Ranking the Boston Bruins' Top 15 Prospects

With former No. 1 prospect Dougie Hamilton now settled in Boston, the time has come to re-evaluate the Bruins' top youngsters. 

Four Bruins prospects recently showed off their skills at the World Junior Championships, while others continue to impress in the AHL, OHL and NCAA.

Here is a look at the best of Boston's crop of youths: 

15. Cody Payne

Current Team: Plymouth Whalers, OHL

Age: 19 

Drafted: Fifth Round, 145th Overall, 2012

Florida native Cody Payne has improved dramatically since being drafted last summer. This season the power winger is taking fewer penalties and scoring roughly five times as many goals as he did last season. 

Through 48 games, his 33 points mark a 29-point increase over his total from a year ago. After a streaky start to the season, Payne managed a point-per-game clip in January. 

He'll need plenty of seasoning over the next few years, but he could turn into a solid third-line winger in Boston. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
Plymouth Whalers	OHL	48	15	18	33	9

14. Carter Camper

Current Team: Providence Bruins

Age: 24

Drafted: Free Agent

Carter Camper is the oldest player on this list, but he shouldn't be underestimated. 

The 5'9" former University of Miami captain went undrafted due to his size, but his scoring ability is the real deal. 

The hard-working forward ranks first in points among Providence players who have not been called up to the NHL this season, and he could see spot duty in Boston later this year.

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
Providence Bruins	AHL	36	5	23	28	-5

13. Brian Ferlin

Current Team: Cornell University, NCAA-ECAC

Age: 20

Drafted: Fourth Round, 121st Overall, 2011

Cornell sophomore Brian Ferlin has a lot in common with fellow Bruins prospect Cody Payne. Both 200-pound power forwards grew up in Florida, and both are expanding their offensive skills this season. 

After a strong freshman campaign for the Big Red, Ferlin got off to a slow start in 2012-13. Though his play was hardly lacking, he struggled to rack up points. However, he has started to build momentum of late, and he is beginning to catch some attention. 

He's a long-term project, but he could be a strong two-way winger at the next level. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
Cornell University	NCAA	21	5	8	13	+4

12. Lars Volden

Current Team: Jokipojat, Finland2 (On loan from Espoo Blues, SM-liiga)

Age: 20

Drafted: Sixth Round, 181st Overall, 2011

Though overshadowed by Malcolm Subban and Niklas Svedberg, Lars Volden has shown tons of potential in Finland this season. 

While playing for the Espoo Blues, Volden led the entire SM-liiga in goals-against average (2.01) while ranking fourth in save percentage (.927) right behind Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Anders Lindbäck, who spent the lockout in Finland. 

Now on loan with Jokipojat in Finland's second tier, Volden is continuing to thrive, though playing against weaker competition. More top-flight European experience could help the Norse goalie climb the Boston ladder. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	GAA	SV%
Espoo Blues	SM-liiga	11	2.01	.927
Jokipojat	Finland2	12	2.78	.915

11. Tommy Cross

Current Team: Providence Bruins, AHL

Age: 23

Drafted: Second Round, 35th Overall, 2007

After captaining Boston College to the NCAA title last spring, Tommy Cross has his heart set on a return to Beantown. 

The balanced defenseman has impressed in Providence and could translate his leadership ability and work ethic into an NHL roster spot fairly soon. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
Providence Bruins	AHL	23	1	5	6	+3

10. David Warsofsky

Current Team: Providence Bruins, AHL

Age: 22

Drafted: Fourth Round, 95th Overall, 2008 (St. Louis Blues)

Like Providence teammate Tommy Cross, David Warsofsky played his college hockey in Boston and has a national championship on his resume.

The undersized but offensively gifted Boston University alum was one of the last cuts from Boston's abbreviated January camp and could be in line for a call-up to the big leagues sometime soon. 

Acquired from the Blues in exchange for Vladimir Sobotka in 2010, Warsofsky has a long ways to go before justifying the trade that brought him to Boston, but he has the talent to deliver. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
Providence Bruins	AHL	37	3	10	13	-1

9. Jared Knight

Current Team: Providence Bruins, AHL

Age: 21

Drafted: Second Round, 32nd Overall, 2010

Selected with a draft pick acquired in the Phil Kessel trade that also brought Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton to Boston, Jared Knight could someday make the well-known deal look completely lopsided. 

Though injuries have limited him to just three games this season, Knight is a gifted forward with top-six potential at the next level. Last season he notched 52 points in 52 games as he led the London Knights to an OHL title. He should be lighting up AHL scoreboards soon, as long as he can stay on the ice.

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
Providence Bruins	AHL	3	0	0	0	-2

8. Matt Grzelcyk

Current Team: Boston University, NCAA-Hockey East

Age: 19

Drafted: Third Round, 85th Overall, 2012

Boston native Matt Grzelcyk has been a revelation on Comm. Ave. during his freshman season at Boston University. An offensive wizard on the blue line, Matt Grzelcyk could be a power-play weapon down the road. 

He was the last cut from the American team that won gold at the World Junior Championships, but three-and-a-half more years of tutelage from BU coach Jack Parker should make him a tremendous asset at the NHL level. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
Boston University	NCAA	23	2	14	16	+9

7. Anthony Camara

Current Team: Barrie Colts, OHL

Age: 19

Drafted: Third Round, 81st Overall, 2011

Once considered to be little more than a big body bound for checking-line duty at the next level, Anthony Camara has changed a lot of minds this year by overhauling his offensive game. 

After a dismal 14-point campaign a year ago, Camara has exploded for 28 goals and 22 points this season, with plenty of time left to augment his totals. 

A hot start to the year earned him a surprise spot on Team Canada for the World Juniors, where he reminded the hockey world that his offensive improvement has not come at the expense of his notorious physical game. Camara received a suspension for dishing out the hardest hit of the tournament (video above), but a closer look reveals that the brutal blow was completely clean. 

Though he may never justify comparisons to Milan Lucic, Camara should be a prototypical big bad Bruin.

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
Barrie Colts	OHL	39	28	22	50	+13
Canada	WJC	6	0	2	2	+1

6. Seth Griffith

Current Team: London Knights, OHL

Age: 20

Drafted: Fifth Round, 131st Overall, 2012

Seth Griffith has spent the season scoring at a blistering rate. Until recently he ranked first in the Ontario Hockey League in points, and he has since been surpassed by only Philadelphia Flyers prospect Nick Cousins. 

Passed over for four rounds in the 2012 draft, Griffith could be a diamond in the rough. Debate rages as to how he'll translate to the NHL game, but his work rate, vision and nose for the net could make him a star. 

He may never match his major junior dominance at the next level, but he certainly could be a top-six forward in a few years. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
London Knights	OHL	51	31	46	77	+18

5. Torey Krug

Current Team: Providence Bruins, AHL

Age: 21

Drafted: Free Agent

Former Michigan State Spartans captain Torey Krug is one of many undersized defensemen in the Bruins system, but he is probably the best. 

Despite his small stature, Krug is no slouch in his own zone. He is a mature, hard-working defender who isn't afraid to throw his body around. On the other hand he is just as strong at the offensive end. 

Although he started slow in his first full professional season, he has been on a tear of late. In five games since January 25, he has posted three goals, six assists and plus-five rating. 

The 21-year-old joined the Bruins as an undrafted free agent late last season and has already enjoyed a taste of the NHL. He won't wait long to get another crack. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
Providence Bruins	AHL	35	6	11	17	-3

4. Niklas Svedberg

Current Team: Providence Bruins, AHL

Age: 23

Drafted: Free Agent

Niklas Svedberg has quickly established himself as a top prospect since signing with the Bruins this summer, after leading Brynäs IF to the Elitserien title in his native Sweden. 

Svedberg dominated an early-season goaltending battle with incumbent Michael Hutchinson to become Providence's first choice in net. He then went on to earn a spot in the AHL All-Star Game. 

His 20 wins rank second in the AHL, while his goals-against average and save percentage rest comfortably within the league's top ten. 

With questions surrounding Boston's goaltending depth, he could make his NHL debut this season. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	GAA	SV%
Providence Bruins	AHL	29	2.24	.924

3. Malcolm Subban

Current Team: Belleville Bulls, OHL

Age: 19

Drafted: First Round, 24th Overall, 2012

The Bruins' most recent first-round pick has enjoyed a remarkable season in Belleville, pushing a low scoring squad into the OHL's elite. The athletic netminder ranks second among OHL goalies in goals-against average and third in save percentage. 

Though he suffered plenty of undue criticism for his part in Canada's World Junior Championship disappointment, Subban turned in a strong performance at the U-20 showcase. 

He started all but one of Canada's games, including group-stage wins over a gold-medal winning Team USA and tournament host Russia. 

The supremely talented teenager is raw but projects to be an elite-level workhorse at the NHL level. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	GAA	SV%
Belleville Bulls	OHL	32	2.20	.931
Canada	WJC	6	2.76	.901

2. Ryan Spooner

Current Team: Providence Bruins, AHL

Age: 21

Drafted: Second Round, 45th Overall, 2010

Earning his first NHL call-up this week, Ryan Spooner may not be a prospect for long. The playmaking forward is set to make his debut against the Canadiens in Montreal on February 5. 

He ranks second on the P-Bruins in points in his first professional season, and he may be ready to make an impact in Boston. 

Though he hasn't been afforded much time to develop in Providence, the 21-year-old is mature beyond his years and has loads of offensive upside. Keep an eye out for him in the NHL over the next few weeks. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
Providence Bruins	AHL	35	9	21	30	12

1. Alexander Khokhlachev

Current Team: Windsor Spitfires, OHL

Age: 19

Drafted: Second Round, 40th Overall, 2011

Russian forward Alexander Khokhlachev is Boston's new No. 1 prospect. The high-scoring winger has top-six forward written all over him. 

Though a brief stint in Russia's KHL didn't pan out as hoped, Khokhlachev has found ample opportunity to showcase his talents this season. He played alongside Nail Yakupov on Russia's top line at the World Junior Championships for the second straight year, producing five points in seven games en route to a bronze medal. 

Following the tournament, Khokhlachev made the decision to return to the Ontario Hockey League to further develop his game. Back in Canada, he has lit up the scoreboard with 18 points in 12 games. 

Though he will likely need to spend a year or two in the AHL before carving out a spot in Boston, Khokhlachev is overflowing with upside and has the most star potential of any Boston prospect. 

2012-13 Stats: 

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	+/-
Windsor Spitfires	OHL	12	9	9	18	0
Spartak Moscow	KHL	26	2	5	7	0
Russia	WJC	7	3	2	5	+3