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Calgary Flames

Top 25 Under 25: #7 Micheal Ferland

Ferland burst onto the scene during the 2014-15 playoffs, but didn’t live up to expectations last season.

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#7: Micheal Ferland

Position: F

Age: 24

Team: Calgary Flames

Drafted: 2010 #133 (Round 5)

Micheal Ferland made a name for himself in the 2014-15 playoffs by becoming the Vancouver Canucks personal boogie man. Ferland literally hit everything that skated past him and energized the team and the fan base. This past season was Ferland’s first full NHL season and it was slightly disappointing. Ferland ascended to the top line with Gaudreau and Monahan for a while, but then found himself at the bottom, scratched and in meetings with Bob Hartley, who was reminding Ferland to be physical.

In 71 games last season Ferland has 18 points. 4 of those were goals. His lack of offense was semi puzzling, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. He took 122 shots on net last season and seemed totally snake bitten for most of the season. The 122 shots placed him 9th on the team, but every player ahead of him had at least 32 points.

Ferland seems to be in a weird predicament: is he a 4th line bruiser or can he be a 3rd liner who can find the back of the net or is he a little bit of both? When Ferland’s game is on he’s got great speed. He knows how to attack the net, but he also knows how to switch to the physical role he’s getting a name for. The 2016-17 season needs to be the year Ferland figures it out. There’s a lot of young talent in Stockton that could be coming up and that has the potential to make him expendable. Confused? Why is Ferland ranked #7, but expendable? Ferland has regular and post season experience. He’s shown enough flash to warrant a high ranking, but with the likes of Jankowski, Tkachuk and Poirier trending upwards, Ferland needs to assert himself and take that next step before he’s lost in the shuffle.

by Mark Parkinson