Wheeler's prospect pool ranking Vol.5

Rank #3

Welcome to another segment of Scott Wheeler's top prospect pool.
We will be looking at the team ranked #3, its crazy to think that this team who is already a top team in the nhl,
(31-14-3) owns the 3rd best prospect pool in the league.  

Rank #3  Minnesota Wilds

1. Matt Boldy, C/LW, 20 (Edmonton Oilers)

He’s an incredibly intelligent operator on the ice who understands where to be with and without the puck, when to take a risk and when to make a smart play, and how to support and use his linemates in all three zones. But he’s also a supremely gifted puck handler who can do things in tight to his body that few 6-foot-2/6-foot-3, 200-plus pound players can. And while he’s still not the quickest player from a standstill, I’ve never believed his skating was an issue and it has some sneaky elements to it (from his heel-to-heel hip flexibility to his ability to change tempos at pace) that help him manipulate opponents to create spacing for himself. He also has real defensive value because of his size, length, strength along the wall and overall intuition around the sheet. Even the little details are there. His positioning. His stick work in 50/50 battles. Inside the offensive zone, he uses those excellent hands to play in traffic, has a dangerous mid-range shot to finish on the chances he creates to the middle third, and has a powerful forward skating motion (to complement what has always been impressive footwork and edges for a player his size). He looks like he’s going to be a dominant two-way forward who provides value defensively while remaining highly productive offensively in a top-six, PP1 role. He’s a multi-dimensional player in the truest sense.

2. Marco Rossi, C, 20 (Washington Capitals)

To see Marco Rossi look like Marco Rossi this season is such a giant thing for him personally and for the future of the Wild organization. It’s not surprising in the least. You won’t find a kid who is more driven than he is, and who makes overcoming what he has seem so inevitable. But it’s still a very big deal. Rossi has been tremendous in the AHL. For my money, he isn’t just one of its best young players, but one of its best player period. He projects as a top-flight two-way centre prospect who provides major value in all three zones of the ice. Despite his 5-foot-9 frame, he’s built like an ox, with a sturdy and low centre of gravity that allows him to take bumps on offence and play his determined, detail-oriented, checking style on defence (on top of helping him be very good in the faceoff circle). Then he’s also got slick skill in traffic, playmaking acumen, a sixth sense for how to use spacing, and impressive finesse to his game that allows him to create in and out of traffic. He’s a heck of a hockey player and kid.

3. Jesper Wallstedt, G, 19 (Vegas Golden Knights)

Wallstedt’s the best goalie prospect on the planet for me. And that’s not meant as a slight to Iaroslav Askarov, or Sebastian Cossa, or even Devon Levi and Dustin Wolf (who belong in that group). He’s back to robotic levels this season after briefly showing signs that he might be human in the second half of last season. He’s a big 6-foot-3 (he fills the net for his size), plays sharp lines positionally, he holds those lines, he swallows the first shot so that he doesn’t have to make a ton of second saves, his movement is compact, he tracks through layers incredibly well to find pucks, and he reads opposing shooters beautifully so that he’s rarely beat cleanly. He’s got all of the makings of a No. 1 starter. If he can develop a little more quickness (he’s strong across the net and low-to-high on pushes, but I wouldn’t say his feet are super fast) he’ll be an elite goaltender in the league.

4. Carson Lambos, LHD, 19 (Ottawa Senators)

He engages himself in all aspects of the game, whether that’s running or joining in the offence, being disruptive defensively, or timing his reads well. I think his play in Finland last season was undersold, regardless of the way his health contributed to his fall. He’s athletic, he’s confident on the attack, he puts himself in a lot of transition sequences, he’s sturdy in engagements, his point shot pops, and he’s a heady playmaker. He’s got projectable second-pairing upside.

5. Calen Addison, RHD, 20 (New York Rangers)

e’s a beautiful lateral skater on his edges across the line or under pressure. I love his aggressiveness with (and frankly without) the puck. He wants to slide off the line and use his shot or beat the first guy off the point and riffle a pass to a teammate in a dangerous spot. He has developed some needed power and strength into his compact frame. And he has learned when to play a little more passively defensively, relying on his stick and feet more instead of always trying to overcompensate for his size by really pushing and leaning on guys along the boards (where he’s often not going to win those battles). He’s never going to be a stalwart defensively, but he’s got legitimate offensive flair and I like the way the rest of his tools work around his skill game enough to project him into The NHL.

Look for another article later today on team rank #2
You stay classy, Dchl