In a normal season, players from the CHL under the age of 20 (save for the odd player granted exceptional status like Joe Veleno) would not be eligible to play in the AHL due to the agreement with the Canadian Hockey League. However, 2021 has been anything but normal. While many draft eligible players from Ontario have gone overseas to play and advance their development, OHL players that were already drafted into the NHL have been granted the opportunity to play in the AHL while they await the start-up of the Ontario Hockey League. 28 players who would have otherwise been sent back to the OHL, have started their pro careers early. For many, the results have been terrific, and this experience has done wonders for their development.
As part of a seven-part series, I will be evaluating the performances of each of those 28 players.
Jan Mysak - Laval Rocket
Center/Left Wing, 5’11, 175lbs
OHL Rights: Hamilton Bulldogs
NHL Rights: Montreal Canadiens
Statistics: 4gp, 1g, 0a, 1p, 0pim, 0(+/-)
When we last left him:
A late arrival to Hamilton last year, Mysak proved himself to be an extremely versatile player for the Bulldogs in limited action before the shutdown. He played center and the wing. He played in all situations. He was on the ice whether Hamilton was down a goal or up one. This well-rounded profile helped him to become a mid-second round selection by Montreal at the 2020 NHL Draft. Mysak is at his best when he is able to drive the net. He has terrific body control and balance and is consistently able to put defenders on his back and generate chances from the goal area. His shot release and scoring instincts are also strengths. Ultimately, Mysak needs to keep his physical intensity at a high level, as he showed a tendency to be a passenger too often, especially when playing the wing. Scouts will also look for Mysak to develop more as a playmaker, improving his vision and ability to create for his linemates when defenders take away those net drives from him. This is crucial to his likelihood of sticking as a center at the next level.
2021 McKeen’s Yearbook Grades
Skating: 55
Shot: 55
Skills: 60
Smarts: 55
Physicality: 50
Assessing his AHL play:
Much like he did in Hamilton, Mysak has been playing both center and the wing for Laval so far The sample size to work with has been pretty small, with Mysak seeing little special teams time, and playing on the third/fourth line. However, in Mysak fashion, he is getting himself scoring chances and doing the best that he can to make an impression in hopes of playing more often (four out of nine games thus far).
Mysak’s energy level through those four games has been extremely high. He is being active on the forecheck. He is playing physical in all three zones, looking to make his presence felt in puck pursuit. He is competing hard in all three zones and battling in the defensive zone to take away time and space from opposing players, getting his stick in passing lanes and winning battles along the wall. He is even trying to get his body in shooting lanes and blocking shots. The Laval coaching staff has to be happy with his overall effort level.
As an offensive contributor, he has not been nearly as noticeable. He has gotten himself a few good scoring chances by being advantageous and keeping his feet moving. However, his time of possession metrics have been pretty much non-existent. He is spending very little time with the puck on his stick, instead hanging out in the slot hoping to get a pass or hop on a loose puck. If the Rocket lose possession, he is right in there, battling to get it back. But if his linemates have the puck, he seems hesitant to leave the slot to provide support, or hesitant to take chances with the puck in the neutral zone to try to gain the blueline himself, instead opting to dump the puck in. Obviously, with how good his shot is, you want Mysak fighting for position near the crease. However, you would also like to see him try to utilize his creativity and ability to create with the puck on his stick, instead of simply being a passenger who relies on his linemates to create for him. He did this for his single goal on the year, scoring in Mysak fashion with a net drive. As he gains confidence, the expectation would be that he becomes more consistently involved offensively.
Game Tape:
*Mysak wears #18 for the Laval Rocket
In this clip, Mysak applies great pressure on the forecheck, helping to force the neutral zone turnover. Then as the trailer, he gets a terrific scoring chance from the slot. Unfortunately, he fires it wide. Obviously, you want to see him hit the net here, but it is a terrific chance for him in his kitchen.
No question, Montreal probably does not want Mysak blocking shots like this, exposing his face and upper body. However, you have to admire the courage here and the willingness to put himself in the line of fire to keep the game tied in the third period. Unfortunately, the shot block is for nothing as Belleville scores seconds later, off the shot block.
Another great scoring chance for Mysak, this time on a two on one. The defender takes away the pass from Mysak and he is stoned by Joey Daccord on the wrist shot, as he tries to go top shelf. Daccord plays this perfectly, so you have to commend him on that. At the OHL level, we saw Mysak drive the net and look to finish with a deke on many opportunities like this and that may have been the right play, especially with Daccord out so aggressively to take away his shot.
His first AHL goal is very much a Mysak style goal. Attacks the zone with speed, gets a pass back and takes it to the Senators net, finishing on the backhand in tight. This goal was recently and hopefully it helps Mysak to gain more confidence to try to be creative with the puck more often.
AHL Performance Grade: B-
Continuing in the OHL:
The best thing about Mysak’s play in the AHL is the improvement in the consistency of his play away from the puck and his overall energy level. An intelligent two-way player, it will be interesting to see him take this back to the OHL. However, it will also be great to see Mysak be more confident and comfortable as a puck carrier, possessing the ability to create his own scoring chances. The Bulldogs should be a better and more dangerous offensive team this season, with Mysak being a leader for them. He should have a terrific season and be among the OHL’s goal scoring leaders in what is sure to be a short year.
Isaak Phillips - Rockford IceHogs
Defense, 6’3, 194lbs
OHL Rights: Sudbury Wolves
NHL Rights: Chicago Blackhawks
Statistics: 9gp, 2g, 2a, 4p, 4pim, -3
When we last left him:
Usually, draft eligible players with late September birthdays are among the most advanced in any draft crop due to the fact that they have more experience than those younger than them. However, Phillips is the outlier. Blessed with terrific athletic tools, which includes the combination of height, reach, and excellent mobility, Phillips is a lot more raw than your average defensive prospect. He is still learning how to best use his size and quickness at both ends of the ice to dominate in the way that he potentially could. However, since arriving in the OHL, Phillips has been a standout in the defensive end as OHL attackers have difficulty escaping his clutches or beating him one on one. Offensively, he has shown flashes of being a capable puck mover and his shot has also shown potential as a weapon. All of these details made Phillips one of the most intriguing defensive prospects available at the 2020 Draft, where he was selected in the fifth round by Chicago.
2021 McKeen’s Yearbook Grades
Skating: 60
Shot: 50
Skills: 50
Smarts: 50
Physicality: 50
Assessing his AHL play:
Refreshingly, Phillips has been playing significant minutes for Rockford, seeing time in all situations (including the third most PK time per game among Rockford defenders behind only Cody Franson and Lucas Carlsson). He has certainly made some mistakes in his nine games in the AHL, but the Rockford coaching staff is sticking with him through these mistakes and allowing him to truly grow and learn.
Truthfully, Phillips has actually been way more effective from an offensive perspective, compared to a defensive one. Considering where we left him in the OHL (from a development and confidence perspective), this is surprising. One would have thought that he would be playing a safe game in the defensive end, perhaps lacking the confidence to be aggressive offensively. This has not been the case, whatsoever. Phillips has been aggressive in jumping up into the play; pinching deep in the offensive zone to seek out scoring opportunities. He is shooting a lot and trying to get his shots on the net. He is active in leading the rush out of the defensive zone and is looking to push deep across the redline to gain the offensive zone, using his size, reach, and quickness to help maintain possession through the neutral zone. Needless to say, he has been impressive with the puck. That said, turnovers have been an issue. This aggressiveness is leading to him being stripped of the puck, both in the neutral zone, and in the defensive zone (in the face of forecheckers). At this point, it is simply a matter of Phillips continuing to learn when to be aggressive and when a quick exit pass or dump out/in is the best course of action.
From a defensive perspective, Phillips has had some growing pains. To no one’s surprise, he looks good defending one on one, because his size, reach, and four-way mobility are huge assets. Even at the pro level, he is very difficult to maneuver around. However, there have been some lapses in judgment (puck watching, puck chasing, blown assignments in the defensive end) that have resulted in the puck ending up in the back of Rockford’s net. Additionally, while Phillips has been playing significant minutes on the penalty kill, there have been instances of Phillips not being aggressive enough in challenging shooters, affording them too good of a chance from the home plate area...and again, those chances are ending up in the back of Rockford’s net. Just like in the OHL, there is a need for Phillips to be more consistently aggressive in taking away space, be it in open ice or along the wall. The potential is sky high for Phillips as a defensive stalwart, but more refinement is clearly needed.
Game Tape:
*Phillips wears #41 for the Rockford IceHogs
As mentioned, Phillips is doing a good job of being aggressive with his shot and is getting his shots through traffic to generate further scoring chances. Here, following a faceoff win, he shows good composure to get this shot off in the face of pressure and it results in a goal for Rockford from a rebound.
A tremendous play here from Phillips on the powerplay. These are the types of aggressive plays you see from the league’s best powerplay QB’s like Cale Makar. He beats one forward up high, dishes off and cuts right to the net, receiving the pass back for a terrific scoring chance. His quickness is just so deceptive and as you see, he is great at protecting the puck with his size, confident on his forehand and backhand.
In this clip, Phillips’ defense of this two on four is not likely to be used in many textbooks. Phillips got caught watching the puck, losing sight of the Cleveland forward driving the net on the right side. A lack of communication between three Rockford players guarding the slot is surely to blame too. However, Phillips needs to pick up that player driving the net. By the time he figures it out, he gets himself all turned around and Zac Dalpe has an easy tap in on what should not have been a high end scoring chance for Cleveland.
Here, Phillips just does not move the puck quick enough out of his zone and he turns the puck over, resulting in a goal for Grand Rapids. Whether he did not feel comfortable making that bank pass on his backhand, or incorrectly identified a gap he could exploit with his feet, the end result was not great. No coach is going to want to stifle Phillips’ growing confidence and creativity, however, he will learn to pick his spots better and know when he has the time and when he does not.
This clip combines good with bad. Another turnover from Phillips, this time in the neutral zone. However, he stays with the play and ends up driving the middle and finishing off a beautiful goal, his first as a professional. Again, his puck protection ability is top notch and he really surprised the Chicago defense with how quickly he hit that gap.
AHL Performance Grade: B-
Continuing in the OHL:
Phillips’ time in the AHL has been a terrific experience for him. His offensive confidence level appears to be riding an all-time high and hopefully that gets carried over to the OHL season with Sudbury. The last few seasons, the Wolves have been searching for that permanent fixture as a QB (using Imports or youngster Jack Thompson) on the powerplay and it would be great to see him take on that role more consistently. Additionally, he can learn to balance his newfound offensive aggressiveness and his focus and commitment to the defensive end, becoming a two-way stalwart. Hopefully he can take that next step as a physical player and really start to take over games the way that he is capable of.
Quinton Byfield - Ontario Reign
Center, 6’4, 215lbs
OHL Rights: Sudbury Wolves
NHL Rights: Los Angeles Kings
Statistics: 13gp, 1g, 6a, 7p, 8pim, -15
When we last left him:
The most recent second overall selection at the NHL Entry Draft, Byfield is coming off a solid draft year season with the Sudbury Wolves that saw him lead the team in scoring. The powerful 6’4 forward oozes offensive potential because of his size and skill combination. He has the ability to dominate entire shifts down low, using his quick feet and hands to keep control while putting defenders on his back. His vision and playmaking ability are also major assets, as he often draws multiple defenders to try to slow him down, but identifies the passing lanes that open up early, anticipating gaps in coverage. This really allows him to elevate the play of those who play with him. Moving forward, scouts want to see Byfield explore his ability to dominate physically more consistently. His positioning away from the puck is sound, but if he were more aggressive and assertive, it would help him to be more effective in all situations. Additionally, Byfield can fall back on his passing tendencies too often and will need to be more assertive as a shooter too, making him a more well-rounded offensive player. At this year’s World Junior Championships, we saw Byfield really up his physical intensity level and it helped him have a very solid performance for Canada, earning a silver medal.
2021 McKeen’s Yearbook Grades
Skating: 60
Shot: 55
Skills: 65
Smarts: 65
Physicality: 55
Assessing his AHL play:
In a lot of ways, the Los Angeles Kings likely see the OHL delay as a positive for Byfield, who gets an opportunity to play top six minutes in the AHL, when he otherwise would not have been afforded that opportunity. The Reign have been giving Byfield all the ice time that he can handle. He has been centering one of the top lines, playing routinely with the likes of other top prospects Tyler Madden, Samuel Fagemo, and fellow OHL alumni Akil Thomas. He has been playing on the top powerplay unit. He has even been seeing consistent time on the penalty kill. Needless to say, Ontario and LA are making sure that Byfield is getting all the experience he can before returning to the OHL.
There are certainly components to Byfield’s game that have translated seamlessly. He looks great in transition and confident carrying the puck. He seems to be generating at least one or two high end scoring chances per game by using his size and speed to drive wide, just as we have become accustomed to in the OHL. He looks more confident in using his shot, even if the results don’t show it at this point (one goal through 13 games). The big revelation has been Byfield’s work near the crease. He is really showing well playing net front, often taking up position there on the powerplay and even strength and is proving to be an absolute load for opposing pro defenders to handle. He scored his goal from there through hard work and determination and he has set up others from that spot. He seems to be routinely drawing double teams when he drives the middle or sets up there and this is only opening up more ice for his linemates. This is something we have been waiting to see become a consistent part of his game at the OHL level. A negative that does continue to pop up is how well Byfield navigates odd man rushes. He seems to overthink these opportunities (both in the OHL and the AHL) and plays seem to die on his stick when high end scoring chances would otherwise be created.
The one area of Byfield’s game that has had some difficulty transitioning is the way that he typically dominates below the goal line. At the OHL level, behind the net and deep in the corners is typically his office. As mentioned, he can dominate entire shifts from that area. However, at the AHL level, he is having difficulty establishing and keeping possession there, as pro defenders are gaining inside leverage on him or using poke checks more effectively against him, neutralizing his ability to work the cycle. It is easy to forget (because of his size) that Byfield is still a teenager and that he is still growing into his game. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that he is not dominating possessions the way that he typically would against other teenagers. This is a great learning experience for him, because it has forced him to become more involved without the puck and learn to dominate the net front area more consistently, an identifiable next step for him previously.
Surprisingly, the Reign have been absolutely atrocious this year (last place in the entire AHL). For all the talent that roster possesses, they seem to be lacking a spark and from watching some of their games, the defensive end has been a bit of a nightmare for them. Byfield could certainly be lumped into that group, as he needs to learn to be harder on puck carriers and to utilize his size and strength more effectively from a defensive perspective. He has also struggled at the faceoff circle, winning around 40 percent of his draws. There have been moments where he has dialed up the physical intensity as a forechecker and backchecker, in a way that we saw at the World Juniors, but again it has been inconsistent. Ultimately, finding a way to have that motor running at 100 percent all of the time, is going to be the key to unlocking his potential as a future superstar.
Game Tape:
*Byfield wears #55 for the Ontario Reign
A really nice sequence for Byfield here as he scores his first pro goal. He applies pressure on the forecheck and helps to force a turnover. Then he makes a skilled play to maintain possession in front of the net and puts home the goal on the second effort. Again, Byfield has the potential to dominate the front of the net, especially on the powerplay, and it is great to see him making a concerted effort to get to that space.
Another skilled play made by Byfield when net front, this time a terrific blind back pass that results in a goal for Ontario on the powerplay. You have to love how Byfield gets inside position on the defender here to ensure that he can accept the pass. He takes a cross check and makes a very creative play to set up the goal. Again, he could make a living from this spot at the NHL level.
Absolutely love the effort by Byfield on this shift. Shows off his speed on the zone entry. Fights through the check of Simon Benoit to get the puck in deep. Continues to fight for positioning and eventually comes up with the turnover, getting the puck to Blaine Byron in the corner who sets up the goal. As stated, if Byfield can find a way to be consistently dialed in physically, these are the types of plays that he could make on a shift by shift basis.
Earlier, I talked about how Byfield needs to improve his decision making when leading odd man rushes and this is a great example. Granted, his linemates do not do a great job of spacing here, but Byfield also kills the play by being indecisive. He had many options on this two one one (maybe considered a three on two), but killing all momentum to put on the brakes, allowing San Jose’s backcheckers to recover was not the correct one.
There are a lot of instances like this exact play scattered across his 13 pro games thus far. At the junior level, Byfield is recovering that dump in behind the net and maintaining possession for a large chunk of time, often resulting in him creating a scoring chance for himself or a linemate. However, at the pro level, he is having trouble gaining and keeping possession from behind the net and is being too easily separated from the puck.
We finish with another very nice sequence from Byfield here. He explodes up ice, going end to end, generating a scoring chance for himself. Ontario maintains possession and he eventually makes a very skilled play through the middle, going skate to stick before setting up Sean Durzi for a good chance from the point.
AHL Performance Grade: B-
Continuing in the OHL:
Byfield’s development at the AHL level has to be considered a sizable stepping stone for him as it pertains to dominating at the OHL level. Because he has not been able to dominate time of possession the way that he normally does, deep in the offensive zone, it has forced him to become a better offensive player away from the puck and made him challenge himself to be more of a consistent factor through the middle and near the crease. Returning to the OHL, the hope would be that Byfield continues to use his size to bully defenders near the crease, all the while regaining his ability to create through the cycle against weaker opponents. The game should be able to slow down for him and the expectation would be that he instantly becomes one of the OHL’s elite forwards and a top candidate for the Red Tilson trophy.
Arthur Kaliyev - Ontario Reign
Left Wing, 6’2, 190lbs
OHL Rights: Hamilton Bulldogs
NHL Rights: Los Angeles Kings
Statistics: 13gp, 1g, 5a, 6p, 6pim, -2
When we last left him:
At this point, it seems like Kaliyev has been playing in the OHL for a decade. Already with a career 126 goals in the league over three seasons, he has become one of hockey’s most polarizing prospects. The shot is deadly, as you may expect from someone who scores as often as he does. However, his overall offensive skill set is generally underrated. He can create his own scoring chances with his creativity and skill, and his passing touch and vision are under appreciated. Ultimately, the same two features of his game are most criticized: pace and intensity level. His overall skating ability is only average and there are concerns that he will not be able to drive play at the pro level the way that he does at the OHL level, limiting him to being more of a triggerman dependent on chemistry. Additionally, his wavering intensity level and commitment as a three-zone player, makes some scouts wonder if he will be able to work hard enough to earn those scoring chances at the NHL level. Either way, he has been a standout at the OHL level and a standout at the last two World Junior Championships and as such, is still considered one of the elite offensive prospects in the game.
2021 McKeen’s Yearbook Grades
Skating: 50
Shot: 65
Skills: 60
Smarts: 55
Physicality: 45
Assessing his AHL play:
Much like Quinton Byfield, Kaliyev has been seeing significant ice time for the Reign. He has been playing on the top powerplay unit and seeing consistent time alongside the likes of fellow top prospects Rasmus Kupari, Tyler Madden, and former WJC teammate Alex Turcotte. Given the kind of ice time he is receiving and the kind of playmakers he is playing with, one would postulate that his single goal through thirteen games would mean that he is playing pretty poorly. But is that the true story?
On one hand, Kaliyev has been extremely unlucky. He has not had a lot of puck luck so far this season (have any of the Ontario Reign?). Watching him play, he has hit several posts/cross bars this year. After returning from Los Angeles (scoring a goal in his first NHL game), Kaliyev seemed to be really flying high and playing well; creating scoring chances for himself in transition and finding gaps in coverage to earn scoring chances. There was an extra jump to his game. However, some of those posts, good saves, and his overall inability to find the back of the net really seems to have deflated his confidence level and his play has dropped off because of it. For lack of a better term, the cliche, “he is gripping his stick too tight,” is one hundred percent apt. He is now seeing a large chunk of his shots blocked as he is taking too long to release the puck, especially on the powerplay. When he is getting his shot through, it is missing the net completely. He is just overthinking things and needs to get back to playing instinctively.
The rest of his game has certainly shown that it needs further refinement too. Much like the rest of the Ontario Reign, he has struggled defensively. His lack of explosiveness and elite conditioning has shown most at the defensive end, as he has struggled with his defensive assignments, especially at the back end of shifts. Lately, he has also struggled to get consistent puck touches and as such, has disappeared for stretches of games. His skill level certainly continues to shine through in certain instances, but his game is not at a level that we are accustomed to.
Saying all of this, it is important to remember that we are evaluating Kaliyev on only 13 games at the pro level. This is not a damnation of his NHL potential. He is an incredibly talented offensive player and more specifically, a terrific natural goal scorer. He could easily be a consistent 30 goal scorer for the Kings for many years. However, this small sample size has certainly shown that he still has several components to his game that need to improve before he becomes a quality pro hockey player and is able to reach that high ceiling.
Game Tape:
*Kaliyev wears #34 for the Ontario Reign
This is a clip of Kaliyev’s only goal in the AHL this year. On a 5 on 3, he takes a nice pass from Byfield, steps up into the slot and buries a wrist shot. This is textbook Kaliyev. I suppose the only issue here is that Kaliyev's only goal this year for Ontario came while on a two-man advantage. That is not exactly positive.
As mentioned, an underrated component of Kaliyev’s game is his vision and passing ability. He is more than just a triggerman. He shows a nice burst of speed here in the offensive zone, drawing the attention of multiple defenders. He then finds Rasmus Kupari at the net for the goal.
This is most definitely not the best effort that you are going to see on the backcheck. Kaliyev looks exhausted trying to track down the Silver Knights player (former London Knight Paul Cotter) and barely puts forward an effort to disrupt his ability to drive the net or shoot. Ultimately, Cotter scores and it is not a good look for Kaliyev.
In this clip, we see some of the limitations with Kaliyev’s skating ability as a pro. He gains the offensive zone and sheds the check of the Bakersfield player, but is not able to start the engine again to get himself in better shooting position. Then he fires the puck wide. If he had put that wrister on net to the pads far side, he might have generated a rebound that could have been put home by the Ontario player driving the net, hoping for that very outcome.
You can just tell that Kaliyev’s timing and confidence is off with plays like this. Gets a great look with the one timer from his office near the dot and fires it a mile wide. In other instances, he is stopping that puck first and then firing it into opposing defenders shin pads. It is definitely possible that the pace of play and the recovery ability of AHL defenders is affecting his timing and forcing him to rush his chances. But it is more likely that he is just frustrated over how bad his luck has been and it has resulted in a dip in confidence.
AHL Performance Grade: C
Continuing in the OHL:
What is the best for Kaliyev moving forward? Would he really learn anything from a return to the OHL? Of course, he still has many things to work on. But these areas of weakness have long been identified, and quite frankly, the OHL and playing against weaker and slower opponents may not be enough to challenge him to improve those areas. He can be an impact player in the OHL with some bad habits. He cannot be a consistent impact player at the AHL level with those same bad habits. If he returns to Hamilton, Kaliyev immediately becomes one of the best offensive players in the league and he could potentially lead the league in goal scoring. However, there is always the chance that the Kings call up Kaliyev and keep him on the roster, sheltering his minutes from the fourth line and giving him powerplay opportunities. He will not be eligible to play on the taxi squad, as CHL players cannot be on the taxi squad if their league has started (similar to the AHL). With Los Angeles in the playoff hunt, can they afford to keep Kaliyev around?