Carolina Hurricanes: Updating the 2019 Draft Class – Part 1 of 3

C Ryan Suzuki (1st round, 28th overall)

Ryan Suzuki, brother of Montreal Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki, was the first round draft choice by the Canes, at 28th overall. He was projected to go in the middle of the first-round, so Carolina was elated that he dropped to them at the end of the first.

Scott Wheeler ranked him #1 amongst Carolina Hurricanes prospects, and said the following about him:

“[Ryan Suzuki] is ridiculously skilled, and that made him my No. 16 prospect, so the Hurricanes knocked this one out of the park at No. 28. The reward will be significant once (or if) he puts it all together. Suzuki is one of the best playmakers in the draft.”

After putting up a stat-line of 25 goals, 50 assists and 75 points in 65 games last year, he had a tougher start to his season in Barrie this past fall. He suffered a very serious eye injury early in November, and as a result missed almost 2 months recovering from it.

The Barrie Colts, Suzuki’s initial team, made a decision to trade off a majority of their veterans, so Suzuki was shipped out to the Saginaw Spirit. Since arriving in Saginaw; playing alongside top 2020 draft prospect Cole Perfetti, Suzuki has 9 goals and 25 points in 15 games. Those 25 points surpass the 23 he had in 21 games for Barrie earlier in the year.

An exceptional playmaker with sky-high hockey sense, Suzuki’s inconsistency and sometimes his effort level is the only criticism scouts have had of his play. I’ve personally seen him live in Ottawa on multiple occasions – I’d say he needs to add some strength as well (he gets pushed around in the faceoff dot). But his skill level is blatantly visible when he’s out there.

Moving forward, Suzuki has all the tools to be a creative, playmaking center for the Hurricanes in the future. He has half-wall potential on the powerplay, and should he develop properly, he will likely slot in as the 2C behind Sebastian Aho for the Carolina Hurricanes someday down the road. He’s got a ways to go, but has very good upside.

Estimated NHL arrival: 3 years away

G Pyotr Kochetkov (2nd round, 36th overall)

The second goalie off the board in 2019, the twice-undrafted Kochetkov looks to be a good find for the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s older than most drafted prospects – at 20 – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing since he’s basically 2 years ahead of the rest of the class in his development.

Scott Wheeler recently said this about Kochetkov’s progression:

“Kochetkov is an agile, technically-capable goalie who tracks the puck well through traffic and can get to rebounds with his athleticism. His proven track record in a good pro league should be enough to stir NHL belief.”

It’s unfortunate, but Kochetkov has had an extremely weird season. He’s started multiple games for 4 different clubs, in 3 different leagues. After being traded mid-season from KHL powerhouse SKA St.Petersburg to Vityaz Podolsk back in October, he’s played in just 9 games since (7 in KHL, 2 in MHL).

On the fortunate side, his KHL numbers with Vityaz have been rather impressive. Despite a 1-4-0 record in his 7 appearances, Kochetkov has a 2.88 GAA and a stellar .922 save percentage. He’s got prototypical NHL size, and his reflexes are quite good.

Athletically he’s also very sharp; though he’s been knocked as being overly aggressive at times. Thankfully, because of his reflexes and lateral movement, he recovers extremely well and can routinely make desperation saves. There really isn’t many noticeable flaws in his game.

His progression to the NHL is fast-tracking, but he definitely still needs time. He’s yet to fully secure a KHL spot – which isn’t an easy task for a 20-year old goaltender to do – but the reality is he needs the experience and in-game reps to continue trending the right way.

The hope is that Kochetkov will be a full-time KHLer next year; and start a chunk of games. His KHL contract will expire after NEXT season (the summer of 2021) and the Hurricanes currently have zero goalies under contract past that summer. If Kochetkov continues to fast track, who’s to say he can’t be in the mix for a role in Carolina’s crease by then, at age 22?

It’s tough to say one way or another – he could also potentially need some AHL time to acclimate to North American ice – but with his age and experience in pro hockey, he’s not a long-term developmental prospect, and could be closer than people think.

Estimated NHL arrival: 1-3 years away

C Jamieson Rees (2nd round, 42nd overall)

Here’s a guy who’s almost a sure-thing to play in the NHL one day, but where exactly he’ll fit into a lineup and what his role will be has yet to be fully determined.

On the surface, this kid has terrific ability. He’s a force in the OHL currently – with 53 points in 31 games despite playing for a last-place Sarnia squad.

He’s got really strong stickhandling ability, he’s creative with the puck on his stick and he plays a very honest, hard-nosed game. You know what you’re getting with Rees – he’s relentless, a very hard worker and willingly physical for a guy who’s listed at 5’11”, 172lbs.

“A forward who plays with great intensity. A great team player who works hard and despite his rather modest frame, he gets involved physically. Good with the puck and a capable playmaker.” – Eliteprospects.

Rees definitely has an NHL future. He can play all situations (fantastic penalty killer) and his rugged, tough brand of hockey will have a role somewhere. A lot will depend on whether he can translate his offensive abilities to the pro level. He’s had issues with discipline in the OHL (3 lengthy suspensions since the playoffs last year) but that’s a flaw that can be worked with.

He’s still got some maturing and growth to do as a player, but assuming that he isn’t traded at some point, Rees will be a Hurricane at some point. He’s all but a sure bet to be a tough, possession-driving bottom-6 forward, but he has legit upside that can make him a real factor in a team’s top-6 if he can reach his potential.

Estimated NHL arrival: 3-4 years away

Patrik Puistola (3rd round, 73rd overall)

Finnish-born Patrik Puistola gave Caniacs a glimpse of what he could do at the 2020 World Junior Championships, where he led the Finland U20 squad with 5 goals in the tournament.

Puistola is a gifted finisher – his goal scoring ability is among the best of the bunch in the 2019 draft – and he’s a kid that a lot of scouts mocked to the Canes at their 28th pick.

He’s not an overly great skater, but he offsets that with his skill as a puck carrier and his strong one-on-one ability. He’s been described as a one-trick pony which is a bit unfair, but his game away from the puck is a work in progress. However, in the offensive zone he excels. His touch and spacing around the goal is brilliant, and he willingly drives the middle lane of the ice.

As seen in the video above, he does a lot of his damage in close to the net, which is an area that the Hurricanes severely need help at. Puistola willingly goes to the tough and dirty areas, and with his soft hands and finishing ability he can be a real force in the NHL, as a middle-6 winger and powerplay threat who can score goals in bunches.

Here is a rather straight-forward analysis on Puistola:

“Sniper alert! Puistola may be a one-trick pony, but it’s a pretty good trick. He scores goals” – McKeen’s Hockey, 2019.

His season in Finland has been rocky this far (mostly due to his coaches not trusting young players), but he was recently loaned out from Tappara and has now lut up 5 goals and 3 assists between KooKoo and Jukurit on loan. He’s reportedly set to sign with Liiga club JYP next season, so he could play alongside fellow Canes prospect Anttoni Honka – who you’ll read about tomorrow. For Puistola, Finland is a great place for him to continue developing. He’s in good hands over there.

Estimated NHL arrival: 3+ years

Recap

That’s all for today folks. Four quality upside prospects that can be real factors in the Carolina Hurricanes’ plans down the road should they continue to develop.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for Part 2 – which will include a couple of extremely high-upside defensemen, an undersized playmaker with sensational skill, and overall, a couple of the most exciting prospects in the entire Canes system. Thanks as always for reading, and see you tomorrow!