Until now.

Kaut played one game for the Avalanche early in the season. He suffered an undisclosed injury somewhere between that game and the start of the AHL season, and was sidelined for the first month and a half of play. His first game back was on March 12 against the Texas Stars. It took him two games to find his groove, but on March 16, he scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Texas and he has been on fire ever since.

MARTIN KAUT

Wash your hands buddy #EaglesCountry pic.twitter.com/iu7Ggxbn2u

— Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) March 17, 2021

What changed?

Just over a year ago, in February 2020, I wrote the following about Kaut:

Kaut is big, and he’s learning to use his size to his advantage. He also seems to be gaining some confidence and shooting more. But his biggest drawbacks is poor puck handling. Frequently, he brings the puck through the neutral zone, but upon gaining the blue line (and running into the other team’s defense), he almost seems to panic. He can’t juke and dangle his way through the defense or use his puck-handling to keep it out of their reach. If there isn’t somebody wide open for him to pass to, he resorts to tossing the puck up the boards for somebody else to chase.

This is the first big thing that has changed since last year—Kaut is now handling the puck better than ever. He is also using his size to barrel through the other team’s defense rather than bailing. But, more importantly, he is playing with real aggression. Whereas before, it often felt as if he was waiting for the puck to come to him, he now chases it down and takes it. Here he is on the penalty kill in the Eagles game on March 24 against the AHL’s No. 1 team, the Henderson Silver Knights.

This is Kaut on the PK last night late in the game. This is the kind of aggression we haven’t seen from him often in the past, but I sure love seeing it now. pic.twitter.com/MFfeY16uDj

— Marie Sexton (@MarieSexton) March 25, 2021

Almost single-handedly, Kaut kept the Silver Knights’ power play unit from gaining the zone for a solid 20 seconds, then continued to harass them after entry before blocking a shot. This is the kind of play we rarely saw from Kaut in the past, but now we are seeing it each and every game. But, because one highlight does not tell the whole story, let me share some numbers with you.

Stats

Up until recently, Kaut was playing well, but he was nowhere near dominating. Last year, he ranked 13th on the team for points. Looking at the AHL as a whole, Kaut came in at a rather unimpressive 364th.

Kaut has only played six games so far this season. In that time, he has three goals and four assists—all in the last four games. Considering he scored five goals total all last season, those numbers are significant. Ranked by points per game, Kaut is currently 37th in the league and third on the Eagles. In fact, looking at points per game is a good indication of how far Kaut has come.

Obviously, only six games so far this season is a rather small sample size, but the numbers are still telling. Kaut is being aggressive on the puck. He is making a pest out of himself against the other team’s defense, especially on the penalty kill, and his puck control has improved greatly. Add that to the skills he already had—good size and speed and a sniper shot—and Kaut suddenly becomes one of the most formidable players on the ice.

Conclusion

The Eagles wrap up their seven-game road trip tonight against Henderson. After that, they return home to face the Bakersfield Condors, who are currently ranked second in the division. A lot of things could change over the next few weeks, but one thing I do not expect to change is No. 61’s determination. I feel confident in saying the Kaut we have all been waiting for has finally arrived.

The post Martin Kaut has arrived! appeared first on The Rink.

I said three weeks ago I was going to write a season preview for the Colorado Eagles. At that point in time, the Eagles were expected to kick off their season on Feb. 5. Then, the Stockton Heat—AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames—decided to move to Canada for the year. It was a move that made perfect sense, logistically, but shouldn’t they have figured that out weeks ago rather than three days before the season was supposed to start?

Well, either way, the schedule change bought me an extra week to write this article. But the truth is, it was difficult to find an angle.

I could talk about last year—how the Eagles were trending upwards, as I wrote about in March of 2020, and how I expected them to make a deep playoff run before the season was cut short. The problem is, none of that is relevant to this season. Only a handful of players from that team will be on the ice at the Budweiser Event Center this year.

I could talk about the league re-alignment for this season, but that is old news, and it does not actually constitute a huge change for AHL teams out west. Even in a normal year, Pacific Division teams only play a handful of games outside of their division, and none outside of their conference. AHL teams almost always play back-to-back games against the same team in order to minimize travel, then often turn around and play that team again the next week at home. For AHL players, this is just more of the same.

I could talk about the players, but which players? Elite Prospects currently shows 33 men on the Eagles roster. Add in guys who are currently playing with the Colorado Avalanche or on the taxi squad and we have over 40 players to cover, and nobody wants to read a long list of stats. I debated playing with projected lineups, but between new players and guys going back and forth to either the Avs or the Utah Grizzlies, 90% of what I said would be guesswork. So how in the world do I go about writing a season preview?

Then somebody suggested I make some predictions. Not just any predictions, mind you. After all, anybody could predict that TJ Tynan will lead the team in assists, or that Ty Lewis will be stuck in Utah no matter how well he plays, or that Liam O’Brien will lead the team in penalty minutes. No. It was suggested that I make bold predictions. I love that idea, so here we go.

Martin Kaut will leave the Avalanche organization

Martin Kaut skates for the Colorado Eagles. (Photograph courtesy of Ashley Potts / Colorado Eagles)

This year feels like boom or bust time for Martin Kaut. Despite what some Avalanche bloggers may have led you to believe, many of us who actually watch every single Eagles game will tell you his play in the AHL has been satisfactory but not overly impressive. I wrote about him twice last year, here and here, but just for the sake of comparison, in the 2019–20 season, 12 Eagles players had more points than Kaut. Looking at the AHL as a whole, Kaut ranked at a rather unspectacular 364th in points.

Granted, stats never tell the whole story. Kaut is undeniably a smart, savvy, incredibly talented hockey player who makes very few mistakes. From a skills perspective, he has everything he needs to be an NHL player. But succeeding in professional sports takes more than talent. It takes grit and dogged perseverance. It takes some undefinable mental drive I do not have a word for—let’s call it “oomph.” (Yep, it is a super technical term.) Look at Tom Brady. Love the guy or hate him, there is no denying he got where he is by working his butt off, day in and day out. He watches more film and spends more time practicing than anybody. He is also known for being competitive to a fault. Former teammates have described his desire to win as “a sickness” and “psychotic.” He did not win his seventh Super Bowl at the age of 43 just by knowing how to throw the football. He did it because he has “oomph” in spades.

In the hockey world, look no further than Nathan MacKinnon. Yes, he has mad skills, but does anybody believe that is the only thing that makes him as good as he is? No. As Ryan S. Clarke said in The Athletic, “Everyone within the Colorado Avalanche’s dressing room knows Nathan MacKinnon possesses this innate need to both win and to win all the time.” He quoted Halifax Mooseheads assistant coach Jon Greenwood as saying, “Still, to this day, (MacKinnon) tries to get the most out of himself and never seems satisfied.” And when the going gets tough? MacKinnon goes into overdrive, determined to drag his team to a victory even if he has to do it himself.

That is “oomph,” and that is the thing we have not seen from Kaut. But does he have it?

Kaut did earn a call-up last year and scored two goals and an assist in nine games. He seems to be one of those rare players who performs better in the NHL than the AHL. He even said in an interview with Scott MacDonald that he found playing in the NHL easier than in the American League. Based on all of that, one might conclude Kaut has nothing left to learn in the American League. And yet, when Eagles training camp started, Kaut was dismissed from the Avalanche taxi squad and sent back to the AHL. Part of this comes down to the Avalanche talent pool being too deep. There are too many other players in front of him.

Do not get me wrong. I would love nothing more than for this prediction to turn out dead wrong. I will be thrilled if Kaut finds his “oomph,” blows the lid off the AHL and finishes the season in an Avs sweater. But, if he cannot find that extra drive he needs to set himself apart from the rest of the AHL forwards, I predict he either asks to be traded, or opts to return to Europe.

Shane Bowers will lead the team in goals

Shane Bowers takes the puck down the ice. (Photograph courtesy of Ashley Potts / Colorado Eagles)

I almost did not list this one, not because I do not think it will happen, but because I think it will, which means it is not all that bold of a prediction. But I wanted to talk about Shane Bowers.

Bowers had a slow start last season, partly due to injury. Then, in December, Eagles Head Coach Greg Cronin moved Bowers from center to wing, playing next to a very productive Sheldon Dries, and suddenly Bowers found his legs. By the end of the season, he was playing center again and finished the year with 10 goals and 17 assists in 48 games. Like Kaut, he was dismissed from the taxi squad and sent back to the AHL for Eagles training camp, and I expect him to play most of the year in Loveland. But will he lead the team in goals?

Let’s look at last year’s numbers.

Now let’s go down that list.

Dries will likely spend a lot of the year on the Avalanche taxi squad. Ditto for Jacob MacDonald. Logan O’Connor has all but made himself a regular Av by this point, and AJ Greer and Erik Condra are no longer with the team. So, from last year’s leaders, that leaves only Jayson Megna with more goals than Bowers. Of course, there are a lot of new guys coming in, like Mike Vecchione, who led the San Antonio Rampage in goals last year. But my money is on Bowers to have a stellar season.

Nick Henry will have a breakout year

Nick Henry celebrates his goal on March 6, 2020. (Photo courtesy of Ashley Potts / Colorado Eagles)

Last year, I predicted that Julien Nantel would have a breakout year. I am sad to say that did not happen. This year, I am predicting the same for Nick Henry. Hopefully I do not jinx him the way I appear to have jinxed Nantel.

Henry came into the league along with Bowers late in the 2018–19 season. Last year, Henry had three goals and six assists in 42 games played. He was solid, but he was not exactly blowing up the ice. Then, a strange thing happened. Henry was suddenly out of the lineup for most of February. He went to Utah for exactly two games. Some speculated that he had been hurt (unlike in the NHL, we often do not know about AHL injuries unless somebody asks, and as far as I know, nobody did). If Henry was hurt, those two ECHL games might have been rehab. Or maybe he was a healthy scratch and those two ECHL games were a kick in the pants. Either way, Henry then scored a goal in his first game back with the Eagles. A week later, the season was suspended due to COVID-19 and never resumed.

It is hard to say what might have happened, but if Henry puts in the time and the effort, I think this could be his year.

TJ Tynan will be named team captain

TJ Tynan skates the puck into the offensive zone. (Photograph courtesy of Ashley Potts / Colorado Eagles)

This one may not be all that bold either, but it deserves to be talked about. For the two years the Eagles have been in the AHL, they were captained by blueliner Mark Alt. But this year, Alt signed with the Ontario Reign, leaving a gaping hole on the Eagles bench. The problem is, there are not many guys who have been around for more than a season. In fact, if you take out taxi squad players Kaut and O’Connor, and the ELC players like Travis Barron, who have spent most of their time in Utah, there is not a single player left who has played more than one season with the Eagles.

Depressing for us fans, but I guess that is how it goes in the AHL.

Looking at the guys who were around last year, we have Tynan, Megna, Ryan Wagner (who spent about half the year in Utah), Kevin Davis (also spent half the year in Utah) and Dan Renouf. (Also, Adam Werner, but are goalies ever named captains?)

Of those five guys, one name stands out as a locker room leader: Tynan. Tynan was second in the league for assists last year, and probably would have been first if not for having played 16 games with the Avalanche.

I cannot think of a better guy to lead the Eagles for the 2021 season.

The Eagles will play in the Western Conference Championship

Jayson Megna celebrates a win. (Photograph courtesy of Ashley Potts / Colorado Eagles)

I will not go so far as to say they will win it, but I think they will get there. I think there is good evidence they could have won the Conference Championship last year if the season had not been suspended, and they will be hungry to prove themselves. Is this mostly wishful thinking on my part? Maybe, but I am okay with that. I predict this is the year the Eagles make their presence known in the AHL.

Are my predictions bold or just a lot of hot air? Only time will tell.

The post Five bold predictions for the 2021 Colorado Eagles appeared first on The Rink.

“Kaut was mismanaged in 2018–19 because he was forced to play a bottom-six role while veteran players stole his ice time.”

There are frankly so many gaping flaws in this line of thought, it is hard to know where to begin, but I will give it a shot.

The role of the AHL

This myth is wrapped up in the idea that the Eagles somehow have too many veteran players, and are allowing those veteran players to steal ice time from young prospects. So let’s start with the simplest point: What is the purpose of the AHL?

There are a great many players who are dominant in juniors or college, but who simply are not ready for the NHL. Playing on a team comprised entirely of 18- and 19-year-old kids has already proven to be insufficient. This is the primary purpose of the American Hockey League—to give these young prospects a chance to play both with and against older, more experienced players.

Martin Kaut skates with the puck for the Colorado Eagles. (Photograph courtesy of Ashley Potts / Colorado Eagles)

In other words, having veteran players on the team is not only critical, it is the entire point of the league. Without the veterans, this would be just another junior league.

“The team has too many veterans.”

I see this one on Twitter on a regular basis. It was especially prominent during last year’s playoffs. There are “too many vets,” or the Eagles have “sold out” as an “all vet” team. Again, this is patently false. Why? Because the AHL dictates exactly how many veteran players a team can have on their roster.

Here is the rule:

Of the 18 skaters (not counting two goaltenders) that teams may dress for a game, at least 13 must be qualified as “development players.” Of those 13, 12 must have played in 260 or fewer professional games (including AHL, NHL and European elite leagues), and one must have played in 320 or fewer professional games. All calculations for development status are based on regular-season totals as of the start of the season.

In other words, the Colorado Eagles have exactly the number of veteran players allowed by the league. (I would be willing to bet every other team in the league also has this exact number of veteran players, but I did not check all 31 rosters.) Only six players are veterans.

Is one-third of the lineup “too many”? Well, I suppose you could debate that. But, six is the number allowed by the league, and six is the number you can expect any AHL team to have, the Colorado Eagles included. Everybody else on the roster is considered a “development player” by the American Hockey League.

Martin Kaut skates during warmups prior to a Colorado Eagles game. (Photograph courtesy of Ashley Potts / Colorado Eagles)

I think this “too many vets” thing comes up because some people think any player who is no longer on his entry-level contract is automatically a “veteran” player. This is incorrect. The AHL determines veteran status based on the number of professional games played. There are many players in the AHL who are past their ELCs but who are not yet veteran players as defined by the league. I do not know if they have an official name, but I call them “tweeners.” The efficacy of tweeners and whether or not a team can have too many of them is too big of an issue for this one post. I will tackle that another day.

Regardless, the Eagles simply cannot have “too many vets” because the number of veteran players is strictly enforced by the AHL. Anybody who says otherwise obviously does not know the most fundamental rule of the American Hockey League.

“Veteran players are stealing ice time from prospects.”

Vets are not “stealing” ice time. First of all, they are playing on the same lines as the prospects. A right winger cannot “steal” ice time from the left winger on his same line. But, this myth is so widely believed that Scott MacDonald of Mile High Hockey addressed it early in the season. He asked Eagles coach Greg Cronin about it. Cronin’s response was that the Avalanche dictate which prospects get the most playing time.

Did you catch that? I am going to say it again for those in the back: Nobody is “stealing” anybody’s ice time. Top prospects like Martin Kaut will play big minutes because that’s how the Avalanche want it. And this will happen regardless of what veteran players are doing.

This is at the heart of debunking this “mismanagement” thing. Martin Kaut received tons of playing time last year. He played in the top six for the majority of the year. Nobody on the team “stole” ice time from him.

“But he was (sometimes) stuck on the third line!”

I can see why people who do not actually watch Eagles games might freak out about this. After all, in the NHL, the top two lines play significantly more time than the bottom two lines. But that is not the case for the Eagles.

Martin Kaut walks with coffee in hand prior to a Colorado Eagles game. (Photograph courtesy of Ashley Potts / Colorado Eagles)

Now, I do not know if this is true across the AHL, or if it is just Cronin’s coaching style. And, the AHL does not track ice time, so there are unfortunately no numbers I can point to. But, I have talked about this with MacDonald on Twitter. More importantly, I watch every single Eagles game, both home and away, start to finish. I can say with confidence that there is not a significant difference in ice time between the top three lines. Depending on the night and the players involved, the fourth line might get fewer minutes, but even then, the difference is not as extreme as it is in the NHL. There is no double shifting of the top line while the third line warms the bench. Every single line has prospects on it, and, as stated above, the prospects will get their time no matter what because that is how the Avalanche want it and because developing young players is the entire point of the American Hockey League. Whether they are listed as first or third line is irrelevant—they will always get to play.

The only time this may change is during playoffs, which brings me to my next point.

Players still must earn their ice time

Most of this “Kaut was mismanaged” stuff comes from last year’s playoff push. In the last few weeks of the season, as the Eagles fought for the final playoff position in the Pacific Division, Cronin—presumably with permission from the Avalanche—seemed to stop focusing on prospects and started making guys earn their ice time. After being on the top two lines for most of the season, Kaut was suddenly lower in the lineup. He may even have been a healthy scratch for a game or two.

First of all, as I have already pointed out, playing on the third line instead of the second does not mean much. They still play roughly the same number of minutes.

But, more importantly, Kaut had not earned it.

I know, a couple of people whose opinions you trust told you Kaut was killing it in the AHL. They watched two or three games and looked at a few stats and a highlight or two. They combined that with his play in the Czech Republic League and his first-round draft status and told you he was absolutely NHL ready and was being unfairly held back by Cronin. Believe them if you like, but I personally have more faith in the coaches than that. Not only that, I have faith in what I see with my own eyes. As I said earlier, I watch every single Eagles game, both home and away, start to finish. And anybody who actually watched Kaut last season, week in and week out on a regular basis, could see he needed more time. Anybody who watched more than a handful of Eagles games could see he was far from dominant. He was middle of the pack, at best.

The hard reality is, Martin Kaut had the majority of the 2018–19 season playing in the top six to prove himself to the coaching staff, and he failed to do so. He simply did not earn top billing once playoffs rolled around. Expecting a coach to bench guys who are actually scoring in favor of one who is not just is not realistic, especially during playoffs.

Which brings us to one of the hottest debates in the world of sports.

“We owe it to him” versus the sunk cost fallacy

Whenever I say that all AHL players should have to earn their ice time rather than having it handed to them, I hear the same protest: “But he’s a first-round draft pick! We owe it to him.”

We could debate this one all day: Does a team automatically owe a player ice time simply because they are a first-round pick? Some people will say yes, but personally, I fall on the “sunk cost” side. I do not watch these kids in NCAA or juniors, and I do not really care when they were drafted. Once a player is in the system, they are just another player and it is up to them to earn a spot in the lineup. The only thing I look at is how well they play in the AHL. If a first-round pick is unable to earn his ice time against an undrafted player like Logan O’Connor, that is on that player. The only thing the team “owes” him is the tools to make his game better. Some will say the Avs are not doing that. I think that is another giant misconception and nobody has proven it more than O’Connor, but that is an argument (and a blog post) for another day.

“But he isn’t developing.”

This is arguably the biggest myth of all. Admittedly, Martin Kaut did not develop as quickly or as noticeably in his first year as many expected. So what? Lots of players will not be “NHL ready” after only one year in the AHL. That is why entry-level contracts are generally two or three years long—because some guys take longer to develop than others. The AHL is different from the European hockey Kaut was used to. And let’s not forget he had just had heart surgery as well. Expecting him to rocket on the fast track to the NHL was never realistic.

Martin Kaut fends off Carl Grundstrom for a loose puck during a game between the Colorado Eagles and Ontario Reign. (Photograph courtesy of Ashley Potts / Colorado Eagles)

And this season?

After a slow start and an injury that kept him sidelined for 15 games, Kaut suddenly started to shine. A lot of it was learning to use his size to his advantage. A lot of it seemed to be more about confidence and determination than anything. Whatever it was, it was suddenly working. But was he NHL ready?

It is no secret that I still was not convinced, even when the Avs called him up. But, I really am rooting for him. How could I not? And I can honestly say, I have never been happier to be proven wrong. He did far better in those few games in the NHL than ever expected. So yes, clearly Kaut has made huge progress this year.

Nobody knows what will happen with the remainder of the season, but assuming it eventually resumes, Kaut likely does not have to worry about being bumped down the lineup during playoffs this time around.

The post Debunking the “mismanagement” of Martin Kaut appeared first on The Rink.

The first period of the game wasn’t the most interesting 20 minutes of hockey, with play bouncing between the ends of the ice with nothing much to show from it. Both teams recorded 10 shots on goal in the first, with both teams killing off one penalty each.

The second period swung in favor of the Avalanche, as they dominated the shot metrics. Anaheim goalie John Gibson had an outstanding performance despite the onslaught, but the Avalanche managed to beat him for the sole goal of the game off of an excellent play by Kaut and J.T. Compher. The play started with a strong forecheck by Gabriel Landeskog. Kaut then perfectly intercepted a pass before snapping the puck over to Compher who buried it top-shelf to beat Gibson.

We’ve written about Kaut previously, but his confidence with the puck in this game was nothing short of impressive. The fake before the pass allowed Compher to hit the back of the net before Gibson could get back into position and it’s the kind of play you expect to see from the roster regulars, not the guy playing in his second career NHL game.

Martin Kaut J.T. Compher!

(: @AltitudeTV) #GoAvsGo https://t.co/ABSoBs9zxY

— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 22, 2020

Francouz’s first career shutout came on the same day he signed a contract extension, worth $2 million for each of the next two seasons. He currently sits at a 2.33 GAA and a .926 SV% in 25 games played this season

Pavel Francouz’s deal is two years with a $2 million AAV, a source has told The Athletic.

— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) February 21, 2020

I was fully prepared for a scenario in which Francouz left the Avalanche after this season, as he was set to be an unrestricted free agent. It would be reasonable for him to try for a starter job, as his performance this season has been exceptional. However, it’s nice to have him locked down for the next two years, especially given the way he’s stepped up following injuries this season.

It’s inspiring to see the Avalanche manage to pull off a 1-0 win. They’ve had issues with maintaining close leads, but the defensive effort was present tonight.

With the second half of the back to back coming up against the Kings, the question of goaltending is still up in the air. The Avalanche recently signed Hunter Miska to an NHL contract and he is currently serving as the backup goalie with Philipp Grubauer out with injury. In the race to the top of the Central, this next stretch of games is going to be crucial – Miska has a 2.62 GAA and a .919 SV% with the Colorado Eagles this season, but he has only one NHL game under his belt so far.

Regardless of who is in net, the Avalanche need to come out with more energy than they did the last time these two teams met. They jumped the Dallas Stars to take second in the Central and trail the Blues by three points with two games in-hand. If the depth of the team can continue to step up with the recent injuries, they still stand a chance to go into the post-season at the top of the West.

The post Francouz records first shutout in 1-0 Avalanche win appeared first on The Rink.

Next in the series of prospect profiles is our 19th-ranked prospect, right wing Martin Kaut.

Martin Kaut
2017–18 Team: Pardubice (Czech Republic)
Date of Birth: October 2, 1999
Place of Birth: Brno, Czech Republic
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 176 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: RW

NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 4 (European Skaters)
NHL Central Scouting Midterm Ranking: 11 (European Skaters)

NHL Comparable: Marian Hossa

Coming into the season, Martin Kaut was not expected to be high draft pick, instead being projected as a mid-round selection. However, thanks in large part to a very strong showing at the World Junior Championships, Kaut’s draft stock skyrocketed.

Kaut has played a depth role for his team in the Czech league, meaning his offensive totals did not jump off the page, tallying nine goals and seven assists this season. However, given the opportunity to play on the first line at the World Juniors with former first rounder Martin Necas and top prospect Filip Zadina, Kaut displayed his high-end offensive abilities, posting two goals and five assists in seven games.

While he does not have amazing acceleration, Kaut does possess good speed. He has strong legs, giving Kaut a powerful stride and very good balance, which he uses well to protect the puck and stay upright when challenged physically. If Kaut can improve his acceleration, he should be able to win more loose pucks and be able to create better separation from opponents.

Kaut has a pretty good shot, specifically his wrist shot. He has pinpoint accuracy and has a good amount of power despite not being a big player. He has a very quick release, which can fool goaltenders and allow him to sneak by shots when a goalie is not prepared for a shot. Kaut has good hands, which he can use to finish plays close to the net in the form of deflections, rebounds and net-front dekes. Kaut also has a good snapshot and a decent slapshot.

Perhaps the aspect most impressive about his performance at the World Juniors was Kaut’s passing ability. Kaut has a keen sense for setting up his teammates at the right time in the right place. Kaut put the puck on a platter for Necas and Zadina on multiple occasions, making a goal look easy. Kaut excels in the cycle game and enjoys being a setup man on the power play, where he can display his dazzling playmaking ability thanks to his excellent vision and recognition.

Kaut is a very sound two-way player, as he has excelled in a defensive role for his team in the Czech Republic. He has very good positioning and is good at breaking up passes because of his awareness. Kaut is willing to block shots. The one area of his defensive game that could be improved is his ability to win board battles, which could be addressed by getting stronger.

Implications for the Blackhawks
Kaut is an intriguing prospect because of the glimpses shown of what he can do. It is entirely possible a team likes him enough to take him in the middle of the first round. He is not good enough to crack the top 10, so the Hawks will certainly not reach for him at eight. But, he could be available at 27 if teams are unsure of his offensive consistency. He could be a nice addition that head coach Joel Quenneville would likely enjoy having thanks to his sound defensive game and ability to produce offense. He has drawn comparisons to Marian Hossa, which Blackhawk fans can appreciate, though do not expect him to have as prolific a career as Hossa.

Timeline
Kaut needs to bulk up and work on his acceleration, which will likely take at least a year to do so. Do not expect him in North America until 2019–20.

Projection
Kaut is a bit of a question mark because it remains to be seen what type of a player he will really be. He has shown glimpses of excellence, but has not done that over an extended period of time, which could simply be because of a lack of opportunity to do so with his Czech league team. If he is able to play a high-end offensive game consistently, he could develop into a top-line winger. In reality, he would likely be a better second or third line winger with the ability to play an effective two-way game.

What others are saying
“One thing I love about the WJC is being able to see a teenage player with a checking role on an adult team play top-line minutes against his peers. Kaut, an energy player for Pardubice, had an outstanding world juniors debut by picking up three assists — all primary — while playing the wing with Zadina and Necas. All three of his passes were right on the tape or in a perfect spot to unload from, as the tallies from both Necas and Kral were one-timers off dishes from Kaut, who was the 24th pick in the 2017 CHL Import Draft but chose to stay with Pardubice for another season. Keep in mind, Kaut isn’t just some sort of flashy playmaker — he’s a highly-responsible 200-foot player who plays in all situations.”
— Steve Kournianos/The Draft Analyst

“With so many players trying to make a name for themselves, it can be anywhere from difficult to almost impossible to stand out in a crowd, especially after a disappointing start to a season. That’s where Czech winger Martin Kaut found himself after a poor showing at the Five Nations tournament. That didn’t stop Kaut from making the World Junior Championship a personal showcase of how talented he is. He finished the tournament with seven points in seven games. He played on a line with Martin Necas and Filip Zadina and looked comfortable playing the playmaking role. Whether he was distributing the puck with precision, as evidenced by his three primary assist game, or burying his chances, Kaut was one of the best players of the entire tournament. How much attention has Kaut received since? He beat out his fellow countryman Zadina for a spot on the World (Championship) roster for the Czech Republic. This says something about Kaut and the kind of player he is.”
— Mark Scheig/The Hockey Writers

The post Draft Prospect Profile: Martin Kaut appeared first on The Rink.