Carolina Hurricanes: 5 Prospects That Can Make the Jump to the NHL

4. David Cotton

I really feel like the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t going to try and find a center and just have an absolute battle in camp between some of these center prospects that are close to being ready, like David Cotton, another 2 guys on this list, Steven Lorentz, and Morgan Geekie. Cotton is definitely an option for the 4th center spot after this year and he has had an interesting trip to where he is now.

David Cotton is a 23-year old, left handed center who is currently playing in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves. Cotton was drafted 6 years ago in the 6th round out of the Waterloo Black Hawks in the USHL. Cotton would put up 30 points, with an even split in goals and assists, in 48 games. He then went to play at Boston College where, in his freshman year, Cotton put up 24 points in 40 games. His sophmore year was better, as he had 28 points in 37 games, only 9 of those being goals.

His junior and senior years are where he made a massive jump in his development. Cotton, in his junior year with Boston College, put up 36 points in 39 games, 23 of those points being goals. In his senior year, Cotton was given the captain’s C on his jersey and he proved why he was deserving of that. He ended up putting up 39 points in 32 games, 15 of those points being goals as he led Boston College to winning the Hockey East conference; Cotton was then named to the third team all-conference.

Now, in the AHL being given top 6 minutes constantly, Cotton has 17 points in 25 games, 11 of those being goals. He has consistently shown that he can play on both sides of the puck; Cotton has logged minutes on both the top power play unit and the top penalty kill unit in Chicago. Cotton’s ceiling probably isn’t as high as some of the other guys on this list, but he is arguably more pro ready.