To kick off my 2015 coverage of the top prospects outside the NHL, I begin with a ranking of each NHL team's organizational prospect depth, sometimes referred to as its farm system.
The information on relevant players used to form these rankings includes my live views of the players, as I've seen roughly two-thirds of the league's AHL teams in the past 12 months, as well as tournaments, individual games and various other events. I also used information from my discussions with scouts and sources from around the hockey world. Finally, I considered a player's output, adjusted for league, team strength, age and other factors.
There was an emphasis on the top prospects in a system but not a complete one, as I considered overall prospect depth and looked more at quality depth, which means players I consider to have at least a shot of playing a useful role in the NHL.
These rankings are not meant to illustrate team drafting skill or be a comment on management/decision-making. This is simply a snapshot of the current prospect strength of an organization, given the thresholds I use to define a prospect.
My definition for an NHL prospect for the purposes of this ranking is one with 25 or fewer NHL games played this regular season, or 50 total career games. The age limit is 26 years old. For example, Leon Draisaitl and Mikhail Grigorenko are not considered prospects, while Sam Reinhart, John Gibson and Artemi Panarin are still prospects.
The following descriptions of team systems are meant to be brief, not a detailed overview of the organization. Over the following weeks, in our top 100 NHL prospects and top 10 per team features, we will dive more deeply into each team's farm system.
In terms of tiers, there are drop-offs in talent after Edmonton, and the next three systems are in a tier before the gradual decrease in talent commences. Each team's previous ranking refers to the summer of 2014.
1. Edmonton Oilers
Previous ranking: 13
The Oilers have two great defensive prospects in Darnell Nurse and Griffin Reinhart, but the reason for their No. 1 rank is Connor McDavid. Frankly, remove him, and the system is average, as it's quite thin after the few top names. A few lottery balls have changed the direction of this franchise; the Oilers have a golden ticket to the chocolate factory.
2. Toronto Maple Leafs
Previous ranking: 17
The Leafs' system has skyrocketed the past 12 months, following a great 2015 draft, key trades and progression from some prospects. Mitch Marner and William Nylander are true top-flight names, and they have a lot of depth in quality prospects, many of whom are in my top 100 overall NHL prospects column.
3. Buffalo Sabres
Previous ranking: 1
Between cheering for losses, massive trades and getting Jack Eichel, this organization and its fan base have been through a lot the past 12 months. When all the dust settled, here's the bottom line: The Sabres have two truly elite cornerstones in Eichel and Sam Reinhart, plus a couple other quality prospects, but trades, graduations and lackluster development from some players have left the depth somewhat thin as the organization tries to turn the corner and begin to win.
4. Arizona Coyotes
Previous ranking: 12
The Coyotes have long been an organization known for its emphasis on defense and goaltending, but the Coyotes have built a truly elite foundation of young forwards coming up the pipeline. Dylan Strome, Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, Brendan Perlini, Nick Merkley, and Christian Dvorak, among others, give the Coyotes a ton of projected firepower. Today, the team is known as a boring, trap-and-defend-style club. In five years, the Coyotes could be a run-and-gun team.
5. New York Islanders
Previous ranking: 3
Despite many graduations the past few years, the Islanders have consistently maintained a top-end farm system, in part due to their picking fifth in 2014 but also due to quality drafting. Their first-round pick in 2015, Mathew Barzal, is a player I'm a huge fan of, while other top picks, such as Josh Ho-Sang, Anthony Beauvillier and Ryan Pulock, were very impressive this season.
6. Winnipeg Jets
Previous ranking: 7
The Jets system has been bubbling up the past few seasons, thanks to a great 2015 draft and acquisitions of many high-upside talents who have developed well. The Jets have a ton of dynamic, young forwards on the way up, as well as Josh Morrissey on defense and Connor Hellebuyck in goal. A lot of their top prospects are also on the cusp of pushing for NHL time, after a lot of patience shown by the organization.
7. Detroit Red Wings
Previous ranking: 16
Detroit's system stumbled a bit recently but had fantastic seasons from several key prospects, with many elevating their stocks exponentially. Dylan Larkin, Axel Holmstrom, Tyler Bertuzzi and Joe Hicketts are among those, though top prospect Anthony Mantha struggled and saw his stock dip. Larkin is currently a true elite prospect, and the Wings have a high level of quality depth too.
8. Columbus Blue Jackets
Previous ranking: 6
The Blue Jackets graduated Alex Wennberg and traded Marko Dano, but the talent keeps flowing with the addition of top prospect Zach Werenski and strong seasons by several top prospects. Werenski is the Blue Jackets' best defensive prospect by miles, and they also have a strong group of forwards who will start competing for NHL ice time soon, to go with youngsters such as Wennberg and Boone Jenner.
9. Calgary Flames
Previous ranking: 10
Although the Flames graduated Calder finalist Johnny Gaudreau, strong seasons from Emile Poirier and Brandon Hickey, among others, and a strong 2015 draft, despite the fact that they had no first-rounder, keep the system stable from a year ago. One would imagine the Flames are going to start to move some of their top prospects, such as Poirier and Sam Bennett, to the NHL next season, which will potentially put a floor under any type of regression from the big club.
10. Philadelphia Flyers
Previous ranking: 25
The Flyers system has had a massive turnaround over the past 24 months, due to great drafting and progression from significant prospects. Their group of young defensemen is elite by any measure, but I also think at forward and in net they are above-average in terms of prospects, primarily due to their past two draft classes. After years of being in the bottom tier of these rankings (I remember Grade B college free agents becoming top-five prospects in their system), the Flyers are building a proper foundation.
11. Carolina Hurricanes
Previous ranking: 26
There are some big positives from the Hurricanes system, such as a strong 2015 draft class and a real boost to their depth from a year ago. On the downside, top-10 pick Haydn Fleury showed some inconsistencies and struggled at times this year. Overall, though, this is a rebuilding organization with a lot of talent, particularly at defense.
12. Nashville Predators
Previous ranking: 4
The Predators system drops a bit, in part due to the fact that it graduated Filip Forsberg, who in my opinion was the best rookie in the NHL the past season, but the pipeline remains strong. The emergence of Vlad Kamenev and Jimmy Vesey this season gave a boost and added top-flight forward talent to the system. The Predators also have one of the best goalies outside the NHL in Juuse Saros.
13. St. Louis Blues
Previous ranking: 18
The Blues' system has bulked up recently in depth, but their first two picks in 2014, Robby Fabbri and Ivan Barbashev, looked the part of true high-end forward prospects the past season, and that drives a lot of value for the pipeline. The system is deep in defense and in goal, but none of the Blues' prospects at those positions are cornerstone-type players like the aforementioned forwards.
14. Tampa Bay Lightning
Previous ranking: 2
A lot of graduations the past few seasons have dramatically changed the state of Tampa's farm system, but there are still a number of high-upside talents left in the amateur ranks, and those could provide value for the club in a few seasons. The depth has dried up a lot, though, as the Bolts have leaned on their kids to fill their roster (to obvious success, mind you).
15. Vancouver Canucks
Previous ranking: 9
There was some up and down for the Canucks system this season. Sixth overall pick Jake Virtanen did not have a great season (though he remains a top prospect), and neither did top pick Hunter Shinkaruk. On the plus side, Cole Cassels, Thatcher Demko and Jared McCann performed well. Top prospect Bo Horvat graduating, plus no prospect taking a big step forward (while former top picks Nicklas Jensen and Brendan Gaunce stagnated) led to a notable decline in the system ranking.
16. Chicago Blackhawks
Previous ranking: 14
The Chicago system remains very deep, and though they graduated a big name in Teuvo Teravainen, the signing of Artemi Panarin nearly brought the same amount of talent into the organization. I have not loved the Blackhawks' recent draft classes, but their current farm team has a lot of talent, and there are numerous prospects who can step in and play soon, if not right away.
17. Montreal Canadiens
Previous ranking: 10
The Habs have moved picks and drafted late in the first round in recent years, and they lack the high-end talent people have become accustomed to seeing from the Habs. Forwards such as Nikita Scherbak, Charles Hudon and Martin Reway are intriguing, as is recent top-rounder Noah Juulsen, who turned heads at the recent World Junior camp, while former top defensive pick Tinordi has stagnated.
18. Boston Bruins
Previous ranking: 21
You could argue the Boston system is one of if not the deepest systems, in terms of above-average or better prospects in the NHL. The Bruins have a plethora of good prospects at all positions at varying levels of hockey, including the AHL club. However, one could also ask how many of these guys can be difference-makers in the NHL. Maybe center Alex Khokhlachev, goalie Malcolm Subban or one of their three 2015 first-round picks could reach that level, but there's not a guy I absolutely love.
19. San Jose Sharks
Previous ranking: 27
The Sharks system is still the product of some hit-and-miss drafting (their 2013 49th overall pick wasn't even offered a contract), but they've found some great value. The product is a system light on depth but above average in high-upside talent. For example, the Sharks' first two picks in 2015 become top 100 prospects, while their 149th overall pick in 2014, Rourke Chartier, was outstanding the past season.
20. Anaheim Ducks
Previous ranking: 11
The Ducks system isn't as deep as it was a few years ago, due to graduations, but there are still quite a few high-talent prospects left, such as elite goaltender John Gibson and Shea Theodore on defense, who has looked fantastic the past 12 months. The Ducks' depth at the AHL level was thin in 2014-15, but they will have a number of quality prospects moving to the pro ranks the upcoming season.
21. Washington Capitals
Previous ranking: 15
The Capitals graduated elite youngsters in Evgeny Kuznetsov and Ande Burakovsky and had a soft 2015 draft, which led to a dip in their rank. On the plus side, 2014 top pick Jakub Vrana looked outstanding and defenseman Madison Bowey trended up as well. In what has become a trend for the Washington organization that shoots for upside at the draft, the Capitals' system is thin on prospects above-average or better but has a handful of good prospects.
22. Florida Panthers
Previous ranking: 5
This is probably the lowest I've rated the Florida organization, due in part to the fact that they've drafted so high that they quickly move guys such as Aaron Ekblad to the big club and in part to the fact that some top picks, such as Quinton Howden, Mike Matheson and Ian McCoshen, haven't blown people away, though some of them remain good prospects. Florida's 2015 first-rounder, Lawson Crouse, is the only real standout name currently in the pipeline, though I'm still intrigued by the potential of Rocco Grimaldi.
23. Ottawa Senators
Previous ranking: 23
A quality 2015 draft class and strong progression from a number of prospects over the past year have made the Ottawa system quite deep in talent at the pro and amateur levels. There isn't a true top-flight prospect in the system, after the graduation of Curtis Lazar, but overall, there is talent at every position, with guys such as Colin White, Thomas Chabot and Mikael Wikstrand scratching the upper echelon.
24. Dallas Stars
Previous ranking: 20
Last year's first-rounder, Julius Honka, had a very strong season, while Esa Lindell was one of the top breakout prospects of the year. I was previously critical of the Stars' 2015 draft, but upon learning more about top pick Denis Guryanov, I'm less pessimistic about that class. The system has thinned out a little, however, due to graduations of some good prospects as well as the underwhelming development of former top prospects such as Jack Campbell and Radek Faksa, among others.
25. Colorado Avalanche
Previous ranking: 30
The Avs system remains somewhat light, due to a handful of subpar recent draft classes, but I really like what the Avalanche did on both days of the 2015 draft. They also have a number of quality defensive prospects from previous drafts in Chris Bigras and Will Butcher. There are still issues here but also reason for some optimism from Avs fans, as the system and drafting seem to be moving in the right direction.
26. New Jersey Devils
Previous ranking: 29
One might ask how the Devils can be ranked so low after picking a great player such as Pavel Zacha sixth overall. Although they had a solid 2015 draft, most of their top prospects from other classes had either fine or subpar seasons. Ray Shero has some young building blocks between what's on the Devils and a player such as Zacha, but for the most part, there is a long path ahead to rebuilding the New Jersey organization.
27. Los Angeles Kings
Previous ranking: 19
There were some positives going for the Kings system this season. First-rounder Adrian Kempe looked very good between the SHL and AHL, and the farm team won an AHL championship. The Kings have a number of AHLers close to making the next step. On the flipside, they only have a handful of quality prospects and the overall system depth is somewhat light.
28. Minnesota Wild
Previous ranking: 24
Minnesota's system fell to one of the lowest spots in recent years, in part because the Wild had eight regulars 23 or younger on the team the past season. You can only keep squeezing the pipeline so much before it bursts! The Wild have moved a few high picks, on top of other high picks such as Zack Phillips (who was recently traded for a depth AHLer) and Raphael Bussieres. There are a few nice pieces here, such as their recent first-round picks and top free-agent signing Mike Reilly, but overall, there is not a ton to be excited about.
29. New York Rangers
Previous ranking: 28
The Rangers have committed a full-force effort to winning now by moving high picks and top youngsters such as Anthony Duclair. The Rangers' scouts, given limited resources, have actually done fine in bringing in some talent, getting some AHL options for the big club and acquiring depth. However, other than Pavel Buchnevich, there is no top-end prospect in the organization.
30. Pittsburgh Penguins
Previous ranking: 22
There really wasn't anybody close to Pittsburgh for the 30th spot. This organization is all-in for the next two or three years, and it has more or less burned its system to the ground, through deals of top picks and prospects, to get there. The Penguins have some (albeit not great) depth in the AHL, particularly led by breakout star goalie prospect Matt Murray, to help fuel a run.
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