Young talent shining brightly in AHL

Several top NHL prospects have additions to their resumes as the American Hockey League continues to hand out its regular-season awards.
Here is a look at some of the top young players and coaches that have been honored by the NHL's top developmental league as of Tuesday:

Pascal Vincent, Manitoba (Winnipeg Jets)

The work Vincent has done earned him the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's outstanding coach.
Winnipeg preached a draft-and-develop strategy from the moment Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff arrived in 2011. It's Vincent's job to convert that raw talent found by the scouting staff of the Jets into NHL-ready players.
"[Jets management] had a vision," Vincent said. "The goal was to create a winning culture. It was to make sure that we draft properly and make sure that we do the right things over and over."
That winning culture has also taken root in the AHL. Recalls and injuries have slowed Manitoba in the second half, but a 27-6-2-1 run, stretching across three months, left enough cushion for Manitoba to clinch a playoff berth in the grueling Central Division.
Vincent, 46, has seen the organization from each side of the NHL-AHL divide. He spent five seasons as a Jets assistant coach and then took the Manitoba job last season. He brings a low-key, detail-oriented approach to the job.

Sami Niku and Mason Appleton, Manitoba

Most of the attention surrounding the success in the NHL Draft for the Jets has centered on their first-round finds.
However, they have unearthed late-round talent as well.
One of those gems is defenseman Sami Niku, who has piled up awards. He won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL's top defenseman and is also on the All-Rookie Team and the First All-Star Team.
He is the first rookie to win the Eddie Shore Award since Justin Schultz in 2012-13.
Niku (6-foot, 194 pounds), 21, was taken by the Jets in the seventh round (No. 198) of the 2015 NHL Draft. In his first season in North American, he has 53 points (16 goals, 37 assists), second among defensemen in goals, assists and points. His mobility and puck-moving skill make him a natural fit on a Manitoba power play that is second in the AHL (21.1 percent).
Appleton, (6-2, 201), 22, is on the All-Rookie Team and the First All-Star Team. He is fourth in AHL scoring with 63 points (21 goals, 42 assists) in 73 games. The Jets made him a sixth-round pick (No. 168) in 2015.

Ville Husso, San Antonio (St. Louis Blues)

St. Louis does not have its own AHL affiliate and has had to scatter its players among several AHL teams.
That's how Ville Husso ended up in San Antonio, the Colorado Avalanche affiliate. It worked out well, though, as was selected as the goaltender on the All-Rookie Team.
Husso (6-2, 205), 23, is a strong candidate to challenge for the No. 1 goaltending job in St. Louis eventually. The Blues selected him in the fourth round (No. 94) of the 2014 NHL Draft.
He kept San Antonio, a team hit hard by recalls by two NHL teams throughout the season, in playoff contention until April. Along with a 15-13-5 record in 37 games, his .926 save percentage is fifth in the AHL, and his 2.32 goals-against average places eighth.

Dylan Strome, Tucson (Arizona Coyotes)

Strome (6-3, 185), 21, has dominated at times and earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team. His 50 points (22 goals, 28 assists) in 47 games rank fifth among AHL rookies.
The Coyotes have taken a patient approach with Strome, the third pick in the 2015 draft, and allowed him to take his time in Tucson alongside forwards Lawson Crouse and Nick Merkley, each also selected in the first round in 2015.
That method has paid off. Strome showed promise with the Coyotes, especially in a late-season recall. He finished with nine points (four goals, five assists) in 21 games.

More talent

Binghamton defenseman Jacob MacDonald is playing on an AHL contract, but the parent New Jersey Devils could face a lot of competition if they wish to retain him this summer.
MacDonald (6-0, 208), 25, leads all defensemen in points (55) and goals (20), and his 35 assists rank third. That play earned him a spot on the First All-Star Team.
Forward Andreas Johnsson (5-10, 190), selected by the Maple Leafs in the seventh round (No. 202) of the 2013 NHL Draft, is a good bet to challenge for a full-time NHL job next season. His 54 points (26 goals, 28 assists) in 54 games sparked the AHL's fifth-best offense (3.29 goals per game) and landed him on the AHL Second All-Star Team. Toronto won the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as the regular-season champion.
Forward Daniel Sprong of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Pittsburgh Penguins) is tied for fifth in AHL scoring with 61 points (30 goals, 31 assists) and was named to the All-Rookie Team. Pittsburgh chose Sprong (6-0, 195), 21, in the second round (No. 46) of the 2015 draft.

Calder Cup Playoff picture

The Eastern Conference playoff field is set. Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia Flyers) won the Atlantic Division and will be joined by Charlotte (Carolina Hurricanes), Providence (Boston Bruins), Rochester (Buffalo Sabres), Syracuse (Tampa Bay Lightning), Toronto, Utica (Vancouver Canucks), and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Defending Calder Cup champion Grand Rapids (Detroit Red Wings) has clinched a playoff berth, along with Chicago (Vegas Golden Knights), Manitoba, Ontario (Los Angeles Kings), Texas (Dallas Stars), and Tucson in the Western Conference. The Central Division and Pacific Division each have one playoff berth remaining.
The regular season end April 15.