NHL Prospect Roundup: Arshdeep Bains looking like a hidden gem for Vancouver Canucks

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
NHL Prospect Roundup: Arshdeep Bains looking like a hidden gem for Vancouver Canucks
Credit: (Photo by Steven Ellis/The Leafs

You’ll notice a theme this week: hidden gems.

There’s a handful of players listed below who were undrafted free-agent signings or late-bloomers who got passed over once or twice along their journey. And those success stories are the ones scouts base their careers on – not the stars that anyone can draft. It’s finding the names that have done so much to improve their worth over time that really makes an impact.

And that’s where we’re starting today, with a look at the AHL’s leading scorer – someone nobody saw coming:

AHL

– We’re nearly a month into the AHL season, and Arshdeep Bains – an undrafted free agent signing by the Vancouver Canucks in 2022 – is leading the league in scoring with 16 points. The 22-year-old has done an excellent job of proving people wrong throughout his career, scoring 43 goals and 112 points in 2021-22 after never scoring more than 51 in a year. Still, we’re talking about a guy coming off his fifth year in the WHL, so a point total like that was to be expected. But a 38-point rookie season with Abbotsford last year showed promise, and now his stout playmaking ability has allowed him to stand out in a big way early on.

– Surprise! Yaroslav Askarov is still kicking butt. He has a 3-2-0 record in five games with just eight goals allowed and a .935 save percentage. The scrappy Milwaukee Admirals have had to fight for a few wins, but Askarov has given them a win every time he has stepped foot in the crease. There’s no question Askarov could handle NHL competition, but he’ll have to wait a little longer before the Nashville Predators give him a fair shake at battling with Juuse Saros for the No. 1 spot.

OHL

– The Flint Firebirds got off to a terrible start to the season, getting outscored 28-7 in their first four games before finally winning on Oct. 13. Then, Braeden Kressler – an undrafted free agent signing by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021 – returned after starting the year injured. Flint is 6-2-2 with Kressler in the lineup, making them a legitimate threat after getting embarrassed during a 1-5-0 start. Kressler is now up to 17 points in 12 games, including seven points over the past three games. He’s a 20-year-old, so you’d expect good numbers, but Kressler hasn’t played an entire OHL season. If he can stay healthy, he could be one heck of an undrafted pickup for the Leafs.

WHL

– Need a reason to smile, San Jose Sharks fans? Luca Cagnoni is looking pretty darn good right now. The fourth-round pick in 2023 had one heck of a week, recording six points over the last three outings. That started with a three-assist effort over Medicine Hat on Wednesday. Cagnoni is small at 5-foot-9, but he packs enough edge work and puck skills to excel at the major junior level. The NHL’s a different story, but that’s a topic for another day. For now, just be happy someone in the organization has succeeded on the scoresheet.

QMJHL

– After just missing the 100-point mark as a 19-year-old last year, Justin Gill isn’t going to have to worry about that with Baie-Comeau Drakkar. Currently in his fifth QMJHL season, the New York Islanders‘ fifth-rounder has had to overcome some below-average skating and some questionable decision-making to get to this point, but he’s a late-bloomer with the potential to step into the AHL next year and contribute. Gill continues to get more creative, he pressures defenders into making mistakes, and he’s a strong playmaker, too. At the very least, Gill’s looking like he’ll become a decent depth scorer one day.

USHL

– Fargo Force’s Zam Plante is right near the top of the USHL scoring charts with 18 points in 12 games. That puts him on pace for 94 points in a 62-game slate, a huge step over his 33 a year ago between Chicago and Fargo. A fifth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2022, Plante’s confidence has seemed to skyrocket with more opportunities with the Force this season. In two games this weekend, Plante had five points, including a two-goal, three-point effort over Sioux Falls on Saturday. He’s off to the University of Minnesota-Duluth next year, but he’s chasing a scoring title first.

NCAA

– He has an excellent team in front of him, but Jacob Fowler has been a big reason for Boston College’s success this year. The Montreal Canadiens prospect lost 4-3 to Denver late last month, but he’s been 4-0 since to improve to 7-1-0 on the season. His best game of the year came during a 43-save effort against Michigan State University on Oct. 27, beating out Trey Augustine – someone Fowler is expected to challenge for the starting role on USA’s world junior team. Fowler has the potential to be Montreal’s goaltender of the future, and he’s already off to an excellent start as a college freshman.

– One scout recently called Colorado Avalanche prospect Sean Behrens “one of the smartest players in college hockey.” He’s being rewarded for it, recording 10 assists over the past seven games. He makes intelligent passes, blocks shots, and can get himself out of trouble by slowing the game down and not crumbling under pressure. He’s likely a middle-pairing defenseman at best, but he’s thriving for the University of Denver.

MHL

– After struggling against men in the second-tier VHL, Carolina Hurricanes draft pick Alexander Perevalov was sent back to Loko Yaroslavl of the MHL to help gain his confidence back. It was a bit of a demotion for a forward who played 27 KHL games last year, but he has eight points in five games, showing good consistency in every effort. He’s had no problem finding the back of the net at other levels, so hopefully, he can stay hot.

Mestis

– You don’t see a ton of prospects playing in the second-tier Finnish league, but Ludwig Persson is making the most of it. Drafted 85th overall by the Washington Capitals in 2022, the 20-year-old didn’t get much ice time in his native Sweden and swapped over to IPK in the Mestis this year. The pass-first two-way forward is up to 18 assists and 21 points in 16 games, good for first in scoring. He had a four-point effort on Saturday and has 12 points in his past seven games as he continues to build up his confidence.

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