Carolina Hurricanes Top 10 Prospects: Trade Deadline Edition

#10 – Lucas Wallmark

Position: Center

Age: 20

Acquired: 4th Round (97th overall), 2014 NHL Draft

CC Preseason Rank: Honorable Mention

There are many Swedes that are currently making a big impact in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes. Victor Rask, Elias Lindholm, Eddie Lack, and Joakim Nordstrom are examples of how good young Swedish players have become, and Lucas Wallmark could be the next Swede coming up the Canes organization.

Drafted just one selection after the aforementioned Josh Wesley, Wallmark is a crafty and talented offensive center that has used his highly touted vision and playmaking ability to make an impact with Luleå HF in the Swedish Hockey League this season.

In his third SHL season, Wallmark has shattered his previous career highs in goals, assists, and points. He currently has 7 goals, 20 assists, and 27 points in 42 games in Sweden. He is also on track to finish with his first ever positive plus/minus in the SHL.

He has below average size at 6’0″, 176 pounds, and he will need to add on weight before he makes his transition to North America, which will likely be next season.

He will see a good role with the Checkers when he does reach the AHL level, but he is still a ways away from making an NHL impact.

NHL ETA: 2019-2020

Projected Ceiling: Third-Line NHL Playmaker

#9 – Warren Foegele

Position: Left Wing

Age: 19

Acquired: 3rd Round (67th overall), 2014 NHL Draft

CC Preseason Rank: Honorable Mention

Warren Foegele is a player that has already gone through a little bit of controversy in his young hockey career.

He was a Canadian high school standout with St. Andrews University, and he committed to play his college hockey at the University of New Hampshire like Canes blue liner Brett Pesce did. He played alongside Pesce in a good freshman year at UNH in 2014-2015, tallying 16 points in 34 games in a third-line role.

Foegele returned for his sophomore year this past fall, but it ended quickly. He decided to leave the University just 5 games into the season. Shortly after, he signed on to join the Kingston Frontenacs in the OHL.

So far so good for Foegele in his rookie year as an OHL player. He has 41 points in 42 games while seeing a lot of good minutes with the Frontenacs, a team captain by fellow Canes prospect Roland McKeown.

He has become a big offensive difference maker for their squad, but he is also upping his all around game in the process. His defense is improving, and that has only increased his stock in the Canes organization.

Warren Foegele is a great offensive threat. He has great vision in the offensive zone, which leads to him creating some great scoring opportunities. He has an accurate shot as well, which makes him more than just a pure playmaker. He isn’t a standout goal scorer like he was in high school.

He’s an all around solid offensive player with good upside, but the thing that stands out the most for him is his skating. He is quick and agile, which makes him extremely difficult to cover at the OHL level.

Like all prospects, Foegele still has a lot of work to do. He will return to Kingston next year before making the jump to the AHL in 2017-2018.

NHL ETA: 2019-2020

Projected Ceiling: Top-Nine NHL Playmaker

#8 – Sergey Tolchinsky

Age: 20

Position: Left Wing

Acquired: Signed as undrafted free agent on 8/22/2013 

CC Preseason Rank: #8

Sergey Tolchinsky is the most interesting prospect that the Carolina Hurricanes have.

Tolchinsky is a small (5’8″, 170 pounds) Russian forward with high-level hands and offensive vision. He isn’t afraid to embarrass a defender with his quick hands and skating ability, and he tore up the OHL for three years by doing just that.

Over his three OHL seasons, Tolchinsky racked up 237 points in 189 games, including a pair of 90+ point seasons. He won the OHL rookie of the year award following the 2012-2013 season.

It was a surprise to many people that he went undrafted. He is small, but his offensive instincts are as good as they come.

There is a question, though, of just how well his skill set will translate to the professional hockey leagues. He is in the midst of his rookie season in the AHL, and he has 16 assists and 24 points in 50 games while playing in a pretty limited role with the Checkers and head coach Mark Morris.

If Tolchinsky can continue to adapt to the pros well, he can be a big time player at the next level, but that is a big “if”. He isn’t a very aggressive player like Nathan Gerbe, but at the same time, he is slightly taller than Gerbe.

He needs to put on more weight over the coming years while hanging on to his skill and skating ability. If he can do that and learn how to play around big opponents, he can make an NHL impact. We are still far away from finding out if he can do that, however.

Tolchinsky is a low-risk, high-reward player for the Hurricanes. If he pans out, he can be a legitimate scoring threat in the NHL. If he doesn’t pan out, the Canes likely won’t lose too much sleep over it.

The key here is to let the player develop and get bigger minutes in the AHL. He’s a project player. There is no reason to rush him into the NHL.

NHL ETA: 2018-2019

Projected Ceiling: Top-Six NHL Forward

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