Like A Pro: 3 prospects with NHL-level skill sets

Here are three prospects at varying stages of development who have skill sets good enough for the NHL:

Rasmus Dahlin

Dahlin is the projected first overall pick in the upcoming 2018 NHL Draft. The Swedish defenseman may be just 17 years old, but many parts of his game are already NHL-ready.

Scouts rave about him on both offense and defense. In fact, TSN analyst Ray Ferraro claims Dahlin defends like Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom, and skates like two-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. Not bad.

The 6-foot-2 blue-liner currently has five goals and six assists in 26 games with Frolunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League (the country's top professional league), and could undoubtedly hold his own with the best players in the world if he was of age.

Nikita Gusev

If the NHL was truly made up of all the best players in the world, Gusev would be here. However, due to the KHL, there are a few supreme talents not playing in the world's best league. Gusev is one of them.

The 25-year-old forward was a seventh-round pick by the Lightning in 2012, but his rights are now owned by the Vegas Golden Knights.

Gusev currently sits third in KHL scoring after finishing fourth a year ago. On the international stage, he had 14 points in 10 games at the 2017 World Championship.

Even though he's just 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, his quickness, vision, and creativity seem tailor-made for today's NHL. Unfortunately for Vegas, Gusev will be able to enter the league as an unrestricted free agent once his two-year deal in the KHL is up.

Garret Sparks

Sparks has been the AHL's best goalie this season, and it really isn't close. In 15 games, he's 11-3-0 with a 1.68 goals-against average, a .942 save percentage, and two shutouts.

Some may point to the team in front of him, the first-place Toronto Marlies, as the main reason for his success, but the 24-year-old has put together quite the AHL career. In 93 games at that level spanning six seasons, Sparks owns a very strong 2.21 GAA and .925 SV%.

In his lone NHL stint - a 17-game stretch in 2015-16 - Sparks registered a 3.02 GAA and .893 SV%. While that doesn't seem pretty, it isn't all that bad considering the Maple Leafs were the worst team in the NHL that year. The former seventh-round pick is clearly ready for another opportunity.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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