AHL TARGETS

• Pacific Division
• Central Division
• North Division
• Atlantic Division

BUFFALO (ROCHESTER AMERICANS)

• R Nick Baptiste. Attractive combination of size, speed and skill. He is 43gp, 19-12-31 this season in the AHL and has played in 14 NHL games (3-1-4). He is 21, and would not be eligible for the expansion draft.
• L Justin Bailey. A similar player to Baptiste in that he is a big winger with speed and skill—a perfect fit for a Chiarelli team. He is 40, 19-10-29 in the AHL and has played 19 NHL games (2-1-3) this year. Bailey’s scouting report suggests he is very good along the wall and in winning puck battles.

MONTREAL (ST. JOHN’S ICECAPS)

• R Michael McCarron. Gigantic (6.06, 231) winger who isn’t scoring as expected so far in pro, maybe the Habs sour on him. On the other hand, maybe he doesn’t possess enough offense to play on a skill line. Either way, interesting prospect.
• L Charles Hudon. The opposite of McCarron, this is a small, pure skill player who needs an NHL team to give him a chance. He is from Quebec province, one would think he would get a chance with the Habs. If they give up on him, Hudon could be a really nice addition.

NEW JERSEY (ALBANY DEVILS)

• L John Quenneville. Young winger has adjusted well to pro hockey (48, 11-26-37 in the AHL) and has played in a couple of NHL games. 2014 first-round pick and former Sherwood Park Crusaders forward is on track as a prospect, and doing it with a team badly in need of young offensive talent.
• L Blake Pietila. Young two-way winger has a solid reputation as a responsible forward. A little undersized for the NHL game (5.11, 200), he is showing some offense (38, 13-12-25) in his second pro season.

OTTAWA (BINGHAMPTON SENATORS)

• L Nick Paul. He was part of the package from Dallas that fetched Jason Spezza from Ottawa. He is a big winger who scored about a point per game in junior and is at about half a point a game in his second AHL season. He won’t cost a lot unless the Sens management still thinks he can be a skill winger, and fits the Chiarelli size template.
• C-R Curtis Lazar. I think Oil Kings players are fitted with a homing device on their draft day, and Lazar is an itch that will probably get scratched. He did play with Connor McDavid at the WJs, so if there is a trade made expect that to be part of the verbal. He looks lost, and this is his third pro season. He is 13, 3-1-4 in the AHL, and scoreless in 33 NHL games.

TAMPA BAY (SYRACUSE CRUNCH)

• L Adam Erne. He is a 6.01, 210 winger who is a load with the puck. His offense (37, 13-13-26) is not outstanding, but may be enough for him to carve out a career as a role player.
• RD Jake Dotchin. Big defender (6.03, 212) was a sixth-round pick in 2012 who looks like he might make it. Has played several NHL games already and has a mean streak that will endear him to coaches.

TORONTO (TORONTO MARLIES)

• L Josh Leivo. I am pretty sure he is a good NHL player, waiting for an opportunity. The Leafs seem hesitant to use him, but he looks good to me. Might be a real value addition.
• L Kerby Rychel. Big (6.01, 213) power winger with some skill (52, 11-25-36) but may end up as a role player who can check and score a little. Leafs are a team with lots of good young forwards, one of these young men will no doubt fall through the cracks.

VANCOUVER (UTICA COMETS)

• RD Jordan Subban. The Canucks have an undersized RHD they like better (so far) in Troy Stecher, and there may be a window of opportunity to acquire a nice puck-moving defender. He is 46, 13-16-29 so far in his second AHL season.
• R Jake Virtanen. Chosen just three slots behind Leon Draisaitl in the 2014 draft, Virtanen is not scoring in pro hockey. He played in the NHL last season (55, 7-6-13), and this year is posting similar numbers in the AHL (43, 5-6-11). This is a problem. His junior numbers were about a point-per-game, so the Canucks have miscast him as a top 6F option. That said, he might be a useful checker at some point and Vancouver is probably going to be open to dealing him at some point.