Dahlin, Svechnikov, Pettersson take spotlight at rookie tournaments

Many top prospects looking to earn a spot on an NHL roster this season, including Buffalo Sabres defenseman
Rasmus Dahlin
and Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov, will be on display at various rookie tournaments beginning Friday.
In addition to players who already have been drafted, there are undrafted prospects and tournament invites hoping to impress enough to earn an invitation to an NHL training camp with a chance to make the team.

The tournaments

2018 NHL Prospects ShowcaseWhere: Germain Arena, Estero, Florida (Sept. 8-11)
Teams: Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals
2018 Prospects ChallengeWhere: HarborCenter, Buffalo (Sept. 7-10)
Teams: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins
2018 Rookie TournamentWhere: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary (Sept. 9), Enmax Centrium, Red Deer, Alberta (Sept. 12)
Teams: Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers
2018 Vegas Rookie Face-off Where: City National Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada (Sept. 8-11)
Teams: Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights
2018 Young Stars ClassicWhere: South Okanagan Events Centre, Penticton, British Columbia (Sept. 7-9)
Teams: Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets, University of Alberta, University of British Columbia
20th Traverse City Prospects TournamentWhere: Centre Ice Arena, Traverse City, Michigan (Sept. 7-11)
Teams: Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues
NHL Rookie Showdown 2018Where: Place Bell, Laval, Quebec (Sept. 7-9)
Teams: Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs
Also, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders prospects will play each other at Northwell Arena in East Meadow, New York, on Sept. 12.
Here are five questions to consider heading into this weekend:

Which United States-based NHL team has the strongest group of prospects on paper?

The Buffalo Sabres have four first-round picks: Dahlin (2018, No. 1) and forwards
Alexander Nylander
(2016, No. 8), Casey Mittelstadt (2017, No. 8) and Tage Thompson, chosen No. 26 in the 2016 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues and traded to Buffalo as part of a package for forward Ryan O'Reilly on July 1. Each will be on the ice at HarborCenter. The Sabres could have as many as six first-round picks between the ages of 18 and 23 on their roster to open the season.
The Sabres also will have four second-round selections at the tournament: forwards Rasmus Asplund (2016, No. 33) and Eric Cornel (2014, No. 44), defenseman Brendan Guhle (2015, No. 51), and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (2017, No. 54).

Which Canada-based NHL team has the strongest group of prospects on paper?

The Ottawa Senators look to have a promising future based on the number of high-end prospects participating in the NHL Rookie Showdown 2018. The roster consists of three first-round picks, including forwards Colin White (2015, No. 21), Logan Brown (2016, No. 11) and Brady Tkachuk (2018, No. 4); seven prospects played for Belleville of the American Hockey League last season.
Forwards Drake Batherson (2017, No. 121), Alex Formenton (2017, No. 47), and Filip Chlapik (2015, No. 48), defensemen Christian Wolanin (2015, No. 107) and Christian Jaros (2015, No. 139), and goalie Filip Gustavsson, acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 23, are high-end prospects also looking to earn more time with the Senators sooner than later.

Which two prospects not named Dahlin will generate a big following?

Forward Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes at the Traverse City Prospects Tournament, and center Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks at the 2018 Young Stars Classic.
Svechnikov, taken No. 2 in the 2018 draft, was considered by many the closest NHL-ready player after Dahlin. The 18-year-old was voted No. 1 in the best skater category and second for best shot in the Ontario Hockey League Eastern Conference coaches poll last season and led all OHL rookies in goals (40), game-winning goals (six) and points (72) with Barrie last season.
Pettersson, chosen No. 5 in the 2017 NHL Draft, had 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists) for Vaxjo of the Swedish Hockey League to break a record set by Kent Nilsson (53 points in 1975-76) for most SHL points in a season. The 19-year-old also led the SHL playoffs with 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in 13 games, and was named top offensive player and playoff MVP for SHL champion Vaxjo.

Is there a prospect to keep an eye on who was chosen very late in the NHL Draft?

Liam Kirk, 19, became the first player born and trained in England to be chosen in the NHL Draft when the Arizona Coyotes selected him in the seventh round (No. 189) in 2018. Kirk (6-foot, 160 pounds), who will participate in the Vegas Rookie Face-off, had 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) for Sheffield of the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom last season, the most points by an under-18 player in EIHL history. He'll make his North American debut this season when he plays for Peterborough (OHL).

Who are the top prospects representing the Washington Capitals?

The Capitals have a bevy of talented players participating in The NHL Prospects Showcase. Forward Shane Gersich (2014, No. 134), defensemen Lucas Johansen (2016, No. 28), Jonas Siegenthaler (2015, No. 57) and Connor Hobbs (2015, No. 143), and goaltender Ilya Samsonov (2015, No. 22) each is expected to vie for an NHL roster spot within the next two seasons.
Defenseman Alexander Alexeyev (2018, No. 31) is expected to return to Red Deer of the Western Hockey League for a third season. He led all Red Deer defensemen with 37 points (seven goals, 30 assists) in 45 games last season.

Three prospects who could surprise:

Troy Terry, F, Anaheim DucksHow acquired: Selected with No. 148 pick in 2015 NHL Draft
Terry (6-1, 175), who turns 21 on Sept. 10, was the second-leading scorer for the United States at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics with five assists in five games, and played two games with the Ducks at the end of last season. He had 48 points (14 goals, 34 assists) in 39 games as a junior at the University of Denver last season before signing his entry-level contract with Anaheim on March 26.
Cam Dineen, D, Arizona CoyotesHow acquired: Selected with No. 68 pick in 2016 NHL Draft
Dineen (5-11, 183), born in Toms River, New Jersey, ranked third among OHL defensemen with 20 goals and fourth with 64 points playing for North Bay and Sarnia last season. The 20-year-old is a gifted offensive defenseman, strong on the power play, and extremely smart with the puck.
Jordan Bellerive, C, Pittsburgh PenguinsHow acquired: Signed as free agent on Sept. 16, 2017
Bellerive (5-10, 195), 19, sustained burns to his hands and upper body during a campfire accident June 15 and was hospitalized for 12 days, but was in the gym the day after he got out, and began skating less than a month after that. Bellerive was not drafted but was invited to play for the Penguins at last year's Prospects Challenge, and led them with seven points (four goals, three assists). He led Lethbridge (WHL) in goals (46) and points (92) as its captain last season.