The NHL Redux: Filip Forsberg and the art of bridging the gap

No two paths to the NHL are alike. 

It's direct for few, perpetually winding for most, but for top-end prospects who have aspirations of starring at the NHL level, the perfect formula probably falls somewhere in between. 

Filip Forsberg's start to his (official) rookie season is unlike anything we've seen since Evgeni Malkin collected 24 points in his first 20 games in 2006. The Nashville Predators forward is not only dominating across the rookie scoring board, but owns the advanced data to suggest he's the most dominant force in the game at even strength.

For prospects, the shortest route is always most desirable, but Forsberg's slow burn lends support to the notion the American Hockey League, despite its under-utilization, is an invaluable launching pad to the NHL.

Dean Evason is the head coach of the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, and the man charged with overseeing the final stages of Forsberg's development. He sees firsthand the benefit of having prospects who are equal parts talented and raw cut their teeth in the NHL's feeder system.

"It’s a crucial step," Evason told theScore. "It’s rare that you see these guys, regardless of their skill level, make the jump immediately. (His) development, as far as on-ice and off, was because he was able to train (in the AHL)."

Nail Yakupov was selected ten slots ahead of Forsberg in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, first overall to the Edmonton Oilers. The Russian-born, Canadian Major Junior-bred winger achieved immediate success in the league, scoring five goals in nine "free" games - including that show-stopping last-second goal against the defending champion Los Angeles Kings. 

In that minuscule sample size Yakupov left no doubt: he belonged in the NHL. Besides, first-overall picks don't go back to junior. But in sticking with Edmonton, where he has since been reduced to bottom-six minutes under Dallas Eakins' watch, Yakupov's failure to properly develop ancillary skills has voided his offensive talent. 

Having already played professionally in Sweden, Forsberg didn't have the option the Oilers ignored with Yakupov. It's a situation that might be considered a disadvantage - one that could sway the decision between a North American skater and a European - but one that helped the Predators rookie avoid a potentially stunted development. 

"We put him in every situation. He played clearly on the power play, five-on-five and a man down - we gave him an opportunity to pay in all those areas," Evason said. "Maybe he doesn't kill penalties in Nashville, but it allowed him to learn a defensive game, a different mindset when he goes out there. 

"He understands that to have the whole package, you have to not only score, but keep the puck out of your net as well."

(Hey, how does that sound, Oilers fans?)

Evason and his coaching staff had a simple evaluation of Forsberg upon arrival in Milwaukee: he was a talented player with a tremendous shot who couldn't shake the European style. 

So they went to work on their project, aiming to eliminate what Evason calls the "swinging" in his game. They expounded stops, starts and had Forsberg focus on battling for the puck to earn his offensive opportunities. 

One season later, Forsberg boasts numbers that surely haunt the Washington Capitals, who dropped the mic on deadline day two years back by dealing their prized draftee before ever having played on this side of the Atlantic. 

Forsberg leads the league with a plus-20 rating, while the Predators average 5.25 goals for every 60 minutes he features compared to 0.46 goals against - far and away the best ratio among players who have played more than 200 minutes.

As long as time served in the AHL continues to burn the entry-level seasons that are protected in major junior, the second best league in the world will always be the path traveled least. 

But with Forsberg starring and players like Yakupov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Adam Larsson stuck in the mud, forward-thinking organizations could start to see burning a cheap season now as a worthy investment down the road. 

The Next 48 

Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET

After being embarrassed by their bitter rivals last time out, the Bruins hope home will cure what has ailed them against the Canadiens over the last four games. 

Montreal has outscored Boston 18-6 in four consecutive wins dating back to last season's playoff series, a stretch that has since peaked with a 5-1 drubbing at the Bell Centre last week. 

Boston's struggles, of course, have seemingly brought out the worst in Milan Lucic and transformed his antagonist, Dale Weise, into a superman. The Canadiens' utility player scored a goal, finished with two points and fought Gregory Campbell in just over eight minutes of ice time in their last meeting. 

Saturday will mark the Bruins' first opportunity to beat Montreal (which have won seven of its last eight) on home ice since Game 7 last spring. 

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vancouver Canucks: 9:30 p.m. ET

From the best rivalry in the NHL to a matchup that once held the distinction, the Blackhawks will head back to Vancouver for the weekend nightcap. 

It marks the first meeting between the familiar combatants this season and the first in 10 months, and serves as the final stop in a three-game-across-four-night span through Western Canada for the Blackhawks. 

Vancouver continues to rack up points at an unexpected rate and one oddly similar to the Blackhawks of late, each having won five of their last eight games. 

The Canucks, second in the Western Conference, own a five-team buffer over the Blackhawks in the West standings, despite Chicago's goal differential (the conference's best) being 15 points better. 

The Pylon

Phil Kessel is an athlete easy to identify with. He's an NHL player that enjoys the simple things in life and, aside from his occupation, is really just another average dude walking among us. 

He enjoys a fast-food run, hanging with his best bud and gets a little irritable when things don't go quite right. But unlike Kessel, the rest of us toe the line when things go awry, fulfilling our obligations.

Phil, you make exorbitant amount of money doing just about the bare minimum by your own admission. Let the people who cover your team do more than that. 

Parting Shots

1) It took Olli Jokinen 57 total periods, but he finally secured his first point with the Predators 19 games into his tenure. It's now official: absolutely everything is going right in Nashville. 

2) The Canadiens - first in the East - clearly have next season on their minds. They cleared roughly $5 million in 2015 cap space with the dealings of Travis Moen and Rene Bourque over the past two weeks. 

3) Ironically, the millions of dollars probably pales in comparison to what Jack Johnson's parents really took away from him.

4) After Jason Spezza signed a four-year, $30-million pact to stay in Dallas until 2019, No. 90 will have earned $90 million in career earnings by the age of 35. 

5) I've always believed Kessel would be more effective behind a real star.

6) After giving up 15 goals in two losses to the Sabres and Predators, the Maple Leafs dropped from 15th to 25th in goals against.

7) Matthew Broderick would be proud of the lengths Claude Giroux went to play hooky from the Flyers' season-ticket-holder event.

8) Imagine the last month for the Penguins' medical staff, who have diagnosed a cancerous tumor in a 21-year-old's neck and a blood clot in the lung of one the most popular guys in the organization.

9) Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov have combined for 45 points in the last 14 games for the Lightning.

10) We hope Valeri Nichushkin saw Steve Carell's hip guy.