In his latest piece, Bob McKenzie of TSN breaks down two players who may be under NHL contract in a few months. First, is Josh Healey who has made an impact on the NCAA ranks in a few different ways. His bone-crushing hits have been felt across the country, with the league even suspending him twice now. One executive that McKenzie quotes says that he “hits too hard for college hockey” and he really does. Even if he’ll never be a top-pairing guy in the NHL, his skating ability and physical presence has basically every team in the league considering signing him when his season at Ohio State finishes.
Healey headlines what is an underwhelming NCAA class, but he will create somewhat of a bidding war regardless. He has attended the summer development camps of the Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers in the past, and all three should be expected to be in the conversation for him this spring. Other teams—like the defense-strapped Toronto Maple Leafs—will surely have a conversation with him as well.
The other player McKenzie mentions is 25-year old Jakub Jerabek, a Czech defenseman who has been turning heads all year. Though he had several successful years in the Czech men’s league prior to this year, it’s the transition to the KHL and a higher level of competition that has NHL scouts considering him. With 32 points in 56 games and a strong offensive skillset, he’ll likely earn a contract if he chooses to come to North America. As McKenzie notes, at his age he’ll only be able to sign a one-year entry-level contract, like Nikita Zaitsev of the Maple Leafs this past summer.
As someone who has seen Healey the last few years at OSU, he is one of the dirtiest players in the collegiate ranks and I seriously think he would be a liability for who ever offers him. He isn’t as good as people think.
He sounds like an Alexei Emelin-type of player. Would that be an accurate comp for Healey?
He’d fit right in in Philly.
I don’t think he’s dirty, he just likes to lay the big open ice hit. He’s not out there boarding people or kneeing people
He’s dirty. If you don’t think so, you haven’t been following his play. He has three 5-minute majors this year alone – all dirty plays. He has been suspended for this weekend’s series versus Michigan State for a dirty hit in the Minnesota series. The guy is a goon. Sorry.