Prospects Analysis: 2015-16 Rankings, 76-100

This is the first of a four-part series that will cover our top-100 prospects for the 2015-16 season. Each piece will cover 25 prospects and then we will have a second four-part feature that will cover the top-10 prospects of each individual team by division. Now, onto the rankings.

(Note: Only players with less than 25 games played are included.)

76. Travis Konecny (F, Philadelphia Flyers): Konecny was seen by many as a mid-first-round talent in this year's entry draft, but he fell all the way to pick No. 24 where the Flyers traded up to get him. He is undersized (5-foot-10, 175) and has dealt with numerous injury problems, including concussions, but he has real offensive ability and should be a productive NHL player if he can stay healthy. Konecny didn't put up monster numbers during his first two seasons with Ottawa (OHL), he had just 138 points in 123 games (not insane for the junior level), but he's an extremely smart player and can impact a game in numerous ways. He might not ever be a huge scorer in the NHL, but he's a solid prospect. The Flyers will almost certainly send him back to the OHL for at least one more season.

77. Evgeni Svechnikov (F, Detroit Red Wings): Svechnikov played just 55 games for Cape Breton (QMJHL) last season, but he had 32 goals in his limited action and the Red Wings made him the 19th overall pick in June. He has the frame (6-2, 200) and hands to eventually be an effective NHL power forward. The Red Wings are notoriously slow promoting their prospects, so even if Svechnikov is ready quicker than most due to his NHL-ready body, he won't get to the highest level any time soon. The most likely scenario seems to be one more season in the QMJHL and then a promotion to the AHL. Svechnikov's willingness to leave his Russian club team to play in a small Canadian market bodes well for his future.

78. Connor Brown (F, Toronto Maple Leafs): Brown's first pro season was a rousing success. He put up big numbers (21G, 61P in 76GP) for the Marlies (AHL) and put himself on the map as a legitimate prospect. I have always been higher on Brown than most, but I wasn't completely convinced his game would translate from juniors to professional hockey. He proved emphatically that it would. The Leafs suddenly have a boatload of young, talented forwards in their system, but the majority are multiple years away from contributing in the NHL. Toronto seems determined to allow William Nylander to start the season in the AHL so he can learn to play center, so there may be an opening for Brown out of training camp. He's a player to keep an eye on.

79. Steve Santini (D, New Jersey Devils): It was a bit of a lost season for Santini. A wrist injury limited him to just 22 games for Boston College, and he was forced to miss the World Juniors where he was due to serve as Team USA captain. He will return to the Eagles for his junior season this fall. Santini is not a big scorer. He had just 16 points in 57 games during his first two years of collegiate hoceky. What he is, though, is a reliable, smart defense-first defender who uses his big body to his advantage. Santini projects as a second-pairing defender who can kill penalties and play 20 minutes a night. If he can make it through his junior season healthy, there's a good chance he turns pro next summer.

80. Thatcher Demko (G, Vancouver Canucks): Demko's sophomore season at Boston College was better than his freshman year. His numbers improved across the board (19-3-3, 2.19 GAA, .925 GAA), and he was brilliant as Team USA's No. 1 keeper at the World Juniors. The Vancouver goaltending depth chart is in bad shape. Ryan Miller is getting older, Jacob Markstrom has been inconsistent and there is no one else, other than Demko, of note in the system. It's entirely possible that he turns pro after his upcoming junior season at Boston College, spends a year in the AHL and then challenges for playing time in Vancouver. He has all the ability to be a No. 1 goalie in the NHL.

81. Nick Paul (F, Ottawa Senators): Last year was a true breakout season for Paul. He scored 37 goals in 58 games for North Bay (OHL) and he helped Canada win a gold medal at the World Juniors. Acquired from Dallas in the Jason Spezza deal, Paul is a big body (6-3, 200) and uses his frame extremely well. The 2013 fourth-round pick signed his entry-level deal with the Sens in December and will turn pro this season. He probably needs a full season in the AHL, but it's possible he turns into the best asset Ottawa received for sending Spezza to Dallas.

82. Rocco Grimaldi (F, Florida Panthers): With 42 points in 64 games in the AHL, Grimaldi had an encouraging first pro season. He also suited up in seven games for the Panthers and picked up his first NHL goal. The concerns surrounding Grimaldi's game haven't changed. Skeptics are worried that his size (he's generously listed at 5-6) will limit his ability to be an effective NHL player. Every year we see more and more smaller players succeed at the highest level, but Grimaldi is smaller than all of them. He has the vision and ability to be a successful power-play option, but the jury is out in regard to his ability to play a regular shift in the NHL. This will be a huge year in his development. He's the type who could be considerably higher on this list, or off the list altogether when it is updated next.

83. Jason Dickinson (F, Dallas Stars): Dickinson had a nice, but not elite, final season in Guelph (OHL). His numbers were virtually identical to the previous season (27G, 71P), but he looked good in a late-season cameo in the AHL. Dickinson was considered a slight reach when the Stars spent the 29th overall pick on him in the 2013 entry draft. His stock has improved steadily since, but he needs to get stronger and work on his defensive game. Dickinson's skill set generally leads to a longer learning curve at the professional level, and the Dallas system is full of players who can contribute on a short-term basis at the NHL level. Dickinson figures to spend next season in the AHL.

84. Andreas Athanasiou (F, Detroit Red Wings): Athanasiou was seen as a project when the Wings took him in the fourth round in the 2012 entry draft, but he has made great strides since. After a huge final year in the OHL, Athanasiou was productive (16G, 32P in 55GP) during his first season in the AHL. He has size (6-2, 200), and he can fly. The Wings are slow to promote their prospects, and Athanasiou has a couple players ahead of him on the depth chart, so he's probably looking at another full season in the AHL.

85. Michael McCarron (F, Montreal Canadiens): McCarron looked like a bust at this point a year ago after posting just 14 goals and 34 points in his first season in London (OHL). This year, he looked like a different player. He doubled both his goal and point totals and was a key cog in helping Oshawa win the OHL Championship after a midseason trade. McCarron's biggest problem last year was that he didn't know how to use his 6-6, 225-pound frame to his advantage. He looked far more comfortable and far more confident, particularly with the puck, last season. I'm not sure how much more McCarron can learn playing junior hockey. I'd have him play in the AHL next season. Since he was drafted out of the U.S. National Team Development program, he's eligible to play there.

86. Remi Elie (F, Dallas Stars): To know one's surprise, Elie's game improved this season when he was dealt from Belleville (OHL) to Erie. He got little ice time on deep London teams his first two seasons in juniors, but he slowly became more of an offensive threat when he first traded to Belleville, then eventually Erie. Elie finished with 30 goals in 63 games last season after scoring 28 goals in 61 games the year before. Since he isn't more than an average skater, it could take at least a year in the AHL for Elie to learn how to put his offensive skills to use at the professional level. Elie's game is more board work and finding open spots below the circles. He likely will play for Dallas' AHL affiliate this fall.

87. Jeremy Bracco (F, Toronto Maple Leafs): Bracco was one of the more underrated players in this year's draft. No doubt he has to get much stronger and his skating needs to improve a bit, but he's an elite playmaker. He's also had a ton of international experience, winning World Under-17 and World Under-18 championships for Team USA. It's hard to understand how a kid with so much offensive ability fell to the 61st overall pick. Despite flirting with Kitchener (OHL), Bracco ultimately decided to honor his commitment to Boston College. It will take several years, but the Leafs got a steal.

88. Matt Murray (G, Pittsburgh Penguins): Murray's play last season for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) earned him a place on this list. He finished last year (his first full AHL season) 25-10-3 with a 1.58 GAA, .941 save percentage and 12 -- yes 12 -- shutouts. He won more awards in the AHL last season than there's time to recap. Murray was seen as a decent prospect when the Pens drafted him in the third round in 2012, but no one could have expected him to take such a gigantic leap forward in his first year of professional hockey. He's so tall (6-5, 180) and, as long as he isn't flopping around like a fish in the crease, takes up so much room that shooters have a difficult time against him. It was such a significant jump forward, some might consider it a fluke, but the numbers don't lie. He won't have 12 shutouts again, but that stat has little meaning for goaltenders, anyway.

89. Vladislav Kamenev (F, Nashville Predators): The Predators deserve a lot of credit. Kamenev fell to the 42nd overall pick in the 2014 entry draft because teams had no idea when, or if, he ever planned to come to North America. Yet after consecutive seasons of playing fourth-line minutes for Magnitogorsk in the KHL, Kamenev signed his entry-level contract this summer and will play this season in North America. He will need time to develop in the AHL, but Kamenev has good size (6-2, 205) and a lot of offensive ability. He needs to cut down on bad penalties, but it's quite a coup for the Predators to get him to North America so quickly.

90. Adam Tambellini (F, New York Rangers): In their pursuit of the Stanley Cup the last few years, the Rangers traded a top prospect (Anthony Duclair) and multiple first-round draft picks. They badly needed a player like Tambeliini to take a massive step forward, and he did just that. The 2013 third-round pick finished his first full season with Calgary (WHL) with 47 goals and 86 points in 71 games. He also had 13 goals and 26 points in 16 playoff games. Tambellini is a tall, lanky kid who needs to get stronger, but he has the offensive skills few players in the system can match. He is expected to play in Hartford (AHL) this season.

91. Juuse Saros (G, Nashville Predators): No team has had as much success with goalies from Finland as the Preds. An argument can be made that Saros was the best professional goalie playing outside of the NHL last year. He's had back-to-back stellar seasons for HPK in Finland and played terrificly in the last two World Junior tournaments. Saros isn't big (5-11, 175), but he's extremely athletic and has great reflexes. Pekka Rinne isn't getting any younger and Nashville traded Magnus Hellberg this summer, so you may see Saros contributing in the NHL sooner than you think.

92. Andrew Copp (F, Winnipeg Jets): To get Copp to forgo his senior season at the University of Michigan, the Jets signed him to a contract last March and brought him directly to the NHL. He played one game late in the season, picking up an assist. He also stayed with the team during the playoffs, though he didn't dress. Copp doesn't have highlight-reel offensive ability, but he's a stocky, gritty player who should eventually turn into an effective two-way NHL player. Although his game is more NHL-ready than many who come out of college, expect Copp to begin next season in the AHL.

93. Brayden Point (F, Tampa Bay Lightning): It was quite a year for the diminutive Point. He scored 38 goals and 87 points in 60 games for Moose Jaw (WHL) and carved out a big role on Team Canada at the World Juniors after beginning the tournament as the team's 13th forward. The biggest thing holding Point back is that at 5-10, 170, he just isn't particularly big. He busts his tail every shift, he initiates physical contact and he finishes well, but it remains to be seen how effective he can be against men at the professional level. The 2014 third-round pick will get another season in the WHL to bulk up.

94. Ian McCoshen (D, Florida Panthers): What you see if what you get with McCoshen. He's a big (6-3, 200), strong defense first defender, whose offensive game has made minor strides over the last couple seasons. He has turned into a workhorse defenseman for Boston College and was effective for Team USA in back-to-back World Junior tournaments. McCoshen's game likely won't ever be conducive to fantasy value. He'll be more of a second-pairing, penalty-killing type who can player against the top players of the opposition. The Panthers took a run at signing him this summer, but he'll return to Boston College for his junior season this fall.

95. J.T. Compher (F, Colorado Avalanche): Compher, who was acquired by the Avalanche from Buffalo in the Ryan O'Reilly deal this summer, was seen as more of a third-line type when the Sabres drafted him 35th overall in 2013. His offensive game has expanded during his first two years at the University of Michigan, and it's starting to look like he can contribute 15-20 goals a season in the NHL. The Colorado prospect pool is so terrible that Compher immediately becomes one of the Avs' best. Compher will return to Ann Arbor this season as the Wolverines' captain.

96. Alexander Khokhlachev (F, Boston Bruins): Khokhlachev has had consecutive solid seasons (100 P in 126 GP) for Providence (AHL), but that good work has resulted in just four career NHL games. The Bruins are in an awkward rebuilding phase and you would think an offensive player like Khokhlachev, who is on an entry-level contract, would be a valuable piece. Instead, the Bruins have shown no confidence in Khokhlachev making an NHL impact. It wouldn't be surprising if Khokhlachev bolted back to Russia if Boston doesn't give him a substantial role this season. His contract is up at season's end, and he left Windsor (OHL) a couple years ago to return to play in Russia for a year.

97. Valentin Zykov (F, Los Angeles Kings): Injuries limited Zykov to just 42 QMJHL games last season, but he scored 21 goals in his limited action. Zykov's biggest asset is strength. He can bull his way to the front of the net, and he has the upper-body strength to fight off defenders in front of the net. He's the perfect type to put in front of the net on the power play. Zykov will begin this season in the AHL, but he's physically mature enough that he could get a look with the Kings if injuries strike.

98. Mark McNeill (F, Chicago Blackhawks): McNeill's offensive game has improved over two full seasons with Rockford (AHL). One of the most physically fit prospects in hockey, McNeill is seen as a physical, third-line center who plays an extremely smart game. His hockey sense is terrific, but he doesn't seem like the type who will improve with more time in the minors. He can't get any stronger, and it's doubtful he will ever be a top scorer. The Blackhawks have so much money committed to so few players that you would think a player of McNeill's skillset would be of great use. If he doesn't get significant time with Chicago this year, expect him to become trade bait. He could fill a role for more than half of the teams in the NHL now.

99. Hudson Fasching (F, Buffalo Sabres): Fasching's size (6-2, 210) and wheels are what will turn him into an effective NHL player. A 2014 fourth-round pick of the Kings, Fasching and Nicolas Deslauries were traded to Buffalo in March 2014 for Brayden McNabb and a pair of second-round picks. Fasching might not have the hands to ever be more than a 20-goal scorer in the NHL, but his size and speed will help him carve out a role as a regular for Buffalo. He is scheduled to return to the University of Minnesota for his junior season this fall.

100. Zachary Senyshyn (F, Boston Bruins): The Bruins didn't have a good offseason, and their selection of Senyshyn at No. 15 overall in June was almost universally panned, but the pick could work out in the end. Senyshyn didn't produce much last season because he was on a team of veterans and got limited ice time. He's a candidate to take a huge step forward this season. His offensive game has no real weaknesses, and he's stronger than a lot of people think. When our rankings are updated in the middle of the season, don't be shocked if Senyshyn finds himself on the middle of this list as opposed to the end.