This season Bolt Prospects introduced our Prospect of the Week award, an honor (virtually) given to one Tampa Bay Lightning prospect for their on-ice contributions.
We wanted to highlight prospects throughout the year to help fans get better acquainted with the next round of Lightning stars while recognizing the prospect’s achievement on the ice.
This week’s BP Prospect of the Week award goes to … Alex Killorn [6], Norfolk Admirals (AHL).
Norfolk fans were thanking the heavens for Alex Killorn last week as the pre-rookie pro (he’s on a tryout contract after finishing at Harvard) scored the overtime winner for the Admirals to clinch their first round Calder Cup series against Manchester.
Killorn, a First Team All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association, had four points in two games last week. On Wednesday, he had two assists as Norfolk beat Manchester 5-2 on the road to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-5 series. Then on Friday, he had the primary assist on Evan Oberg’s first period goal that tied the game at one goal apiece. Killorn carried the puck into the zone on the play, retrieved the rebound of his own shot, then protected the puck along the boards before feeding it to Oberg on the blueline. Oberg’s point shot found it’s way through goaltender Jeff Zatkoff and into the net.
On his overtime winner, Killorn followed up an outstanding individual effort by teammate Alex Picard, who had escaped a check on the wall to create a 2 on 1 down low on Zatkoff. His pass was blocked by a sliding defenseman, but Killorn was there to deposit the puck into the upper portion of the net to send the Admirals on to the second round with a 4-3 win.
Killorn, who looks pro ready now and is ranked the organization's top prospect by Bolt Prospects, could be a serious contender for a spot on the Lightning next season. He needs some professional seasoning, which he’s getting right now for Norfolk. Technically, he’s not a professional rookie until next year when his entry contract kicks in.
The former Harvard star has six points in four playoff games so far – all coming in the last three contests.
Previous BP Prospects of the Week:
Riku Helenius [7], JYP (Finland) - April 25, 2012 [8]
Cory Conacher [9], Norfolk Admirals (AHL) - April 16, 2012 [10]
Mark Barberio [11], Norfolk Admirals (AHL) - April 11, 2012 [12]
Tyler Johnson [13], Norfolk Admirals (AHL) - April 4, 2012 [14]
Norfolk Admirals Hockey Club (AHL) - March 27, 2012 [15]
Richard Panik [16], Norfolk Admirals (AHL) - March 21, 2012 [17]
Tyler Johnson, Norfolk Admirals (AHL) - March 13, 2012 [18]
Danick Gauthier, Saint John (QMJHL) - March 6, 2012 [19]
Matt Peca, Quinnipiac (NCAA) - February 29, 2012 [20]
Pat Nagle [21], Florida (ECHL) - February 21, 2012 [22]
Alex Hutchings [23], Florida (ECHL) - February 14, 2012 [24]
Alex Killorn, Harvard (NCAA) - February 6, 2012 [25]
Adam Wilcox [26], Tri-City (USHL) and Alex Killorn, Harvard (NCAA) - January 30, 2012 [27]
Nikita Kucherov [28], CSKA Jr. (Russia) - January 24, 2012 [29]
Riku Helenius, JYP (Finland) - January 16, 2012 [30]
Brett Connolly [31], Canada (U20 WJC) - January 10, 2012 [32]
*Due to the Christmas break when few games below the NHL level were played, no POTW award was given.
Mark Barberio, Norfolk Admirals (AHL) - December 19, 2011 [33]
Vladislav Namestnikov [34], London Knights (OHL) - December 12, 2011 [35]
Tyler Johnson, Norfolk Admirals (AHL) - December 5, 2011 [36]
Alex Killorn, Harvard (NCAA) - November 28, 2011 [37]
Nikita Kucherov, Team Russia/CSKA Jr. (MHL) - November 21, 2011 [38]
Vladislav Namestnikov, London Knights (OHL) - November 14, 2011 [39]
Dustin Tokarski [40], Norfolk Admirals (AHL) - November 6, 2011 [41]
Riku Helenius, JYP (Finland) - October 30, 2011 [42]
Matthew Peca [43], Quinnipiac Bobcats - October 23, 2011 [44]
Radko Gudas [45], Norfolk Admirals - October 16, 2011 [44]
Carter Ashton [46], Norfolk Admirals - October 9, 2011 [47]
Brett Connolly, Tampa Bay Lightning - October 2, 2011 [48]
Mattias Ritola [49], Tampa Bay Lightning - September 25, 2011 [50]