Senators Prospect: Ryan Potulny

On Monday, the Ottawa Senators acquired forward prospect Ryan Potulny and a 2nd round draft pick in 2011 to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for defenceman Chris Campoli and a conditional 7th round pick on 2011. The 7th round draft pick is on the condition that Potunlny re-signs with the Senators. Ryan Potunlny’s older brother, Grant, was drafted in the 5th round by the Senators in 2000 and played 4 seasons with the Binghamton Senators before moving on to another organization.

SCOUTING REPORT

Strengths
Shooting
Versatile - can play either center or wing
Two way player
Faceoffs

Areas For Improvement
Passing
Strength
Skating

Skill
Potulny is an offensive player who works hard and can play at both ends of the ice. He likes to shoot and has a knack for finding open ice to get into a scoring position. Potulny is a very versatile player as he can plan both center and wing – though he is a natural center with a good success at the faceoff circle. While he has good hands in the offensive zone, he is also responsible in his own end.

Potulny does a lot of things well, but only a few things really well. One of his weaknesses is the delivery of his passes, they could be more crisp and lead his man. Potulny is a good skater – good lateral movement – but he is not a great skater. To help take his game to the pro level, adding more weight and strength to his 6’ frame would be beneficial. Injuries have also been an issue at least twice in his career: He suffered a knee injury in his freshman year with University of Minnesota that limited to 15 games that season and later he suffered a less serious injury in his first season as pro.

NHL Potential
Depth forward

Career Notes

Ryan Potulny started out playing two seasons of juniors with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL. In his final season, Potulny was the league’s leading scorer with 35 goals and 78 points in 54 games. He was named the USHL Player of the Year as well as the USHL Top Forward and was named to the USHL’s first all-star team. Potulny was a key member of the Stars’ championship team in the 2003 USHL Clark Cup. Following his breakout season, Potulny was drafted in the 3rd round (87th overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Potulny committed to the University of Minnesota in the WCHA and played three seasons before moving on to the professional ranks. He was limited to 15 games in his freshman after sustained a knee injury. In 2004, he turned down an offer from the Flyers, because he felt the need to stay one more season before turning pro to help enhance his game.

Between 2005-2008, Potulny played the majority of the season with the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms. Being behind prospects like Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, Potulny only found himself playing 44 games with the Flyers during this time. However, in the AHL, Potulny emerged as an impact player scoring 24 points in 27 games. He also had a solid season when called up to the Flyers recording 12 points in 35 games.

In June 2008, Ryan Potulny was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Danny Syvret and ended up signing a 1-year deal with the Oilers. He spent two seasons between the Oilers and Springfield Falcons (their AHL affiliate). In 2008-09, he scored the second most goals in a single season by a Falcons’ player with 38 goals.

In 2010, he signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Chicago Blackhawks to a 1 year two-way contract. He only played 3 games with the Blackhawks this season.

Awards

2002–03: USHL Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award
2002-2003: USHL Player of the Year
2002-2003: USHL Top Forward
2002-2003: USHL’s first all-star team
2004–05: WCHA Third All-Star Team
2005–06: WCHA First Team Honoree
2005–06: Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist
2008–09: Named to the AHL All-Star Classic in Worcester, MA