Los Angeles Kings prospect Jaret Anderson-Dolan recorded his first NHL goal in his second game of the season. Vancouver Canucks prospect Vasili Podkolzin is heating up in the KHL with five points in his last seven games, and Montreal Canadiens prospect Luke Tuch is off to an impressive start in his NCAA career with Boston University.
Anderson-Dolan Grabs First NHL Goal
Jaret Anderson-Dolan grabbed his first NHL goal in the Kings’ 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. It took him 11 games across three seasons to register his first NHL goal. Drafted 41st overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Anderson-Dolan spent the 2019-20 season in the American Hockey League with the Ontario Reign where he posted eight goals and 20 assists in 53 games.
THW’s own Zackary Weiner had this to say about Anderson-Dolan’s skillset heading into the 2020-21 season.
Anderson-Dolan is a guy who plays a 200-foot game. He sees the ice well and has an overall good attitude. He does need to work on defensive play, but that comes along with size, strength, and development. He has been compared to Logan Couture, another guy with a high hockey IQ. Although he may not be the No. 1 center for the Kings, he will certainly play a role in the future.
Anderson-Dolan is one of several young Kings prospects to get a longer look this season, and he joins Arthur Kaliyev who also scored his first NHL goal. The Kings also have some strong players in the AHL including top prospects Alex Turcotte and Quinton Byfield who should see some time in the NHL this season. LA has drafted extremely well recently, and the emergence of Anderson-Dolan is just further evidence of their successful rebuild.
Podkolzin Heating Up in KHL
Canucks prospect Vasili Podkolzin is finally finding his footing in the KHL, and he has been heating up in the new year. Through the first 26 games of the season, he only managed two goals and four assists. In his last seven games, he has three goals and two assists while seeing a significant increase in his ice time. Podkolzin had averaged just over 12 minutes a game this season, but over his last four games, he’s up to roughly 16 minutes.
Drafted tenth overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, he spent the 2019-20 season bouncing between Russia’s KHL and VHL. He recorded two goals and six assists in 30 games for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL and three goals and five assists in 16 games with SKA-Neva St. Petersburg in the VHL. Podkolzin represented Russia at the last three World Junior Championship tournaments, winning a bronze and a silver medal. He was captain of the team in 2021 and scored two goals and two assists in seven games.
With the emergence of Nils Hoglander this season, the Canucks have built an excellent core of young players around Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. Podkolzin is next in line to make the jump to the NHL, and Canucks fans are eager for him to join the team.
Tuch Propels Boston College to Victory
Canadiens prospect Luke Tuch is off to an impressive start in his freshman season in the NCAA with Boston University. Drafted 47th overall at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Tuch has four goals and three assists in eight games. He’s second on the team in scoring, behind Nashville Predators prospect David Farrance.
THW’s Peter Baracchini had this to say about Tuch’s ability in his 2020 NHL Draft preview.
He provides an excellent front net presence as well the ability to be there and support his teammates either during puck battles or getting to the open areas on the ice for a short pass and quick shot. Tuch has a strong defensive game as well. He has great positioning, the ability to break up plays and pressure his opponents constantly, whether he’s on the attack or in his own zone. This forces them to make a mistake and allows him to get the inside edge with his body.
Tuch spent the 2019-20 season in the United States National Team Development Program where he recorded 15 goals and 15 assists in 47 games played. He finished fourth in team scoring for the U.S. National U18 Team. He is the younger brother of Golden Knights forward Alex Tuch.
