Washington Capitals November Prospect Update

Written by jacobware95 on Friday, 02 November 2012 21:57. Posted in Washington Capitals

Freshman forward Riley barber has been nothing short of sensational so far

Freshman forward Riley barber has been nothing short of sensational so far...

Riley Barber

RW - Miami (Ohio) University - 18

No Caps prospect has had a better start to the season than Miami RedHawks forward Riley Barber. In fact the 2012 6th-round pick has already established himself as one of his team’s go-to offensive players, with four goals and four assists through the first six games of his NCAA career. He has also racked up a plus-3 rating. Barber was named the CCHA Rookie of the Week twice in a row and was named the national NCAA Rookie of the Month of October. Not a bad showing for a freshman…

Greg Burke

C – University of New Hampshire (NCAA) – 22

Senior Greg Burke is in his last season of eligibility with the Caps, and needs to impress to earn a contract. His start has certainly been decent. In his first five games, Burke has notched one goal and one assist to go along with a plus-2 rating. The 22-year-old will likely still need to be better, but it’s not a bad start.

Travis Boyd

C – University of Minnesota (NCAA) – 19

In two development camps since being drafted in the 6th-round in 2011, Travis Boyd’s play has been nothing but encouraging, leaving Caps fans intrigued about the 19-year-old’s potential. His play early in 2012-13 has backed that up. In five games with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, Boyd has two goals and two assists and is plus-2. If he continues to play well over time, he’ll begin to establish himself as a legitimate prospect.

Connor Carrick

D - Plymouth Whalers (OHL) - 18

Possibly the top offensive defenseman prospect in the Caps system, Carrick had another good month for the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers. The 5th-rounder appeared in 11 games, scoring two goals and four assists for six points. He was -1. Carrick was a pleasant surprise at the summer development camp, and has certainly impressed early in 2012-13, with a total of three goals, five assists, and an even rating through 14 games.

Thomas DiPauli

C - University of Notre Dame (NCAA) - 18

Forward Thomas DiPauli is off to a very good start to his NCAA career since being drafted in the 4th-round by the Caps this summer. At just 18, DiPauli has immediately stepped into a top-six role for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and has managed to total one goal and one assist with a +4 in six games. The production will come for a freshman blessed with plenty of ice time for a team with a 5-1-0 record.

Christian Djoos

D - Brynäs (Elitserien) - 18

Christian Djoos has continued his great start to the season for the Elitserien’s Brynäs. The 18-year-old blueliner has remained in a top-two defensive role for his team, and while his average ice time has dropped from 15:36 in September to 14:33 and he has yet to record any points, he is +3 and has stepped up as a key defenseman through 18 games for the Swedish champions. Djoos was selected alongside Caps teammate Filip Forsberg for the Team Sweden 4 Nations Tournament in mid-November, but suffered a knee injury and has undergone emergency surgery. The severity of the injury and time he is set to miss is unclear.

Filip Forsberg

RW - Leksand (Allsvenkan) - 18

The one (small) knock on Filip Forsberg prior to the 2012 draft was his lack of offensive production. The tools were obvious, but the Swede had not yet lived up to his billing as a dynamic point producer. This year has been different. Though his September was perhaps better, Forsberg was good in October, racking up three goals and five assists for eight points in 12 games. He was -2. After 17 games, the forward, who was selected to represent Sweden at the 4 Nations Tournament later this month and has totaled seven goals, five assists, and a -2 rating, is already almost three-quarters of the way to equaling his point total from last season in just over one-third of the games.

Garrett Haar

D –Western Michigan University (NCAA) – 19

Garrett Haar, the 2011 7th-round pick, is yet another Caps collegiate off to a strong start to the season. Though he has appeared in fewer games than most, Haar already has two goals and one assist in four games. That leaves him eight points short of equaling his total from last year. The sophomore, already a key player to the Western Michigan Broncos, is also +3.

Caleb Herbert

C – University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA) – 21

After shocking everybody in his freshman NCAA by emerging as one of Minnesota-Duluth go-to offensive stars, Herbert has been solid so far in 2012-13, posting four assists (but being -2) in six games. To put his play in perspective, the young Herbert is already second in career scoring on a Minnesota-Duluth team stacked with seven seniors. The Bulldogs are struggling, with a 2-3-1 record, and Herbert will be key to any turn-around.

Patrick Koudys

D – Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) – 19

After leaving the RPI Engineers of the NCAA to join the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, Patrick Koudys has had a pretty good start to his season. After going +2 in one game in September, Koudys appeared in all nine of his team’s games in October, contributing one assist and going +2. Of course, the 2011 5th-round pick will likely have to improve his play to avoid falling off the radar of Caps prospects, but this is a good start.

Evgeny Kuznetsov

RW – Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL) – 20

Evgeny Kuznetsov has been one of the top prospects outside the NHL ever since he was drafted, and he has continued to prove his worth this season. In October, Kuzya played in 11 games for his Traktor Chelyabinsk, racking up four goals and six assists for 10 points. He was also +3. That leaves Kuzya with nine goals and 12 assists through 20 games. A point-per-game pace for a 20-year-old in one of the world’s elite men’s leagues is not bad…

Jaynen Rissling

D - Calgary Hitmen (WHL) – 19

When he is playing, Jaynen Rissling has been a very consistent player for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. But the big defenseman has, for reasons unclear, often been scratched by his team. Rissling played in eight games for the Hitmen this month, scoring one goal and three assists and going even. AHL-eligible next season, if Rissling (who now has one goal, six assists, +3, and 19 penalty minutes through 12 games), can stay in the team and play well, an NHL contract could be waiting for him next summer.

Taylor Stefishen

LW - University of Calgary (CIS) - 22

A fringe prospect in the Caps organization, Taylor Stefishen, the 22-year-old winger acquired for a conditional 7th-round pick last year, is off to a slow start to his second CIS season. After notching one assist and being +1 in two September games, Stefishen appeared in six games in October, totaling four assists and being +3. The numbers aren’t bad, but they won’t be good enough for Stefishen to earn an NHL contract.

Chandler Stephenson

LW - Regina Pats (WHL) - 18

A 3rd-round pick in this summer’s draft, Chandler Stephenson offers grit and scoring promise, and it has showed so far this season. After a tough September which saw the Saskatoon-native posted two assists and a -3 in five games, Stephenson bounced back in October, appearing in seven games and scoring four goals and four assists to go along with a -3. Unfortunately, Stephenson suffered a severed tendon in his foot and will miss six-to-eight weeks. His loss is a devastating blow to the Regina Pats’ season hopes.

Steffen Søberg

G – Vålerenga (GET-Ligaen) – 19

Vålerenga will be very happy they decided to sign then-18-year-old Steffen Søberg to a four-year contract last April. Since then, the Norwegian goalie has been nothing short of tremendous, starting all 15 on his team’s games and leading the GET-Ligaen in wins and being third in goals against average and save percentage. October was a strong month for Søberg, as he appeared in eight games, six of which he won with one shutout, and posted a .919 save percentage and 2.31 goals against average. Vålerenga lead the league by six points, and Søberg has been a major reason why.

Patrick Wey

D – Boston College (NCAA) – 21

A very steady defenseman, Wey is entering his senior season with the Boston College Eagles, and after winning two NCAA championships, is looking to end his college career with a bang. Wey, who recently appeared in his 100th game, has two assists and is +4 through five games in 2012-13. The Pittsburgh-native is one of the Caps’ top defensive prospects, and should sign with the Caps next spring.

Tom Wilson

RW - Plymouth Whalers (OHL) - 18

It was an eventful month for 2012 1st-rounder Tom Wilson. After posting two goals and one assist through three September games, Wilson turned on his playmaking game, scoring seven assists in his six games. He was also +2, and has 24 penalty minutes. Wilson was named to the OHL Team for the Subway Series against Russia, but will miss out after fracturing his knuckle(s) in a fight. He is week-to-week.

Austin Wuthrich

RW - University of Notre Dame (NCAA) - 19

A top two-way prospect, Austin Wuthrich has been decent early in his second season with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In six games, Wuthrich has one goal, two assists, and a +1 rating. He is just a sophomore, so he has little pressure on his shoulders, but he should rack up good numbers this season on a team that is 5-1-0 through six games.

DC Pro Sports Report Three Stars of the Month: