the team in scoring, tied for 35th in the KHL) and is a +5. He signed an ELC this past summer and could be an interesting addition come the end of March when the KHL season ends or maybe April if his team goes into the playoffs.
Cruz Lucius, the 3rd prospect in the Guentzel trade. When I watched him play last season, he seemed very slow and his numbers reflected it, only 2 Gs and 10 Pnts in 19 GP for ASU. I haven't had a chance to watch him play yet this season but his numbers are polar opposite, he has 12 Gs and 38 Pnts in 30 GP. If his skating has improved, then he too could make a difference at least in WBS in April.
And in a little more distant future, Bill Zonnon since coming back from his injury has 7 Gs and 25 Pnts in 20 GP and is a +11. Our friend Joe isn't that high on him, doesn't thinks he is a good skater, says he takes too long to turn. I don't remember seeing that during the spring, before the draft but I haven't had time to look at any game films since fall. However, even if he is a touch slow, I do think his physical presence and play without the puck is going to be huge in a year or so.
William Horcoff, the 19 year old, 6'-5", 205lb man-child-center, who just may have been the best pick of the Pens in the draft. This kid has 20 Gs and 32 Pts in 28 GP as well as 52 PIM and is a +13, He leads his team in Gs and is 3rd in the NCAA in that department.
As an additional note, Kashawn Aitcheson, the LHD that I wanted in the 1st round, has 22 Gs, 50 Pts, 61 PIM, and is a +35 in 41 GP. Defensemen like that do not come around that often.
Tomas Poletin, the 6'-1", 205lb, 18 year old, LW that I wanted Dubas to take in the 3rd round has 19 Gs, 31 Pts, 34 PIM, and is +12 in 35 GP in the WHL and an additional 14 Gs, 19 Pts, and 47 PIM in U20 tournaments for his home country Czechia. Tough as nails forwards like that do not come around that often either.
Bottom line, the future does look bright, could have been much brighter, but does look bright.