The AHL is not just the NHL’s minor league. It’s also one of the most important developmental grounds for players as they look to jump to the top league in the world.
To start this NHL season, 594 players were former AHLers across the NHL’s 32 opening day rosters. Whether they played a handful of games or spent a few seasons grinding away, the AHL has been pivotal in developing more than 80 percent of NHL players.
This season, there have been a few players who were primarily AHLers last season and have been incredibly effective at the NHL level to start the season. Let’s look at those players and how they’ve seamlessly slid into their respective NHL lineups.
Brandt Clarke, D, Los Angeles Kings
After franchise icon Drew Doughty went down with an injury, the Kings desperately needed someone to step up. That’s exactly what Brandt Clarke has done thus far.
Clarke leads the team in assists, and he’s tied for third in scoring to this point in the season. He’s playing on the top power-play unit and making unreal plays while taking a few risks, as he’s always done throughout his young career.
While his offensive numbers are impressive, Clarke’s defensive growth has allowed him to stay in the lineup consistently this year. He’s certainly not perfect, but he’s come into the year stronger, and he’s playing a bit more intelligently in his own end. He must balance the risk/reward factor in his game, and he’s done that so far. Doughty has big shoes to fill, and Clarke looks great doing so.
Simon Edvinsson, D, Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings have been in rebuild mode for the better part of a decade now. Throughout most of that time, Moritz Seider was the lone blueliner drafted and developed into an effective player. Simon Edvinsson looks to be next.
Edvinsson has been a massive boost to the blueline in Detroit, where the team has struggled to defend despite having a handful of veterans who were supposed to be stabilizing forces.
Early in his young career, Edvinsson already found his way to the top pairing alongside Seider, and coach Derek Lalonde has asked the world of his top pair. They play the toughest competition in the NHL by a pretty wide margin, and the duo has been putting up impressive results when together. Edvinsson also has four points in 11 games.
Edvinsson is already impressing in his young NHL career, and the Wings may have found their top pair for the next decade.
Joel Blomqvist, G, Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins have been a dumpster fire at times, and the prospect pool is worrisome. Tristan Jarry is currently in the AHL on a conditioning stint. The bright spot on the season has been young Finnish netminder Joel Blomqvist. He’s been the team’s best goalie early in the year, and he’s played as many games as Alex Nedeljkovic as a result.
His .909 save percentage leads the team, and he has given them a chance to win whenever he’s been in the net. The Pens need some stability in the crease, and if it comes in the form of a 22-year-old Finn, then so be it. Blomqvist needs to continue this level of play if Pittsburgh has any chance of climbing out of the basement.
Related: NHL Sour Rankings: October’s Worst Teams Include Huge Shocks
Logan Stankoven, RW, Dallas Stars
When he joined the Stars late last season, we all saw just how effective Logan Stankoven could be. His tenacity, speed, and skill all made up for his undersized frame.
This season, Stankoven has been arguably the NHL’s best rookie and sits right at the top of the race for the Calder Trophy alongside Russian superstar Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers. They are tied for the rookie scoring lead at 10 points apiece, but Stankoven’s played two fewer games than Michkov.
Stankoven has been a shot in the arm for the Stars this season. He looks like the player many thought he would be coming out of his draft year. The size was always a question, but he’s proven time and time again that he is a lethal offensive player who plays with intensity and pace.
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