Position: Center
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 198
Birthdate: April 22, 1989 (22 years old)
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| Credit: IslesInfo |
Acquired: Draft, Round 4, 102nd overall, 2008 NHL Entry Draft
2010-2011 Teams: Bridgeport Sound Tigers
2010-2011 Stats (BPT): 67 GP - 17 G - 24 A - 41 P - 36 PIM
2011-2012 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Team Role: Top 6 Forward
Last year: Ullstrom came onto the North American scene last season, putting together a very solid season for a poor Bridgeport team. He scored 17 goals and 41 points over the course of his 67 game season, playing in a prominent role. This was a major change for Ullstrom, who is a player that played in the SEL as a teenager in limited minutes. Ullstrom proved last year that he is not a throwaway prospect, and makes the competition at forward much tougher.
Expectations: Ullstrom is going to be counted on this season to be one of the Tigers' more productive player. Now that Ullstrom is acquainted with the North American game, he should be ready to go and have a true AHL breakout season next year. He will be playing top-6 minutes all year, possibly with Rhett Rakhshani or Tim Wallace - two proven productive players in their own right. Whether the Isles are relying too heavily on their young players at the AHL level is up for debate. What is not up for debate is the fact that Ullstrom needs to be outstanding for the Tigers to make a playoff push this year.
Projections: GP 71 - 22 G - 31 A - 53 P
Thoughts:
CH: One of our common themes over the course of the AHL spectrum is that we are expecting every player to progress at a level that benefits the organization. Of course, if that was always the case the Isles would be in a great position. Since that is not the case, it's clear there are players that have the potential to regress over the next season. It is my belief that David Ullstrom is not one of these players. The tools are there - he can play good two-way hockey at a high level. What Ullstrom needs to do is further put his skills together to put forth a high-level, consistent season from top to bottom. It's already possible that he sees some NHL if injuries hit, but what he can do to expedite that process is continue to develop his all-around game while being productive on the scoreboard. Like most prospects, Ullstrom is certainly one to watch this season.
AT: A young player who I still have high hopes for, Ullstrom needs to have a very strong year in order to be considered for the system. With Brock Nelson, Ryan Strome, Anders Lee (though he may end up playing wing in the pros), Johan Sundstrom and Casey Cizikas in the fold, center depth is incredibly heavy. We know he has the vision to become a top 9 forward in the NHL, and it would be really great to see that come to pass. I doubt he's ever going to find his way onto the top line, but if for some reason Frans Nielsen is not retained then he would be a nice fill in considering his defensive prowess and puckhandling skills. If he can put it together and a slot opens up for him, he would be a fantastic addition to the Isles. This is a big season for him to see where he winds up on the depth chart.
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