Half(ish) Year Prospect Roundup: Forwards

NHL:

Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson - C

NHL GP: 28

AHL GP: 10

NHL Stats: 3g - 6a - 9pts

AHL Stats: 1g - 3a - 4pts

JFK’s AHL season is probably over unless something drastic happens, but as far as NHL seasons go, JFK has been having a pretty solid depth season as playmaker to the stars. Frankly, if he’s able to get even a half-decent bounce as well as the rest of his line, I figure his totals will improve.

AHL:

Providence Bruins Flickr

Peter Cehlarik - LW/RW

NHL GP: 3

AHL GP: 37

NHL Stats: 2g - 1a - 3pts

AHL Stats: 10g - 19a - 29pts

So yeah! Celery has had an unstoppable year so far in spite of his absolutely horrific luck with injury, and early returns seems to have him at the NHL level seems to have him really on the up and up! I for one, sincerely hope he comes back after the All-Star Game!

Ryan Fitzgerald - C/LW

GP: 36

Stats: 7g - 19a - 26pts

Unfortunately, Fitzgerald had his hand/wrist harmed at some point at the beginning of this month and his otherwise really strong season right now is currently on-hold. Which is a real shame because he’s been play making like a beast. Here’s hoping he gets back to full strength so he can continue on racking up assists like a boss.

Cameron Hughes - C

GP: 43

Stats: 10g - 14a - 24pts

Cam Hughes has been having a quietly strong season by sheer virtue of...well...nobody talking about him. Except Matt! Whose been doing great work on this subject! Hughes’ high-octane game has created a balance of goals and playmaking that will serve Providence well in their bid to get back into the Calder Cup playoffs.

Karson Kuhlman - C/RW

GP: 43

Stats: 9g - 13a - 22pts

After a slow start, Kuhlman has completely supercharged his output in the half season he’s had, bringing a 13-in-13 point streak into this week! Kuhlman’s just on another level right now and not a moment too soon.

Zach Senyshyn - RW

GP: 38

Stats: 12g - 6a - 18pts

Hey, good news! Zach Senyshyn is 2nd on the team in goalscoring in only his 2nd season. His only other competition is Jordan Szwarz, who has two more. Senyshyn in general has been firing on all cylinders for the P-B’s, using his size to press for puck possession and has been able to get some great snipes in on opposing goalies. Senyshyn’s production is going to be key for him going into the final stretch of this year, as we may or may not spend the rest of time thinking about what he’s actually good at, and boy howdy is that a conversation I’d rather not get into right now. Or especially not in the comments!

Anton Blidh - LW/RW

GP: 43

Stats: 7g - 9a - 16pts

Blidh’s work in Providence’s depth has been rewarding again, as while he’s cooled off a bit from his earlier decent start, he’s still playing like every game is his last: he’s blocking shots, he’s taking the body, being aggressive...there’s a lot to like about how Blidh’s done so far and if a bad depth injury occurs, he might be on the short list of guys who’d like to make it back to the NHL.

Trent Frederic - C

GP: 35

Stats: 8g - 6p - 14pts

An early season injury set Trent Frederic back quite a bit, but Frederic’s response has been only to pick up the pace with his point-getting and was even the deciding scorer in Providence’s first shootout of the year! He’s even started to see power play time with how he’s done (and also because many of the guys that would be in his spot are either hurt or in the NHL), so he’s diversifying his output a bit!

Joona Koppanen - C/LW

GP: 19

Stats: 2g - 0a - 2pts

Back up from Atlanta, Koppanen has been a recent addition and from what I can tell, has been playing depth minutes. Koppanen’s most recent goal came on the 4th of this year against LeHigh Valley, so hopefully he can keep that up and provide solid depth for the P-B’s.

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ECHL - Atlanta/Wichita:

Wichita Thunder’s Tweeter

Jesse Gabrielle - LW

GP: 36

Stats: 9g - 12a - 21pts

Gabrielle was reassigned to the Wichita Thunder...a thing you can do, apparently, after a brief recall to Providence, where he’s done pretty well, with 6 of his 21 points in 11 games. He’s made a living with his pesky style of play and his pesky ability to open up areas of the ice with his playmaking, so this little niche for him seems to be working out!

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Sweden:

Stefan Eriksson, Färjestad BK

Oskar Steen - C

GP: 30

Stats: 10g - 9a - 19pts

Ten goals may not seem like much, but Steen is currently the 2nd highest goalscorer for his SHL team Färjestad. Färjestad is 2nd in the league overall. And all done with only 14:40ish of ATOI!

Needless to say, if Steen had wanted a better year, he couldn’t have asked for better as it appears he and his squad have been happily beating up on most of the SHL teams that come a-callin’!

...He also got a 5 game suspension for cross-checking (SHL, remember. Different rules.) for most of the end of December, so there have been some setbacks, but otherwise he’s been pretty solid for FBK!

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Junior:

Jack Studnicka - C

GP: 36

Stats: 17g - 25a - 42pts

Studnicka was part of one of those goofy junior trades for like 30 selection picks that sent him directly to the Niagara IceDogs, who are gearing up for probably an easy first round slugging of some poor team in the first round of the OHL playoffs; they’re stacked as they’re gonna be, and the addition of Studnicka made them even deeper, who had a hat-trick for them as recently as...

[checks notes]

...Saturday.

Yeah, he’ll be fine for ‘em. I for one am eager to see how he does when playoff time rolls around.

Jakub Lauko - C/LW

GP: 33

Stats: 13g - 14a- 27pts

The Speedy 3rd rounder has been all over creation this year, though his work with Rouyn-Noranda has unquestionably been quite positive development for him, as well as his work for the Czech national team at the WJC! Of course, it helps when he’s not playing the most...well...let’s call it “aggressive” of defenses.

10/10 defending there, Halifax.

He was also honored by councellors and the mayor of Rouyn-Noranda for participating in the World Juniors!

A minor concern for him is that he’s hit a bit of a cold spell, but since Rouyn-Noranda’s kicking the dogshit out of everybody they play (they have lost a grand total of seven times all season), I’m sure he’ll end up on the scoreboard again very soon.

Cedric Pare - C

GP: 46

Stats: 11g - 24a - 35pts

Pare has been a solid depth forward for Rimouski Oceanic, which while he’s almost dead middle of their top 10 in scoring and about to match/exceed his career best, unfortunately he’s also on a team with Alexis Lafrenière, ensuring that he’ll be overshadowed.

Still a good season for him, though. Don’t overlook that.

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NCAA:

Curtis Hall - C

GP: 12

Stats: 3g - 1a - 4pts

While he started alright, Hall has levelled off quite a bit, and has been a scratch for the past three games. Life hasn’t been great for this poor kid so far, but hopefully being a little older might get him a little better by the time the season finishes.

Jack Becker - C

GP: 23

Stats: 4g - 6a - 10pts

Becker started slow, and has since been working up a head of steam as he’s tied for 7th on the Michigan Wolverines in scoring. Not perfect, but considering how slow his start was, Becker’s resurgence couldn’t have come at a better time. Here’s hoping he can keep this up!

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Росси́я (Russia)

Alex Khokhlachev - C

GP: 46

Stats: 16g - 17a- 33pts

Still head of the pack for Spartak Moscow. Shit, he’s missed time and still head of the pack.

I’m just sayin’...

Pavel Shen - C

GP: 27

Points: 0g - 2a - 2pts

Okay...so...I don’t get what his teams are doing. They’re sending up and down all over the goddamn place, and yet when he made it to the Russian WJC team, he was on-and-off their best player, and tied for 4th on the bronze-medalling squad. Maybe if he wasn’t moved around a lot, he’d probably do better than his official work has brought up

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And that about does it! We’ll check back by the end of the season!