AHL: Avalanche of Monster Prospects

Thanks to their parent Colorado Avalanche becoming a buyer at this year's trade deadline, the Lake Erie Monsters now possess NHL-caliber talent in their lineup and are primed to make a late charge for a playoff spot in the North Division. McKeen's has notes on several monsters including T.J. Hensick, who looks poised to become a fulltime player with the Avalanche.

T.J. Hensick (Col), C, Lake Erie Monsters

Lack of size will not prohibit Hensick from a productive career in the NHL thanks to an abundance of skill and a brilliant mind for the game .. skates well with the puck and is dangerous one-on-one thanks to his outstanding puck control and striking lateral bursts of speed .. accelerates rapidly when a scoring opportunity presents itself, which allows him to gain a step on the opposition coming out of the corners to attack the net .. creatively using twists and turns to shield the puck, Hensick excels in traffic by being sturdy on his feet .. he is going to score many goals in the NHL thanks to his phenomenal release and precision-accurate shot with good velocity.. slippery to get a check on because he senses danger so innately .. displays great offensive instincts by finding the quiet ice near the net .. deft playmaker with superb vision, creativity, and outstanding patience and poise with the puck .. underrated player away from the puck that aggressively pressures the opposition's puckcarrier .. very impressive that he currently centers two veterans, yet he carries the line .. ready for the NHL right now, Hensick has the makings of a potential star.

Chris Stewart (Col), RW, Lake Erie Monsters

Big and strong winger with decent mobility and finishing ability .. smooth skater for a big man with decent agility and a solid top gear .. does not possess explosive acceleration but he has a good first step and quick start-up strides .. despite leading the Monsters with 16 goals, Stewart will need to process the game quicker and handle the puck better while skating the puck to produce in the NHL .. can execute a nice pass around the net but is also guilty of committing careless turnovers at his own blueline .. is improving defensively, as he now takes deep-lying, defensive zone positions and displays a fine understanding for clogging the shooting lanes with his big frame .. still shows his youth by stopping to move his feet on the backcheck at times .. blessed with the massive frame of a linebacker, Stewart is a good fighter and has the opposition hearing footsteps when he is coming in on the forecheck .. projecting as a third liner, Stewart is a big winger with decent speed that will need to improve defensively and bring a consistent effort to the rink every night to take his game to the next level.

Brad Richardson (Col), C/RW, Lake Erie Monsters

Two-way winger with good speed, competitiveness, and hockey sense .. NHL-caliber skater that accelerates briskly out of crossovers with quick feet and a long stride .. playing on the point during the powerplay where his above-average vision and ability to make slick passes is displayed .. generates plenty of offensive opportunities for himself thanks to his good speed and decent instincts around the net .. an aggressive penalty killer that anticipates the play superbly and is a threat to score shorthanded .. excels at winning the puck in one-on-one battles thanks to his strong stick .. utilizes his commanding top speed to pressure the opposition's defenders into mistakes while on the forecheck .. ready for the NHL now, Richards should contribute to the Avalanche's playoff run and projects as a future third liner that can fill in on the second in a pinch.

Johnny Boychuk (Col), D, Lake Erie Monsters

Stay-at-home defenseman that can overwhelm the opposition with his strength .. not the prettiest skater but he gets around the ice adequately because his strong stride .. pivots quickly and utilizes his good lateral mobility to maintain body positioning with his man while defending one-on-one off the rush .. makes safe decisions with the puck by either making the pass to open teammates or by getting the puck hard off the glass .. big, strong, and tough defender that clears his crease area effectively and can throw around the opposition like a rag doll in the corners .. character player that is an alternate captain, as he protects his teammates and is very vocal directing traffic .. Avalanche should continue to be patient with him, as they could potentially have the next Doug Murray.

J.D. Corbin (Col), LW, Lake Erie Monsters

Combative checking-line winger with an energetic two-way game .. fast skater with a non-stop motor that accelerates well thanks to his strong start-up strides .. utilizes his speed to gain a step on the defender before driving hard to the net, however he lacks the ability to finish, as his shot is weak with a slow release .. committed defensively with savvy marking skills on the backcheck and his heady defensive reads make him an effective penalty killer .. combative grinder that finishes every check with surprising force .. a fast buzz saw that could potentially fill in a checking-line role down the road.

Mark McCutcheon (Col), C/RW, Lake Erie Monsters

Quick and defensively aware grinder that excels in a checking role .. with a good motor and a lengthy stride, McCutcheon displays good speed that he utilizes well to drive the middle to the net offensively and pressure the puckcarrier defensively .. his limited skill set married with his inadequate vision leaves him ineffective at generating offense .. plays on the penalty kill because he makes instinctive defensive reads and he actively keeps his stick in the lanes .. pursues the puck with vigor and finishes every check .. is never going to be a point producer but he remains a valued depth player.

Wes O'Neill (Col), D, Lake Erie Monsters

Former New York Islanders draft pick is a big stay-at-home defenseman that struggles with the puck .. wide-tracked and choppy skater with lumbering pivots that leave him susceptible to being beaten by speed to the outside .. aggressively moves his feet and does get from point A to B adequately when heading in a straight line .. does not see the ice well and provides zero offense while also struggling to make the first pass .. makes slow defensive reads and can lose his man around the net .. big and strong defender that likes to stand up his man at the blueline and is overall more physical now in the AHL than he ever was in the NCAA with Notre Dame .. looks like a career minor leaguer.

Michael Vernace (Col), D, Lake Erie Monsters

Former San Jose draft pick is a finesse defender with good vision and puck movement .. smooth in transition but his heavy feet prohibit him from having a fast top gear .. a tape-to-tape passer that sees the ice well and plays on the powerplay .. does a good job sensing when to pinch into the open ice offensively and can finish with his strong wristshot .. playing on the penalty kill and is beginning to assert himself more physically but he has the worst plus/minus on the team with a minus-21 .. does effectively defend his man off the rush thanks to his fluid pivots and by properly angling him to the wall .. not a bad prospect but he will need to solidify his defensive play to make the NHL.

Philippe Dupuis (Col), C, Lake Erie Monsters

Largely invisible, as he looks to be struggling to adjust since coming over in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets .. lacks quickness out of the gates, which hinders his ability to get into proper positioning defensively .. competes well and does his best work in heavy traffic but lacks pro-caliber skill .. questionable acquisition by the Avalanche.