In the System: Tankov, Svejkovsky stand out early

As hockey season gets into full swing, "In the System," originally a Pirates prospect weekly feature, will transition into a weekly look at the Penguins' prospects.

Each week we'll take a look at what each of the Penguins' prospects in college, junior, or Europe have been up to.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coverage will remain its own separate entity. You can check out the story from Wilkes-Barre's season-opening win led by the Finns here, and the story from the second game with a look at Cam Lee's move to the right side of the defense here.

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FORWARDS

Judd Caulfield
Position: Right wing
Size: 6-3/207
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, fifth round
Team: University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Season totals: 4 games, 1 goal, 3 assists

Caulfield has been playing on the right side of North Dakota's second line to start the season. He scored the game-winner on Friday against Bemidji State.

Raivis Ansons
Position: Right wing/left wing
Size: 6-1/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, fifth round
Team: Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
Season totals: 2 games, 3 assists

Ansons was injured in the offseason in the Latvian national team's training camp and missed the Penguins' development camp and training camp and the start of the QMJHL season. He returned for the Drakkar on Friday, skating on the left side of the Drakkar's second line.

Tristan Broz
Position: Center/wing
Size: 6-0/179
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, second round
Team: University of Minnesota (NCAA)
Season totals: 4 games, 2 assists

Broz recorded an assist in each of his first two games in Minnesota's series against Mercyhurst. Minnesota has used him on both wings, on the second and third line.

Liam Gorman
Position: Center
Size: 6-3/199
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2018, sixth round
Team: Princeton University (NCAA)
Season totals: 0 games

Princeton's season doesn't open until Oct. 30. 

Lukas Svejkovsky
Position: Center/right wing
Size: 5-9/170
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2020, fourth round
Team: Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Season totals: 5 games, 6 goals, 1 assist

Svejkovsky is on a roll to start the season, leading his team in both goals and points.

I have videos of all of Svejkovsky's goals in this story.

Svejkovsky has been used as both a center and a right wing this season.

Kirill Tankov
Position: Center/wing
Size: 6-2/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: SKA-Neva (VHL)
Season totals: 14 games, 6 goals, 4 assists

When the Penguins drafted Tankov, director of player personnel Chris Pryor referred to him first and foremost as a wing, but so far Tankov has played exclusively center -- primarily on the third line, but at times on the first or second line. He's playing in the VHL, a step above the junior league he was in last year and a step below the KHL.

Tankov ranks No. 2 on his team in goals and No. 5 in points.

Chase Yoder
Position: Center
Size: 5-11/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2020, sixth round
Team: Providence College (NCAA)
Season totals: 5 games, 1 goal, 2 assists

Yoder is centering Providence's third line. His one goal this season was an empty-net goal on Oct. 7 in a 5-2 win over Merrimack.

DEFENSEMEN

Santeri Airola
Size: 5-9/163
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, seventh round
Team: Ilves (Liiga), KOOVEE (Mestis)
Season totals: 2 games (Mestis)

Airola missed the start of the Liiga season with a lower-body injury. His team announced on Oct. 14 that Airola underwent surgery and is expected to be sidelined for 6-8 months.

Isaac Belliveau
Size: 6-2/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, fifth round
Team: Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Season totals: 6 games, 2 assists

Belliveau returned to junior after attending the Penguins' development camp and training camp, and has been playing on the Olympiques' top defense pairing.

Belliveau, who wears No. 58 in the QMJHL because of Kris Letang told le Droit that he was able to speak with Letang during camp.

"I didn't dare tell him that I had the same number as him," Belliveau said. "I was a little embarrassed."

Daniel Laatsch
Size: 6-5/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: University of Wisconsin (NCAA)
Season totals: 4 games

Injuries to Wisconsin's blue line have Laatsch elevated to the second pairing to start his NCAA career.

"He's played four games of college hockey now and holy cow," Badgers coach Tony Granato told the Wisconsin State Journal. "His confidence, his poise, his game recognition, his knowing how to use his teammates, it's a heck of a game for him."

Ryan McCleary
Size: 6-2/180
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season totals: 5 games, 1 assist

McCleary has been on the Winterhawks' third pairing this season, and was a scratch in their last game.

Clayton Phillips
Size: 6-0/195
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2017, third round
Team: Penn State University (NCAA)
Season totals: 2 games, 1 goal

Phillips is back at Penn State this season for his fifth and final year of NCAA eligibility, after being permitted to return for a fifth season by the NCAA due to COVID-19's impact on last season.

His one goal came on Oct. 4 in a 5-2 win over Long Island, skating on Penn State's top defense pairing. He suffered an undisclosed injury in that game and didn't play in Penn State's last two games on Oct. 8 and 9.

GOALTENDERS

Joel Blomqvist
Size: 6-1/183
Catches: Left
Drafted: 2020, second round
Team: Karpat (Liiga), Hermes (Mestis)
Season totals: 1 game, 0.00 GAA, 1.00 SV% (Liiga), 3 games, 2.07 GAA, .902 SV% (Mestis)

Blomqvist is Karpat's backup in the top Finnish league. He was loaned to Hermes in the second-tier league for a brief three-game stint for playing time before being recalled to Karpat. Upon returning, he posted a 20-save shutout over HPK, the first shutout of his Liiga career.

Calle Clang
Size: 6-2/176
Catches: Left
Drafted: 2020, third round
Team: Rogle (SHL)
Season totals: 2 games, 2.88 GAA, .843 SV%

Clang is starting out the year as Rogle's backup. Before the SHL season started, Rogle participated in the Champions League, a tournament featuring teams from various different European leagues. Clang split the starts for Rogle in the Champions League games, going 3-1 and posting a 2.53 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage in his four appearances.