It\u2019s still early in the season, but we\u2019ve seen plenty of the AHL\u2019s top players earn call-ups to the big leagues.<\/p>\n
New Jersey\u2019s <\/a>Nico Daws, Vegas\u2019 <\/a>Carl Lindbom, Carolina\u2019s<\/a> Domenick Fensore and the New York Islanders\u2019<\/a> Marshall Warren are among some of the recent players given chances to prove themselves in the NHL. Injuries obviously play a role in these moves \u2013 but, sometimes, their play a step down warrants a promotion.<\/p>\n Today, we\u2019re taking a look at five notable NHL prospects starting off hot in the AHL. We\u2019ll see some in The Show before too long, while others are just trying to prove they\u2019re worth keeping an eye on:<\/p>\n Isak Ros\u00e9n, LW, Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres<\/a>)<\/p>\n Ros\u00e9n is coming off a second straight 50-plus-point season with Rochester. This year? He\u2019s on pace for more than double that output. The Swedish forward has 10 points in seven games, with at least one point in every game that Rochester has scored in this year. He isn\u2019t shooting a ton of volume, but he\u2019s making his opportunities count. He has always been dangerous as an offensive dual threat \u2013 passer and a shooter \u2013 and he\u2019s playing the best hockey of his short career.<\/p>\n Ros\u00e9n is one of the best players in the American League. But at some point, Ros\u00e9n will need to prove to the Buffalo brass that he\u2019s capable of taking his game up a step. The pending RFA has just one assist in 15 games to his credit over his NHL career, although ice time has been hard to come by.<\/p>\n Lardis is the ultimate boom-bust prospect. He\u2019s coming off an incredible 72-goal season with the OHL\u2019s Brantford Bulldogs \u2013\u00a0marking one of the most productive goal-scoring seasons ever by an OHLer. Many in the industry questioned whether he\u2019d be able to carry that momentum into the pro ranks \u2013\u00a0was he going to become a power-play merchant, or were the numbers legit?<\/p>\n So far, so good. The 20-year-old has 11 points in eight games to put him near the top of the AHL scoring race. It\u2019s incredible \u2013 and those numbers are in spite of a lackluster scoring start for the winger. He has just two goals, so imagine how lethal he\u2019ll be once he starts getting pucks in the back of the net. Lardis\u2019 game is still all about generating quality offense, and his consistency this year has been remarkable. Stop giving him space out there because he\u2019ll exploit it.<\/p>\n Talk about seizing the moment. A preseason injury to Mackenzie Blackwood meant Eagles starter Trent Miner was called up to start the year with the big club. That allowed Posch \u2013 a college free agent signing last year \u2013 to take center stage. The 23-year-old has a 4-1-0 record with two shutouts and a .922 save percentage in his first full season of pro hockey duty. <\/p>\n The Eagles are a strong team, but unlike other top contenders, they don\u2019t have someone absolutely running away offensively. Daniil Guschin has been great with six goals and seven points through five games, but Posch has been easily one of the top goaltenders in the AHL this season. Not too shabby for a late bloomer. Is he a legit future NHLer? We\u2019ll see how the rest of the season goes, but he has absolutely been a nice find for a team with little prospect depth.<\/p>\n