Greeley: 5 impact players on the way from the AHL

Steve Greeley
Steve Greeley
Greeley: 5 impact players on the way from the AHL

As the 2021-22 season progresses, NHL teams will be looking to improve their roster and often that first attempt to give the big club a jolt of energy is not made via trade or waivers.

It’s usually a phone call to their American Hockey League affiliate.

While fans and media are often very familiar with their favorite organization’s top prospects, such as a Scott Perunovich, Alex Newhook, Marco Rossi – or other high draft picks that have been highly touted.

We wanted take a deeper look to find five players that are maybe under the radar but knocking on the door to soon becoming impact players in the NHL:

1. Oskar Steen: (Boston Bruins / AHL Providence)
Right Wing
Age: 23
Stats: 6 games, 5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points

Steen is off to a fantastic start for Providence this season and has taken the jump offensively that Bruins brass was hoping to see. Last season, Steen finished with 11 points in 23 games and after just six AHL games it is clear Steen will soon smash his point total from last year. He’s already played one game for the Bruins this year, collecting an assist before being sent back down. A reliable, three-zone player, the shifty Steen is a versatile player that would be comfortable in different situations for Bruce Cassidy.

2. David Gustafsson (Winnipeg Jets / AHL Manitoba)
Center
Age: 21
Stats: 10 games, 2 goals, 6 assists, 8 points

Gustafsson is a very responsible player that coaches love to put over the boards. Playing four NHL games last season gave the second-round pick a little taste of the speed at the NHL level and that is the biggest area that he has needed to focus on. With some added agility, Gustafsson could be come a very reliable player for the Jets as they make their playoff push.

3. Tyce Thompson (New Jersey Devils / AHL Utica)
Right Wing
Age: 22
Stats: 7 games, 4 goals, 3 assists, 7 points

Younger brother of Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson and son of longtime AHL coach Brent Thompson, Tyce is familiar with the AHL and how important that league is to his development. Thompson made his Devils season debut on Tuesday night and showed he is ready to take the next step. An offensive minded player who hunts pucks well, we would not be surprised to see the 2019 fourth-round pick stick with the Devils for a while. As a pass-first player, Thompson will be encouraged to shoot the puck more at the NHL level.

4. Tyler Angle (Columbus Blue Jackets / AHL Cleveland)
Left Wing
Age: 21
Stats: 10 games, 0 goals, 9 assists, 9 points

Angle is a 2019 seventh-round pick who made quite an impression last season in the AHL with 23 points in 24 games. This season has seen no drop off in production as Angle is right around a point per game again. Columbus is in the bottom half of the league in goals scored and it’s possible that Angle could be the guy they bring up to help increase the CBJ’s goals per game.

5. Alex True (Seattle Kraken / AHL Charlotte)
Center
Age: 24
Stats: 9 games, 5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points

True was the Kraken’s selection from San Jose in the Expansion Draft and he has done in the AHL what Seattle hoped – produce! Seattle is clearly a hard-working team but goals have been hard to come by, so True may be part of the solution. True’s lack of speed has been an issue but with Seattle having very good team speed, this may help offset what has kept True – an undrafted Denmark native and cousin of Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers – from sticking in the NHL so far.

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