Five Prospect Defenseman Who You Should Get to Know Before It's Too Late
Goaltending leads the way, with a number center and then a number one defencemen in an ideal scenario, when scouting, drafting or revamping a team, and the stud number one, or top-pairing defencemen are no easy find.
Here are five defencemen, who have been drafted and are currently honing their craft in the NCAA, CHL, AHL or over-seas in the respective European leagues.
This list is subjective, and meant to create conversation and debate, rather than stress and argument. For that reason, I will list the five defencemen in no particular order. The league is in good hands, and these guys are hopeful to be part of the next generation of young, talented defensive prospects.
Lukas Cormier was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights from the QMJHL's Charlottetown Islanders, Cormier was selected in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft, with pick number 68.
Since being drafted Cormier has played 101 games, over two seasons in the QMJHL, with the Islanders, scoring 49 goals, 86 assists for 135 points and counting, with the 2022-23 QMJHL season set to start in September.
Cormier is a do-it-all, smooth skating defender with above average offensive abilities - including a heavy shot, great vision and crisp tape-to-tape passes, which he uses to break-out of his zone, or create space in the attacking zone.
Olen Zellweger was picked by the Anaheim Ducks, with the 34th overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, after playing 11 games in the WHL, with the Everett Silvertips, scoring two goals, 11 assists for 13 points.
Zellweger is in the mould of new-school NHL defenders; as he employs strong skating dynamics, adept defensive play and a high hockey iq, which allows the young defender to thrive in transition, throughout all three zones, using pinpoint passes, elusive edgework and an accurate, heavy shot.
Zellweger has a big opportunity ahead of him, with a place on the Ducks roster for a player of his skillset, with a chance to make the roster out of junior, much like Jamie Drysdale did the previous season.
Justin Barron was selected 25th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Colorado Avalanche, from the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads.
Barron has played 52 professional games, split between the Colorado Eagles and Avalanche, before being dealt to the Canadiens in a deal highlighted by left-winger Artturri Lehkonen.
The six-feet-two-inch tall defenceman played games with the Habs in 2021-22, suiting up for fives games, scoring his first NHL goal, and first assists for his first NHL points, before falling to injury just before the end of the campaign - Barron's play gave the Habs brass a small sample size of what the righthanded defender could develop into, which with the departures of Shea Weber and Jeff Petry, is a big need, a right-shot defenceman.
Ville Heinola is very close to cracking the Jets roster, after spending time in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, refining his defensive game, while still allowing Heinola's offensive-mind and strong skating to create offensive chances, with great transitional plays.
The Winnipeg Jets selected the Finnish born defender with the 20th overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft, after Heinola's season, which he spent time with theLukko U20 in the u20 SM-liiga, playing in nine games, scoring one goal, eight assists for nine points, he also played 34 games with Lukko in the Finnish liiga, where he scored two goals, 12 assists for 14 points.
Heinola provides the ideal player to quarterback a powerplay with the Jets crop of talented NHL forwards, including Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers and Blake Wheeler.
Topi Niemela is the second defender on the list, who hails from Finland - he was selected 64th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft.
Niemela is pure offense, with solid skating and a big hockey brain, which has allowed him to refine his game away from the puck, when breaking up plays, or using his skating to cut off plays against bigger, stronger forwards.
Niemela has played 48 games since being drafted by the Leafs, with Karpat in liiga, scoring 10 goals, 22 assists for 32 points.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 27 | 120 ANSWERS Five Prospect Defenseman Who You Should Get to Know Before It's Too Late Who's the greatest ever defenseman? | ||
| Bobby Orr | 62 | 51.7 % |
| Cale Makar | 16 | 13.3 % |
| Ray Bourque | 22 | 18.3 % |
| Other | 20 | 16.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
