August 1, 2011
Top 10 Prospects
Nashville Predators

by Corey Pronman

Full list of NHL Organizational Rankings

The Nashville Predators Top 10 Prospects

1. Mattias Ekholm, Defense
2. Ryan Ellis, Defense
3. Craig Smith, Center
4. Roman Josi, Defense
5. Patrick Cehlin, Right Wing
6. Taylor Beck, Right Wing
7. Austin Watson, Right Wing
8. Gabriel Bourque, Left Wing
9. Michael Latta, Center
10. Zach Budish, Right Wing

Organizational Ranking: 3rd

System Overview: The Predators have built an elite system, aided by what may be one the better draft classes I have ever seen in the 2009 class. There is a chance that class could churn out as many as 7-8 NHL regulars and several significant producers. Considering the fact that the Preds graduated Jonathan Blum and just recently traded Cody Franson, the talent they continue to pump out on defense is nothing short of impressive.

There's a lot of projection in this system, and I left several notable names off the top ten just because of the depth of this system. At goaltending, Chet Pickard has underwhelmed, but consider that the Preds just recently gradated a top-end goaltending prospect in Anders Lindback. There really isn't a lot to criticize about this system other than there's no first line forward type of prospect, but that would be a huge nitpick.

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1. Mattias Ekholm, Defense
Date of birth: 05/24/1990
Age: 21
Height: 6'4''
Weight: 201
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 55 GP, 10 G, 33 P, 22:22 ATOI (Brynäs-SEL)
Acquired: Fourth round, 102nd overall in 2009 by Nashville

The Good: Mattias Ekholm was in my opinion, the unquestionable breakout prospect of the 2010-11 season. He went undrafted in 2008, was a fourth round pick in 2009 and now he has NHL front office executives calling him a legit blue-chip prospect. He moves at a pro-level although I don't think he has a true above-average top speed. For his size though he skates very well, with one NHL source saying "he's as mobile as you're going to get at 6'4". He's a smooth-all around skater with a good first few steps. Ekholm is a plus thinker and that drives a ton of his value. His hockey sense has been described by sources as nothing short of "phenomenal" in terms of his awareness in all zones. He plays a great shutdown defensive game, and while he's not a great puck skills player, his vision and instincts allow him to be an offensive contributor. His shot is above-average and he can really wire some bullets from the point. Ekholm's physical game is quite notable too, and he's not afraid to use his big frame to punish opponents.

The Bad: He's a little rigid with the puck, although I wouldn't say he's truly below-average. There really isn't much to put in this section; he's quite a complete prospect.

Projection: An average first pairing defender who safely projects as a below-average first to above-average second pairing defender.

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2. Ryan Ellis, Defense
Date of birth: 01/03/1991
Age: 20
Height: 5'9''
Weight: 173
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 58 GP, 24 G, 100 P (Windsor-OHL)
Acquired: First round, 11th overall in 2009 by Nashville

The Good: There are very few players in the prospect world who are more dangerous with the puck than Ryan Ellis—he's a true plus player with the puck in terms of his handling and passing ability. He's very skilled and has the ability to make players miss with consistency. He's good in tight, and shows the hand-eye coordination to stick-handle in a phone booth. Ellis' hockey sense, though, is at another level. He's an elite thinker and just sees the game in a different way. His patience, vision, anticipation and overall awareness are tremendous. His skills, sense and creativity allow him to create a chance seemingly every time he's around the puck. His shot is a plus plus tool, and ask anyone who has ever tried to block it and lived if they disagree with me on that statement. Defensively, his positioning has gotten to a decent level, and he has a fine stick-checking aspect to his game. He is a competitive player and has a bit of aggressiveness to his game.

The Bad: There has been nothing more interesting than asking a source their opinion on Ryan Ellis, and hearing the hundred different theories of what everyone projects Ellis to be. He's a 5'9'' defender, and he's never going to be more than a fringe physical player, if that. He may need zone start protection and likely won't be a significant defensive contributor just due to his lack of physical abilities. He still needs to bulk up a lot, and due to several long seasons the last few years, his summers haven't been long enough for him to get the amount of gym work a smaller player needs. He needs to strengthen his lower body too as his skating need to improve to help cover his major weakness; while he's a fine skater, for small player, he's below-average.

Projection: Ideally, an above-average second pairing defenseman who is an elite power play weapon in the league. He should at the least end up as an average to below-average second pairing defender. He'll likely need some zone start protection in either case.

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3. Craig Smith, Center
Date of birth: 09/05/1989
Age: 21
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 196
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 41 GP, 19 G, 43 P (University of Wisconsin-WCHA)
Acquired: Fourth round, 98th overall in 2009 by Nashville

The Good: Craig Smith took several steps forward this season. While he's not a dynamic player, he's a very well-rounded prospect. He's a solid skater with a smooth stride which he extends well on and picks up speed quickly. He has the ability to bring the puck up the ice with a notable top speed. He's solid to above-average with the puck with good technique, and has the soft hands to handle it well in tight as well as to thread above-average passes. Smith has above-average vision as he sees the ice well, and can be quick, efficient distributor as well as the primary playmaker on the power play from the side boards. He projects as a pro-level physical player, as his frame has already filled out quite nicely and he shows no hesitation from playing a physical game, especially in his own end. He works hard defensively and can be a notable penalty killer. Smith's shot is above-average, with a good release and he can pick the corners.

The Bad: Smith can be victim of some poor reads here and there, especially when going for the big play or trying to do too much offensively.

Projection: An average to above-average second line forward who safely projects onto a top six.

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4. Roman Josi, Defense
Date of birth: 06/01/1990
Age: 21
Height: 6'1''
Weight: 198
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 69 GP, 6 G, 40 P (Milwaukee-AHL)
Acquired: Second round, 38th overall in 2008 by Nashville

The Good: Josi is an above-average skater, with a good first few steps, fine lateral agility and is one of the better puck-rushing prospects in hockey from the back-end. He has the ability to just burst up the ice and create a scoring chance out of nothing. His puck skills are above-average and he's able to make opponents miss and can handle the puck quite well. His passing ability is solid and Josi is quite poised when holding the puck in terms of his offensive instincts. His defensive improved as he looked better in terms of his positioning, angling off forwards and with his overall reads. He wasn't killing penalties at the start of the AHL season, but got some more defensive minutes in the latter part of the season.

The Bad: Josi has a wide, strong frame but doesn't really assert himself physically and it hurts him on the defensive end when he should be closing gaps on forwards with his body. His decision-making could improve too as he can be a victim of the occasion blunder.

Projection: An above-average second pairing defenseman ceiling with great offensive numbers. His floor projection is that of an average to below-average second pairing defender with coaching protection.

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5. Patrick Cehlin, Right Wing
Date of birth: 07/27/1991
Age: 19
Height: 5'11''
Weight: 174
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 48 GP, 4 G, 16 P, 12:26 TOI (Djurgarden-SEL)
Acquired: Fifth round, 126th overall in 2010 by Nashville

The Good: Cehlin is a plus skater with an electric top gear and he simply flies up the ice when he hits full stride. He accelerates quite well and is really a dynamic skater. He closes on defenders well on the forecheck, and is quite a pest for opponents to deal with. He hustles on every shift, and provides decent defensive value at even-strength and on the penalty kill just due to his work ethic. His puck skills are above-average as he has the ability to make defenders miss and can be an open-ice threat. He's a fine passer, although I haven't seen a ton from him in terms of above-average distributions. Cehlin has a solid shot and can score from a distance. His upside is tremendous, making him a major potential breakout player next season.

The Bad: He's a very slight player who despite his great intangibles and battle effort likely projects as a fringe physical player. His reads could some improvement in terms of his off-the-puck positioning and some of his decisions with the puck.

Projection: Cehlin has above-average second line forward upside, but there's a decent amount of variance to his projection and he could end up as an above-average third line forward.

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6. Taylor Beck, Right Wing
Date of birth: 05/13/1991
Age: 20
Height: 6'2''
Weight: 203
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 62 GP, 45 G, 95 P (Guelph-OHL)
Acquired: Third round, 70th overall in 2009 by Nashville

The Good: Beck has solid-average puck skills and can be a fine player with the puck. He has decent creativity in open ice, and has the ability to be an average distributor. Beck is a big-body forward who projects to have an above-average to plus physical game. He's very good at protecting the puck and once he fills out is going to be a great player in the cycle game. Beck is good at driving the physical areas on the forecheck and especially when he's going to the net. NHL sources praise how he's going to score a fair amount of goals in the league just because he has the shot to score from a distance and is also able to drop his shoulder and get goals by going to the crease area. Beck has good offensive awareness, with one NHL scout saying he's the kind of player who is always around the puck and finding ways to make plays.

The Bad: Beck's skating looked a little better this year, but he's still below-average. His top speed is decent, and he has fine agility, but the tool looks poor most of the time. Several sources claimed he looked disinterested most of the season and had a real lack of intensity.

Projection: An average second line winger who safely projects as a below average second to above-average third line winger.

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7. Austin Watson, Right Wing
Date of birth: 01/13/1992
Age: 19
Height: 6'3''
Weight: 187
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 68 GP, 34 G, 68 P (Peterborough-OHL)
Acquired: First round, 18th overall in 2010 by Nashville

The Good: Watson is a decent skater who has improved his acceleration and gets off the line well; but while he moves around fine, he doesn't show above pro-average. He's a heck of a competitor who makes life hectic on opponents with how hard he works on the forecheck and during battles in the physical areas. He's a very advanced defensive forward who makes pro-level reads in his own end that are way ahead of where most players his age usually are. Watson gets a decent amount of chances by simply going to the net, and is quite effective at driving the puck to the high percentage areas off the cycle. He has decent offensive skills, and can make some fine passes and handles with the puck.

The Bad: Watson has a beanpole frame and has to put on a ton of weight and strength. He lacks above-average offensive instincts.

Projection: An average two-way second line winger who easily projects as a below-average second to above-average third line winger.

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8. Gabriel Bourque, Left Wing
Date of birth: 09/23/1990
Age: 20
Height: 5'9''
Weight: 192
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 78 GP, 18 G, 36 P (Milwaukee-AHL)
Acquired: Fifth round, 132nd overall in 2009 by Nashville

The Good: If you want work ethic and a never say die attitude, then Gabriel Bourque is your man. His intangibles regularly get huge praise from NHL sources with one saying, "He's tenacious like a dog chasing a meat wagon. He goes 100% every shift." He has above-average puck skills with the ability to hold and create off the perimeter. His skating is solid and has seen significant improvement and can even flash an above-average burst up the ice.

The Bad: His size will be a hindrance and despite his off the chart work ethic he will likely end up a fringe physical player. His decision-making could use some work too, as he sometimes tries to do too much offensively and can cough up the puck.

Projection: An above-average third line forward who safely projects into a top nine.

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9. Michael Latta, Center
Date of birth: 05/25/1991
Age: 20
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 213
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 68 GP, 34 G, 89 P (Guelph-OHL)
Acquired: Third round, 72nd overall in 2009 by Nashville

The Good: Latta is a gritty, agitating forward with some offensive skills and a strong two-way game. He has average skills with the puck and is able to pull off some decent moves. His vision is also solid and he's able to be a fine distributor of the puck. Latta's frame is already filled out and he shows pro-level strength. He plays with an edge to his game and plays a classic agitating game that makes opposing players and fans grow a distaste for him. He goes to the net well and plays a hard-nosed physical game.

The Bad: His skating is below-average and he has an underwhelming top speed. He needs to reign in the penalty issues too, as he surpassed 150 penalty minutes over each of the last two OHL seasons.

Projection: An above-average third line forward who safely projects into a top nine.

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10. Zach Budish, Right Wing
Date of birth: 05/09/1991
Age: 20
Height: 6'3''
Weight: 229
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 7 GP, 2 G, 6 P (University of Minnesota-WCHA)
Acquired: Second round, 41st overall in 2009 by Nashville

The Good: Budish is a monster of a man with wide, thick frame who projects as a true plus physical player. He's so hard to strip off the puck and he's quite strong. When Budish plants himself in front of the net, there isn't much opponents can do to dislodge him. He plays a quiet, yet effective game in terms of his decision-making. He reads the play off the puck well, finds a way to get chances on a nightly basis and makes a living in the high percentage areas. Budish has decent hands which are solid for a bigger man that allows him to maneuver in tight well.

The Bad: Budish is a fringe skater who doesn't move around well, and that aspect won't be aided by the fact that he had his second major knee injury in three seasons this past year. Sources have indicated to me though that his rehab has gone well. He's not a really creative offensive player and lacks instincts with the puck. The lack of experience due to injuries has hurt his game, and he's behind where he should be in his development.

Projection: An average third line forward but with a fair amount of projection variance that goes all the way down to a replacement level player.

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The Sleeper: 2011 sixth round pick Chase Balisy is a fine two-way forward with decent offensive skills who has the ability to be a solid although not an above-average contributor. I like his hockey sense, and there is definitely some potential to his game.

Extra Notes: Charles-Olivier Roussel was right off the top ten. He's a smart defenseman who moves the puck well and doesn't shy from the physical game, at times showing the ability to land highlight reel crunches. His mobility and conditioning need work, but there is legit pro projection to his game.

My report on Miikka Salomaki can be found here.

Corey Pronman is an author of Hockey Prospectus. You can contact Corey by clicking here or click here to see Corey's other articles.