Roughly half of the top-20 prospects from our list will be on the Cleveland Monster roster at some point this season – several of them probably full-time. It was hard to choose just two players to keep a keen eye on from this list as potentially up to six of the top-ten prospects for the Jackets could spend their seasons there.
Luca del bel Belluz, Corson Ceulemans, maybe even David Jiricek or Dmitry Voronkov could be on this list. But there are two guys I wanted to mention specifically here; mainly because I’m curious to see if their scoring will translate from the CHL to the professional ranks fairly quickly.
First, let’s talk about reigning QMJHL playoff and Memorial Cup MVP, winger James Malatesta. He comes in at #10 on our list of top prospects, but if his goal scoring keeps up with the Monsters this season – and a few guys graduate from our list – he’ll be a top-five prospect for the Blue Jackets by Christmas.
Another one of those 5’9″ wingers, the stockier Malatesta scored 37 goals and 66 points in 55 games with the Quebec Remparts last season, before adding 14 goals in 18 playoff games – then an additional 5 goals in 4 Memorial Cup games. Tally that all up and you get 56 goals in 77 games, which is an incredible feat at any competitive level of hockey.
He’s more of a pest on the ice, crawling under the opponents’ skin, taking them off of their game, and then completely derailing them by adding a skillset that allows him to score goals in a variety of ways, in any situation. Opposing teams and their fans are going to hate him, but he will be a fan favorite for the home team wherever he plays because of his scrappy attitude. You know how we all hate Brad Marchand? James Malatesta plays the game in a similar style – if his offense can carry over, I think he can be that kind of player in the NHL.
Also making the jump from the CHL full-time this fall is defenseman Stanislav Svozil. Svozil dominated the Western Hockey League from the back end last season, playing for the Connor Bedard-led Regina Pats, where he scored 11 goals and 67 assists for 78 points in 56 games. He also captained Czechia at the World Junior Championships, winning a silver medal in the process.
At 6’0″ and 180 pounds, he’s a mid-size defender who plays a very flashy game. He likes to join the rush and at times plays like a fourth forward, with the smooth hands, slick passing ability, and a penchant for chipping in with goals. Defensively, there’s a lot of maturing required here, but he loves to step up and throw a big hit; which will make him an instant fan favorite for the Monsters this fall.
Like Malatesta, if Stanislav can carry over his offense, he’ll be a big rising asset in the system. We ranked him sixth on our list, and with the expected graduations of Adam Fantilli and David Jiricek, there’s a chance he could push for a top-three spot by Christmas – depending on how the guys ahead of him do.
If you can catch a Cleveland Monsters game this year, it should be a great season to do so. They’re going to be stacked with a strong group of prospects, many of whom will be future mainstays on the Blue Jackets. It’s an exciting time for the organization as the fruits of their struggles will start to show real results at the professional level – and we think these kids are going to be early difference makers.