NHL Prospect Roundup: The Philadelphia Flyers have a steal in Massimo Rizzo

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis(sellishockey)
Jan 22, 2024, 13:43 EST
NHL Prospect Roundup: The Philadelphia Flyers have a steal in Massimo Rizzo
Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

If you didn’t look too much into the Philadelphia Flyers acquiring the rights to Massimo Rizzo and a 2025 fifth-round pick from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for David Kase back on Aug. 9, I don’t blame you.

Kase hasn’t played in the NHL since his one-game run with Philly in 2021 and he already had a new deal in the Czech league. There’s almost no chance he’ll ever come over. But for Rizzo, the opportunity to join the Flyers’ organization was an exciting one. He was coming off an impressive 17-goal, 46-point junior season with the NCAA’s University of Denver after winning the NCAA national title the year before.

From a performance standpoint, Rizzo has played well above the 216th spot he was selected in back in 2019. He has 39 goals and 123 points in 101 games, including a league-leading 41 this season in just 24 games with Denver. No college player has more points over the past three years than Rizzo, although he’s one of just a few to hit the 100-game mark.

For a player drafted in the seventh round, there’s no question there’s high upside. Rizzo’s skating has always been just average at best, but he has added some more fluidity and top-end speed over the past few years. Physically, I’m not sure about his NHL future. Rizzo is only 5-foot-10 and it can show against stronger competition.

Beyond that, it’s hard not to be intrigued here. I thought Rizzo looked good with Canada at the Spengler Cup, especially early on against Frolunda and Davos. He didn’t score, but he had some good looks and was generally one of Canada’s better forwards. Given the cost to acquire him, it was well worth the move to bring him in and see what he can do, potentially starting his pro career with a few games as early as this spring.

NCAA

– Will Smith has been unstoppable after coming up short on the scoresheet against Norway in the opening game of the world juniors. He had nine points in six games, including six in the playoff round, before returning to Boston College and ticking off four straight two-point efforts. Smith is one of the NCAA’s top players with 13 goals and 31 points in 21 games as a freshman, sitting three points behind New York Rangers draft pick Gabe Perreault. Taken fourth overall by the San Jose Sharks last June, Smith is going to be a dominant top-six NHLer one day – and hopefully that’s not too long away.

– While he played more of a shutdown role at the world juniors, University of Michigan defenseman Sam Rinzel has three three-assist efforts and 12 points total in his past five games since coming back from Sweden. The Chicago Blackhawks prospect has always used his release to generate rebounds while displaying high-quality play reads from the blueline to his advantage, and it has allowed him to be a point-per-game threat as a first-year college standout. Add in a 6-foot-4 frame and there’s so much to love here for a defenseman with a high ceiling.

AHL

– Brennan Othmann earned a three-game NHL stint with the New York Rangers earlier this month but didn’t have anything to show for it. But he has three points in his past four games in what’s been a solid season for the 21-year-old winger. A first-year pro hockey forward, Othmann has nine goals and 26 points and has done an excellent job of adjusting his trademark physical play for the AHL. I expect him to challenge for a middle-six role with the Rangers next year, but in all, it’s been an excellent showing for one of the more fascinating young power-forward prospects in the game today.

– Drafted 74th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2022, Viktor Neuchev is starting to heat up in his first season in North America. It took him a while to make an impact in the scoresheet with just four points in his first 18 games, but he’s riding a solid seven-point run over his past five games. Coach Seth Appert has rewarded him with more ice time and opportunities with quality linemates for a Rochester team with its fair share of ups and downs. I’m not sure what to make of Neuchev’s future just yet, but he’s starting to figure things out.

OHL

– Calum Ritchie didn’t play his first hockey action until mid-November after undergoing shoulder surgery, but it hasn’t slowed him down. He has two five-point games already this season, including a huge effort against Peterborough on Friday. Oshawa has been significantly better with Ritchie in the lineup, and his 20 points in eight games since Jan. 6 has made him one of the OHL’s most dangerous scorers. Last year was all about developing Ritchie’s two-way game – now, I fully believe the Colorado Avalanche prospect can break the 90-point barrier by the 50-game mark this season.

– London Knights forward Jacob Julian was originally passed over in 2022 and didn’t go until the fifth round to the Winnipeg Jets after splitting last year between the OHL and Jr. B. But he’s been lights out for the Knights this season, scoring 20 goals and 55 points in 42 games – including 17 points in his past nine games. He’s averaging around four shots a night in an increased role as the Knights continue on their 13-game winning streak. Julian’s skating looks a bit better than it was a year ago, but I’m not sure he’ll be more than a checking line center in the NHL if he can’t find another gear there. Defensively, though, he’s solid.

– Since joining the Saginaw Spirit ahead of the OHL Trade Deadline, Montreal Canadiens draft pick Owen Beck has found a way to unleash his offensive firepower. He had just one point at the world juniors, but he had a six-point debut with Saginaw on Jan. 10. He followed that up with a three-point affair two games later, contributing to his 12-point run in just six games with the Memorial Cup hosts. Beck was brought in to Peterborough last year to help them go the distance, and he helped them win the OHL championship. We’ll see if his magic continues to flow the rest of the way.

WHL

– After missing three weeks with an injury suffered during a world junior pre-tournament game, Tanner Molendyk returned to the Saskatoon Blades and scored four points in his first two games back. The Nashville Predators prospect is one of the best playmaking defenders in junior hockey right now, using his speed and creativity to his advantage. It’s good to see him getting back to the basics after separate knee and wrist injuries put a pause on what was an otherwise solid first half for the 2023 first-rounder.

KHL

– I’m starting to join the Nikita Grebyonkin hype train. It’s not every day you find a 20-year-old playing at a near 40-point pace as a sophomore, but Metallurg Magnitogorsk relies on the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect to generate chances. He has three multi-point efforts over his last six games, including three points in a 5-2 win over Admiral Vladivostok this past Friday. I like how Grebyonkin uses his 6-foot-2 frame to push past defenders and win battles along the boards, and he’s becoming a better shot-generator, too – highlighted by his two-goal, eight-shot showing on Jan. 11.

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